Eric Olafson, Fleet Cadet (Vol 3 GC 29)

by Vanessa Ravencroft

Copyright© 2018 by Vanessa Ravencroft

2007
(Volume 3 GC 29)
A Galactic Chronicles Tale

Description: Fleet Cadet, Eric Olafson (Volume 3 GC 29) This is the 29th book the GC Series and the third volume in the Adventures of Eric Olafson, a Neo Viking from Planet Nilfeheim. Book GC 5: Eric Olafson, Neo Viking focus is on Eric's upbringing and his home planet. It introduces us to his character and several events and conditions that form and shape the young man he has become. Fleet Cadet, Eric Olafson follows Eric's first adventures away from home and his journey to the Union Academy.

Tags: No Sex, Ma/Fa, Magic, Mind Control, Slavery, CrossDressing, TransGender, Military, Science Fiction, Aliens, Extra Sensory Perception, Robot, Space, Paranormal

Published: 2018-10-16

Size: ≈ 173200 Words

Forward

Foreword by the Author

This is the third volume in the Eric Olafson saga and the 29th book in the Galactic Chronicles Saga.

While the first volume, 'Eric Olafson, Neo Viking' tells us about how Eric grows up on the harsh and cold world of Nilfeheim. As much as he wants to deny it, he is a true child of that world. While he grew up and faces his first challenges and me his first teachers. It also reflected on the awakening of his secret desire.

The second volume, 'Eric Olafson, First Journeys' follows Eric as he steps of hos home world for the first time but it does not focus on Eric alone. It introduces many of his future friends.

In volume two he was also accepted at the United Stars Fleet Academy.

Eric being Eric, his first days at the Academy weren't anything but eventless.

Chosen to be part of a diplomatic miission to entice the Yokuta to consider Union membership, Eric was tangled up in a Nogoll terror attack, the culmination of actions of an Human purist and a Kermac plot to turn their loss of the Nogoll into an intelligence victory.

The Year is 5017 (Old Terran Time) Eric is 198 cm tall and weights almost exactly 90 kilos. Right now he very short regulation cut blonde hair.He has gray eyes and some say he moves with the same purpose and grace as a Nubhir Wolf.

The Colonists of Nilfeheim received genetic tailoring before they left Earth to better adapt to their harsh new world. Like everyone from Nilfeheim he has a greater tolerance to freezing temperatures and is able to stay submerged under water for a very long time, has a set of gills and eyes that are adapted to see well under water thanks to a second set of clear eyelids. His muscles are denser than that of a standard human, allowing him to swim longer and deeper. Due to that he has greater endurance and is much stronger than a standard human of his size. He left his home world seeking to become a Star ship captain in the Union Fleet.

He loves fish, has a very clear sense of honor and hates unfair situations. Even though he doesn't like to admit it, he carries the same short temper of his father and is more often than not ready to face a challenge with his fists or weapons. This and a secret desire he tries so hard to suppress, get him in more trouble than the average guy.

Eric and the other cadets have just returned to the Academy on Arsenal II. The climax of the events that culminated in Eric fighting Kermac agents in a mail processing center underneath the Yakuta space port prevented a potential catastrophe, however two cadets had paid with their lives. (see Eric Olafson, First Journeys)

Yours truly

Vanessa Ravencroft

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."

The next day we were separated by the Black Nogoll Instructor." I am sorry to do that to you, but training groups are always ten."

We had a few moments to say good bye to each other and promised to keep in contact, knowing deep down that we would probably not see or hear from each other again.

I was assigned to a new group, as one of them had quit the other day.

By now they too had formed initial friendships and I was the newcomer and felt somewhat excluded. The next days were filled with class room and drilling exercises. We learned how to march, stand in attention and salute correctly. Class room and drill was only interrupted by physical exercise and formal dinners.

Five days had passed since I had returned from Archilerb and still I barely knew the names of the others in my dorm group. As every morning this day begun with breakfast in the big hall and I started to get used to the drill and class room routine and was not surprised when instructors came in, hovering on their floating platforms above our heads, carrying PDDs in clip board mode and started called names. Mine was called right away and I was sent into a nondescript unfurnished waiting room with about 200 other cadets. I did not see anyone I knew.

A gray skinned Shaill, a semi rigid intelligent mollusk being from a Star system far in the Coreward sector wearing its version of a black Navy Uniform floated into the room on his own hover sled and said: "Listen up, Cadets. This group is complete now. You are going to board transport 342 to be shipped out to Camp Idyllic."

The mollusk floated towards an exit and said. "Everyone gather your gear, clear your bunk and meet me at 09:15 hours at Rim Exit 12." Then he passed out little plastic cards with the number 342 on it. "Don't lose them and be on time."

"Camp Idyllic?" A greenish skinned humanoid next to me asked.

I shrugged:"I have no clue. But it does sound nice"

A humanoid completely shrouded in a green monk like garment spoke with a deep voice: "Camp Idyllic is one of the basic training camps the Navy operates. It is located in the Nardir System, one hundred and twelve light years from here on a garden world called Green Eden."

"Oh boy." A massive looking human, two heads taller than me, grunted. "I heard of Camp Idyllic. My brother went to Camp Allure last year. He said it was pure hell and he heard that Camp Idyllic is supposed to be the worst."

As I packed my gear from my locker into the tube shaped sack with carry straps, I noticed crews of civilian employees and robots cleaning the dorm, stripping beds and removing name tags from lockers. I was certain we would not return to these dorms. Rim Exit twelve was exactly opposite to the main entrance and while I waited before the entrance I saw orange dressed academy aspirants stream from the main entrance and fill the applicant roads. The green skinned human said."I guess we passed the first hurdle."

I agreed."It looks like that. I wonder if they do the inmate routine to them as well."

He shook his head. "No I think I heard the Nogoll instructor say something about the Mutiny routine. Whatever that is."

The Shaill officer appeared checked his PDD and collected the number cards, and then he herded us onto a slide belt that carried us to a waiting transport ship. Twenty minutes later the military version of a small space bus left Arsenal II.

The shrouded man now sat next to me in the starboard seat row. His garment had an attached hood and he wore it pulled over his head obscuring him completely, except for two eyeholes. The massive humanoid sat in the seat on my other side.

The deck plates vibrated slightly as the Leyland's ISAH drive kicked the ship past the trans-luminal threshold. We now traveled in quasi-space a thin layer between the Planck Universe and the Hawkins Omniverse.

The muscular strong guy glanced at the hooded being." Why are you hiding your face under that hood?"

"Because I am Narth."

"I never heard of Narths. Are you ashamed of your face or something?"

The green skinned one spoke from across the Isle:" Limbur let him be. He is a Narth. You don't want to mess with a Narth."

Limbur pointed at his massive arms. "Do you think someone with guns like these is afraid of a goon in a hood?"

The green one seemed to know Limbur raised his hands. "Physical strength doesn't mean much when you're dealing with a Narth. Trust me on that. Now relax and come with me. I found out this ship has a refreshment bar on the lower deck. I'm buying."

Limbur readily agreed and the two left towards the back.

I was quite tired but I turned to the hooded being:" What is a Narth?"

He didn't move his shrouded head as he spoke with that deep voice."It is very complicated to answer your question in terms you would understand. One is Narth. Narth are very old and to many beings our true nature is unsettling or even harmful. This is why Narth chooses to cover oneselves."

I wasn't sure if I said anything to him after that, since I fell asleep even without the sleep inducer.

Chapter 2: Green Eden

Green Eden appeared to be a beautiful green, white and blue sphere. From space it looked as inviting as any garden world. The transport descended through moderate clouds and approached a heavy forested land mass.

We landed on a simple dirt field that had been cleared in the jungle. At the edge of the dirt field I saw a collection of primitive looking buildings made of wood.

There were no machines, no robots, no ships or vehicles and no one waiting for us. Someone from the flight deck addressed us via the com system: "Welcome to Camp Idyllic. Grab your gear and debark through the rear air lock. Hurry up, I have a Schedule to keep and two more transports to make. Wait here and someone will be with you shortly."

Everyone debarked and just as the last cadet stepped of the ramp, the Airlock closed and the transport ship climbed back into space.

It was very humid and hot. The air was pungent with the stench of rotten plants. Strange sounds came from the surrounding jungle. Small insects buzzed all around us. The exposed dirt on the landing field was reddish in color and very moist. It stuck to the soles of my boots.

I counted one hundred and fifty cadets and everyone was standing there waiting for something to happen, but even after almost two hours no one showed up to tell us what to do.

The crowd of cadets became a little restless.

Limbur scratched his polished scalp. "Now what? Are we supposed to do something? Isn't anyone coming?"

His green skinned friend, his name I had learned was Wintsun appeared to like the environment judging by the smile on his face, but the smile vanished as he replied to his friend. "I don't sense or hear any sentient being in the vicinity. While I am not a full telepath, I am usually able to detect sentient minds. I feel nothing and I begin to wonder myself."

The Narth who was standing next to me agreed: "One cannot sense any sentient or coherent thoughts, but there are life forms out there considering this group as aviable source of sustenance right now."

