First Journeys Chapter 15

I woke from a dreamless sleep and I was glad of that, the most recent events were not the stuff that made pleasant dreams. I rubbed my eyes, the sleep inducer of my seat had been turned off and that meant we were close to the next destination. I swung the seat in its upright position and deactivated the opaque privacy bubble. I saw other passengers of the Space bus do the same. One of the flight attendant robots floated down the middle aisle and started to announce: “Dear passengers we are approaching Arsenal Gate. We will dock at the station in 25 minutes. All passengers with destinations beyond Arsenal system are asked to remain in the lounge area. The space station is a military installation and is off limits to nonmilitary personnel. Passengers with destination Arsenal System please gather your personal belongings and prepare for debarking. Gray Lines Incorporated cannot be held responsible for items left behind.”

The robot had reached the end of the isle of this passenger compartment, turned around in a fluid motion and continued. “Arsenal Gate maintains a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and living conditions suitable for oxygen breathing carbon life forms. Nonhumanoid life forms with special needs are asked to remain in their protective suits or keep their life support devices’ active.

“This space bus will remain docked for three hours and resume its journey to our next destination the Barrows System and we will reach Moon base Nome in seven standard days.”

The attendant robot repeated his message. I suppressed a yawn and wondered why I never really felt refreshed when I used a Sleep inducer and dialed for a drink of water at the Serv-matic installed in front of me. Moments later and half a credit poorer I sipped the cold water.

“You’re getting off at Arsenal as well?” asked a male humanoid sitting next to me?”

“Yes!” I answered, putting the film cup into the waste recycler.

I guessed he was about my age. He had almost white blond short cropped hair. His skin had a rosy shine and his face was covered with freckles. “I am Derek Simmons from Harvest 12.”

“I am Eric Olafson and I am from Nilfleheim.”

“I am guessing you never heard of Harvest 12, but then I wouldn’t blame you, no one ever has.”

“Nope I never heard of Harvest 12, but then I don’t think you know about Nilfleheim.”

He smiled. “Actually I do. I saw a National Galactic show about it on GalNet not that long ago. Isn’t that the planet where they have those really big fish?”

“Yep, sure enough that’s Nilfleheim, we call them Tyranno Fins .Why don’t you tell me about Harvest 12?”

He sighed.” We don’t have anything exciting on Harvest 12. It’s a boring planet, entirely dedicated to raise and grow agricultural products. The planet is owned by SII Agra Corp and completely terra formed. If there ever was any native life in the past, there isn’t any now. Our entire planet was sterilized, homogenized, leveled and plowed a thousand times over. We have no seasons, weather control and collector mirrors see to that. The weather is always just perfect for the crops and we have wheat fields as big as continents and that’s about all there is to Harvest 12, identical cookie cutter world, just like Harvest 1 through 56.

The only changes are crop rotations.” He sounded cynical and sighed:” My father is an Agra Bot technician, my Grandfather was an Agra Bot technician and so was his father. I simply had to get away or I would have ended up doing the same thing.”

“Nilfleheim isn’t all that exciting either. We have really long winters, lots of snow and lots of water. All we export is ice and fish.”

He smiled. “So are you going to apply for the Academy or are you going to enlist?”

“I am going to apply at the Academy”

“So am I! I want to become an Engineer! One day I will have my own Engine Room on a battle ship!”

“That is a tall goal! “Said a dark skinned being, leaning over the back of his seat. ” But that’s what I am dreaming about as well!”

The being was humanoid proportioned, had two arms and three fingered hands, but his eyes were huge and his ears looked like dinner plates glued to the side of his head.

The lower jaw was pronounced and he had rows of sharp looking teeth.“I am Mix.” He introduced himself.” And I am from ThreeOz.”

“I never meet a Threeozian. Said Derek.” Where is your planet?”

“I am from across the Bridge. I come from M 31. My race is one of the newest members and I am the first of my species trying to become a Cadet!”

“You come from Andromeda?” I repeated. “That’s sure a long way from home!”

He looked at me for at least a minute without any reaction and then nodded. “Yes it is a long way indeed. I am also sorry for my delayed answer. I had to remember that nodding your head means yes to most humanoids.”

