Of Hearts And Stars (Classic Editon) (The Cadet Starship Chronicles)

by West, Edward

“Oh man.” Jenna set her status to be right back – restroom and got up from her seat “I'm not picking that crap up.” she said and they both walked out laughing.

  -30-

  He sets his alarm each night for six on the dot, but Gin wakes up at five fifty nine fifty and shuts it off. Even two months after joining LaCroix; the excitement of being an ESC member had not worn off, and his internal clock often woke him up before the alarm did. Gin then runs through his morning routine of shaving what little whiskers he has and brushing his teeth in the semidarkness; so he doesn't wake his two roommates Pudge and Oatfield. They were in student crews as well, but even so, did not like waking up early and would go ape if disturbed.

  He stood in front of his wardrobe and considered what to wear. As a special privilege, entitled to ESC members only, states; they can wear any clothing they wish as long as the clothing is not provocative in nature, of poor taste, or obscene. However, even after two months of being at the academy, he found that he didn't have much besides his cadet uniform and the ESC uniform issued to him.

  “This is so lame...” he whispered to himself in the dim light provided by his desk lamp.

  His crew-mates often walked around like they stepped straight out of a manga or anime, so he really didn't like wearing either his uniforms. Gin found it funny that while he did stand out among his crew mates in them, he didn't feel like he was expressing himself very much.

  “Maybe these blue jeans...?” he said and put them on.

  After looking some more he found a t-shirt with a video game character, Kunio-kun, that he liked. On it Kunio-kun was flexing a bicep and the text below said Work It. Definitely a weird t-shirt, and maybe that's why he liked it so much. Whenever he wore it he felt like working harder, better, faster, and stronger, and that's how he wanted to approach the day ahead. He tossed a black hoodie on over this and left the front unzipped. Once he got his sneakers on, he went to the door and got ready to start his day.

  Gin had been fine tuning his morning routine so that he would be the first one to arrive at Ready Room One, but was always beaten by Revy. This was mostly surprising, because he had assumed that it took girls a little bit longer to get ready in the morning. Then again Revy was pretty quick and efficient at everything she did. This morning he found her reading a technical manual. In front of her was a banana nut muffin and a cup of coffee. She was so still that to Gin she looked more like a life sized doll than ever before.

  “But where are the doll joints...” Gin murmured, thinking out loud.

  “Mmm?” Revy looked up from what she was reading. She smiled and said “Good morning to you too Gin!”

  Apparently, or rather luckily, she had misheard his bizarre comment “Haa...ha ha.” he laughed awkwardly while he scratched the back of his head.

  Revy tilted her head and asked “Did I say something funny?”

  Gin waved his hands in front of himself and said “Oh no no! I just remembered a funny show I saw the other day...it was...funny ya know?”

  “Hmm...” Revy studied his face and smiled again “You'll have to tell me about it sometime. I like comedy too.” she said.

  “Oh yeah! You bet!” Gin said cheerfully. Now he'd have to make up a funny sounding show later!

  “It's good that you're up early. You might need some extra time to complete your morning duty.” she explained.

  Gin recalled during ESC orientation that after two months, crew members would be assigned morning duties according to the needs of the ESC.

  Revy pointed towards the information board hanging on the wall and said “You'll find it on the info board over there. Since it's your first time, it could be a little tricky. Good luck and don't be late for class!”

  Revy took a bite of her muffin, a sip of her coffee, and got back to reading. Gin walked over to the info board and read his assignment. He was astonished when he saw Revy's duties.

  Run diagnostics on LaCroix with LC – completed.

  Check for updates to firmware for ship's weapon and navigation software – completed.

  Update operational logs – completed.

  Document outstanding casualties and update current job statuses – completed.

  Document required parts and file necessary forms for acquisition – completed.

  Make coffee – completed.

  Greet Gin when he walks in at twelve after six :) - pending.

  He looked at the clock on the wall and his jaw dropped. The time was fourteen after six, and he guessed that it had been roughly two minutes since she had greeted him.

  “H-how?” he asked no one in particular, but Revy heard him and understood his question.

  “Math.” she said with a small grin.

  Gin continued scanning the info board and when he found his name he was a little disappointed.

  Wake Swift for class.

  That was it. Was this seriously a duty? Compared to Revy and the others it seemed like Gin had gotten an extremely easy assignment. He shrugged and downloaded the directions to Swift's quarters onto his smartphone.

  -31-

  Swift's permanent residence was the academy. This meant that instead of being assigned to a dorm room, Swift lived in a suite similar to those occupied by live-in instructors. Gin made his way there and used the key card that had been hung next to his name on the information board. Upon entering he uttered a curse under his breath. Swift's living room was as large as one of the boy's lounges. There was a kitchenette which separated the two areas by a counter with stools. It was all reasonably clean, with some clutter here and there.

  Down a small hallway Gin could see what looked like a full sized bathroom through a door left slightly ajar, and to his right was a closed door. This must be the bedroom, Gin thought. He opened the door and his jaw dropped for the second time that morning. What laid out before him was a somewhat impressive walk-in closet with school clothes for all occasions, normal clothes, jackets, coats, and even a good sized section with a sign that read “Halloween”. All this and only one pair each of boots, shoes, and sneakers. Definitely a guy's closet.