The group became quite worried after he said that and the word spread. At least three more hours passed and still no one showed up. The mood of the group has deteriorated even more. Some complained about the heat, the moisture, the insects and no place to sit down.

I picked up the Fleet issue garment bag that held my spare uniforms and personal gear, shouldered it and started walking towards the buildings at the other end of the landing field. The Narth did the same and followed me.

"Where do you think you're going?" Asked Limbur.

"I decided to inspect those buildings and then wait there. It seems to be a better place to wait than here in the open. I expect the sun to set soon."

Narth didn't turn: "The Neo Viking's plan of action is logical.One shall follow his lead."

Wintsun took his bag and said:" Can I come along?"

I shrugged." Sure you can. I am not in charge here."

"Actually according to regulations, someone has to be in charge and since you are doing something and you are a Cadet Lieutenant you are in charge."

Limbur followed us too.

A cadet with bluish skin and coppery almost metallic shimmering red hair objected: "You can't leave. We were ordered to remain here and wait."

"Wonderful. Why don't you wait and let me do my thing? "I said and kept on walking. He yelled after us but I simply ignored him.

About two clicks away from the point where we landed, at the long end of the crude landing field we reached the three buildings I had seen from the air. The jungles edge was about 200 meters further away and the cleared area packed with pebbles and rocks. I did not see any recent tracks, neither of machines, humans or animals for that matter. Anyone or anything not flying would have to make tracks in that surface.

"What is so interesting about that dirt?" Limbur wanted to know as I squatted down and touched the ground to gauge its moisture

"Tracks I am looking for tracks. If you look behind you can see the ones we made. Around here there are no recent tracks and the ones I see are very old and almost disappeared, I think those triangular ones are made by an animal."

Narth also knelt down. "Interesting, by evaluating the surface marks left behind by others you can actually deduct surface movement. It is quite logical. How do you come to the conclusion these surface marks you do see are old?"

"Look at our tracks in the dirt. They are crisp and well defined; I can see the sole imprints of our boots and probably deduct shoe size, gait distance and weight of the person making the tracks. Limbur is the biggest of us and his tracks are deeper than the other, his steps are further apart. Now over here we have a few vehicle marks, made by something on tracks I think, but the edges are round and washed in, by rain and wind. Now I don't know the rain and wind patterns of this world but they have to be at least several days old, since I see no foot prints. I think these tracks are weeks or month old and the lighter foot traffic is already obliterated."

Narth touched his own foot print." This is fascinating."

Limbur agreed." I didn't even really notice the tracks until you pointed them out to us. I never knew you could read so much out of them."

Wintsun shrugged. "Of course everything leaves tracks. Did you never go hunting?"

Limbur smacked Wintsun in a friendly manner. "Of course not, you know where I am from. Nothing ever leaves tracks in a big city on Duro Crete and slide ways."

Wintsun rubbed his side. "Yes I know your world. Three times the regular gravitation."

I shrugged. I guess if you look close enough you might even find tracks on Duro-Crete."

Narth said to me. "Will you tell me more about how you interpret tracks?"

"Yes gladly but maybe we should check out the buildings first and establish a base of operation stabilize our situation."

"One agrees with your assessment of our situation and will look forward when you further ones education in the interpretation of tracks."

A weathered sign above the entrance read," Camp Idyllic"

I went walking around the buildings first, and they kept following me. Two of the buildings looked like storage sheds and the middle building was a two story deal made of manufactured wood.

There was a roofed porch surrounding the main structure. It had rectangular windows and a solid looking entrance door. "Anyone here?" I yelled as loud as I could. "Hello?"

Narth shook his hooded head. "One senses no thoughts or brain activity."

"Well I learned there are life forms immune to Psionics or able to shield their presence. Maybe there are machines or some form of acoustic relay."

Narth nodded."Again you speak quite logical. One is learning much today"

"You keep saying that and I start to believe I actually can do that, speaking logical that is"

Everything looked solid, somewhat weathered but in overall good condition. I slowly went up the front porch stairs and checked the door. It was a simple hinged door with a mechanical lock and knob, but it wasn't locked so I went in. I stepped into a foyer with four doors to each side. A flight of stair leading up and one leading down, the door opposite to the entrance was obviously the back door leading back outside. There was no furniture, no machinery. The air was less humid than outside and felt a few degrees cooler. Wintsun behind me said." I wonder what purpose these buildings serve. They are certainly not big enough to house all cadets."

I shrugged. "Maybe these are meant just for the instructors and we have to build our own or sleep in tents or so. "To Narth said: "Do you sense anything now?"

He shook his shrouded head. "No conscious thoughts here, but back on the landing field the situation among the remaining individuals appears to be deteriorating. There is confusion and there are indications that soon lead to violence. The situation is quite unstable."

"It's not our problem. Let that Admiral Kid deal with it." Wintsun snorted at that and then looked at me. "What do you want us to do?

"Let's check out the rest of this house and then look at the other two buildings."

The entire building was empty. There were four large empty rooms on the second floor and a tiled bath with working plumbing and fresh water coming out of the faucets. The lights worked as well. In the basement we found a water recycler attached to a well and an Industrial Power Cube with a charge that would last at least a hundred years. Two sets of Laundry Machines and storage room full of blankets, padded jackets, and stacks of soap and hygiene articles. Back up on the ground floor we discovered, three more empty rooms and as we opened the last door of the ground floor Narth asked: "What matter of place is this?"

"It's a kitchen." I responded happily. "A kitchen with a wood stove, sink and freezer unit."

"How do you know this?"

"Many families on Nilfleheim prefer this old fashioned traditional way of preparing meals over Serv-Matics."

"Fossil heat, raw fish and meat; the images you transmit are, exceptionally primitive." Narth said, slowly shaking his head.

"I truly appreciate your abilities and I think you are a very nice person. I just wish not every third person I run into can sense what I am thinking."

"Narth do not communicate verbally at all, we do not use acoustic voices and one is not acustomed to be among humans. One is very sorry one offended you."

His usually emotionless voice had a note of sadness and I felt sorry for snapping at him. So I put my hand on his shoulder. "Narth I think we are going to be stuck here for a while. I won't be offended or bothered if you know my thoughts. I am sorry I barked at you. "I held out my hand. "Friends?"

Narth didn't make a sound or move for quite some moments then he slowly took my hand into his gloved one. It felt cold even through the leather like fabric."Yes Eric, one shall be your friend."

"So you're welcome to read my thoughts anytime. I just need to get used to all those Psionics."

"This can be corrected, you know. Narth can change you so that no one can ever read you again."

"Now that is something I will consider, but for now let's check out this kitchen and see what is there."

The freezer unit was stuffed with labeled packages and the pantry held Vac-packs of vegetables, meat, fish and rice and other packs with food items I could not identify right away. There was enough to feed an army of many different species over an extended period of time. The pantry was stacked to the ceiling with boxes of conserves, flower, raw food ingredients, spices and condiments.

In a drawer I found all sorts of kitchen utensils including knives. I armed myself with the largest mono filament knife. It had a convenient butchers sheath as well that easily attached to my belt.

"Why the knife?" Wintsun asked, looking over my shoulder into the drawer.

"I feel better with some sort of weapon especially after Narth told us that there might be life forms that consider us prey. Besides a knife is a tool and could come in handy."

Wintsun followed my example right away and took a knife as well."How about you, Spooky?"

Narth turned on the spot as if he stood on a mechanical turntable. Wintsun took several steps back startled by the sudden and strange move. "One assumes that you addressed me?" He then snapped his gloved finger."One just comprehended the application of your word choice. I understand you exercised the human habit of addressing me with an epithet, a moniker or nickname."

"Uh, yes exactly. That is what I did."

"One shall research that more. As for your initial question: No one does not need a weapon."

I padded him on the shoulder. "It's what humans do. In a potential hostile environment you are better off with a weapon than without one."

One of the knifes floated all by itself out of the drawer and Narth took it and put it under his long sleeve. He then moved his hooded head to look at us both. "Simple Telekinetics."

"Maybe Psionics are quite useful." I managed to say."And don't cut yourself."

"Your concern for ones wellbeing is duly noted, One shall not cut onrself. Even though it might be an interesting experiment."

"I sure don't know anything about your society my new friend, but cutting yourself with a Mono blade is anything but interesting."

Limbur grinned." It is quite messy."

"I yield to your expertise. Narth do not use Knives on Narth Prime."

"How do you cut your food, then?" Limbur wanted to know.

"Narth do not consume food that needs to be cut."

"Quite a time saver, I imagine." Wintsun shrugged and handed Limbur a big meat cleaver."That thing has Limbur written all over it."

Narth leaned forward."One do not see the word Limbur on this tool at all.The words read: NSF - stainless. Your name is NFS stainless too?"

While Wintsun tried to explain to Narth what he meant he also tried to teach him to use I and me.

I left the Kitchen and out to the back and checked on the other two buildings placed next to each other behind the main structure.

There where storage huts and both strutures were locked with simple padlocks, the monofilament knife cut through the wood frame like butter.

"Do you think it is wise to break in?" Asked Limbur, who had followed me and looked over my shoulder while I was cutting around the lock plate.