“Don’t worry about that. Almost everything is just as alien to me and I am human. What gesture do you use in your culture for saying yes?”

“Like this!” His dinner plate shaped ears spread away from his head like opening hatches.

“I doubt I could move my ears that far away from my head, even with a lot of practice.”

Derek laughed. “I have an uncle who could say yes in the Threeoz way just fine. He has big ears and everyone in my family always made fun of him” He placed his hands to his ears and so simulated larger ears and moved them back and forth

The dark colored alien chirped in a happy way.“That actually would be a good way for humans to say yes! Gestures with a meaning are so hard to understand, more so than language I find. The first time a Terran smiled at me and I thought he was angry at me and wanted to eat me!”

“Eat you?” I asked with a surprised tone in my voice.

“The display of teeth is a sign of extreme hostility where I come from and usually means I am so angry at you I will eat you!”

“Does that happen? I mean do folks eat each other where you come from?”

“Not anymore but in the old days it sure did. It is against the law to eat anyone now.”

“I am sure glad they outlawed it. Otherwise I might smile at a ThreeOz and end up on his dinner table.” I said with a smile.

“No worries Human. Your kind doesn’t taste all that good…”

Our attention was diverted by someone a few seats ahead pointing at the big view screen that provided passengers with a view of the space ahead of the ship. “I can see the station now. I’m sure glad we’re through that darn corridor.”

“A space bus would be an easy target for any GC raider!” Derek added with a gloomy undertone. We are the first bus after they reopened the corridor for civilian traffic!”

A passenger across the aisle, looking older than most of the other passengers turned. ”

I live on Nome Moon in the Barrow System, that’s even closer to GC space than Arsenal and much less protected and we don’t worry too much. The Nogoll the closest Galactic Council Thralls are kicked out of the GC and the Corridor is actually no longer in GC space at all. The fleet sure showed them whose master in this Universe. Either those black goat heads are already on their way to Pluribus and hope we accept them or the fleet is preparing to make this part of space Nogoll free.”

Derek did not share the same confidence as the older man. “This is still just a space bus and the Nogoll might want revenge or the Kermac made this a gigantic trap of some kind!”

The man laughed. “You worry too much for a future Cadet. You forget we still have Admiral Stahl and the Devastator. Whatever else might fail, the Kermac sure don’t want to mess with him! The Goats lost 2000 ships trying!” The man crossed his arms and looked pretty confident.

Evoking the name of this mystical immortal Admiral made Derek smile.” You are right of course! The Galactic Community would not want to make him angry!”

“Who is this?” Asked the ThreeOz.

Derek almost glowed as he said. “He is one of the 200 Immortals. A man picked by the Guardian over 3000 years ago! He is the greatest warrior of all time. They even once chased him away, didn’t heed his warnings and he left for centuries but when everything looked lost and it seemed we would lose to the Y’All he returned with a huge battleship of unknown origin and incredible powerful weapons and saved us all.”

“I am sorry for my ignorance. We ThreeOz have joined only recently and we do come from another Galaxy. How can it be that he is 3000 years old?”

The Older man across the aisle smiled. “We always welcome new members in our Union. Once you accept Union laws and the Assembly has no objections everyone is welcome! No need to be sorry. As for the Immortals, that is an old story and no one knows the details anymore, except of course the Immortals, but it was at a time when Earth was still isolated and Terrans had not discovered faster than light travel. A very hostile species called the Xunx awoke from an inactivity cycle to once more conquer and destroy. One of the planets that would have been attacked was Earth. But a godlike machine left behind on Earth by an entity we only know as The Friends awoke and guided humankind to the stars by choosing 200 humans giving those special tasks, secret powers and immortality. Richard Stahl was chosen to be the Warrior and boy did that Guardian choose right there. I care not so much about the other Immortals but Stahl he is my hero!”

“It’s all just myth and story!” someone behind us grunted. “There are no Immortals, no mystic Gods or Entities. It’s propaganda and made up stories. I think Stahl and the others are clones or avatars and reproduced whenever they are needed.”

“But Encyclopedia Galactica confirms what the man just said. “Complained yet another passenger.

