Chapter 17. SCF-Academy mission. Arc 1 Space exploration.

Act 1 (Cadet-medic-Umiko) Origin galaxy.

It's been a boring hour of driving, I looked to my side and saw Cadet Reyes still at the wheel humming a song I vaguely recognize, behind me I saw Cadet Seafarer looking at the maps and perimeter scans while Cadet Tibhs was focused on communication, making sure the signal is stable.

I looked up at the transparent tinted roof of the carrier and saw a meditating Cadet leader Abyss, after he assigned the stations he started to meditate.

I may not understand the psionics of the Oogwaian's but I remember from the crash course, called space magic 101 that I took, the 4th elders believed the Oogwaians had tap into a fundamental force new to them which the Oogwaians named with the help of the humans as psionics.

This 5th galactic force was something every living thing and even inanimate objects possess, as long as they had contact with memories and emotions according to the 3rd elders.

I let the thoughts fall through as I continued writing our official report log. The higher ups love reading through this stuff and from what I hear the cadets that makes poor logs usually gets retrained with extra literacy courses as punishment.

(Cadet-Reyes) Cadet Umiko, how's the log going? Don't forget to add the part that our fearless leader stayed at the roof the whole trip hehehe.

She gave a muffled laugh at her comment. . . Well I did write it down and her conduct as well.

 (Cadet-Umiko) Of course I did. . .

I was cut off as I heard the cadet leader's voice through the communication channel.

(Abyss) Everyone be alert! We're being hunted.

I looked up and saw the cadet leader standing holding his primitive spear and looking into the woods, his head following something that I can't see beyond the thick vegetation.

(Cadet-Beckett) He's right!

I stood up and looked at the monitor cadet Beckett was using. 6 no 12 dot's were chasing us. They were on the edge of the scanning range and they seemed to be fleeting back and forth.

(Cadet-Reyes) Sir! Do I speed up?

I looked up hoping the team leader would say yes but I felt fear when what I heard wasn't the logical choice.

(Abyss) No, maintain your course cadet. Cadet Tibhs please inform our handler of the situation, and ask them for information of this region's wolf analogs. 

He paused and looked down, the roof should be a one way plasteel glass yet it seems he's still looking at me.

(Abyss) Also please go back to your station Cadet Umiko and continue documentation, but please prepare your medkit.

I bowed to him and started scrambling for my medkit and station and continued writing the report logs. Hopefully everything goes well.

Act 2 (Star of the Abyss) Origin galaxy.

(Abyss) atleast we have some excitement.

I did not send that through the coms, as I do not want them knowing how much of a battle maniac I truly am. . . the act must continue.

I felt a vibration on my hip and I answered.

(Cadet-Tibhs) Sir! Professor Gamilo had sent the info, there are wolf analogs present in this region, they're called Ara-canis by the researchers they're wolves with venomous bite, a communal behavior, and sticky paws enabling them to jump from trees to trees.

(Abyss) Good, now Tibhs try contacting the AI of the data center, ask her to prepare its defenses.

(Cadet-Tibhs) Yes sir!

I cut him off as I sheeted my spear and unholster my blasters, after setting them to stun I crouched down as I felt the Ara-canis coming closer.

The first one bursted out of the thick foliage, it was an almost pure black wolf with six red eyes and a set of long fangs. Its claws seem to be very hook-like as it leapt from branch to branch to reach us, they were still less than half a mile away but they were gaining fast it seem to think they were still hidden among the leaves.

It's a big pack, 16 in total with two big ones in front must be the parent pair. I started shooting them as downing the two would probably discourage them from hunting us.

"ZZzz!" "ZZzz!" "ZZzz!" "ZZzz!" after a couple of shots, that missed. It seems they started to scatter after one of the shots electrified a tree.

(Cadet-Beckett) Sir! They're splitting off! Good shooting sir!

I can hear the sarcasm in that last one. . . I regret placing her on scans.

I turned around and saw a tower in the distance. where close, it should be an hour or less and will be there, and from what I'm reading the Ara-canis are the apex predator in this area, meaning there isn't anything more dangerous than them.

Act 3 (Cadet-Tibhs) Origin galaxy.