"Well nobody said we can't. This is a Fleet installation and in lieu of any higher authority we represent the Fleet and should be authorized."

This storage building held pallets stacked with self erecting tents, emergency food rations, construction tools and several power cubes.

The other building was stacked with even more food rations, spare uniforms, water containers and stacks of boxes and crates with other stuff

A bright yellow and red painted dura steel locker with ID lock caught my eye.

On it a sign in bold letters read: "Armory. Authorized Personnel Only".

Narth approached me: "A fight broke out at the landing field. Someone got hurt."

"Let them fight. We got all the food we need." Limbur made an old but still popular and vulgar hand gesture into the direction of the landing field." It's not our problem."

"Does it not strike you odd, that no one showed up to instruct us? Maybe the camp personnel was attacked and killed by something in the Jungle." Speculated Wintsun with a worried look on his face and gazing towards the dark green wall of vegetation." I come from a Jungle World and we have colonized it for a long time and still we discover new and often dangerous life forms.

I shook my head. "This seems unlikely to me. We would have found some evidence of occupancy in the main building. All this stuff is stored and locked away. No one left here in a hurry or unexpected."

Wintsun rubbed his chin. "Makes sense to me but where are they?"

I shrugged: "I don't know why no one has shown up to give us any instructions. Maybe the ship with the instructors was delayed somehow, or we got dropped off at the wrong planet."

Limbur rolled his eyes. "That just could be our luck, some clerk filed the wrong flight papers and the shuttle pilot has long forgotten about us. It may take weeks till they know we're missing."

I examined the lock at the Armory. It was a state of the art ID lock. Then I looked over my shoulder and said: "Maybe this is simply another test to see how we react. Until we know for sure we cannot completely eliminate your first speculation either. We should make the best out of the situation. It's not like we are completely screwed. We got all this stuff. I think we should go back and tell them what we found and then see if we can find something in here that can be used to send a Trans Dim message."

They all agreed and we went back to the landing field.

As we reached the others we found one of the cadets lying on the ground not moving, bleeding from a head wound and another one was sitting in the dirt, pressing his hand over a bleeding wound at his neck. There was a hushed silence and everyone looked at us.

The blue skinned guy stood before them holding a wooden stick like a club. His other fist prodded against his hip and barked at me: "Cadet you have left this area unauthorized. I am placing you under arrest until superior officers arrive. Resist me and I will deal with you as I have dealt with those deserters."

I gasped and said:" You are doing what?"

"I am Swybin, Son of Admiral Swybar. I assumed command. I know everything about the Fleet and its regulations. You all will call me commandant, address me with Sir and only speak if I give permission. Most of all and you will follow my every order. Anything less will result in severe and swift punishment."

The Narth shook his head. "Relationship to a ranking officer does not give you command authority. Rank is not inherited but earned by completing the process we all have started by joining the Academy. You have no authority to place anyone under arrest or assume command."

Wintsun stood straight with a serious face, and said with loud voice holding a PDD before him and it was blinking in record mode: "United Stars Fleet General Orders section one, paragraph 35. In the absence of higher command authority and during situations where only equal ranking personnel is present, the fleet member taking charge in said situation is by default of his action commanding officer with full authority to issue orders.

The first cadet taking action was Eric Olafson and I hereby evoke said General Order. You, Eric are to take charge of post and all government property in control reach. Until such time you are relieved of command by proper identified command authority. "He took a sharp breath and added: "Put on record on this day and this hour, by Cadet Alsher Wintsun. Service number 4523232-W-23234."

Narth nodded. "He is correct, that is the text of that general order and by evoking it and putting it on record it has been made official and legal, he now is our commanding officer. Besides Eric is a Cadet Lieutenant and even though it is a rank without command authority in absence of any higher ranks it gives Eric command privileges."

Swybin didn't like that and it clearly showed. "I am the son of Admiral Swybar and I am the logical choice here. When the Instructors come they will listen to me alone because a single word of mine can cost their career. You records will mean nothing. Be warned I will report you all as deserters if you do not follow my instructions and orders."

A female cadet held up her handbook. "What Wintsun said is correct. It states it right here."

Swybin raised his wooden club to strike her. "Silence, that book means nothing. My word alone is to be followed."

I would not allow anyone hitting an unarmed woman in my presence ever again. I had seen my own mother being beaten to death and no one would do so again while I could draw a breath or lift an arm, but he was too far for me to reach him in time to prevent the first strike.

The wooden club was stopped in midair as if was hitting something very hard. It splintered and Swybin yelped in pain. The pieces of the wooden club flew in a high arc away. Narth eye slits glowed visibly with a dark red light. "You act in a highly illogical matter and your mind is clouded with self delusion of imagined importance."

Swybin held his hand in pain and growled in open hatred. "My father will have you hanged for this. No one disobeys an Admiral. You will all hang."

"Enough of this." I yelled. "One thing is certain you are not an Admiral. You are a cadet like me and everyone else here. I promise you if you ever raise your hand in violence against an unarmed and weaker person I will break every bone in your body.

I frankly don't know much about regulations or Fleet orders yet, heck I didn't even know we have handbooks. I am in this Fleet for less than a month."

I pointed at the wounded. "We are now getting the injured cadets into the buildings and see what we can do to help them. There are self erecting emergency tents and there is food and water. It makes no sense to wait here on the landing field. If someone comes they surly will be smart enough to look for us at the buildings over there."

Swybin fumed: "Anyone disregarding my orders will be court-martialed and I assure you my dad will listen to me. We were ordered to wait here."

"This is getting us nowhere. I am going back to those buildings and I will take those wounded cadets along. I am taking full responsibility for my actions and you are welcome to report whatever I did to anyone you like. Anyone that wants to come along is welcome."

Wintsun barked loud and with a stern face."Cadets follow us."

About twenty cadets remained with Swybin, the rest followed us.

I knelt down to the bleeding cadet and said:" Can you walk?"

"I think so."

"Alright then, go lean against me I get you to the building." To Limbur I said:" Can you help me with the other one?"

Limbur grinned: "I don't need help with that."

He lifted the unconscious man like a weightless toy from the ground and carried him away.

--""--

By night fall we had enough tents erected for everyone. I had them arranged in a circle around the main building as close together as possible. In the building we arranged one room as mess hall and another as an infirmary. One of the Cadets, a girl with skin so black it had a bluish shimmer was a certified EMT, before she joined the Fleet. Her name N'Buga and she found first aid supplies in one of the storage buildings. The one with the head wound seemed alright after N'Buga, the EMT treated him, but the other one was still unconscious. N'Buga bunched the towel she was holding and grinded her teeth. "He most likely got traumatic head injury from that first blow Swybin struck and I don't have the scanners or tools to check for bleeding or fractures. We must assume the worse and there isn't much I can do. He needs medical attention as soon as possible."

I smiled at her." I know you do your best. We're trying to find some way to call for help."

"If I could put him in a stasis field, which would be the best solution for now."

"I check the supplies maybe they have space suits." Wintsun said who was standing next to us, rubbing his chin and looking like he had an idea.

"What would a Space suit do? " I asked.

"All Fleet space suits have an Auto-Doc and are stasis system capable in case someone get lost in space and needs to conserve energy and life support."

"Well let's tear those storage sheds apart and see what we can find."

Almost an hour later opening countless shipping containers one cadet held up a sealed package and said." Not a space suit but the bio-stasis replacement module for one, complete with Auto Doc."

Two cadets with engineering skills rigged a make shift space suit out of repair tape and tent skin, we placed the injured cadet inside and N'Buga activated the Cryostasis unit.

Her face relaxed as the indicator lights went green."Well that should stabilize him better than anything else we can do until help arrives."

I was standing at the door to our improvised infirmary when Narth approached me, he didn't make any sound when he moved. "The tents are all up. Wintsun and Limbur passed out ration food bars and water. One ... I posted the guards as you asked. Two are on the roof and the other two on each side of the camp. Now what do you want the rest to do?"

"Are you sure no one resents me giving orders and all that?"

Narth put his hand on my shoulder. "No Eric, the sentiment on our side has drastically improved. Be assured I do whatever you order."

I looked around to collect my thoughts. "We should inventory the items in the storage buildings. Ration the food, water seems to be no problem, but until we know how long we have to be here or know what native resources are consumable. I think we should ration the food. We post double guards at both storage places. No one is to help themselves to food outside of meal times."

"A wise precaution indeed, I shall convey your orders. I also suggest we open the armory case and supply the guards with better weapons than clubs and knifes. Only a few are trained in any sort of combat and I foresee we might need real weapons before the night is over."

"Alright but I am going to open it myself, in case we get in trouble for it, it's only me they can punish."

"This is comendable, but I will share this responsibility with you."

-""--

The lock and the armory would not yield to a simple knife so I pushed my thumb on the lock and a voice said." Biometric data not on file. Access denied."

"I m Cadet Eric Olafson. I am in command of a group of cadets, as per General Orders section one, paragraph 35. No higher fleet authority present. Access to the weapons is vital."

"ID chip information recorded. Command authority accepted. Access granted." The lock snapped open.

