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Futuristic [DISCONTINUED] Dies Irae: Astral Fulcrum

Pilgrim59

👑 Exalted Monarch 👑
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Astral Fulcrum OST - S.O.F
ASTRAL
FULCRUM
01
Dies Irae
Destiny awaits beyond the decayed stars.
Breaking News
FBN
9qNA2d5.png


Following several catastrophes relating to the recent power outages in Velika's Northern Hemisphere, the Imperial Council have dispatched ARLA [ARcane LAwkeepers] units to pick up on the on-going investigation of the outage's source. The Imperial garrison and local law enforcements have been working together to set up shelters and rationing stations to provide for the people. While many officials claim that the outage may be related to the planet core's centennial surge that was responsible for major power outage in the past, there are on-going speculations by many High Mages that the outage is a foreboding omen of sorts. Join us later tonight with Elder Archmage Surovis and his take on this issue.
DEBRIEF
AAR
N/A
BRIEFING
4045
CHAPTER 1.1: PROVENANCE

The early spring of Velika Prime greeted the young cadets that have just arrived in Aarau for their induction. Hoverbus after hoverbus would arrive, after a few hours drive from their initial dropzone, with various checkpoints along the way. Modeled after a generic school, AICA was anything but a common educational compound. Sporting the latest technology and arcane integration, AICA was further augmented by veteran staff and personnel to ensure the operational security and safety of the students upon their arrival. Its seemingly simple layout on the surface is surrounded by sporadic fields and forests, which served to mask the vast underground facility for various training simulacrum and development. Strategically and symbolically built upon the site of Dr. Maxwell's abode, it is said that the spirits of the forerunning mages will ensure the success of their successors.

Donning red and black, the multitude of students reflected the Farbanian banners that remained in absentia at AICA. Unlike most institutes, AICA was in itself a well-secured facility with the main purpose of turning legionnaires and sailors into formidable Mobius pilots. In the outlying areas of the vast stretches of untamed lands were elite mages that were responsible for providing the academy with home-grown supplies, while posted there as an external security force to keep strangers from venturing where they ought not to. Likewise, their job was to also make sure none of the cadets would breach the security protocol.

Issued with a syllabus, sets of uniforms and battle fatigues, the cadets are expected at AICA for their induction.

TRANSMISSION ENCRYPTED - SENDING
RECIPIENT: Worthlessplebian Worthlessplebian FiveElemental FiveElemental koala koala Soviet Panda Soviet Panda Steve Jobs Steve Jobs Midrick Midrick ThatWhichShouldBe ThatWhichShouldBe LostHaven LostHaven LazyDaze LazyDaze RedArmyShogun RedArmyShogun TheRealAngeloftheStorm TheRealAngeloftheStorm ERode ERode
Code by Nano
 
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E. MUIRSE
AICA INSTRUCTOR
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
Soviet Panda Soviet Panda
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

The blonde instructor residing within the main administrative building took into sight of the new recruits, of whom were striding along towards the main hall for their induction. Bright blue eyes glowed with excitement, before she took notice of her male counterpart from across the room. A man riddled with scars, whose persona took on the form of a bittersweet paladin. It was not that long since they first encountered one another in the Aurora District. All things considered, she would surmise that he was in better shape than then. Alas, the fractured glow of his brilliant amber optics was hard to miss, especially when they are still tainted with the rough edges of a war-torn star. Despite their differences in expertise, the glowing ember of their shared conflict has yet to abate.

Frowning slightly with a soft sigh escaping her, the equidaen suppressed her thoughts with a sip from her cup of tea. It pained her to witness another generation being thrown into the fray, but she would keep her piece unspoken. She was still on duty, and as long as she don the imperial uniform, she must maintain that image - as most officers would. She could not say the same about the gray instructor that was in charge of the Warlock Training Course. Times were changing, and it seemed that the Mobius aces of yesterday were all but relevant.

Dragging herself towards the veteran, Muirse finally broke the silence. "Here comes the saplings. A refraction of our younger years, donnait? I'll catch your knees at the usual spot. Laters, Scarston." She remarked, but not before caressing the man's past with a moniker that she gave him. Passing him by with her documents in one hand and a cup of tea in the other Muirse propped open the staff room's door.