  Gin closed the door shut and turned around to face another closed door. This had to be the bedroom. He opened the door to find a smaller closet instead. He shut the door and opened it again. Still closet. He looked up and down the hallway once more. There were no other doors. Just as he began to close the closet door, he was struck with a curious notion. He parted the shirts and sweaters, stepping into the closet and fumbling along the back wall in the dark until his hand found a door knob. Bingo. The door opened into a room approximately half the size of the living room. Gin looked back over his shoulder at the closet facade that had been built over the bedroom door and shook his head.

  “You've got to be kidding me.” He said as he half admired the cleverness of it. It had almost fooled him after all. Almost.

  “Gotta try harder than that captain.” He whispered.

  Gin took one step further and went straight through a trap door, falling for a few seconds before splashing into a mysterious pool of water. Meanwhile Swift dozed peacefully across the room with a smile on his face and a fat black and white cat at his side. The cat's name is Jazz: Eater of Worlds, or just Jazz for short, and is the live-in guard on duty for Swift's suite.

  Gin came running back into the room, vaulted over the trapdoor and somersaulted to a stop at the foot of Swift's bed. Hearing all of this commotion, Swift had opened an eye and was staring straight at him. The expression on Swift's face looked strange to Gin. The smile had faded, but his entire face still seemed peaceful. Well, the entire face but that one open eye. It seemed to be looking into him, reading his soul. Gin thought it looked creepy. Then that faded as well and Swift's expression softened back into that of a lazy young man.

  “G'morn Gin.” Swift mumbled with half of his face still buried in his pillow.

  “Good morning Captain.” Gin stood at attention and saluted as he returned Swift's greeting.

  Swift yawned and said “Don't...don't
do the hand thing...”

  and then yawned again before adding “It's not like you're wearing a helmet or something. Also just call me Swift, please.”

  “Alright...Swift! Let's get ready for class!” Gin enthusiastically threw a fist into the air.

  Swift's one open eye gazed dolefully at Gin, and all at once Swift seemed to be far older. In that eye was a world of weariness and sorrow, and Gin felt a pang of remorse for having woken him.

  “Gin.” Swift said “Grains of knowledge are not so easily bestowed upon us, nor are they found randomly in the wild as one might find a stone, bolder, or mountain. They are sifted from the river of the world's collective consciousness; as one might find a glimmer of gold in a bed of silt. Perhaps, sometimes, the secret to finding is to stop searching and await the opportunity to seize knowledge; to take it back into one's hands.”

  “Wow...” Gin whispered.

  “Yes, patience is a virtue.” Swift said “Fist bump me.”

  They bumped fists.

  “Go forth Gin! Seize knowledge!” Swift raised a hand and then rolled over on his side, facing the wall “I will wait here for my own opportunity!”

  “Aye aye Captain!”

  “Swift.”

  “Aye aye Swift!”

  “This was a good talk. Catch ya later.” Swift said and went back to sleep.

  As Gin began to step into the false closet, he realized that he had been tricked by Swift's nonsensical speech and marched back into the bedroom, remembering to walk around the trap door this time.

  “Swift get up, we're going to be late.” he said.

  “Late for what Gin?” Swift asked.

  “Class.”

  “I thought that you were going to seize knowledge, and that I was going to wait for my own opportunity?”

  “We're both going to seize.” Gin replied.

  Swift sat up and rubbed his eyes “I hate seizures.” he said “They're inconvenient.”

  Somehow they made it to Bromley Hall, located on the thirty second floor, with time to spare. Gin loved the floors that were designed like this, because there were windows lining the entire hallway on each side of the academy. Thanks to this you could see the courtyard on the 30th floor, and the simulated flora was so realistic that he almost forgot that the academy was in space. Every floor in the academy was capable of recreating the various seasons and climate conditions of Earth, and courtyard 30 was currently set to Spring- Gin's favorite season. Sometimes he would take walks throughout the academy, because every 10th floor held a courtyard, and he enjoyed being able to see any season whenever he wished. If he wanted to build a snowman, take a thoughtful walk in the rain, or soak up some rays- all he needed to do was ride the elevator until he found the right spot.

  As they approached the classroom, Swift stopped walking “Hey man.” he said “I gotta use the bathroom. Didn't get a chance to this morning.”

  Gin eyed him suspiciously “I'll come with you.” he said.

  Swift put his hands into his pockets and asked “You gotta go too?”

  Gin shook his head “Nope.” he said “But if you don't go to class, Revy will kill me.”

  “Don't worry about that man. I've got it all under control.” Swift said and put a hand on Gin's shoulder “Just go on ahead, and I'll catch up.”

  “Really?” Gin asked.

  “Totes dude, I'm the captain.” Swift reassured him.

  Gin folded his arms “I dunno.” he said “Just make it quick, I'll wait right here.”

  “For sure.” Swift said and began walking towards the bathrooms in the middle of the hallway. However when he got to them, he took his hands out of his pockets and broke into a full sprint past them.

  “REALLY!?” Gin shouted after him.