“No machine could put the fear in our enemies like Stahl can. He and the Devi are not Holos or simulations.” A woman spoke with a proud smile.“I saw him once!”

Meanwhile the space station visible on the view screen was getting bigger by the moment. It was a gigantic elongated spherical construct with a thick ring around its equator. Huge illuminated letters in Standard lingo identified it as: ARSENAL GATE.

The actual Arsenal system was still one light year away, but no civilian traffic was allowed to approach the system and had to go through Arsenal Gate.

Arsenal was one of the biggest fleet base systems, several fleet departments headquartered here and considered to be the best guarded and defended system in the known universe.

The space bus approached an enormous docking gate, probably able to accommodate full size Ultra battle ships, and slipped through the shimmering energy membrane that separated the inside of the dock from space.

The robot repeated its announcement once again and added,“thank you for choosing Grey Lines as your transportation service provider. Please consider us again. A Ticket kiosk and booking agent can be found at the Civilian Accessible Gray Line docking area.”

I debarked with at least 300 beings from all over Union Space to stand in line before the Station access doors. A four armed, non humanoid giant wearing Fleet uniform and two heavily armed Space Marines in bulking Destroyer suits checked everyone before they let them pass.

“That is a Petharian.” said Mix. “He too comes from Andromeda but they have been members for a long time. They are as mean and strong as your Galaxies Nul-Nul.”

“Is it true what I heard, that they are related to the Y’All?” asked Derek.

Mix wiggled his ears back and forth. “That’s the rumor, but not according to the Encyclopedia Galactica. They do look similar to Y’All that is for sure.” He lowered the volume of his and came closer.“Never mention that rumor to a Petharian if you value your health.”

I too had learned about the Y’All in Gal History and Xeno Class, but I never heard of the Petharian or that rumor. “How come you know so much about other species and such?” I asked Derek.

“I have a subscription to the Galactic Geographic Magazine. There is nothing I’d read or watch. I have collected every issue since 3300 and my brother sends me even older downloads whenever he finds one. He works at the Harvest 12 public library.”

I felt suddenly a little ashamed for never even going to the public library we had on Nilfleheim.

Derek raised an eyebrow; probably guessing what I was thinking and said:“I didn’t mean to sound like a geek, but going to the library and going on Virtu Expeditions with the GGM was a wonderful escape for me, when I was a kid. I am no Data head or anything like that.”

I grinned back. “I know what you mean. I loved Captain Ironhand Virtus and watched every experience the Union Fleet gave me in that information package the recruiter gave me”

Mix wiggled his ears.” Jane’s Ship Registry was my favorite recording of all discs, with virtual tours of every space ship type! I checked out every one, at least twice!”

“That’s a lot of ships to check out!” Derek said.” Would take years to see them all!”

“It did, it took seven years to be exact!” Mix said proudly.

The place was enormous. The floor had a coating of a black rough material. White and yellow markings directed traffic, designated landing areas and places of danger. In the distance behind us the huge docking gate. It was so big I was certain you could have stacked five burgs on top of each other, complete with Ragnarssons Rock and shove it through with room to spare. The emptiness of deep space behind it. Four other space buses had arrived along with the one I had left and each added to the long line of applicants.

It took the better part of an hour before it was my turn. The Petharian Fleet officer eyed me up and down with glowing yellow eyes, and it had six of them. Its skin looked like the surface of a barnacle and the voice sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a steel barrel. “State your name and your home planet. Expose your Citizen ID implant for scanning!”

While I swiped my right wrist where my CIT was implanted across the reader sensor I answered,” Eric Olafson, Nilfleheim.”

It seemed to look at something beyond me; it probably had the data read out projected straight to one of its eyes.” Olafson, Eric. Nilfleheim. Citizen ship confirmed. Your reason for visiting Arsenal gate?

“I want to apply at the Academy!”

“Academy applicants are to follow the red line and proceed to the red waiting room. You will wait there until receiving further instructions. Be advised that if you are found outside red marked areas you might get shot.” After saying that the being no longer paid any attention to me and barked,” Next!”

