Having logged over two hundred and fifty hours in the simulators last semester, Major Peregrine decided that it was time to let them pilot the real thing on their first day of class. Just like in the simulators, the Major started them on Jaeger and gave them explicit orders not to engage the flight system. The Jaegers weren’t armed, either.
Each pilot wore a plug suit. It was a single piece form fitting suit that left nothing to the imagination. It sealed perfectly with their helmets. Pilots weren’t allowed to wear any undergarments while in the plug suit. It insulated the wearer from the rigors of space, and the inner suits had built in boots and gloves and sealed perfectly with the mecha helmets that they each wore. There were gloves and boots that were worn over the plug suit.
The atmosphere flight uniform, or AFU was a microfiber jumpsuit with a built in parachute cloth along the arms and between the legs. The parachute was deployed by pulling a tab on the suit’s chest. It required a single hard tug to prevent accidental deployment. There were pouches on the AFS to store survival bars and other small equipment and the belts were designed to have both an energy sword and a pistol attached to themThe AFU was meant to be worn over the plug suit and could be worn on its own, but often they were worn together.
Kiera loved how they felt and how sexy the plugsuit made them look. They wore them with their training groups to get everyone over any embarrassment because they would only be wearing the plug suit for some of their training. Dandelion tried to look aloof but his face was bright red. Koda kept averting his eyes from Dandelion, his gaze going from Kiera to Hailey to Captain Feren, his face red but not as red as Dandelion’s. Hailey kept glancing at Jin with red cheeks. Only Jin and Kiera seemed to be comfortable sitting around in the plug suit. Kiera had to focus on blocking her empathy; she didn’t want to get overwhelmed by the amount of lust and desire that filled the room of five teenagers and one drop dead gorgeous eladrin woman they were all simping for. Leiella had them play a game where they had to look each other in the eye and say their name. She sat Dandelion next to Kiera, then Koda, Hailey, Jin, and then herself. Then they went in the opposite direction. It took all of Kiera’s willpower to actually call him “Arun” instead of “Dandelion.” Dandelion didn’t give her the same courtesy, calling her “Pet.” Leiella reprimanded him and gave him drills for the next two weeks, one week for each time he used it.
They were issued their helmets which had a clear visor and would display all the information a pilot would need to know while operating the mecha, including status, radar, energy levels, weapon energy levels, oxygen levels, and exterior temperature. They also synced to their PUCs so they could have any information they needed displayed. Leiella showed them how to save their profiles onto their ID bands in case there was ever a scenario where they didn’t have their PUCs. Kiera wished she knew that before she was kidnapped.
“They should make everyone pilot a skeletal frame just to see how nice we have it,” Kiera commented to Hailey as they were putting on their AFS.
“You were anxious to get out of that palace, I’m not surprised it didn’t last long being thrown down the mountain, or how easily the Frost Gorilla ripped it apart,” Captain Feren said. Both cadets looked up to find both her and Captain Marley dressing in their own flight uniforms.
“Desperate, captain,” Kiera said, “Enough that I ignored every green flag that I saw when I was at the controls.”
“It is unlikely that resources will be devoted to manufacture such low quality units, but I’m sure we can write a program for the simulator,” Leiella said, “Those Huntmasters are notorious for being sold base with high markups for armor. The Preservation Society has a campaign to make them illegal.”
All of their instructors had gathered on the mecha field, along with the ground crew. Sergeants Green and Ramsy kept the students moving while Peregrine’s squad readied their own mecha. Captain’s Nevis and Marley were in Myrmidons, a light-middleweight infantry mecha capable of flight and usually deployed for hit and run tactics thanks to its durability and maneuverability. They weren’t as maneuverable as a Blackjack, but they were nearly as fast and had better armor. They were usually employed with both a rifle and an energy spear.
Majors Peregrine and Farosh were in Orions, a medium class mecha often used by pilots who were on guard duty. They were stronger and more durable than the Jaeger and employed the same class of weapons. Cael Feren was in a Glass Darner, the military didn’t use them and they were solely for racing, but even then they weren’t very popular because of their low durability and primarily used melee weapons. There wasn’t another mech that boasted the agility or reaction time as the Darner. Jac had required Kiera take a year of ballet lessons before he would let her fly one. Feren was testing one that had been modified for military use. Kiera could barely contain her jealousy.
<<”Cadets, this is Major Peregrine, do you hear me?”>>
A chorus of acknowledgements filled the coms, most of them the expected “Loud and Clear” but a few “Roger’s” as well.
