Forbidden Love Soldier Chapter 1: The Road to the Stars
“What is the history of man, but a series of trials overcome and horizons chased?” John Dillard read the last sentence of the book before him. His heart thundered as the shuttle's low hum sliced through the desert air. He sat near the back, his broad shoulders hunched slightly in worn farm clothes: dust-stained boots, faded work pants, and a shirt that clung to an athletic frame built from years of hard labor. Thick black hair fell just out of his eyes, and his strong jaw and calm, focused expression gave him a rugged, strikingly handsome look that belied his quiet demeanor. At twenty-three, he was finally leaving behind the streets of Blackfoot, Idaho, chasing a dream that had burned inside him since he was a boy. He wanted to see the stars and to help keep peace in the galaxy. The stars called to him every night, glittering above his family’s sagging porch, promising adventure beyond the endless fields and quiet nights of his small town. Now he was on his way to the Star Peace Force training base in Idaho. The Peace Force served as Earth's galactic military, guardians of the galaxy's fragile peace. The thought sent a jolt of excitement through him, like a flame igniting kindling, but it was tangled with a festering fear. What if I don’t belong? What if they see I’m just a farm boy from nowhere? John pressed his forehead against the shuttle’s cool window, his breath fogging the glass. He’d spent years imagining this moment, picturing himself as one of the heroes from his tattered book of galactic tales. They were brave pilots and soldiers who faced down dangers on distant worlds. As a kid, he’d lie on a threadbare blanket under the Idaho sky, his dad’s voice weaving stories of constellations and far-off planets. Those nights had filled him with a hunger to explore, to be part of something bigger than himself. Joining the Peace Force wasn’t just a job. It was a chance to touch the stars, to prove he could be more than a farmer. His parents had believed in him, their eyes shining with pride when he’d shown them the acceptance letter. “You’re meant for this, John,” his mom had said, her voice thick with emotion. But now, sitting in the shuttle, the weight of their faith pressed down on him. What if I let them down? What if I am not strong enough?