Zero

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. It’s one if the greatest fears of being a GSP. My name is Zebulon Romulan, and I became a Galactic Space Pilot far younger than most. But that’s a whole different story. Yes I know my name is a mouthful. Probably why my fellow pilots call me Zero. It stuck so now it’s my call sign. As a GSP your missions vary and thus your spacecraft can be altered on the fly as parameters and intel evolve. So naturally it’s important to be skilled on anything with wings. Nothing is more nerve racking for a GSP than being in the Naval Elite’s newest and baddest fighter yet. An 88th generation combat fighter with a legacy of performance in any environment but especially space. It’s military designation is very long and technical but to new GSPs, they call it the A.C.E.88. The 88 is obvious but A.C.E. stands for Any Combat Environment. Veteran GSPs simply call it ACE.

You see when flying ACE you wear a Helmet with a heads up display (HUD) that provides feedback from a full 360 degree view with a multi camera system. Good luck sneaking up on an ACE. When training on ACE’s HUD many pilots, even seasoned ones get motion sickness. But something else is why it has GSPs nervous. Because of the HUDs many cameras providing real time feedback straight to your helmet you literally can’t see anything in the cockpit. You must rely on your knowledge of your craft. Even more than this, since you don’t see your craft you feel at times like you yourself are just floating through space. In combat it’s not apparent but go on a long recon mission and try not to feel alone and outside or your craft. ACEs are single seaters so most long recon missions two are sent so one GSP can sleep while the other is on guard. Resources at times are limited. Either planes are in the field or short on available pilots so you go it alone. Wake up from a slumber and see nothing but the literal void of space and your breath escapes you. For that split second it’s almost akin to having the air knocked out of you, can’t scream, can’t breath. It’s an out of body experience that it is tough to explain. But I like all the other veterans snap out of it and fly on.

I’m currently at the Galactic Space Command, headquarters for many military branches. The GSP holds a special place at the heart of HQ because of their support to the various branches. If you’re not on mission your either getting briefed or debriefed. Or so it seems at most times. Time off? What is that? Most of us are loaners, living a solitary life. All the time away makes it difficult to have … really anything. I don’t have a family, no home. I live in that pilot seat. It’s not because I don’t have money, I just don’t have time to spend it or do anything. Occasionally when you walk out or HQ to take in the incredible view you find yourself wondering what else might be out there. But when you’re in the cockpit of an ACE everything else just stops. No thoughts, just pure instinct and nerve. Turn the twin fusion engines on the sound can’t be replicated. The thrust at launch shoves you so far back in the seat you feel like you’ll need a spine realignment. Do I like what I do? Hell yeah…I’m right where I need to be.