PART IV - MAY THE STARS SHINE
“What do you mean?”
Callie took a deep breath. “Okay, stay with me on this one. Ultimately you report to the King, right?”
“I suppose,” Xera said hesitantly, “yes. He would be the Supreme Commander in this kingdom.”
“But he’s not here,” Callie said, “so he couldn’t, for example, give you an order to clarify what you should do?”
“Obviously,” Xera replied, growing even more suspicious.
“But!” Callie said, holding up a finger and grinning, “one could argue that his proxy is right here in this room. One who is able to speak for the King in his stead as his trusted advisor.” She shifted her finger to point at a perplexed Vanis.
“Callie, that’s really not how things …” Vanis began to reply.
“Shut up and work with me here!” Callie hissed back.
Major Celeste tried to stifle another giggle, almost breaking into a coughing fit, seeing the scowl of determination on Callie’s face, and hearing the snarl in her tone.
Slowly, all eyes turned to the rather stunned Warlock, who quickly realized he was on the spot and fully composed himself. “Well, yes. One could make the case that I … perhaps … could speak on behalf of my father. In certain matters of royal responsibility, that is. At least pending clarification by him.”
A long silence passed through the room as everyone, including Vanis, digested the implications of what he had said.
“Well?” Callie finally said, gesturing to Vanis. “We’re waiting.”
“Oh, yes, of course,” the Prince said. Pondering, he added. “How best to phrase this.” After a few more moments, he finally ordered, “Commandant, it is in the best interests of the Realm to continue training Recruit Callie, and to hold confidential her origins until as such time you are told otherwise by Supreme Commander King Feldwin, or his designee.”
“May the Stars shine upon the King,” Xera replied with a knowing nod and a sly grin, acknowledging the order.
“May the Stars shine upon the King,” everyone else, save Callie who didn’t know to, echoed in response.
There was a long silence, as no one was quite sure what to do next. Finally, Tasi asked the obvious question, “So, what now?”
“I’ve actually given this some thought,” Callie said, raising her hand. She had, in fact, been asking herself this very question all day, in the hope that this might be the outcome.
“Of course you have,” Celeste said with a snicker.
“Please share,” Xera said, raising their eyebrows.
“I obviously can’t be telling anyone about this,” Callie began, “but my memory loss story is only going to last so long before people start wondering what is going on and why it hasn’t come back. My thought was to let it slip from the Healers that it appears permanent. That will allow me to continue asking dumb questions without raising too much suspicion. Rumors should spread that pretty quickly.”
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Master Healer Tasi nodded in agreement. “Yes, that would be a good option. Honestly, I’d like to do an examination, anyways, to see if there is anything odd about your Gnome body, if you’d consent that is.”
“Good, I have my own questions about Gnome physiology I need to understand,” Callie replied.
Xera held up their hand. “Before we make any decisions, I feel the need to give you an important option, Recruit. While few come here as volunteers, I feel valid points have been raised that it’s ethically questionable to force you to train and fight, given your circumstances. Thus, this one time only, I’m going to give you the option to drop out of training. We’ll address your Curse by assigning you duties here, likely working with Logistics under Captain Kela. If that is your decision, all in this room will respect that. If you decline, however, you will be expected to train as any other recruit, and serve in whatever manner needed after that. Please take a moment to think through your answer; take as long as you need.”
Callie was quite shocked by the unexpected option that the Commandant was giving her. They were right, after all, she didn’t ask for this to happen, and unlike the other non-volunteer Recruits, she didn’t even know about the possibility of Conscription. Her very first instinct was to absolutely take the Commandant up on her offer and serve out her Curse in Logistics helping to keep the camp running. But, could she live with herself if she decided to do that?
Thinking back to her first night here, Callie remembered her dreamlike conversation with her Symbiote. Whether it really happened or not, she had made a promise to the little creature now living in her head. She had promised to be the best Ranger she could be, not to be someone who works the books or managed supply distribution. To do that, she would need to master her skills. To master her skills, she would need to train. Anything less would be a violation of that basic promise.
As her thoughts drifted further, weighing the decision before her, she remembered back to her grandfather, who had served in Vietnam as a draftee. While he had never really talked in detail about his experiences, and had expressed more than a little bitterness about being pressed into service, he always emphasized the importance of the people he served with. When he had died, those that attended his funeral included three or four others from his time overseas that he had maintained contact with. She hadn’t really talked to them, but she did overhear their conversations with her father, and could see the bond that transcended simple friendship the veterans had shared with her grandfather. A few days later, when going through his desk, she had even found his Purple Heart and Bronze Star shoved haphazardly to the back of a drawer, the case hinges tarnished with age and lack of use.
Pixyl had received similar medals the night before, and while Callie had no desire to chase medals, the sense that being a Ranger was part of something bigger had crept into Callie’s head following the award presentation. If she dropped out of training, if she took the easy way, would she be not only abandoning her responsibility, but also abandoning her friends and friendships? She thought again to the conversation the day before with Vanis and how he had pointed out all the new people that had come into Callie’s life, many of them already growing quite close.
“I’ll stay in training,” Callie finally said, almost before she realized she had, but then understanding this was the only decision she’d ever be happy with. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“You are sure?” Xera asked.
Callie nodded with more certainty in her voice this time. “I am.”
“Very well,” the Commandant confirmed, before addressing the rest of the room. “For now, all conversation on the topic of Callie’s origin is to be limited to this building or the Recruit’s bunkhouse; Medical as well, I suppose, if privacy can be assured. This information is to be considered absolutely confidential and is not to be disclosed to others without concurrence from both myself and the King’s representative.”
“What if we wish to discuss things with her?” Thorn asked. “Some of the things she has shared about her world are quite intriguing.”
“Then do it in this room, or her bunkhouse,” Xera ordered. “For the time being at least,” she amended. “I understand it’s not optimal, but Scryer Yulayla is right. No matter her background, the Recruit is still a newling Ranger in need of training, and that must be our primary responsibility. Anything less would be a dereliction.”
“Of course, Commandant,” Thorn acknowledged.
“If there are no other immediate concerns, then everyone is dismissed,” Xera said. “Recruit, I’d like to speak with you, in private, briefly. Scryer, please remain here as I wish to speak with you after.”
“Of course,” Yulayla responded.
“If you’d come to medical after you are finished,” Tasi directed to Callie. “I’d like to do that exam once Juniper is settled.”
“Okay,” Callie said, wary of both Xera’s desire to speak privately and a little nervous about what a medical exam might entail or reveal.
The officers and Vanis all filed out of the room, the Legate giving her a caring pat on her head as he walked by. Callie was able to see briefly that the desk in the waiting room was empty, Kyra likely having left for the evening.