"Don't forget to report back with the Doc before the new bairns start floodin' my class." The woman's voice echoed in the hallway, before the imminent automated doors announced her exeunt.

Code by Nano
 
JUDYTH KAIRNSEVAL
CADET
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
Durthai
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

The early spring morning of Aarau welcomed the new recruits with open arms. For many, it was perhaps the first time they were given a chance to partake in a school, for others, it was a welcoming break from their not-so-fulfilling life. At least, the vibrant air of AICA was far more accommodating than the monotonous sight of shielded barrack walls or the suffocating squalor of distant, backwater colonies. Armed with the confidence of a zealous patriot, Judyth took a deep breath as she neared the gate and took on a big smile that was her armament against all that would oppose her. It was here that she encountered a strange creature that was scanning the courtyard with great curiosity, while occasionally catching a quick peek at the document in her hand - which, upon closer inspection, resembled a syllabus of sorts.

Making her way towards the young cadet, at least she would assume they were so, thanks to their identical uniform and syllabi issued a day just before they were picked up by the hoverbus. "Are you new here as well? " Judyth waved at the white-haired student, of whom was snapping their attention towards the sudden approach.

"Ah! You surprised me! Aye, I've only got the notice two days ago. Oh, my manners! I'm Durthai Negyv, One-Thirty-Sixth Reserve Legionnaire. Pleased to make your acquaintance!" The young girl smile, with her cheeks ripen with joy. It was perhaps one of the few personnel that stood out the most among the regular legionnaires. Even to herself, she perceived this as a fortunate encounter, as Durthai managed to confide within Judyth a renewed sense of purpose. Her innocent and untainted smile reminded the silver-haired patriot of what she was fighting for. Benign negligence was as dangerous as underestimating one's value. And in Durthai's star-lit eyes, Judyth saw a reflection of her past self, albeit with a far more captivating manifestation of grace in earnest. Enthusiastic to grasp upon this encounter, the rhapsodic Judyth responded with a well-conceived pleasantness in her tone.

"I'm Judyth Kairnseval. Fifth-ninth Reserve Legionnaire. It's a pleasure, Negyv! One-thirty-six, huh? Guess that makes us legionnary sisters."

"So it does, aye! And Durthai is fine!!" She replied, waving her hands about. "Everyone does." Her fingers fell between a few locks of her fine hair, rubbing them gently with a soft smile.

From the way she expressed her interests in

"And you can call me Judyth. Come on, let's get indoors."

"Straza! AICA sure looks beautiful! Did you see all those primroses in the courtyard?"

"Giliani primula. A bit lighter in color from our homegrown vela primula, but they can weather the rain much better than ours."

"Aye! Precisely! Straza, are you a flower enthusiast as well? Can you teach me more about them?" Durthai's question managed to fuel Kairnseval's interest, as the two chatted their way towards the main administrative building.

Code by Nano
 
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DURTHAI NEGYV
CADET
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
Judyth, Amroi, Felix, & Saimos
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

As the two entered the main hall alongside the other recruits, they would be met by some legionnaire in full armor. Responsible for identifying the cadets upon their arrival and ensuring their safety, the legionnaire scanned each cadet's armbands, before securing each student's personal belongings in their designated lockers. Passing by a blonde lady, they were greeted with an amiable smile. "The briefing is about to start. Go on and situate yourselves, alright?"

"We'll gentait." Durthai swiftly responded with a sharp salute, prompting Judyth to do the same. Upon closer inspection of the identification tag hanging off the woman's immaculate uniform, it seemed that they just met their instructor. Durthai then heaved a sigh of relief once they were inside the main hall.

"She seemed nicer than my drill instructor back at Fort Veil." Judyth shrugged with a teaseful smile.

Durthai's eyes widened, as she turned towards Judyth. "Fort Veil? You didn't happen to chance upon Instructor Braxton, didn't you?"

