Chapter 338

Landfall Space Academy

As the two stepped through the entrance, the academy computer greeted them by name after comparing their full bio scans to their application scans.

Before it could go on, Diana spoke up, "If it is possible, we would like to room together. We come from similar planets and our backgrounds are analogous as well."

The computer made no comment about her request other than to give them their building and room number. A slot opened and two new comps slid out of a wall as it continued, "These will replace your personal comps while you are students here. Keep them with you at all times unless an instructor tells you otherwise. I have downloaded location maps. Stow your gear in your quarters and report to lecture hall 101A at 0900 hours for orientation. You will be given further instructions at that time."

Then with only a slight hesitation, "Next," it announced in a louder voice.

As they moved away from the entrance, "Let's see if we can find 101A before we look for our room. That way we won't have to worry about where it is, later," Diana suggested.

"There," Selina commented. "I see 100A all the way at the end of the hall. 101A should be near."

It wasn't, nor did its location show on their new comps, and it took a while to find it. They were very glad they had located it now instead of having to endure a frantic and time-consuming search later when they should have already been in the lecture hall.

"This is not logical," Selina protested when they later found the room. "Room 101 should be near 100, not at the other end of the building and down another corridor."

Diana eased the door open a crack to check out the small amphitheater. When she realized there was no one inside, she opened the door wider so Selina could see. As they turned to leave, they met two more students who were searching for the room. After sharing comments about it not being where they expected, Selina and Diana went on down the hall toward an exit. When they were far enough from the others, Diana commented, "We would have been late if we hadn't decided to search for the lecture hall first. Hmmm, you would think that there would be a lot more people looking for the room. Maybe they already know where it is."

"Or they may have arrived earlier," Selina suggested.

"Possibly," the Queen responded, "or else there are going to be some students getting off to a bad start with the instructors when they're late for orientation."

After exiting the building, they stopped to check their maps when they realized how far apart the buildings were. After agreeing on a route to their dorm room, Diana glanced at her friend. "I'm beginning to worry that the orientation room's location is just the beginning of many such tests. The room was where we least expected it to be, but all the other classrooms seem to be listed on our comps with explicit directions, with the exception of that one room, which just happens to be the orientation hall. The room number – 101A – sounds simple to find, so why bother looking for it ahead of time? I wonder if they were sending a subtle, or maybe not so subtle, message. Somehow, I think that logic, or in other words, common sense, will play a role in our training. Common sense would seem to dictate that we would be wise to locate the room while we had the time. We need to keep that in mind until we're accustomed to the way things are done around here."

Selina stared up at Diana. "I would not have looked for the room beforehand, and ... I would have been late. Our rooming together has already prevented an error that I certainly would have made. I will endeavor to focus on logical, or as you refer to it, common sense thinking. Thank you for preventing my making a mistake so early in training by assuming I could easily find the room."

"We need to think of ourselves as a team," Diana said as they stared at their next obstacle – the high-speed walkways that connected the buildings. "I'm sure that you will save me from pitfalls and I will make every effort to do the same for you. Together we will survive the four years here."

According to their maps, their room was on the second floor of the third building in the quad. The walkways between the widespread buildings were intimidating at first, but they soon learned how to move from the slower to the faster moving bands when getting on, and the reverse when getting off. They would later realize that without the speed of the walkways, it would be impossible to get from one class to another in time if the second class was in a different building, as they all too frequently were. There were no moving walkways inside the buildings, however.

The door responded to them. Inside, the two stood looking around. The bunks, one on either side of the room, each bore a plain mattress – no gravity adjustments, no sound blocking, no frills of any kind. Each plebe had a desk, a desk comp with a large screen, matching chair, and another comfortable seat for reading.

"If you consent, I shall utilize this bed," Selina said, pointing to the one on the right. After realizing she had sounded a bit pompous, she said with a grin, "I mean, I shall use this bed, if that is agreeable with you."

"Fine with me," Diana responded as she put her old comp in her case, opened her closet door and directed her case inside while Selina was doing the same. "There is linen in here," the six-year-old said. "Should we make our beds, hang our clothes and put up our personal possessions?"

"Hmmm. Good question. Back to logic again. You can bet they have a specific way to make the bed and stow everything. If we do it incorrectly, there will probably be demerits, but ... if we waste the next half hour, we might not get the chance later on. Remember what the brochure said about discipline and demerits."

Selina had been checking out her desk drawers to see what types of study materials were inside while Diana had been looking through the files that the academy computer had installed on her new personal comp. "The instructions and rules for plebes are in here." Then, after a moment, she scanned through the instructions for making up a bunk. "We should be able to do this," she said, turning the screen so Selina could see. "We'll start with yours first, if you wish, then mine. The instructions say that a coin should bounce if the sheet and spread are installed correctly. Notice how they do the corners," she said, pointing to the diagram. "I think this is going to take teamwork until we get the hang of it."

In twenty minutes, they had the two bunks made, and as far as they could determine, they were identical to the picture and diagram. Neither had a coin to bounce, but everything appeared tight, so they hoped for the best.

As they started out the door, both turned to scan the room to make sure everything was in its place and nothing was out of place.