The red line was one of several different colored lighted bands in the floor and after following the red line like all the others for about a kilometer or more through a featureless corridor I reached a red door revealing a waiting lounge with rows of bio-netic chairs. To the left large windows allowing a view into deep space and the brisk traffic of small and large space craft, another wall was occupied by a row of Serv-Matic Vending machines. The wall facing the entrance had recruiting posters, for the Fleet and for the United Stars Marine Corps. There also was a small podium and a lectern. The room started to fill with humanoid and non humanoid beings. I walked over to the view ports and gazed outside. Just then a wedge shaped battle ship of the new Uni design emerged from the station dwarfing a heavy destroyer nearby as it gained speed and disappeared.

“That was the USS Melbourne!” It was Derek who had stepped next to me. “Have you ever seen a battle ship for real?”

“Yes”

“I wonder what mission they have, perhaps patrolling the Nul-Nul border, or hunting pirates!”

Mix joined us as well and he said,“My people fought a long war with the Briaaad and we were about to be conquered. You cannot imagine our wonder and awe as we saw an entire squadron of those Ultra battle ships appear in our system, blasting through the Briaaad invasion fleet like a Nastooh wind through a Nolch forest.” Mix eyes became even bigger,” We applied for membership to the United Stars the very next day and one day I will be aboard one of those ships visiting other worlds. Repaying with my service what you all have done for us.”

A fish-faced Ult overheard Mix and said,“The Briaaad made one big and fatal mistake; they fired on a Terran Explorer ship and made Terrans angry. Everyone in this galaxy knows you don’t make Terrans angry.”

Before anyone else could say anything, a humanoid female in black uniform stepped behind the lectern and her voice was obviously field amplified as she said:“Welcome aboard Arsenal Gate, Academy applicants. I would like to thank you all for coming this far and considering a career in the United Stars Fleet. By doing so you showed your willingness to serve and protect this federation of civilizations and do your share to make it work. Some have come here after visiting a Recruiting office. Some of you might have simply boarded the space bus to Arsenal Gate to see what will happen.

“Here you are all equal. Before we ship you to Arsenal we need to test you. It is to find out if you meet the qualification requirements. Those requirements are of physical and mental nature. Some of the tests we have to perform are to make sure that no agent of a hostile civilization gains access to the Academy or Arsenal.

“Once you step through that door next to me you are Fleet personnel. You have no ranks but you are subject to all Fleet rules and regulations. Civilian laws and rights have no meaning. You must follow orders and do what you have been told. Failure to comply can result in punishment and dismissal.”

She made a pause and looked from one end of the lobby to the other. I am not here to discourage you. We welcome you and the Fleet needs Officers and Personnel. But we don’t want anyone who has doubts or isn’t here to fully commit to this choice of career.

Now is the time to think about it. If you feel you made the wrong decision coming here, simply remain in this room and you will receive free passage back to your home world or any other place in the United Stars territory you choose.

“You will be compensated for your troubles and receive 500 credits and a free dinner. No civilian record will be kept of this decision and it will not affect your Citizen status.”

A man dressed in some sort of transparent purple plastic film suit and not much else raised his hand:” Excuse me; did you say we get free passage to anywhere and 500 credits?”

The woman sighed and nodded. “Yes Sir, that is correct!”

The strangely dressed man got up. “That’s sounds good to me! I am out of here!”

To my surprise seven more decided to take the money and leave.

I wondered why anyone would make this trip just to get 500 credits.

Mix answered me. “There are some individuals doing that every 3 months. They travel from Academy to Academy get their ticket and the 500 and go on. They have no intention to join. That man in the plastic garment did that several hundred times.”

I gasped. “And the Fleet doesn’t keep records on that and let them get away with it?

“I don’t know but I am sure the Fleet keeps records and they know about it, but what are a few thousand credits to the Fleet? They spend ten times as much every micro second just for floor polish”

“How do you know all this?”

“I read their minds!”

“You are a telepath?”

He nodded. “Not as good as the Saresii but my Heidelberg Psionic Index is at 130.”

“Don’t get caught. It’s against the law to read other folks minds.”

“No it’s not. It is illegal to pry into it but I can’t help to overhear what they transmit. It would be same as to make overhearing a conversation illegal to any being that has ears.”

“You hear everyone’s thoughts all the time?”

