Futuristic Inter-Galactic Feuds - In-Character

[Kumii]

• Sylva Greenfield
• Mara Takemi
• Lance Theodore

• 
  
  Sylva GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 016
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Cheery
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:46am
  Sylva shook her head at Rae, "Thanks, Rae but I'd rather learn by myself. You and your brother are welcome to join me though." Truthfully, she wanted to avoid Rae snooped around the ship and finding out what Vincent had left for Sylva. Plus, Sylva was a self-teacher, she learned a lot of she knows on her own.
  
  It avoided Sylva having to explain why Sylva was initially so shaky. She'd tell them but maybe not right now, "Maybe for now we can try and meet the other students?"
  
• 
  
  Mara TakemiLocation: Interrogation Room
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Weather: None
  Current Mood: Irritated
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:46am
  Mara looked at Milo as he spoke, noticing his rising tone. When he finished, she simply sighed and got up, she turned to Lucinda, "Take the robot away. Send it to the scrapyard and prepare it for scrapping." She nodded and turned back to Milo, "Firstly, this 'bullshit' is your best fucking bet right now. If you're tired of hearing this bullshit, did the maybe I shouldn't be doing this thought ever cross your mind? You're... what... doing this because you have daddy issues?" Mara retorted with the same hostility, "Maybe not daddy issues but some kind of past issues that you feel justify your actions in the now, is that right? Trust me, you're not the only one tired of hearing the same god damned sob story."
  
  Mara wasn't bluffing, she heard the same sob story whenever crafty criminals thought they could mess with the military and every time they justified their actions because 'it'll help them more then it would you guys.' then backed it up with some tragic past. Mara was hardened to it at this point, "Look, if you don't want to cooperate with us, we will do what is necessary to get what we want out of you." Mara was done playing nice and went back to her harsh nature. She turned around and looked to one of the guards, "Give him a dose of muscle relaxer, then take him to cell 34 in the brig. I'm done trying to reason with this criminal trash." Mara glared back at Milo before leaving the room and heading back, "Lucinda, I'll leave further interrogations to you. Get whatever you need out of him then report it to me."
  
• 
  
  Lance TheodoreLocation: Hangar 016
  Mentions: SharkBark AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Intrigued
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:46am
  Lance walked around his ship, looking around the beat up interior, "Really not in the best shape, eh?" Then he saw the chair, his chair, he took a seat and the onboard AI spoke, "W-W-Welcome, Commander. To complete re-re-registration, pl-pl-please state yo-yo-your name." The AI was glitching, great. Lance sighed, "Even the AI is busted. Definitely gotta take this to an engineer. My name is Lance Theodore." The AI poke again, "Th-th-thank you, Co-co-commander."
  
  Lance sighed again and left his ship. He turned around and looked up at it, "C'mon, mom... could've set me up with a better ship?" Suddenly, his mom appeared on a video call, "What? You think I had any say in this choice?" Lance jumped in surprise, "Gah! Mom!" Lance calmed a bit, "No, but you could've at least tried to influence it a bit..." Lance's mom spoke again, "Yeah, sure, let me just talk to Mara really quick. Maybe she can get you a better ship." Lance smiled, "Really?!"
  
  She shook her head, "No. The training ships are pre-ordained before orientation even begins. And they only have enough training ships for each recruit that joins." Lance tilted his head, "Meaning...?" Amanda sighed, "Meaning you're shit out of luck, honey." Lance mouthed the word 'fuck', "Okay, fine, I'll take it to the mechanics or something." Amanda nodded, "Yeah, go see Vincent. Tell 'im I sent ya." Lance nodded, "Yeah, yeah."
  (open to interaction from either one of you.)
  

 

[SharkBark]

• Joo Mi-yeon
• Pierce Eisenhower

• 
  
  
  "Ah, you're right." Joo backtracked. "I should've been able to tell by that thick accent. But hey, I hope you're enjoying the U.S so far."
  
  Joo glanced over to Courtney and then looked back and Pierce. She had expected him to still be all broken over her scolding, but he seemed to revert back to his original attitude. Brash and hilarious. Funny how he could forget about all of that so quickly.
  
  "Guess we have something in common." Joo continued, a smile spread on her face. "I'm also from out of the country. I was born and raised in South Korea, but I got to America two years ago."
  
  South Korea may have been a long time ago, but Joo could remember it like it was yesterday. Her old friends, the scenery, and of course, the food. A wave of nostalgia rushed through her body as she thought about it. It was the place where her love for medical attention sparked, where she had learned from her father before his sickness hit, and it was especially her home.She'd give it all to go back, but right now, she had better things to do.
  
  For her father, she'd train to find a cure for his disease.
  
  
• 
  
  "Guess that's that." Pierce said in remark to the verbal beatdown he had gotten from Courtney. Sure, it was offensive, but some words from a prep school looking girl wasn't enough to break him.
  
  Pierce glanced over at Joo. She was with Austin, Courtney, and the crazy monkey. And if you think he was gonna go back there and risk getting ragged on again, you gotta be smoking. Pierce decided not to take his chances and looked around for someone else to talk to.
  
  Though, it was a bit hard because everyone looks occupied with staring in amazement or talking to each other. Everyone but dude on a video call with his mom. Pierce could hear him going on with a hectic conversation with his mother about him requesting a new ship. The dude was loud, yes, but not Pierce Eisenhower loud. Just loud enough for him to hear his conversation.
  
  "Uhm..." he looked around slowly. He had to make a decision. Would he talk to mommy's boy here, or go back to Ms. Offensive and Offended. Yeah. Going with the phone kid.
  
  "Oi!" Pierce called out, raising his arm a bit. "Phone guy. I'll be straight up with you, I'm bored. So uh, I guess this is me making friends?"
  
  Pierce outstretched his hand and pulled up his sleeve.
  
  "Pierce Eisenhower at your service, phone guy." he introduced himself. "Nice to meet'cha."
  
  
  

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

• Raelyn and Tommy Sanders
• Isaac Sanders
• Milo and Lucinda
• Austin Fischer

• 
  Raelyn slumped a little when Sylva refused. She'd just been really excited to help out a new friend, but now that had gone down the drain. But she said they could join her, so maybe if Sylva had any questions she'd come to Rae. "Yeah, sure." She said, trying not to let the disappointment show.
  
  Sylva suggested they try to meet some other students. She nodded then looked around. She saw the boy who Tommy had antagonized earlier, talking to another boy. Best to stay clear of them, unless they wanted Tommy and him going at it again. Tommy was the type to say anything antagonistic or whatever was on his mind, while Pierce seemed they type who'd come right back at him with immediate defensiveness. Not that that wasn't warranted, because Tommy had been the one out of line, but she'd rather avoid a confrontation altogether.
  
  She looked around, spotting another group. She took an interest in them because of the monkey sitting on the blonde boy's shoulder. It had a black vest on, the type you saw on service dogs. It definitely seemed strange, but also intriguing. And it got her curiosity running. The boy with the monkey talked in light conversation to a girl who looked to be of Asian descent. Another girl was with them, who looked very prep school like, and way over dressed for flight school. An interesting bunch, who they hadn't met. Probably the safest bet.
  
  But before Raelyn could comment, she turned to hear her father's voice. He informed them that this was the end of orientation, and that they could just chat for now. He also confirmed the fact that tomorrow was an off day, where they pretty much had free rein to get accustomed to the new area. Isaac stayed where he was, so that any students could ask him questions.
  
  "Well, guess we really should meet the other students." Raelyn remarked. She pointed over to Joo, Austin, and Courtney. "They seem nice. Maybe we should talk to them. But, uh, how?"
  
  "Just walk up to them."
  
  "You know what I mean. It's just, I don't want to intrude on their conversation or anything."
  
  And there she was, considerate Rae. Tommy just sighed. She couldn't be considerate of everyone, always.
  
• 
  Isaac saw most of the other kids exit their ships. They were now divulging into different conversations, so he figured it was a better time than any to announce their next course of action. Which was absolutely nothing. They'd hit all the spots on their tour, so the kids basically got a free ride until the day after tomorrow. They could conversate and get to know one another, and tomorrow they could hang out and do whatever.
  
  He clapped his hands together to get their attention. "Alright, folks! This concludes the tour and orientation. You're free to conversate amongst yourselves and remember that there are no classes tomorrow. You've got a free day to acclimate yourselves, so spend it doing whatever you wish. Within reason of course. If you have any questions, I'll be sticking around, so ask away. And yeah. Go, be free."
  
  And that was that. Like he said, he stood in his spot, waiting to see if any students had any questions for him. Plus, he still needed to supervise them. He wasn't about to leave them alone again, being all confused about where they were supposed to go and what they were supposed to do.
  
• 
  Milo's eyes widened as they heard Mara decide the fate of their friend. He'd be taken apart, destroyed, for scrape. Lucinda nodded, typing notes onto her pad and started the process for transport. Mara then turned her fiery tone towards Milo, all the gentleness she'd shown a minute ago disappearing, which just proved Milo's point. The people who said they'd help, well they were all fakes, including Mara. All she had wanted to do was to check her own boxes on this investigation. She didn't care about what happened to Milo, and obviously didn't give a rat's ass about the one thing that kept them from totally freaking out all the time. Aka Gazzy. If she did, she wouldn't be doing this.
  
  Their heart had skipped a beat when they'd heard the news, and obviously forgot how to work because they felt it lying in their chest, cold. They wished they could take Gazzy and run, but stupid Vincent had paralyzed them. They felt as cornered as the day they'd gotten shot in the ankle. They'd had no chance then, and no chance now.
  
  Mara still didn't get it, saying that if they were tired of hearing it, then maybe they shouldn't be doing this. That wasn't where it came from. They couldn't escape it. It was shitty foster home after shitty foster home. They'd acted like they'd wanted to help them after they found out what Milo's home life was like with their father, but the system had failed them miserably. There was no other option, or else they would've been caught and sent back.
  
  But then Mara brought up daddy issues, like it was some kind of joke. The first twelve years of their life had been hell because of that man. He was hated by the public, the trial of Rennard Morgan catching fire on the news. The allegations were a lot of child abuse related things, but everyone seemed to forget that Milo even existed after it concluded. So much for publicity.
  
  Milo got extremely upset after hearing her downgrade their problems to just some sob story. Yeah, it was a sob story, but it was also reality. A reality they bet none of the people here had to go through. Mara didn't get to be tired of it.
  
  Mara turned around, informing one of the guards to give them a dose of muscle relaxer. Finally. But then she informed the guard to take him to a cell in the brig. They were putting them in a cell. Really? As if that would get them to talk. Interrogation room to a cell. They would get even less information out of them. Good job, military asshole.
  
  "Got it." Lucinda said as Mara left, glad to have the investigation now fully in her hands again. Though she was still under orders. Get whatever she could out of Milo, whatever she needed to complete the report, and then bring the information to Mara. She guessed the admiral would be the deciding factor in what happened to the kid, so they better give her everything if they wanted a softer punishment. Milo would be deciding their own fate, based on the information he let lose.
  
  "If I'm criminal trash, then you fucks are military trash!" Milo yelled after Mara as she left, just to get their frustration out. They held too much inside at the moment, that they felt like they would explode if they didn't.
  
  There was a bit of a wait, but the agent went down to get a dose of muscle relaxer. They stuck it into Milo, who began to feel the paralysis wear off. The guards still dragged them off towards the brig, with Lucinda following close behind. And guess who decided to join them? Sunny. He trailed along, following after Lucinda and the guards. The woman looked like she knew he was there but was too exasperated to say anything. With Milo or Cinnabar, they didn't know. Probably both of them.
  
  They snuck a final glance towards Gazzy, who'd been deactivated, no light coming off of him, and hauled off by two guards to who knows where. They felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness but sucked down any tears that wanted to well up on their face. They wouldn't let these assholes see them cry, or know they'd gotten to them. They wouldn't give them that satisfaction.
  
  They got to the brig and stopped in front of the force field of cell 34. The space seemed sad and lonely, considering there was no one else in the room besides Milo, Lucinda, Cinnabar, and the guards. They disabled the force field, popped Milo inside, and enabled it once more. Milo moved their fingers, which followed along to their will slowly. The muscle relaxer had already started taking affect, but it would take some time until they got back to normal.
  
  "Now, let's try this again, shall we?" Lucinda said, as Milo shakily got up and turned to face her with that same wild animal glare.
  
• 
  Austin giggled as Joo said she should've been able to tell due to his thick accent. That's usually how people guessed he was Australian. Actually, he'd been asked if he was British recently, which didn't make sense to him. He thought British and Australian accents were far apart from each other, but to Americans maybe they sounded similar. Nevertheless, he'd found the whole thing funny.
  
  "Yeah, it's great." Austin replied to Joo's statement about enjoying the U.S. "I enjoy a place that doesn't make me feel like I live in a volcano. I mean, we get used to it back home, but it does feel nice."
  
  It was still august here, so maybe it could get a little too hot for some people's comfort, but it was more than tolerable for Austin, who'd grown up with much hotter summers.
  
  Joo continued on, saying they had something in common. She announced she came from South Korea but had moved to America two years ago. He brightened up a little more. He had a foreign buddy! Another person who originated from a country outside of America. He thought that was pretty cool.
  
  "Really? That's so cool." Austin said with a smile. His crazy monkey, as Pierce thought of her, jumped from one shoulder to the other, getting closer to where Joo stood. She chittered and curled her tail around in the air. Austin reached up to give her a little pat. "What made you come?"
  

 

[Kumii]

• Sylva Greenfield
• Lance Theodore

• 
  
  Sylva GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 016
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Cheery
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:47am
  Skyla stood to the side, like Rae, she wasn't all that great, or even wanted to, at starting conversations. She saw Isaac standing by his loneseom, well he was actually waiting for students to ask questions. Without telling Rae or Tommy, she left and headed towards Isaac, "Um.. S-Sandstorm? Tomorrow, a-are we able to fly our ships around the academy grounds? I-I was hoping to get familiar w-with it..." Skyla asked Isaac shyly.
  
  (The students are able to take their ships a 50 miles from Earth, Alpha. Any further and the automatic theft prevention kicks in. Just so you know and Isaac can reply)
  
• 
  
  Lance TheodoreLocation: Hangar 016
  Interactions: SharkBark
  Current Mood: Intrigued
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:47am
  Amanda paused as Pierce approached, "Take care, honey. Love you." But before he could answer, she hung up before Pierce could see who it was Lance was on the phone with. Lance sighed, "Damnit." He muttered quietly before he turned to Pierce, "Making friends, huh? Sure, why not. Name's Lance Theodore."
  
  Lance pointed to his ship behind him with his thumb, "Know who I can take this piece of crap to to get it fixed? The onboard AI is busted and, is overall, just a piece of junk. It's clear the previous owner didn't give two shits about it."
  

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

• Raelyn, Tommy and Isaac Sanders
• Lucinda, Milo and Cinnabar

• 
  "How do you think we should ap-" Rae cut herself off as Sylva went a different direction. "Sylva, wait."
  
  But the girl had already strode away, heading towards the siblings' father. "Looks like she likes Dad better."
  
  "Shut up, Tommy." She said anxiously. That didn't help her at all, considering she'd been afraid of what others would think of them being Sandstorm's children. And she didn't want anyone to take advantage of them either, gaining their trust so they could become favorites in the eyes of a legend.
  
  But as they followed, Raelyn realized she'd only wanted to ask if they could fly tomorrow. Isaac gave a warm and inviting smile as Sylva approached, who stuttered through her question. "That's a good question. And I like the initiative you're taking." He said, hoping the compliment would ease her while talking to him. "I've actually spoken to Mara about this, and we've decided to allow it. You can go around the academy grounds, but also out into space. We're allowing 50 miles from Earth. No more than that. And there will be someone here to oversee those who choose to fly, so any confusion and questions you have can be cleared up. Which will probably end up being me. Or maybe I can delegate it to someone else, since I might end up being busy." He put a finger to his chin, thinking deeply on it. He'd promised Sleepy he'd help him should he need it with Lucy. So, he'd have to pick a backup just in case. Automatic no on Charlotte. She'd probably instruct the kids to fire the weapons around the campus, and probably get into another fight with Tommy. Maybe Vincent. He looked towards his children as they approached. "Hey kiddos."
  
