The Andromeda Affair

When Devon Shoemaker was twelve years old he had decided that he had nothing to live for.  He was a failure in school and a disappointment to his mother.  His stepfather had been abusing him physically and mentally to the point that he believed the man when he said he was worthless.  Devon intended to end it all in a well in the woods.

Devon recalled he had been in trouble since his mother started dating Nate.  The man was not interested in being a father to any child, not even a loving eleven-year old.  All the man wanted to do was be the boss.  He had started hitting Devon right after the wedding.  It only got worse with each passing week.

He had tried to get along with Nate, he really had.  A few weeks ago the man started using a thin willow switch when ever Devon’s mother was not at home.  Devon couldn’t tell his mother or anyone else.  Nate had made it very clear that if he did tell anyone, there would be consequences for his mother.

Before he could carry out his plan he met Elias.  This alien child offered him the opportunity to leave his world behind and his problems and become a part of something bigger.  He decided to accept Elias’s invitation to go with him to the starship: Milos, and became a cadet in the Planetary Association.  He left Earth, his mother and felt sure that by doing so, he would give everyone else a chance to be happy.

“Will you…come… with me?”

“Come with you where?”

“To my… ship.  It is hidden…behind your moon.”

Without a thought, without a moment’s hesitation, Devon nodded his approval, even though he had no idea why, he said yes.  The being touched a light on his belt and three silver discs on the forest floor started to glow softly.  The stranger stepped up on one of them and motioned that Devon should do the same.

“Before go I agree to go with you, can I ask you two questions?”

“Yes…”

“Will you let me come back here?”

“If you… wish, that… will be your… choice”

“What is your name?

“Elias is…what I … am called.”

“I am Devon,”

“I know…I read…your thoughts,”

“ You can read my mind?  Then, you know everything about me?”

“Some things… are garbled, what… you call confusi