“Why is that?” He looked behind. “By the way, what are you doing?”
She pressed a few buttons on the scanner. “The orders of the Old Council passed down the edict for Terra Prime long ago. As for what I’m doing, I’m checking to see if I can remove your bandages.” She finished her scans. “It looks like you’re fine now.” She started removing bandages. “Have you decided what position you’re going to train for?”
“Yes,” he answered.
Valis walked into the room. “Which one would that be?” she asked. Celi saluted and went over to the main computer again. Valis sat down next to him.
Brian pointed to the monitor next to his bed. “I researched a number of positions, but there’s one in particular I’m interested in. Since there’ve been no males for well over a century, I thought I would look into the ranks for men. I would like to take my place at your side Valis, as your Rakna Maigar.”
Valis looked him in the eye. “It’s said the Maigars were the best weapon masters of the Queendom. It’s also said they were the inspirational leaders of armies, as well as ships.” She paused, thinking. “You have the potential combat skills, but earning the title of Maigar is much more than just fighting. One needs qualities of leadership, as well as the ability to inspire using the sacred Cou don e Kali.”
He called up the records for Rakna Maigars on the screen. “I didn’t get much information on the Cou don e Kali. I could only find a little detail on the rank. What do I need to do to complete the Cou don e Kali?”
Valis recalled it from memory. “If I remember correctly, the Cou don e Kali consists of a series on songs played by the movement of the warrior’s blades, in addition to complex dance movements. Also, the Maigar must complete a song completely on his own, including the singing.”
“That sounds really difficult. Are you sure that’s what you want?” Celi asked.
“I know it’ll be difficult, and I’ve never performed for a crowd, but I really think this is the position I must go for,” he said.
“If you’re determined I won’t stop you,” Valis said. “Your training begins in ten days. We’ll have your quarters ready by then and I’ll assign an instructor to you.”
Chapter 15 – Integration
Brian woke up, still a confused by his surroundings. Looking over at the door he saw Seles talking with Celi. Outside the room was a pair of security officers holding pulse rifles.
“What’s going on?” he asked as he sat up. Seles walked over to him, holding a small bag.
“We’re here to escort you to your quarters,” Seles said. He looked at the bag she was holding. “I brought you some new clothes.”
“Thanks,” he said. He took out the clothes, a pair of brown leather-like pants and an off white silken shirt, cut off at the shoulders. “These look comfortable. It’s so hot in here I can’t stand the clothes I’m wearing anymore.”
Celi came over. “Those are traditional male Kalaidian clothes. We sized them to fit you perfectly, and they should conduct your body heat a lot better than your Terran clothes.”
“I’d be happy to put them on, but I need a little privacy,” he said.
Seles and Celi looked at each other.
“Why do you need privacy?” Seles asked.
Brian sighed and looked annoyed. “I don’t feel comfortable being naked around other people, let alone a group of alien women. On Earth, privacy is an important thing to a person.”
“I guess you won’t be using the public bath area?” Celi asked.
“Public bath?” he blushed at the thought. “No, I don’t think I’ll be going there.”
* * *
A few minutes later, Brian emerged from the medical lab and entered the main sickbay, where Seles, Celi, and the escort guards waited. He wore the clothes he was given and appeared relaxed. Everyone stared at him as he walked past them to the hallway. Brian and his escort walked the hallways as numerous crew members stopped to look at him. After a quick stint on an elevator, they came to the ambassador’s quarters. He was brought to a room with a larger than normal door. Celi and Seles stopped as the guards each took a position in front of door.
Celi opened the door and turned to him. “We’ve modified the atmosphere and temperatures to suit your tastes. Since you requested a private bath, it’ll take us a few more days to make it. Sorry about the delay.”
Inside, he saw one large room with a few small rooms on one side. Pictures from Kalaidia Prime were spread on the walls, mostly of oceans and mountains. At the far end sat a large bed with black coverings. He started searching the room and then checked the other rooms.
“I wish I could get quarters like this,” Seles said.
“Celi, can I access the main computer from here?” he asked.
Celi went the wall near the door and pressed a panel. A desk and monitor slid out of the wall. “For now you’re restricted to information available to ensigns,” Celi explained. “Other than that, you’re free to use the computer how you wish.” She went to the door. “Seles will show you the rest of the ship, alright?”
“Thanks Celi,” he said as she left. The door closed behind her, leaving him and Seles alone.
“I’m so jealous,” Seles said. “I have to share my quarters with Baed, and it’s less than half the size of this room.”
“It’s bigger than my room back home,” he said. “By the way, where can I get something to eat? I’m starving Seles.”
She took him by the hand. “I’ll show you mess hall, there’s a lot of good food there.”
* * *
Valis and Kivi observed the reaction of the crew to Brian from the tactical room via a video feed.
“It looks like they don’t fear him,” Kivi said.
“I wasn’t expecting them to. He has a calming demeanor about him,” Valis said.
“Are you sure about this Valis?
She turned to her first officer. “Yes,” she said as she gazed at the video. “We left the military five years ago because we believed change must occur. At this point we’re unable to evolve and our people will die out. He’s an infusion of change. It’s a gamble, but I believe it’s for the greater good. The people of Kalaidia deserve something better than a slow death.”
