Defender of the Empire: Cadet #1 (3 page)

Orbiting
the planet was the Imperium Space Station. It reminded me of a spindle surrounded by several layered rings. The whole structure spun like a dancer pirouetting gracefully. The
Hail Mary
slid into one of the outer docking rings. I only knew we docked for two reasons, the first was I saw it. The second was the cessation of the engine hum. The engine hadn’t been loud, in fact I hadn’t noticed it until it stopped.

The beautiful jewel like capital world and
the station were both unlike anything I had ever seen before. Lenti had never had those jewel tones that Prima Imperium had in abundance. It had been more earthen tones; browns, reds, and greens, its waters gray. The world outside my window had purple oceans! I was dazzled.

             
“Hey, Rylynn! Let’s go.” A sharp voice dragged my focus from the sparkling planet to the ensign who had led me to my quarters. His name was Westley Trin. Westley was six or so years my senior and didn’t seem to appreciate having to ‘babysit’ the colonist. It was also clear that he didn’t think that I should be allowed in the Academy. A good thing I had observed about his character was his ambition. He wanted to advance in rank and to do that he had have the good will of his captain. Getting that good will implied following orders. So I was fairly certain that he would guide me through the maze that was the Imperium Space Station.

             
At first the only problem I ran into was keeping up with the man. It seemed to me that the Universe delighted in making me short and everyone else tall for some reason. I mused about it as I scurried after him. It was ironic that the very height I cursed also served to be a boon in that he was taller than most of the other people bustling about. Talk about the Universe’s strange sense of humor. I was able to keep tabs on him while dodging around people. He was lucky and had on a Legion Fleet uniform. People saw it and parted around him like stone before white Telmick steel. Effortlessly. I didn’t quite have that luxury.

             
We came to a main intersection between the outer ring and the corridor that led to the central part of the station. Westley came to a halt and turned to wait for me. Finally. His arms were crossed. His good looking features were arranged in annoyance. I frowned at him. “What? Never had to crowd weave before?” I asked, panting slightly once I caught up with him. “But then, I guess you probably wouldn’t have. Especially not with the uniform. It performs wonders in that department.” I observed.

             
He narrowed his eyes at me before looking about the crowd. “Look, I have a lot to do before we head out again. So instead of walking you to the Academy Branch I’ll let you find your own way.” So much for my assumptions.

             
“But the captain…” I began but he waved me silent.

“
I don’t give a damn. Your kind do not belong in the Academy.”

“
A colonist, I assume?” Was it starting already?

“Yes. And a coward.”
He added darkly.

It was my turn to narrow my eyes at him. Instead of looking at the crowd,
I tilted my head and opened my mouth. “I wonder what you would have done if you had nine foot tall, gray skinned giant mercenary bandits with chromatic swords half their height and lazar guns hunting you. Not only are they hunting
for
you, but they know you are in the area. Compound that by adding in others who, like you, are just trying to escape with their lives. Would you have gotten down like you were ordered and let the enemy capture everyone in your group? Or would you have done what you could to lead the enemy away so that the others would have a better chance of making it out?” My dear companion could only stare at me and blink. I tilted my head the other way. I forced myself to keep the simmering satisfaction from my tone as I continued. “Now, I understand you are busy. I get it. I wouldn’t want to babysit me either. I also know that you think I am a worthless piece of space garbage. Fine. You are free to have your own opinions. But how about you let the Academy Board of Admissions decide my worth on their own? Tell me how to find the Academy Branch.”

Westley stared at me for a moment more before glancing awa
y. After clearing his throat Westley gave me amazingly clear directions. Of course, that was after he offered to actually escort me there. I turned him down. He had his chance and I was tired of his judgmental attitude. I had gotten enough of it from Valencia and others. I repeated the instructions he gave me to make sure that I had heard them correctly. He nodded and I left him staring after me there in the crowded intersection.

The Academy Branch, of course, was in the
innermost ring of the station. It would have been far too convenient if they had had it in one of the outer rings. I sighed and concentrated on weaving through the crowd. That and not stumbling when I saw a different species. After a while my mind numbed at seeing so many people and species in one place. There were plenty of humans, but there were also many Hivens (who look like wingless flies if you ask me), and petite fluttering Avrens. The last flew in the upper corridor so none of the rest of us would step on their long iridescent feathers. I kept glancing up at them, fascinated by the pulsing beat of their four wings. Once I almost stepped on a furry tail belonging to one of the Leopard Kin. That would have been an eviscerating experience, I am sure. From then on, I kept my eyes busy at finding a path through the crush.

The directions Westley had given me were easy
. All I had had to do was to follow the corridor until I found Ring One. Then all I had to do was find corridor C, turn right and walk past the Moon Café. Fifty feet beyond that, near the transport rentals was the Academy Branch on the left side of the corridor. Of course, at Ring Two, these wonderful directions became worthless.

Trust construction to confuse everything and make life a little more interesting. At the time, I just hadn’t known
how
interesting my life would become. Sighing I decided to take corridor C of the second ring. My hope was to meet up with another ring connecting passage and continue on to Ring One. Once there I would figure out just how far I needed to back track to find the Academy Branch. It was a solid plan and it was my only option.

The only problem was, it got a little creepy. The constant crowd began to lessen till I was the only one. At the time, most of my thoughts were occupied with how I could convince the Admissions Board to let me join the Academy. I had no idea how much pull Captain W
ingstar’s recommendation would have on their decision. So I began to rehearse possible pleas or arguments to bring before them that could possibly sway them decide in my favor.
A trial and my only crime is the one of my birth.
I thought with morbid humor.

