Defender of the Empire: Cadet #1

by Catherine Beery

  “Technology is great and wonderful,” Marius explained when I asked. “The only problem with technology is when you put too much faith in it. When it works as it is supposed to it does wonders. But in those times that it goes down for whatever reason, you need to have some recourse that you can turn too. Hence the non-powered weapons.”

  Marius, for all of his fifteen years, knew how to use weapons of all kinds in a way that Ace and Carden would have been very much impressed and wary of. It was yet another mystery the lad had around him. He would show me how to hold weapons the right way, but he would avoid touching me which made me wonder if it was to avoid whatever had happened when he hugged me the other day.

  Also seeking to avoid the strangeness of that last contact, I considered it lucky that I knew how to hold most of the hand to hand weapons he showed me. With those he ran me through the basic positions. I was no Carden, who was no Marius, but I could at least do those. Marius also agreed with Carden in saying that my strength was in my size and speed. My goal was to never be cornered, but if the worse did happen he would show me how break free from a larger foe. He actually used that word. I had only seen it before in books. When I repeated it after him he smiled sheepishly and said that he liked to read.

  We finished the lesson with a practice bout with staffs. I had asked him not to be too easy on me, wanting to see how I would fare against someone who knew what they were doing. I did score a couple of hits on him. But in a real fight they wouldn’t have hindered him much. I’m the one who kept ending up on her ass.

  “You have serious potential.” Marius told me seriously as we headed for the dining hall. He walked, I limped slightly. “I think if your life depended on it you would have fought dirtier and thus better.” He remarked. I grunted in reply. I would keep that in mind the next time we fought. There had to be a next time, though my butt didn’t like the idea much.

  The rest of that week before the first challenge I played catch up. Not only did Marius work with me and eventually Jason too on weapons, Westley worked to catch the two of us new recruits up in the lessons we missed. And all of this on top of our classes and usual course work. I was beginning to wonder if Michel had the better idea in not participating. But he didn’t have anything to prove. I did.

  I needed to prove to the mob that I could do just as well or better than they could. I also needed to prove worthy of the chance I had been given. God knew I had nowhere else to go if I managed to get myself kicked out of the Academy. I was in a fight to survive. So I worked my butt off. Yes, the one that still had a sore ego from weapon’s practice with Marius. And as I, Carden, and Marius have all figured, I tended to do better in a tight situation.

  As I was fed more and more information I began to see patterns. Even the math became less chaotic and revealed that it too had a pattern. Near the end of the week Jason and I were having competitions to see who could solve a problem first. His pencil would go down just before I would write down the answer. One of these days it will be a tie. Once I accomplished that I will push to win. Then the only thing he would have on me would be experience with technology.

  My professors began to notice that I was doing better than they expected. They knew I wasn’t cheating with the hyper net because there was a dampening field that turned on during class unless the professor wanted it otherwise. I still wasn’t completely caught up, but I could at least find the pattern now. I could see them. Many of my classmates were starting to resent me for a whole new reason. The colonist was now doing better than them. I did not feel bad about that at all. Who belongs here now, eh? I would often think but I never said it, nor did I act self-righteous. I just let my rising grades do all the talking.

  Medically, I lucked out that week. Neither Dr. Clayton nor M. Kit could find any reason for why I had the last two seizures. And except for a minor one that I did actually tell the doctor about, I haven’t had any emergencies; mental or physical. Even with the beating that weapons training always included. Like I was used to, all the bruises healed quickly. To my surprise I wasn’t tired by the end of the week. I would have thought I would be exhausted considering the nonstop schedule. But I wasn’t. Then again, it was only the beginning.

  ***

  Spectral Empire

  Iceron System

  Clouds of methane and hydrogen lapped at the windows of the floating base. Its current ballast settings saw it hovering a mile below the top layers of the atmosphere. Most of the empire considered the gas giant mildly interesting. Their interests all lay in the moon system about the planet. Their loss, his gain. It was the perfect place to plan his next moves and the best part was no one looked for him here. Not even his own.