Kivi nodded before turning back to the video. “You’re right. I’d like to train him.”
Valis looked Kivi in the eye. “I didn’t think you liked him.”
Kivi shrugged. “I never said I don’t like him. All I want is for the officer right below my rank to have a clue on how to do their job.”
Valis tossed a data crystal to her. “That’s just like you Kivi. His training begins in ten days. Since we don’t have access to a Kalaidian military academy the HDC will have to suffice.”
“True,” Kivi said as she turned to leave. “By the way, what’s on this data crystal?”
“The truth behind his victories,” Valis answered.
* * *
Brian followed Seles’s lead into the mess hall with a pair of guards shadowing them. The mess hall was crowded, loud with the sound of conversation. He couldn’t help but notice each crew member stared at him, some more obvious than the others. He also noticed his presence killed a dozen conversations at the same time. When they went to the buffet area, he found many different kinds of vegetables, breads, and nuts he’d never seen before.
“What do you like?” Seles asked. She handed him a tray and began loading a few things onto hers.
“I’m not sure,” he scratched his head. “I guess I’ll take the shotgun approach.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“Basically, I’m going to try a bunch of different things, and hopefully I’ll find something I like.” He piled many different vegetables and nuts, as well as a few varieties of bread. Turning to Seles, he noticed the funny look on her face. He glanced at his plate and saw he had four times as much food as hers.
“I know it looks like a lot, but I’m bigger than you,” he said before trying to laug
h it off.
“Now I kind of feel bad, I didn‘t know you needed such large quantities of food,” Seles said. She looked for an open table and saw one in the back. “Brian, let’s go over there.”
They sat down to eat. He watched as the others ate to make sure there weren’t any strange meal customs. He turned to his food and tried a number of things. Some he liked and others he didn’t. When he finished his meal, Brian sat back and relaxed.
“Are you feeling better?” Seles asked.
Brian drank some water. “Yeah, I feel a lot better now.”
“I’m glad,” she said. “Do you want to stay here and relax?”
“Sure, I don’t have anything else to do right now.”
“How do you feel about the Avoni?” Seles asked.
“The temperature’s a hot and the humidity isn’t to my liking. But, as long as I can enjoy good food and the presence of this many pretty girls, I think I can manage.” A number of strange looks came from those at nearby tables.
“Which one of us is the prettiest Brian?” Mira asked as she appeared from nowhere. She wore a white dress with frills, along with a miniskirt.
He smiled. “You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
“Call me Mira,” she said, smiling. “Would it be alright if I sat with you?”
“Yes,” he said. Seles shot him a dirty look.
Mira slid next to Brian and took his hand. “Could you stay awhile longer? I know you haven’t had a chance to see one of my performances yet.”
“Performance?” he asked, looking to Seles.
“Mira’s a medical officer, but her main duty is to provide music and entertainment for the crew,” Seles explained. “She’s the best singer onboard, and we refer to her position as the Reiniere.”
Mira squeezed his hand to shift his attention. “I’ll be holding a concert in a little while, right here in the mess hall.”
“Will you be wearing that?” he asked, pointing to her dress.
Mira blushed. “Yes, a musician like me always dresses for the occasion.”
“I’d love to stay and see what this performance is all about Mira,” he said.
“Great!” Mira winked at him. “I’ve got something special planned for tonight.”
* * *
The room went dark shortly before Mira took her place on a small stage at the back of the mess hall. Brian watched as a number of the crew joined and observed how they sat and acted. Before taking a seat, each of them knelt in prayer for a few seconds and praised Kali. He turned to Seles and saw she did the same. When she finished she looked at Brian.
“It’s tradition to praise the goddess and the Reiniere before each concert,” she explained.
Kneeling in the dark, he praised the goddess and looked at Mira. He thought about what he’d read earlier. From what I’ve learned about Kalaidian philosophy, existence is a grand stage on which all beings are actors playing their roles. Music, theater, art, all these things are held in the highest esteem in their culture. To them, events like this are the same as attending church. I can see why a musical performance is thought of in such a way. Once everyone finished with prayers, Mira went to the center of the stage. She took her opening pose as beam of light shined down onto her. She smiled and waved to her crewmates.
“I’d like to thank everyone for attending this evening,” she said, pausing as the crowd applauded. She pointed in Brian’s direction. “I have something special ready for tonight in celebration with our new companion, Brian.” She paused as the crew applauded again. She looked at him. “Let’s enjoy our first evening together.”
Chapter 16 – Six Months in a Flash
As the next ten days passed for Brian, he explored more the Avoni and learned about the ship and its crew members. At night he studied heavily into the culture of the Kalaidian people. When he had extra time he wrote a journal on the computer. He enjoyed his time alone in his climate cooled room. On the eleventh day he woke up and dressed. The door buzzed.
“I’m here to bring you to the HDC,” Valis said.
“HDC?” he asked when he opened the door.
