by MK Clark
“Now, one of you muskrats was caught earlier today trying to desert; he will report to me immediately. The rest of you are dismissed.”
Don winced at the words clearly meant for him. It was a pretty broad interpretation of the actual events, sure, but there was no point in arguing. He stood still as the boys began to leave. Sergeant Cohan’s eyes found his unmoving body immediately.
Tyson gave him a look of sympathy as he passed, and Don shrugged as if it didn’t matter. Tony stopped beside him, looking determined. Don glared at him and whispered, “Get out of here.”
Tony shook his head. “We all know you weren’t deserting. I know how much you wanted to get here; I can help you.”
Don didn’t have a chance to reply. The other boys had already left, and the sergeant had locked on to Tony. “What are you still doing here, trainee?”
Tony straightened his shoulders, and Don wanted to clap a hand over his mouth. He didn’t need his friend getting in trouble for him. “Sergeant, Don wasn’t trying to —”
“I didn’t ask what he was doing. I asked what you were doing.”
For the briefest moment, Tony hesitated. Don wasn’t sure if his friend had lost his courage or just wasn’t sure what to say. Either way, it didn’t last. “I want to explain what happened because I don’t think you’ll believe him,” Tony said. The sergeant raised an eyebrow, then glanced at Don, who kept his face blank.
“Well, trainee, you have the loyalty part down, I’ll give you that. However, I dismissed everyone but this boy, and I meant it. If the boy tells the truth, he will be believed. Do not ever accuse an instructor of being unjust again. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.” Tony’s chin jutted out stubbornly when he answered, but he left when the sergeant dismissed him. Don was relieved to see that he wasn’t going to tempt fate any longer. It was a miracle the sergeant had stayed civil this long.
With his friend gone, Don looked up at the sergeant. The man was watching him silently. “You will accompany me to the commander’s quarters,” the sergeant stated, and then turned and began to walk away. Don followed, apprehensive about what the commander would do to him.
The trek across the grounds was a short one. Sergeant Cohan led him to a small building. A mountain rose up behind, it with an odd crater in the side. The crater was bare of all growth. It was a relic of the Third World War and a stark reminder of why the nations of Earth had finally agreed to come under the rule of the Council.
Don followed the sergeant into the small building. Cold air washed over him, and he closed his eyes for a moment to appreciate the sensation. His enjoyment was short-lived, as Sergeant Cohan wasted no time in moving through the building. Don caught up just as the sergeant opened the door to an office. Sitting opposite them at an old, wooden desk was a grizzled officer. His face was scarred, and one of his eyelids was shut, even though the other eye looked directly at them.
“Commander, Robinson caught this boy trying to escape en route.”
Don twitched as the man told the commander his crime. It sounded worse every time he heard it.
The commander waved the man out, and Don heard the door shut behind him. He didn’t say anything to Don, just watched him. Don could see gray hair mixed in with the coarse blond, and wondered how long the man had been at the camp.
When the commander finally spoke, Don saw that no part of the right side of his face ever moved. “We do not discipline boys for trying to leave before they get here, although if you try it again, you will be caught and punished severely. The Council realizes that there will be a minority of its citizens who do not wish to receive training. However, the Council wishes to remind you that you are here not for military use, but to learn to protect your world, should it ever be attacked again. With this in mind, the Council asks that you apply yourself to learn everything you can during your stay here. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” Don replied, somewhat shocked. That was it? Not that he was complaining, but it seemed a little low-key. Perhaps Basic wasn’t going to be as difficult as the boys had thought.
“What’s your name, trainee?”
Don snapped out of his thoughts. “O’Hara, sir.”
The commander’s left eyebrow rose, and Don felt the blood drain from his face. He’d answered out of habit. For a split second, he’d forgotten the plan, but that was all it had taken. So much for Jeffery being the one to give them away. At this point, he could only hope Jeffery was already settled in at Commander’s School.
“Any relation to Major General O’Hara?”
Don sucked in a deep breath before replying. “He’s my father, sir.”
This time, there was clear surprise on the left side of the man’s face. Don waited silently. The man frowned and stared out his office window. The commander waited a long time before addressing Don again. When he did, Don thought he could see a look of accusation in the man’s left eye.
“Something tells me you weren’t trying to desert at the airport.”
“No, sir,” Don answered quietly.
“That same something tells me you shouldn’t be here.”
“No, sir.”
The man lifted a hand and traced the lines on his face absentmindedly. “What was your destination supposed to be?”
“Commander’s School, sir.”
“And was your coming here a mistake?”
Don was sure the commander already knew the answer, but he was also sure the commander wanted to hear from him.
Don stuck out his chin stubbornly before answering. “No, sir.” He wasn’t ashamed of what he had done, or sorry that he had done it. He stood by his decision and would do it again, given the chance.
“We do not have an extra boy enrolled here, so am I right in surmising that you switched with someone?”
“I switched places, sir,” Don replied.