"Yes! That's him! We'd call him Asston because he would always chew us out for no reason." Judyth replied, to which Durthai eyed her with curiosity as they seemed to have gone through almost the same experience in the Legion. "But he did made us into something we were not capable of." She nodded with confidence, inspiring Durthai to do the same with an assured smile. "Aye."

Taking their seats, the doors were swiftly shut, with the paneled hall relaying several floating holographic interfaces within each occupied seat. Thanks to Pliant Integrated-eXperience; Intelligent Environment system, the hall provided the cadets with auxiliary information on screen that was connected to their identification armband. A dark-haired figure then emerged upon the stage, finally revealing herself to the new cadets after years of being locked up in her research lab. Durthai's eyes were now glued upon the person, as the words that followed struck her with great intrigue.

"Good morning, cadets. I am Doctor Loxley, Grand Director of the Palatine Section initiative and Head of AICA. As you all know, you've all been summoned here to prepare and retrain for the Mobius Program. Sons and daughters of Farbania, legionnaires and sailors, fighters and healers. I believe in your potentials, as much as Her Imperial Majesty has believed in me for the past few years. You will be the tip of the spear that will end this war and I hope your time at AICA will be more than simply learning to fight."

"Now, onto your curricula. As cadets, you will participate in lectures and field training for the next three months, led by our senior instructors here at AICA - Major Muirse and Major Pakston. An inflexible schedule, I know. But we have taken the necessary cautions and arrangements to ensure that you are all prepared for the final augmentation process. In doing so, necessitating your combat-readiness." As she said so, the blonde lady that Durthai and Judyth saw earlier would arrive on stage alongside an amber-eyed man that she assumed to be the named instructors that Dr. Loxley named. "Your living quarters and hall lockers have been assigned to you the moment you went past inspection in the hall. All of your armbands are now limited to AICA's encrypted channels, so any outgoing calls to family or loved ones will have to go through a mana-mirror. Any unauthorized attempt to go off-campus will result in an arrest. The Imperial Council of Defense take their jobs very seriously, and I say so from my personal experience. So do try to keep in line."

Durthai would make a mental note of Loxley's words, as she skimmed through the contents of their schedule on the miniature screen at her seat.

"That is all. If you need counseling, please arrange a meeting prior. I don't do walk-ins. Instructors, please see to your details and roll them out. Welcome to AICA, and may the spirit of Her Imperial Majesty keep you all."

Durthai and Judyth then exited the hall to retrieve their things, before dwelling on the thoughts of their first class - Physical Training with Instructor Pakston.

"What do you think of Instructor Pakston?" Judyth remarked.

"Instructor Pakston? Hmmm." Durthai squeezed herself within the confines of her dialing mind briefly, before responding. "He seems like a very strong man. All those scars... he must have returned from the frontlines recently. I'm sure he will have a lot of insights to share!" The white-haired girl clasped her hands together with an optimistic look.

"Perhaps. Alright. Physical Training." Judyth muttered softly as she conjured a soft, visible interface with her armband to navigate. "Training Field. Just pass this corridor. We should get changed. Catch up!" Judyth nodded with a smile before charging off towards the girl's locker room.

"Aye! Right behind you, Judyth!" Durthai responded, trying to catch up with her new friend, but not before bumping into a green-haired cadet, whose glowing eyes were cast upon the white-haired creature.

"Oi."

"I'm so sorry!!! Are you alright?" She apologized swiftly, holding tight onto her standard-issued duffel bag. The green haired ogre would size her up with a particularly haughty look, followed by a click of his tongue. Durthai's eyes then widened when the young man leaned forward. She stumbled back, with the walls firmly tucked up behind her. There was no escape from his wrath. His arm flexed forward, as Durthai braced for a blow. An audible smack then echoed the hall, as Durthai found herself cornered with no escape. "You better watch where you're going, or I'mma toss you all the way to Saimo, snowball." He announced with a villainous grin, having slammed his hand against the wall beside her.

"You gotta issue a recompensation, don't you?" He urged her, in an attempt to exploit the helpless creature. She was on the verge of letting her tears flow, for it seemed that Judyth was far from earshot.

"In the name of- well, my name, Saimos rui Kelserin - release that lady immediately!"

