"I have a Begleiter IX as well. I think I still have my old skin from before I upgraded to the newer one. The new skin has an environmental camouflage function, so I couldn't resist getting it," he told me.
"I've never heard of a drone that can camouflage itself before," I said, excited.
"It can just change colors to match the environment, so it is more of a gimmick then true camouflage," he explained.
"Oh, my Fizmo can do that too." I said and told him about the features I had suggested to Xavier for the Fizmo, and how he gave me the skin as a thank you for my small input, which had inspired the rebuild.
We then spent some time talking about what I should expect during the exams for the academy. As we spoke, I started to relax a little and soon my grandmother called us all to the large dining table. The meal was steamed vegetables and a steak. I couldn't help but moan slightly in delight as I ate the food.
"Good, is it kid?" my uncle asked with a chuckle, and I nodded emphatically.
"Yes! Before boarding the FSS Scorpia in Xi’anu, I’d only ever eaten fresh food once. On N2390 we just have RMPs, fresh food is hard to get and too expensive. The first time I ate fresh food was when I was fourteen and the FSS Gretna was in the Winaru system. Mother invited me to dinner with her, it was actually the first time I met her in person," I said, then stiffened as the table went silent.
Things got a little awkward after that, and the meal continued in silence. I felt regretful that I had ruined the mood and spent the remainder of the meal staring mournfully down at my plate. I hadn't really thought before I spoke, too distracted by all the yummy food.
"I'm sorry, " I murmured softly, still staring down at my plate.
"For what, sweetheart?" my grandmother asked as she looked up from her meal.
"Upsetting you all," I said, twisting the fork in my fingers and not meeting anyone's eyes.
"You didn't upset anyone, you have done nothing wrong," she said, reaching across the table and covering my hand with her own. I bit my lip and nodded slowly, wiping at the tears threatening to fall from the corner of my eye.
After helping clear the table, I followed my grandparents to the lounge. We conversed for a while about the academy and my uncle soon left, stating that he had to return to base. I watched him go, feeling suddenly awkward at being left alone with my grandparents.
"Aristeia, I know you want to join the pilot program, but have you thought about any additional courses you might like to take?" my grandmother asked.
"I've been thinking about command school, but I'm not sure I want to be a captain. I was also looking at enrolling in the hyperspace theory class."
"Both good options. Command school requires you to be in the second year of training. The hyperspace course is available in the second half of your first year, and enrollment depends on your mid-year examination," my grandfather said, looking up from his datapad.
Hearing the main door swish open, I looked up to see my grandfather’s AI drone enter the room. It flew over to my grandfather, and he took the AI chip from it. The drone then flew across the room and landed on a magnetic charging dock, similar to the one I had for my own drone. The drones could self-charge when in operation, but using the dock meant the drone had a safe standby location.
"Aristeia, bring your drone over here, and I will help you install and awaken the AI program. I suggest removing the skin for now. The additional programming may affect the AI's behavioral integration," my grandfather informed me, looking at my fluffy drone.
"I'm not sure what that means," I told him, picking up my drone as I moved over to my grandfather and sat beside him.
"The skin will have coding to affect how the AI behaves when wearing it. If you were to awaken your AI with that coding present, it may cause your AI to further integrate the coding and maintain the behaviors even when not wearing the skin," he told me, and I look down at my drone as I stroked the soft fur.
I had tested the behavioral programming through my implant. The drone was coded to bounce up and down in the air and do little flips on occasion. Its vocal coding was also a cute musical tone which I had rather enjoyed. Thinking for several moments, I made my choice.
"I want to keep the skin on, I like the behavioral programming. I know there are several ways to program behaviors and I can download different coding from the network, but I like this one," I said.
My grandfather nodded and directed me to open the skin and main plating of the drone. He then inserted the AI chip, and I closed the drones plating and the skin.
"Use your implant to access the drone and activate the installation."
I did as he said and waited for the AI chip to finish installing. After almost ten minutes of waiting, the drone’s optics lit up a bright blue. It rose from my lap and hovered before me, bouncing about in the air. I reached a hand towards my drone and it made a cooing sound, flying slightly forward to meet my hand as I stroked its fur.
"How adorable," my grandmother said, looking at my Fizmo with a smile.
"Alright Aristeia, now we need to run through the initial protocol instructions. I have sent the basic protocols to your implant. You can modify and create more personalized ones later. The ones I am sending you are required by the academy. These protocols ensure your AI companion can navigate the academy network and will react appropriately in various locations," he said. I pulled up the data packet and sent it to my AI whose optics turned orange before returning to blue.
I watched as it bobbed up and down in the air a few times before I connected to it. Using my implant, I directed the drone to land on the table and remain for ten seconds before returning. When I directly controlled the drone, I had to guide its actions completely. With the AI installed, I simply had to give it an order.
"It will take a few weeks for the AI to fully integrate with you and begin to properly take form. Remember right now it is only base coding. Much like a child, it needs to learn and discover itself—though it is much faster than a human child. The Sierra PIX also has advanced programming designed for piloting fleet spacecraft. Lt Logan uses the same model AI when flying the FSS Scorpia.