The commander sighed and sat back in his chair. “You will remain with the group of boys that you arrived with until further notice. I don’t have anywhere else to stick you while I figure out what the hell is going on. While you are here, I expect you to apply yourself seriously to the curriculum. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Don answered. He’d have pointed out that he had no reason to cause trouble, since this was exactly where he wanted to be, but his mind was already running in a different direction. “Permission to speak, sir?”
“Granted.”
“What did you mean, sir, by while I figure out what to do with you?”
The commander gave him an incredulous look. “Trainee, you’re the son of Major General O’Hara. If he wants you at Commander’s School, then it’s going to happen. Did you really think there would be any other result?”
The commander’s forwardness left him speechless. Of course he’d hoped for something different. Why else would he have gone to this extent?
The man slid a personal hologram device across the desk to rest in front of him, Don had no doubt that the man would use it to notify the proper authorities of Don’s location. The commander continued speaking where he’d left off, as if what he was saying didn’t matter at all, but to Don, his words were everything. “Of course, the Council may decide it costs too much to send you back, even for your father, but I wouldn’t count on it. Now, give me your ident card.”
Don pulled out Jeffery’s card and slid it across the polished desk. The man studied it for a moment and then shifted his gaze to Don. “If you do succeed, remember this: Commander’s School is not for the weak. That is why students like you are selected after rigorous testing.” The commander paused, then continued, “Who knows what that boy is made of?”
Don thought of Jeffery’s young face, and his heart sank. He had decided not to feel guilty about the other boy’s fate, but part of him couldn’t help it. If the school really was as hard as the commander made it sound, Don was sure Jeffery wouldn’t make it there.
“I see that you understand the situation. You are dismissed, trainee.”
&nb
sp; Don saluted. “Yes sir.”
“Oh, and O’Hara.”
Don paused at the commander’s words.
“Just what were you doing at the airport?”
Don blinked. Had he heard that correctly? “I’d never seen the sun before, sir.” It was a weak attempt to explain his actions, but it was the truth. He thought he saw the corner of the man’s mouth twitch, but the commander waved him away before he could be sure.
“So are you going to tell us what he’s like or not?”
“He, who?” Don didn’t look at Tyson. He continued to put the shirt of his dress uniform on a hanger.
Tyson rolled his eyes at Don’s answer and flopped down on the bunk beside Don's and Tony’s. Tyson, who’d been suspicious of Don since the shuttle, had managed to corner Tony and squeeze Don’s true identity out of him. The fact that he accepted it without batting an eye won him instant friend status.
“Come on. You know, the big man, the top dog.”
“Oh,” said Don casually, because he knew it would annoy Tyson. “You mean the commander. Well, I guess he’s okay. He’s nothing pretty to look at, but he seems to know his job.” Don shrugged. “Then again, that’s just my opinion.”
Tyson gave an exaggerated sigh and lay back on the bed.
“What’ll you do now, Don?” Tony asked from where he leaned against the locker.
Don shrugged. He put the hanger holding his shirt on the locker rack. “I dunno. Stay here, I guess. Hope for the best. What else can I do? It’s not like I’m going to run away. I don’t want to give them a reason to throw me out.” Pants followed the shirt into the locker. He turned toward the two of them. Tyson looked bored, Tony concerned. “It’s out of my hands, so there’s no use worrying about it.” Don shut the locker door.
Tyson perked up at the noise. He jumped off the bed and flung an arm around each of their shoulders. “Come, my spacelings. I shall show you the wonders of this world called Earth. Ask me all your questions, and I shall feed your deprived minds.”
Don looked at Tony, who gave him a look of mock despair. Don laughed and ducked out from under Tyson’s arm. “Spacelings? You’re one to talk!”
“I’ll have you know I’ve been to Earth at least three times in my life, maybe four.”
“And I suppose that makes you an absolute expert on the ways of the world?” Tony asked.
He received an astonished look from Tyson. “Very good, my young apprentice! You are learning well.”
Tony shook his head in disbelief and then turned to Don and said seriously, “I think we’d be better off on our own!”
Tyson grinned. “Now, I wonder what would cause you to say something like that.” He began to steer Tony toward the door and glanced back at Don. “I’m a good guy to have around. Ask Don. Without me, who’d get you guys out of trouble?”
“Without you, who’d get us into it?” Tony replied.
“I haven’t gotten you into any trouble!”
“Yet,” Tony muttered, and Don grinned. No matter how long or short his stay was, he could already tell it would be the best time of his life.
Chapter 3.5
July 6, 625 T.A
“How could you let him get away with this?”
“There was nothing I could do. He was under your jurisdiction when this fiasco started. I warned you from the start he would not go to that school willingly.”
“Anyone with half a brain could see that, but he’s a child. He’s controllable.”
“He’s a teenager and quick on the uptake. Otherwise you wouldn’t have picked him. You should have assigned a Global Guard to him the moment he arrived.”
“Don’t tell me what I should have done.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Besides, he doesn’t need protection.”
“Protection wasn’t why I brought it up. If he’d had an escort, he wouldn’t have gotten away.”
“You were supposed to be his escort.”
“Only to the station. After he was checked in and had his ticket, I was forced to leave. I had a shuttle to catch. Everyone knew this.”