  The figure in the shadows smiled to himself. The board was set. Now it was time to begin the game. And oh, how he enjoyed games. Especially games that had such high stakes too… for everyone else. His only stake in anything was whether or not he won the game.

  He was a collector of trophies of games won. He had an entire deck dedicated to showcasing his trophies. “Well, my pets.” he crooned softly, “does anyone want to place any wagers on the outcome of this first game?”

  As he had thought, no one would meet his gaze. Not even the Kootoli businessman who had lost a mere gambled with him. None dared to even look in his general direction. He laughed and turned to leave his pets to get a front row seat for the coming first move.

  “I don’t think it is fair to wager on something that I know can end no other way.” A human female said. Her moss green eyes met his without flinching. He sighed. No matter what he did the female never broke. He wondered, with a shiver of anticipation, what he would do to punish her this time. As he pondered the matter she continued “I know you will lose this game. No matter what you do, you will never win this game.” She said with a calm certainty.

  “Oh? And who are you trying to convince? Me? Or you?” In response she actually smiled at him before sitting down. He snorted before leaving the room with an arrogant grace. An arrogance that hid his reaction to the female’s words. He would keep an eye out for trouble and change plans accordingly. His slight unease faded as he settled into a belief that had served him well for so long: There was always another way to get something done. That was what was so fun about games. They always followed unique patterns that were pretty to watch unfold. The beginning was always exciting with its promise.

  Chapter 16 The Simulator

  Spectral Empire

  Imperial System

  The day of the first challenge came suddenly. Which is weird because I have spent the entire week preparing for it. It was always off in the distance and ‘not quite yet’. I still couldn’t believe today was the day even as I met my team for breakfast.

  “You ready for this?” Westley asked once I sat down. I’m glad he waited till then.

  I took a breath before meeting his gaze. “Sure. As ready as could be expected…. Though I’m not sure I’m hungry anymore.”

  Jason grinned at me and shoved some fluffy eggs into his mouth. “What the matter, Rylynn? A fit of nerves?” He managed to articulate with his mouth full. I’m still not sure how that was possible, but he did it.

  “There is a distinct difference between having time to contemplate a challenge and just living through a challenge.” I muttered.

  “Then just live.” Marius replied. Westley nodded in agreement and he also began to eat. I looked between all of my companions and decided that perhaps they had a point. So I took a drink of my water. When Westley raised an eyebrow at me I smiled and I ate. Jason rolled his eyes and Marius just shook his head. Can’t help it some days. I just have to be different.

  After breakfast we went to the lobby just outside the simulator room. There was a waiting period as the other eleven teams signed in and the audience was seated. Then each team was given a random number. We would be called in order to appear before the judges and the audience one by one. Meanwhile was the wait… Of course, we had the longest wait as the number we received was num
ber twelve. I just couldn’t sit still. I had to move. There was nothing to do. No way to prepare more because they didn’t give us that actual mission and none of the other groups came back after they were called out.

  I noticed that I wasn’t the only one in the group who was having problems. Jason had seemed so calm at breakfast, but now he was shifting from foot to foot. I smiled to myself and he noticed. “What?” he asked.

  “I was wondering if you would be this fidgety if you had food nearby.”

  He sighed dejectedly. “If only… but we don’t so shall we do a math problem?” he suggested with that melodic voice of his.

  I grinned at him and shook my head. “You go ahead. I don’t think I sit still long enough to give it my all.”

  “I don’t think I have ever seen you this edgy. What is going through you head?” Westley asked watching me pace. “You are tiring me out and I am just sitting here watching.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. I feel like if I stood still…” I really had no idea what would happen.

  OH DEAR, WE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS. I heard Luna mutter.

  WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, WOLF? WE DID. NEWBIE HERE DIDN’T

  What is going on? I thought turning from my team. What are you not telling me?

  Scrae sighed. LAST NIGHT KYLESST MANAGED TO FREE ANOTHER SPECTRAL FROM THE LOUS-ECI’DALB. OUR NEWEST GUEST IS AN OTTER NAMED MATTI.

