The Academy - A Story of X - Part 1, 2 and 3

Chi't Knt looked forward to his entrance in the Imperial Combat Academy. The appointment had come earlier in the week from Academy director herself. Lo't and Kpa't, his parents, were caught totally off guard since they didn't know that Chi't had applied. It took them several days to get used to the idea since they both had planned that he enter the family business.

Chi't was never interested in raising Chelts, but his family was prosperous and well thought of by most everyone they knew. They diligently paid the taxes imposed by the Imperial Government with no complaints since they knew that the government provided security for all the Split race.

By the end of his 8 year stay at the Remedial Education Facility on the Home Planet, Chi't had seen much that made him decide to apply to the I.C.A. They were shown extensive video footage of the war between the Split and their hated enemy, the Boron by the instructors in the class. Chi't was especially interested in the tactics and strategy applied on both sides. Though the war had ended over 400 years ago, there were still skirmishes that occurred near the borders and Chi't wanted to be part of the force that held the soft-bodied scum at bay.

Many of his classmates had also applied to the Academy, but few had the test scores that Chi't achieved. Out of a class of four hundred, only thirty were chosen to be accepted. He was second only to Ha't Nst, the pretty daughter of a minor official in the Imperial Government. Chi't liked her very much and when she told him that she was going to apply to the Academy, he decided that he wanted to go too.

He only had a few days before he was to leave. The location of the Academy was a highly kept secret that very few knew, so Chi't had no idea where he was going. He was told that once he left his home, he would have no outside contact with anyone, so he should make good use of his time saying goodbye to his family and friends. His sister, Pi't, was three years younger than he and she wouldn't make it home from the Remedial Education Facility before he left. He recorded a goodbye message for her and left the disc with his mother.

When the day to leave finally arrived, Chi't was ready to be on his way. His mother and father went to the Transport Facility to see him off. His father took his hand and looked into his eyes. "Make us proud." his father said. "Remember that you are a Knt."

"I will, father" Chi't replied. "I will."

His mother, trying to hold back a sob, was unsuccessful. She threw her arms around him and whispered in his ear, "I love you very much, my son. Please take good care of yourself." No longer able to contain herself, she burst into tears and turned away.

The final boarding call came across the PA system. Chi't picked up his bag and headed for the transport. As he reached the gate, he turned for a final wave to his parents then headed down the tunnel to the waiting transport.

The official at the gate examined his papers and waved him through. The transport was only about half full, so Chi't had no problem finding a seat. He knew several of the other recruits and greeted them with a nod. Looking around, he noticed that all the view ports were darkened to opacity. There would be no sightseeing on this trip.

When all the recruits were aboard, a crew member entered the cabin and closed the airlock. After checking to make sure everyone was secure, he went through the bulkhead door to the flight deck leaving the recruits with their own thoughts. Chi't wondered how long the trip would last since none of them knew where they were going. By the look on the faces of the others, they were thinking the same thing.

With a hiss, the cabin pressurized and a deep throb signaled the engines starting. This appeared to be a standard passenger transport, but something didn't seem quite right. Chi't had been on several transports and this one sounded like nothing he had ever heard.

"Prepare yourselves kids." a voice said over the loudspeaker. "We're out of here!"

With a roar that Chi't felt to his bones, the transport blasted out of the facility. He was pressed back into his seat until his chest ached and he had to struggle to take in a breath. After what seemed an eternity, the pressure lessened and finally was completely gone.
His new life had begun.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The trip lasted nearly 4 hours according to her chrono. Ha't Nst gathered her belongings and filed out of the transport with the others. There was still nothing to see. The tunnel to the gate had no view ports anywhere along it length so she didn't know if they were on a space station or a planet. She thought she would have been able to tell if they landed on a planet, but the transport which brought them was very unusual. After the grueling departure, the smooth, almost feather-light landing was a surprise.

She could see two MPs waiting at the end of the tunnel. They wore dark green uniforms that she had never seen before.

"Welcome to the Imperial Combat Academy" one of the men said when the group reached them. "We are here to escort you to your quarters."

One of the men took the lead while the other fell in behind the group of 14 recruits. There were quite a few people in the corridors as they followed their guide toward the dormitories. Ha't saw several of her classmates from the Remedial Education Facility.

When they reached their destination, the MPs ushered them into the room and told them to find their assigned bunk and stow their personal belongings in the available lockers.

"Time to get you fed" one of the MPs said. "Let's form up and move out."

They were lead to the mess hall and ushered into the queue for their first meal in their new home. Ha't got her food and found a place to sit. The baked Chelt smelled really good and as she was lifting the first bite to her mouth, someone bumped her hard enough to make her drop the food. She turned with a scathing vituperation which died on her lips when she saw who it was.

Chi't stood there grinning at her. "Mind if I join you?" he asked.

She returned the smile. "No at all" she replied.

Chi't set his tray on the table an took a seat next to her. She was glad he had found her so soon after arriving. At times, it seemed he was the only person that understood her when she was trying to explain something. He was fairly close to her equal in intelligence so he was not threatened by her and she liked that about him. It didn't hurt that he was very attractive, too.

They chatted as they are their meal. Chi't told her that his trip has lasted just over 5 hours, but that still gave them no clue as to where they were. He thought they were on a Space Station, but he was not positive about that. They would find out soon enough.

From what she had read, they would have almost a year of classroom studies before they would begin flight training in the simulators. There was much to learn. Starting with Basic Flight and ending with Advanced Combat Tactics and Strategy. In between, they would learn navigation, power systems, defensive systems, counter-measures, communications, and many other subjects.