“No not everyone. I met beings I can’t receive all the time. For example that female fleet officer or those Marines behind her. There is nothing I detect, but then they are most likely shielded. Your thoughts on the other hand are pretty clear and quite loud in a Psionic sort of sense.”

I never liked Psionics, not even when the Old man did it. I felt everyone should have a right to their own thoughts, but then Tyr could not have talked to me and in his case I didn’t mind telepathy, maybe not all Psionics were bad.

The female officer resumed her speech:“All those who still plan to apply at the academy are to pass through that door. You will be asked to take off all your clothing and relinquish all your personal belongings. They will be returned to you after you completed your training or you decide to quit

You will be scanned for cybernetic and genetic enhancements, bio weapons and microbes. We will evaluate your Psionic abilities and give you a physical check up before we leave to Arsenal II.”

She smiled. “We have a lot of applicants today so this process might take a while, please be patient and wait your turn. The Vent-Matics are provided for your convenience and do not require credit payments”

She ended her speech and was joined by four more officers and they handed out little plastic cards with numbers, mine was 239.

After observing the proceedings for a while it became apparent that they called 10 applicants at about every 20 minutes that meant almost eight hours before it was my turn if they kept the same pace. Mix was among the first and Derek was called with the third group and after a while even the repeating visuals of the recruiting posters became boring.

The Vent-O-Matics were well programmed and provided brand name snacks and drinks for every taste.

I decided to call home and to Egill before I had to go in. If we had to give up our personal belongings, it might include the PDD as well. It was just past five in the morning but I expected most to be awake.

Elena came on after the third try. She was outside wearing thick furs, sitting on a power slider, it was the usual dark twilight of long winter and I saw a burg far in in the distance. That meant the ice cover had already moved past the north ocean and you could probably already walk or drive to Halstaad Fjord. This was the time fishing was done almost exclusively by subs and most clans and families now concentrated on Fangsnapper and Nubhir farming and ranching. Her breath rose like steam from a kettle. “Eric!” She motioned someone outside the optics and said.” Quick guys put up a tent. It’s Eric!”

Her face was completely covered with goggles and a cold mask underneath a thick fur brimmed hood of a fang snapper coat. She turned the PDD and I saw nine or ten similar dressed persons with power sliders and a big ice tractor pulling a train of cage and cargo sleds. Hundreds of Fangsnappers herded by men and rugged Nubhir wolfs. The men riding Snapper bulls wielding steel cable whips and prodders, seeing all this I felt a little homesick. I would have loved to ride a bull or a power slider once again.

They erected an inflatable tent in mere moments. Elena removed her head gear and revealed her red flushed cheeks and the pinkish nose. Even there with virtually no make-up she was breathtakingly beautiful. With her were Siegfrieda and Greifen. She activated Avatar function and my PDD confirmed that the nearby GalNet terminals were in range for Avatar creation. Greifen waved and went back outside.

Elena and Siegfrieda shimmered into existence before me. They looked real and would almost feel real. Their shapes, body and environmental data provided to my Personal Data Device via instantaneous communication from the sensors in her PDD. Since I was within range of an avatar capable GalNet Terminal, my PDD linked with it and the terminal sent out little mobile force field emitters that created a form energy field that simulated the shape and texture. A localized arti grav field provided mass and substance. This incredible technology taken for granted by Union Citizens and used every day was, so my teacher had told me, the most envied technology by Non Union civilizations. Since she was able to see and interact with mew that way surprised me, as it meant they had to have a very advanced and expensive mobile GalNet terminal with them.

She hugged me. While the Avatar was a very good approximation and I could feel the coldness of Nilfeheim, it was not the same as hugging a real person. It didn’t matter though. She had her arms on my shoulders and said.” You have grown both in your stature and you look more grown up too!”

“You aren’t a child anymore either. You look absolutely stunning!”

She grinned boyishly.” We are chasing Snappers all morning long I don’t even want to know how I look.”

Siegfrieda asked.” So where is it you are right now? ”

“I am on Arsenal Gate, waiting to get the pre admission test to the Academy done.”

Elena stepped back and said.” Finally you made it! You know we had bets going if you were involved in that awful business on Corri-Door but you’re on Arsenal that’s great!”

