“This is so exciting!” Silver cheered while skipping ahead of us, dragging a nervous Leatre after her. I shook my head, feeling bad for the poor nervous alien, before looking forward in hopes of keeping from bumping into someone.
“Silver is too enthusiastic for this early in the morning. It’s like 6:30,” Lollipop grumbled in irritation. I shrugged tiredly before rubbing my eyes and shuffling after the group that headed into a large building. I was surprised to see that it was a dining hall of some kind and glanced up. The headmaster was seated behind a large and long table, to his left was an empty seat and to his right was a large African American looking woman.
On her head was a pair of orange cat ears and she looked annoyed while she ate her food. The headmaster was talking about something to her before he lifted his head and he turned in my direction. He lifted his hand and waved to me so I quickly made my way over and stopped just in front of him. Two guards blocked my path, but he stood and moved down the table, eventually round it and walking over.
“Allow her to pass. She’s my apprentice,” he said to the guards. They looked at him blankly before turning their gazes to me then moving back. The headmaster gently looped his arm with mine and tugged me to the end of the table while laughing lowly. “They’re a little protective,” he said softly as we rounded the table and headed to his seat. I shrugged and we walked over to his chair before pausing. He lifted his hand and the room began to quiet while I swallowed and looked out at the crowd of students, who stared back.
I swallowed down a sudden wave of nerves and nausea, listening to the headmaster with half an ear. “It seems something extraordinary has happened! The young woman to my left has become something of legend and myth! This young woman had become a True Navigator!” he said loudly. A whispering began and I grimaced internally, my face neutral as he spoke. “She will be learning under me and I would love for everyone to treat my apprentice with respect!” he said, a threat in the tone of his voice.
The crowd went silent and I gazed at them for a moment longer before taking my seat when he placed a hand on my shoulder. “Please don’t hesitate to tell me if someone is picking on you or giving you problems Rose Mary,” Headmaster Rockefeller said. I looked to him and nodded before looking to the large woman, who was looking down her nose at me.
“This is your new apprentice?” she said, her eyebrow going up.
“Yes. This is Rose Mary Jones, the new Neutral Navigator,” he introduced. “Rose Mary, this is Madam Matron,” he said. I nodded to her, extending my hand out for her to shake. She gingerly took the offered limb and shook it once before releasing me.
“A pleasure,” she said softly. I nodded again before leaning back in my seat and taking an offered paper from him.
“This is your schedule. Please take care of it,” he said. I nodded and opened it, looking over a few times to commit it to memory.
MWF
7:30- 8:45 A.M Earth English Reading and Comprehension (BLDG 5 RM 231)
9:00- 10:15 A.M Basic Elysian Mathematics (BLDG 5 RM 232)
10:30- 11:45 A.M Fire Arm Studies and Practices (BLDG Gym)
Noon- 1:00 P.M Lunch Hour
1:15- 2:30 P.M Basic Tracking (BLDG 4 RM 100)
2:15- 4:00 P.M Navigator Studies (BLDG 1 RM Tower)
TTH
7:30- 8:45 A.M Earth English Reading and Comprehension (BLDG 5 RM 231)
9:00- 10:15 A.M Basic Elysian Mathematics (BLDG 5 RM 232)
10:30- 11:45 A.M Basic Hand to Hand Combat (BLDG Gym)
Noon- 1:00 P.M Lunch Hour
1:15- 2:30 P.M Elective (Fencing) (BLDG Gym)
2:45- 4:00 P.M Rudimentary Diplomacy (BLDG 1 RM 6)
I lowered my schedule and looked to Headmaster Rockefeller, who was filling a plate. “Wow this is different,” I said nervously.
“I know you will get through it Rose Mary,” Headmaster Rockefeller said before placing the plate in front of me. “Get some food into your system. You’ll need it,” he said. I nodded and nervously began eating while wondering if I was really going to be able to get through today.
