"That was the USS Melbourne!" It was Derek who had stepped next to me. "Have you ever seen a battle ship for real?"
"Yes"
"I wonder what mission they have, perhaps patrolling the Nul-Nul border, or hunting pirates!"
Mix joined us as well and he said,"My people fought a long war with the Briaaad and we were about to be conquered. You cannot imagine our wonder and awe as we saw an entire squadron of those Ultra battle ships appear in our system, blasting through the Briaaad invasion fleet like a Nastooh wind through a Nolch forest." Mix eyes became even bigger," We applied for membership to the United Stars the very next day and one day I will be aboard one of those ships visiting other worlds. Repaying with my service what you all have done for us."
A fish-faced Ult overheard Mix and said,"The Briaaad made one big and fatal mistake; they fired on a Terran Explorer ship and made Terrans angry. Everyone in this galaxy knows you don't make Terrans angry."
Before anyone else could say anything, a humanoid female in black uniform stepped behind the lectern and her voice was obviously field amplified as she said:"Welcome aboard Arsenal Gate, Academy applicants. I would like to thank you all for coming this far and considering a career in the United Stars Fleet. By doing so you showed your willingness to serve and protect this federation of civilizations and do your share to make it work. Some have come here after visiting a Recruiting office. Some of you might have simply boarded the space bus to Arsenal Gate to see what will happen.
"Here you are all equal. Before we ship you to Arsenal we need to test you. It is to find out if you meet the qualification requirements. Those requirements are of physical and mental nature. Some of the tests we have to perform are to make sure that no agent of a hostile civilization gains access to the Academy or Arsenal.
"Once you step through that door next to me you are Fleet personnel. You have no ranks but you are subject to all Fleet rules and regulations. Civilian laws and rights have no meaning. You must follow orders and do what you have been told. Failure to comply can result in punishment and dismissal."
She made a pause and looked from one end of the lobby to the other. I am not here to discourage you. We welcome you and the Fleet needs Officers and Personnel. But we don't want anyone who has doubts or isn't here to fully commit to this choice of career.
Now is the time to think about it. If you feel you made the wrong decision coming here, simply remain in this room and you will receive free passage back to your home world or any other place in the United Stars territory you choose.
"You will be compensated for your troubles and receive 500 credits and a free dinner. No civilian record will be kept of this decision and it will not affect your Citizen status."
A man dressed in some sort of transparent purple plastic film suit and not much else raised his hand:" Excuse me; did you say we get free passage to anywhere and 500 credits?"
The woman sighed and nodded. "Yes Sir, that is correct!"
The strangely dressed man got up. "That's sounds good to me! I am out of here!"
To my surprise seven more decided to take the money and leave.
I wondered why anyone would make this trip just to get 500 credits.
Mix answered me. "There are some individuals doing that every 3 months. They travel from Academy to Academy get their ticket and the 500 and go on. They have no intention to join. That man in the plastic garment did that several hundred times."
I gasped. "And the Fleet doesn't keep records on that and let them get away with it?
"I don't know but I am sure the Fleet keeps records and they know about it, but what are a few thousand credits to the Fleet? They spend ten times as much every micro second just for floor polish"
"How do you know all this?"
"I read their minds!"
"You are a telepath?"
He nodded. "Not as good as the Saresii but my Heidelberg Psionic Index is at 130."
"Don't get caught. It's against the law to read other folks minds."
"No it's not. It is illegal to pry into it but I can't help to overhear what they transmit. It would be same as to make overhearing a conversation illegal to any being that has ears."
"You hear everyone's thoughts all the time?"
"No not everyone. I met beings I can't receive all the time. For example that female fleet officer or those Marines behind her. There is nothing I detect, but then they are most likely shielded. Your thoughts on the other hand are pretty clear and quite loud in a Psionic sort of sense."
I never liked Psionics, not even when the Old man did it. I felt everyone should have a right to their own thoughts, but then Tyr could not have talked to me and in his case I didn't mind telepathy, maybe not all Psionics were bad.
The female officer resumed her speech:"All those who still plan to apply at the academy are to pass through that door. You will be asked to take off all your clothing and relinquish all your personal belongings. They will be returned to you after you completed your training or you decide to quit
You will be scanned for cybernetic and genetic enhancements, bio weapons and microbes. We will evaluate your Psionic abilities and give you a physical check up before we leave to Arsenal II."
She smiled. "We have a lot of applicants today so this process might take a while, please be patient and wait your turn. The Vent-Matics are provided for your convenience and do not require credit payments"
She ended her speech and was joined by four more officers and they handed out little plastic cards with numbers, mine was 239.
After observing the proceedings for a while it became apparent that they called 10 applicants at about every 20 minutes that meant almost eight hours before it was my turn if they kept the same pace. Mix was among the first and Derek was called with the third group and after a while even the repeating visuals of the recruiting posters became boring.
The Vent-O-Matics were well programmed and provided brand name snacks and drinks for every taste.
I decided to call home and to Egill before I had to go in. If we had to give up our personal belongings, it might include the PDD as well. It was just past five in the morning but I expected most to be awake.
