“Hey! Ester! Over here.” A completely nude Angel waved to her.
Ester definitely didn’t want to look Angel’s way, but there were no other showerheads available. Angel continued to wave, so it was useless trying to wait for a free space. She averted her eyes cautiously, which was doing her no favors as she nearly tripped several times as she made her way over to him.
“You okay?” Angel eyed her clumsy footwork.
Ester nodded.
“Good because I changed my mind and went with Something Symple. My shower soap was from the same brand and even my drying powder is from that line, and I don’t mix brands. Like, it’s not against the rules, but you just wind up smelling like a shopping cart with spilt fragrances all over it. Like when you’re shopping in the upper cities and the clerks are spraying and…” He trailed off, watching Ester just standing there looking at her feet. “Ester? You okay?”
She nodded again as Angel continued. Why was she so nervous? She had seen so many dangly parts in her lifetime. She changed and bathed boys back home and even went to watering pools and swam with the boys nude—granted she was very young when that happened. Why was she so nervous now? There was nothing she had that nobody had ever seen or didn’t already have. She clenched her fist around her towel as her jaw tightened. It was just breasts and females parts, nothing to make a fuss over.
She flung her towel off, not caring about the eyes clearly on her and hung her towel on the towel rack. She peaked around, and no one seemed to care, so she guessed it wasn’t a big deal. Ester touched the shower controls, turning on the hot water, allowing herself to enjoy it.
***
All the cadets packed tightly in the huge, dome-shaped auditorium. Ester had seen places like this on the tele, but she had never been in a place with so many people. The time was sixteen hundred hours and orientation was just about to begin. Ester could barely contain herself. She sat in the middle of Angel and Samay. The lights were still up, giving Ester a chance to get a good look around. Every year, the academy accepted around 150 cadets. Among them were other rangers and instructors eager to hear the president’s welcome. The lights started to dim, and everyone got quiet. Lights flooded the stage as a woman walked up to the podium.
“Welcome cadets. I am Grand President, Tomea Le,” the woman addressed the crowd. “It is a great honor to start off another academic year with the future protectors of The United Nations of Rean. I would like to be the first to say how proud I am to address you here today. You have all proven yourself worthy to sit here. You are the best in your communities, in your studies, and in physical condition. If you complete this program successfully, you will be the world’s first line of defense against attack.
People cheered as the president smiled and raised her hand to calm the crowd
“Peace forged through alliance, perseverance, and honor! That is the Reanian way, may Rean be with you.” The Grand President bowed and stepped aside as she prepared to welcome their next speaker.
Ester leaned over the edge of her seat to get a better look at the next speaker. She may have lived hundreds of miles from ranger academy, but she’d done her research. Sitting on stage behind the Grand President was the rest of the ranger academy high officials. She spotted Jefreeson Willows, the Vice Grand President, Grand Commander Darwin J’Chives, and First Sargent’s, Li-san Moore and Chi Vellumee. These people were the celebrities Ester looked up to. The Grand President shook the hand of the next speaker. Ester recognized him right away: Assistant Director Colin Vibes.
“Thank you, Grand President, for that moving statement.” Assistant Director Vibes smiled. “On behalf of all the staff and captains here at the Academy of the Rean Coalition of Rangers, we whole heartedly welcome you. It is an honor to stand before so many young faces from all over our beautiful planet. As many of you know it took a feat of great bravery to be here amongst so many statehoods, as peace was not always the way of our people. We have the great leaders of old to thank for this peace and the values instilled into every ranger to guarantee our way of life remains so. Over the next few weeks, you and your peers will be put through the final portion of your entry exam.
The director took a step away from the podium as a hologram formed behind him.
“The path to ranger-hood does not end at the acceptance into the academy. Every day, you must prove your worth, and prove to us and your captains that you deserve to be here. That is why the entrance exam is split into two parts.
“One-hundred and fifty cadets were hand selected and divided into houses based on the five leaders that brought peace to our world. These houses are as followed: House Scorpion who honors Logon Adum from Adum-la; House Crane who honors Al-lazarah Cha from Cha-la; House Bull who honors Tuma Huma from Huma-ko; House Monkey who honors Sharza Tel, from Tel-sa; and House Snake who honors Dane Ans, the orchestrator of peace from Ans-on.”
Cheers filled the auditorium as Ester fidgeted her hands in excitement. House Snake was her house, and she felt extremely honored be in it. Dane Ans was one of her favorite historical figures. It was said because of his kind and compassionate heart peace was finally reached after a hundred years of war. Even though it was ancient history, Ester believed in the idea that people really could make a difference. The assistant director held up his hand and silence fell over the room.
“I am glad to hear your enthusiasm, however, this is still a test and like all tests a certain performance is required to pass. Your first real term begins at the start of winter, and the program only has seats for ninety students.”
“What?” Ester gasped, she looked at Samay, who looked just as worried, then turned to Angel.
Angel stared at Ester with his big blue eyes. “You didn’t know?”
She shook her head as Angel’s facial expression turned from surprise to shock. The assistant director walked the stage as the next screen changed for the cadets to view.