Chapter 6
Acceleration
I shuffled into my Basic Tracking class, shifting in place as I showed my teacher my schedule. The alien was huge with four arms and an oblong shaped head, like a football. The alien had two slits in its face like a turtle for its nose and its mouth contained razor sharp teeth. Its skin was a bright and vibrant yellow that was making my eyes hurt while the six eyes in its head were colored each individual color of the rainbow. “Good morning,” the alien said before nodding to one of the empty seats in the corner of the room.
I took my schedule from him and scanned the room, glad to see Gypsy and Eagalia were in the same table group as me. I quickly walked over, taking the empty seat across from Gypsy and pulling out my notebook. The teacher introduced himself as Mister Jekt and began talking about different planets and the close relation of their tracking. I tuned him out and doodled in my notebook as he introduced the three planets we were going to be focusing on for the first half of our semester.
I looked up at him when he began showing pictures and tried to pay attention. He was talking about a star people planet, but eventually urged us to all talk to one another while he took roll. I looked to Gypsy and Eagalia before looking to the last person in our group. She wasn’t too interested in speaking to us so we just ignored her, Eagalia grinning at me from her seat. “How was it eating with the headmaster?” she asked as she ran her pencil over her paper. I shrugged and played with part of my hair while Gypsy looked from Eagalia to me.
“Sitting with the headmaster is special Rose,” she said before beginning to play with her pencil idly.
“It wasn’t really that different. It was a little lonely since I couldn’t really talk to anyone else, but the headmaster said tomorrow I can sit with you guys,” I said. Eagalia nodded and Gypsy paused in her pencil playing to look at me. We stared at one another before she looked to her papers and humming lowly.
“So what do you guys like to do? If we’re going to be working together for the next four years I might as well know what I’m in for,” she grumbled. I nodded and sighed before running a hand through my hair.
“Rosie. Please call me Rosie first off. My mom and dad call me Rose when they’re mad,” I said before tapping the end of my pencil on the desk. “I like books,” I said awkwardly. Gypsy and Eagalia’s heads picked up a bit and I took this as a good sign. “I’m a fan of science fiction actually,” I said with a shy laugh. I heard a husky chuckle and looked to Gypsy, who tossed me a lopsided smile.
“I’m a fan of science fiction as well. I like fantasy better though,” she said. I grinned at her before looking to Eagalia who was now smiling herself.
“I’m a fan of history and war stories,” she said with a sharped toothed grin. I blinked in shock, but figured it was something she was into. I grinned and Eagalia instantly launched into a rant about her favorite book on her home world about some super warrior. Gypsy seemed only half interested, but watched as Eagalia animatedly moved her arms about in excitement. I did as well before looking up as Mister Jekt called for our attention. He was tapping on the board and began to talk again when the class grew quiet. He began to talk about a star planet and how they revolutionized galactic tracking which caught my attention.
The class passed very quickly after that and I quickly followed Gypsy out of the room, Eagalia loudly complaining about the homework we had to do. I grinned after them and laughed softly when Eagalia almost bumped into another student. We continued down the hall and split, both of them heading to their last class while I headed for mine. Some of the students looked at me oddly and I kept my eyes averted so I wouldn’t make contact with anyone.
I quickly jogged from the building to the main building and up a long flight of stairs, groaning when I got to the top. It was high up and I smoothed out my jacket before looking around curiously. There were three doors and I hesitantly opened one, finding nothing,
but a white room. I shut the door and opened the next one, this room done up in random splotches of colors. I shut the door and reluctantly opened the last door, sighing in relief when I found it was normally set up like an office. I moved in and found the headmaster behind a desk reading a thick novel. “Sir?” I called.
His head picked up and he grinned before shutting the book and placing it down. “Hello Rosie! How have your classes been?” he asked jovially. I shrugged before heading over to the chair across from him and taking a seat.
“They’re alright. I have most of my teams in them,” I said as I put my backpack down. He nodded and put his novel off to the side before straightening out in his chair.