  "Hey, Dad." Raelyn said, comfortable in front of Sylva because she already knew. Tommy said nothing, just glared at his father with his hand in that same pocket. But that didn't deter Sandstorm. In fact, he figured the glare meant Tommy had found his present. His mother's training ship. It was the best he could do, since talking about her was too hard for Isaac. Clearly he'd found some indication that the twin ships, now belonging to Tommy and Raelyn, were their father and mother's respectively. He gave a soft smile towards Tommy's glare.
  
  "So, does that answer your question? Got anymore for me?" Isaac said, turning back towards Sylva. He decided not to mention the automatic theft prevention, since anyone would find out if they tried to take it beyond 50 miles in space. Besides, Sylva seemed like she was a good kid. And his children were good too. Well, Tommy would certainly find out if he tried to push the limits like he usually did.
  
• 
  Lucinda took out her pad, and actually tapped in notes for Gazzy to be sent off for scrap. She scrolled up on the pad. Just the usual report form. Name, age, sex, crime. She needed to fill out all of this, and she doubted the kid in front of her would hand it over that easily, given their snarky remarks thus far. She'd fill in the whole report later, about the crime itself, maybe she'd even have to talk to Vincent to get all that information, but first she needed information from the kid themself. Just the basics, since they didn't know who the hell they were, and they didn't have a file on Milo already.
  
  "What's your name, kid?"
  
  "Gizmo Richy Federick Von Ludwig the Third." Milo said without breaking composure once, a snarky tone edging their voice, "But my friends call me Freddy. Which means you should all memorize every part of it."
  
  "This will go a lot faster if you cut the bullshit."
  
  "Wow, how would you like me to insult your name. See how you like it. C'mon, don't I like a Freddy. Or a Gizmo." They spread their arms, which shook with pressure. Seems the paralyze still had an effect, despite the muscle relaxer. It was probably like Motrin, taking a bit to take effect.
  
  "Your name's not Max?" Cinnabar put in, the kid looking a bit betrayed. Milo rolled their eyes. It's not like they were friends. This kid was so naive it hurt.
  
  "Technically, no." Milo said, telling the truth at this point. "It's Maximillion. Milo Maximillion."
  
  They saw no harm in handing out their name, considering Milo Maximillion didn't exist. Milo Morgan did, but not Milo Maximillion.
  
  Lucinda just sighed, tapping in Milo Maximillion as the kid's name on the form. "How old are you?"
  
  "My, my. Isn't that rude to ask someone's age? Or does that just apply to shriveled up old ladies like you and that other military hag."
  
  "Throwing around your weight in insults doesn't help your case, kid."
  
  "Well, what do you want me to do, check my height chart? Look for the little scribble that says my name and age? How about fuck off as your answer. Does that check your little box?"
  
  Lucinda sighed and estimated it, looking the kid up and down. She decided to put twelve as her answer, typing in a little question mark. She decided she'd get everything she could out of this Milo kid, let them sit in the brig for some hours, while she did a little digging with what they gave her. Maybe when she came back, they'd be more cooperative.
  
  "Sex? As in gen-" Milo quickly cut her off.
  
  "What did you put in that box? That I'm five? I know what you're referring to when you say sex." Milo frowned, but surprising gave up the answer easily. "Nonbinary. So, you can stop referring to me as a boy. And let your supervisor in on the memo as well." They scoffed in a bitter tone.
  
  Lucinda filled in the information, though she'd rather have the kid's actual sex. Not that she cared about the whole nonbinary thing, but she needed what they'd been born as. It'd be more helpful when she did her digging.
  
  "Who's your legal guardian?" Lucinda asked, getting to the fun part of the form.
  
  A flash of bitterness swept across Milo's face so fast that it'd give anyone whiplash, which just reverted back to their feral animal look. "Legal guardians are so overrated, aren't they?" They said in response, directing it towards Cinnabar. "Not letting you have dogs. And taking away poor defenseless animals."
  
  They remembered their conversation with Sunny before, using what he'd said against him. Cinnabar looked at Milo, then towards Lucinda who just shook her head as in to say don't engage.
  
  "Your guardian?" Lucinda pressed with a firmer voice. "If we can call someone then maybe they can bail you out."
  
  "I'd rather be sent to the worst off planet prison you've got." Milo said in a snarl, obviously having a nerve hit which intrigued Lucinda. They seemed genuine, instead of their usual bullshit answers. There was actual venom in their voice. A bitterness that coated over every other emotion. They really didn't seem like they had a legal guardian they liked, much less any other friends to make a call to.
  
  Lucinda filled out the appearance stuff, including notations about how dirty and scrawny the kid appeared to be. Then she looked back towards Milo. "Suite yourself. Consider this cell your home for the time being. Until we can get your wishes underway."
  
  "Oh goody. And it has a roof as well." Milo said sarcastically, or maybe not. Lucinda had a hard time telling.
  
  Lucinda nodded towards the agents, who exited the brig along with her. She pulled up surveillance footage of the kid on her pad, who seemed to already have lost their composure, throwing a fit inside the cell like a bumbling idiot, considering the muscle relaxer has just started taking affect.
  
  She turned towards her agents. "Keep an eye on the kid." She ordered. "I'll be back after having a nice old chat with a certain engineer."
  
  ***
  
  Lucinda walked into Bay 17, looking around at the ships and working engineers. It smelled like oil and grease, which wasn't the worst she'd smelled. With her pad still in her hand, she shouted, "Vincent! I need information about that kid."
  

 

[Kumii]

• Sylva Greenfield
• Vincent Greenfield

• 
  
  Sylva GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 016
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Excited
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:48am
  Sylva shook her head when Isaac finished explaining and asked if she had anymore question, "Nope, that was it. Thank you." Sylva turned to Raelyn, "It's decided then, tomorrow, I'm goin' to practice flying!" She said, rather excitedly to Raelyn. Sylva turned to look at Tommy, "You comin' with?" Her southern accent poking through a bit from the excitement. She hid her southern accent pretty well but when she got excited, it poked through a bit and would go unnoticed by her, "I'd really lo- uh... like it if ya came with-- F-For Raelyn's sake I mean!" She quickly corrected herself at that last part.
  
• 
  
  Vincent GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 017
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: In thought
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:48am
  Vincent was working on a ship when he heard his called by a stern sounding woman's voice which caused him to quickly sit up from being startled because of this, he smacked his head against a low hanging metal bar, "OW! Fuck..." he exclaimed. He ducked down and emerged from below the ship and saw Lucinda, rubbing his forehead, "What do ya want..?" Lucinda wasted no time though, she immediately asked about a kid, "A kid? Which one?" Vincent noticed her notepad and whatnot and realized, "Oh, that kid." He shrugged, "I dunno, just know that the kid tried to steal a ship. Far as I can 'member, kid hates anything or anyone with any kind of money to their name."
  
  Vincent went to go back under the ship, "Other then that, kid elected not to tell me anything." Then it hit him again, "Wait, are ya havin' trouble gettin' anythin' outta the kid? That why you comin' to me?" Vincent said as he looked back at Lucinda as he let out a boisterous chuckle, "That kid is really somethin' ain't he?" Vincent turned around to lean on the landing strut. Before Vincent had a moment of genius, "If ya can't get anything out of the kid... why not try askin' the dog? It probably has some kind of memory log or somethin'." He suggested.
  

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

• Tommy and Raelyn Sanders
• Lucinda Ardell

• 
  "No problem." Sandstorm responded, glad that Sylva hadn't stuttered this time around.
  
  Sylva turned towards the siblings, specifically Raelyn, saying tomorrow she was definitely going to fly around in her ship. Rae smiled at her excitement, feeling it get her all excited as well. Because Sylva didn't even have to ask. She'd definitely be coming with her for this. She couldn't wait to fly, and just the thought already got her tail swaying.
  
  "And I'm definitely coming with!" Raelyn responded, her one-track mind preventing her from noticing the shift in accent.
  
  But Tommy did immediately, noticing that Sylva wasn't pronouncing her g's and pronouncing 'you' like a whole cowboy. He narrowed his eyes as she turned towards him, asking if he'd come with them. She stuttered out that she'd like him to come with, then corrected herself that it was for Raelyn. "Of course. Wouldn't want my baby sister to get a demerit because she was so mesmerized by space travel that she forgot there was a limit."
  
  Which was totally something Raelyn would do, if she wasn't careful.
  
  She gave Tommy a deadpan look to show her dissatisfaction, even though the statement could end up becoming true. Though, she had noticed the way Sylva asked Tommy, saying that she'd like him to come. She knew that it wasn't just for her. She smiled at Tommy and Sylva; glad Tommy had made a friend. At least someone who didn't mind his company and the sometimes brash comments that came with it.
  
  "What's that smile? What are you up to?"
  
  "Nothing!" Raelyn answered quickly.
  
  Tommy just shook his head, then turned back to Sylva. "Anyways, why are you talking like that all of a sudden? You sound like you should be a cowboy in a wild west movie."
  
  "Tommy!" Raelyn chided, though Tommy didn't break his stare at Sylva.
  
• 
  Lucinda raised an eyebrow as Vincent came up to her with a red forehead. Though, she put that aside and set to work. Vincent initially asked which kid, as if maybe she were talking about one of the students, or even her own son, but then he realized it'd been the thief she'd been talking about. All Vincent could tell her was that the kid tried to steal a ship, which they already knew. But he also told her some interesting new information. The kid apparently had a hatred for anyone with money. Which did include the school, and the government that funded it. It was possible that'd it'd been an intentional hit on the school, but then again it seemed so amateur. Milo hadn't known about any of the safety functions that prevented theft, that would've gotten them caught even if they had gotten the ship operational. They couldn't have been sent by some top criminal with that shotty plan. Maybe they had acted on their own, well with a metal dog, or they were a part of a bigger amateur group. Then again, they didn't seem like they worked well with anyone besides that dog of theirs, given their whole annoying disposition.
  
  She typed that information into her notes as Vincent confirmed the notion that they didn't know much about the kid, given Milo wanted to tell them nothing. She just sighed as Vincent started going back under the ship, feeling like she was staring at a blank board when it came to clues about this kid. But then Vincent turned back, hitting the nail right on the head. She nodded as he gave a chuckle, remarking about the kid thief. "Yeah, and that something is annoying. All he does is respond back with snarky comments. Well, they do? Whatever."
  
  Then Vincent had a brilliant idea, asking Milo's little pet project, literally, about them. He suggested the thing would have some kind of memory log. It truly was a great idea. Two problems, though. Mara wanted the thing sent to the scrapyard, and Lucinda wasn't that great in the engineering sense. Especially with something she'd never even seen before.
  
  "That's definitely an option at this point, since that kid won't give me anything much to go off of. Problem is, Mara wants that thing shipped to a scrapyard. I can delay that just fine, but she powered the thing down and I'm not an engineer. I've got no idea what I'm doing with that thing, and I don't know where its memory log would even be." Lucinda sighed, not really knowing how to ask Vincent for help. She liked to do things on her own most of the time, or with a team of agents she could order around. It felt weird being the one who needed assistance. "Look, if I get the dog, can you help me out with this?"
  

 

[Kumii]

• Sylva Greenfield
• Vincent Greenfield

• 
  
  Sylva GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 016
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Excited
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:49am
  Sylva was thrilled that both Raelyn and Tommy would. Her excitement cut short when Tommy mentioned her accent, her face flushed red immediately and she turned away, clearing her throat, "Sh-shut up! I ain't-- I'm not talkin'-- talking like I'm in anythin'-- uh, anything." The mention really flustered Sylva. Sylva covered her face with her hands, 'I thought I was over this stupid accent...'.
  
  She peeked at Raelyn and Tommy through her fingers, her face was still flushed, "Please don't tell anyone I talk like this... it's really embarrassin'." She was really embarrassed that she was southern, especially in a city like Chicago.
  
• 
  
  Vincent GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 017
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: In thought
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251. 7:49am
  Vincent chuckled lightly at Lucinda's comment, "Kid's got a problem, for sure." Lucinda then began to mention the two flaws in Vincent's plan. Mara apparently wanted the thing scrapped and that Lucinda didn't really have the technological know-how to fiddle around with the circuitry of a complex quadrupedal combat drone, "Well, I got one of those things covered." Lucinda then asked that if she got the dog if Vincent would poke around in it's guts a bit. Well she asked in a much more boring manner but oh well.
  
  Vincent nodded, "Sure, let's break the rules a bit, eh?" Vincent lightly joked, "But seriously, if Mara wants the thing scrapped, don't get caught. If ya do and she finds out I'm part of this, it's both of our heads." Vincent handed Lucinda a piece of paper with a number on it '20', "Take the dog to my personal ship." Vincent hoped Lucinda knew that the number corresponded with the Hangar of the same number.
  

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

• Raelyn and Tommy Sanders
• Lucinda and Cinnabar Ardell

• 
  Raelyn immediately felt bad when Sylva's face flushed bright red and she started getting all defensive. She elbowed her brother in the arm, but he didn't stop. Eventually, the girl peeked her eyes out of her fingers, her hands covering her face, to look over to the two of them so she could ask them not to tell anyone.
  
  Raelyn cocked her head to the side, confused at how something like an accent could be considered embarrassing. Then again, a lot of people wouldn't understand her need to hide that she was an alien. "We won't tell anyone. Isn't that right, Tommy?" She said as she socked him in the arm.
  
  "Sure. Not like anyone would care anyways though."
  
  "But why do you hide it?" Raelyn asked. "I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of, honestly. It's... southern, right? I think that's cool, actually. You're from a place we don't have any experience with, so it's cool to meet someone who grew up around there."
  
• 
  Lucinda felt somewhat relieved when Vincent said he'd help out. She wondered if the engineer was even a bit excited about it, the prospect of poking around at the dog. But now she had half of her problem solved. The other half wouldn't come so easily. Transporting the thing out of where it was located, without Mara noticing. Vincent gave her a warning not to get caught, but she didn't think it would be much of a problem. She was FBI. If anyone could do it, it'd be her.
  
  Vincent handed her a piece of paper, telling her to take it to his personal ship. It had a twenty written on it. Smart move to not tell her exact directions, in case someone was listening. Or maybe that was her mind switching back to agent speak. "Alright, see you there." She said and left for the dog.
  
  ***
  
  She'd found out where it was from one of her colleagues, using the excuse that she needed to see it for the report, and also so she could begin the process of transferring it. Well, transferring it to Vincent's personal ship, but they didn't need to know that.
  
  Lucinda walked into the room that held it, seeing the glinting metal surface of the dog, as well as her son transformed to look like some alien kid. But as usual, she saw through the disguise. The kid was never able to get rid of the glowing dots all Luminite's had on their true form, which transferred to freckles on any new form he wore.
  
  "Cinnabar!" She called in a stern voice.
  
  The kid squeaked and turned to face his mother. "I- uh."
  
  "How many times have I told you not to mess with anything. I could be fired if someone finds you running around." She lectured.
  
  "Fired? You don't even care about this job. It's not your real one anyway-"
  
  "Enough!" Lucinda cut him off, looking around to make sure no one was listening. She didn't want any ordinary workers knowing she was FBI because her son had too big of a mouth. "What's gotten into you?"
  
  "I just wanted to check it out!" Cinnabar shot back. "You have to look at all the angles before drawing a conclusion. You guys were just gonna miss it."
  
  "Angles?"
  
  "In the case. That's what you've said. You have to look at all the angles." Cinnabar said in a meek tone after all the scolding. His form switched back to his usual human appearance, blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin dotted with freckles.
  
  Lucinda looked down at her son in surprise. Sure, the boy had always wished to follow her around during FBI investigations, but Lucinda thought he was more content with kicking around a soccer ball then actually listening to her.
  
  "Well, if you would've let me handle it, then you would've known that we're already doing that." She said, not wanting to let her son think he could get off that easily. "Your still in trouble, but I have work things to deal with."
  
  "What kind of work things?"
  
  "What did I just say." Lucinda called back to him as she inspected the thing, devoid of any light that showed signs it was operational. It was made of pure metal. How was she supposed to lift it all the way to Vincent's personal ship without being noticed?
  
  "Use this!" Cinnabar said, coming up with a red, plastic sled.
  
  "What?" She said, raising an eyebrow.
  
  "If we put it on the sled, I can slide it wherever you want to go, and it will just look like I'm playing. We can put a sheet over it too." Cinnabar said, excitement lighting his eyes.
  
