Carpathia IV: Episode 9 - Cadets
Space, Polaris Deep, NCCS Shadowdancer
Adell and Aire strolled leisurely through the corridors of the Shadowdancer, chatting informally and greeting crew members as they crossed paths.
Adell: Except for the bridge, that's the tour. Feel free to ask if you need help with anything.
Aire: It's all very familiar. I spent a month on the Furious Spectre and it's mostly the same, except for the engine room.
Adell smiled knowingly.
Adell: You can blame Minnie for that. She and Lieutenant Stonecypher on the Furious Spectre are in a heated rivalry for the highest engine efficiency. I like to give Minnie a certain degree of autonomy in running the engine room. You just have to make sure she doesn't get carried away with modifications.
Aire: I'll keep that in mind.
Together, they continued through the corridor at their comfortably slow pace, with Aire casting occasional glances in Adell's direction.
Adell: Since you're already familiar with this class of ship, I guess that's why you've had time to keep sneaking peeks at me? I'm flattered, but I am married, and Artemis has limits on how often I can have outside daliances.
Aire stopped dead and blushed just before raising his hands, waving them around in a fluster.
Aire: Ah! No, no, that's not it. Um... Would it be okay if I asked a personal question?
Adell turned and raised an eyebrow.
Adell: Of course.
A few seconds of silence and fidgeting from Aire passed.
Aire: Your personnel file says that you're 41 years old, and yet...
Aire paused for a moment. He was really thinking that Adell looked more like he was 20, but he feared that saying so would feel insulting, so he decided to tack on a few years.
Aire: ...how is it that you look like you're about 28?
Adell's eyes widened for a moment just before he allowed himself a giggle.
Adell: 28, eh? I've been mistaken for much younger than that.
With a flourish, Adell reached behind his head, flipped his ponytail and smiled.
Adell: Good genes, I suppose.
Aire's eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered Adell's answer. This was the second time that Aire was fairly sure that Adell was not being entirely truthful and again over something that seemed trivial.
Aire: Only fair that I get to ask you something now. You were one of the first from Ramewet to join the Academy. What made you want to do that?
Perhaps, Aire thought, he was being too hasty to judgement. Captain Yoshida described the Shadowdancer as a "ship of misfits," and Aire decided that this must extend up to the captain himself. It made sense. Outside of the occasional evasive answers, Adell seemed earnest enough.
Aire: Not much of a story, really. Nineteen years ago, when one of your ships landed on Ramewet for the first time, I was captivated and I started learning everything I could about your world. I even bought the toy spaceship. When the Academy opened registration to our planet I signed up right away. To travel in space... It's a dream I've had since I was a kid.
Suddenly, Aire felt foolish for his misgivings. Earlier happenings may have seemed slightly odd, but there was nothing to suggest any red flags. Attributing his doubts to nerves and an overactive imagination, Aire smiled.
Aire: Thanks for this opportunity. I thought I would spend the rest of my career behind a desk.
Adell: You can thank yourself. You are the right person for the position. If anyone else couldn't see that, then their loss is our gain. Now, shall we meet the staff you get to boss around?
Aire: Sounds like a plan.
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer
Teren: Captain on the bridge!
The doors hadn't even slid completely open when Teren made his announcement and by the time Aire stepped out of the lift, everyone was already standing at attention.
Adell: At ease, everyone.
Right away, everyone relaxed and maintained their positions, lined up between the helm and the captain's chair.
Adell: I'd like to introduce Commander Aire Valro, our new First Officer.
Aire: I look forward to working with each of you.
The other officers nodded and returned a greeting of "Commander" at slightly varying times, causing a momentary, though amusing, cacophony of noise.
Adell: I'll let you all get to know each other in a moment, but first, I want to take care of some special introductions.
Adell beckoned one of the crew, quite clearly a dragon judging from the tail, to join them. Though it was usually difficult to tell a dragon's age, it was easier to guess when they were transformed into humanoid form, and this one appeared to be quite young indeed.
Adell: This is Ryuu, the ship's dragon emissary.
Ryuu presented his hand and Aire took it.
Ryuu: Good to meet you.
Aire: Pleasure.
Adell now made his way to his ready room door off to the side. With a tap of a button, the door slid open and he poked his head inside.
Adell: We're ready for you now.
Soon after, two emerged from the room, both with white uniform accents, indicating their status as cadets. One was a female elf with black hair and, unusual for an elf, brown skin. The other, a male, was even stranger than that, looking like a cross between a nekomi and a dragon, with scaley arms and legs and cat ears perched upon his head. Furthermore, everyone in the room noticed right away that this dragon-like person had coloring very similar to Ryuu. His uniform, what little there was of it, covered only his chest, clearly custom made just for him. Adell took the hand of the dragon-like person first, gingerly, of course. His scales certainly seemed awfully sharp.
Adell: These are our new cadets and they have elected to do their post-high school community service aboard the Shadowdancer. This is Ryuu's son, Tayet Arapaesis. Not to worry. It has already been made very clear that he will receive no special treatment.
Adell paused for a moment and grinned devilishly as he patted Tayet on the back.
Adell: In fact, he might find it a little harder here than elsewhere.
Tayet stood straight and addressed the room.
Tayet: I look forward to working with all of you!
Adell: Tayet will be performing auxiliary functions on the bridge.
Adell moved on to the elf girl next.
Adell: This is Quenya Vayhama. She'll be helping out in engineering.
With that statement, Minnie reacted with a start, with widened eyes and raised eyebrows. A moment later, she began to march toward Adell and a very nervous Quenya.
Minnie: What's this about a cadet in engineering? Captain, you know how I feel about cadets around my engines.
Adell smiled and gently nudged Quenya closer to the Chief Engineer.
Adell: Yes, I am aware, Lieutenant. However, I'm sure you'll find Quenya suitable.
Minnie stepped back and folded her arms across her chest. With narrowed eyes, she carefully examined Quenya from top to bottom.
Minnie: Quenya Vayhama, is it?
Quenya: Yes ma'am!
Minnie paused and drummed her fingers on her arms.
Minnie: Any relation to the boat racer, Quilyon Vayhama?
Quenya: She's my mother, ma'am. I help out on the team when I have time off from school. I've managed to boost the efficiency of the power cells by 3.24 percent.
Minnie continued to glare skeptically.
Minnie: In that case, I suppose we should get to know each other. Dinner, my quarters. We're having meatloaf and green bean casserole tonight. 1800 hours. Don't be late.
Quenya: Yes ma'am!
Minnie leaned in close and held out her finger.
Minnie: And it's "Chief," not "ma'am," got it?
Quenya: Yes, ma... er... Chief!
With that awkward introduction complete, Adell clasped his hands together delightedly.
Adell: Well, with that settled, I'll let you guys mingle for a bit while I have a quick meeting with Ryuu in my ready room. With the ship repaired, our next mission starts in two days. Details are in your files, so read up on that and try to relax until then.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
Jenova87
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
All city pictures from SimCity 4