Durthai quickly caught the source of the resounding announcement, as she veered her bubbling optics towards the intervening party.

Code by Nano
 
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FELIX LUMINOV & SAIMOS RUI KELSERIN
CADETS
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
Amroi & Durthai
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

"Ah great, a knight in shiny armor. T-" The green ogre responded with a sarcastic voice, before being interrupted. Cocking his head back, he noticed a blue-haired cadet that was trying to gain his attention. Beside him was a blonde companion that seemed to be his close mate. He could only surmise that the man was from nobility, based on his pretentious dialect.

"You, sir, are in the presence of your earnest Saimos rui Kelserin. Unhand that lady or I shall not hesitate to pluck my lock, sir!"

The green-haired cadet then threw his punch, only to be surprised by what followed. Despite his attempt to break the man out of his self-indulged play of a savior, the oni only realized that the man simply absorbed the strike, but continued to speak on with even greater vigor. He would strike again, hitting Saimos in the gut. The latter would recover from the punch and looked on at Durthai. "Away, my dear lady! I shall carry on and protect your honor from here!" Saimos said with some groans in between his words. Durthai stood still, puzzled by what just happened.

Oddly enough, the blonde cadet seemed to refrain from intervening. That was a bad sign for the oni. Before he attempted to strike again, Saimos's companion leaned over towards the oni and finally spoke with a stern voice. "It's best if you simply leave. He'll keep on playing, and you'll be feeding him attention."

Despite his annoyance, the oni had no choice but to concede to the blonde cadet's words and walked off. He eyed Durthai briefly, before turning away from the corridor.

"You seemed battered and beat. You needn't have done so!" She withdrew her handkerchief and wiped away the blood smeared across Saimos's face, finally turning off the chatter box. He looked down at her, eyeing the cadet-nurse that was channeling her mana to soften up the swelling and bruises that he had sustained. "T-Thank you, Sir Kelserin."

With a confident smile, the man then announced with pride. "Worry not, miss. I, Saimos rui Kelserin, shall protect all of my comrades' interests. For I will become the greatest Mobius pilot alive, mark my words! The only reward I request of you, is your smile! Hahahahaha!"

It did not take long for his blonde companion to heave a long sigh. "Tone it down, Sai. You're going scare her off too." Eyeing the small cadet before them, he thought it was best to introduce themselves. "Felix Luminov. This guy here is my battle-buddy for the last five years. You probably caught his name, if not, he will repeat it every chance he gets."

"Lumi can say whatever he wants, but he is in fact my aide-de-campe. Should you require our service, we shall meet it with vigor!"

Durthai then smiled softly at the two. "T-thank you."

"Don't mind it none, Durthai. Speaking of vigor, Sai, we're gonna be late. You did pack your fatigues, right?"

"Me? In training fatigues? Hahaha!" "Nay, I forgot. Can I borrow yours?"

"I thought so. I charge two-thousand Kreimarks per hour."

"Villainous cheat!"

"Sucks to forget, doesn't it? Anyways. See you in a bit, Durthai." Felix bid her farewell, and went about his way, dragging his impetuous mate along.

"Aye!" The girl would respond with vigor.

Code by Nano
 
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AMROI SVARGAI
CADET
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
Cyra
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

Reeling back from his unadmitted defeat at the hand of a talkative and stubborn noble that called himself Saimos rui Kelserin, the oni made his way past the vestibule that led towards the training field. He dwelled on his recent actions. Perhaps he was a bit harsh towards such a conforming and docile girl. He briefly reminisced his childhood on Sunitra - a squalid hell-hole that he had grown too fond of. The way everyone treated one another was, in a way, to reinforce one's immunity to most social cues. For Amroi, it was a matter of survival, and the only way he could keep the others away from him - was to establish his domineering and provocative manners. While it worked for most backwater planets, the young cadet could not help but shed a tiny sentiment of guilt brushing over his spine. Shaking it off, he grabbed his pride as a troublemaker and made for the training field. Alas, he could not move upon meeting the solid panels of the door before him.