  "A sled, in the beginning of August?"
  
  "You can sled down a sandbar." Cinnabar said trying to get his logic to work, but a quick glance at his mother said maybe it wouldn't. "Or we could use my surfboard."
  
  "Now that's a better idea. When you're thinking up ways to deceive someone, make sure it fits the circumstance. Like how a sled wouldn't work so well in the summer." Lucinda said, giving her son tips on lying before she even knew what she'd done. "But don't use that against me or you won't ever here the end of it. Now go get your surfboard."
  
  ***
  
  Cinnabar had run off to their on-campus quarters, grabbing his surfboard and high tailing it back. He wanted to go surfing before the summer ended. He'd heard Chicago was a good place for surfing, or just water sports in general. He loved sports and being active. He didn't like just sitting at home and doing nothing. And surfing had always been one of his favorite sports, as he was a beach lover.
  
  Plus, it looked really cool at night to see a Luminite full glow inside a barrel.
  
  He'd also gotten a beach towel, so when his mother hauled the thing onto his board, he could cover it up and make it not look so suspicious. So now it just looked like he was hauling around a surfboard with a beach towel piled on top. He dragged the thing using the surfboard leash, which was pretty hard given it was dead, metal weight on top. He took turns tugging at it with Lucinda, while inspecting the note. He'd determined pretty quickly that it was the number of the bay, since personal ships usually didn't have numbers. Only the students seemed to, and number twenty was one of the ships for the students.
  
  He'd been so happy that him and his mother had worked together, using their brains to think up a plan in unison. It felt like he was really a part of the investigation, instead of some kid who just hung out with the adults.
  
  They hauled it into the bay, taking it up to a ship they thought was Vincent's. "Vincent!" Lucinda called for the engineer.
  

 

[SharkBark]

• Joo Mi-yeon
• Pierce Eisenhower

• 
  "I came here to...gain more experience in my field." Joo answered Austin. "Yeah, I did come to serve in the Defense Fleet, but, medical attention was my main priority coming here. There's someone who needs that kind of help, but I'm not skilled enough to help them yet. And what better place is there to learn than here?"
  
  As far as Joo knew, the finest medics came from the Imperial Space Academy. The academy was known for its rigorous selection process and its stringent medical training. It was also the only institution in the empire to offer advanced medical courses and specialized training for medics. Here, there were all sorts of highly skilled medics, like the legendary Jessica White. Jessica was renowned for her skill and knowledge in emergency medicine. Joo heard that she had never lost a patient before. Jessica was the perfect example of what a medic from the Imperial Space Academy could achieve. And as long as she stuck to her studies and paid close attention, Joo was bound to increase her medical prowess.
  
  Joo echoed Austin's question back on him. "What about you? If you don't mind me asking, of course."
  
  
• The guy on the phone introduced himself as Lance Theodore, then pointed behind him to a spacecraft. Pierce didn't even notice it at first. After what happened with that girl and her friend, he focused on something calming. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed the spacecraft. He snapped back to reality and took a closer look at it. It was massive and beautiful. Lance continued to ask Pierce if he knew anyone that could fix it up for him, as the onboard assistant was not functioning properly.
  
  He recognized the ship model and gazed at it for awhile. It was a Nebula Industries spacecraft. He had heard of the ship model before. It was known for its sleek design and advanced technology. He was in awe of the craftsmanship and detail of the model. Pierce knew a lot about the manufacturer's products and how versatile they were with their designs and weaponry. Their speed, creative offensive tactics, and general adaptability were Pierce's favorite things about them. In fact, his dream ship was the Blitzer, one of the fastest ships made by the company.
  
  Pierce shook his head and answered, "Nah, I don't know anyone. I'm just as new to this place as you, man. Probably newer." He looked back up at the ship. "Got yourself a nice J-Mod there. You also a fan of Nebula Industries?"
  
  

 

[Kumii]

• Sylva Greenfield
• Vincent Greenfield
• Lance

• 
  
  Sylva GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 016
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Shy
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251.
  Sylva shyed away a bit, "I hide it 'cause... I don't like it. It makes me sound immature. Plus not everyone likes a country bumpkin like me." She sighed, "My brother pulls it off 'cause he's big an' famous and it's kinda his trademark. Me, I'm just a shy girl who's the sister of the one of the biggest inventors in the world." She didn't want to admit it but she has a bit of a inferiority complex with her brother. On the one hand, she loves him but everyone compares her to him and it gets to her.
  
• 
  
  Vincent GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 017
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Focused
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251.
  Vincent sighed when he heard the shouting, he emerged from his ship, "Do ya have t' be so loud?" He noticed the kid, "Who's the kid?" Vincent waved his hand, "Nevermind. I assume the pile of beach towels on the surfboard there is the thing?"
  
  Vincent looked around and waved for them to follow him as he departed into his ship. Vincent pointed to area cleared on the ground, "Put it there." He went to grab his gloves and tools then came back after a minute, "Alright, let's see what we're workin' with." He opened a side panel and exposed a bunch of circuitry, wires and chips. Vincent sighed and grabbed a pair of pliers and began poking around in the dogs circuitry.
  
• Lance TheodoreLocation: Hangar 016
  Mentions: SharkBark
  Current Mood: Intrigued
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251.
  Lance looked slightly disappointed when Pierce said he didn't know anyone, "Damn." Then looked at his ship when Pierce complimented it, "Fan? Of this of piece of garbage? The AI is busted, the frame is slightly warped... I'm pretty the engines are rusted and ready to come off at any time. So... I'm not a fan of this particular flying death trap, no."
  
  Lance conceded, "Though I guess Nebula Industries has made some great pieces of engineering. I mean, have you seen the I.F.N. Victorian? The Damascus-class Dreadnought? She's a beaut. I hear she's due in soon, maybe we'll get see her warp in."
  

 

[SharkBark]

• Pierce Eisenhower

• Pierce was baffled when Lance started criticizing his J-Mod. Of all of the Nebula Industries models he's checked out, Pierce has yet to find one he doesn't like. The last time he read about the J-Mod was in the industry's official spacecraft database, and he was quite impressed. With Pierce's love for weaponry, what impressed him most were its Pack-Hound missiles. They're absolutely brutal at damaging hulls, something Pierce would love to do. And along with their heat-seeking capabilities and unpredictable movement patterns, they were high on Pierce's weapons tier list.
  
  But he'd never actually seen a J-Mod up close until now, so he wasn't even aware of the issues they might face. According to Lance, it was a "piece of garbage" with a busted AI and a warped frame. The engines were rusted as well and would probably deconstruct at any moment. It was a "flying death trap" for Lance, and with those mishaps, Pierce agreed. That rust will eat away at your engine, and then you'll find yourself broken down in the middle of space waiting for a repair ship to retrieve you.
  
  Lance specified how he particularly didn't like the J-Mod, but he did believe that Nebula Industries had produced some remarkable pieces of engineering. "Damn right they have." Pierce agreed. Lance continued to mention the I.F.N. Victorian and Pierce's eyes lit up at the very mention of the spacecraft. It was like the mere mention of a secret treat was enough to light up a child's face with glee.
  
  Immediately, he got excited about the subject and said, "Psh, have I seen the—who hasn't seen the I.F.N. Victorian? It's only one of the greatest ships Nebula Industries has ever made!" Pierce smiled as he spoke. "24, I repeat, 24 frickin' weapon hardpoints! Not to mention its crazy-strong hull integrity and shields! I'd love to see that baby in action. I mean, just imagine the-"
  
  Pierce halted his rant and backtracked to what Lance had said. It was due soon? As in, coming here?
  
  "Wait a minute, it's gonna be warping in? Are you screwing with me? Or is this, like, deadass?"
  
  

 

[Kumii]

Lance TheodoreLocation: Hangar 016
Mentions: SharkBark
Current Mood: Interested
Current Weather: None
Current Time: August 5th, 3251.
Lance nodded, "Yeah, I know the weaponry it has. My mom is basically commander of the thing. Well... an Officer on it." Lance rubbed the back of his head, "Don't tell anyone I told you. My mom swore to make me keep it a secret."

Lance put a finger on his chin in thought, "You said earlier if I liked Nebula Industries, I'd have to say they're my second favorite. First has to be Core Dynamics, or at least the Core Dynamics Sorcerer is." Referring to Vincent's personal Sorcerer, the only Sorcerer actually produced, making it literally one of a kind, "That sleek design, aerodynamic for both atmospheric and space combat... not that you need aerodynamics in space but you get it."

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

• Raelyn and Tommy Sanders
• Lucinda and Cinnabar Ardel
• Austin Fischer

• 
  "I don't think it sounds immature." Tommy said, which must've surprised both of them considering he wasn't the sentimental type. That's definitely not what he had presented so far. "It's what you make of it. People usually think I'm scary, doesn't stop me. You have to learn not to care what others say. You should only care about the people who really matter. It's what they think that truly matters. Besides, if someone makes fun of you for it, call me and I'll beat them up for you."
  
  "Man, an offer like that is how you know Tommy really cares for you." Raelyn giggled. Tommy gave her the side eye, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
  
  "Besides, going here, I was excited to meet people from all over the place! I like your accent. I like meeting all sorts of people. This place would be really boring if we didn't get to meet people from every corner of the world. Even beyond this planet! And you're not alone in your feelings, either. My dad is standing right over there. Honestly, I was always afraid that people would think we got accepted because our dad was one of the teachers here. I wanted to stand out as my own person, and I didn't want people to think I was the product of nepotism. Even now, I'm still a little scared the other students are gonna think that way, but it still makes me happy that you never brought it up. You didn't care about it, and I don't care about you being southern either, so, maybe we can not care together?" Her face grew bright red as her tail shifted, "Oh, wow, that probably sounds terrible out loud."
  
• 
  Cinnabar was about to introduce himself, but Vincent seemed to brush right past the question. He said to bring the thing into his personal ship, and it was a struggle to drag it all the way up the ramp, but they made it. They put it right where Vincent told them to and ripped the towel off to reveal the monster himself, dark metal without the glow of his accents. He was fully powered down, but that didn't stop Vincent from poking around.
  
  "I need anything that relates to the kid's background. Where he came from, potential guardians. Anything that gives me a lead on why he's doing all of this. There has to be a story. Especially with how young he is."
  
  Vincent kept poking around and eventually found the dog's memory logs. Suddenly, the dog's eyes lit up and a blue hologram appeared of Milo, though younger than they looked now. Goggles were pitched up on their forehead and grease stains were visible on their cheeks. Though, they looked instantly happier than any of them had seen the kid. "Alright, Test 1. Gazzy- NO!" A metallic paw cut through the image and collided with Milo's cheek. The hologram turned off as Vincent switched to another one, fast-forwarding in the dog's memories to get the information they needed.
  
  A new holographic memory took its place, once again Milo, this time with claw and bite marks and bandages galore, but they still looked happier. "Test, 22. Gazzy, it's me. Milo, your master. Your prime directive- oh!" The camera screwed up as Gazzy jumped up onto Milo and nuzzled them, they laughed, a sound that was joyous to hear.
  
  "Wow, what's all the ruckus?" A white-haired man with pointed ears came down, most likely an alien.
  
  "Frost, look! I think I got him to work!" Milo said gleefully before the hologram once again switched off, Vincent once again fast forwarding. Though, Lucinda made note of the name Frost. It was possible it wasn't this individual's real name, a codename perhaps, but it was the best they had right now on anyone who had an amiable relationship with the kid.
  
  The hologram started up again, this time the camera shifting as Milo and the dog played with a tennis ball, almost as if the dog lopping around was real instead of mechanical. Vincent was about to shift it to a new one when Lucinda told him to keep it. In the background, she saw the same white-haired man the kid had called 'Frost'. Another person added to the mix was just the clue they needed.
  
  "'Marcus Morgan up for Parole Hearing'. Huh, why would you ever give a guy like him a parole opportunity." Frost said out of the blue.
  
  "What?" Milo said, panic in their voice. The tennis ball dropped from their hand, dribbling a bit to the side.
  
  "They're looking for you, y'know. To testify. Where is it." The man scanned the tablet he was reading from, "Bup, bup, bup, there it is! 'Authorities are currently looking for his son, now thirteen-year-old Milo Morgan, to testify against him. Milo ran away from his current foster care placement months before his father's hearing. Morgan was convicted on counts of child abuse and endangerment. He violently abused his twelve-year-old son, giving him possession of a gun and getting him heavily addicted to both alcohol and drugs. Milo told police his father gave him a gun and money to go to a dealer to buy drugs for them frequently,' Yada yada yada, let's see.. ah here. 'Milo's testimony put his father behind bars. After seeking the help he needed from police, he's now safely looked after in the foster system. His testimony could once again keep his father off the streets. His foster parents want him to come home..' yeah, then it just gives a physical description and phone numbers if someone sees you. And it also names you as a problem child, typical."
  
  "Can't believe they think I was safe after all of that. Can't believe they would give him a parole opportunity!" They said, a twitchy finger drumming on the floor that they sat on, the tennis ball next to them that must've been the dog's toy.
  
  "Hey, that's what I'm sayin' kid! The court system is wild." The white-haired man said. His eyes peeked out from the screen, "So, you goin'?"
  
  "Back to the system? Hell no!" Milo exclaimed.
  
  "Hey, I hate the system as much as the next person, but if you don't testify, he could get out." Milo wouldn't talk after that, and the white-haired man sighed. "Listen, you could go back, testify, stay until it's over and he's safely back in that hell hole he deserves, and then I'll come to extract you. I promise. Deal?"
  
  "Yeah, ok." Milo said, though their voice quavered with real fear. It wasn't the snarky, carefree voice they'd heard from them. Or the anger that fueled their actions like a burning fire. For once, the kid was utterly scared out of their mind. Fearful about seeing the person who once abused them, and even more fearful of that person getting let loose into the streets they loved. A metallic whimper sounded, and the camera shifted to be up close into Milo's face as the dog jumped up onto them to comfort them. "Ok, Gazzy, ok!" Milo giggled, a normal, childlike noise. The same Lucinda would hear from her own son. That's exactly what Milo should sound like. "You can have the ball!"
  
  The dog didn't seem to be just a protection measure, but an actual companion.
  
  "Vincent, cut it. I think that's all I need." Lucinda said, grabbing out her pad. She pulled up a few articles and grinned. "I knew I recognized that name. Don't you remember the Morgan case? It was huge like two years ago. The father completely pumped his son full of drugs so that he would go out and buy it for them. Sick guy, though he never got off on parole luckily. And look at who his son is."
  
  Lucinda turned the pad around to show Vincent a picture. It was the kid for sure, though the one in the picture looked younger than the kid they had in the brig. Apparently, they were twelve in this picture, though they didn't look it at all. Their face was gaunt as if they were half starved, and their skin was way too pale to be healthy for a human child. Yet, there was that same unmistakable wild animal look they'd all come to know of the kid. The caption read, 'Milo Morgan, age 12, after a shootout with police'.
  
  The Morgan case was a famous one. It got huge coverage. Broadcasted on the news, trial proceedings went on with everyone watching. It struck a huge chord with many because of its nature. It was a single father up for trial on account of abuse towards his extremely young son. Everyone felt for the boy, pouring in support, and it was inevitable that Marcus Morgan would be sentenced, on account of just how much evidence was against him. Milo testifying put the last nail in the coffin. However, everyone remembered the devil's name instead of the child who was abused.
  
• 
  "You wanna be a medic? That's awesome! I hold a lot of respect for medics. They helped me out a lot when I first got injured. Kept my spirits high, and tried to help me the best they could. And they referred me to monkeys like Gigi. They can help a lot in paraplegia cases. Didn't even know about that until my doctors explained it to me." He grinned cheerfully, as if they were the most normal sentences to say. But it was the truth. The doctors back home had been wonderful to him. It was a huge loss, but they really helped him out by being so kind and nice. He figured someday, Joo might be helping out some kid just like him, or maybe adults on the field. Either way, with her amiable attitude, he figured she'd be the best at the support part.
  
