One by one more and more recruits walked forward to be tested, most passed but there was still an ever increasing amount of drop outs. Zach eventually stepped forward and passed by being placed to the pilot program. The tree girl Leena went after him and was added to the command group along with Lindsey and a few others. Arthur noted it seemed to have the least in it.

Finally, only Jim and Arthur remained. They looked at each other and both went to move forward at the same time in a unsaid “you go first, no you go first.” Finally the alien pointed to Jim and he strapped into the machine. He passed and was sent to the science program.

Arthur hadn’t meant to go last. It just had happened that way. A rising feeling of anxiety clouded his mind as he stepped toward the machine. Why was he doing this. He had a stable job back on Earth, but now he was who knows where… this was little more than a kidnapping and he was being fast tracked into some military organization that he knew next to nothing about… this was crazy. He felt his head go dizzy and his hands began to tingle.

“Steady there Mr. Pendrew” the alien said as Arthur leaned against the pod. “It’ll be fine.”

What did this alien know? He thought, in fact why are any of his taking his word for this? I know nothing about these people and this place, it could still be some sort of elaborate scam… His thoughts began to spiral out.

“Step into the pod please.” The alien backed towards the pod and all Arthur could think of were those alien abduction stories. Isn’t that what this was? But what choice did he have?

Get a grip. He thought firmly to himself. Even Lindsey could do this, I can’t back down now. He set his jaw and climbed into the pod. The officers attached the same gear to him and the lid closed down with a quiet sealing of air.