Derek looked up." I need that cell only for a moment. I think I can drain enough energy into the Ult's empty one to make it work for a few days and leave enough in the Garbini's cell."
Derek succeeded and both beings had enough energy to run their suits for a while.
The Ult had completely recovered and he told us about his home planet and culture. His species was the first non-humanoid member of the United Stars. It was also a very old culture. The Ult had been members of the First Galactic Council and travelled space when Terrans lived in caves and competed with the Neanderthal for the dominant species spot. The Ult once ruled a gigantic empire and where considered to be among the most brutal and aggressive species but some kind of religious event over 5000 years ago changed their behaviour and they gave up their aggressive expansion.
Then he asked:" You are amphibious too?"
I nodded." All Neo-Vikings are. Nilfeheim is a water world we have only a few small islands. The rest of the surface is covered in deep oceans. When Nilfeheim was settled, the colonists got some genetic tailoring."
"So you can actually breathe under water?" Mix asked.
"Yes I have gills that allow me to stay submerged for a long time."
"Why did you decide to join the Fleet?" Derek wanted to know.
"Ever since I can think I wanted to be a Star ship captain!"
The Ult's name was Webb and he said:" You seem quite serious but you realize that is a long and hard journey and you might spend half a life time serving before they ever offer you a command seat. There isn't a more difficult selection process in the Universe."
I shrugged. "Actually, I have no real expectations as what awaits me, I am not sure I will ever succeed, but by Odin I'll try. At least that was the plan. I am less certain about it now. I am appealed by the inhuman treatment. I can't help but wonder why they treat applicants like dirt."
"I guess they have their reasons." The Ult said
He reached for my hand:" Humans, I learned long ago like to wish other beings luck. While there is no word or concept for luck in Ulta, I wish you luck with your quest."
"Thanks Webb."
Mix then educated us about his species and time seemed to pass much faster. I t was fascinating to learn about the origin and cultures of other beings.
The Marines guarding us announced a refreshment period and a hover cart came down the line with robots handing out water and food rations. From the ground rose cubical structures, bath room facilities for anyone who needed it. The Marines urged us to hurry, but everyone needing to go had a chance to do so.
The line now had moved quite a bit and only about 60 beings where still in front of me. I estimated about 5 hours had passed since we got the refreshments and bathroom break and I was certain it was over ten hours since we arrived here. I had counted forty-eight beings so far that had given up and returned to the rear. I needed to go to the bathroom again very soon. The water I drank had made its way through the system and pushed for a release.
Arsenal, the local sun had long set and the transparent dome shielding us from the toxic and scorching hot environment outside was lit by flood lights now. When I finally reached the entrance door I was really tired, quite hungry and thirsty and in dire need to relieve myself. A uniformed human sat behind a desk next to the door and looked me over." What happened to your uniform?"
"I fashioned water bags out of the sleeves because my Ult friend needed water!"
He snarled." You damaged government issued property. This is a serious offense! Are you aware of that?"
"Sir, with all due respect, a life was at stake and I believe my action is justifiable!"
"Are you taking full responsibility for that?"
"Yes Sir! I have no problems taking responsibility for helping a fellow being in distress"
The officer made a notation on his desk screen and said." You might as well kiss your chances of becoming a cadet good bye! The Commandant himself wants to see you! That almost never happens! Go through that door. Take the first IBT. It will drop you of at the correct location!"
I was angry and tried to keep my emotions under control as I stepped pass the transparent doors into the cool marble and brass lobby to find the Inter base transport. Everything was so different from how I pictured it would be. The Vid-Shows on GalNet always portrayed Fleet officers as noble, honorable and gallant. Everything I knew about the Fleet seemed wrong. There were no larger than life heroes, no Officers who kept their cool. Instead I met only angry, bored and indifferent members of that organization. I wasn't sure anymore if I really wanted to be a part of it. Not being sure about anything I stepped into a quiet lobby. I felt angrier by the moment and I decided to let that Commander know what I was thinking about all of this. A woman was sitting behind a sweeping desk. Behind her, huge murals showing spectacular images of deep space nebulae. She seemed to be human, had bright orange hair and half her face was covered with a contour shaped mirror thing." The Commandant is expecting you, Applicant!" She said as she noticed me." Go right in!"
A pair of wooden doors swung open and I walked into a large office with deep blue soft carpet. The ceiling simulated a star field and the transparent view ports behind the large desk allowed a bird's eye view over the academy grounds and the stark landscape beyond the dome. The desk was a transparent surface floating without visible support before a white haired women sitting in a large arm chair. She wore a tight fitting black velvet suit with a plunging v shaped neckline revealing much of her cleavage. I would be hard pressed to guess at her age. She could have been anything between 20 and 200.
Her long straight snow white hair had a silveryalmost metallic shimmer to it and was cut with bangs reaching her eyes and framed a beautiful immaculate face with large dark eyes and an arrogant impression. Her suit was bare of any rank insignia, except for 3 golden rings on her sleeves. The woman had her legs crossed and her fingers stapled. Her eyes looked me over and then she said:" What is your name?"