The box held ten brand new military issue Directed Energy Blasters. With Narths help I picked eight cadets with the most prior experience handling such weapons and armed them with DEB's, located them strategically so they could rest and eat yet rush to the site of any alarm in short time. Two guns I kept in reserve, just in case.

Then I had them break out the cConstruction tools and equipped the rest with Power saws and similar tools that could be used as makeshift weapons. I myself armed myself with a vibro blade axe. I still was a novice when it came to blasters and guns, but this was a weapon I understood.

The two cadets with engineering skills had rigged an air conditioning system for the infirmary from parts they found in the store room and they were quite proud as they showed off their handy work. Both were human. The taller one of the pair had black hair and it stuck so tight to his skull it looked almost as if it was painted. He had big eyes and a small mouth, his name was Alberts. The exposed skin of the other guy was covered with colorful tattoos in bright blues and blacks. His hair was red almost orange and his eyes where the greenest I ever saw, he listened to the name of Shawn. It was Shawn who proudly demonstrated the workings of the air conditioning system and explained to me. "Al rigged it with four tent units and I tied it into the building energy supply box. We can keep the place warm or cold."

"That's a good job you did." Was all that came to my mind? It surprised me that my comment caused proud smiles. Albert didn't say much, but he had fashioned himself a tool belt and stuffed with all sorts of tools.

Shaun asked "What do you want us to do next?" He looked eager to do something and so did his friend Al.

"We need some sort of central watchtower. An elevated place we can see everything and if you could rig something like a TransDim comm. anything that might be used to send a message that would be good."

Shawn shook his head. "Can't do, Sir, None of the spare parts have transdim spools and without them nothing goes past the LI thresh hold."

Albert said something to Shawn in a language I never heard and Shawn nodded." Aye we could try that."

"What did he say?"

Shawn punched the other. "Don't speak that German-Irish gibberish he doesn't understand the old Engineering Language."

Albert grinned sheepishly. "Sorry Captain. I am just so happy that I found Shawn who speaks one of the old engineering languages that we started to use it."

I had no idea what he was talking about but nodded anyway." That's fine. Can you make a TransDim Radio?"

"Not exactly, but if we can take one of the DE rifles apart and use the containment field modulator and use the Computronic of the ID Lock from the Armory, I am sure we could make a TransDim Morse code transmitter. No voice no images and we couldn't receive but anyone with a TransDim Set in range could hear us. The Containment field is TransDim bases you see and by modulating it we would have a crude transmitter."

"Why do I get the feeling you all know more about this than I do? Have you done this before?"

Albert shrugged. "I haven't. I was raised on a ship and haven't been much dirt side, but I think I know pretty much all non classified techs inside and out. That's important, especially if your family space ship is a rust bucket about to fall apart. You learn to jury rig and improvise from early on."

Shawn explained. "Morse code is truly ancient and comes from Earth Pre-Astro time. But its simplicity and usefulness made it an almost universal thing. Every Comm Officer aboard any ship military or civilian knows Morse code. Besides any Computronic will recognize it as artificial transmission and can translate it." Then he added. "It's my first time in the Academy for sure, but I was born on Kikenny and being an Engineer is more than a tradition to us, it's a religion."

"Then you should try doing what Al suggested."

"Aye Sir." The black haired cadet rubbed his hands. "I am all over it. And tomorrow I use the rest of the parts and some odds and ends and install a high energy fence around the place."

Shawn was as excited. "Yeah we can do that with the box of energy coils. But first let us built a watch tower for Eric as he ordered and after that we build..." The two walked away chatting and making plans. Another cadet I had not noticed before handed me a PDD in clip board mode. "Here is the inventory of the food items in the kitchen, Sir. Kaila, Ivax and I are now tackling the other storage locker."

"Thank you, Cadet. Good job. When you done and after your break. Could you make a list of all Cadets, their species and their names?"

"You got it Sir."

I took the board and glanced at it and handed it back. "Very efficient and orderly list."

She smiled warmly." Thank you Sir. Wintsun was right when he picked you." She turned and left with a light spring in her step.

Night and darkness finally came after a long sunset. Narth was confident he could calculate the duration of a local day after tomorrow.

Nights on Green Eden, so it became apparent where very dark, there was no moon to reflect any sunlight. The stars however where spectacular.

And soon we learned that night fall caused a sharp drop in temperatures and it was getting colder by the minute. The tents had heating elements and we found plenty of blankets and padded uniform jackets and I was certain we would be fine.

Narth told me the situation on the landing field was getting worse by the minute. The handful of cadets that remained with Swybin where cold, hungry and confused aggression and fear tensed to a breaking point. He also sensed aggressive emotions from beings in the jungle and that there was more of that activity now than during the day.

I had the guards equipped with hand held search lights and we worked out a guard schedule. I was just inspecting the tents and talked to a Cadet from Earth, who was one of the armed guards when Wintsun came down the steps of the main building and said" Everything looks fine, everyone is contempt. Sure everyone is wondering what happened to the Instructors, but there isn't any fear." He pounded my shoulder. "I hand it to you, Viking you know your stuff."

"Wintsun, I really don't anything and the more I talk to other the more I realize that."

He said nothing just smiled at me and wiped on his feet and I was about to return to talk to the girl from Terra when he said. "What do we do now?"

"We wait, keep our guard up and see what happens."

"There are plenty of idle cadets with nothing to do. They want to help and do something. They are eager to do whatever you tell them."

"Alright, let's run this place Fleet like. I don't know much about it yet, and all I was instructed about was food and appearance. So I want the hallway made into a mess hall. Find chairs and tables make them out of shipping crates or something and get a group on heating ready meals. Everyone not on guard post will attend, perfectly groomed and dressed.

Guard posts are to be relieved half way through dinner and also need to groom and bathe before they attend. I want all rooms scrubbed and cleaned and the kitchen sparkling clean. Have a few of them check out those Uniform laundry machines in the basement and see if they work. We need two guys that keep a schedule on the Shower and bath room facility." I spread my arms and said. "That will keep them busy."

To my surprise she and Wintsun smiled from one ear to the other and almost yelled. "Yes Sir that it will."

I too took a shower, put on a clean uniform, shaved the few beard whiskers that had sprouted on my chin and combed my long blonde hair, braided it as it was tradition and then went with Narth to the storage sheds. We looked over the food supply list and calculated we could serve three meals to everyone for about thirty days, and then still have emergency bars for another six month.

"Let's not hope we will be here for that long." I said.

Narth shook his hooded head. "It is highly unlikely we will be."

"Still I think we should keep the guard and household with what we got."

"The situation dictates such precautions and is logical."

"You really think I am that logical?"

"I am unable to make a conclusive analysis of your logical capabilities as my exposure to you is limited to a relative short time span, but all instructions you have given and all actions taken, show that you follow a clear defined path when it comes to challenges as the one we are currently faced with."

"You always talk like that?"

"Certainly not. We Narth do not converse using acoustic verbal means and I only talk to you or others if the situation requires it. Therefore I do not always talk. It would be illogical to do so if there is no one to listen for example."

"You made my point." I smiled at Narth. "I am sure the day comes you and I actually really understand what the other means."

"I share your vision of this future." Narth and I inspected the camp and the guard posts.

Wintsun joined us. "Ah here you are. We have prepared the west facing room in the upper level for you and Spooky. So you have a place to sleep and work. You should also see what the crew had done to the hall."

"You don't think I should use a tent like the others?"

"You are in command and according to the handbook it is preferable to find separate accommodations for the CO when the situation permits it."

I sighed." Let's check out what they have done and then you should tell me why you know that handbook so well Wintsun shrugged. "I downloaded a copy from GalNet before I applied and read much of it. I like to read and I thought the Academy Handbook would be a good thing read since I was going there."

Narth pointed at Wintsun. "This was a perfect example of logical reasoning, Eric."

I actually agreed with Narth and I should have thought of doing the very same thing. "I wonder why I don't have one."

Wintsun shrugged. "They handed out actual real printed copies to everyone about six or seven days ago." He showed me a small book with soft plastic cover and very thin pages filled with text, drawings and small instructional visual recordings.

In sighed. "I guess that happened during the time when we went to Archilerb."

"Now I remember. You were the Cadet who gave the Eulogy to the two dead cadets. Everyone knows something about that story, but I bet most is scuddlebud."

We had reached the back door and entered the main building. The empty hallway had transformed rather nicely into a make shift mess hall with two rows of tables with bed sheets as table cloth. Field mess kits had been arranged as place settings and someone had found a Union flag and hung it from the far end wall.

And almost every seat was taken. Wintsun pointed at the crate at the short end and I felt awkward taking this obviously prominent spot, and uncomfortable because every eye was on me. Wintsun leaned over. "Since we don't have servers, the food is already placed but we waited on you."

I cleared my throat, took the water bottle and raised it. "Unknown is what lies ahead, let us face it like Fleet officers. I know still little about the ways, regulations and traditions of the fleet. I did not ask to be in this leadership position, but since I am in that position you can rest assure I will do my very best. Tomorrow is a new day, we are deep in Union space, and we have plenty of food, weapons, and a great pool of talents, good shelter and lots of work. Our instructors will show up sooner or later. Until then I raise my glass and drink to you and all of us. To the Fleet, to tomorrow."