I didn’t have the heart to tell her I was involved after all, so I changed the subject.” What else is new?”

“Nothing much. Midril is still off planet and sorely missed. Father went ice fishing and let me in charge of the winter move of the Snapper herds. Little Exa is in school now and has friends of her age.” She was putting her gloves back on.” Oh and the Ancient accompanies Midril as she didn’t want to go by herself. Isegrim authorized the purchase of five of these SII-Avatar Consoles. One of them is installed at the court yard and another in the Commoners Hall. So everyone can use them. Freemen and workers and all. The atmosphere on the Rock has changed Eric. Folks are content now and you can hear laughter.”

A tall human, a taller than me, very muscular and athletic looking stepped into my view field and actually pushed me aside. “I noticed this applicant conversing with the most beautiful creatures known to Marellus Bewley and I could not help myself and inquire your names and whereabouts. He is not man enough to have two of such incredible looks!”

His shove made me look around and there was actually a small gathering of exclusively male juvenile applicants staring at Elena and Siegfrieda.

Elena smiled cold.” My brother has proven beyond question he is a man. He killed men for fewer offenses, so leave as long as you can. It is very impolite to interrupt a family call.”

“Wow those are your sisters, little man! I am your best friend from this day on. I expect their names and contact codes.” He walked off and I activated the privacy screen.

Elena laughed and said.” Boys will be boys, Eric. See it with Freya’s eyes and let him live.”

“I am not planning to get in any fights or kill anyone! I am right at the door to the Academy. ”

She hugged me once more and Siegfrieda did as well, and then proved she was still the warrior she always was and said.” He favors his left hand, carries a fight hammer in an underarm holster, but looks like he has a glass chin. The fool stepped into an avatar scanner field you know.”

She hugged me as well, showed me her ring and after we said our fare wells. The call terminated.

The privacy screen collapsed but the group had dissipated, perhaps called in already. I checked the glowing display numbers next to the door. Numbers 66 to 76 displayed. Still a long way to go.

The Vent Matics were well stocked with a vast selection of popular snack items. Pre packed snacks like this I knew from the School cafeteria but never had money to buy any unless Yngve bought some and shared them. Popular Nilfeheim snacks were pickles, pickled fish, pickled sea weed buds and pickled dumplings. Dried Fish strip and air dried squid.

I found something called Minnows and Nuts and it came in a red bag and had small finger long dried and salted fish and some sort of crunchy fruits that tasted oily. I liked it and got me a can of Sparkle bright and sat down, leaning back. I was nervous about the admission process, but I was here and the recent nightmarish events started to fade. Considering all things I felt actually content. I must have nodded off for a while. I opened my eyes with that sandy feeling and the realization I had not just closed my eyes but slept. The numbers displayed 110-120, a considerable improvement, still far from the 239 on my plastic card. Almost everyone still waiting were now sitting, sprawling and reclining in the Vari-Form chairs.

I was just at my third trip to the Vent-matics, as I heard my number. Hastily I put the candy-bar in my pocket and went through the slide door next to the number display board. Behind it was a light gray corridor with black shiny floor .There were ten doors, five on each side and over one door I saw my number and name displayed in bright illuminated letters.

I looked for a door chime or buzzer but found none, so I knocked and the door opened immediately.

A uniformed humanoid being sat behind a desk, the room was sparsely lit and the walls, floors and everything were colored in a dark gray with dark red accents. Even the light from the indirect mounted illuminating plates had a reddish glow to it.

The being was about human size had two arms, a torso and a head on a neck, but there was no visible mouth or nose, and the eyes seemed just darker areas in the beings otherwise gray and smooth skin. The being reminded me of the Sisters of Nilfeheim and their stocking masks, only I was sure this was no mask but how the being really looked.

It extended a hand and said. “Have a seat applicant. I am Specialist Yda.” The darker skin area where his mouth was moved but it did not appear to be the source of the voice

I sat down and said.” I am Eric Olafson from Nilfeheim.

“Nice to meet you Eric and I would like to say thank you that you consider a career in the United Stars Fleet.”