At ten minutes before 0900 hours, they walked through the door of 101A. Students trickled in for the next twenty minutes, the academy computer handing out demerits to anyone arriving even one second after 0900. Selina and Diana sat in the front row, erect and quiet as they waited for the instructor.

When the last student had arrived, the instructor walked in from the back of the short stage, clad in full uniform. Diana didn't know what the rank insignia on the shoulder boards meant, but she suspected the rank was high. She was not in uniform and they were inside a building, but she wasn't taking any chances. She bounced to her feet and came to attention, somehow knowing how. (Years of being a military man's wife and Jeff's coaching), followed a split second later by Selina. Twenty of the other students did the same. There was snickering from some of the ones who did not stand. The snickering quickly died as personal comps flared with demerits.

"I am Colonel Evans," the man said in a no-nonsense voice. He hesitated for a moment as his eyes scanned the people standing. Twenty-two of you showed respect when a ranking officer entered the room. All of you others have received demerits for your disrespect. Later, we will discuss how some demerits may be erased with the proper amount of work that is designed for that purpose. It will not be easy and the work will take away from your study time, which is never a good thing.

"For those of you at attention, or at least your version of it, At Ease, and you may be seated. Shortly, you will all be sworn in. You will not salute inside the building, but you will salute anyone who is in uniform who outranks you outside the building, and you will stand and come to attention when your class instructor enters or leaves your classroom. Anyone in any uniform not a plebe uniform outranks you. All fourth year senior classman outrank you and you will also salute them if they are outside the building and in uniform. I strongly suggest that if there is the slightest doubt, then you should salute. Better to be laughed at than to demerit out of the academy."

His gaze slowly traversed the room, then, "There are one hundred of you. Look around you. I mean it. Look around you."

There was a bit of shuffling as most everyone did as instructed.

"Those faces you have just noticed ... chances are they won't be here four years from now. Only twenty of you will be – maybe. We graduate only the best of the best. This is the finest space academy in the galaxy, and we intend to maintain that honor. Not only are our graduates intelligent and willing to go beyond the call of duty, they are honorable. Some of you should get up and leave now. It would save you and us a lot of time in the long run. There are many qualified people waiting to fill your slot. I'll wait thirty seconds for you to do so, and you will be allowed to leave without prejudice. Believe me, some of you will eventually wish you had done so."

He stood looking at his watch for thirty seconds, and, when no one left, said, "So be it."

"All of you stand and come to attention. Ten hut," he barked with the "ten" drawn out.

Again, Diana and Selina wondered how they knew, but each was certain they were standing properly. The Colonel's eyes lingered for a second longer on them as his gaze swept across the students.

"Now repeat after me..." And they were sworn in.

"You officially hold the rank of plebe at Landfall Space Academy. Welcome aboard. May your stay be a profitable one."

The Ship

Jeff lay nude on his command couch as his daughter, equally nude, slowly lowered herself onto him. When she was fully seated, she let out a sigh. "I'm going to miss this."

"And I'm going to miss you and Ann. And speaking of her, where is she?"

Arlene teased him with a smile. "She'll be here in a few minutes, and I'll make myself scarce so you can have some private time with her, just like I'm doing now."

"But..." he began, tensing up.

Arlene leaned down to kiss her husband. "Shhh, Husband. There's no jealousy. We just wanted to say goodbye separately this time."

"No more than a few days, remember," he admonished. "And no transmissions, mental or radio unless there is a dire emergency. When the aliens come this way, if they do, I want them to come in fat, dumb and happy, and certainly not expecting anything other than a backward planet as far as they are concerned. And you do not take any risks. Promise me on that one." The Prime's voice had hardened on the last statement.

"I promise. We won't take any risks, just observe and report."

"And if they have moved and you can't find them, get your pretty asses back here."

"Yes, Husband." Her serious continence changed as she grinned at Jeff. "Now fuck me, and, oh yeah, give Mom a few good orgasms for me when she's back from Ship's Academy."

Later, Jeff stood on the flight deck watching his two young wives wave and blow him kisses as they climbed the steps into their scout. A moment later, he came to attention and saluted, knowing that they had a perfect view of the flight bay from their screens on the bridge. The small ship rose a few inches above the deck and slid toward the seemingly solid wall, but just before it reached it, the wall disappeared and the ship moved through, turned its nose skyward and was gone.

As he turned to leave, Bill, Jill and Kathy greeted him. Eileen was there but was standing still staring at the once again blank wall, but even as he walked toward them, her gaze shifted to the rows of craft in the bay, then obviously stopped on the nearest interceptor. "What is that?" she asked, barely above a whisper as she gazed at the flowing lines of the lethal looking ship.

"Just what it looks like," Bill returned with a chuckle.

"I want one," Eileen teased. Then to Jeff, "Does one of those come with becoming part of the Matthews clan?" It was obvious she was trying to tease again, but also equally obvious that she had found the Interceptor fascinating.

Jeff smiled at her enthusiasm. "Flying it is taught at Ship's Academy. And yes, that could be considered one of the perks for becoming a member of the Clan."

"And the Academy is where Diana and Selina are going?"