Part 1, Chapter 1, First Half wrote:Part I: Academy
Chapter 1: Visit
"Ok, now, test tomorrow on human growth and development, don't forget!"
The class groaned as a bell rang, ending class. The students quickly filtered out of the room, eager to put their time to a more entertaining use. While most headed toward the dormitories or the sports fields, two made their way to the starport.
"I still don't understand why we have to learn that crap." He was fairly short in comparison to his people, standing only six feet tall. His hair was kept long and pulled back, and was brown with a few bleached strands. He was lean, but he showed clear signs of physical strength.
"Probably to make us better soldiers. They can't miss any details training us." She was of average height for her people, standing about five and a half feet tall. Her hair was shoulder length and solid dark brown. She was lean like her companion, but her strength was hidden while it was obvious she had an air of grace about her.
"Come now, Roxy, I don't think we'll be needing to know how people are born. We'll be needing quite the opposite, really."
"It could come in handy. You never know. I plan on learning it. I would suggest you do the same, Leon."
They were approaching the military wing of the starport. There were no wars in the sector, so it was nearly empty. All of the soldiers and pilots were at home with their families or keeping the peace in some territory or other.
Several men were disembarking a government transport ship, two in specific bearing insignia marking them as nobility. One looked about twenty years younger than the other. The ship bore the symbols of Toketi and Novatainia, both on the planet Micras.
The two seemed to be in an argument with a guardsman stationed at the starport when they noticed Roxanne and Leonïd.
"Excuse me, but these two will vouch for us," said one man bearing a resemblance to Leon, and the younger of the two. "Son! Come explain to this man who we are!"
Leon and Roxanne approached the guardsman, an officer by his uniform, whom they knew all too well. "Captain Rowan, these are our parents. I suggest you let them through, unless of course you'd like to create an international incident," said Leon with a malicious grin.
"If this is another trick, you'll get some serious extra dril, but for now, I'm detaining them until I can get confirmation from the palace of their identities," was the captains blunt reply.
Leon sighed. "Have you sent word of their arrival yet? I'd hate to see you punished because you were responsible for their tardiness to some meeting on some important matter of state."
Rowan glared at Leon, a glare perfected with three years of practice. "I'll have you know, youngun, that the palace was alerted of their arrival before they landed. And I won't have that tone from a cadet, so I'll see you in my office tomorrow morning, two hours before sunrise."
Leon looked to his father, hoping for someway to get another few hours of sleep the next day. "No, I'm not helping you out of this. This kind of thing is exactly the reason I'm here," the lord said, shaking his head.
"Glad you could see it my way, Baron Demetre." Rowan gave an evil smile, directed toward Leon.
The phone rang, and Rowan answered. After a few seconds, Rowan replied, "Alright, I'll let them through." He turned to the two nobles. "If you'll give me a second, I'll arrange for your armed escort."
Roxanne looked frustrated. "They're going no more than a mile, why would they need an escort? Leon and I are quite capable of getting them where their going."
"And you'll be joining your friend tomorrow morning." Rowan returned to the nobles. "I'll return soon. In the meantime, try to control your children." With that he walked off in the direction of the guard post.
"He's right, you know," said the older noble. "I won't be returning unless it's to see your graduation or to claim your dead body, so your trouble streak better end here."
"Now father, you can't be serious. These aren't exactly the most friendly people. They have no sense of humor."
The elder man approached his daughter, waving an accusatory finger at her. "You are at a military academy in an absolute monarchy. Once I argue with the headmaster in favor or keeping you both in this school, you'd better stay here, whether they find you funny or not. I'm the Duke of Glanurchy, I have better things to be doing than keeping my successor and her partner in crime out of trouble."
With that, Captain Rowan returned with four armed guards. "These men will take you to the headmaster's office. Enjoy your stay in Trahl."
The guards led the noble families away, and Rowan added under his breath, "I'm sure you will." Rowan laughed wickedly and returned to guarding the dock.
-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in," said a scraggly old voice.
The hardwood door opened into the small office. The walls were of smooth stone covered with various tapestries to insulate the room. Other than the desk and a could chairs, there was little by way of furniture.
Roxanne, Leon, and the two nobles entered the room. "Ah, Baron Petr, Duke Richard, please have a seat." They did so. Leon and Roxanne stood behind their respective fathers.
The old man behind the desk wore a very serious face. "You realize that your children may be the first and last Micrans to ever train at this academy given their recent behavior."
"We do, and we can assure you that their attitudes will improve from this point on," said Richard, still sour from earlier that afternoon.
"I hope so, because I'm going to have a close eye on them. I won't tolerate any insolence like an hour ago."
"You saw that?" Leon exclaimed. Both he and Roxanne were shocked.
"Hush! Leave us! Back to your dormitory!" The old man was becoming enraged, as was usual when cadets spoke out of line.
Leon and Roxanne left quietly. They glanced at their fathers while they passed through the doorway, receiving disappointed looks.
When they were out of any possible earshot of the office, Roxanne spoke up.
"I don't know how much more the headmaster can take. We may be expelled by tonight"
"We've lasted through three years, I'm sure we will still be here tomorrow. Besides, the headmaster is an old fool and our fathers have political leverage on their side."
"Don't forget the headmaster holds a court title. He was a military officer and is family to the emperor. He has political leverage of his own. He can have us killed, then have the empires defenses ready before Gralus's navy makes it halfway here."
The corridors were growing cold. Trahl was a fair distance from its sun, and the temperatures averaged ten Celsius at their location on the equator, and the air was constantly dry. They pulled cloaks out of the satchels at their sides to keep warm. It was a long walk to the dorm hall.
-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-
The alarm sounded, but Leon slept on.
"Wake up, you! Time to shoot guns!"
Leon groaned.
"Oh, come on, you love longarms training." Roxanne shook him violently.
Another groan, then, "Fine, fine! I'm up! I'm up!"
"Good, now get dressed and grab your things. I want to get going."
Leon climbed out of bed mostly naked. He grabbed a uniform he was pretty sure were clean and put them on, grabbed a few necessities for the day, threw them in his satchel, and was out the door. He was met by a smack in the forehead.
"Too slow. Now come on." And she ran off down the corridor, rounding a corner before Leon had fully regained his senses.
After becoming fully aware, he raced off, lest he miss the shuttle to the firing grounds.
-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-
The field was a level plain of hardy grasses, three-hundred feet to a side. On one end, several cadets stood in a line holding rifles at attention behind a short wall. On the other end were several small targets, one for each student. An instructor, a great beast of a man, stood at one side of the line of cadets.
"Ready!" called the instructor, and the students readied their weapons.
"Aim!" The cadets took close aim.
"Fire!" Several bolts of energy flew across the field. Most hitting the targets, a few missing by inches and flying off into the distance.
"Hold!" The cadets returned to attention. Leon caught a glimmer of movement in the corner of his eye. He turned his head slightly to get a better view of the stand of trees to his right where a man emerged. He was moving at a leisurely pace toward the cadets.
He eventually made his way to the wall and followed it down to the instructor standing at the end. He was wearing the uniform of a student in his sixth and final year at the academy, a formal gray coat over a simple white shirt with gray slacks and a shortsword at his hip held by a belt.. He wore several medals of achievement earned over the years. The only thing not of the uniform was his wide brimmed hat, which bore a gray plume.
After a short, quiet conversation with the instructor, he pulled a pistol and shot the instructor in the heart, the beam of light instantly killing the great man before he hit the ground.