A certain sense of discomfort crept over his shoulder, freezing the young cadet in his steps. He narrowed his eyes, furrowing his brows as he carefully assessed his immediate surroundings. It did not take long for the young man to finally make out the assailant that ensnared his steps. Turning to his right, the blurry silhouette began to manifest itself in the form of another cadet, whose silvery hair and feline features brought back some details that he had abandoned some time ago.

"Fancy meeting you here, Ogre. It has been a long time." The feline spoke.

"The shazz is-... You're that chick that-..."

"Yes. And I would prefer it if we keep the past to ourselves."

Amroi would pause to study the woman's amber eyes, of which was filled with a certain spirit of determination that was not present when they last met. Having been the very deliverer of her voyage to Velika, Amroi was dumbfounded by the consequences that followed. Yet, here they were, donning the same uniform bespoke of their allegiance. But even that did not stop the ogre from pressing on with his curiosity.

"So that is what this is all about. Fine. Though something doesn't sit shazzing right with me. Why are you fighting for the Farbs?"

"Interesting, coming from someone that has a Farbani accent." She retorted with a slight sigh.

Clicking his tongue, the oni cocked his head back to brush his bangs. He then leaned forward with a deep tone. "Su-ni, lady. Suni. My home might be a tossed-over colony, but I still have some pride as a Suni. Whatever. You do you and stay out of my way. Got it?"

"All of us are heading to the same assembly point. It would be nigh-impossible for me to stay out of your way when we must pass through the same exit before us."

"Tsk!" Amroi clicked his tongue again out of frustration, tucking both his hands inside his pocket while maneuvering forward with speed to keep his distance from the feline cadet.
Code by Nano
 
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AEOUN
CADET
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
ANY
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

What heralds the coming of Aeoun is a song. A clarion call belting out old sagas in the tongue of Urania's people, not in Farbanian common. The melody that issues from his mouth is not quite formed of the human voice, instead the strange unearthly tones that were how the Katastrati spoke in their true forms. It plays on musical progressions unknown to Farbanti or Sorenti, echoing the stars and myriad constellations of a moonless, sunless sky. Today was the day they would be taking to their chariots, weren't they? Though the 'Mobius' were chariots without horses, armed in a fashion Aeoun had never seen before that day the Farbanians arrived on his homeworld, they were chariots still.

And though Aeoun had bucked much tradition, there were still some he preferred to hold onto. When a noble warrior first found their chariot, they would sing their House's saga-song, and add their name to its singing in ritual.

Aeoun emerges onto the field his blonde hair blowing in the wind as the song ends, and the signature signs of Katasteri lineage are immediately apparent. His eyes are filled with stars, but from this far out, one instead notices the night sky bleeding through where his shadow touches the ground, or the shaded portions of his uniform. Whirling galaxies and constellations glittering in the slight darkness. He looks out around the motley crew that had also already arrived, grinning at them all. So these would be his companions during his days at the academy, huh? Well, he might as well get to know them.

"I am Aeoun of House Orion! It's good to meet you all!"

He shouts out, grinning at them with a sickeningly smug look on his face.
Code by Nano
 









STATUS: ACTIVE DUTY
LOCATION: EN ROUTE ; AICA, VELIKA PRIME, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
ATTIRE: STANDARD BLACK & RED AICA UNIFORM
MENTION: AEOUN
INTERACTION: RAKH Worthlessplebian Worthlessplebian
ost vibes


The hum of the hoverbus was quiet in comparison to the chattering around Fionnuala. She could hear excitement in the voices of younger cadets while making out nerves etched in the older, more experienced ones. The pepper-haired woman fell into the latter category, though she wouldn’t necessarily call herself “experienced” by any means. It was the anxiety that plagued her poorly socialized bones which made her relate to them, and she desperately wished that her aide, and only true friend Elleslie, were there to convince her to stop being so neurotic.

Contrary to the current paleness of Fionnuala’s face, she would’ve jumped on the opportunity to join AICA a year ago—her memorable, goofy smile so wide it would’ve rivaled the Empire’s might. However, a year ago, her brother was still active, not MIA, and she didn’t need to worry about making the right decisions as the head of a family, nor be a ruler for an entire region.