He moved one of his hands over a dimly lit contact area of his desk. “Yes you are Eric Olafson, you are from Nilfeheim and you are a lawful citizen. I see you spoke with a Fleet recruiter and entered the Pre Entry Program.” He studied whatever read out he saw.” You downloaded every fleet information brochure and I see you subscribed to “Log Book Stories” and “Command Chair” very unusual Virtu Choices for an applicant

I was a little surprised to see they kept records of this.” I just liked to get as much information about the Fleet as I could, Sir.”

The being nodded gracefully. “It tells me that your decision was certainly not spur of the moment but you planned this for a long time.” The being folded its hands and its long spidery fingers had several more joints than regular human fingers. I got dizzy just watching and wondered if his kind ever made knots they could not get apart. The being suddenly vibrated and made a humming sound. “Yes actually we do. When I was young I often got so tangled up that my Sip-Sap had to help me get my hands apart.”

“You can hear my thoughts as well?” I really didn’t like that seemingly every other person I ran into could read my thoughts.”

“Yes Applicant I can, and as your new friend Mix told you, your thoughts are quite loud. “It leaned forward. “What is your reason for wanting to join?”

“To serve and protect, to do my share to keep this Union…”

It interrupted. “Not the poster reason, why did you decide to join and you can be frank and truthful”

“I needed to get away from Nilfeheim for one thing. Ever since my Grandfathers funeral I had no other plans. I always wanted to join the Fleet.”

“What is it that attracts you? I see you are an Executive of Enroe Industries. You own controlling stock in a successful company and you are an Officer of the Justice Department.”

“All this sort of happened and I sure don’t think these are careers I want to spend my life doing. The Fleet is the only place where I eventually could become a Star Ship captain.”

The being made a series of whispering sounds and then said. “I think you are indeed at the right place then.“He unfolded his hands in what must have been a mental challenge. “You have a long way ahead of you before you reach that goal, but there are millions of ships and all have Captains so you see many others have reached that goal and done it before you and perhaps you too will do that one day.”

This statement of the being lifted my spirits considerably and it was right. Whatever lay ahead of me, others had done it. So it could be done.”

“I am a Leedei by the way. My kind comes from M 31, a small satellite galaxy of Andromeda and I do not wear a stocking over my head, what an interesting concept though! ”

“Is there any way I can somehow adjust the volume of my thoughts? I really don’t like sharing everything I am thinking.

“I know of no way to do that. I am sure the Narth or the Saresii might have ways to accomplish that. Should you reach your goal and become a Captain, they all receive extensive shielding and mental training.”

The Leedei pointed to the door.” It was nice chatting with you. Once you leave my office you will be further tested, and scanned. Be advised that from now on everything that happens could be a test and part of an evaluation process, keep that in mind!”

The being was not kidding. After a dozen more interviews, medical exams and scans. I felt as if I was turned inside out and every last molecule and thought of mine had been examined, dissected and recorded.

At one point they had me undress and bathe in a milky white liquid that had a metallic odor to it. A technician explained it was to make sure no bio weapons or nanites were transported to Arsenal II. At least I met Derek and Mix again.

After that bath they gave me a bright orange jumpsuit with my last name stenciled across my chest and the word applicant between my shoulder blades

My personal belongings were in a plastic crate and I carried like everyone else to a long metal counter, a chubby looking human with a robot assistant waved at me.” Move it applicant, your next!”

He pointed at a recess in the counter and snapped unfriendly.” Your crate fits right in there. Show some initiative!” To his colleague next to him, processing a tall Andorran, he said, as if I wasn’t there.” Sometimes I really hate my job, someone like that wants to become an Officer. Well they always need more Dibbies.”

I put my crate in the recess and a warning sound beeped.” Class V Weapon detected.”

He took the blaster out of the crate. The one I had received from the police officer at Corri-Door.” Government Issue SIG Class V with full 60 bolt magazine. You better be licensed for that.”

He scanned my CIT and was satisfied. “One SIG STR 229 with magazine and holster.” He handed it to the Robot who put it in another bin.

“One Fairbairn Sykes fighting knife in shoulder harness. One Oslo brand heavy Boot knife. One Marine Corps Chain sword with full flamer attachment.”

He stopped.” What war zone do you come from? You carry almost as much hardware as a Dai Than!”