“That means only the houses that can work together will have their members move onto ranger academy,” the assistant director said. “Teamwork is highly valued here, regardless of your rank or position. We cannot succeed if we do not all move as one.”
Ester twirled the tiny curls on the back of her neck. All this time, she’d relied on herself to get her where she needed. Now she had to work together with a bunch of strangers, and their work ethic directly impacted her chances of saying in ranger academy.
“So, without further ado, allow me to introduce your house captains.” Assistant Director Vibes opened his arms to welcome the five individuals standing on the stage.
Ester spaced out. How was she going to get in when she didn’t know anyone? She looked around at some of her peers sitting with her. What if she got a crappy house filled with lazy people? Ester remembered the girls from the shower. There were already two mean people in her house, what if there were more? They all took the written exam, but that didn’t mean they were fit enough to get into the academy. She twirled her hair so tight that her finger got stuck. She needed a game plan.
“And finally, the house Captain for House Snake: Oval Pole.” The crowd applauded as a thin man with faded orange hair limped forward and bowed.
“Oh wow! We got Captain Pole! He’s the best.” Angel bounced enthusiastically.
“Huh? How do you know all of this?” Ester whispered as she clapped.
“It’s old news. My parents are civil councilors.” Angel stood and clapped and cheered when the names were finished being called as Ester sat with her mouth open. Now she really needed answers. Children of civil councilors did not go to ranger academy.
After orientation, talk about the limited space had everyone a buzzing with chatter, but Ester had other things on her mind. As they exited, Ester lost Angel in the crowd. She stood on her tippy toes next to Samay as she tried to find him. Then she saw a flicker of blond and headed straight towards him.
“Angel, Angel! Hey, wait up.” She grabbed him by the arm.
“Oh sorry, guys. I thought you were ri
ght behind me,” Angel said.
“Your parents are civil councilors?” Ester said, as others passed them on their way to the diner hall. “That’s so cool. Why are you even applying to be a ranger then when you could be a civil councilor?”
Angel stood in the hall in silence, his face expressionless and cold—something new Ester had not seen before. Two girls walked by but that did not break Ester’s stare. Then Angel perked back up again as if he just finished charging up.
“Probably for the same reason you did, to protect people.” He smiled a great big smile, and turned and walked down the hall.
Ester watched the spot where Angel once stood. She wasn’t expecting that, but she guessed he was right. She’d joined to protect people too, but couldn’t he be a bigger help as a civil councilor? They had so much influence, perhaps there was more to his story than she thought. Samay tapped her on her shoulder snapping Ester back to reality, and the two walked down the hall.
That night Ester found it hard to sleep. There was so much to process, so much to reflect on she didn’t know where to start. So far, this had been more than Ester could have ever imagined. Even if this was still considered school, she looked forward to the next four years she had in academy.
Chapter Five
Training started bright and early the next day. All the cadets dragged themselves out of bed at zero five thirty and into the shower. Ester had no trouble getting up early. She was used to it. Angel, however, was having trouble. He fought the clock as if time was going to stop for him. Finally, he turned over and opened one eye.
“Like seriously, what are you?” Angel grumbled as he pulled himself into a little ball.
“What?” Ester looked down at him.
“Like how can you get up so early? It’s exhausting.” Angel gave into the time and lifted himself up. He looked like an angry little lint ball with his curly hair all over the place.
Ester laughed and turned her attention back to unfolding her uniform. “I used to get up early every day and walk to school.”
Looking even more perplexed, Angel sat on his bed with his mouth open. “Walk? How far was your school?”
“Not too far, only a few miles,” She trailed off as she searched for her boots. She could already tell where this conversation was going. Any minute he would ask about her past, and she would tell him and he’d feel sorry for her. It was a common theme whenever Ester met anyone outside of the orphanage.
“Miles!” Angel said a lot louder than Ester would have liked.
“That’s actually pretty common for me too,” Samay cut in. “Although sometimes I caught a ride to school with my dad.”
“Lucky you,” Ester said. “So you guys heading to the shower?”
“Sure,” Samay said and bundled up her things in her arms. “Angel, you coming?”
That shook Angel from his stupor, and in a second, he was out of bed and gathering up his things. “Coming!”
The trio walked to the locker room together. Ester decided to opt out of taking a shower. She didn’t feel dirty and there was no use wasting water if she didn’t work—that was the saying back at the orphanage. Samay’s locker was only a few spots from Ester, so they decided to hang out at her locker.
“You’re from Adum, right?” Angel said.
“Yeah,” Ester said as she put on her ride suit.
“I’ve been there once, but I was super little,” Angel said.
Ester looked up. “Oh?”
Angel nodded. “Yup, but I don’t remember much. I do remember that it was very windy.”
“Yeah, the winds get up there.” Ester chuckled. She couldn’t imagine what it must have looked like to see Angel all dressed up caught in the middle of a dust storm.
Samay and Angel walked towards the showers together, and Ester sat down on the bench to wait for them. She figured she might as well go to breakfast with them, seeing how they were the only people she knew. On the other end of the locker room, she heard some arguing. She stood up, but couldn’t see anything. Other cadets wondered over to the other side, and Ester followed.
