The Nefaliem's Duty (Ordinal Novella, 1) by Kelvia-Lee Johnson

 
1
Rookie
     
    I’ve been
standing here for what feelings like a good hour only to waste
time, I glance at the boy to the right of me. He’s a few feet
taller than me and is a lot stockier than most boys I know. His
arms are a little too big for his body as is the upper half of his
body and I’m strangely aware of the scaly muscles defined beneath
his shirt. He glances at me and looks away. I do the same thing,
apologetically realising that I’m making him uncomfortable. I
couldn’t help it we are standing in line in an empty room. I feel
the boy on the other side of me shuffle his feet a bit before he
stands at ease with his hands set behind his back.
    No one has
spoken.
    There are
cameras in this room that monitors every move and because of it,
I’m consciously aware of their lack of faith in us. The air is
still and silent, I can hear the breathing of my fellow classmates.
Though none of them have ever spoken to me—because I didn’t really
grow up on this world.
    Talk about
culture shock.
    Eventually the
door slides open and there stands a man, dressed in full body
armour. It gleams in a sterling silver under the white fluorescent
lights overhead. His head is exposed and I notice his short silver
hair—his energy levels must be low. Than my eyes drift to the rank
on the front of his chest and notice that his name last name is
just below it—Colonel Izrick.
    His blue eyes
are cold and when I say cold, I mean they are devoid of any
emotion. I thought I was seeing things but taking a second look and
a longer glance. I realise I was right. He looks as though he’s
seen the spoils of war and consequences of it. He stops in front of
us and scans us individually. I keep my eyes ahead and stare at the
wall behind him when his eyes rest on me. I remain still as a
statue and notice everyone else does the same. We’re all terrified
of what type of training course he has on offer for us this time.
“You’re all probably wondering what you’re doing here?” he
begins.
    Yes, I
am , I think but don’t say. I wouldn’t dare talk without being
ordered let alone backtalk to a superior officer. I’m only a
foot-soldier at the moment—a Rookie. I have a lot to go before I’m
even considered to be a Knight and even longer before I’m
considered to be a Silver Knight. I may have graduated the trial
with flying colours but I still have many more problems to face and
that is doing everything I’m told without complaint.
    So far that’s
all I want to do. I’ve done nothing but assignments, and when I say
assignments I don’t mean the practical ones—I mean the written
ones. We had finished secondary education and left PASA behind and
I feel like I’m still there. Talk about a total drag. “You’ve all
been called here for a reason. All twelve of you have proven to be
the most skilled and talent young Squires PASA had to offer.” His
eyes scan every face and I’m awfully aware of his gaze resting on
my face of all the faces. “So now it is time to prove your worth
and value to the Order of PASA. Planetary Advanced Specialists’
Artillery—that is what PASA stands for. Whether you recognise it or
not is none of my concern but you are the best of the best and for the next generation you have a bright
future.”
    “Now as I said
before, it’s time to prove your worth and value to us.” I notice a
holographic screen is displayed before us. “This is classified
information that will not be repeated out of this room. Everything
you see in here, everything you hear in here, stays in here.”
    He’s silent for
a moment before declaring, “Let’s begin.”
     
    PLANET EARTH,
DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY
    08:00 HRS
2010
    The portal
opens and I step out into the backyard of my foster home.
Everyone’s asleep. I trudge through the large spear grass and head
passed the thick old fallen trees and into the square green grass
area on this five-acre block of land in the rural area of Darwin
that was considered to be our