Since he continued describing and handing my things to the robot I was sure he didn’t expect an answer.

“One SII – ProDat 9 – Hexatonium Edition.”

“Pack of Sparkle Bright gum- Grape Flavor, opened”

He described each and every item of clothing and everything I had in my pockets that way. I didn’t think it was right for him to know what I had in my pockets. I felt like being processed for prison. Then he said to me.” All your items will be stored in safe keeping and will be returned to you, after you leave the academy, either accepted or rejected.”

Between each test and each station of this process was a waiting period and since I had also to no PDD, I did not know what time it was or how long all this took. Derek was certain it was over 30 hours for sure as they finally herded us aboard a Leyland Military Shuttle. Everyone was wearing that bright orange colored jumpsuit. I was tired and thirsty. I was certain they used every test and every sensor known to science on me. I had been bathed now four times in various liquids, sterilized inside and out. Filled out forms and questionnaires and then was probed and measured and scanned some more.

“They are treating us like penal colony prisoners than Academy aspirants!” complained Derek. He managed to get a seat next to me.

I had to agree with him. It was impersonal, cold and demeaning. With a few exceptions the personnel was grumpy, indifferent and unfriendly.

Mix who also made it wiggled his big ears.“To become an officer on one of those magnificent ships, I’d endure much worse.”

“I wonder why they do it that way!” I said.” I mean would it hurt to show a little more respect?”

Mix answered again:“It wasn’t so bad. They need to make sure no spies make it to Arsenal. Do you know how many times the Kermac and others have tried to find out just what Terrans really found on Arsenal III?”

Derek answered this one. “The GC does not like the Union and they didn’t like losing this star system to the Union, especially since everyone knows we found something there, something very important. I would be very angry to lose my own front yard to a hated neighbor only to hear that this neighbor found a treasure in it.”

An applicant across the aisle had the name Binks stenciled on his chest shrugged. “I think it is a ruse, there is nothing there and all this is to throw the GC off course and it worked for the last 2000 years!”

Derek leaned back in the seat, obviously glad like everyone else to sit down and rest.” I think they found a secret city of the Celtest or perhaps the Uni.”

I turned my head towards him “And you read that in your galactic National Magazines?”

Derek gave me a broad grin. “Sure have, but that’s not the only thing I watch or read.”

“So what did they find then?” I asked

Binks chimed in again “No one that knows ever talked, but rumors have it that they found a Celtest city or shipyard and completely intact, with the entire Tech level 11 stuff ready for the taking! The famous alien ship, brought back by Admiral Stahl during the last Y’All Invasion is supposedly a Celtest battleship. I think it was here where he found it.”

“Was it not 2516 when Richard Stahl returned and saved the Galaxy?” I said smiling back. Proud at myself that I remembered something and wasn’t completely ignorant

“2516 was when the war ended. Stahl returned in 2514 ”

" Why haven’t we have reached Tech Level 11 yet?” I asked.” I mean if they really found what you said. It’s over 500 years ago!”

Mix said:“It takes the average Civilization between 3- 5000 years to reach tech level 3 and over 15,000 to reach Tech level 7. Look at the Kermac. They have been around for almost a million years and have not advanced past tech Level 7. Some of Saresii technology is considered to be Tech level 9 and they reached Tech level three over a Million years ago. The Union in general is at Tech level 7 but many consider Terran technology already well past Tech 8. Now the Terrans are still one of the youngest and newest galactic civilizations. When my people heard of the speed the Terrans achieved this, we called it the Terran Miracle.”

He wiggled his ears in excitement. “It takes many millennia of dedicated research to even fundamentally understand the principles of any Tech level higher than yours. It can be quite dangerous too, if you are not very careful. I bet they found just what the rumor said and that is why Terrans and the Union advance so fast.”

Derek nodded.“Imagine a Stone Age man trying to figure out the function of a blaster weapon. This Stone Age man would have to make a lot of discoveries and inventions on his own to even understand the rudimentary workings of that blaster and during that long process might even shoot him before he ever figures it out.”

While we talked our shuttle left Arsenal Gate, went super luminal and we reached Arsenal II only 2 hours later.