  "Me? I came for the more boring reason. I enrolled back when I was in Australia. I wanted to fly in constellations, get some action in, all that. I would be going to America anyways, but my mate here was hopping back over so I decided to join her before I got approved. I was lucky that I did or else that would be a pretty awkward trip back." He chuckled, "But my main reason for enrolling wasn't for all the action of the Defense Fleet. See, I've always been into constellations. The whole feel of space is just amazing, and I wanted to experience it up close and personal. That's why I decided to enroll and come to America. Not only was my best mate gonna be here, but this is also one of the best piloting schools. Scratch that, probably the best. I wanna be in space, go past my limitations and get up there. I wanna prove that it's not just a pipe dream. That I can do it despite the odds of my situation. And see the constellations up close. That's the extent of why I enrolled."
  

 

[Kumii]

• Sylva Greenfield
• Vincent Greenfield

• 
  
  Sylva GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 016
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Shy
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251.
  Sylva was surprised at first but then smiled at Tommy's proposition, "Aww, that's probably the nicest thing you've ever done for me." Her smile slightly faded, "I'll keep that in mind... thank ya-you.." Her voice trailed off towards the end.
  
  Her gaze shifted to Rae as she spoke, "I didn't think to bring it up because it didn't feel necessary to do so." She listened as Rae went on about how she was afraid and understood that. Sylva isn't afraid more so just anxious to be around unfamiliar due to be bullied in her younger years. Sylva smiled at Rae's end of her sentence, "Sounds vaguely romantic, Rae. Almost like you're askin' me out!" Sylva lightly giggled and grabbed Rae's hand and grasped it in her own, "I'm slightly tempted to accept your proposal." She gave Rae a small giggle and let go of Rae's hand, "We'll not care together." Sylva pointed her thumb at Tommy, "This lump can join us too, I guess." She said, referring to Tommy in a joking manner.
  
• 
  
  Vincent GreenfieldLocation: Hangar 017
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Focused
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 5th, 3251.
  Vincent was a bit surprised when the hologram popped up, "Oh sweet. Found it." A ton of exposition happened and just as Vincent was about to skip a part, Lucinda told him to hold off for now, so he did.
  
  It was more exposition, this time about a new name, someone named Frost and something about testifying. Vincent just sat there in slight awe that this dog managed to catch all that. Then Lucinda told Vincent she had what she needed. Vincent cut the hologram and set down his tools, "Hmm, yeah, I heard somethin' 'bout that case. If it were me, and my little sister were bein' abused like that. I'd not have parents anymore." Vincent said rather bluntly and sort of out of character.
  
  Vincent cared about Sylva more then anything. After hearing what the memory logs said, Vincent couldn't help feel a bit sorry for Milo, "The kid had it tough, eh?" Vincent put a finger in his ear and began cleaning it, "Might explain why they acts the way he does. Not to mention, no-one really knows the kid who got the abuse, only who did the abusin'."
  
  Vincent pulled his finger from his ear and flicked it to get rid of any wax that might've been on it, "Thing's a piece of art though." He said referring to dog, "It's so complex for what it is. Designed as a weapon, re-programmed to be a defender, a pet... a friend." Vincent grabbed the head of the dog and looked into its eyes, "Leave it here. I want to tinker with it a bit. Surprise the kid with a new upgrade. Maybe they'll appreciate it."
  
  (Upgrade opportunity!)
  

 

[SharkBark]

• Joo Mi-yeon
• Pierce Eisenhower

• 
  
  Joo smiled as Austin complimented her career choice, grateful for the recognition. Her smile was tender and gentle, expressing her gratitude without Joo saying a single word. Austin continued to say that he had great respect for medics and explained what they had done for him in his life.
  
  When Austin told Joo that medics had taken great care of him after his injury, she stared briefly at his arms, then instantly looked up again. Joo's smile faded in shame. She had a feeling that his prosthetic limbs were what he was referring to. Joo started to ask him what had happened, but he bit her tongue and forced her curiosity back down.
  
  She didn't want to be unintentionally disrespectful, like Pierce was, and end up offending the guy. And speaking of Pierce, deep down, she wished he was here now. If he were, he'd ask what happened to Austin in an instant.
  
  Answering her question, Austin told Joo that he had come to the Imperial Academy for a less interesting reason. He wished to fly among the constellations. Not just that, Austin wanted to experience space. Up close and personal, from the comfort of a spacecraft. He wanted to prove that, despite his condition, he could still accomplish his dreams. Austin wanted to prove to himself and others that his physical disability did not prevent him from achieving his dreams. He wanted to explore space and experience the vastness of the universe firsthand.
  
  Joo's eyebrows raised, and she let out an audible "Huh?" at his revelation. "The constellations? Really? No way you're calling that boring." Joo smiled again. "That's actually a pretty cool goal! Unique too, at least to me it is. It's been a while since I've heard of someone wanting to explore space for the sole purpose of just...exploring space, really. I guess I got used to people wanting to go there to shoot down other spaceships." Joo laughed slightly, then nodded in approval. "But seriously, it's interesting. Really...what's the word...ambitious. I'm sure you'll be able to make it happen."
  
  Still walking toward their destination, Joo asked, "So, what constellation are you most eager to see?"
  
  
  
• 
  "Your ma's the-" Pierce began to repeat what Lance had said in a loud, shocked tone. But just in time, Lance added to it, telling him to keep it secret. Pierce stopped himself, nodding in understanding. He glanced around to make sure no one had heard them. Then he smiled mischievously and said, "I won't tell a soul."
  
  Lance recalled Pierce asking him if he was a fan of Nebula Industries and then revealing that instead, his actual favorite company was Core Dynamics. Or, as he said, "at least, the Core Dynamics Sorcerer is." He admired the sleek design and aerodynamics of the ship, which were effective for atmospheric and space combat.
  
  "The Sorcerer, eh?" Pierce said. "Ain't that the one with the four big ass lasers on it? I think I've read about it before. It really is a nice-looking ship." Pierce paused for a moment. "Heard it was pretty agile too. My kind of ship. There's just something about nimble and powerful ships that's just enthralling. You feel me? Like the Blitzer. Not sure if you've heard of it, but damn, that baby is fast? I'd love to get my hands on one of those to see what she's really made of. I bet she could outrun anything in the sky. That's the kind of power I'm looking for."
  
  

 

[Kumii]

Lance TheodoreLocation: Hangar 016
Mentions: SharkBark
Current Mood: Interested
Current Weather: None
Current Time: August 5th, 3251.
Lance nodded his head in agreement, "Sure but that's not my kind of playstyle. I prefer support. Something like the J-Mod can do that. The deadly combo of its EMP tractor beam and Packhound Missiles make it a force to be reckoned with if left unchecked."

Lance leaned on a beam that was sticking out of the ship's landing gear and it snapped, causing Lance to fall down. It was about here that the ship's holo-projectors spun and projected an image in front of the two boys. The woman looked down at Lance while Lance looked up at her, "What? This ship is falling apart, mom.." Amanda scoffed then looked to Pierce.

She paused for a moment, when she did there was a faint red glow within her eyes that disappeared when she spoke up, "Hmm... Pierce Eisenhower, is it? Makin' friends with my problem child?" Lance got up and dusted himself off and sighed, "Pierce, this is my mom. Amanda. Everyone in the Navy calls her 'Overlord'." Amanda looked at Lance with a look that told him that he just gave away too much information about her which caused Lance to mouth the word 'Sorry' to her. Amanda cleared her throat, "Don't mind me, I like checking up on my troublemaker every now and again. Good to see he's making friends already. He can be a handful sometimes." Lance gave Amanda a look that said 'Mom! Stop it!'.

 

[SharkBark]

• Pierce Eisenhower

• 
  
  "Nice to meet you, 'Overlord'." Pierce said, still taken back by her sudden appearance. Lance had fallen down while leaning up against a beam, and a hologram must've been accidentally activated as a result. Pierce was caught off guard once more when Lance's mother said his name, but then thought of the possibility that she was listening in through the ship's system.
  
  Pierce decided to lead the conversation. "If Lance here is a troublemaker, then I think we'll get along just fine. I've been called the same thing more times than I can count. Let's just say that I'm no stranger to stirrin' the pot. But I don't really consider it as causing trouble. More of...just havin' some fun."
  
  

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

• Lucinda and Cinnabar Ardell
• Austin Fischer

• 
  Lucinda nodded to everything Vincent was saying. He was right. If she had been in that kid's situation, she would've left. But it's also easier to say what you would've done as an outsider, rather than what you do when you actually experience something like that. The facts presented made it hard for her to believe that anyone in the kid's situation would have that easy of a time in getting out. As far as Lucinda could tell, the kid had no maternal figure in their life, none that the articles ever mentioned. Plus, they went into the system afterwards, so they couldn't find their mother. Which meant it was just their father looking after them, and no way for the kid to realize that everything that was happening to them wasn't normal. And no good influence for them too. Sure, they may have felt awful, but early on they would'nt have known any better. Plus, not to mention that they had been a substance abuser previously. So, they're situation came to a certain pleasantness and dependence. They couldn't leave because then they wouldn't be able to continue. They became reliant on the substances, and in turn reliant on the abuse to get to those substances. God, the kid's father really was sick if that had been his intention. If he had seen his kid inching away and gotten them a taste of that to keep their dependence on him. Though, she suspected he wasn't that smart. Low lives like him rarely were. But with all those factors, it'd be hard for anyone to leave, even if they had someone like a little sister depending on them to.
  
  Vincent started going off about the metal dog, how the thing was a work of art, and how it had been a weapon, but reprogrammed as a friend. Lucinda suspected that dog was what kept the kid sane after they got out of that situation and into the system. She was glad she didn't follow orders on that one, assuming the kid would be released with the information she brought to Mara. They seemed like they wouldn't be able to function without the metal lug. But Vincent seemed to take a real special interest in the thing, that Lucinda wouldn't even think twice about despite as evidence and a tool for rehabilitating the little offender. Giving it an upgrade was quite the opposite from her previous orders of destroying it, but if Vincent wanted to mess around with it, by all means. It was his head. Though, Lucinda suspected it would come down on her as well should Mara find out prematurely. But, who knows, maybe Vincent could learn something from studying it.
  
  "Sure, but it's possible your hard work will go to the scrapyard. I have to see what the Admiral says about all of this. She seemed pretty clear about her course of action." Of course, Lucinda didn't know Mara as well as the rest of them. And with the way she handled talking to Milo, it seemed she was set on giving the kid a permanent stay inside a cell.
  
  She'd have her work cut for herself, putting together a bigger case file than what they had now. They couldn't rely on the dog's memory files alone, especially when relying on those meant she was admitting she went against her direct orders to check it out. That also meant admitting she'd gotten Vincent involved in all of this, which she really only meant to ask him about what he knew. She'd start calling around and constructing a case file to present to Mara, which meant a lot of work that Cinnabar couldn't be involved in this time. He was lucky she even let him come.
  
  But when she turned to Cinnabar to tell him, she saw concern and sadness etching his face. The whole thing had shocked him. He was a pure boy, not yet used to the horrors of the world even if he sometimes learned about the messed-up cases Lucinda worked. Her face softened when looking upon him, and she moved a hand to his pat his head, releasing why she had taken a special interest in the other kid. They were Cinnabar's age, and she wouldn't want anyone neglecting his needs if he were in that situation like they had Milo's. The whole thing it home a lot harder when you were looking at it as a parent. Kneeling down beside him, she said, "Cinnabar, I need you to go back home. I have to work some more, and I can't have you following me around to a meeting. You were never even supposed to be involved in this."
  
  "B-But, I want to be involved!"
  
  "Enough. Home. Understand?"
  
  "Yes, mom." Cinnabar said begrudgingly.
  
  "Good," She stood up and turned to Vincent. "Thank you for your help with this. I need to find some way now to present this to the Admiral without jeopardizing both our jobs. I owe you a drink for your help."
  
• 
  "You really think so?" He mused, "Honestly, I always thought everyone was more interested in the 'destroying enemy ships' business than anything to do with actual space and constellations. I guess, it always seemed like an alternative interest to why people usually enroll here. I thought that would be the consensus with everyone, that its way cooler to shoot down ships than just enjoy the ol' visuals. I mean, shooting down ships is cool in simulations, but the debris totally messes up the beauty of space. Can't appreciate the stars if the whole thing is all mucked up!"
  
  Then Joo asked him about which constellation he wanted to see the most. Instantly, his eyes lit up and his mind began to buzz.
  
  "Hmmm, ah, that's a hard one! There's so many to choose from. It's like you're making me pick my favorite child." He said with a grin. He tapped a finger to his chin, and Gigi mimicked the motion by tapping one of her own fingers on his shoulder. Then, he nodded with finality, eyes gleaming. "Ursa Major."
  
  He grinned towards Courtney, who looked up with surprise and grinned back. It was an inside thing, but the gesture helped Courtney feel more at place during the entire conversation, and the whole atmosphere as well. Since, according to the insensitive moron, she looked like "a goddamn princess" compared to the regular folk. "The big bear's never led me astray before. It'll be cheering both of us on in our somewhat unusual goals."
  

 

[Kumii]

The Next Day...Location: N/A
Mentions: SharkBark AlphaBlueWolf
Current Weather: None
Current Time: August 6th, 3251. (Free time)
Hangar 016 was rather quiet aside from the busy day-to-day chatter of the engineer, pilots and students. Oddly, none of the engines of the ships have been fired up since yesterday and it was the afternoon. Aboard one specific ship though.

A pair of legs slid across the floor of the ship, the boots were recognizable. More got revealed, a familiar orange jacket and large sunglasses, it was Lance. He had headphones on and was listening to some music. The song playing in his headphones was Come and Get Your Love by Redbone. He sung along to the lyrics he knew as he took a seat in his commander's chair and looked out of his cockpit window, observing the various people walking along. He noticed one Sylva going to to her ship and began focusing on her.

Sylva approached her ship and looked at it for a moment before boarding, the ship greeted Sylva as she took her seat, "Lemme give Rae and Tommy a call..." The ship responded immediately, 'Calling Raelyn Sanders...' Sylva looked a bit surprised but the ship did actually end up calling Raelyn, "Uh... R-Rae? You there? If you are, uhm, I'm getting ready to fly. I'll wait for you in the air." Sylva looked at her controls, "That is if I can figure out how to even start this thing..." Then Sylva pressed a big green button and the pre-igniters fired up, which caused everyone around Sylva's ship to clear out, "Oh... that did... someth-" Before she could finish that sentence, the engines fully ignited and roared over the call, "Got it. 'Kay, see you in the air. Bye!" Sylva swiped her hand and hung up the call.

Lance turned away in his chair and got up, dancing and singing along to the words of the song that played in his headphones. He danced his way out of his ship to that faulty metal bar that he fell down on yesterday and began to working on it.

As he did, Cal walked by, headed towards where Lucy and her band practices, he seemed to be on the phone, "Lucy- no, Lucy, honey wai- I'm on my way please don-" Lucy had hung up on Cal and Cal sighed then called Isaac, "Come on pick up, pick up."

 

[SharkBark]

• Joo Mi-yeon
• Pierce Eisenhower

• 
  
  Austin and Joo continued their conversation, with Courtney staying nearby but never directly joining. And the rest of the day went smoothly. After a little more walking, the students finally reached the next bay and were shortly thereafter escorted to their dorms. There, they met their roommates for the first time. Joo's initial impression of the two boys she was paired up with wasn't bad, just strange to her. Lance seemed quite friendly, though the only time he spoke to Joo was when they first saw each other, exchanging brief hellos. After that, he put on some headphones and jammed out to some tunes the entire time. It was pretty entertaining, actually. Lance had his volume up so high that Joo could hear it, even through the headphones. Every now and then, she found herself nodding her head at the rhythm.
  
  Her second roommate, on the other hand, was almost the polar opposite of Lance. Tommy, otherwise known as Gut Punch by Pierce, was reclusive and silent. When he entered their dormitory, he didn't utter a single word to Joo or Lance. He just walked in and unpacked his stuff, which was somewhat surprising to Joo because just earlier in the day, she saw him talking frequently with those two girls and in the incident with Pyro. But now, it was like he'd been hushed. He was similar to a stone in a stream, still and silent, unperturbed by the flow of time. The only occasions he made a sound were when he seemed annoyed by Lance's blasting music and soft singing. In those instances, he let out an exasperated sigh or muttered something under his breath.
  
  Either way, it was peaceful. Definitely not quiet, but peaceful.
  
  The next day, students had some free time. And Joo knew exactly how to spend hers. She immediately headed toward the medical bay to check things out and maybe even interact with the doctors and nurses there. If she wanted to gain the knowledge to cure her father of his illness, Joo knew that she needed to take any opportunity she got. Everything else would come later.
  