  Okay… yay. What does this have to do with why I can’t seem to sit still?

  WE ARE MADE OF ENERGY, RYLYNN. WHEN WE ARE ATTATCHED IN SOME WAY TO A CORPOREAL BEING A TRADE FORMS. YOU GET SOME OF OUR ENERY AS WE GET SOME OF YOURS. THERE IS, HOWEVER, ONLY ONE OF YOU AND FOUR OF US WHO HAVE SOME SORT OF LINK TO YOU.

  So I am getting four times the amount as normal? Why hasn’t this been a problem before? That is of course assuming that this is a problem.

  IT CAN BE, BUT IT HASN’T FOR SOME TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS ALWAYS A USE FOR THE ENERGY: HEALING AND KEEPING ILLNESSES AT BAY THAT STRESS USUALLY LEAVES HUMANS VULNERABLE TO. THAT WAS ENOUGH TO KEEP THREE HALF-LINKS FROM OVERWHELMING YOU.

  But now there is another. What could happen?

  RIGHT NOW? ALL YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS RUNNING AROUND LIKE YOU HAVE A SUGAR HIGH. Scrae said. After a short pause he continued. BUT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF ENERGY IN THE CHALLENGE YOU ARE ABOUT TO PARTAKE IN THAT COULD MAKE IT WORSE.

  What? I blinked and had to sit down. Marius was watching me with a thoughtful expression on his face.

  THERE IS ENERGY ALL AROUND. Luna began to explain. MASS IS STORED ENERGY AND YOU HAVE MASS, SO DO ALL BEINGS. EMOTION IS A FORM OF ENERGY RELEASE. THE TENSION AND EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR MAY COLLECT EVEN MORE. TOO MUCH AND IT COULD OVER LOAD YOUR SENSES.

  “Oh lovely.” I muttered darkly.

  “Rylynn?” Marius asked coming to sit near me.

  I flushed slightly. How could I explain that I was having a serious conversation with Spectrals who were somehow half linked to me by another whom I had never seen? Now they were telling me that I could be overloaded by the amount of energy of four half-linked Spectrals and the energy found at an event like the one I was about to begin. Another note I would need to add to my book about Spectrals: they have wonderful timing.

  What can I do? I asked desperately to them. The last thing I needed right now was to lose my senses due to something crazy like this.

  WE WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW AS MUCH OF THE EXCESS ENERGY AS WE CAN, BUT WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO RELEASE A LARGE AMOUNT OF ENERGY. Luna said.

  Great. I needed to find a way to release energy like a power cell before my senses melted down. And I couldn’t tell anyone about it because they would think I was nuts.

  NOT EVERYONE. Scrae muttered dryly.

  “Rylynn.” Marius said in a tone that expressed this wasn’t the first time he had said my name. The next thing I knew was he touched me. I gasped as I felt that strange thing happen again. I could guess now, based on what I was feeling, that strange feeling was the excess energy flowed from me to him. That was my guess because I was no longer feeling that crazy sugar-high need to pace back and forth. My gaze met Marius’s and I knew that he had felt the same thing because there was a single, shared thought that I could see in his expression: What the hell was that??? It was the exact same thing that I was thinking. All of this happened in the second before he pulled his hand away. And just before he did I saw the dark panther limed in starlight. She was looking at me gratefully. She disappeared as Marius removed his hand. My mouth opened on many questions but I never did get the chance to ask because the announcer called “Team Twelve, please come before the judges!”

  “Not intimidating at all.” Marius drawled wryly as he stood up.

  I held his gaze as I stood up. You will answer my questions when this is over. I thought before turning away. From the wary expression in his gaze he had understood my silent message. We followed behind Westley and Jason into the simulator room.