(Handler) Update? 

(Cadet-Tibhs) Sir, we have scared off the native life and now inside the data tower site.

I looked up from the log and looked around as I updated our handler, an academy professor. He's from the research ship that's been studying this planet, preparing it for colonization or preservation.

Our team leader and hardware specialist are busy collecting the data, while the two juniors were busy preparing the site for . . . camping? They do know the site had residential pre-habs right? When did they even pack tents?

I gave a shrug to myself, I'll just add into the report that there inexperienced atleast the junior leader know what his doing, probably why they gave him a promotion mission.

(Handler) Anything else cadet Tibhs? 

I paused and looked up. We still had 2 or maybe 3 hours of day left. Why would the leader stop now? I asked the professor why the leader would stop in one station on there day one.

(Handler) Hmm. . . he must have found something in the restricted reports.

(Cadet-Tibhs) restricted reports?

(Handler) Yes it's the more detailed and far longer documents we give to unit leaders, the one we gave you and the rest of the regulars where condensed and simplified files based on those documents.

There was a pause, and then I heard yells from the other side and then he was back.

(Handler) Yes I found it, your area seems to have a shifting ecology, once it turns dark the day species would hibernate in their dens, as the nights can reach as low as -10 degrees. . . 

He paused again and I heard him drinking something before continuing.

(Handler) That was included in your regular files. but it didn't say that because of this phenomenon the last few hours are the most active period for the predators as they hunt and eat as much as they can before sunset.

(Cadet-Tibhs) Thank you professor I understand now why he was so cautious.

I remember those animals, trying to get to us, I'm not sure if the others saw them but I did, they were a monstrous combination of spider and wolf wrapped in pitch black fur. . . true they were nothing more than native animals, yet, I would not want to be chased by them again.

(Handler) your welcome it is my work to educate, now update me once your unit has settled in and collected and replaced the memory tablets.

I hung up and then started making my way to the juniors. As much as I like camping, I wouldn't want to sleep on the cold ground.

Act 4 (Cadet-Reyes) Origin galaxy.

(Cadet-Reyes) Sir? You know I can do this alone, it's not that complicated.

I spoke as I worked with the D-AI's inside the tower to collect all the record data, into the memory tablets, and then reset them and reformat the towers memory banks, but I need to do a diagnostic first and then another one after the reset.

(Abyss) Yes, you could do this alone, but I know, If I was doing something like.

He motioned to touch monitors and the manual operations panel.

(Abyss) I would like some company, besides the rest are working on the residential pre-habs.

I turned around and saw Cadet Tibhs helping the juniors set up the pre-hab modules and the juniors looking embarrassed at their tents and bonfire set up.

(Cadet-Reyes) To bad I wanted some barbeque

(Abyss) It's not too late, we can still cook some later.

Oh? I looked back to our leader and saw he was focused on working on the monitors, condensing terabytes worth of data to pack into the memory tablet. Should I try flirting? He is awfully mature for his age and if you believe the rumors, quite experienced.

I put on one of my more friendlier smiles and spoke.

(Cadet-Reyes) Hm~ Are you offering to cook for me, leader?

He looked back, his eyes were gentle, and natural smile, even gentler I felt a pull when he spoke. He gave a soft chuckle after gazing into my eyes and answered.

(Abyss) Of course, I would cook for us.

He leaned in, whispering to my ear, his breath scorching hot, warming my head.

(Abyss) Isn't it my job, to boost morale~

I backed away, I felt light headed. I almost tripped over myself but I felt a pressure on my arm, holding me up.

(Abyss) Careful now, we still have some work to do.

He gave me a more playful smile before he went back to working on the data collection. . . huh, the rumors were true, damn, I might finally lose my virginity tonight! I lucked out! He's really a boy-slut! I giggled as I did my work as fast as I could. I was very excited for tonight.

Act 5 (Cadet-Beckett) Origin galaxy.

We finished dinner hours ago, after that we did some light coordination training. And after that, we were given free time until 6 in the morning. I was reviewing the report and adding my side to it when my Arm-pad vibrated. I clicked it and a message appeared.

(Cadet-Abyss) Please go to my hab, I'm ready for our training session.