  When she got into the bay, Joo was taken aback by the cutting-edge and state-of-the-art gear and contraptions there. On the walls, there were interactive maps of the patient's entire body, denoting the exact location of the injury. There were also robots that assisted the doctors in diagnosing the patients. The bay was equipped with the latest medical technology, allowing the doctors to be more accurate and efficient in their work as well as providing a better experience for the patients. It was a sight to behold.
  
  In awe, Joo wandered through the bay and spoke to any doctor or nurse she saw, as long as they weren't working. And unfortunately, most of them were studying patient body maps or giving diagnoses. So, Joo had only spoken to three so far, but it was worth it. Every bit of information was valuable, no matter how small.
  
  
• 
  Pierce chatted with Lance and his mother until it was time to proceed to the next hangar. The students were then escorted to their dormitories where they had the chance to finally meet their roommates. While on their way, Pierce remembered who he was paired up with and became frustrated. He even muttered curses under his breath and expressed his feelings to one of the workers.
  
  "Hey, could you put in a word for me? I was wondering if whoever arranged the room pairings could change my roomies to people who weren't so...quiet? You don't wanna see one of your students get bored to death, do ya?"
  
  But his attempts failed. All the worker replied was, "Sorry. I don't have a say in who goes where. And I'm not stupid enough to go against Mara's decision like that just for some fresh meat. I'm sure it won't be that terrible, kid. Quit exaggerating."
  
  Pierce returned to his dorm room after failing to switch rooms, where he met his roommates, Sylva and Raelyn. Sylva was the reserved girl he had seen before, while Raelyn was the girl who seemed super close to Gut Punch. Pierce greeted them with a nod and started unpacking, leaving the two girls to chat. They seemed to have hit it off quickly, becoming fast friends in just one day, similar to how Pierce and Joo had bonded.
  
  The first night in the dorm was just Pierce daydreaming in his bed and Sylva and Rae chatting. Occasionally, he zoned in and eavesdropped on what they were saying. But each time, he quickly got bored and zoned out again. Pierce thought of things such as sitting at the control panel of a Blitzer or scenarios where he was having a shootout with an enemy soldier after they crash-landed on a planet. This process lasted for the entire night until they all fell asleep. Then, the next day arrived.
  
  Apparently, everyone would be having some free time in the morning, so Pierce decided to look for one of his two acquaintances, Joo and Lance. Lance appeared first, dancing and singing along to whatever was blasting from his headphones while fixing the beam he stumbled on the day before. Pierce walked up from behind and placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.
  
  Simultaneously, the sound of engines roaring reached his ears. Swiftly, he turned around to observe a ship getting ready, presumably preparing for takeoff. Pierce narrowed his eyes and carefully examined the vehicle, hoping to catch a glimpse of the driver. With great effort, he managed to catch a brief glimpse of his companion and roommate, Sylva.
  
  "What the hell?"
  
  

 

[Kumii]

• Lance Theodore
• KRIS
• Jessica White

• 
  
  Lance TheodoreLocation: Hangar 016
  Interactions: SharkBark
  Current Mood: Excited
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 6th, 3251.
  Lance jumped slightly when Pierce put his hand on Lance's shoulder. Lance took off his headphones, the music still blasting through them, it was almost comical how loud they were, and turned to look at Pierce with some relief, it was quickly broken as Lance heard the engines roaring in the hangar. Pierce noticing that it was Sylva, "It's a free day, we can do anything want today, within reason of course." Lance gestured to his ship, "Wanna take ours for a spin? It could be a good idea to get used to the controls and get a head start on everyone."
  
• 
  
  KRISLocation: Prison Cell
  Current Mood: Deactivated
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 6th, 3251.
  In one of the prison cells, sat a deactivated android. In a low-power state, its eyes were' glazed white but everything ran at the bare minimum, enough for life support and other necessary functions to remain 'alive'.
  
  In Kris' 'mind'...
  The area was pitch black, the only thing visible was Kris herself, sitting in a curled up position. She felt a bit trapped in her mind, surrounded by blackness and silence, "Was this the right choice to make?" A thought floated into her mind, the words 'right' and 'choice' became visible, "Nothing's here but my thoughts." The word 'thoughts' floated in the air before disappearing like the others.
  
  "I'm scared." The word 'scared' was silent but screamed into the air. This android felt fear, afraid to be alone in this place, "Someone help me." The words 'help me' appeared then vanished like all the others, "I don't want to be here anymore." The space around Kris started to become distorted almost, the blackness turned to static and it felt like her world began to tilt on its axis as the fear and uneasiness of being alone began to set in. How long had she been deactivated for? Hours? Days? Months? Years? She didn't know but she wanted to leave now.
  
• 
  
  JessicaLocation: Medbay
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Mentions: SharkBark
  Current Mood: Focused
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 6th, 3251.
  Jessica grabbed her tablet and turned around to face Austin, "So, as I understand it, you've come to see me about your arm and leg?" She looked up at Austin and double tapped the side of her glasses and looked him up and down, the glasses were scanning him and diagnosing him as she spoke. The scan recognizing the prosthetic arm and leg, "Something about checking to make sure they're not causing you issues? Anything else I should know about?" Jessica glanced outside her office and noticed a girl looking around but turned her attention back to Austin.
  

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

• Tommy Sanders
• Raelyn Sanders
• Austin Fischer
• Courtney Kess
• Jaxson Caligo
• Isaac Sanders

• 
  The rest of their time together was spent chatting and conversing, the girls doing most of the work to pick up the conversation, while Tommy interjected a couple times where he saw fit. He maintained the mindset that Sylva was his sister's friend and not his. He was just lightly babysitting them to make sure the two didn't get into any trouble. Or, rather, that trouble didn't come to their doorstep. That was all. However, he continued to follow the conversation, laughed at any jokes he found funny, and smiled a substantial amount of times than you would think possible for him. Possible for someone who only thought of Sylva as Rae's friend. Maybe he wouldn't ever admit it, but he didn't find Sylva's companionship to be awful. In fact, he wouldn't even mind if a scenario popped up where his sister conveniently wasn't around, and he and Sylva were on their own. She was a pleasant enough individual to have around. Plesant enough to call a friend, though he didn't even want to admit that fact to himself, let alone others.
  
  After a bit of time had passed, Sandstorm led them to their dorms, and also announced that they had sleeping arrangements with their teammates. Which meant he'd be leaving his sister to join two other students he knew nothing about. Just amazing. Though, looking upon her now, Raelyn didn't seem to mind the arrangement. Sure, she seemed bummed just as much as he was about them not being on the same team, however she had Sylva with her, so there seemed no reason for her to be scared. He felt proud of her, and it was much easier to say his goodbyes and retire to his own room.
  
  Though, he didn't get the luxury of knowing his teammates, nor did he really want to get to know them. He plopped his stuff down on one of the beds and got comfy, not saying a word to the other two. One of his teammates was an annoying guy with music so loud that they streamed through his headphones and irritated the crap out of Tommy, though it was something he could handle without trying to punch the guy. Though he could tell he was gonna grate on his nerves a lot.
  
  His other roommate was an Asian girl who seemed nice enough. He'd tried to ignore her, but she had tried to say hello to both him and Lance. He'd just avoided her on it, moving into the room without saying a word to her. In the back of his mind somewhere he told himself he shouldn't act like that. So, he gave her one of those guy nods when she had entered the room but stayed quiet otherwise. She kind of fascinated him, in a way. Maybe not fascinated, but at least their felt a need to know more about her, because of what he'd glimpsed briefly of her nature. He respected people like her, who weren't loud mouthed and instead were patient and kind. He was a loudmouth himself, but he didn't start that way unless someone else prompted him. Pyro had been asking for it, provoking him like that. If she would've simply answered his question like an actual teacher, kind and fair, then there would've been no incident. Joo seemed like the kind and fair type, even if he hadn't seen much of her so far. He could just sense people's personalities. Their posture, their tone of voice, their actions. All the things that led up to him being able to assess someone's character in an instant. So, he'd look up at times to her from whatever he'd been doing briefly, just for short glimpses. She didn't cause a ruckus like the other guy, doing her own thing peacefully. She'd tried to approach him with a nice hello before, but seemed to read that he didn't want to be bothered with. Relatively mindful that she shared a space with two other people, unlike the other one. However, besides that brief interaction he carried with his teammates, he chose not to get involved with them.
  
  At night came the anticipated summons from his father. The two others had fallen asleep, while Tommy laid in bed clutching his phone. He wasn't tired yet, swiping through videos on how to restore old cameras. Then the alert popped up on his phone, the annoying text from his father. He cursed under his breath and ripped the covers off of him. He knew it would be coming eventually, but it was still annoying as hell. He pulled a hoodie over his chest, grabbed his phone, the polaroid, and the picture, and walked out of the room as silently as possible. The door creaked as he slowly shut it behind him, but otherwise he'd managed to not wake the others up, it seemed.
  
  His father sent him directions on where he was going to be. In his classroom. Fitting with the lecture he was about to give him. He wandered around aimlessly, and about fifteen minutes later he found the room. The inside looked like an amphitheater, except less circular. His father was sitting at his desk, burning the late-night oil with boring old paperwork. When he looked up, he did not look pleased.
  
  Then it started. The famous Isaac/Tommy feud that had befallen them in recent years. They couldn't just have a normal conversation without Tommy copping an attitude and his father disciplining him for some minor misdemeanor. It started out with the lecture about how he'd treated Charlotte. How he should behave better around a teacher and should never use violence to solve an answer. That prompted Tommy to respond that Charlotte was the one who was being an asshole, and Isaac didn't much like that language in reference to one of his colleagues. He told Tommy to never call her that again, and then went on about how Tommy would go apologize to her tomorrow. But there was no way he would do that. And that's when the real bickering started.
  
  And, somehow along the way, the conversation became about Mom. Isaac had been the one to start it. He'd asked if Tommy was lashing out like that because of his mother. He'd yelled indignantly at the thought. Then, while they were on the topic, he brought up how Isaac had specifically arranged the ship assignments so that Raelyn would get his ship, and that Tommy would get his mother's. He brought out the picture he'd found in the ship, though didn't mention the camera that was snug in his pocket. He was beyond pissed about that. Sure, he loved getting the chance to work in the ship his mother was in years ago, but he still felt betrayed that his father would give it to him. He knew what bringing her up did to him. The word mom was never uttered in their household, unless you wanted total warfare between father and son. But the fact that Isaac never mentioned once that his mom went to the academy. Well, it's not like he talked about her at all. It was like the love of his life didn't even exist, which pissed him off.
  
  Tommy was mad, and dodging questions wouldn't make anything better, so Isaac had resigned himself to explaining it a little. The bare minimum. Tommy's mother did go to the academy, however, only for a little while. Her condition had been far too fragile to continue on piloting and make a full-time career out of it. His mother knew it, the school's administration knew it. At some point, they'd told her she couldn't stay for health reasons, and she left without a fight. That was that. But that didn't quite satisfy Tommy's hunger to learn about his mother's school days.
  
  Eventually, they got to a stalemate. With everything. His mother, the Charlotte situation. Nothing was resolved. Tommy got a lecture that went straight in one ear and out the other, and Isaac was once again reminded that him and his son were on thin ice, and somehow his wife's death had been the catalyst. But he wasn't truly understanding just what Tommy was so angry about. So, Tommy left.
  
  He found an empty trash can, set it up like a punching bag, and hit it till cracks formed and blisters grew on his knuckles. He knew he just made some unhappy janitor's day, so he picked up the trash from all the cans he could find and deposited it in the disposal bin for them, hoping that would help fix his little tantrum and make the janitors a little less upset that they would have to report a beaten in trash can.
  
  When he got back to the dorm, he plopped down on his bed and ran his fingers through his messy hair. He put a fresh pair of bandages over his knuckles, because of the new blisters from his workout. He got back in bed, but he couldn't fall asleep until much later. Sure, he'd gotten all his anger out, but that just left restlessness. He replayed the conversation over and over in his head, mostly the parts about his mother because that's all he really heard. More bitterness settled over, and it gave him a thick enough blanket to fall asleep with.
  
  A shake woke him up. It felt like he'd only been out for a few minutes, and his body still felt tense and aching, like it longed for more sleep. He groggily opened his eyes to his sister's excited face. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." She said, flapping up his hair.
  
  "What's got you excited this early in the morning?" Tommy said with a yawn as he sat up in bed. He looked around the room. First to the girl's bunk. Empty. Then, he realized the absence of annoying music and turned to the boy's bunk. Empty. He looked in between the bunks, no one except him and his sister in the room.
  
  "It's not that early." Rae said, "Everyone's already up. The dorms are empty. Sylva got up before me. She's in her ship right now, getting a head start before us."
  
  "How'd you get in here? Aren't the rooms locked?" Tommy got up and started getting ready.
  
  "That other guy left it open."
  
  "Let me guess, Loud Music Guy?"
  
  "Yeah, it was so loud it hurt my ears." She said, rubbing her elongated ears which flexed like a cat's, "I don't understand how he can put it that loud without making himself deaf."
  
  "Well, us regular old humans don't have your hearing. Actually, he has it so loud any human would go deaf in five seconds. He really is one of modern technology's greatest mysteries." Raelyn giggled and Tommy smiled. This is what he needed after the night he had. But, like always, Tommy and his father had one silent agreement. Keep Rae in the dark about as many of their conflicts as possible. She would never know about last night as long as he could help it. "Come on, Sylva's waiting. Let's get flying."
  
• 
  Raelyn told Tommy all about her experience with her teammates as they walked. She must've had a much better experience than Tommy, what with her being lucky enough to know someone on her team. But she'd still been worried about meeting her second teammate, because she'd only met one other student, and she didn't know anyone else besides Sylva and Tommy. Her brother made sure they had found their dorm before he went into his own. They said their goodbyes and the alien braced herself for her new roommate.
  
  Instead, she found a room that was completely empty besides for Sylva and Rae themselves. There were no unpacked items and materials in the room. Just the basic furnishments that came with all the rooms. Relief flooded into her, and she sped into the room, yelling to Sylva about grabbing the best bunk. And she did get the best one, in her opinion. With incredible reflexes, she climbed up to the top bunk, foregoing the ladder altogether. She wouldn't be needing that ever, not with her climbing abilities. She put her stuff down, and then leaned over the side to smile at Sylva, exclaiming how she should take the one below her so that they could be bunkmates.
  
  The rest of the night had been unpacking and chatting with Sylva, getting to know her better. And later, the door opened to reveal the last of the trio. Pierce Eisenhower. Raelyn's face flushed as he walked in, and she duck under the post to her bunk. She hadn't known the guy's name when they'd announced it, but she recognized his face. He was the guy Tommy had started trouble with, with that comment of his previously. He'd come in with a nod, and Raelyn gave a sheepish hello but didn't go forward with the conversation. She was too embarrassed because of what her brother did.
  
  "Did he cause any trouble for you?" Tommy interjected. Because she'd been hanging around him. He doubted Pierce knew they were siblings, but maybe he thought they were close friends, or would at least recognize that they knew each other because they'd been together from the start.
  
  "No, he was just quiet for the whole time. Doing his own thing." Raelyn responded, then got back to her story.
  
  The rest of the night had gone smoothly. Her and Sylva laughed and talked, more chatty than Pierce probably realized they'd be. And that was the end of the night's festivities. Raelyn didn't confess to Tommy about wanting to apologize to Pierce on her brother's behalf. She kept sneaking glances at him, trying to get up the courage. Normally, she would just go ahead and do it, but Pierce had proved that he could snap back, and it made her a little apprehensive to go talking to him about the situation. In the end, lights had gone out before she'd worked up the courage to do so.
  
  She confessed to Tommy that he wasn't the only one who had woken up late. Her ears had flicked to alert her of movement in the room, two different times, but she'd kept snoozing and dreaming about flying ships. In the end, she was finally woken up by the buzzing on her phone. Drowsily, she grabbed it and put it up to her ear, though she couldn't get a word in before her ears were bombarded with the sound of engines flaring and Sylva told her she'd wait for them in the air. She'd had to cradle her ears in the fetal position on her bunk for five minutes before she could actually climb down. Maybe she should give Sylva a warning about her and loud noises, because she often got skittish and agitated whenever someone decided to assault her ears with sounds as loud as thunder.
  