“Holographic display chamber,” she explained as they started walking. “We use it for training in numerous climates, as well as zero gravity training. After the basics, you’ll move onto weapons, shuttles, and navigation. The last things you’ll need to learn are tactical skills and command training.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier if you trained me on a planet?” he asked.
Valis smiled. “We’re taking extended leave on Dega Jul. That means we have a lot of time to spare, so don’t worry. Since we don’t have officer training instructors, we’ll teach you ourselves. I’ll train you later on tactical and command, but for now your teacher is Commander Kivi, my second in command.”
“I‘ve studied Commander Kivi. Not only is her size unusual, but she carries a rakna blade. Is she special in some way?”
“Yes, she is special. She’s been my second for almost seven years. As for the rakna blade, Kivi’s the best onboard in hand to hand combat situations. Also, Southlanders like herself have different beliefs when it comes to style and combat,” Valis said as they entered an elevator.
“Why do you call her a Southlander?”
“You’ve studied Kalaidia Prime, haven’t you?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Then you know our planet has two major continents, divided by a small sea. Southlanders like Kivi come from the southern continent, a harsh desert rather than the forests of the northern continent. Most Kalaidians would think it wrong for a woman to wear a rakna, but Southlanders don’t,” Valis explained.
“Aren’t you the same race?” he asked.
“Yes. But long ago, the nomads of the southern desert held very different beliefs than those of the north. It wasn’t until a thousand years ago the races were unified. But still, old beliefs like the ones Kivi holds onto don’t die easily. So I let her carry a rakna like she wants. She’s been that way since I met her ten years ago.”
“Valis, don’t you think I’m a bit young to jump to the third in command on your ship?”
“How old are you?”
“I’m twenty two years old, Earth time of course,” he answered.
She grinned. “That’s just the right age, if not a bit older for an officer of that rank. You see, a Kalaidian year is slightly shorter than Terra Prime’s, and your species is longer lived than mine. You may not believe it, but I’m only twenty six year’s old, Kalaidian time.”
He looked at her closely. “Are you saying you‘re not much older than I am?”
Valis waved her hand. “I was a prodigy in military strategy. I graduated the military academy at the age of fourteen. I earned the title of captain seven years ago, during the last war. Because of my aptitude in the star forces I was given command of the Avoni. Before we split with the main government this ship was to be the flag ship of the Kalaidian fleet.”
The elevator stopped and the door opened into another hallway. The lighting was darker, and air cooler. Valis led him into a large empty chamber, with tall ceilings and wide walls.
“This is the HDC. This will be your home for the next six months. I wish you luck, and hopefully I’ll see you in four months. But before I leave, I have something to return to you,” she said as she handed him a data crystal. “This was found in your pocket after the last battle. I was wondering how you came across such interesting military secrets?”
He stared into the crystal. “I fought their commander. With his dying breath he told me the Thunder predicted my appearance, and then he gave me the crystal.”
“He really said that?” Valis asked.
“Yes.”
“I trust you to do the right thing with the schematics on the crystal Brian. If there’s anything you need help with, call out for me and I’ll come as soon as I can,” she said. She turned to walk out and glanced at him once more. “Good luck.”
The door closed behind her and left him alo
ne in the dark. A silent moment passed before the walls and ceiling disappeared. Looking around him, he saw the large room he stood inside of changed into a flat plain surrounded by jungle. The temperature and humidity rose quickly. The sky was blue, with few clouds blocking the light. He couldn’t see a sun, but it was brightly lit as if there was one. He glanced down at his feet and saw a rakna blade.
“Pick it up,” a voice said. “I want to see what kind of skill you have.”
He looked up and saw a tall Kalaidian with dark tan skin, bright crimson eyes, and short black hair. She held a rakna blade and smiled with a wild look in her eyes. He knelt down and picked up the blade.
“I’ve set both our weapons to the blunt level; neither of us will be injured during this test,” Kivi said. “Ready?”
“Yes,” he responded.
He charged, swinging the blade in a wide arching slash. Kivi was surprised at his speed, but deflected the blade and sidestepped to move in with her own attack. He was surprised when he was whacked in the head. A moment later, Brian found he was lying on his back.
“Ouch,” was all he could say.
She stood over him imposingly, satisfied with the result. “My assumptions were correct about you.”
Brian put a hand on his chin and felt a nasty bruise. “And what assumptions are those?”
“You have great speed and strength, but your reaction time’s lacking. I think you can learn to parry a little better than with your head,” she said, grinning.
He laughed as he stood up. “You must be Commander Kivi.”
“Yes, and I’ll be teaching you survival training and combat skills. I’ve heard Terrans are the most adaptable beings out there, so you’ll be getting your share of bad environments to live in for the next few months.”
* * *
The first month of training forced Brian to endure any climate or terrain the HDC could throw at him, as well as different atmospheres and gravity levels. The last week was devoted to zero gravity training. The entire time he only had contact with Kivi, although Valis and the other senior officers often watched his training through a video feed. The second month was devoted to learning fighting skills. He tried every weapon known to Kalaidians. He was given a set of exoskeleton armor. He found the exoskeleton was light and provided a massive increase in his power and speed when worn. The armor he trained with was a generic silver color.
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