Elena came on after the third try. She was outside wearing thick furs, sitting on a power slider, it was the usual dark twilight of long winter and I saw a burg far in in the distance. That meant the ice cover had already moved past the north ocean and you could probably already walk or drive to Halstaad Fjord. This was the time fishing was done almost exclusively by subs and most clans and families now concentrated on Fangsnapper and Nubhir farming and ranching. Her breath rose like steam from a kettle. "Eric!" She motioned someone outside the optics and said." Quick guys put up a tent. It's Eric!"
Her face was completely covered with goggles and a cold mask underneath a thick fur brimmed hood of a fang snapper coat. She turned the PDD and I saw nine or ten similar dressed persons with power sliders and a big ice tractor pulling a train of cage and cargo sleds. Hundreds of Fangsnappers herded by men and rugged Nubhir wolfs. The men riding Snapper bulls wielding steel cable whips and prodders, seeing all this I felt a little homesick. I would have loved to ride a bull or a power slider once again.
They erected an inflatable tent in mere moments. Elena removed her head gear and revealed her red flushed cheeks and the pinkish nose. Even there with virtually no make-up she was breathtakingly beautiful. With her were Siegfrieda and Greifen. She activated Avatar function and my PDD confirmed that the nearby GalNet terminals were in range for Avatar creation. Greifen waved and went back outside.
Elena and Siegfrieda shimmered into existence before me. They looked real and would almost feel real. Their shapes, body and environmental data provided to my Personal Data Device via instantaneous communication from the sensors in her PDD. Since I was within range of an avatar capable GalNet Terminal, my PDD linked with it and the terminal sent out little mobile force field emitters that created a form energy field that simulated the shape and texture. A localized
arti grav field provided mass and substance. This incredible technology taken for granted by Union Citizens and used every day was, so my teacher had told me, the most envied technology by Non Union civilizations. Since she was able to see and interact with mew that way surprised me, as it meant they had to have a very advanced and expensive mobile GalNet terminal with them.
She hugged me. While the Avatar was a very good approximation and I could feel the coldness of Nilfeheim, it was not the same as hugging a real person. It didn't matter though. She had her arms on my shoulders and said." You have grown both in your stature and you look more grown up too!"
"You aren't a child anymore either. You look absolutely stunning!"
She grinned boyishly." We are chasing Snappers all morning long I don't even want to know how I look."
Siegfrieda asked." So where is it you are right now? "
"I am on Arsenal Gate, waiting to get the pre admission test to the Academy done."
Elena stepped back and said." Finally you made it! You know we had bets going if you were involved in that awful business on Corri-Door but you're on Arsenal that's great!"
I didn't have the heart to tell her I was involved after all, so I changed the subject." What else is new?"
"Nothing much. Midril is still off planet and sorely missed. Father went ice fishing and let me in charge of the winter move of the Snapper herds. Little Exa is in school now and has friends of her age." She was putting her gloves back on." Oh and the Ancient accompanies Midril as she didn't want to go by herself. Isegrim authorized the purchase of five of these SII-Avatar Consoles. One of them is installed at the court yard and another in the Commoners Hall. So everyone can use them. Freemen and workers and all. The atmosphere on the Rock has changed Eric. Folks are content now and you can hear laughter."
A tall human, a taller than me, very muscular and athletic looking stepped into my view field and actually pushed me aside. "I noticed this applicant conversing with the most beautiful creatures known to Marellus Bewley and I could not help myself and inquire your names and whereabouts. He is not man enough to have two of such incredible looks!"
His shove made me look around and there was actually a small gathering of exclusively male juvenile applicants staring at Elena and Siegfrieda.
Elena smiled cold." My brother has proven beyond question he is a man. He killed men for fewer offenses, so leave as long as you can. It is very impolite to interrupt a family call."
"Wow those are your sisters, little man! I am your best friend from this day on. I expect their names and contact codes." He walked off and I activated the privacy screen.
Elena laughed and said." Boys will be boys, Eric. See it with Freya's eyes and let him live."
"I am not planning to get in any fights or kill anyone! I am right at the door to the Academy."
She hugged me once more and Siegfrieda did as well, and then proved she was still the warrior she always was and said." He favors his left hand, carries a fight hammer in an underarm holster, but looks like he has a glass chin. The fool stepped into an avatar scanner field you know."
She hugged me as well, showed me her ring and after we said our fare wells. The call terminated.
The privacy screen collapsed but the group had dissipated, perhaps called in already. I checked the glowing display numbers next to the door. Numbers 66 to 76 displayed. Still a long way to go.
The Vent Matics were well stocked with a vast selection of popular snack items. Pre packed snacks like this I knew from the School cafeteria but never had money to buy any unless Yngve bought some and shared them. Popular Nilfeheim snacks were pickles, pickled fish, pickled sea weed buds and pickled dumplings. Dried Fish strip and air dried squid.