  "And that's when I came to get you." She finished as the two came back to the hangar they'd been in the other day. It already felt routine. She'd committed the way to their ships to memory, and the fact that they could talk and still know where they were going brought excitement to her. "So, what was your night like?"
  
  "Nothing. My team's not particularly chatty. Let's not keep Sylva waiting." He said as he trudged ahead. Rae raised an eyebrow. Tommy had made it convincing enough, since technically that had been the truth, but he'd still switched subjects way too fast. The way his voice intoned, sliding into the next topic so quickly and almost stumbling over the beginning syllables, made her think otherwise to the statement's convincingness. The way his jaw set in that particular way before speaking, when he was trying to mull over how he could snip a conversation in the bud because he didn't want to talk about it but didn't want to come across rude either. It's like he couldn't wait to get to his next thought, and Raelyn's curiosity was bouncing inside her now. She'd have to ask him about it later, not just because of her own curiosity, but because it seemed like something that deeply troubled her brother.
  
  They split ways to get into their ships, Rae finding the cockpit and sitting down in the comfortable, claw maimed chair. She went through the motions as though she'd done it a hundred times before. She hit a green button for the pre-igniters, and a second later Tommy's ship appeared to do the same. Everyone cleared out of radius of Jets 6 and 7. They hit a few more buttons, made a few more preparations, before their ships were hovering off the ground and the doors of the hangar opened like a huge jaw for them to exit.
  
  At first, it was just normal sky, until they could see it fade into space as they broke the atmosphere. Raelyn's ship moved like a pro, speeding up ahead of Tommy so she could look around for Sylva. She found her, almost crashing into her as she slowed the ship down at the last second. Even if she had practiced with her father before in his ship, there were still things she needed to learn. But she carried a basic level of knowledge and experience that most of the other students didn't, because their father wasn't the Sandstorm, who was a pilot who could teach her everything he'd learned while being here years before her.
  
  Tommy, however, wasn't that graceful. He'd refused to get on the ship with them when their father had taken out Raelyn to give her a basic lesson. Instead, he jostled around far behind her, pressing random buttons. He did a 360 with his ship when he was trying to turn to find Sylva and had to turn all over again before he could go straight towards her and Raelyn. He seemed less speedy with his movements, willing an instruction manual to be in the front compartments that he could cram into his thick skull.
  
  A message popped up onto the display on Sylva and Tommy's ships, inviting them into a call with Rae so that they could communicate. Tommy was the first to enter into the call. "Need some help over there, brother dearest?" Raelyn asked in a funny voice, clearly mocking him.
  
  "Shut up." He said, feeling weird that Rae wasn't right next to him so that he could softly prod her after that comment.
  
  It was then that Raelyn noticed Sylva had entered into the call, "Hey, Syl! I see you wanted to get the jump on us. You could've woken us up." Rae sulked jokingly.
  
  "It's not her fault that you sleep as heavy as a cat." Tommy chimed in.
  
  "Wow, betrayed by both my friend and my brother in one morning. How nice." She said, putting on a betrayed voice. "Anyways, we're finally out into open space. So exciting! What do you guys wanna try out first?"
  
• 
  Before going to his dorm, he'd split ways with Joo and him and Courtney had flagged down someone kind enough to write directions for him to medbay. The meeting with one of the medics had already been scheduled ahead of time, and he'd be spending the early morning of his free day having him tested out to see if his prosthetics had been messing with any of his systems. It was a pain to do, and usually something he tried to avoid and not think about, but Courtney had wanted to get him prepared so he couldn't use the excuse that he didn't know where he was going in order to miss his appointment. She claimed that would be rude toward the medic that gave their time to hear him out, and that just because he had a lot of nerves regarding any sort of meeting about his prosthetics limbs, didn't mean he should be wasting the good doctor's time. An impressive sentiment considering it was coming from the girl who used to have her every desire granted within five seconds of her asking. She'd really come a long way from the girl Austin first met, the one who mocked the constellations and they'd sat in the sandbox well past recess debating how Ursa Major definitely did not look like a mutilated cow.
  
  They'd gotten directions and then bid each other adieu to go into their separate rooms. It was a bit of a downer that they weren't on the same team together, but Austin saw it as a good opportunity to make new friends. That's why he walked into the dorm with a warm greeting and a big smile. He was actually more worried about Courtney, who had trouble making friends with people on her own. He wouldn't say it to her face, but she did like to be in her own safety bubble. And meeting new friends was way out of that bubble. She didn't even try, just thought he was enough. Which was sweet and all, but it kind of stifled her in relationship experience. That's why he was determined to help her make new friends. He'd neglected her that day because he'd just been so psyched about Joo, meeting a new friend who was also from a different country like him, but he promised himself that after his appointment he would help Courtney form some new connections. This could be just the right push she needed.
  
  As soon as Austin entered his dorm room, he was a rush of positive air. He entered to two aliens, one fish like, one bug like. The fish-like boy reminded him of a shark you'd find on the great barrier reef. He tried not to make exaggerated movements with his mouth as he made small talk to the much smaller alien, but Austin could see a glimpse of two rows of extremely sharp teeth. Though, the smaller alien seemed to be much more talkative and alight, despite their appearances to claim otherwise. Austin would've thought the shark guy would be a lot more open and outgoing. He didn't seem shy, but he did seem to struggle through the conversation, as if he wasn't sure what the proper thing was to do or say. But Austin came in and changed up the whole dynamic of the room.
  
  He went around with a warm welcome and tried to get to know both of his new teammates. He introduced himself and asked for their names. Shark guy was named Jaxson, and he seemed to appreciate Austin's enthusiasm towards everything the two said. With his attitude, things got a little easier. The girl with the antennae was named June. That was when Gigi lunged forward, crawling up onto June's shoulders and wrapping her hands around her antennae, shaking them about with mischievous chittering. The monkey clearly found the protrusions quite interesting once she'd started focusing on June. June seemed to be overloaded somehow by the striking movements of her antennae, and Austin briefly wondered what their purpose was. But they definitely didn't appreciate getting handled so rough. They must be used to more subtle movements than Gigi's playing. Because that's what she was doing, playing. Even if she was being rough with June, Gigi just found her antennae amusing and whished for June to play with her and give her attention. Though, that was his time to step in, to tell Gigi not to play so roughly. And he did, dragging the monkey back by the handle of her vest, and supporting her better afterwards with his mechanical arms. He may have been the only human among the group, but he stuck out as much as the other two, with mechanical limbs and a monkey in a service animal vest. He quickly apologized to June who, after a shake of her head to let her get her bearings straight, took it all in stride, softly joking about the little monkey. And that seemed to be just the right ice breaker for them.
  
  For the rest of the night before they went to bed, Austin basically forced them to indulge themselves with getting to know you topics, because he was not taking no for an answer. He wanted to know the people on his team well, and the other two partook and amused him, even if it might not be what they necessarily wanted. They talked about easy things. Where they were from, things they liked. Best and worst subjects in school. That led to the more interesting pieces of knowledge, like how Jaxson had never gone to school before, so he was a bit uncertain about how this all worked. But Austin promised him he'd give him a helping hand. Tomorrow, they had a free period, and Austin didn't want to promise anything yet, but he said to himself that he'd help out Jaxson figure some stuff out after his appointment. Well, he was making a lot of promises. First Courtney with friendships, and now Jax with school. But he was determined to help both of them.
  
  And with that, the team finally decided to get some rest for the next day's activities. Austin unpacked his things, and then helped Gigi. He unhooked her from her vest, and then dropped her into her cage, making sure her lodgings were comfortable and she had some toys with her to keep her stimulated. Of course, they were all toys that held no sound in them to not distract his roommates, though, they might have to get used to the sound of Gigi jumping around in her cage. But, afterwards, they all settled down for some much-needed rest. Even the crazy monkey, who had seen enough new stuff today that tired her out and left her snoozy softly on the blanket of her cage floor.
  
  In the morning, he was the first to get up. His appointment wasn't until another half an hour, but he knew he would need the time to find the medbay. Even with directions, this place seemed like a maze without someone with experience leading you. He grabbed the note with directions he'd gotten the day before and put it in his pocket with the letter. Then, he woke Gigi up, trying to make sure she kept her chittering and jumping around to a minimum so as to not wake up the others. He slipped her arms and legs into the vest, propped her on his shoulder, and tiptoed out of the room. Once outside, he met up with Courtney, who had slipped out of her own room to come see him.
  
  They talked for a little bit, Courtney making sure he was alright before asking, "You sure you don't want me to come with?"
  
  "Nah, I can do it by myself." If he was being honest, he didn't want to seem defenseless in front of Courtney. Maybe it was childish, but he wanted to show her he could function on his own without her help, "Besides, Gigi will get in some good practice being my support."
  
  He gave one of his wide smiles, and they parted ways once more, Austin heading for medbay. Or at least he was, but he had to turn back around several times when he realized he wasn't going the right direction. "Am I even going the right way?" He muttered to himself as he read the scribbles. He looked up, and a room caught his eye. When he peaked his head in, he could see medics working dutifully. There were interactive maps of patient's bodies, and every other amazing medical technology found throughout the world. He may not like the smell of antiseptic the places carried, or the nerve-wracking checkups to see if he might become paraplegic again, but those types of marvels were what he loved about the medical profession. For a second, he imagined one of the doctors as Joo, and the image totally fit, he thought.
  
  Finally, he found the medic who he was assigned to. Jessica White. She seemed like the head nurse, he quickly realized. So, the people outside of the room they'd gone into had to be an army of both professional doctors and trainees. Though, he'd really only be seeing Jessica for this related issue. There was to be only one doctor to take a look at him, because of how discreet it was. They'd given him an NDA form for Jessica to sign before she could see him, though Austin personally thought that was overkill. He could get a basic examination now, for his own health, but he'd have to mail the NDA form before Jessica could take an extensive look and know all the details.
  
  He was wondering if Jessica saw other students like this, before she began asking him questions. He nodded to the first, then to the second. "Well, there's Gigi." He said, scratching the monkey who perched on his shoulder. She came down to sit in his lap so that Austin could wrap his arms around her. She didn't seem bothered by the fact that his arms were mechanic at all. She seemed well behaved, if not mischievous with that glint in her eyes as though she might pull any sort of scheme. She had that evil mastermind look to her, even though she was a cute little capuchin monkey at the same time. "She's licensed, vaccinated, and trained to some extent. She's my service animal, the school agreed to her being here, what with my case and all. I started having a service monkey when I first became paraplegic, but now with the new limbs, her job is mostly in emotional support. Though, she is with me in the event the prosthetics somehow fail, and I become paraplegic again. What that all sums up to is, if her being here during these meetings would be allowed. I don't want to be a hassle to any other patients, so if not that's fine. Oh, and about the checkup. I'll need to be having these frequently. Once a week, maybe. And maybe after the first few actual flights to see how they perform during space flight. This explains it all a little." He said, bringing out an envelope and handing it off to Jessica. She'd find in there a handwritten letter in neat, precise handwriting, and a standard NDA contract, waiting for her signature. "At least the basics."
  The letter read:
  
  To the doctor this may concern,
  
  
  Hello, my name is Mortimus Kane, and I'm the one responsible for dear Austin's current state. I'm afraid my Australian friend had a tough go of it, and I offered my experimental assistance to him. He took it of his own volition, and now I need you, whoever you may be, to help him to continue in his endeavors through your medicinal means. I fear I cannot disclose everything to you at this moment, until the Nondisclosure Agreement attached is sitting on my desk with your signature. And once that form is signed, you will be the only one permitted to tend to Austin's unique needs. So, I would advise thinking on it before committing. I personally would also advise you to take up this calling. Young Austin is a good kid given an unfair situation. Through experimental technology, I have given back some of his freedom, though he needs someone on the medical side to fully stitch the wound and make sure the scar fades as best as possible. Metaphorically speaking. I don't know how literal you doctors would take that metaphor.
  
  Allow me to give you a little bit of background surrounding Austin and how he came to my prosthetic limbs. He was involved in a bad accident, which will be his story to tell, not mine, which left him bound to a wheelchair. He was diagnosed as a paraplegic, and the doctors gave him a monkey just like that little rascal currently with him. However, the monkey only helped him do basic tasks as the doctors tried to fight a losing battle in getting feeling back to his limbs. In the end, not even a smaller Austin had much hope. So, I came in one day to offer him a solution that would give him back his freedom. Replacing his arms and legs with my experimental prosthetics. He is the first human trial, and it is important that I may keep an open line of communication to whoever tends to him, to find the results of this experiment. It may sound cruel to call it that, an experiment, but I warned him of all the dangers, told him the success and fail rates, and he still wished to proceed. However, there are substantial threats to his body. It may reject the limbs at some point entirely, or his system could see them as the enemy and attack. Infection from the surgery could spread to other organs. There are many more risks of him being in such an uncontrolled and temperamental area such as the academy, and space itself. However, we did not wish to squash his dreams. We have allowed him to go to the academy, as long as he takes the proper precautions towards his safety and listens to the doctor in charge of his care.
  
  Any additional costs his condition causes the academy will be covered by my company, but that'll be the adults' little secret. No need to burden the boy with that knowledge. Knowing him he'd insist against it and struggle to pay himself. I will be looking forward to that signature's appearance on my desk. It means you have chosen to help this boy gain his future of starry dreams back.
  ​
  Signed,
  Mortimus Kane
  Of The Kane Corporation of Science and Technology
  Fiora Studies Branch​
  
  It hadn't been spoken, and yet there was something so regal about it. Like you could hear the words spoken in his real voice, though a voice you had never heard before. He seemed nothing if not charismatic, if not a bit showy. He signed his name in swoopy cursive. His name. The great Mortimus Kane was definitely known worldwide, though he was shrouded in a mystery that gave him his allure. The Kane Corporation was responsible for many mixes of science and technology, and Mortimus Kane was the corporation's young head. Not too young, but he didn't have the wise old-aged experience that Sandstorm and the Admiral had at teaching students. He was just below them, experienced and yet inexperienced.
  
  Austin didn't know exactly what was in the letter. Mortimus had told him to hand it over to the doctor he would meet with when he had his first appointment, but nothing of its contents. Only that the envelope contained a letter and an NDA he'd like to see before they could really get into things. He did, of course, understand that Austin needed to have a doctor at school, so there was a clause in the NDA that stated that anyone could work on Austin if he was in dire needs, no matter if they had signed a similar form or not. Of course, Austin needed to have the regular old medical checks, which the other doctors were fine to do, but Mortimus wanted someone he could trust to do these sort of checkups with Austin's mechanical limbs. Someone who would actually care about the boy, and also someone who would keep it on the downlow, since Austin's limbs weren't yet a service The Kane Corporation provided to its everyday patients. He was their human trial, so nothing about the limbs could get out to the public. This way, they could drop a pile of lawsuits on the poor soul who had signed the contract and still decided to mouth off about Austin. It made Austin's life easier, too, by not having to worry about the public spotlight being a living miracle could bring. The arms and legs were compatible with Austin in a way they were not with others, and Mortimus had been sure people would want a piece of him if they found out his identity. And Austin wasn't the type used to that public attention, nor was he the type to want it.
  
  He seemed slightly nervous and jumpy as Jessica scanned over the documents he'd handed her, having to brush his fingers through Gigi's fur. She was looking around wildly, fascinated by her new environment, until a familiar sight caught her eyes. Austin let out a gasp as Gigi wriggled out of his hold, and ran out of Jessica's office, out the open door, and climbing up the body of a feminine figure with shiny black hair. She perched upon her right shoulder, leaning her head out to tilt at Joo with fond chittering. She could feel how happy the girl had made Austin the day before and knew her as friend.
  
  Austin got up to retrieve his monkey and apologize, scolding himself for not bringing her leash. He should've known she'd be bouncy because of what had happened with Pierce and Joo the day before. Everything was new and exciting to her. Once it became routine to the little monkey, maybe then she'd start acting better and he could take her off the leash. But for now she should have it on to avoid these types of situations. Though, that might just be her nature. Maybe now it would be apparent to Jessica why he'd been asking about Gigi, and why she could be a potential problem around the medbay during his visits.
  
