all the time in the Outskirts.”
Celes looked up in surprise, “You’re from the Outskirts?”
Lyn nodded proudly, “Ya. Ramirez and I were born and raised there.”
“Outskirts?” Marcus and Janus looked confused. “What’s that?”
“It i s the areas outside of the main Corporate control.” Celes said knowledgably, “Officially, there is no territory that isn’t claimed by a Corporation, but logistically, it is impossible to control all of it. The Outskirts are regions that are beyond any real influence or control, usually because the Corporations have no interests there. Outskirters are people who live in villages in these uncontrolled regions.”
Janus and Marcus looked impressed.
“How come I’ve never heard of them before?” Marcus asked.
Lyn smiled at Ramirez, “Because we hide.”
“And because Corporations don’t exactly want people to know there are those living and surviving freely outside of their control,” Celes said. “And because, when Corporations do find Outskirters, they take the people and destroy the villages,” she added solemnly.
“Oh,” Janus and Marcus said together.
Lyn and Ramirez were silent, but then Lyn perked up, “So where are ya from, Marcus?”
“Medusa,” he said between mouthfuls of food, “I got here a little over a week ago. It wasn’t so bad. I worked in one of the power stations under my parents. It wasn’t great, but we survived. I became an Adept after I was drafted into the Medusa security forces.”
“That’s terrible,” Janus, Ramirez, and Lyn echoed together.
Marcus looked up in surprise, “Why?”
“Because Security Troopers are bullying scum,” Janus said. Lyn and Ramirez nodded in agreement.
Marcus laughed, “That’s true. But it was also my ticket out of there. Military is one of the few ways to move up the ladder. They always need good soldiers, even if they don’t admit it. And S.T.s keep order and protect people, too.” He looked at Lyn and Ramirez, “Just because you’ve seen one side of them doesn’t mean they are all bad. Besides, I was only an S.T. for a day before they decided to make me an Infernus.” Lyn and Ramirez looked even more repulsed. Marcus noticed, because he quickly added, “And then I was tested and made a Mercenary. So are you going to try those Passers or not?” pointing a fork at Celes’ tray.
Celes looked down; she had clearly been avoiding her food. Her stomach growled. Tentatively raising a bite of “meatloaf” to her lips, she quickly shoved the food into her mouth and chewed as fast as she could. After a few moments, she swallowed, the whole g roup watching her. “Not bad,” she smiled weakly.
Everyone laughed. “No really, not bad,” She said again.
Janus nodded knowingly, “Hunger makes everything more palatable.”
“Too true,” Lyn said, “So let’s stop watching her and eat.”
When the other three had their heads down, Celes carefully picked up her fork and silently motioned how to hold it. Janus smiled appreciatively and emulated her.
Soon all that could be heard was the clattering of trays and the smacking of lips.
Chapter 14: The Dove and the Hawkes
The five ran together to Sigma 3, just catching up to Wouris as she walked inside for their afternoon meeting. She gave them a look of disapproval, “Almost late, watch it, cadets.”
Wouris gathered the unit around her, “Alright you bluebacks, tomorrow you begin the actual training. Today was about me getting a feel for you.” Some of the cadets gave knowing looks and grins, many wore looks of relief. Wouris couldn’t expect them to run the same distance every day; it would be suicide.
“Tomorrow, we’ll start with our same run, but stragglers will start losing their free time.” The smiles faded.
“Then, you’ll begin your hand-to-hand exercises, tactical lessons, and weight training. Eventually you’ll be expected to work
Celes looked up in surprise, “You’re from the Outskirts?”
Lyn nodded proudly, “Ya. Ramirez and I were born and raised there.”
“Outskirts?” Marcus and Janus looked confused. “What’s that?”
“It i s the areas outside of the main Corporate control.” Celes said knowledgably, “Officially, there is no territory that isn’t claimed by a Corporation, but logistically, it is impossible to control all of it. The Outskirts are regions that are beyond any real influence or control, usually because the Corporations have no interests there. Outskirters are people who live in villages in these uncontrolled regions.”
Janus and Marcus looked impressed.
“How come I’ve never heard of them before?” Marcus asked.
Lyn smiled at Ramirez, “Because we hide.”
“And because Corporations don’t exactly want people to know there are those living and surviving freely outside of their control,” Celes said. “And because, when Corporations do find Outskirters, they take the people and destroy the villages,” she added solemnly.
“Oh,” Janus and Marcus said together.
Lyn and Ramirez were silent, but then Lyn perked up, “So where are ya from, Marcus?”
“Medusa,” he said between mouthfuls of food, “I got here a little over a week ago. It wasn’t so bad. I worked in one of the power stations under my parents. It wasn’t great, but we survived. I became an Adept after I was drafted into the Medusa security forces.”
“That’s terrible,” Janus, Ramirez, and Lyn echoed together.
Marcus looked up in surprise, “Why?”
“Because Security Troopers are bullying scum,” Janus said. Lyn and Ramirez nodded in agreement.
Marcus laughed, “That’s true. But it was also my ticket out of there. Military is one of the few ways to move up the ladder. They always need good soldiers, even if they don’t admit it. And S.T.s keep order and protect people, too.” He looked at Lyn and Ramirez, “Just because you’ve seen one side of them doesn’t mean they are all bad. Besides, I was only an S.T. for a day before they decided to make me an Infernus.” Lyn and Ramirez looked even more repulsed. Marcus noticed, because he quickly added, “And then I was tested and made a Mercenary. So are you going to try those Passers or not?” pointing a fork at Celes’ tray.
Celes looked down; she had clearly been avoiding her food. Her stomach growled. Tentatively raising a bite of “meatloaf” to her lips, she quickly shoved the food into her mouth and chewed as fast as she could. After a few moments, she swallowed, the whole g roup watching her. “Not bad,” she smiled weakly.
Everyone laughed. “No really, not bad,” She said again.
Janus nodded knowingly, “Hunger makes everything more palatable.”
“Too true,” Lyn said, “So let’s stop watching her and eat.”
When the other three had their heads down, Celes carefully picked up her fork and silently motioned how to hold it. Janus smiled appreciatively and emulated her.
Soon all that could be heard was the clattering of trays and the smacking of lips.
Chapter 14: The Dove and the Hawkes
The five ran together to Sigma 3, just catching up to Wouris as she walked inside for their afternoon meeting. She gave them a look of disapproval, “Almost late, watch it, cadets.”
Wouris gathered the unit around her, “Alright you bluebacks, tomorrow you begin the actual training. Today was about me getting a feel for you.” Some of the cadets gave knowing looks and grins, many wore looks of relief. Wouris couldn’t expect them to run the same distance every day; it would be suicide.
“Tomorrow, we’ll start with our same run, but stragglers will start losing their free time.” The smiles faded.
“Then, you’ll begin your hand-to-hand exercises, tactical lessons, and weight training. Eventually you’ll be expected to work
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