I drank and sat down and began to eat looking sheepishly around. Not one face of those I could read showed amusement, but I could almost sense the collective pride.

A frail looking Cadet who almost looked like a skeleton bowed his bony head and blinked his sunken eyes. "This was a good toast, Sir."

During the sixth hour of darkness, after I had few hours of sleep, I climbed on the roof, where we had installed our makeshift Watchtower, to take my post and my turn of the watch. The temperature had dropped below freezing now. Someone had taped a tent tarp between four posts and used the heating unit as blower making it not a bad spot at all.

I just made it there when a bright light finger suddenly stabbed into the darkness from the left guard position below me and then came the shouts of alarm."

I didn't know the names of the cadets sitting there, but they where humanoid and one asked me in a hushed voice. "Mr. Olafson, what is going on?"

"I don't know, Cadet. But we are going to find out."

I took his spot light and pointed it into the same direction as the first one. Something large with green scaled skin and six legs was caught in the strong bright light beams. It was so big I could see its teeth gleaming from up here. The beast was confused by the sudden light and had stopped its advance. It was at least twenty meters long and perhaps five tall. I shouted. "Two gun men to the North west corner guard post. Everyone else remain where you are."

The beast overcame its hesitation and started to advance towards the camp. I waited for the cadets with rifles to be in position and then I yelled:"Fire at will." Two sun bright bolts of energy lashed out, caught the beast and the sharp crack of displaced air by bolts of super heated plasma vibrated through the night. The beast was hit by bolts of millions of degrees hot matter; almost half the animal was instantly incinerated.

We repelled and killed two more within the same hour and then it became quiet. I could smell the burnt flesh and saw the dimly glowing remains of whatever was left of the animals Narth who was my watch partner had literally floated up to our position without moving a limb. "The beasts of the jungle fear this place of lightning and thunder and won't bother us anymore for a while. The sentiment here at the camp is of an alert confidence. There is no panic and no fear and I sense they do trust you now more than even before"

"What about those on the landing field?"

"The probability that there won't be as many there tomorrow is very high."

"We can't let this happen. We have to convince them to come here or at least protect them."

"Why? The son of the Admiral thinks very bad thoughts about you and it was their free choice."

"Because, they are cadets and they are in danger. We have to go." I said while climbing down. Narth floated effortlessly next to me and without making any sound.

"You got some grav device under that cloak of yours?" I asked.

"No I levitate myself using telekinesis. It is quite simple and I am not all that heavy. I can levitate you too, if you care"

"I think I should learn more about the Narth."

"I shall endeavor to provide you with all the information of Narth you desire."

"At another time though. We need to hurry. I have a bad feeling about this.

-""-

While I was running I said to Narth who was right beside me.' Can you contact Wintsun with that telepath brain of yours?"

"Yes."

"Have him and two cadets with blasters and lights come after us as fast as he can.Lina, the Terran cadet is to remain and take over on the central look out."

"I have relayed your commands and they have been received and understood."

I said between breaths.' You know that Psionic stuff can be useful after all."

"One is pleased that you amended your verdict."

"Reverting to referring to yourself as one again?"

"The concept of I and One are distinct different. I am still contemplating which one is more appropriate."

While I was running Narth floated beside me, his feet about ten centimeters of the ground. I glanced at him. "You sure are a spooky sight. Floating and dressed like that, you look like a real ghost."

"I was not aware there are unreal ghosts."

His answer gave me the chills. I suddenly thought that if Narth believed in ghosts that there might be indeed such entities. I promised myself to ask him about ghosts sometimes later as we had reached the others.

Swybin stood in the middle of the twenty cadets, who looked cold and some of them raised their heads in hope. The Admiral's son was wearing several uniforms in layers against the cold and hissed:" It is too late to ask to come back, Viking. The Instructors will come and you will face a court-martial and I will personally watch your execution.

My eyes always able to see in dark conditions, had adjusted well to the star lit night and I almost immediately saw the lumbering shapes approaching the group of cadets. I could make out three of the same beasts we had encountered before.

Just then someone yelled. " Look out, behind you." At the same time something strong pushed me just as I turned, I stumbled but managed to stay on my feet, a scaled claw with sickle shaped razor sharp talons slashed through the air, where I had been standing a heartbeat before. A fourth beats had approached from, behind perhaps following us.

Without really thinking, I hefted my axe in both fists, turned and charged the big lizard. The humming axe vibrated in a very high frequency. Its razor sharp Ultronit blade able to slice through nearly anything without much effort. I swiped with a powerful swing it across the lowering head of the beast as it snapped at me, the axe cut through its jaw and showering me with scales, blood and broken teeth. The animal roared with a high pitched scream and in obvious pain, without giving the animal a chance to gain its bearings, I swiped the axe across its belly. An avalanche of wet glistening, stinking guts broke through the tough scaled skin, I actually felt sorry for the now mortally wounded lizard. In the last moment I managed to jump out of the way of the thrashing spiked tail, and chopped a piece of it off, before it could hit me. There was not much fight left in this poor creature and with one heavy blow I cut open its throat, killing it and showering me with a spray of hot lizard blood.

The animal collapsed. I whirled around. There was panic and screams, chaos. Cadets were running in all directions. One of the lizards snatched a cadet as he tried to run from another. The human was lifted off the ground his arm all the way to the shoulder inside the monster's maw.

Everything happened at once and barley a minute had passed since we arrived I vaulted over a female cadet that crouched on the ground in fear. From the side I saw one of the monsters attack another student, but before it could snatch its prey, the whole animal lifted off the ground and as if catapulted by a big rubber band flew in a wide arch away into the darkness.

Without stopping, I was amazed and quite a bit terrified of Narth's incredible powers. He just dispatched several tons of living flesh with nothing but the power of his mind.

If the Lizard would have a chance to use its claws to rip the cadet apart, all hope for the screaming victim would be gone. I yelled at the top of my lungs an ancient Viking war cry, like Uncle Hogun taught me, to distract the animal and make it aware of me.

I put as much force as I could muster behind a powerful chop and brought the axe in a wide swing across the front leg, severing most it. The beast opened its maw to scream and let the wounded cadet go. Instead of dropping the cadet floated away, caught by Narth's telekinetic powers. The monster was wounded and confused and with an up to down swing I split its lower jaw and cut deep into its neck. Despite this mortal wound it managed to rake its other claw across my arm, shredding much of the padded cold jacket, my uniform beneath and judging by the burning pain, also some of my skin.

I disregarded the injury; it had to be nothing more than a scratch since I still felt my arm and finished the beast with two more blows against its head.

Bright lights stabbed the night and the loud crack of super heated energy beams mingled with the roaring screams of the remaining beast.

I took a breather and looked around; no other lizard was within sight.

Narth appeared next to me and said. "I have dispatched the other Dinosaur and there is no immediate danger."

"I have seen it and still can't believe it. You threw that lizard at least 50 meters or more."

"Since you have seen it, it is illogical not to believe it and your estimate was somewhat incorrect, I threw the Dinosaur 98.6 meters. Also if I it interests you, these animals are not lizards but warm blooded. A true lizard would not be active in temperatures like that."

I grinned." I stand corrected then."

"I must confess I am in deep awe at your deeds. I have not seen anything like that before. You are injured."

"Nothing but a scratch, it will heal. What about casualties?"

We checked and three of Swybar's cadets were injured and the one rescued by Narth was most severely wounded and barely alive his left arm was mostly gone, and he had deep bite marks in his side.

"He needs aid fast." I was looking to Limbur but Narth said. "I shall convey the casualties and be back soon."

All three injured cadets and Narth disappeared with a loud popping sounds, when the air rushed into the void he had left behind. I knew about telepaths and had seen telekinetics when the Old man of the Pillar demonstrated it to me, and I had heard about the rare power of teleportation in school. It seemed my new friend was gifted with all three talents.

Limbur came over and motioned towards the dead beasts. "Remind me never to make you angry, Eric. I thought I was strong and badass but not like you going to town on those with just an axe."

Swybar got up from behind his gear pack. "Crawl back now and surrender your command and I will ask my father to take that in account when they pass judgment over you."

"Oh shut up. You are repeating yourself." I pointed the bloody axe at him, "One more word out of you Mister and I do with you what I did with those Saurons."

I yelled as loud as I could. "Everyone gather around. The danger has passed for now. We need to make a roll call."

The scattered Cadets came around and Limbur used his impressive voice to repeat my call much louder. "You heard the Lieutenant. Line up all of you. That goes for you as well Mr. Swybar"

He managed to line them up and I said to the admiral's son. "How many were there with you? I remember twenty one counting all of you, right?"

He didn't answer but a beautiful girl with big black eyes said. " Yes, Mister Olafson. We have been twenty one."

"Narth took three. That should leave us with eighteen, but I count only seventeen. Anyone missing?"

Swybin actually reacted and looked down the line and then said. "I don't see Lydia Caldwell. I do not think she was one of the injured."

The girl blinked and nodded. "I remember now. I saw her running form one of the beasts in that direction." She pointed north.