  "Gigi." He started out by calling her name, to see if she would come to him. Then, he got started back on the previous day's events. How Gigi had climbed up Pierce's back in the same way, although to get away from him because of her little theft of her treats, and how him and Joo had had their backs facing Austin and Courtney as they arrived on the scene of the crime. And, how, now that he knew her a little better, he could recognize her features within the crowd of doctors and medics in training, although she did seem to fit within the atmosphere so unassuming. Like a shadow, always meant to be there, trailing and learning. As he stood in the doorway of Jessica's office, he called out in half disbelief, half warm greeting. "Joo?"
  
• 
  After helping Austin get directions for his appointment tomorrow, and splitting ways with him, a mentally drained Courtney pushed the door open to her dorm. She saw two boys as soon as she got into the room. One was fair skinned with short black hair and a similar style to her's. That is to say, overdressed. He was dressed clad in something that looked like a mini military uniform. Her first thought when looking at him, that Pierce guy would go wild if he'd seen him. The second boy had a much more casual style. Normal pants with a plain shirt and jacket laid over his much darker brown skin. His black hair was finally trimmed at the side with a style of nicely cropped dreads. Poor guy must think he was in the Twilight Zone with how crazy overdressed his two roommates were.
  
  'Just great that I'm rooming with two boys,' Courtney thought. Not bad, just amusing and ironic to her, given her upbringing. 'Father and Mother would flip their lids if they knew.'
  
  She wasn't kidding about that. Her parents would even go as far as to pay the school off to switch her roommates to two girls. However, she found most girls at her old, fancy school had been quite catty individuals, which is why she loved the freedom when her parents swapped her into a random public school when they first arrived in Australian, because they thought it would be a quick trip. Of course, her parents knew she was friends with Austin, and they completely approved of him. They thought he was a nice, young individual, even going so far as to have him over for dinner multiple times in their fancy dining room with expensive foods. There was a crazy part of Courtney that resented him for that. Austin, she meant. She knew that was crazy, but she couldn't help the bitter jealousy that creeped into her when she saw the look in her parents' eyes as they gazed upon her well-mannered, Australian friend. They looked at him like he was their talented son, the sort of way they should've looked at Courtney, but never did. It was then she started realizing that her parents wanted their firstborn to be a son, and they were disappointed when they got Courtney. They'd been trying for one, she'd heard, but after Courtney it seemed they were having trouble having any more. So, they had to live with an heiress instead of an heir. But she knew they would've taken someone like Austin as their beloved child in a heartbeat, pleasant and male, to her unpleasant and feminine qualities. Though her personality was less than feminine, everyone agreed, making her parents resent her later in life even more. They wanted her to be feminine and lady-like, and proper young ladies did not board with male roommates. That's what her parents would say. But her parents weren't here, and she wanted to make the best of that. Besides, she always had liked just being one of the guys, which you just wouldn't guess by looking at her. Even if her parents were here to switch around her roommates, the catty sort of girls that she was expected to be friends with would never work for her.
  
  "He was wrong. You look more like the Admiral than I do, Princey." She said, walking up to Michael a few inches, then turned towards the last free bunk. And that was the extent of her conversations. She had been referring to Pierce and his comments, which was completely out of context for Michael. Unbeknownst to her, she'd just hit the nail right on the head. But that was her sense of comedy anyways. Out of context digs, like how she'd met Austin, joking about how Ursa Major looked like a mutilated cow in the sandbox at recess. In context, they were jokes that her and people she knew could laugh about, but out of context they could easily offend.
  
  She climbed into her bunk and started unpacking. She'd packed surprisingly light for her appearance. She looked like one of those preppy girls who brought ten different suitcases for a one-day trip, but that obviously wasn't the case with Courtney. Part of that was just how she was, and part of that was that her parents hadn't exactly agreed to this, so she had to pack light to avoid suspicion. But she was eighteen now, technically an adult, and she could make her own decisions without her parents butting in. It wasn't running away if you were considered a legal adult, and her parents obviously knew that. That's why they were trying to bring her home discreetly, by manipulating her with that god forsaken letter.
  
  Turning her back to the boys, she rummaged the crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket. Smoothing out the creases, her eyes read over the lines, soaking it in again. She hadn't had much time to read it before Austin came knocking at her ship, so she'd hastily put it back into her pocket. Even now she was jumpy with it out, hearing a noise behind her and quickly folding it up, hiding it under her pillow like she was six and leaving a message for the tooth fairy. Craning her head behind her, she could just see that it was one of the boys dropping something, and nothing more than that. Her cheeks burned red, and she quickly spun her head back around, a certain pounding in her chest. The anxiety that came with guilt. Even now, she had trouble being mischievous, doing things against her parents' rule without getting that same tightness in her chest. Those same second thoughts. But eventually, she calmed down and continued unpacking, keeping the pillow within her sights at all times to make sure the boys didn't discover her secret.
  
  Eventually, she settled down with a book and started reading. A hardcover, with nothing on the front or back besides a black shell. No one would be able to guess what she was reading, and that's how she liked it, because it was a little embarrassing given the place she was in. In reality, it was basically a space flight for dummies kind of book, with important rules and regulations. Tips and tricks, and the basics ins and outs of one's ship. Most people came to the academy already knowing something about ships, but her parents had forbidden her from any kind of study like that, so she thought she was behind the other students. Desperately trying to catch up, she'd read it on the flight here when Austin and Gigi had taken a snooze together, cute, fluffy, and curled up. Now, she thought she'd take in more material. She was aware she'd came here to learn, and that it was ok to be a beginner, but she was a rookie among even the rookies, and she needed to catch up before falling behind. She could not get pulled into the office and sent home because she couldn't hack it. She could not.
  
  Courtney had basically fallen asleep reading, pulling the covers over her head and using her phone to provide reading light when the lights had gone out. Soon, her eye lids could no longer prop themselves up, and she closed the book, setting it to the side and falling fast asleep. She barely even remembered to set her clock so that she could be up by the time Austin went for his appointment, so that she could send him off with a positive outlook and kind words. Relaxing had been easy for her, somehow. Besides for her little letter scare, Courtney reveled in any sounds her two boy roommates made. There was something about boarding in a room with more people than herself, even if it was a small count, that gave her comfort. It was the feeling that enveloped her when she was around Austin, even when he was busy talking to Joo. That easy spark of warmth, of not being so alone anymore. She may be one of the few who enjoyed sharing a room with people she'd never met before. Boys too. The thought of her mother's face twisted up in disgust at the very idea continued to make her chest swell with low, childish giggles, even in sleep.
  
  Now, after waking up and seeing Austin off, and after pretending to be asleep while the two boys went off to do whatever it is they were doing on their free period today, Courtny sprang at the chance to look at the letter while she didn't have to be so secretive about it. She sat with the letter she'd found in her ship on her bed in the dorm. She'd remembered the light curiosity of ignorance when she'd found it neatly standing up on the captain's seat, and the horror that had spread to her face upon seeing that handwriting. Her own father's harsh lettering read:
  
  Courtney,
  
  Your mother and I are worried about you after your recent stunt. You left without telling us anything of where you were going. But we know that you went off to the academy with Austin. We know you sent in an application with his. We didn't think you'd get accepted; you have no prior knowledge operating these things. But you were accepted and now your off from home without so much as a word to us. Do you realize how that made your mother feel? She's been terribly sick ever since. We're worried about your safety, Courtney. You do not know what you're doing. Piloting is an extremely dangerous profession. Your mother and I only want what's best for you, you know that. We have set up a stable job for you already and given you a happy future. I know you would'nt want to throw that away with this silly little idea of yours. Leave piloting to Austin and come back to the estate.
  
  Your mother and I have something very important to tell you.
  
  Signed,
  Father
  
  He was being ultra polite to her, which wasn't like him at all. Almost as if her coming home was a business deal, rather than him trying to rewrite any of the past wrongs of their relationship. Well, it began polite, and then it just divulged into him trying to make her feel guilty so she would come home. Of course, she knew her father was biting his tongue. Martin Kess would gladly tear right into her, he was angry that she left, but that would do no good in making the named heiress to his company come back. He knew that, and he was good at biding his time in anger to eventually get what he wanted. But Courtney was going to make sure that satisfaction never came to him. Besides, she already knew the news they wanted to share with her, and she hated the very thought of it. Going back there would just solidify her fears. She needed to learn to stand on her own feet. Yes, piloting could be dangerous, but it was a big field. She could choose any type of job and have a stable, even big, income.
  
  Austin had seen the look on her face when she came out of her ship. Immediately, he'd asked her if she was ok, but she'd snapped at him. She apologized a second later, saying that everything was fine. Austin didn't look convinced whatsoever, but he seemed to drop it for her sake, knowing she didn't want to talk about it.
  
  But all day, things nagged at her mind. Like how the letter got there in the first place. She hadn't seen anyone she'd recognize from the estate. She would recognize any of her father's employees in a heartbeat. They were all extraordinary creatures, both the aliens and humans. The alien members of his team of course stuck out, but she would still be able to recognize any of the human figures he employed as well. Like, she'd recognize her childhood babysitter in an instant, who stayed employed even though she was eighteen now. He wasn't so much a babysitter as he was a nanny and servant for her parents' sometimes unruly child. His name had been Brudd and he'd been a bull-like alien. Furred yet protected by natural chitinous plating in some areas like a furry armadillo. In fact, during her time in Australia, Austin and her had found a bilby hopping around, to which they brought back to show to Brudd, the both of them agreeing that he looked like all three animals combined. His plating was why he usually never wore armor of any kind, and why as a child Courtney had found the multitude of nicks in his natural armor fascinating. She'd trace a finger along one of them as he carried her to bed when she was a small child, asking how he'd gotten it. Brudd said it was a story for another time, not wanting to tell her of the other work he did for the family, crushing anyone who wished to do harm to the Kess family. He'd been a bodyguard for her parents, before they assigned him to basically become Courtney's nanny. She'd heard servants talking about how the job must be such a chore to him, but Brudd acted like he loved his young charge, and the little Australian boy she started bringing around with her.
  
  Her and Austin got up to a lot of trouble with Brudd. Climbing up the stubby spikes that sprouted from his armor plating on his back. When they'd been really small, they could fit into the moose-like horns sprouting from the top of his head. They'd been sad when they'd gotten too big and heavy for them to support their weight. She'd be able to recognize Brudd by any part of his appearance, same for the others. She was in the same place everyday, recognizing the faces and features of those around her. It didn't seem like something a spoiled little princess would be smart enough to do, but keeping an eye on the people and happenings around the estate was the only pleasure she'd gotten when Austin wasn't around and Brudd was busy with a nasty job her parents had assigned him. She just noticed the little things like that. Had an eye for it.
  
  But she hadn't seen anyone she recognized last night, and she'd seen no one going to her ship but herself. Which made it possible that the note was deposited there before the students even arrived, or maybe her parents had just hired an outside agency to do it. Seemed a little extreme for one vague letter, but that was her parents. The Kess Foundation was a huge conglomerate with assets in every market you could imagine, and branches in a lot of different countries. Even with that hit they took years before, thanks to their own daughter selling them out no less, they would have the money and means to outsource such a job, and it was just like them to not care how excessive it was just to get their point across. Or maybe it was as simple as a new servant, a recent hire. Jobs that involved the Kess family were always a revolving door, unless her parents saw an extended use for you. Like Brudd, being their muscle, or their babysitter to entertain their daughter, who they deemed highly unimportant.
  
  She hadn't told Austin about this. Of course she hadn't. He was too worried about that damn appointment that she wasn't there for. She'd wanted to come, to provide comfort for him, but he'd said otherwise, quipping about how Gigi would be getting some practice in by being his comfort. But still, she'd known him for so long that she could see the signs of nervousness within him. She knew he didn't much like hospital settings, or medbays. They just reminded him too much of after the accident, and she wished she could be there to protect him from that. She knew he wasn't a child, and that he didn't need protecting, but she couldn't help the way she felt regarding it. She'd seen the way he'd become after the accident. She just didn't want to see him like that again.
  
  In truth, there was a selfish reason for her wanting to go. So that this exact situation wouldn't happen. That she wouldn't be staring at the damn letter trying to figure out what it meant, if there would be more, and if her parents would eventually send someone to bring her home. If she was there with Austin, she would be focusing on him and not the letter. Out of sight, out of mind, right? But, even if she was waiting for a text from Austin to tell her how it went, she still held a heavy focus on the letter, bitterness rising in her throat like bile.
  
  Her father didn't think she could make it in this world. In the world beyond Earth. She knew that was just code for him wanting her to come home, but the manipulation struck true. She very well could, she thought indignantly, and the sentiments just made her want to stay even more, to prove herself and get some form of recognition from her father, even though she knew it would not come. In truth, Courtney did show interest in these types of things. Ships, and space fights. She'd debate with Austin all the time about shows and if they really did space fights right. However, she was a girl. According to her parents, girls weren't supposed to like that stuff. They were supposed to act like proper ladies, which is why she modeled the Kess Foundation's clothing line, rather than the ships. And now, she resolved to prove them wrong. But the letter still stung, and she worried if any more would start popping up if she chose to stick with the path she'd chosen for herself.
  
• 
  Many things appeared strange to Jaxson about the academy. It was always so dry, the only liquid being the slippery oil that spilled into the ships. The ships themselves were so small from what he glimpsed of spaceships. The Captain's was huge, and more like a pirate ship in design than the usual spaceships. He'd never seen so many people around before, so diverse in appearance and culture, and he'd tried to stray to the edges of the group as they walked around during orientation. He'd been afraid if he was in the center of the students, that he'd get swallowed up by them like a wave swinging him down to the bottom of the water.
  
  There were surprising things, like the redhead picking a fight with the weapons specialist at the academy, and the sight of a small furry creature dashing in front of him. A monkey, he recalled. That same monkey came into vision when the blonde boy with metal for arms and legs came into the dorm room he'd been assigned. There were supposed to be three of them, and the first to arrive was a bug like alien. He'd tried for an uneasy conversation with her, but fumbled the ball hard, appearing awkward in his speech. Really, he was just trying to be polite. She was much smaller than him, and he didn't want to scare her off with his teeth. He did want to be friends with his teammates but since coming here he'd glimpsed people who were afraid of his predatory look. He didn't look like the type of person who would have his personality, anyways. So, he often struggled to make himself seem polite and proper, but that stifled the conversation as he berated himself in his head over something he'd said that in retrospect sounded dumb to his ears as soon as it left his mouth.
  
  But soon enough, the blonde boy with the monkey came strolling in. He was like the small beams of sunshine that sometimes hit the bottom of the ocean floor, in places where he could climb the rocks to see it. He came in with an instantly positive attitude and acted so sure of himself. He mesmerized Jax, and he wanted to be like him, where he was so sure of everything that came out of his mouth.
  
  He forced them into a get to know you game, but Jax didn't mind. This smaller group, him and two other people, was more digestible than the current of kids he'd had to walk with previously. Even on the Captain's ship, he wasn't used to be surrounding by that many people, and before that it had only been him and the fish that lived at the bottom of the ocean. Austin started off the game by introducing himself, and his monkey, and saying one thing about himself to start off. He decided to elect that he was from Australia, a country on Earth, but not this country. Which made Jaxson tell them that he was from the bottom of the ocean on an alien planet, and that he'd never gone to school before. He blushed blue when Austin offered to help him around the academy with anything he didn't understand, a low thank you escaping his lips, just as his teeth did upon peeking out more than he'd let them throughout his conversations with the two.
  
  Beds. Beds were still off to him. Another strange thing of the academy, he thought, as the three settled down into bed. He'd spent most of his life in the ocean, where he'd only ever lay on seaweed, sand, and the occasional rock. Even in the ship, the Captain had made sure he'd gotten a bed that fit his pleasure. It was a water mattress, filled with water from his home. He could even take the top off and sleep in the water if he wished to. It was just shallow enough so that he wouldn't immediately sink to the bottom, more like a very small kiddy pool. The Captain said that laying on the mattress would even help relax his muscles, so that maybe his tail wouldn't lock up while trying to swim. It had helped a little when he was practicing, but not much of a difference that he thought it was useful. Either way, he'd much rather have something that remotely resembled the feel of water than what felt like a rock to him. If it was possible, he'd like to see if the academy could make an accommodation like that for him. Or at least if they would let him buy a waterbed himself and switch it out. Plus, he was too tall to fit within it properly, anyways. They had to at least give him a bigger bed, because after he'd awoken, his back was heavy with cramps from having to curl inwards so that his legs and tail didn't dangle off the bed.
  