Five frames appeared under Kiera’s radar. The first one was labeled with Kathria, and the others with Purple 2-5, just like in the simulator. Her designation appeared on the top left of her HUD, opposite the radar. Kiera had a sense of deja vu but it made sense that their first day of actual operation was exactly the same as their first week of simulations. Familiarity bred understanding.
<<”Your squad assignments have been distributed. You will follow your squad leader and follow their instructions,”> Major Peregrine ordered. A chorus of “yes Sir” replied.
<<”Kathria to squad, initiating ready check.>>
<<”Purple One, Ready”>> Kiera said over the comm.
<<”Of course the Pet gets to have first position. Purple Two ready”>> she heard Dandelion reply. Haily was three, Jin was four, and Koda was five.
<<”Cadet Snowden, you must really like those punishment drills. You’ll be reporting for them at nineteen hundred hours. Everyone fall in.”>> Feren’s voice was the same as it ever was, soft, warm with the slightest hint of amusement.
Feren’s mech danced forward. Kiera followed it, the Jaeger’s movements were smooth and precise, the readouts on the HUD were neatly organized and would change in size when the helmet detected Kiera’s eye movements. She couldn’t help but grin at the sensation of piloting a mecha again; the skeleton from Dalimar didn’t count and neither did the thirty seconds in the Orion. For the next few hours they ran their mecha around the field, Kiera desperately wanted to fly but kept her hands away from the thruster ignition, leaping into the air when she was explicitly told not to was a good way to get expelled.
After their class was over Master Sergeant Ransing had them assemble and presented Hailey with a certificate of speed and a weekend pass to town for her and four other cadets. He acknowledged the other fastest times of Kiera, Soren Holland, Jin, Sam Collins, and Koda.
“Hey, Mast Sarg! Anybody beat my time?” Corbin shouted, a grin on his face.
“No, Malut, you were the slowest cadet to finish the course, but you did finish the course,” Ransing said, “We had twenty-three cadets finish.”
“I don’t get a certificate and a night out for that?”
“Why would you? My eight year old cousin could beat your time,” Snowden sneered.
“Yeah? Does your eight year old cousin breathe through his mouth like you do, Dandelion?”
“That’s enough,” Peregrine said, “Cadet Selune, let me know which weekend and who you wish to take. You’re dismissed.”
“Do you think Captain Feren has any cute dresses that she would let us borrow?” Hailey asked, grinning at Kiera, “Or let us go shopping? I know we have some, but I love shopping.”
“I dunno,” Corbin answered, “I don’t think she’d have anything in my size.”
“She might have some heels you’d fit in,” Koda said.
“Are you calling me short, fuzzy?” Corbin asked, cracking his knuckles.
“He’s saying you have small feet,” Jin retorted dryly, “and all that implies.”
“Buncha clowns we got here!” Corbin groaned, rolling his eyes.
“I wonder if it only applies to our academy,” Kiera said, “If it doesn’t maybe we can steal Lily, Kida, and Robyn and make it a girl’s night. With what Zac’s said about their Colonel he’s really strict so I doubt he’d let Lexi go.”
“That’s a great idea! I’ll go ask Major Peregrine!” Hailey said, running after him.
“Seriously, Kiera?” Corbin said, “You really going to do that to us?”
“We are surrounded by your bad jokes and guys undressing us with their eyes all day long, a girl’s night out is a necessity,” Kiera said grinning.
“Huh,” Koda frowned, “Wouldn’t it be a lot easier if they were undressing you with their hands?”
=+=
Major Peregrine had no problems with Hailey inviting girls from the Navy and ASF academies for their Girl’s Night Out. Captains Feren and Marley volunteered to drive them to town and made some arrangements so they would have their cute dresses to wear. Kiera was right that Alyxia couldn’t make it, but all three Navy girls could; they just needed to know the weekend a week before.
Kida looked nothing like her brother. She had rich, glossy brown hair, bear ears and actual fingernails instead of claws; they were far stronger than a normal human’s fingernails. She had an acute sense of smell but said her brother’s was much better. Kiera couldn’t resist asking if Kida had a tail as well and was delighted when she showed it to her. Liandra had her mother’s deep blue eyes, and her father’s dark black hair. She was half eladrin with slightly pointed ears, high cheekbones and slim figure that garnered a lot of attention with the boys. At school she went by Liandra Feren to avoid association with the Imperial Royal Family. The most surprising part of the evening was that Liandra knew Captain Feren and referred to her as Aunt Ella. There was a story there but Kiera decided to ask about it later, they were there to relax and have fun.