Still facing the admiral's son I said: "You tell your father whatever you want. I don't care. But right now the lives of these cadets are in serious jeopardy. Take them to the camp. There is food and warmth. You can blame me for everything later on and put it all on me, but for Odin's sake go now. If you hit or hurt anyone else, I take you apart piece by piece. Do you understand that?"

He was about to protest, I raised the axe. "Don't test me, if they are going to hang me like you said, I have nothing to lose and killing you won't make a difference. So move your ass, now."

Narth returned without a sound. Seeing him appear like that in his hooded robe out of thin air was more than a little unsettling, but I was glad he was back. To Limbur I said." Get them back and showered and fed. You are going to be in charge till I am back I turned to Narth." How are the wounded doing?"

"N'Buga is confident she can stabilize and aid the injured. The Cadets Al and Shaun are working on a second stasis tent."

"I am glad to hear that." To the gathered cadets I said. " The wounded are taken care of. Now take your gear and follow my big green friend here, you all will be able to shower, eat and sleep."

"Where are you going?" Asked Swybin a little less hostile sounding.

I am going to search for that missing girl."

Narth said." I shall accompany you. I can sense her. She is frightened but she is alive."

I remembered the name of one of the armed Cadets and said to him "Cadet Renoir hand Narth your blaster please."

Narth refused." I am unfamiliar with these weapons and would not use it correctly. I am by no means defenseless."

"I have seen that."

I took one of the hand lamps and I watched the cadets leave and then said to Narth. "Please point the way then."

--""--

In Orbit around Green Eden INTERLUDE

Commander Letsgo looked over the shoulder of one of the operators onto one of the view screens. It showed a high resolution bird's eye view of the camp.The satellite allowed them a high resolution view of the scene, At this magnification they could easily read the name tags on the Cadets uniforms, the image was light enhanced and to them it was like watching in day light.

"What was the name of that Cadet again?"

"Olafson, Sir. Cadet Eric Olafson."

He turned to the Holo Avatar next to him. "You were right, Admiral. He is the one that took charge."

McElligott's avatar smiled. "I was almost certain he would be the one. Are any of the Cadets in serious danger?"

"We have casualties, but according to our spy ware they are all stable. They used space suit stasis modules in an ingenious way. When we run this test, we do have casualties occasionally, but this is the first time we are running the test from so far away."

"It is necessary. The Narth would detect you if you are any closer. Narth Supreme has suggested we should stay at least 100 kilometers away. Only so can we guarantee correct test results from this scenario."

"It sure is the first time we have a Narth. I am eager to see how he performs and interacts with the others."

"Yes that is part of the reason for this test, my friend. I am for the first time in contact with the Narth Supreme and from what I understand he is as much interested in seeing how this works out."

Letsgo nodded. "Well some of them show great promise while others need a lot of work, and I see already several who are not cut out to be officers." He motioned towards the screen. So are we going to phase two, or are we interfering?"

"We go to phase two of the 'Abandoned scenario'. I did not have that much fun in years; I should have made a point and watched Cadet training more often."

"This is an unusual group I have to admit. I do this for over twenty years now and I never seen a Cadet charge and kill two Novaks with an axe."

"He is a Neo Viking from Nilfeheim. He attacked a space bus with a submarine only recently, and destroyed a Dai Than battle ship while being at the Conn of a private Yacht."

"You are kidding me right?"

"It's all in his file. It is a worthwhile read."

--""--

BACK AT THE CAMP

The rescued cadets, looked tired, were covered from head to toe in the reddish mud and cold, they looked at the mess hall with great eyes. Limbur had them sit down while Wintsun and a few others organized food for them. Limbur said. "While we ready the food for you, I suggest you all take a shower first, and put on clean uniforms. Go upstairs, Cadet Ross is waiting for you. He is in charge of the bathroom facilities. Since we only got four showers, please limit your time.

"Then take your dirty laundry into the basement, Cadets Paulsen and Brennan will take it of you and run it through the laundry machines. After that you come here and you receive dinner. Once you have eaten, Cadet Wintsun will assign you to a tent. Tonight you won't have any chores, but tomorrow you will all be assigned to do your share."

One especially dirty cadets, looked impressed. "You organized so well and in only those few hours?"

Limbur looked very proud." Yes indeed."

Swybin had a sour look on his face." I am not taking orders of anyone. I do as I please. You are all just Cadets and in deep trouble when the Instructors come."

Wintsun looked at him cold. "I am not so sure about that. If they see what is in our infirmary and that you are responsible, I am not so sure even your Admiral dad can get you out of trouble. There are over hundred witnesses who will testify what occurred if it ever comes to any sort of hearing."

Cadet Swybar did not like to hear that and it was obvious he had not thought about that. "There won't be any hearing. There are careers on the line, they will listen to me."

Limbur crossed his massive arms and stepped close to Swybar, "If you cause any more trouble, I show you what my father did with unruly sons. He took us behind the shed and beat the crap out of us." He grinned wide. "It happens to be that we have two sheds. Now do what you are told or I adjust your attitude the Lomax Limbur way and N'Buga has another patient."

"You would not dare lay hands on me."

"I was not thinking about hands, more like a good ass kicking. Now get moving and if I even hear so much as a complaint, your father will have a hard time understanding what you say through all the bandages."

Swybin left without saying another word.

The first clean cadets appeared moments later and received their dinner.

One of them was telling the others with big gestures what happened. "You should have seen the two. That Olafson Cadet did not even hesitate a second and fought those beasts with a ferocity that was almost more frightening then the lizards. He had just an axe and butchered them. He killed two of them in no time. The Narth gestured and used telekinetic powers to throw one of those lizards back into the jungle."

Limbur looked thankful at Wintsun. "I am sure glad you warned me back then in the space bus. That Narth is something else."

Wintsun shrugged." There isn't much known about the Narth. They live totally isolated, but there are plenty of rumors and legends about them and if only half of them are true, they are perhaps the most dangerous species." He looked around." Speaking off, where are they?"

"They went after a missing Cadet."

Swybin came in, also clean and in a fresh uniform. Next to the door leaned one of the Blaster rifles, put there by one of the armed Guards so he could take a break and eat. Swybin snatched it and laughed."Now I guess I am in charge after all."

--""-- Phase Two

We had already covered almost two kilometers and I asked. "Are you sure she went that far?"

"Being unsure is a concept quite alien to me, Eric. Unlike humans we Narth act or speak only if we are certain about our action."

"So you never guess?"

"It is not in our nature to guess."

"Must be nice to be always right."

"This Narth is quite capable of making erroneous judgments and wrong decisions."

He pointed at a fallen tree just at the jungle's edge. "She is close."

I turned the light on and called."Cadet Caldwell."

There was no answer.

Narth said."She can hear us but she is very afraid of us."

As we approached the tree, I said. Well maybe she isn't used to shrouded, eye glowing hood wearing floating Narths."

"That could be the reason yes; however she might not be used to see a blood covered axe wielding Neo Viking either."

"So you think I am some sort of brutish barbarian?"

"Yes."

There was a giggle from between the branches of the fallen tree." You really are Cadets. I was so afraid when I saw you. You didn't look like..."

"I am sorry, Ms Caldwell, I was concerned about your safety and postponed my shower. Are you injured?"

"Yes I think I broke my foot or something as I fell over a root of this tree."

"Narth, can you take her back to N'Buga?"

"Yes I can do that and I could take you too, there is no reason to be afraid of Teleportation. It is quite safe."

"I am not afraid of it. I just think I prefer walking back."

"You still do not like Psionics."

"No not really."

"As you wish, but you could trust me."

"I trust you. I just think you strained your abilities quite a bit today. Are you not getting tired?"

"Yes I am experimenting with several states of weariness and fatigue and I feel tired indeed."

"Don't come back for me then, eat something and experiment with a pillow and a blanket and perhaps you find falling asleep doesn't take much skill, besides it is only maybe four or five kilometers and I be there in no time."

"I shall comply and follow your recommendation."

As I walked back through the dark, towards the distant shine of light, I wondered where the Instructors were. Somehow it all felt like a test, but then the casualties were real. Or was this all just an elaborate Virtu experience? Of course this was possible, and all I did and experienced was just a direct neural input, but unless Narth was part of the Virtu I wasn't so sure they could fool him with a simulation for long. Everything felt real even the smells and that was something no Virtu as far as I knew could get just right, simply because the smell of sense was more than all the other senses based on memory and everyone interpreted and everyone had just a little different ideas and memories about smells and so Virtu world makers never really managed to get the more subtle smells right.

It wasn't all that far to walk and I covered the five Klicks quite quickly. The house and the tents looked quite inviting. Whatever the challenges were tomorrow and I was certain whatever this was had just started, could wait until I had a nice hot shower and a few hours sleep.

There were five Guard posts with two cadets each, one the roof and one on each corner of our little compound. I did not want to get shot and called out to the post on the North West corner, the one I was approaching. There was no response.

I managed to reach the post unchallenged and I could feel my own anger rise. No one on Nilfeheim would ever abandon a post like that. It wasn't abandoned after all. I found only one Cadet and he was comfortably reclined and looked like he was sleeping.

I did not know his name but I cursed at him. "When you are on guard, you don't sleep, Mister."