Remember Aristeia, your AI is designed only to be an assistive tool. Consider the AI as your copilot, it is there to assist and monitor the things you cannot. You shouldn't rely too heavily on it. If something should happen to it, you need to be able to act without it," my grandfather explained as we watched the drone fly back over to us and do a little flip in the air as it came to a stop.
Its tail flicked, and I watched it with interest, wondering if Xavier finished programming the tail to grab things. Looking around, I saw my grandfather’s datapad on the coffee table. Directing the AI, I sent it to bring me the datapad. It gave a cute chirping noise and dove for the coffee table, sweeping the long tail out. The drone managed to slide the tail’s tip under the pad and curled it around the datapad before carrying it to me. I grabbed the pad, and the drone shot up into the air doing a quick flip before hovering next to me again. I grinned, handing my grandfather the pad. Focusing on the drone, I had it land lightly in my lap. As I stroked its fur, I was delighted to hear it start purring. It sounded just like the simulated cat from my creatures of old Earth module.
"Aristeia." I looked up to see my grandmother walking towards me, carrying two small bowls. "I made some dessert. Have you had chocolate mousse before?"
"No, but they had chocolate cake on the Scorpia. It made me feel a bit funny, though. Jenna said it was because RMPs don't have as much sugar." I said as she laughed softly, giving me a bowl and spoon.
"Don't worry, there isn't too much sugar in this. Your grandfather has to watch his weight," she said, and my grandfather scowled at her.
"Don't start with this again, woman. There is nothing wrong with my weight. And don't go spoiling our grandchild with too many sweets. The cadets are all on strict diets. They aren't allowed sugary desserts, they have to maintain a strict level of fitness. Don't know what that fool Mua is doing, allowing his crew
to eat cakes. When we were serving on the Falcon, we had no such things," he grumbled.
"Cyrus, I am well aware of the cadets’ diets. I am the one who reviews them after all. If you’re so concerned about desserts, then you’re welcome to forgo yours," my grandmother said and turned to leave, carrying the extra bowl. My grandfather leapt quickly from his chair and snatched it from her.
"Now, Aurora, I said it's the cadets who had strict diets. Aristeia isn't a cadet yet, so there can be some allowances," he said, backing away from my grandmother while cradling his bowl.
I watched in amusement at my grandparents’ antics. My grandmother gave the spoon to my grandfather and gave me a smile before walking back to the kitchen.
Finishing my dessert, I decided to head off to bed, as it had been a rather long day and I was feeling more than a little tired. After I told my grandparents goodnight and received a small hug from my grandmother, I headed to my room to get some night clothes before using the ablution unit. Settling onto my bed, I had my AI land next to me and decided to check my messages before I went to sleep. There was a short message from my father wishing me luck for my exams in a few days and a message from my mother.
‘@Aristeia Kelras—Aristeia, send me the full logs and recording from the simulation battle with Lt Kunitz. I have been informed he requires further training and I would like to review the areas in which he is lacking.
‘I have also been informed you will be residing with the commandant until you join the first-year cadets. Please ensure that Lt Julian's foolishness does not distract you from your studies. There is a reason he is still only a lieutenant. Though you will serve on a patrol cruiser during your initial years of service, you have the potential for far more. I do not wish you to waste your talents as my brother has. I expect to see your name among the top three hundred on the battle simulation by the end of your time at the academy.’
Doesn't ask for much, does she? Top three hundred? I thought with a scowl as I read the message a second time. There are thousands of active pilots in the fleet. Admittedly not all of those were starship pilots, as the fighter and shuttle pilots also used the same simulator. The rank did go up depending on the rank of the pilots you defeated, though, so I wouldn’t need to battle thousands of pilots, just a bunch of the better ones. Like that's any easier.
Chapter 14
The morning after my arrival on Velante, I spent almost twenty minutes hovering in front of the door to my bedroom, before gathering up the courage to join my grandparents in the main room for breakfast. That morning, my grandmother informed me she had taken a day’s leave, in order to show me around the campus. We ate a hearty breakfast and left shortly after to tour the grounds.
I was in awe of the various buildings we walked past as my grandmother showed me the first wing area, where the first-year cadets would reside in. She also showed me the basic training area where I would undergo my exam and the initial eight weeks of basic training, if I succeeded in gaining a place in the academy. The academy was split into several sections, or as my grandmother called them, divisions, which trained the cadets who entered into one of the various specializations. If I succeeded in enrolling into the fleets pilot division, I would attend most of my classes in that divisions section of the campus, while other classes would be held in partnership with other divisions, such as Astrogation and Combat Tactics, which would be held in the Ship Operations and Tactics divisions, respectively.
The remaining days before the academy exam passed quickly, and while it took me some time to adjust to the family dynamic, I soon found myself feeling a lot more comfortable around my grandparents and uncle. My grandmother had refused to allow me to use my new simulation helmet and had instead given me a datapad, loaded with several learning modules on the history of the Federation and the Fleet. She informed me that it would be a good idea to get a head start on the history coursework. As Lt Charlton, who taught the history course, was known to have extremely high standards when assessing assignments.