The percentage of Academy "wash-outs" was fairly high. Only about forty percent of accepted candidates completed training. Those that excelled were given a choice of assignments. Some became instructors at the Academy and took the place of those that were retired or released. Others took assignments of high risk in the Intelligence Service. Still others went into the Special Forces which included the elite Imperial Guard. Most, though, went into the Imperial Navy for the chance to fight the enemies of their race.

Ha't and Chi't had no idea where they stood in relation to the other candidates accepted for this term. They were the top two in their class at the Remedial Education Facility they had attended, but that didn't mean much here. There were as many as 4 Remedial Education Facilities in each sector of Split territory and a maximum of thirty candidates from each one meant there could be as many as fourteen hundred and forty candidates at the Academy for this term.

The MPs were waiting for them when they were finished with their meal. Ha't's dorm was in section D-7. Chi't's was in section D-22. Once they learned the layout of the Academy, they would know how far apart they were from each other. Ha't hoped it wasn't far. She wanted to spend as much time with her friend as she could.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Chi't hurt in places he didn't think it possible to hurt. He was getting better, but the instructor still tossed him around like a sack of Massom Powder. Hand to hand was not his favorite subject. Against the other students, he could hold his own, but the instructors showed no mercy. If you didn't defend yourself properly, you were going to get hurt.

After six months, he thought he was progressing fairly well. He wasn't top of the class, but he was in the top ten. Ha't was doing better in some subjects, but Chi't was far and away the better tactician. He was also ahead of her in Celestial Navigation which surprised him.

The two friends didn't spend as much time together as they would have liked. Meal times and an hour or so each evening studying was all they could manage. Their schedules were totally different. They didn't have any classes together, but they had the same subjects. Chi't helped Ha't with Celestial Navigation and she helped him with Flight Dynamics.

With the schedules that they had, it was almost impossible to keep up with everything. But by helping each other, they both advanced faster than they would have if working alone. Chi't was also glad to have someone he knew here at the Academy. When they were not studying, the talked about friends and family. He missed his mother and father. He even missed his little sister, though she could be a pain in the ass at times.

"Knt!" the instructor said. "Get back up here and try it again. I should keep you here until you get it right!"

"Yes sir!" Chi't replied as he bounced back to his feet and readied himself for the attack. He had learned very quickly that it paid to do exactly as the instructors said. The welts across his back he had received when he moved too slow were just scars now. He had not been caned in a very long time and he wanted to keep it that way.

Chi't and the instructor circled each other looking for an opening. When the instructor lunged for him, Chi't lashed out with his left hand and spun to the left as the instructor dodged. Chi't's right elbow caught the instructor a solid blow to his right temple and staggered him. Chi't followed with a leg sweep that took the man down.

The instructor was grinning when he regained his feet, though his eyes were a bit glazed. "Much better" he said. "I'll make a fighter out of you yet."

"Yes, sir!"

Chi't was congratulating himself until found himself face-down on the mat with the instructor pinning his arms behind him. It had happened so fast that he was not sure how it had been done.

"Don't let yourself to become complacent" the instructor said. "Never let the enemy fool you into thinking they are hurt worse than they really are. You'll find yourself dead."

When he was released, the Instructor's eyes no longer looked glazed. In fact, they looked as sharp as ever. Chi't had indeed thought the instructor was hurt worse than he actually was. But at least he had been able to get the man on the ground. That had never happed before.

When the class was over, Chi't headed towards his dorm and some well deserved rest. He was glad that the Hand to Hand Combat class was the last of the day. Some of his friends had to start their day with this class and it made the rest of the day a bit rough for them. That would soon change as schedules were rearranged. This was done about every six months so students wouldn't get burned-out on the same routine.

Chi't was also looking forward to the Six-Month Break. It was a time of rest and relaxation. All the students were given a week off so they could revive themselves. It was a much needed rest for everyone, including the staff of the Academy.

Ha't was waiting at the door of his dorm when he got there. He had not expected to see her today and was surprised to see here there. She was staring at the floor and seemed to be lost in thought.

"What's up, Ha't?" he asked.

When she didn't answer right away, Chi't knew something was wrong. She raised her head and he saw tears in her eyes. She took a deep breath and held it for a moment. "I have to leave the Academy, Chi't" she finally said.

He was shocked. This was totally unexpected. "Why? What's wrong?" he asked.

"My mother died last night" she said. The tears were rolling down her cheeks now.

Chi't gathered her in his arms and drew her in to him. "I've so sorry, Ha't. How did this happen?"

She laid her head on his shoulder. She was struggling to keep from completely breaking down. "The medics think it was a heart attack, but they aren't sure. It just doesn't make any sense" she replied. "But I can't stay here. My father is all alone and I have to go help him."

"I understand, but you can come back, can't you?" he asked.

"I don't think so. I don't want to leave my father all alone. He's devastated by this" she said. "I need to stay and take care of him."

Chi't felt his heart breaking. He didn't want her to go, but he knew she had to do what she felt was right. It would be very lonely here at the Academy without her. He still had a year and a half here and he didn't know if he could make it alone.

He raised her chin and looked her in the eyes. "Take care of yourself, too" he said. "I plan on coming to see you when I leave here."

She smiled a little and said, "I certainly hope so because I love you." She took his head between her hands and tenderly kissed him.

Chi't kissed her back. His heart was fluttering after hearing her words. "I love you, too" he said.

Then she was gone. He was all alone for one of the first times in his life.

* * * * * * * * * *

More to come......