They went dancing at a club that Feren recommended which had multiple levels with a gravity well in the center, multiple bars and a reputation for scanning each person’s ID and keeping problem customers out. It resulted in less creeps trying to slip things into drinks and guys that were less handsy. Their group didn’t pay for many drinks; they caught a lot of attention and interested parties weren’t shy about guys offering to trade a drink for a dance. None of them drank anything with alcohol. Hailey chose the last Sixth day of the month to have the night out; after a busy start of the semester it was just what they needed.
The girls got along well, and were teasing each other and making boys jealous by dancing with each other. They stopped by a restaurant on the way back for a late dinner. The banter and laughing continued and hugs were exchanged when they finally made it back to the academy and said their goodbyes.
=+=
“Today is the day we take to the air,” Major Peregrine said the First Day after the girl’s night out., “I know you’ve all been eagerly waiting for this day. We will proceed the same way that we have been, assemble in your squads and meet with your squad leaders. It may go without saying but I will say this anyway: any cadet who sees this as an opportunity to go on a joyride will find themselves expelled before they ever touch back on the ground. Any additional charges will depend on how we have to take you down. Have I made myself transparently clear?”
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
All of the cadets replied in the affirmative. Major Peregrine had been no-nonsense from the first day they stepped into the mecha and piloted them on the ground. They all had been verified ready to take to the air, once again going back to the Jaeger.
Kiera was excited. She took several calming breaths once she was in the cockpit of her mecha. It had been a long time since she actually got to fly; being knocked down a mountain by an angry giant gorilla didn’t count. Today Captain Feren led them in her Crusader, likely because it was their first flight and despite all their hours in the simulator the real thing was different.
<<”Kathria to Purple Squad, if you have your callsigns picked out you are free to use them today. I’m in a particularly good mood. Sound off.”>>
<
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<<”Purple Three, My King, ready”>> Dandelion said.
<<”Purple Four, Teasaurus, ready,”>> Jin said.
<<”Purple Five…damn you Jin, Bear Paws, ready. There is no way in this world or the next, am I calling Purple Three by that name. Dandelion suits you better.”
<<” That’s a rather long callsign, Cadet Oso, let’s just stick to Bear Paws”>> Feren teased, the smile evident in her voice, <<”Engage flight systems, let’s see if you cadets are half as good as you are in the simulators.”>> The Crusader shot into the sky.
Kiera didn’t hesitate and shot into the air after the Captain. The sensation of flight, at being the one in control made her grin even wider. The first time she had flown with Jac she had crashed. Also on the second time, and the third. She checked Feren’s position both visually and on her radar. The other cadets had formed a line behind her, Dandelion flew at a higher elevation than the rest. Other mecha that she could detect were on the ground, also formed into lines behind the other pilots, each one leading a squad of five cadets. In addition to Major Farosh and Captain Redding, the three top cadets from the fourth years were each leading a team.
<<”Purple Three, you’re out of formation,”>> Feren reprimanded. It seemed like she wasn’t going to use his self appointed call sign either. Not that Kiera could blame her, she’d become a pole dancer in the darkest part of the galaxy before she ever considered Dandelion royalty, let alone a king. Feren waited for Dandelion to join the formation and then she flew higher into the atmosphere, accelerating. Kiera increased her speed to match, the familiar sensation of adrenaline coursing through her. She loved this. Something struck her, causing her to veer away. Her radar showed Snowden passing her and a few moments later she visually confirmed.
<<”Cadet Snowden, remain in formation and watch your piloting.”>> Captain Feren’s normally calm voice had a hard edge to it. It was the closest Kiera had seen of the captain getting angry or yelling. That usually meant when such a person did grow angry, the source of their anger regretted their mistake. <<”This is your final warning.”>>
<<”I’m taking my rightful place in the front, Kathria,”>> Snowden replied, <<”I’ll prove that I’m a cut above these little girls and alien charity cases.” The Crusader changed direction and dove towards the ground. Snowden overshot the point where she turned, but no one else did. As Kiera dove, warning lights flashed on her HUD. Her elevation tracker shifted to the forefront of her vision and marked the lowest point she could go to pull out of the dive.