I found something called Minnows and Nuts and it came in a red bag and had small finger long dried and salted fish and some sort of crunchy fruits that tasted oily. I liked it and got me a can of Sparkle bright and sat down, leaning back. I was nervous about the admission process, but I was here and the recent nightmarish events started to fade. Considering all things I felt actually content. I must have nodded off for a while. I opened my eyes with that sandy feeling and the realization I had not just closed my eyes but slept. The numbers displayed 110-120, a considerable improvement, still far from the 239 on my plastic card. Almost everyone still waiting were now sitting, sprawling and reclining in the Vari-Form chairs.
I was just at my third trip to the Vent-matics, as I heard my number. Hastily I put the candy-bar in my pocket and went through the slide door next to the number display board. Behind it was a light gray corridor with black shiny floor .There were ten doors, five on each side and over one door I saw my number and name displayed in bright illuminated letters.
I looked for a door chime or buzzer but found none, so I knocked and the door opened immediately.
A uniformed humanoid being sat behind a desk, the room was sparsely lit and the walls, floors and everything were colored in a dark gray with dark red accents. Even the light from the indirect mounted illuminating plates had a reddish glow to it.
The being was about human size had two arms, a torso and a head on a neck, but there was no visible mouth or nose, and the eyes seemed just darker areas in the beings otherwise gray and smooth skin. The being reminded me of the Sisters of Nilfeheim and their stocking masks, only I was sure this was no mask but how the being really looked.
It extended a hand and said. "Have a seat applicant. I am Specialist Yda." The darker skin area where his mouth was moved but it did not appear to be the source of the voice
I sat down and said." I am Eric Olafson from Nilfeheim.
"Nice to meet you Eric and I would like to say thank you that you consider a career in the United Stars Fleet."
He moved one of his hands over a dimly lit contact area of his desk. "Yes you are Eric Olafson, you are from Nilfeheim and you are a lawful citizen. I see you spoke with a Fleet recruiter and entered the Pre Entry Program." He studied whatever read out he saw." You downloaded every fleet information brochure and I see you subscribed to "Log Book Stories" and "Command Chair" very unusual Virtu Choices for an applicant
I was a little surprised to see they kept records of this." I just liked to get as much information about the Fleet as I could, Sir."
The being nodded gracefully. "It tells me that your decision was certainly not spur of the moment but you planned this for a long time." The being folded its hands and its long spidery fingers had several more joints than regular human fingers. I got dizzy just watching and wondered if his kind ever made knots they could not get apart. The being suddenly vibrated and made a humming sound. "Yes actually we do. When I was young I often got so tangled up that my Sip-Sap had to help me get my hands apart."
"You can hear my thoughts as well?" I really didn't like that seemingly every other person I ran into could read my thoughts."
"Yes Applicant I can, and as your new friend Mix told you, your thoughts are quite loud. "It leaned forward. "What is your reason for wanting to join?"
"To serve and protect, to do my share to keep this Union…"
It interrupted. "Not the poster reason, why did you decide to join and you can be frank and truthful"
"I needed to get away from Nilfeheim for one thing. Ever since my Grandfathers funeral I had no other plans. I always wanted to join the Fleet."
"What is it that attracts you? I see you are an Executive of Enroe Industries. You own controlling stock in a successful company and you are an Officer of the Justice Department."
"All this sort of happened and I sure don't think these are careers I want to spend my life doing. The Fleet is the only place where I eventually could become a Star Ship captain."
The being made a series of whispering sounds and then said. "I think you are indeed at the right place then."He unfolded his hands in what must have been a mental challenge. "You have a long way ahead of you before you reach that goal, but there are millions of ships and all have Captains so you see many others have reached that
goal and done it before you and perhaps you too will do that one day."
This statement of the being lifted my spirits considerably and it was right. Whatever lay ahead of me, others had done it. So it could be done."
"I am a Leedei by the way. My kind comes from M 31, a small satellite galaxy of Andromeda and I do not wear a stocking over my head, what an interesting concept though! "
"Is there any way I can somehow adjust the volume of my thoughts? I really don't like sharing everything I am thinking.
"I know of no way to do that. I am sure the Narth or the Saresii might have ways to accomplish that. Should you reach your goal and become a Captain, they all receive extensive shielding and mental training."
The Leedei pointed to the door." It was nice chatting with you. Once you leave my office you will be further tested, and scanned. Be advised that from now on everything that happens could be a test and part of an evaluation process, keep that in mind!"
The being was not kidding. After a dozen more interviews, medical exams and scans. I felt as if I was turned inside out and every last molecule and thought of mine had been examined, dissected and recorded.
At one point they had me undress and bathe in a milky white liquid that had a metallic odor to it. A technician explained it was to make sure no bio weapons or nanites were transported to Arsenal II. At least I met Derek and Mix again.
After that bath they gave me a bright orange jumpsuit with my last name stenciled across my chest and the word applicant between my shoulder blades
My personal belongings were in a plastic crate and I carried like everyone else to a long metal counter, a chubby looking human with a robot assistant waved at me." Move it applicant, your next!"
He pointed at a recess in the counter and snapped unfriendly." Your crate fits right in there. Show some initiative!" To his colleague next to him, processing a tall Andorran, he said, as if I wasn't there." Sometimes I really hate my job, someone like that wants to become an Officer. Well they always need more Dibbies."
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 235