"Eric Olafson, Ma'am."
"Why are you here?"
"I was told to report to you Ma'am! And here I am. I was told my chances to join the Fleet are nil so I don't give a hoot why you want me here!"
I was quite angry and aggravated and I let her know it." I might be just some hick from a backwater planet, but that is not how you treat people that decided to serve this Union. I am sure there are other ways to test the resolve and dedication than to treat applicants like dirt. Not providing water and defective gear, not having the courtesy of providing bath rooms and endangering the very life of a sentient being. That is not only uncivilized that is barbaric. Ever since I was a boy I dreamed of this day, but now I am not so sure if I want to be part of this. All nice and honor on the surface and rotten, bored and indifferent at the core! "
"Are you through?" She asked quietly?"
"No I am not. That Uniform you and everyone else around here wears makes you servants of the United Stars, not dictators. I don't know what I am going to do after I walk out of here, but one thing is sure. I am going to let everyone know what a rotten and lousy place this Fleet of ours is underneath all that glamour."
"Are you angry because you are hungry and thirsty and need to go to the bath room? A future officer might face much worse conditions and has to keep his cool." She said still quietly.
"Lady I come from a very harsh planet and believe me I learned from early on learn what real hunger and thirst means. I bet you never missed a meal. So don't talk to me about personal comforts. I can handle much worse. It's the attitude of the so called officers that pisses me off." I almost slammed my fist on her desk. "I realize we are new to all this but what would it hurt to be a little more courteous? Is it not the foremost duty of this Fleet to represent us in a favorable light with other civilizations? There is a being down there from the Andromeda Galaxy, what impression will he take home. What will he tell others?" I turned and went to the door." I know my way out!"
She said with a loud voice" Hold it right there. I am n
ot through with you!"
I turned and she asked: "Why did you come to Arsenal?"
"I intended to join the Fleet and become an officer. Like everyone else of course!"
"And what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know yet but that should be of no concern to you."
"Would you do the same thing you did down there, knowing it cost you your chance to become an officer?"
"No Ma'am I would not do the same thing, I would get the water myself."
She kept looking at me and then a barely noticeable smile crept over her lips but didn't reach her eyes. "I see! You may leave now. Take the elevator back down and get your dorm assigned. You are accepted in the Academy."
"I am?" I was totally surprised.
From the side Webb the Ult stepped into my field of view. "Yes Eric, you passed a very important test. A test I personally conduct once in a while." The Ult no longer wore a yellow jumpsuit but a black uniform." Welcome to the United Stars Naval Academy, Cadet Olafson. I am Admiral Webb Stokes and I am the commanding officer of this place."
He surrounded the floating desk and the woman got up and exchanged places with Webb.
"A test?" Was all that came to my mind.
Stokes fish-like face had no skin muscles to convey emotions like humans, but I was sure he felt amused." Yes Cadet a test. You did well indeed. Now get registered. They also going to feed you and give you some rest. Everything you experienced from the second you stepped off the Space Bus was a form of a test. Who follows the red line, who does what during the long waiting period. Would you punch the guy who disturbed you so rudely during your private call and everything is part of an evaluation process that gives us an idea about the character and the qualities of an applicant."
"That blonde guy with the glass chin and the hidden weapon in his sleeve was a test?"
"Yes that was a young Lieutenant ordered to try to pick fights!"
"I was close to put his lights out!" I admitted.
"But you didn't and that was good!"
He pointed out the window and motioned with his hand over the long rows of applicants still there. "Once every so often we do a routine we call the "Inmate Routine" and yes we treat you like penal colony prisoners in that scenario. We observe every applicant very closely and we can learn a lot from his or her reaction to those scenarios. Don't judge the Fleet to harsh, we doing this for over 3000 years now and we have our reasons. Now go get to the bath room or you might ruin my carpet."
"Thank you Sir!" I said and walked to the door. I heard the Admirals voice as the door opened." When I wished you luck earlier, I meant that."
Chapter 16: Cadet Olafson
The orange haired woman took the mirror thing from her face as I left the Admirals office and she leaned forward over her desk." There is a washroom right over there."
I gave her a thankful smile. After I had freshened up I asked her." How did you know I needed to go?"
She smiled." I am Cheeka and I come from Phantas." She said that as if it would explain everything. Her eyes blinked and she added." Phantas is an old Terran Colony, much like Nilfeheim and we all have Psionic abilities, including telepathy."
I groaned. "Can everyone do that but me?"
She laughed. "No, Cadet. It really only appears that way to you at the moment. You have been accepted to the Academy and if you graduate successfully you will know a whole lot more about Psionics and how to defend yourself against it too."
"That would be a good thing. I still can't believe I actually got accepted and the whole affair with the Ult was just a staged thing."
She got up and pointed at an elegant looking serv-matic. "It's about my coffee time. Would you want some too?"I nodded. "Yes I am quite thirsty actually."
