11.

The recruitment process for the Owens brothers may have had its odd moments, what would also seem just as odd was how quick they actually managed to choose a group of twenty-five men and women to add to the twelve officers already in existence. Just three days after they began their interview sessions, all of the chosen were gathered together for the first time and those arriving included a certain George Jones.

Regardless of talent, experience and or anything else, this group of individuals would become a collective with a sole mission of their own, to keep the inhabitants of The Pathfinder as safe as safe can be, within reason of course. The unforeseen and any potential space problem can be a little difficult to prepare for.

Nine o'clock sharp Wednesday morning November sixth, the twenty-five successful applicants are gathered together in the very room where their interviews had taken place. They stand in two rows at ten feet in distance apart with one line facing the another, except for George who is the odd man out. With an odd number of recruits any duo of separated line ups would leave an odd man out.

George unfortunately is that odd man out in more than one way. He is the smallest, the lightest, the youngest and the most inexperience of all gathered though none of this will dampen his determination to succeed. He is not facing anyone, not tall enough to do so either, height, as far as he is concerned is not a hindrance. This right now, this moment is a new beginning. The brothers will do things their way though a door will at least be left halfway open to allow for experience, suggestion, and other kinds of input.

In this moment of gathering, Kyle and Jinder take turns to walk in between these two lines and begin to let it be known the intentions of what lies ahead. The new recruits are standing straight, paying attention as if they are newly recruited soldiers.

'What we have here ...' speaks Kyle, 'is an operation which will work both independently and in conjunction to any and all other systems aboard this vessel though despite for the most part working as we are, there will be those times where and when necessary in which we will work with others to ensure that the main focus of the ship is that it does run to its full potential. Say for instance if engineering need a security presence they we will work with them, if those who run the ship need privacy, we can ensure that any meeting they arrange will be kept free of intruders and so on ...'

'Our job from this moment on ...' speaks Jinder, 'is to ensure the safety of each and every life on this star ship to the best of our ability, and to do this we must adapt and train, better ourselves and work in unison. You all may be aware of previous sabotage attempts on this ship. We believe the chances of future attacks are minimal though needless to say we need each of you to be vigilant and for you all not to react to any possible threat without consulting us or without working under instruction.'

Kyle continues 'right, though where possible we will work together and under a system. If a situation arises that needs instant attention be aware of your surrounding and let someone know what is happening, but for now and to begin with, we have a physical training session set up; everything else will come in the upcoming days. So, ladies and gentlemen if you will ready yourselves, physical training begins momentarily.'

George Jones begins to move himself to indeed ready himself but before he properly can he is pulled aside by the Owens brothers.

'Hey George, how are you today?'

'Fine thank you' George reacts as if readying himself to perform some sort of security task though the brothers have something else in mind.

'Jinder and I were thinking that you will take part in the physical training with everyone else and for all other aspects of training we would like you to hang by us, sound good?'

'Sure, though I would feel a concern that I may be held back due to ... you know ... my appearance.'

'You are young so do not be in too much of a hurry. Go attend you first physical training session and return to us when you are done, alright?'

In a moment which may be seen as if he is being protected or held back to some degree George feels quite the opposite. He feels strong and his confidence shines once again. He grins before speaking. 'Yes sir ... sirs.' He then does move on and takes part in the first and albeit light training session.

Doing exactly what is asked of him, George returns to those who are sure to become his mentors and is almost immediately surprised by a question that comes his way. 'Do you know what Tai Chi is?'

Tai Chi? Of course, George knows what Tai Chi is, well Tai Chi is something he once heard of and as things are about to go, George is about to get right up close and personal with Tai Chi courtesy of those new mentors of his. And George will fully take in all that comes his way.

***

Tai Chi is something that once brought Kyle Owens back to reality. A little over five years before The Pathfinder embarked on a mission that would literally see it take thousands of people away from planet Earth, Kyle and Jinder were travelling the roads of Indiana as part of a large crew or community of people living life one day to the next with no one particular destination in mind.

A barrage of camper vans and trucks travelling daily in a single file parade on show for no one, living from day to day as best they could. Indiana weather wise during the last decade of the twenty first century attracted more than its fair share of hurricanes. Yeah, twisters often visited and tore through surrounding states though for whatever reason they concentrated a heck of a lot more in Indiana.