  He got up, stretching his limbs with a big yawn, flashing sharp teeth. A moment later he blushed as he looked around. But he remembered that the blonde boy, Austin, had awoken early with an alarm clock. It didn't even wake him up. He'd been twisting and turning all night, never really comfortable. So, he was either awake, or half-awake throughout the entire night, finding sleep for maybe half hour intervals before he awoke again to uncomfortableness. He just hoped June wasn't in the room to see, or that she was still sleeping.
  
  Jaxson got up and fished around for a leather jacket. Producing one out of his luggage, he wrapped it around his shoulders, feeling the comfort of something rippling on his back like the ever-present water of his childhood. They had a free day, but what did people do around here for fun? He didn't want to just sit around the dorm all day, so he decided to go on a little adventure trying to familiarize himself with the school's layout, maybe speak to administration about a new bed. He wanted to see if they had a pool as well, so that he could continue practicing his swimming while he was here. So, he ventured out of his dorm room and into the weaving, confusing halls of the school.
  
• 
  Isaac sat his desk in one of the classrooms, snoozing and thoroughly exhausted from his talk with Tommy. More like his yelling match. His throat felt dry, and after the conversation he'd stayed in the classroom to continue his work, though he couldn't stop thinking about the little troublemaker that was his son. He'd wanted to distract himself with work from what the situation had become about. Anna. Just the thought of her made his arms tremble. Her son had her fighting spirit alright. But he'd brought up some bad memories, leading Sandstorm to put his mask on and relive some more through photos.
  
  His mind came back to the waking world at a buzzing inside his head. When he'd opened his eyes, the picture of him standing next to Anna in a hospital bed was obscured by an alert of one of his contacts calling him. The photo hadn't been one of the bad ones of Anna in the hospital. Instead, it was one of the best days of his life, back when going to the hospital had been a joy. Because the call notification obscured the part of what was in Anna's arms. A fidgeting baby boy. Tommy, the day he was born. One of his happiest memories of all three of them together, before the topic of Anna led to a downward spiral between father and son.
  
  Cal was the one calling. He let it go for a few rings, still tired and getting back his energy. But he knew he couldn't just avoid him, even if he'd had a bad night. He hit the side of the mask, where it connected to his face like glasses, a motion which accepted the call. "Hey Sleepy, what's up?"
  
  Despite calling Cal Sleepy, he was the one who sounded like he needed a nap.
  

 

[Kumii]

Chapter II: A Dreadful Discovery

• Sylva Greenfield
• Cal
• June
• Michael Takemi

• Sylva GreenfieldLocation: About 15 miles outside of Earth's atmosphere, Space.
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Mood: Terrified/Frozen with Fear
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 6th, 3251.
  
  Spoiler: What's playing in the flying bit
  
  
  Sylva smiled at Raelyn's little nickname for her, "Wow, Syl? That's a new one." She giggled, "And you know me... I got excited!"
  
  Sylva looked around at the vastness of the void laid out before her, "I dunno..." Sylva slowly moved her throttle forward with her left hand, which caused the thruster flames to grow brighter and the ship to blast forward, "Let's open 'er up and see what she can do!" Sylva used the joystick on her right hand to steer the ship. Sylva took her left hand off the throttle and flipped a few switches, which engaged the rear facing thrusters and disengaged the stabilizing thrusters and began slowing the ship but at the same time, Sylva yanked the flight stick and throttle, shutting off the thrusters and the ship began to flip around on the spot, "Woohooo!" As the ship made its 180 degree turn, Sylva flipped the same switches and pushed the throttle forward and the engines fired up again, yanking the ship forward and headed back towards Rae and Tommy, coming to a stop near them. Sylva had a big smile on her face, "I've seen my big brother do that move plenty of times... that was... exhilarating." Sylva turned her ship around to face away from Rae and Tommy, "Come on, let's go. We can just stretch our legs."
  
  As she finished the sentence, she went to push her throttle forward to fly forward but nothing happened. In fact, all of her electronics were down, Raelyn and Tommy would find that the same thing happened to their ships. They were all dead in the water. It wasn't long before something decloaked in front of them, specifically right in front of Sylva. The thing was huge, easily 3 times the size of Sylva's own ship. It looked more alien then ship. The head looked like a flower and it had maybe 20 tentacle-like arms, two of which swung around and placed themselves on either side of Sylva's ship. Her ship rocked as they landed on her ship, the head of the alien ship seemed to pulse with a green color as if it was talking to something. Sylva herself looked terrified, frozen with fear as the alien thing fondled her ship.
  
  The alien then seemed to let go of her ship then started to make a turn to get away, revealing the many more tentacle-like appendages that followed it as it turned and flew away, re-cloaking itself and vanishing. As soon as it vanished, Raelyn's, Tommy's and Sylva's ships all began their reboot process to restore the power to their systems. Once Sylva's ship regained power, it just floated there, Sylva was still frozen with terror at what had just happened to her.
  
• 
  Cal WymanLocation: Repurposed Hangar
  Interactions: AlphaBlueWolf
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 6th, 3251.
  Cal perked his head up as Isaac answered, "Hey Isaac, I need to call in that favor I asked you yesterday. Things are... they've escalated already." Cal paced outside the door to the band room, "I'm in the converted Hangar room. Meet me there? Thanks."
  
  Cal hung up the call and knocked on the door, "Lucy..? Open up please." There was no answer, "Lucy please, let me in. We can talk it out." Lucy opened the door, "Fine but she started it..." Cal entered the room and saw what she meant, Evelyn had torn up some sheet music. Cal looked at Evelyn, "Oh Ev, what happened?" Evelyn turned away, refusing to speak, "Alright, I have someone coming over, let's wait for him to get here then we can talk it out, okay?" There wasn't an answer from anyone, not even Matthews.
  
• 
  JuneLocation: Academy Halls
  Interactions: Open to Interaction
  Current Weather: None
  Current Time: August 6th, 3251.
  June's antennae twitched subtly as she walked through the halls of the academy. She had left her dorm room at about 6am this morning after yesterday, she committed herself to just checking out the academy and getting a feel for where everything is. Her antennae twitching were creating a map of her surroundings, every air disturbance, breath and footstep got mapped in her mind to create a scarily accurate map of the halls, doors and people that populated the halls. Of course only she could see this map.
  
  June looked around at all the students, avoiding students she couldn't see and navigating her way through the halls without paying much attention to the layout of the halls, letting her antennae navigate herself
  
• 
  Michael TakemiLocation: Dorm Room
  Interactions: Open to Interaction
  Current Weather: None
  Current Mood: Calmed/Gentle
  Current Time: August 6th, 3251.
  Michael scoffed at Courtney's Admiral comment and unpacked his stuff before going to bed.
  
  Michael had woken up the next day to a sleeping Courtney and Tobi. He looked briefly at them both, contemplating whether or not he should wake them but it was quite early and he decided not to. He silently grabbed his gloves and attire and slipped it on before heading off to the gym. Once he got there, he began by punching a punching bag. Each hit was a satisfying crack of the bag, "'Princey' she said." Michael muttered as he punched the bag with a right hook. Michael stopped punching the bag and took a deep breath, "Whatever." Michael punched it one last time before grabbing his coat and slinging it over his shoulder and heading back to his dorm room.
  
  Michael entered the room and went straight to the wardrobe to grab a new shirt and coat, he put the shirt and coat on before noticing something that felt like paper in one of the pockets, "Mother must've brought this coat yesterday." He pulled it out and it was a letter. He opened it and read it;
  
  Michael,
  
  I've had a few coats pressed and brought to your room. I'm glad you're here, really, it's hard juggling seeing you and being the Headmaster of an Academy.
  
  Michael scoffed, "Glad to see me? Sure. Not like you really gave me any choice, mother." Nonetheless, he read on;
  
  I won't hound you much while you're here, so just do your best. I want you to succeed though, so if I see you failing, I will help you, whether you want me to or not. I love you, son.
  
  Your Mother,
  The Admiral aka Mara Takemi
  
  Michael sighed, "I'm not a child anymore, mother. You raised me better then to fail." He muttered to himself to comment on the letter.
  

 

[SharkBark]

• Joo Mi-yeon
• Pierce Eisenhower
• Tobias Garrison

• 
  
  "So, you've heard of something like this before?" Joo asked, her eyes widening in anticipation.She was talking to yet another doctor stationed in the medical bay, and to her surprise, he said her father's condition sounds familiar. The doctor was a man with short brown hair wearing a classic lab coat. He had a calming face with a stubble beard and dull brown eyes. His voice was gentle as he spoke, and he had an air of intelligence about him. He spoke to Joo while swiping through a patient's body map.
  
  "Yes," he began. "There were a lot of diseases that caused fatigue. Like cases where the body wasn't getting enough oxygen due to a lack of healthy red blood cells, which indicated anemia. Or could've been fibromyalgia, a sleeping disorder, hypothyroidism, maybe even adrenal insufficiency."
  
  "Wait," Joo said. "Why are you speaking in past tense?"
  
  "Because all of those diseases were cured decades ago. Many of them were. It'd be impossible for it to be an illness. Nowadays, we rarely get any patients with disease-related issues. It's just injuries. Especially injuries coming from fighter pilots."
  
  Joo's eyes reverted to their usual position as she sighed in disappointment. All fatigue-inducing diseases were already cured? There's no way. Joo's family had taken her father to a plethora of high-ranking doctors and all of them diagnosed it as a disease, but one they couldn't determine. But if all were cured, then what could it be?
  
  Finally looking at Joo, the doctor noticed her expression of despondency and spoke up again. "I'm sorry that I couldn't be of any good help."
  
  "No, no," Joo reassured, her voice still holding some bitterness to it. "It's alright. Thank you for trying though."
  
  "No problem. Hey, if you ever need any more information, feel free to come back and I'll provide what I can. And if you get any clues that could relate to the sickness you're so worried about, definitely come to any of us doctors and let us know. That way, we can begin looking into it. But if you need me specifically, ask for Dr. Pittman. Peter Pittman."
  
  Joo gave a grateful smile. "Thank you, Dr. Pittman."
  
  Peter glued his eyes back to the body map and continued to examine it, getting caught up in his work again. Joo walked away from his station and returned to the center of the bay, searching for another doctor to talk to. Even though it seemed futile. She had spoken to about 13 of them already, and each one of them had no idea what it was. Joo sighed and looked around for anyone else who might be able to help her. She felt a sense of desperation growing inside her, but she knew she had to keep searching. She had to find the answers she was looking for. After all, there was no one else to do it for her. The rest of her family had completely given up on her father by now, despite all of the times they lied saying still cared. Cared, her ass. Joo can't even remember the last time anyone had called to check up on him, or even come to visit at that. Now they were all quiet. But if he was to die, Joo was certain those greedy bastards would all be at the reading of his will to see if he left them anything, crocodile tears and all. So, the entire burden was on her shoulders now, forcing her between two choices. Either continue to search rigorously for a cure for her father or leave him to rot, just as the others had done.
  
  As Joo was walking towards a doctor, something scurried up her body and settled on her shoulder.
  
  Then upon inspection, and slightly flinching as she felt fur against her neck, she glanced over to see a familiar face close to hers. There, was Gigi. The service animal for the new friend she had made the day before. And almost at that exact time, Joo heard someone call out to her. When she turned to look, she saw that it was coming from Austin, the guy in discussion. When she realized it was the two of them, Joo's smile lit up and a smile appeared.
  
  "Austin?" she replied, giggling as Gigi's fur continue to tickle her. "And hello to you as well, Gigi!"
  
  Joo strode over to where Austin was, which was an office, possibly for an appointment, bringing Gigi back to him on her shoulder. Then, she turned sideways so that he could grab her.
  
  "You're like, really, really bad at keeping her from crawling up people, you know that?" Joo joked with a giggle.
  
  
• 
  "We already got our ships?" Pierce responded to Lance. "Thought we'd have to wait until like, at least a month or somethin'. The academy must be real trusting of their students to already give 'em their spacecrafts after just one day. Me, I'd be a lot more cautious. I mean, we don't even fully know everyone yet." Pierce faked a shudder. "Just imagine the things Gut Punch would do!"
  
  He looked up at their ship. This was the ship he and Lance discussed yesterday. Lance was complaining about it, but it seemed to still be in good condition. Pierce couldn't help but smile. Even though he found it weird that they were already allowed to fly, he wasn't mad about it. Nothing could make flying a spacecraft boring for him. He was excited to fly off into the atmosphere and beyond.
  
  "Regardless, I'm ready to hop in this baby." Pierce grinned. "I got dibs on flying."
  
• 
  
  "If I had to rate my first day, I'd give it a solid 10." Tobias Garrison said, on a video call with his two younger brothers, Marcus and Malik. He lay comfortably on the top level of a bunk bed with snacks and food around him. In fact, his bunk was littered with items. He had taken off his coat and hung it on the bed rail, had a few water bottles cluttering the bottom of his bed, and had some comic books by his side. He had heard it was a free day, so Tobias chose to relax throughout it. He had a bag of potato chips sitting on his chest and held his phone slightly above his head to see his siblings on the screen.
  
  "Uh, lemme try to remember. Oh! We flew here in some cool ass ship, met our even cooler instructors, and yo, here's the crazy part." Malik and Marcus eased toward their screen. "Some dude punched a teacher in her stomach."
  
  "What?!" the brothers exclaimed in unison, giggling in excitement.
  
  "Yes, bro! I'm ain't even lying! I put that on everything. I was in the back, so I didn't hear their conversation. But I hear a thud, peek over, and his fist is embedded in her gut. Shit was crazy."
  
  Faintly in the background on his brothers' side of the call, Tobias's mother called out, "Language!"
  
  "My bad, ma'." Tobi sighed. "Anyway, this place is already interesting after just one day."
  
  "Where are you right now?" Marcus asked.
  
  "In my dorm room. It's just me right now since my roommates left. We got a free day today to check out the academy and all that, so they headed out. I'm just chillin' in here though. Only time I stepped out was to pee."
  
  "Well, how are your roomies?" Malik asked this time.
  
  "Uhh...to be honest, I don't know much about them yet. They didn't talk much last night. It's just me, this girl, and another guy. It was pretty quiet the entire time. And, Oh!" Tobias put on an "Are you serious?" face. "Tell me why these two are dressed hella sophisticated for NO apparent reason. The dude was wearing a whole-ass military uniform, and the girl a fancy dress. Like dawg, we are here to fly through space, not to attend a ball or something."
  
  Tobias glanced at the time in the upper right corner of his screen. He had been on the phone with his brothers for 40 minutes, which wasn't necessarily a negative thing, but he realized it was about time to wrap things up. Tobi had been playing a game before the call and was eager to get back to it.
  
  "Aight, you two." he started. "Go help Mom clean the house now. And put your clothes in the laundry. I can smell Malik's dirty ass socks through the screen. Gonna make me start gagging." Marcus involuntarily guffawed at the sudden remark and got a bizarre-looking glare from Malik, which only made him laugh even harder. "Love you two. Stay safe, and you better be getting good grades. And tell Dad and Mom I said hi. See you."
  
  After bidding farewell to his brothers over the phone, Tobias felt a twinge of homesickness. Which was weird, considering it had only been a day. So, he decided to distract himself by playing a first-person shooter game on his phone, joining the queue for another match. Just then, one of his roommates entered the dorm room. Tobias sat up to see the military uniform-clad guy, who was now slightly sweaty and had his coat slung over his shoulder. Strands of his hair were glued to his forehead and a look of exhaustion was on his face. Tobi couldn't help but wonder what he was up to, but before he could ask, the ping from his game indicated that he was joining a lobby. So he suppressed his curiosity.
  
  While playing his game, Tobias heard someone speaking. Although he couldn't understand what was being said, he assumed someone in his squad with a mic was talking. However, when he looked near their usernames, he didn't see the speaker icon near any of them. Which meant that the voice was coming from someone else. What the hell...?
  
  Tobias sat up and looked around the room, thinking that someone else was in here now. But instead, he found that it was still just Michael here with him, who was standing in front of the wardrobe. By himself. With no one else. Wait, is he...? Tobias laughed to himself and shook his head.
  
  "Yo, roomie," he called out, still grinning. "You talking to yourself over there?"