<<”Cadet Snowden, return to the hangar.”>> Feren came out of her dive smoothly and turned skyward and backwards, <<”Purple Squad come out of the dive and continue forward past my position, Sunbeam take lead and follow the course I’m sending you.”>> If any of their leveling attempts failed, Leiella was ready to correct them, and gravity mines were in her hands. She was likely also watching Snowden. Kiera kept an eye both on the elevation readout and the ground; there had been stories of pilots that were watching the readout and failed to see an attack coming or got so focused on the ground they missed the cue to pull up.
She pulled out of the dive, the warnings silenced themselves and the rush of adrenaline filled Kiera. It was as exhilarating as she remembered the first time coming out of a dive at the Albion track. A collision warning appeared, but there was nothing in front of her which meant it was coming from behind or overhead.
<<”Sunbeam, impact above!”>> Hailey called over the commlink.
Kiera pulled her mech into a sharp turn to the right, losing any speed might cause her to crash into the others, the best thing to do was to move out of the way, if the others split or followed her they wouldn’t be struck either. The impact warning continued and she looked at the radar, confirming something fast was streaking towards her from both behind her and from above her.
<<”Purple squad, scatter!”>> Feren ordered. The object crashed into the left side of Kiera’s mech sending her into a spin, and stalling her jets. She was too low to the ground to eject so she braced for impact. Something else struck her.
<<”Sunbeam hit!”>> Kiera shouted, activating her emergency flaps and steering away from the mecha field. The Jaeger descent slowed, her readout showing there was a mine on her mecha. It was probably one of Leiella’s gravity mines trying to keep her from crashing too hard. Kiera took her hands off the controls and leaned back into her seat, tightening her harness. Then something crashed on top of her, shaking her mecha. Her harness and seat absorbed most of the impact, leaving her jarred but otherwise fine. The adrenaline wore off as she closed her eyes and steadied her breathing, sitting back in her seat. A damage report flashed across her HUD; there was damage to the left shoulder rotor, left arm, and torso armor, but the mecha was still operational.
<<”Phoenix to Purple One, do you ready me? Report!”>> the major’s calm voice came over her commlink. She was glad that he didn’t sound panicked and used his calmness as an anchor for her own emotions.
<<”I read you, sir. Mecha has sustained damage to its left shoulder rotor, arm and torso but is still operational. I’m okay, mostly.”>> She couldn’t keep herself from groaning when she replied as much as she would have liked too, the harness absorbed most of the shock but it was still jarring to crash, and her head was spinning.
<<”Purple One, stay where you are,”>> Major Solanthas Farosh said over the commlink. He was a member of the Medical Corps and part of Peregrine’s mecha squad. He was a warm and gentle man who didn’t mind if the cadets used the title of “Doctor” instead of “Major.” He didn’t shy away from anything in his classes and had the students practice CPR on each other. Dandelion was in her first aid class and having him put his lips on hers and vice versa was the worst part of it. Actually, him coping a feel was the worst part of it.
<<”Copy,”>> Kiera replied, not moving.
<<”Purple Three has crashed,”>> Feren’s voice came over the commlink, <<”Minor damage to the mecha, the impact with Purple One and the gravity mine slowed it enough that the pilot didn’t sustain major injuries, but he is unconscious. Purple Squad form on my location.”
Captain Feren showed them how to access a pilot’s capsule from outside a mech that would work even if the mecha had no power by accessing one of two hydraulic releases depending on the orientation of the downed mecha. There was also a way to release the entrance hatch, and force a pod ejection. Kiera heard all of it over the comms. The top of her mecha lifted up and both Leiella and Dr. Farosh climbed into her mecha. Dr. Farosh immediately began a medical scan.
Kiera had a few bruised ribs from the impact but was otherwise okay. She wouldn’t be doing PT or piloting for a couple of days, at least not her normal exercises. Medical gel would help her heal quickly. Feren helped Kiera out of the mecha and escorted her to Dandelion’s mecha where the rest of Purple Squad were busy releasing the pilot capsule. Dandelion was waking up.
“What exactly did you think you were doing?” Feren asked, her tone hard.
“The low quality engines on this piece of garbage training mech overheated and stalled the flight system. The flight recovery flaps weren’t slowing me down enough; the Pet flew right under me. I must have blacked out from the g-force.”
“Disobeyed direct orders, resulting in causing damage to two mecha and intentionally endangering another pilot while not communicating anything, and actively avoiding an interception,” The captain corrected, “You increased speed to ensure an impact and turned your mech for a direct hit, and that’s after you clipped her earlier. That’s likely why her mecha has sustained more damage. You’re lucky the gravity mines negated most of your speed.”