Taking as much time to travel through this state as the group have done would prove to be the ultimate downfall for this particular travelling community. It is not like they have any early detection system going or locators for where and when the next twister would hit and radio stations have been off air for many years, so no weather reports come via such medium, still they were aware that the weather could strike at any given moment. Yeah, they could have moved on a little quicker though most places worldwide have run ins with one weather related problem or another on more or less a daily basis.

Three o'clock one morning saw the ultimate community disaster occur. Despite almost complete darkness arriving each and every night there would at least be one or two people on look out such is the extent of their early detection system. On this night, same as any other, there are two middle aged men on watch out sitting outside one particular van down towards the far end of the community trail.

Watchers usually stay close to the center of the community where it is easier to alert others should needs be though the two chaps on watch this night thought it best to be towards the rear so they wouldn't have to be all so quiet for indeed on occasion during the watch the decibel level rose high enough to possible disturb a few others from sleep.

Indeed, at approximately three in the morning, as the winds are strong enough to warrant keeping an eye out and possibly not strong enough to create worry, one of the watchers decides a time has come where he needs to relieve himself. He walks away from the final camper in the resting parade, perhaps a little further than he should and soon is engulfed in complete darkness. Sixty seconds pass then ninety seconds come to pass.

Remaining watcher begins to worry. Another sixty seconds pass and there still is no sign of his companion returning. Then there is the scream, a scream emanating from the watcher encased in darkness then the waiting watcher sees it. Too late, the quietest of whirlwinds literally has arrived out of nowhere unannounced and the second watcher lets out a roar before he too is taken to have his life expunged.

The community quickly wake though as it is it's too late for the sweeping whirlwind is moving sideways and up along the line. No one, almost no one has a chance. The third vehicle from the front of the resting parade is the vehicle within which Kyle and Jinder Owens reside. Kyle's reactions have the vehicle started. He pulls out onto the road and takes off as indeed the small tornado moves up the line.

He floors it and the two brothers have made an escape. There had been no checking on anyone else, no aid giving to anyone else, there hadn't been any time for that. The situation needed to be reacted to and reacted to immediately.

When daylight returned, they both make a return to that resting spot which had already become a final resting spot for many. The community is gone, destroyed. Kyle and Jinder are the only two to survive as far as they can tell. Both men take it hard. They have lost what basically was their family though Kyle took it worse for he hadn't even tried to see if he could have saved anyone. Of course, he knew there had been no time.

No time or not, he did save someone as Jinder often reminds him even to this day. If Kyle had not reacted as he did then the Owens brothers surely would have met the same fate the rest of their community had.

A young lady quite some distance away from these events sees them transpire within a dream as she sleeps, and this occurs without her having the knowledge that the events in this dream are real and occurring in the same moment as the dream.

Six days of silence, mostly on Kyle's part, six days where the only other person either brother would see since disaster struck would be met on that sixth day. A man, an Asian man, walking alone indeed without company and without a vehicle of any kind, it would be Jinder's suggestion to invite this man to travel with them.

Jinder had suggested this in the hopes that Kyle will see it as saving someone. One can never move on fully from losing a community especially if he feels it necessary to take some of the blame though taking on this stranger may lighten a burden ever so slightly. In return this stranger, this new friend made an offer of his own. Yeah, in return of receiving food, shelter and friendship he could teach the Owens brothers the Martial Art none other than that of Tai Chi.

The benefits from learning this Tai Chi were that with which neither brother could have seen coming and the benefits to Kyle in particular were definitely ... life changing. If the Owens brothers, particularly Kyle, can protect The Pathfinder then they sure as hell will. Thing is now, if at any point in time The Pathfinder finds itself in a position where it is going down then Both Owens brothers are going down with it whether they want to or not.

Prior to being picked up by a pair of brothers, said Asian man had been informed by a young lady that a vehicle would soon be coming and that this man needed to be on it. The young lady had seemed to come out of nowhere and before questioned could be asked she had vanished. Neither Owens brother knew of this as their new guest did not inform them of his very odd moment.