  “Be back later!” Swift called over his shoulder.

  If Gin had tried to chase after him, he would have ended up late himself, so he walked into history class alone. Swift was the only other LaCroix member he shared this class with, and sadly he had yet to make any friends. He spotted an empty seat in the third row next to the window, and decided to take it. As he made his way there he noticed a solitary console, much farther away from the others, in the back of the room by the window. From where he stood he could make out what looked like graffiti etched into the surface. The instructor was busy at the front, so Gin decided to take a look.

  Dead dad.

  Murdered mum.

  Loser son.

  Gin ran his fingers over these words, which had been crossed out many times. Other crude writings covered the top of the desk, even one telling the owner of the desk to kill his or herself. Gin found this disgusting. Even if this person was a complete jerk, this was too much.

  “Excuse me young man. Take your seat, class is about to begin.” the history instructor called out to a now embarrassed Gin, who went right to his seat and sat down.

  “Today we'll talk about the Galactic Civil War. Take out your reference books and turn to page 99. Can anyone list one of the precursors to the war?”

  Gin raised his hand.

  “Cadet O'Hare.”

  “In the year 20XX mankind underwent a massive series of breakthroughs in science and technology, specifically in space exploration and travel.”

  “Correct. Many years of negotiation, peace talks, and treaties lead to 20XX, the year that Earth became united under the banner of a single nation. Can anyone tell me what else happened during this year?”

  A few students raised their hands and the instructor picked a girl in the front of the room.

  “Cadet Timmons.”

  “It was also the year of the first solar empire, with Marcus Antica as it's emperor.”

  “Very good. Despite the amazing progress mankind had made however, the love of money still remained the root of all evil. By that era the middle class had vanished completely, and there existed only the rich and the poor. Can anyone explain the differences that led to tension between these classes?”

  A cadet with wire frame glasses, who was seated in the middle of the room, was picked.

  “Cadet Phillips.”

  “The rich built lives that revolved around decadence and glamor, soaking themselves in opulence and luxury. For the lower class, life was considerably less baller and swaggtastic.”

  “Not exactly how I would have put it, but yes. Daily life for the poor consisted of labor and military training for the greater good. In exchange for work done in mines, refineries, factories, etc., the poor would receive modest amounts of food, clothing, and shelter. Both classes had reasonable access to general, as well as higher education with bright minds emerging from either camp. Can anyone give us a social problem for The Empire?”

  A slim cadet seated two rows away from Gin was chosen.

  “Cadet Sanchez.”

  “For the majority of both sides, general and higher education was not the top priority. The nobility sought largely to increase their affluence and quality of life while the commoners focused on survival on a daily basis.”

  “Indeed. Marcus Antica had helped shape this way of life and was a firm supporter of it up until the moment of his assassination. Many speculate that it was a disgruntled citizen of the lower class that went mad and took the life of the emperor, while others argued that it was all part of a much more sinister plot. Can any of you list the members of the royal family?”

  A black haired young girl on the side of the room raised her hand.

  “Cadet Himawari.”

  “Marcus Antica married Aurora Danera, and had three sons: Julius, Mathos, and Tiberius. He also sired a daughter, Aria, who at the time of his demise was still an infant.”

  “Correct. When the investigation finally reached the imperial family, tensions broke into a frenzy. Tiberius, being four years of age, was quickly ruled out by all but the most dedicated fringe conspiracy theorists. Thus the spotlight was shifted to Julius who was sixteen and Mathos who was fifteen. With the throne open and a power vacuum forming, both Julius and
Mathos made their move. From our lesson the other day, do any of you recall what happened next?”

  A blonde haired young man in the front was called upon.

  “Cadet Iggori.”

  “In order to seize control, Julius and Mathos understood that they would need the support of the people. Julius sought power in wealth, declaring Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars as his territory while taking up the interests of the nobility. Mathos saw power in numbers, and so made plans to make use of the poor. He claimed Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune as well as the dwarf planets.”

  “Indeed. The two territories are separated by the Belt Line, which greatly isolates The Empire and Rebel Faction from each other. Control of the outer planets gave Mathos considerable control over resources and manufacturing, leaving Julius to rely on the stockpile held by the inner planets and the wealth of their people.”

  Gin had zoned out for a bit. When he came out of his educational coma he took a look around the room. Some of the students were taking notes, others were texting each other with their phones down in the their laps, and a few were even napping. He saw Swift and began to wave, but his hand stopped and hung lamely in the air. Swift was sitting at that console in the back of the room. That jacked up console!

  Gin stood and slammed his hands on his own console, glaring at his classmates with contempt.

  “Take your seat O'Hare.” The instructor ordered Gin, but he did not listen.

  “Swift...” Gin growled through clenched teeth.

  A female classmate sitting next to Gin hissed “Don't talk to him!”

  “Fu-” Gin began to shout at the hissing female, but Swift had risen, dashed over, placed a hand on top of Gin's mouth.

  “Sorry! Be back soon!” Swift called to the instructor as he hauled Gin from the room.

  “Take your time.” the instructor said and shook his head.

  Once they were in the hallway Swift let go of Gin. They began to walk down the hallway.