The 13th Star: An Action Adventure Sci-F Apocalyptic Novel by Adam Peled Page A

thrilled
     to have their requests realized—Rettoul and Mattoui were to be combat pilots of the most modern vehicle in the galaxy: the Sun Arrow. They got what they wanted, joining the ten other galactic pilots who enjoyed the tremendous honor.
    They two friends also excelled in their education, and now only the final instruction remained—physical training, techniques,
     and operational capability. The camp staff ordered the cadets to go out and enjoy themselves. Every student had recreation
     money and two options: visiting with the girls from Rahav, who were ready for them, or visiting the Norton Den—the officers’
     club, which included important generals.
    Rettoul, Mattoui, and their friends chose the den. A Road Star, a small elliptical hovercraft, dropped the five at the entrance. Anyone observing the group
     for the first time wouldn’t be able to ignore them.
    But It's wasn’t the first time that Zoi was in the club he knew that although he hadn’t chosen to visit the girls of Rahav, he’d be able to find one of them here.
     His tight shirt showed off his sculpted chest, his tight pants highlighted other body parts, and his attitude declared he
     was the king of the world. He descended lightly from the vehicle and waited for his friends.
    Mattoui blinked at the flickering colored lights at the entrance. He wore a low-cut, wide-shouldered shirt, like a dancer’s
     outfit, with baggy pants and sandals. Rettoul wore the same clothes from the school graduation ceremony—a black shirt and
     blue pants. Benaya had always insisted on ironing them, but now he felt a little embarrassed to be wearing them without bothering
     with the iron.
    Thor was the fourth cadet in the gang, and almost the biggest—extremely broad and nearly six feet tall. His face was square,
     as if someone had used a ruler before his birth and determined its sharp angles. A little reddish beard divided his face in
     half, the upper half including blazing green eyes and spiky, rebellious hair that wouldn’t comply regardless of any preparation or brush. At home, his parents had to order his clothes specially to fit his irregular size.
     In the camp, military-style clothes were found for him without difficulty. When he wanted to go out with his friends, though,
     and found his body had grown out of his old clothes, he could only find a black tank top that stretched over his body, further
     emphasizing his stature.
    Thor, who’d barely left the Road Star, stretched with a roar that wouldn’t have shamed the king of lions. He seemed to be
     in a perpetual low-level state of suffering due to having lost his father while in the course and not being allowed to visit
     his mother and brothers. Aside from that, though, he was the most entertaining member of the gang. Zoi was his good friend,
     and the only one who could understand him just from glancing at him. Zoi and Thor had a special language between them. Those
     listening didn’t always know if they said certain words in ridicule, or as part of their special dark humor.
    As an example, despite the profound distance between the crew and the cadets, and the great fear of the unknown, Thor had
     invented a nickname for each crewmember—not necessarily flattering—as if they were deaf and couldn’t hear him and punish him
     for it. His jocularity enlivened the cadets’ spirits. Not everyone liked his behavior, but they all admitted that without
     his witty remarks, training would have been more difficult.
    The last to leave the vehicle was “Berez the Terrible,” who was even bigger than Thor. His face was hard, and generally whoever
     he met by chance on the street would fearfully cross to the other side.
    Rumor had it that his magnificent muscles weren’t the result of weight lifting and fitness training, but that he was a talented melee
     fighter , only losing his high standing in the competitions when he beat his opponent to death. The dead opponent was declared the
     winner because