In the afternoons, my grandfather and I worked with my AI, running it through various programs and simulations to increase its learning abilities. He also helped me create my own protocols and showed me various behavioral protocols he used. Now instead of hovering in front of me. My AI would land in my lap or hover behind my shoulder, depending on my location and what I was doing. I had also set it to return to my room and shed the Fizmo skin when it registered my intent to leave my grandparent's home or the location I selected as the main residence.
My grandfather had also suggested an auto-recording protocol. If my AI registered a situation of conflict or aggression, it would automatically begin recording. If the situation became violent, it would send out an alert and a live feed of its surroundings. The alert was set to be sent to my grandparents and the academy security officers.
He had also explained that the protocols I had loaded the first day would determine my AI's actions in specific classrooms or training facilities. In certain classes, the drone would automatically fly to a designated location and enter standby until the class had ended. This was to prevent distractions, as well as use of the AI to cheat. There would also be instances where our wrist display would be disabled for the same reason.
During physical training, the AI could fly beside me, but was given a protocol that prevented it from acting against other cadets. Apparently, some cadets used to use their drones to trip or distract others to get ahead and such tactics would lead to disciplinary action. Most of the protocols required by the academy were to prevent the AI from being misused. All AIs were connected to the main network and monitored to ensure they complied with academy regulations.
My uncle Julian joined us each night for dinner, and afterwards we would move to the lounge and discuss basic flight tactics for the patrol and escort cruisers. Cadets would be learning to fly only on escort cruisers, with a select few cadets training on Patrol cruisers. Only pilots who had been flying for a minimum of ten years could have the chance to be commissioned to a battlecruiser, and such a position would require a very high rank in the simulator.
At first, I was disappointed I would not be able to train on one of the larger ships. I had enjoyed using the battlecruiser during the simulation battles, using brute force to knock my opponents out of commission was immensely satisfying. I had used a escort cruiser in a few bouts with Lt Brookes, but found myself losing every time. However, something my uncle said about using the smaller cruisers struck a chord with me.
"Aristeia, you don't need to be smart or talented to fly a battlecruiser. It's all brawn and no brain, you just blow your enemies out of the way. But in a patrol or escort cruiser, it's different. You have to be fast and smart. You have to be aware of your every move and calculate every move your enemy might make. In a battle between a battlecruiser and a patrol, if the patrol took out the battlecruiser, who would be considered the better pilot? It is possible to take out a larger ship in a small cruiser, but only the best pilots can do it. What kind of pilot do you want to be, kid?"
I had taken his words to heart. He was right. There was very little skill or precision in fighting with a battlecruiser. It would be impressive to make it to the top three hundred in a heavy class ship, but it would be even more so to make it in a light cruiser. I had checked the leaderboards, the top three hundred were all on the heavier end of the scale. The highest-ranked ship that could be classified as small was ranked three hundred seventy-eight and was piloted by none other than my uncle.
I promised myself that not only would I be number one on the cadet leaderboard, but I would definitely reach the top four hundred at a minimum. My mother wanted the top three hundred, but I would be happy with just to reach the top four hundred. My uncle had laughed when I had told him that I was going to beat his ranking, promising me that if I could at least reach the top fifty cadet rank in the academy in my first year, he would return to Velante during the academy's end-of-year break and give me a hands-on flight in the FSS Roan. My uncle's p
atrol cruiser patrolled the Sovari and Luarn systems, so he would more than likely be in the system during the break.
The morning of the exams, I woke earlier than usual and dressed in a dark gray jumpsuit. Walking out into the main room, I found my grandparents and uncle seated at the table. My grandparents tended to favor cereals and fruit in the mornings, and I enjoyed being able to try the variety of different fresh fruits. I had been extremely spoiled the last weeks with being able to eat so much fresh food, and I dreaded the thought of once more having to eat RMPs. It would be unavoidable as many starships would have only RMPs during extended patrols due to their long shelf life and light weight.
"Morning, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Julian. Though I guess I won't be able to call you that, soon," I said, as I sat down next to my uncle.
"You can when we are in private, little one. Did you sleep well?" my grandfather asked as he sliced a banana into his bowl.
"Kind of. It was a little hard to get to sleep. I'm feeling a little nervous," I said as I grabbed an apple and my grandmother poured me a glass of juice.
"Don't worry, kid. Everyone gets nervous before exams. You don't have anything to worry about. You’re smart and your physical fitness isn't bad. You could be in better shape, but you should be able to pass the assessment," my uncle said, and I smiled at him gratefully.
We all chatted lightly as we ate our breakfast, and soon it was time for me to leave with my uncle for the main gate. The recruits who would be attending the exams were directed to wait at the main entrance, where they would be collected by the examiners. My grandfather had suggested it would be best for me to walk in with the others, as there would be a short orientation speech at the gate.
The entrance was a twenty-minute walk from my grandparents’ residence and there looked to be close to two hundred people standing outside already. There would be over two thousand people testing for the academy throughout the next two days, with each group containing approximately three hundred people.
Striving for the stars (The Kelras Chronicles Book 1) Page 10