Cainnech’s disappearance had thus left a major hole in the Esteriel family’s way of life, but it left a particularly large crater in Fionnuala personally. The glow around her had simmered down into a struggling ember. Family staff members often used to comment on how she resembled a summer night’s breeze, free and forthcoming; she wondered if they’d say the same if they saw her now.

As the hoverbus came to a slow stop, Fionnuala finally lifted her amber eyes and studied her surroundings. She squinted slightly as her vision adjusted to the bright light, a stark contrast to the dark flooring she’d been staring at for the entire ride. Flags in Farbanian colors waved as one-by-one the fresh cadets filed out. The wind kissed her cheeks in greeting as the corners of her lips twitched upwards.

At least you feel like home. She thought as she stepped off the bus, or at least, she tried to.

Against all her training as an elegant noble, Fionnuala tripped on the hoverbus’s last step. Time seemed to slow as she fumbled, her face hitting the back of the gentleman who’d exited before her. His unmistakable human scent flooded her nose before she froze in place, thankful he was built like a wall and not like a pile of hay. It would’ve been her luck to accidentally send the poor cadet flying to the ground on his first day.

“My apologies.” The woman began, stepping aside so others could pass. “I was admiring the scenery and miscalculated how far the steps were. They’re much taller. Here.” She couldn’t help but cringe at the awkwardness of her words, silently cursing at herself for ending her sentence the way she had.

They’re much taller here? Really?

She finally glanced up when he spoke, her eyes never meeting his own because they paused on the diagonal scar along his mouth. Her fingers subconsciously reached for the markings on her cheek, suddenly remembering her mother’s words of being aware of how she presented herself in public.

Her ears burned at the memory.

“Once again, I’m very sorry.” Fionnuala forced a smile before proceeding to follow the crowd through all the necessary inspection points. She didn’t want to bring much attention to herself the way the blonde man a few arm lengths away from her had.

Moving her hair to somewhat cover her scarred face, she tried not to ponder on how she’d already embarrassed herself before officially entering AICA grounds. Those thoughts were swiftly erased as the welcoming ceremony began, and Fionnuala let Doctor Loxley’s words soak into her like a sponge thirsty for knowledge.

Three months of retraining didn’t seem terrible—at least for her. Fionnuala had always been athletic and being freshly transferred from the Imperial Legion meant her body was still used to vigorous training. Cainnech had also mentioned something about special physical training once before, but he never went into the details of his time as a soldier and Mobius pilot. That fact alone made her curious to see how different it was to the standard regimens since they always told each other everything.







hellscythe / cadet



fion.








  • filler tab!





♡coded by uxie♡
 
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dTXQGHc.png

Location: AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
Foreign clothes and a foreign world. Exciting and unenviable.

The Wolf had told him enough about Velika Prime that the excess of the land hadn't surprised him. Monuments of stone and steel, to house the scaleless children who'd be forged into the Empress's hammer. Greenery as far as the eye could see, enough so that it felt like a dream. The air, damp with promise, the Sun, framed like a jewel by clouds from his childhood dreams. He had wished to fly once, before flight was associated with machines of war and landing strategies, before the sky was stained by flame, the earth stained by light, the seas swallowed by in the hole that lead to the heart of his home.

Velika Prime, the capital of an Empire. From the hoverbus, it had been a tapestry, but within the meeting room, it was clearly a stew pot. A scholar that he enjoyed, back when it had been more important to Cassius that he learn rather than trained, wrote of how evolution, the improvements that were made to extend the cycle of life and death, naturally lead all beings towards the form of crabs. That scholar, it seemed, did not look up from his writing machine and see that the dominant species, the space-faring species, were bipedal quadrupeds who didn't even have the evolutionary sense to generate a skeletal structure that would protect the entirety of the organs in their torso. It all lead to a particular, peculiar form.

One that that Rel-Taren had plentiful experience disemboweling.