  I’m not sure what I expected of a simulator room, but the room we entered was not it. Maybe something with more color? I really don’t know what I had been expecting. As this was my only first week here I had not been in this room before. I think I was the only one as Jason didn’t seem as awed as I was. I mentally shrugged. These things must be common in Citizen homes. For you, who like me have probably never seen a simulation room before, I can tell you that it wasn’t an incredibly large rectangular room. But it was very tall. Dark gray-blue paneling rose from the glossy black floor to a floor above my head. At that point it transitioned to rose-tinted windows that I just knew everyone was watching our actions through with judging eyes. In the center of the room was a glossy black round table that had four consoles. A latent glow came from the center of the table.

  As a group we shared a glance and made a decision. The three boys sat down at the consoles that would run their chosen position. Westley was our pilot and captain. Marius took weapons. Jason took communications and jump coordination. I, well I took the last seat. My job was to help where I could without messing anything up. Perhaps easier said than done.

  “Welcome Team Twelve.” A different voice from the one who had invited us in greeted. And, unless I was greatly mistaken, the voice belonged to Michel. And here I thought he wasn’t participating in the competition. That just goes to show you what I know. “Your mission,” Michel the announcer continued, “is one of exploration. You are the commanding crew of an LFP class starship. Begin simulation when you are ready.”

  From my classes and cram sessions with Westley I didn’t have to ask what an LFP class starship was. An LFP or Legion Fleet Pilum was a much larger class of ship than either the lightweight LFA or the more muscle bound Legion Fleet Gladius. Being larger did not mean that it was not fast. It had both speed and agility on its side coupled with a mean punch. The LFP typically carried a SCF cannon. The Terrenza was the first pilum class starship built. The SCF or Solar Core Flash, was a laser unlike any in the galaxy, or so Marius had told me. It was a doorway into the hell that makes up the heart of a star. The weapon consisted of two linked jump gates. One opened on the nozzle of the cannon. The second opened in to the heart of a nearby star. The flash would last anywhere between a twentieth of a second to a second in duration. In that time a direct ray of raw power would blast into space.

  “Having your finger on the trigger of that particular gun is both euphoric and traumatizing.” Marius had said once as if he knew. Looking at him now I could see the boyish glee of having the biggest gun. I could also tell that he was glad that it wasn’t real.

  Westley looked at each of us before nodding and telling the computer to begin. The lights around us darkened as the table brightened. An LFP appeared in the center of the holographic field. Stars glittered in the background. On the console in front of me I could see both the condition of the ship’s systems as well as what it was sensing around it. I glanced at the coordinates and, unsurprisingly, I didn’t know them. I figured that since we were on a mission of exploration that we wouldn�
�t be anywhere known.

  Westley had us cruising toward the nearest planet when Jason announced that we were not alone. Not a moment later a large, and I do mean large, ship appeared off our starboard side. On the screen it was at least four times the size of our ship. It looked like a cross between a firefly and a crab. It had the body of the bug. Even had a glowing tail section. The crab came in the many jointed-like arms that came off the main body.

  “Well, hello there.” Marius muttered, green eyes jumping between the ship in the hologram and his station’s readings.

  “They are sending a message.” Jason informed the rest of us.

  “Let’s hear it.” Westley commanded.

  Jason hit a few buttons and soon the room was full of a strange series of… sounds that were both guttural and chirpy. It was brief and to the point.

  “Do we know what was said?” Westley asked Jason.

  The younger boy shook his head. “No sir. It isn’t in the database.”

  Cool. First contact I thought just as Marius called out “They appear to be charging weapons.”

  “Raise shields and arm the Chars.” Westley said quickly naming a more common weapon that served as a shield drainer. Chars were missiles that delivered a potent substance that had the strange quality of sticking to and eating through things when exposed to a vacuum. It was a bizarre substance that ironically enough hails from the mines of Lenti.

  “What about the big girl?” Marius asked as he typed in the previous order. He, of course, meant the SCF.

  Westley frowned. “Set the coordinates, but don’t fire. I don’t want to use her unless we have to.”

  “Aye captain.” Marius said with a grin at Westley.

  Westley shook his head. “If they fire, take out their weapons.”