“Right. Usually you would be pooled with the other students that are assigned as Navigators, but because of your status you will be working with me in place of a Navigator teacher. Our first lesson will not be much, I’ve pretty much gauged where you are when you took your entrance exam and figured you to be right when you should be for just starting out. We will be divulging more into your skill as time passes, but for this week we will take everything very very slow,” he said before standing.
He marched over to the corner of the room and waved, waiting for me to walk over. I did so and when I got to his side, he tapped a keyboard on the wall and the lights dimmed. He waved his hand over the machine in front of him and I blinked in shock as it turned on. A holographic version of the school appeared over it and gasped softly. “This is the Projector, it’s been around since before I was born,” he began, running his hand over the aged machine with a smile on his face. I examined it and raised an eyebrow in surprise since it seemed like it was brand new.
“How will we be using it?” I asked curiously. The headmaster straightened out before turning to me and taking my hand gently.
“It needs to be tuned to you so please come closer,” he said. I reluctantly moved over to the machine’s side and yelped when the headmaster pulled me off balance. My face fell into the projection briefly and the machine flared to life before it calmed.
“Good afternoon Lawful Navigator Gregory Rockefeller! Is that Betty Joe? It’s been years since I’ve seen her!” the machine said joyfully. I frowned in confusion before straightening out and looking at the now somber headmaster.
“No Henny…..Betty Joe passed away. This is Rose Mary. She’s a new Neutral Navigator,” he said in a gentle voice.
“Oh no…...I’ll miss her, she didn’t deserve death,” the computer said softly before the hologram flared briefly. “Well life goes on. I hope Gabrielle is alright. They were mates yeah?” the machine asked curiously. I couldn’t help, but raise an eyebrow and look to Headmaster Rockefeller, who coughed and blushed.
“Yes. Look Henny. Rose Mary will be working with us very closely is that alright?” he asked. The machine laughed before flaring once more and calming to giggles.
“Of course! I’d love to work with a relative of Betty Joe’s!” the machine said. Headmaster Rockefeller chuckled before looking to me and motioning me closer.
“Right so let’s begin with some of the standard features to this device,” he mumbled.
Henny was like Silver, but not as advanced obviously. She was scientist’s first attempt at a true artificial intelligence. She was a little sarcastic and grandmotherly which was weird, but alright in my books. The headmaster showed me how to log into the school’s database, but warned me about misusing it and also told me about his days as a student. Henny had other helpful remarks about the headmaster as a student which were comical to hear. We were winding down from our lesson when the door to the room opened.
I glanced back curiously and found Silver as well as Madam Matron standing in the doorway. Madam Matron looked irritated and Silver bashful which made me feel a little bad for her. “Matron! This is a surprise,” the headmaster said with a gentle tone. Madam Matron huffed before gently pulling Silver in and marching her over to his desk.
“I got a call from one of the teachers about a student attempting to correct him during his lesson. When I went to go check she continued to speak back to me and refused to listen to my reasoning,” Madam Matron reported.
“He was teaching it wrong though!” Silver protested. I winced as Madam Matron shot her an unamused look before looking to Headmaster Rockefeller. They gazed at one another before her eyes were drawn to me and she raised an eyebrow.
“I think I have a solution to my problem though. Navigator Jones,” she said in an authoritative voice.
“Y-Yes ma’am?” I stuttered out, awkwardly saluting her. She gave me a smile, not a mean one, but one of amusement, before gently passing me Silver’s arm.
“I will be transferring Silver into your Basic Elysian Mathematics course. Your job is to keep her from interrupting the teacher alright?” she said with a smile. I gave her one back while Silver pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.
“But he was teaching it wrong…..” she mumbled.
“How your professor teaches your class is up to him. You cannot interrupt him because you think he’s teaching the course wrong on the first day Miss Boskov,” Madam Matron said gently, but with a hint of steel in her voice.
“I’ll keep Silver out of trouble,” I said weakly. A bell went off in the distance and I jumped, releasing Silver, who began to bounce in place.
“Oh goodie! Classes are over! Come on Rosie! Let’s go get a snack then hang out!” she squealed. I tossed her a confused look, but nevertheless I followed her out of the room, waving to the headmaster and Madam Matron.