He looked up without moving much." You are not in charge here anymore. Cadet Swybar is. I decided to be on his side. He said he already called his father and the instructors will be here tomorrow and everyone that listened to you will be in trouble."

Besides Jack is with me and he is awake. He just went over to the trees to take a leak."

I said to him as calm as I could. "You are on guard post, Mister and you will keep your eyes open and ears open until you are properly relieved. I know you have learned the Eleven General Orders for a guard just like I have. I will deal with this Swybar now once and for all..."

A high pitched scream of a person in pain came from the Jungle's edge. The cadet before me lost his entire swagger."Sir that was Jack."

There was no rest for me tonight so it seemed. I turned and ran after the scream. I did not really surprise me that Swybar made trouble, but I wondered how he had convinced Narth. Maybe it was true and he somehow had the means of contacting the Instructors and they already received new orders and perhaps the word of an Admirals son did mean more than regulations. If he was the son of an Admiral he basically grew up in the Navy and knew more about the reality of things than we all did.

I reached the forest edge and it looked like a solid dark wall. I stopped and forced my breath go slow down so I could hear.

I jumped almost out of my skin when Narth suddenly appeared next to me and he pointed to a smashed path, made by something large. "He is alive and is dragged this way. I rushed into the direction he had pointed and despite the fact that no starlight penetrated the forest roof. Eerie glowing tree trunks illuminated the surroundings with a faint bluish light, plenty of light for my eyes adapted to dark oceans. Even though I had this new sense growing in me, I still preferred my eyes. He was no longer floating but walking like me along the narrow path of bend and smashed thicket. "I am sure glad to see you."

"I am sorry. I think I have failed you, but after I have brought the female cadet to the Infirmary, I did as you said and experimented with sleep and it worked. I only woke mere moments ago, as I heard the scream and received the strong thoughts of distress."

"I don't blame you for doing what I said you should, but this cursed Swybar is causing problems."

"I am sensing the thoughts now. Most of the Cadets have been locked away in the basement storage room and are guarded.

I was going as fast as the thicket let me and said." We deal with that later. The guy we following is he still alive?"

"Yes he is, and it appears we are gaining slowly. I estimate the distance now less than 1500 meters."

Let's hope the beast is not slowing down for dinner. There is only one reason why an animal would drag something that far."

"There is a reason why the beast is doing that?"

"Wild animals don't do things for fun, or like to spend unnecessary energy. I bet there is a nest somewhere with young and we are pursuing one of the parent beasts and judging by the previous attacks these predators do not hunt alone but in packs. So we might be faced with more than one animal."

"Your knowledge and intuition about nature is truly fascinating." Then he asked: "Many of the others experience an emotion called fright. Aren't you afraid? You charged these animals armed with nothing more than a primitive axe and now you are pursuing one through this alien landscape."

"I am afraid all the time, but it doesn't affect me much as long as there is something I can do about it. I was raised hunting huge carnivorous fish in a very dangerous environment. This is scary I tell you, but real fear I learned of my father so I am used to fear I guess; besides a Vibro-Axe isn't exactly all that primitive. And what about you? You don't strike me the as the big outdoors type. Unless you are invulnerable or something like that."

"I am as vulnerable as you and my physical body is not much different from yours, and you could say it is the first time I am experience outdoors in quite this way."

"So why are you not afraid then?"

"This is a good question. Logic dictates I should feel fear. This is an unfamiliar environment and there to many primitive life forms around us, without sentience but almost everything around us feels hunger, fear and aggression." There was a pause." I am afraid."

Then he disappeared.

Splendid. First he didn't know what fear was and now I made him realize it. Good going Eric. I was trying to catch my breath, but dared not to slow down. I was the only hope the cadet had. I just wished I did not have to face a whole herd of these things.

Narth reappeared and kept effortlessly pace with me. "Yes I am afraid but I am not helpless and I am not alone. I apologize for leaving. It was quite a new emotion I must say and my first reaction was to get away." Narth grabbed me by the shoulder and jerked me back with force. At the same moment something broke through the jungle floor in an explosion of leaves and wet dirt. Sharp mandibles clacked together before a ring mouth filled with sharp teeth, missing my head by less than a centimeter. I swung the axe before I knew I was doing it, blood sprayed all over me for the second time this night and I had cut the creature in half. It was large centipede, multi segmented thing with six small eyes still fixed on me. I took a deep breath. "That was close. Thank you Narth. You saved my life twice today already"

"No mention is necessary. The being caught me by surprise as well. It has no detectable thoughts and its primitive neural impulses blended in well with all the others around us. Logic dictates that saving the life of a friend is an endeavor worth pursuing"

I wiped sweat, blood and pieces of foliage of my face and we kept pressing on. After a few hundred meters more, Narth stopped and pointed between two bushes. "Cadet Jack Landon is right behind these branches and there are a number of animals with strong hunger emotions."

"We do it as before." I whispered. "I fight the beast and as soon as it lets go of the cadet you take him and get him back as fast as you can to the camp."

"What about you?"

"No time to arg..." I had no longer time or air to spare to finish what I wanted to say. The lizard beast had just broken through the thicket before us and it directed a terrible hissing scream at us. The Lizards maw hovered only inches before me but did not move. It was as if its head was caught in an invisible trap. I did not waist the opportunity and chopped the beasts head off. I needed several swings but it was more butchering than fighting with the animals head held by Narth Psionics.

We passed by the still twitching cadaver and found the badly wounded cadet, much of his legs already gone, ripped apart by four little lizards in a nest. I felt remorse as I killed the young, but I had to get them off the terribly wounded man and Narth snatched the Cadet and disappeared."

I took a breather but I knew I could not stay. I was certain there was an army of beasts smelling the blood and ready to fight for it. So I went back in the general direction from where we came. I had to fight three more of the centipedes, was stung by the needle sharp leaves of a bush as I evaded something large I did not want to see close up, only to run into something large with lots of teeth and claws that looked quite different from the other lizards and had many more legs and a snake like body. Of course I did not expect Narth to return. Most likely he was exhausted from doing that teleportation and even if he returned I was already several Klicks away from the lizard nest, but I could not deny a certain disappointment. Finally I made it out of the jungle and stood on the banks of a river or lake and I realized I went into the wrong direction. I usually had a good sense of direction but it was difficult to keep a straight line of walking in a dark foreign jungle without any landmarks to go by. I was certain I would not find my way back to the nest not in the dark. The stars I could see them now, they were brilliant and beautiful but foreign and gave me no clue as to where I would have to go. The best thing for me to do was to wait till day break and then trace my own tracks back from where I came from.

I went back to the jungle's edge, climbed a tree and made myself comfortable to wait for the first light of day.

It was a miserable night and I felt stiff and cold. The bush that had stung me had left little bleeding wounds that itched like hell over my hands and face. I almost nodded off, when I heard a faint metallic sound and then again, I closed my eyes and through all the mess and confusion of so many life forms around me emitting electrical nerve impulses. I clearly made out two upright walking beings. I only sensed their heads; it seemed the rest of their bodies did not emit anything. They were now close enough for me to open my eyes. Two men in battle armor and big blasters penetrated the thicket. They didn't look like marines and I saw no rank or unit designation. Perhaps they were responsible for the missing Instructors, pirates, spies or enemies of some kind. Somewhere in that general direction was the base and I doubted my Cadet friends were up to repulsing the attack of even one professional with full working battle armor. I needed to act fast, before they had a chance to activate their shields.

I jumped smashing my heels into the first and swinging my axe against the weapon hand of the other. He screamed both in pain and in panic while I went down with the first. Had he worn a helmet, I would have not been able to knock him out like that, he grunted in pain and went limb. Still on the move I took his gun. It was a fleet issue TKU and dialed it with my thumb to max aiming it at the wounded. "Drop your weapon and power down your suit. You can't establish your shields fast enough to deflect a Max level blast." I was certain he heard the faint beeping of me dialing the weapon to its highest setting. He held his cut hand but did not say anything just stared into the muzzle of the TKU

"I am not going to repeat myself mister."

Bright lights suddenly flooded the scene. A new voice out of the lights said. "Cadet, I am Commander Letsgo. These are instructors looking for you. You may lower your axe and the TKU"

I got to my feet and I saw a fleet officer and six marines in light battle armor step into the light.

I got up and saluted." Cadet Olafson, Sir."

The dark shadow behind the bright lights looked human and he stemmed his fists in his hips. "The Neo Viking, I know."

--""--

The real Camp Idyllic so it turned out was about hundred kilometers away from the landing field and the wooden houses.

It was a collection of buildings in the middle of the Jungle covered with soil and foliage, undetectable from above. The flier that brought the Commander, the Marines, the two instructors and me to this place hovered over a jumble of green moss covered rocks and fallen trees that turned out to be camouflage to a vehicle elevator as the scenery split in the middle and the flier descended on a platform into the underground base.