“There’s no use placing blame now. Unless you’d like to step up and take it, this is the last I want to hear of the whole situation. I want him on the next flight out.”
“Why do you need him?”
“I don’t.”
“Can’t you at least let him have this? It’s all he’s ever wanted. You can take him and corrupt him afterward. The knowledge he will gain from this experience will only help him later. He might even be more willing if you take him after this year.”
“That’s not my decision.”
“That’s bureaucratic dung, sir. You know as well as I that you make the final decision, no matter what they say.”
“You’re putting me in a tough situation.”
“I understand that, sir.”
“Just go.”
Chapter 4
July 7, 625 T.A.
Don clapped his hands over his ears as the room erupted in noise. He squinted through bleary eyes to see where the racket was coming from and groaned. The sergeant was walking up and down the aisle with a pot, hitting it to wake them up. Don sat up, hands still covering his ears protectively. One boy looked absolutely livid, rubbing his forehead as he sat on the floor.
Don slithered down to stand sleepily beside Tony. He could have sworn that he’d only been asleep for a few minutes. Tyson was the only boy in the room who looked like he’d gotten a good amount of rest, but Don could hear him mumbling something foul under his breath anyway.
“So it begins.” Tony whispered.
“Morning inspection is at o-five-thirty. You have ten minutes.”
Don blinked as the sergeant walked out. He tapped Tony on the shoulder. “Let’s get going. Ten minutes isn’t long.”
Tony nodded and yawned as Don crawled back up to his bunk to make the bed. He straightened the covers and jumped down when he was satisfied they were wrinkle-free. Tyson was already dressed in his camouflage uniform and was starting on his own bunk.
Tony joined Don in front of the locker as he began to tie his boots. Don was painfully slow at it, but tried not to get discouraged as he once again ripped out a knot in the laces to start over.
“You’d better hurry up, mate.”
Don looked up and saw a sandy-haired boy looking at Tony. He was fully dressed, and the bed beside him, the one under Tyson’s, looked as if it had never been touched. Tony moaned something about not having enough time as he stuffed his legs into his pants, and Don stared at the boy. Tyson whistled from somewhere above Don.
The boy just shrugged. “My mum’s a right stickler for neatness.”
Tony’s whispered swearing brought Don out of his surprise. Tony was pulling a black boot off one of his feet: wrong foot.
Don finished tying his shoe as quickly as he could and stood up. It was hard to tell who was finished, since the boys kept checking what they had done, but it looked like half of them were dressed, with beds made. The other half still struggled with beds or clothes.
A collective groan sounded from the boys when the door to their dorm opened. The sergeant gave the room a once-over, but his face didn’t show any sign of what he thought. He’d seen this scene before. The man merely raised an eyebrow and looked at a few of the boys who weren’t quite as finished as the others.
“Didn’t I tell you cooperation would serve you well at Basic? You will all spend your study time learning the correct way to keep yourself and your possessions, until I see fit to allow you otherwise.”
Don sighed. That wasn’t too bad. He was a quick learner, so taking the study time away wouldn’t hurt him much.
“I will never tell you anything that will not be useful to you in one way or another,” the sergeant said. “When did I say that you would be present for inspection? Why are you dressed in uniform? If any of you had read the schedule, or asked a graduate yesterday, you would have known the first thing that we will be doing is a morning r
un. Not only would you be ready for it, but your fellow trainees would be, as well. Foresight will keep you prepared, and in the event of another Zarwean attack, it may just keep you alive. I want to see you ready to run on the parade grounds in five minutes.” The sergeant looked them over once more and left.
The room erupted in a flurry of movement. Tyson let out a stream of curses in what Don was sure was more than one language. The half-dressed boys had the advantage and were filing out of the room first. Don tore his boots off without untying them and stripped down. He threw his clothes back on the hangers he’d taken them off and pulled out the gym clothes he’d been assigned.
He ran down the stairs as fast as he could, right behind two others. Footsteps echoed all around them, ceasing only when they left the building. It was dark in front of the barracks. The horizon was a soft, hazy blue. Massive black shadows shot up into the early-morning sky, still twinkling with the odd, overly bright star. The moon hung low on the horizon, settled between two of the dark objects that Don realized were mountains.
“Now that we are all here,” said Sergeant Cohan, “we can begin your training. You are going to run there and back.” He turned and pointed to the top of what looked to be either a very large hill or a small mountain, rising up to Don’s left. “You have one hour. Do not stop for anything. I will be watching. Go.”
The order was so abrupt that, for a split second, none of the boys moved. Don turned haltingly and then felt a light shove from behind, accompanied by a quiet, “Move.” Don locked his eyes on the top of the hill and started running. He could hear the pounding steps of the boys behind him, chasing him.
The cool morning air burned in his lungs and woke him as it blew past his face. Don stretched his legs out as he ran. He could feel the muscles loosening till he could take longer and longer strides. He took a deep breath as he looked around, and smiled. He’d never had the simple pleasure of watching the world wake up right in front of him. It was beautiful and peaceful. It was easy to forget a war was raging all across the same galaxy. Already, space seemed like a distant place, but he didn’t miss it. The only good thing about it was the stars.