“It might not have happened if you were a capable pilot! Your rank and title are wasted on you! Who did you sleep with to get it?!” Snowden snapped, “More proof that women should only tend to the house and children and not do work meant for men! You filthy aliens shouldn’t be in the military but be domesticated servants!”
Jin and Hailey tried to hold Koda back, but he was too strong for them. Feren stopped him before he reached Dandelion. Kiera used her soothing on him, and he began to calm down.
“The only reason you were not expelled at the end of last semester was because Rear Admiral Blake vetoed the decision,” Major Peregrine’s voice rang out from his mecha’s loudspeakers. “Attempting to satisfy your ego and prove your self-perceived superiority now has intentionally caused harm to another cadet and damaged two of our mecha. I will not allow this insubordination or slander to continue. I am expelling you from this Academy, charging you with reckless endangerment, and attempted murder. This time your father’s influence will not stop me.”
“Protecting your precious princess again? Are you screwing her or just sucking up to the Emperor so you can get promoted, you knife eared asshole!” Snowden snarled.
Gasps at the jab came out of all four of the cadets, Captain Feren put her hand on the hilt of her energy sword, “Cadets, link with Captains Nevis and Marley” Her voice was like ice and even Dandelion shivered. Quick salutes and “Yes ma’ams” came from all the cadets as they quickly followed orders.
Kiera went with Major Solanthas to the infirmary where he applied med gel to her ribs and shoulders. She had expected it to be cold the first time she ever had it applied, and was happily surprised to be wrong. He sent her back to the dorms with aspirin to take if she felt any minor aches or pain. Anything else she was supposed to contact him immediately. He also added her medical orders into the logs in case it was Sergeant Labradore or Master Sergeant Ransing administering their morning exercises, which was likely.
=+=
“I still can’t believe he had the balls to accuse the Major of sleeping with you,” Hailey said, looking out the window towards the main administration building. Admiral Snowden had arrived hours earlier and had gone directly into the Administration building followed by several others, “How’re your ribs?”
“What got me was blaming the Captain for his own stupidity while telling her that she needed to be domesticated. I swear the temperature dropped after he made that statement,” Kiera said, “But that seething rage from the Major was something else. They’re okay, the med gel and painkillers Doc F gave me are helping. Wasn’t expecting a double impact."
“You could sense his anger?” Hailey asked, “Damn. I read that nymphs were slightly empathic, but that’s on a whole other level.”
“Our empathy is severely understated. I wouldn’t put it past Dandelion to tell the review board the same story he tried to spin to Leiella, that it was my fault he crashed into me. That there’s even a review board assembled for an expulsion is ridiculous,” Kiera rolled her eyes.
“Think that he’s going to get off again? If he has two Admirals in his pocket…” Hailey trailed off.
Kiera frowned for a moment and glanced at her PUC, “‘Oh. I don’t think so. Uncle Jassok is here. I wouldn't put it past the Grand Admiral of the Navy showing up as well. Peregrine said that Snowden’s expulsion last quarter was blocked by Rear Admiral Blake.”
“Wow,” Hailey said, shaking her head and moving away from the window, “And he claims that you get special privileges.” She paused, “Wait, Uncle Jassok…as in Jassok Kor, the Warlord Jassok Kor!”
“Yeah, the ‘privilege’ of him coping a feel and slipping tongue during CPR,” Kiera shuddered, “Yeah, he’s my father’s best friend and is family. I just got a notification that he was in close communication range.”
“Well, hopefully we won’t have to deal with him anymore. When you slapped him after doing that I thought the Doc was going to rip his head off. That image of lifting Dandy by his hair and having some of it come out is seared into my memory. Surprised he didn’t get expelled for that. It sucked so bad that he got transferred into our class.”
“His word against mine,” Kiera said, “or daddy blocked it again, I swear when Major said ‘this time’ he didn’t just mean the last time. Brazenly pulling rank like that is why Uncle Jassok is here. I’m going to send my sister a message and try to find out what happens after tonight.”
“Is your sister an admiral?” Hailey asked.
“Captain of the Celestial Solstice. Liri always seems to know what's going on with the fleet, of course she does have Admiral Gantry wrapped around her finger…” Kiera grinned, “He’s tried to get her to go out with him so many times. I swear some guys just won’t accept that she’s married.”
“When you find out, you’re going to tell me, right?” Hailey asked?
“Of course! If I can’t gossip with another princess, then I’m obviously not fulfilling my royal duty!”