Without saying so much as five words to me, an Ensign in black uniform led me to a large hall The other cadets were already here and standing in the reception hall with green carpets and windows that allowed a view of the jungle and a lake that shimmered in the distance between tall trees and thick underbrush. All eyes turned to me as I entered, but no one spoke. Narth stood in the back and waved and I took the spot next to him and waited for whatever was about to happen. The Commander stepped behind a lectern and he was accompanied by a dark fur covered being to his left and a Pan Saran Officer to the right. Commander Letsgo looked less human than he did during the brief encounter in the dark jungle. His skin had a metallic dull color and he had neither ears nor a real nose. His head was completely hairless and the eyes looked like cybernetic implants.

"He is a Stellaris." I could hear Narth's whisper as if his lips where direct next to my ear, but he had not moved. "Bionetic engineered of Terran origin, to survive with minimal protection in deep space."

The Commander gave us all a long look then he began: "Good morning Cadets. I am Commander Letsgo and I am in command of this training facility. To my left is Commander Propeel. Some of you may recognize her to be a Nu-Uiit she is my Executive Officer. To my right you see Lieutenant Aurelius'; he is Pan Saran and your Chief Instructor.

"You will spend the next eight standard months on and around Camp Idyllic in Basic training. As the name suggests it is where you learn all the basics you need to know as members of this Fleet.

"You learn to be soldiers and officers. It is our job to educate, train, and inspire you cadets so/hat those who complete this graduate as commissioned leaders are also of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, and Union and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United Stars Fleet. That means we must make sure that you are indeed officer material.

"The United Stars Fleet is unlike any other organization you might be familiar with. We are not a Club or Association, not a Corporation or a Church or whatever other civilian organizations there might be. The United Stars Fleet is one of the military arms of our union with many missions. We explore space, make sure the Union is safe from outside threats, and police the trade routes and the space inside Union space so commerce and peaceful ineraction between all members is possible.

"You are here to aspire to be more than soldiers. We want you to be scientists, diplomats, explorers and above all we want you to be officers. Perhaps you are sick and tired to hear us say and stress this world so much, but we want to drive it home to you that it is not a word but a condition, a way of life.

"As you probably noticed, many thousands applied with you and many more have done so at one of the 164 Academy satellites to become Fleet Officers. Of all those applicants only about 20 percent make it to the final year and graduate.

"As I mentioned before Instructing and teaching you is only a small part of what this Basic training camp is all about. We test character, abilities and personal values. Knowledge can be learned, skills can be taught but there are aspects to each personality already there, aspects that make each of you a distinguishable individual. The Fleet looks back at three centuries years of history and tradition. Many ways of finding good personnel and officers have been tried, using the combined experience and knowledge of all member species. Neural Uploads, Genetic engineering, Computronic psych and character simulations, mental prenatal conditioning, robots, cyborg, androids and combinations of all these methods have been tried and none yielded the same results as the training and selection program we are using now.

"Officers even more than enlisted are ambassadors, representatives of these traditions and values. We developed a complicated but proven process to weed out those unfit to wear this uniform and of course find those filling it out perfectly. The old saying goes like that: Fleet Officer uniforms come in all sizes for every shape, but still will fit only a chosen few."

He paused for a moment and scanned the room from left to right: "You were dropped off and left alone on the landing field. As some of you correctly guessed, It was a staged scenario in order for us to see how you adapt to new situations that have not been anticipated.

"You see, as an officer it is very likely you come across an unexpected situation in the course of your career. A situation not trained for, not covered in any regulation and still it is expected that you make the right decisions. It doesn't matter how much training one has or what regulations he or she knows. When it comes to the unknown it is just that, unknown and unprecedented.

"You had basically two options last night. Remain on the landing field or occupy the buildings. And both choices have been made. One group went to the buildings, broke locks, liberated equipment and damaged Fleet property, but they were warm, safe had food and shelter. The other group remained where they had been dropped off, sticking to the order exactly as given by the shuttle pilot. That group was cold, suffered a severe brake down in morale and had casualties. One leader used physical violence and verbal threats to gain obedience. The other simply took the initiative and was chosen. I am asking you which were the better solutions to the given situation?"

The commander pointed a finger at Swybin. "Why don't you answer me that question, Cadet?"

Swybin straightened his stanch and said: "The loss of personnel can be expected in hostile environment and a few dead men should not change the objectives their leader demands to be reached.

"Just like every commanding officer I expected casualties and I punished those disobeying to assure them that. Of course I was raised by an Admiral, my father. This is why only I was qualified to be in command. These are expendable troops after all. It is imperative that any soldier or service person carries out orders exactly as given. The common soldier cannot base his or her decision to follow and order on potential danger, even deadly threat. He or she must remain at post.

It is not important if that soldier is warm and well fed, out of harm's way or safe. It is however important that he keeps his post and obeys every order given by a Superior and thus assures said command officer's safety. The average foot soldier is expendable and that is what they are for. A person of my background is of course much more valuable, than a common as dirt average Joe cadet. I fully expect you will ask me to forgo much of this basic training and to join the ranks of Command staff and instructors right away."

He crossed his arms and looked very self-assured into the room. "I told you they would listen to me. It is too late to ask for any leniency."

Turning his attention back to Letsgo he concluded. "So without question my decisions were the correct ones. I am fully prepared to be a witness at the court-martial proceedings of this imbecile brutish Neo Viking Olafson, Sir."

The Commanders artificial looking face did not change its expression as he looked around and pointed at me.

"Cadet Swybin made his statement and answered my question. Now answer it as well."

"Sir, the pilot said, wait here and he did not specify were exactly we had to wait. Here could have meant the entire planet for all I know, he was a shuttle pilot after all As far as I knew it wasn't even a real order, just instructions. The Pilot did not identify himself with rank or name. He could have been a civilian employee.

In any case there were buildings only two klicks away. After no one came for hours, those buildings looked like the logical waiting place to me. Since I didn't know what delayed you, our instructors. In my opinion it was necessary to make the best of the situation. The buildings provided us with that option. Anyone looking for us would certainly look in those buildings, besides I posted guards that would have seen any approaching ship or search party.

It all really started when another Cadet started to quote regulations and hand books and general orders and all that." I sighed and said. "That matters little however as I accepted command and therefore I take full responsibility for the break in and the use of Fleet property. All the others acted under my instructions and orders, Sir."

"So you are willing to accept all responsibility for everything?"

"Yes Sir."

Swybin laughed with a snorting sound: "Wonderful, have Olafson arrested Sir. He has confessed and accepted his guilt. I believe a nice flogging is in order, before we hang him. Floggings are still on the books I believe." He laughed pleased and added. "Of course I will convey to my father how diligent you execute your post. I am sure the word of an Admiral has much weight when your next promotion will be discussed."

The Commander glanced at the blue skinned cadet. "How nice of you. So if I have that cadet arrested and punished you make sure I get a promotion?"

Swybin looked around to make sure everyone saw how important he was. "Arrangements can be made most certainly, Commander, My father is Rear Admiral Upper half Swybar, you have heard of him of course. There are few of more importance in this fleet of ours and of he listens to my recommendations."

Again he looked around to make sure all eyes were on him. "I accompanied my father to every important posting. I am on first name basis with much of the echelon of this fleet. I even once saw the Admiral of the Fleet himself and in person. From early on I was called the little Admiral and I am sure in no time at all I am going to join Fleet Command."

Letsgo's voice had lost all friendliness and just short of shouting. "You are not a commanding officer. Your father's position and rank has no bearing on anything concerning you. Yes we expect our soldiers, service personnel and spacemen to follow orders and execute them regardless of possible danger or personal comforts but an officer is not only responsible to achieve the objectives of an order given but is also responsible for each and every being under his or her command." The commander tried to stay calm. "I have never seen such a severe case of egocentric, self-importance and I cannot understand how you managed to pass the Psych Exams and tests. There will be an investigation and should your father's position had anything to do with you ending up here, there will be consequences."

The chrome metallic face of the commander turned to us. "If we wanted blind obedience we could send robots and not beings. We want officers that are able to think and question orders. Every time you receive an order you must evaluate it and decide if you follow it or not. In the far distant past horrible crimes were committed and those committing them refused to accept responsibility because they were ordered to do so.

"When you leave this auditorium, stop a moment and look at the Academy flag and read the motto underneath our logo: It is an ancient quote from pre Astro earth. 'Quiz custodiet ipsos custodes'? It means 'who will guard the Guards'. We are not the marines, who are trained to prize unquestioning loyalty and bravery as the highest ideals. We want thinking beings knowing when to follow an order and when not. It is often difficult to decide which orders to interpret and which ones follow by the letter or even refuse to execute. Don't understand me wrong on this. Mutiny is a serious crime, disobedience is severely punished. It is very complicated but we expect each officer to make this decision for every order and every day. This is why robots cannot replace us."

He paused and slowly shook his head as he continued: "I experienced a lot, Cadet Swybar, but that is a first. Trying to bribe me right out in the open. I am not impressed by your fathers rank, nor am I impressed by your conduct out there. Assuring obedience by violence is despicable."

"I have you sent to Arsenal II and charged with the attempted murder of Cadet Owar and a host of other charges, none the least trying to bribe me. Let me assure you there will be a full investigation as how you managed to even get this far."

That was a preview of Eric Olafson, Fleet Cadet (Vol 3). To read the rest purchase the book.

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