“Look, man, I’m sorry.” A boy with short black hair in the front of his head and shaved hair in the back said.
Standing over him was another boy with dark tan skin and sandy blond hair. He scoffed at the boy with the black hair.
“You better watch where you’re going, you bald headed twill!”
The boy on the floor glared but inched away. “Whatever, man.”
He stormed past Ester and the other cadets. She wasn’t sure what caused the fight, but standing next to the sandy haired boy were the two girls Ester had encountered yesterday.
“What a loser,” the girl with the purple hair said. “I can’t believe we got put in house snake with a bunch of weaklings.”
Ester had heard enough. She walked back over to Samay’s locker and caught a glimpse of the black haired boy as he walked out. Did ranger academy really have this big of a bully problem?
***
Their first class started promptly at zero seven hundred hours. The classroom was spacious and tidy. Maps and diagrams hung on the walls next to thin tall windows that flooded the room with light. The cadets waited in silence for their captain to speak. He was a thin man with faded dyed orange hair and a prickly salt and pepper colored beard. The bags under his eyes said that he was an intense thinker. The burns that blotched his face and hands said that he had seen many battles. He stared at the class but not at them. His eyes were glued to the clock. It turned from zero seven hundred hours to zero seven zero one hundred hours.
“Okay cadets, I’m happy to see that everyone made it to class on time,” he said in a leveled, monotone voice. “My name is Captain Oval Pole. I was born and raised in Tel-sa, Plizard locale. I graduated ranger academy years before most of you were thought of and retired to become a captain.”
He hit a button on his wristband and the podium lifted and hovered out of his way. When it moved, the class whispered under their breath about the robotic brace drilled into his left leg. The cadets all stared at each other, but Captain Pole’s expression stayed the same.
Captain Pole spoke over the thoughts in the cadets head and captured their full attention. “If this offends you, then this is not the career for you. If pain, death, or anguish frightens you, then this is not the career for you. If you care about your precious good looks, then this is not the career for you. This is not a job about collecting the glory and gloating to your friends.” He paused to pointedly look around. “This is a job about protecting people and upholding global and intergalactic law. But as rangers we must always look out for each other. We must live by the mantra that no matter what nation state you are from, we are one.”
Captain Pole summoned a chair and sat heavily. “With that being said, it is mandatory that we administer the second portion of your entry exam here. So this exam, what’s it about? Well, here’s the breakdown from the beginning: each house starts off with a hundred points, that’s all. You can’t gain points back if you lose them. You lose points by performing poorly on the exams, and if you are caught behaving poorly, you can have house points taken away from you. So, if you’re prone to being hot-headed, then you might want to cool it. Why are points important? Just think about a mission. If you screw up, you can’t take it back. So, if you screw up your house’s points, they are gone for good.”
The cadets gulped as they looked at each other.
“That’s one factor,” Captain Pole said as he leaned back in his chair. He rolled over to his desk to take a sip of his hot tea. “Hmm, yeah. So here’s the meat of it. Throughout this semester I’ll be preparing you for your two exams. And if you guessed the theme of the exams involved was teamwork, then you would be right. Both exams are designed to test how well you work together. I cannot stress this enough: teamwork is the key to ensuring your spot here at ranger academy.” An icy glare cut across the room as Captain Pole drank from his tea.
“Part one is a four-part relay
race and part two is a scenario simulator, and no, you won’t be fighting each other with CuCores. It’s just a set with interactive parts designed to test how well you work together in a mission setting.”
The cadets groaned as Captain Pole took another sip from his tea.
“Relax. You’ll have plenty of time to prepare yourself for the exams. With that being said, academics still play a very important part. Each of you must maintain good grades or your house will quickly lose points. Now, any questions?”
No one said a word, no one moved.
“Good. Beyond the exams, here’s a breakdown of what your academy life will look like if you make it that far. The academy is broken down into terms, there are eight terms total, covering two years, this examination period included. Terms A1 through A3 are academic and classroom focused. Those are the next terms you will enter if you are successful in your entrance exams. Terms JC1, standing for Junior Cadets phase 1, through JC4 are your combat and specialization terms.”
Captain Pole paused for questions, then nodded, and pressed a button on his wristband. Behind him, their class schedule popped up. It looked like they had a full day of class and training.
Ester was not excited about diving into the books again, but at least she only had a year and a half of classroom work before she would spend her final two years as a junior cadet–that was, if she made it that far.
“Okay, good,” the captain continued. “So, let’s start with a simple activity to get to know each other better. I’m going to call out the nation states and you raise your head if you’re from that state. Simple?” When he received all nods, he put his tea down. “By the way, if you ever crush your leg during a mission, and you’re looking for some killer herbal tea, Bex Se tea is the best damn tea in all of Rean.” Captain Pole pulled out a thermal and poured himself another cup as he scratched his braced-up leg.
A few cadets averted their eyes, not wanting to be reminded of what could happen to them.
“Okay, show of hands, who’s here from Cha-la?”
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