Chapter 1: Leaving Arsenal

The memorial service for Rodney Barack and Deadan took place almost immediately after our return to the Academy. It was a solemn affair and it brought home to me just how serious the affair on Archilerb really was. I was certain the affair was far from over as far as it concerned the fleet, the Yokuta and the level of hostilities between Union and the Galactic Council.

I shot two of the Kermac bastards but I knew there had to be more. The Yokuta I fought were still under psionic control after I had killed the two I had encountered. While that was the job of the PSI Corps and NAVINT and not that of a cadet. Out of that reason I was certain I would not be briefed with any follow ups.

All cadets were wearing dress uniform for this memorial service. They had us assembled on one of the lawns, that like gigantic slices of green pizza, separated by the dark red concrete applicant paths centered on the Academy tower in the very center of this pressurized installation, protected by a transparent Duranium dome.

Beyond the dome I could see the titanic shape of the USS Shetland. This dreadnought made lof millions of tons of molecule compacted Ultronit, dwarfed the Academy. Yet just as we had started to gather, she was starting to rise into the sky. Pushed against the planets gravitation by bright green glowing artigrav generators.

She soon disappeared into the dense sulfuric yellow clouds.

I sighed and directed my attention to my friends and to the sad affair ahead. Potsema, the female Garbini tree polyp being a methane breather could hold her breath for days, and Ninio was able to willingly slow down his metabolism, this is why they survived the ordeal being packed into plastic by a robot while forced to let it happen by armed mind controlled Yakuta. Rodney, being a normal human being could not survive sealed into a tough plastic skin, without being able to breathe he suffocated and died a painfull death. Deadan had been killed by Kermac agents using Psionic means. Not that I knew all that much about any of my new friends, I had virtually no contact to Rodney and only exchanged a few words with Deadan, yet their death felt like a great loss to me. I felt guilty and wondered if I should have done something earlier.

Two metal coffins were set on a raised dais and each of them was covered with the Union flag. We, the seven surviving members of that group stood separated from the rest of the cadets on the side of the coffin stand. Admiral Stokes and two high ranking officers waited in silence until everyone had found their spot and stood in attention. He then read an eulogy talking about the lives and the families of both cadets and gave a brief account of our mission and the events that lead to the death of the two cadets. After that he motioned to me and said. “Cadet Lieutenant Olafson was chosen by the group to speak a few words.”

Before the proceedings Admiral Webb had asked us if we wanted to say a few words and the others had elected me. It was a great honor but also a quite difficult and emotional task. I had only a few minutes to prepare for it and it was the first time, hopefully the last I had to do something like that. Admiral, Officers and Instructors and fellow cadets, it is not easy for me to find the right words. Standing behind the lectern looking in all the faces I shivered and begun.

“I never was asked to do something like that before. I am, like most of you just over a week in this Academy and it is not enough time to really get to know someone. We had the great honor to participate in a real diplomatic mission. I am sure Deadan was one of the instrumental factors, with his great knowledge of political matters that the Yokuta decided to begin the membership application process. Rodney was quiet and didn’t say much and if he said something it was usually to ask for some extra food. He was the only human in our group who really enjoyed Yokuta food and music. Both cadets were well liked and we going to miss their presence for sure. May Odin or whatever deities they worshiped welcome them in a better place.”

I lowered my head and then stepped down.

Deadan’s body so I learned was to be shipped home and Barack’s coffin would be shot into space as his family requested.

The instructors postponed all training for that day and allowed everyone to reflect and talk to others.

That evening I learned that Potsema and Ninio wanted to quit the Academy. Ninio told me that he felt responsible for the death of the two and Potsema told she was not cut out to see friends die. Even when I argued that Ninio discovered the Kermac plot and doing so saved a lot of lives, he had made up his mind. He gave me a hug. “Eric I owe you my life and I will never forget you. You have become a very good friend in this short time, but this is not for me. I decided to pay my respect to the parents of Deadan and then become a musician. I realize now, this military life is not for me. Plemo is different; he wants revenge now and has signed up for the Marines. Potsema is going with me; I think we will become the first Elly Garbini couple in union history. Don’t ask me how this is going to work, we don’t know that either, yet.”

Potsema also gave me one of her trademark squiggles and the two went, to finalize their decision officially. I wondered if I would ever see or hear of them again. Plemo also said his good bye and suddenly our group that had been ten beings thrown together by chance was reduced to four.”