She was quite attractive to look at. She had a very nice body, and she wore a short black skirt that reminded me of Sif's outfit when I saw her at the Space port and transparent shiny leg covers with a hint of black encased her legs. Her blouse was white, and void of any rank insignia, but her quite large breasts underneath made up for the lack of military decoration and was quite effective to catch an eye, at least mine. Her behind reminded in shape of an apple like the ones I had seen in the Caves of Muspelheim and it looked nice and round in that skirt as she worked on the Serve-Matic. I unexpectedly thought how that skirt would look on me. I had to be careful about my secret, especially here were everyone could see what I was thinking and tried to supress it.
She turned and handed me a cup." These are called stockings." She slid a hand over her knee and said." Yet another fashion from Terra and are once again real big in fashion." The she said." I am glad you like what you see."
The door opened and the silver haired woman came out of the Admirals office." Cadet Olafson what are you still doing here. I thought you are already processed."
The orange haired woman said." General, I offered the Cadet a cup of coffee. It was not his fault."
The silver haired woman who had the rank of a General was beautiful. Quite different from the girlish secretary, in an angelic non-human way smiled and this time it reached her large purple eyes." Carry on then finish your coffee and do have a few of the cookies, Cheeka was about to offer you. She makes them herself and they are quite legendary in the Academy Administration. After that I suggest you don't delay your processing for too long." Then she shook her and walked of." Barley a day in the navy and already flirting with the Civilian personnel. Mr Olafson I think you found your calling indeed."
The secretary waited till the woman had disappeared in one of the IBT's and said." That was General Alyica Lichfangh. She is the Commanding officer of the mighty PSI Corps, and it is said that she is the most powerful Psionic talented person in the Galaxy."
I sighed. "I just realized just how much I really have to learn." Then I drained the cup in one gulp and put it down." Thanks for the coffee. I better go."
"You're welcome Cadet Olafson. I am known around here as Cheeka. I do not have a military rank; I am just the big guys' executive assistant. Maybe when you come back from basic we can have a cup of coffee again and talk about stockings or other things."
I smiled. "That would be nice indeed."
Cheeka pointed at the IBT." Tell the IBT to drop you off at the Quarter master processing level 6. I make sure they have your paper work."
I thanked her waved once more and told the Inter Base Transport to drop me of at said location. There in a curving corridor another long line of orange dressed applicants. A bright yellow skinned being that reminded me of a bird crossed with a lemon and no taller than maybe 40 centimeters jumped before me, wearing a black uniform and with a high pitched voice." Cadet Olafson. I just received instructions to place you in line four B." The yellow being hovered before me and motioned me to take a spot between two other applicants.
I wondered how Derek and Mix faired and how far they had come in this process. I wanted to tell them about the Ult who was actually the Commandant. But the chances they were here in the same line were slim. This was like a factory processing thousands upon thousands of applicants and perhaps this was the closest concept to describe this directed madness.
A humanoid shaped being wearing a completely enclosed orange jump suit stood before me. His suit had an attached hood that was drawn closely around his head and as he turned there was a mirrored face plate before his actual face. While others had their names stencilled across the chest, he only had a number, 3452-991.
I asked. "May I ask why you got a number instead of a name?"
Its voice came from a speaker unit in his shoulder and it sounded exactly like the artificial generated female voice every standard Computronic had." I do not mind. I am a Non Corp. We did not develop the same as corporal beings. We had no need for names, before we were discovered and became a member species. We recognize and address each other in a different way. However when interacting with other Union species outside our natural environment it is helpful to have an individual designation and this numbe
r comes very close to what we see when we identify one of us."
I wished I could have talked to the non Corp a little more but the line was moving quite rapidly and we had reached a door were two officers, one human and one Insectoid Klack split us up. To the Non-Corp the human officer said." Non Corp Cadet to the right and through that corridor." And the Klack send me to the other. It turned out to be a slide belt that conveyed me into a large Auto Dresser unit and I emerged on the other side and moments later wearing an actual uniform, it was deep green and completely void of rank insignia, but on the sleeve was the Union Flag. I did not know if it was the same or a different Klack who greeted me at the other side." Welcome Cadet Olafson you have now been officially accepted and processed. Please do not ask any questions at this point, as there is no time. Follow the others to the next station where you receive your ribbon display, your Military Id Imprint and your Code Key surgery."
I really wanted to ask what a Code key surgery entailed, as I in general did not like the idea of surgeries and doctors all that much, but the Klack ignored me and addressed the next person behind me in the exact same manner.
The next room had two long counters on each side. Robots and beings behind the counter handed out large bags. A project a sign flashed with my name and guided me to a spot at the left counter. A bearded man chewing on something said." Cadet Olafson?"
"Yes Sir."
A robot next to him snarled." Identity verified. Race specifications and measurement scan complete. Basic Gear assembled and ready."
The man pointed at a large E pad screen installed into the counter. Sign your name here. With your signature you verify you have received all your basic gear, complete and in good condition."
"Should I not check it first before I sign it?"
"Yes regulations actually, that you take the print out and check every item, but your gear has been assembled by robots." He sighed." I skip this part since it would slow things down even further!"
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 237