Ass, this should be our break! I grumbled a few more times as I wore my body suit, removing my underwear, and then wearing them again with an old sweater and woolen tights and rubber shoes.

As I left my hab I immediately felt the cold! 

(Cadet-Beckett) It's freezing! Damn!

I warmed my hand, as I quickly walked to Abyss's hab, it was near the control station of the tower, he was insistent on needing to make sure nothing disrupt the trouble shooting.

Before I even made it to his door, it opened. No one was inviting me, it felt odd.

(Cadet-Beckett) You know it's cool when you see it in anime and movies. . . but damn that's creepy. "It is not"

Ehh. . . Get out of my head!

I loudly thought, but I don't think he heard it, I still have the seal on me and this was only our 3rd session.

When I entered, I smelled something really sweet and yet strong like raw pork that has been left at the counter for too long. I went into the bedroom and saw a shirtless Abyss meditating in a circle of scented candles and leaves on the floor while a very naked and wet Cadet Reyes layed mumblingly sex drunk on the bed.

Huh. . . he told me about the mind-fucking thing, something he does when girl's try to get into his pants and he needs to act as the slut-boy. But that looks. . . disgusting, hopely that doesn't happen to me.

(Cadet-Beckett) Would she be okay?

Abyss broke his meditation and opened his eyes, there was a sharp intensity in them but it quickly faded and became the usual gentle gems I usually look into.

(Cadet-Abyss) Reyes? Oh she'll be fine, she's probably dreaming about me giving her the best . . . laying she'd ever experience. But she'll feel it tomorrow, the dreams I make are real enough that your muscles would react to it, look at her thighs.

He said casually as he thumbed at her direction as he stood up and covered his demi-god like abs, it was a simple button shirt.

I looked at cadet Reyes and she looked like she was in paralysis but her muscles were going through electroshock therapy. And she's starting to stink of sweat, and yuck. I used a blanket to cover her not for whatever decency she has left but for my sake.

I look back at Abyss who's sitting again waiting for me, not bothered by the girl he should be having sex with, and not trapped in a realistic dream for the rest of the night.

(Cadet-Abyss) "Please take a seat, pada. . . sorry old joke, please sit down, Bex."

I sat down and faced him, this was the training, in a circle meditating while the seal was off. I felt a burn at the base of my neck and then I felt like I was in a medicine vat.

Underwater but still breathing, normally and then everything cleared as I heard my own voice and saw lights in the room like a hundred multicolored fireflies, where with us.

(Cadet-Beckett) I'm ready, I see them. . . 

(Cadet-Abyss) Good, remember those are memory fragments, taking them in wouldn't affect you, but if too many gather at once you'll be dragged into a memory again.

I winced at the thought I kept having those dreams of that memory the first few weeks and they were vivid too, but just like what Abyss told me they faded after a month.

I don't want that happening again, it was like I was drunk and driving yet inside someone else, knowing, doing, being someone else but not being sure what I was supposed to do. . . very much like a drug party in college, but better.

I focused on Abyss his eyes, where on me that same edged focus directly boring into my chest, his looking at my. . . he calls it my soul but I don't believed him, as he describes it as a small ball of energy that has a record of all my memories and emotions. . . which he calls my essence.

It's all space magic religious stuff to me, but still it's the tech of the turtles and I've seen one have trouble using a simple pad. . . I really hope I don't need to study this like I did at highschool.

I followed the breathing he taught me and kept the rhythm steady.

(Cadet-Abyss) Good, now follow my heart beat.

I felt Abyss, his hands over mine, I felt his heart and I tried to match it with my own, I kept trying as I was getting closer.

(Cadet-Abyss) Good, we can stop for tonight.

I opened my eyes, my breath was still steady but then exhaustion suddenly hammered at my head, I felt like going through the worst hangover.

I looked at the time and it was only 9:30! I got here at 9:20! That was just ten minutes! It felt like hours!

I looked at Abyss. He was giving me that gentle smile again, I know you're laughing inside! And he did give a soft shuckle!

(Cadet-Abyss) Sleep, I'll . . . see you. . to. 

I was listening but suddenly everything started to fade, and my eyes were getting heavy. So heavy.