“Good bye!” I called before jogging after Silver and down from the tower.
It turned out that you could get snacks from the kitchens and Silver wasn’t that annoying when you got her to slow down. She was enthusiastic about everything and it really showed, but now that we were calmly talking about books and comics, she was almost lethargic. “I don’t get how they could have just ended the comic like that!” Silver cried before flopping back on her bed. I snickered before popping a grape into my mouth while Silver rolled over a few times before sitting up and grinning widely at me. “Still I did like that Mister Muscle and Mister Handsy got together in the end,” she said before sighing happily. “They were meant to be together,” she said happily.
“I thought they forced the relationship,” I said with a shrug. Silver shot me a scandalized look before grabbing her pillow and holding it above her head.
“I will hit you for talking like that,” she said in warning. I grinned before moving back a bit to keep out of her range.
“My opinion,” I said before holding my hands up in surrender. She smirked before lowering her pillow and pouting a bit.
“I wonder if the others will start bonding with us,” she said nervously. I shrugged before leaning back in my seat, biting my bottom lip in thought.
“Well Gypsy and Eagalia seem to be on the same page when it comes to liking books and Lollipop,” I began, jumping when a hand touched my back.
“Lollipop what?” I heard whispered into my ear, making my hair stand on end. I jerked forward and looked back in panic, scowling when I found it as only Lollipop. She began to laugh and grabbed at her stomach, Gypsy and Eagalia walking in with Leatre.
“What’s going on?” Gypsy asked curiously as she headed over to our bunk bed.
“Lolli’s being a jerk,” Silver said with another pout. Lollipop continued to laugh before walking over to her bed and climbing up onto it.
“Just want you guys to know that I’m not nice!” she called. I shook my head before settling in my seat and looking to Eagalia, Gypsy and Leatre.
“So other than that what are you guys doing here?” I asked. Eagalia shrugged while Leatre nervously rubbed her hands together.
“The recreation room is filled with students and the mean ones are there,” she said meekly. I frowned and looked to Gypsy, who sighed and rubbed her face.
“Mean ones?” I echoed in confusion. I heard a snort and looked to where Lollipop was reading
a thick novel.
“Mean ones are the jerks who think they’re better than the others,” she said, waving her hand when Leatre whimpered. I frowned deeply before looking to Gypsy, who was now sitting next to me.
“What are they talking about?” I asked. Gypsy shook her head before tugging her tie loose and twirling her finger around.
“The Alien Space Council had one representative minimum per planet. Some planets are more… “valuable” than other planets. I am fortunate enough to have been born on one of the more “valuable” planets. I just didn’t want to enroll in the Navigator studies program,” she said with a shrug.
“So the people from the “valuable” planets become Navigators?” I asked, shifting until I was sitting at the top of the bed with Silver.
“Yes. Navigators…..” she began, falling into a mumble and trailing off. I frowned and looked to Silver, who looked away then Leatre, who shrank into herself.
“Navigators are usually valued above the others within their groups! God let’s not beat around the bush on this,” Lollipop called from her bed. I looked to her and she sneered at me. “Navigators are always valued above others and in a real battle they’re the only one going home,” she said before laying back and returning to her novel while I frowned in thought.
Chapter 7
Alien Space Council
We were now three weeks into school and I watched in awe as Gypsy lifted a set of weights that weighed as much as I did. She growled as she lowered the weight bar to her chest before pushing it up while Leatre spotted her. Since Gypsy, Eagalia, and Leatre were advanced in hand to hand combat, they were allowed to weight train while Lollipop, Silver and I were stuck doing beginning exercises. I turned back to the teacher and watched as the large man spoke slowly with an annoyed look on his face as Silver asked him question after question. I had been catching onto the motions and movements pretty quickly and I was thinking about asking Eagalia or Gypsy for help with learning more. The headmaster had said that I was going to start learning things at an accelerated rate and as time passed I would crave to learn more.
Starstream Academy (The Navigators Book 1) Page 5