Suddenly I heard a woman’s
cry for help.

Chapter 3
the Inadvertent Witness

             
I froze for a moment wondering at the odds that something like this would happen to me while on a Prime Planet’s space station. Not just any station, either. This was the
Imperial
Station. A colonist like me would surely be blamed. But even so I had to do what I could for the woman. I ran toward the cries. As I ran I could hear the sounds that hinted of a scuffle and the low taunting laughs of guys in a gang. I grimaced. Back on Lenti I had heard similar sounds all the time. Up ahead, I could see a bend in the corridor. I slowed down and hung close to the wall. Eventually I saw an old woman on the ground pleading with a group of young men. They were digging through her bag, littering the floor with the odds and ends of a traveler. Each of the men had tattoos on every inch of skin that I could see. It made them look like walking comic books. The shortest of the gang turned a sneer on the sobbing old woman.

             
“Your credits, ma’am. Know you ‘ave to ave a few.”

             
“Please. You have taken everything I ‘ave.” The woman sobbed weakly.

             
The thug shook his head and balled his hand into a fist. “I don’t think so.”

             
Narrowing my eyes at him I decided that he and his gang were going to pay. Honestly, who other than the scum of society harmed the elderly? I mean, really? I glanced around for a weapon and smiled when I saw a crowbar near a stall under construction on the other side of the hall. I just needed to get over there. Weapon, check. I glanced back at the old woman. Now I just needed to distract them from her.

             
Well, here it goes
. I thought taking a breath.

             
“So, who is your tattoo artist?” I asked coming out from my vantage point. At the sound of my voice they all turned to me. I kept my pace to a leisurely stroll, walking around them toward the construction section. I shrugged when they just blinked at me. “I was just curious because I want to know if he did you guys up like comic books on purpose. He must have had a laugh at your expense.”

             
“They make us look tough.” The guy holding the old woman’s bag said.

             
“Is that your opinion? Or what you were told to say when you were asked?” I inquired smiling patronizingly at him.

             
“Look girly, none of this is your business. But if you keep flappen your jaws like dat we will just have to include you.” The short leader said. I decided to call him Shorty L. The others smiled.

             
I rolled my eyes and continued walking toward the crowbar that was looking more useful by the second. The old woman shrank down upon herself to avoid attention. Pretty soon here she would have the opportunity to get away before things got nasty. I had a moment of worry, what if she couldn’t walk? I mentally shook my head.
Then I’ll just have to keep the fight far from her.
I glanced at the construction site thoughtfully. Perhaps there was an alarm in there that I could trigger that would send the thugs running and get help for the old woman if things went south fast. Keeping my thoughts to myself, I continued my taunting. “Pleease.” I said. “Your ‘business’ interests are amateur at best. I knew some
real
gangs and they would be embarrassed to be caught dead within ten light-years of your ‘business.” I reached the construction site and faced them. The crowbar was three feet behind me and to my left. I eyed the leader with a smirk “They also wouldn’t look like walking comic books.” The leader’s face grew redder with every word I said. My eyes widened dramatically. “Oooh! Looky dere! They even come in a single color! How fascinating!”

             
The Comic Book gang had completely lost interest in the old woman. I love it when a plan comes together. They dropped her bag and kicked her belongings out of their way as they came towards me. “Something I said?” I asked innocently as they came closer.

             
“Scrag, hold her!” Shorty L snarled. “I want to beat some respect into her.”

             
“Can I play with her?” Scrag (or Scrap which I think sounds more appropriate) asked with a leer.

             
“We all will, but first I want to beat her into submission.” I think they were trying for terrifying or disgusting. All I got was pathetic… and more ammunition.

             
I raised my eyebrow and started to move slowly backward. “I shudder in absolute disgust. You guys get off on raping girls of thirteen cycles? That’s just sad.” I snorted “Probably the only action you lot get, though eh?”

             
That was the last straw. Scrap lunged at me with a roar that was more obnoxious than anything else. I skipped backwards and lunged for the crowbar. I felt the breeze of Scrap missing me. The crash of him stumbling over the knee high bundle of bricks thundered in the hall. I rolled and snatched up the crowbar. I swept the bar in a low arc that toppled the next thug. I regained my feet as he lost his.

             
I danced away from the downed thugs. I took tally of my opponents. Two of them were down. The last three couldn’t stop glancing between their groaning companions and me. I could only imagine what was going through their minds. Both big men were taken down by a thirteen cycle old girl. And may I remind you, a girl holding a lovely crowbar. I think I might call it Bertha. The leader was gaping like a fish out of water.

             
“What? You just gonna stand there like a bunch of dead fish?” I asked. Shorty L glared at me, so I continued. “Now you have a decision to make. You could send your last two guys at me and then you will have no one else to send.” I said. “Only plus of that is that you could run without them seeing you. Or you could just come at me yourself, which would make it the last two who will just run.” I paused to let them think about it for a moment. “Or,” I began, “you could just leave with your friends and make up a beautiful story about how you had survived a skirmish with three Telmicks or something.” It took them a moment but the three thugs gathered their buddies and ran away.

             
I waited a single moment before dropping the crowbar and rushing to the old woman’s side. “Are you okay ma’am?”

             
Her intelligent bright blue eyes looked from me to the retreating thugs. She returned to me and smiled in gratitude. “I thank ye, lass. Help me up?” She asked holding out a withered, bony hand. I grasped it with one hand and began to pull her up. My other arm was offered as a support. “Where did ye learn to move like that?” She asked me once she was upright.