His tail, slender and spiny, drifted from side to side. His eyes, red as rust, swivelled from one potato-face to another. His fingers, bearing claws that had to be rounded off to comply with student guidelines, tapped a nonsense beat into the air. Plenty of tall, fleshy types present. A couple of more curious individuals, two of them similar, yet wholly different. Most, just humanoids with some trace of the beast their forebearers were. His tongue flicked out, an eye lazily rolling towards a conflict between a soft-faced pure-blood and a dark-skinned brat. It extended to the sorts of shows that he'd expect out of a telecomms unit his brothers had wrested out from the bombed out remains of an encampment. Mindless entertainment that had no bite, regardless of the blood spilled or the proclamations made. Shame that hero's battle-brother didn't vocalize any sound effects; would've made the experience more pleasant.

Or, alternatively...it was a shame that this Aeoun of House Orion, a Velikan humanoid who nevertheless did not appear as one, did not start singing until after that conflict was over and dealt with. A true pity. Rel-Taren's tongue flicked out, baring his fangs in the approximation of the smile the Pig had always asked him to have, and had always regretted afterwards.

Curious individuals, cloaking themselves in the guise of the mighty. Would the pretense persist in their blood? Their flesh? Their organs? Their bones?

Well, the first class was 'Physical Training'. There would be plenty of opportunity there, to see how the inferno had shaped his...classmates.

Teeth settling back beneath his lips, Rel-Taren strode off, making a beeline for the Training Fields and showing no intention of a detour to the changing room first. After all, what was the point of clothing that you couldn't wear for every function? With all the technology that the star-chasers possessed, with all the wealth be pumped into this institute, how could such an oversight be had?
 
Liane D. Venhaus
A.I.C.A., Velika Prime | Mentions: ThatWhichShouldBe ThatWhichShouldBe koala koala

Warm, viscous blood that caked wavering hands. The deadly melody of gunfire and the war-song of clashing steel. They should have been utterly foreign concepts to her - to any living being, enough to reduce a man to a frightened, shell-shocked husk of their selves. And yet, Liane found herself perfectly comfortably in the bloody revelry, the price of war never more than but an insignificant afterthought that would intrude unto her mind on rare occasions, stimulating her to ponder its nature for only a moment before being pushed away and tossed to the recesses of her mind as irrelevant information.

For the first time, Liane understood what it meant to be a 'weapon', the merciless, unfeeling tool that was supposedly her very nature itself. The brutal, inhuman experiences that were driven into the soldiers at the front lines were probably too much for any sane man to bear, Liane concluded. And yet, the fact that she couldn't find the interest to as much as dwell on these experiences indicated to the homunculus that her psyche was simply different.

"You are far more than the purpose for which you were born."

Words imparted to her by her maker come to mind. His persistent assertion that she had a far greater 'destiny' than a tool. Ultimately, the homunculus could never fully grasp at the meaning behind her maker's words. 'Destiny' was a novel concept to her, an abstract idea crafted by a far less learned civilization in endearing, if fruitless endeavor at assigning a meaning to their existence. Believing without seeing, without cold, undisputed evidence, it baffled Liane to think that people in the modern day still held some inkling of belief in 'fate'. She couldn't fault them, though. If one were to truly break it down to the base, the purpose of all living beings was to be born, propagate, and then to die.

"Our lives are inherently meaningless. And thus, it becomes our nature to find it ourselves."

These were the thoughts ruminating in Liane's head as the scenery in the distance of the hoverbus' windows flash past her eyes. There had been resistance regarding her transfer to the A.I.C.A., mostly in part thanks to the people that had tossed her out to die. Apparently, earning enough distinction to be taken off the dregs of the armed forces and transferred to the newly established, presumably prestigious 'Academy' wasn't in their calculations, but nobody could raise a complaint when higher authority stepped in and pulled the plug on their nonsense. Not that Liane would have objected to either outcome. Regardless, thanks to that whole ordeal, she had been officially given citizenship to Velika Prime. After all, from where she came from, there weren't passports, visas, or citizenship certificates. There wasn't really anyone either, really.

Her thoughts are quickly roused back to the present reality as the hoverbus arrives at their destination, coming to a gentle halt. With a heave, the doors swing open and stairs lower, allowing the cadets to file out through the exit. As Liane silently files out, the girl in front of her stumbles on the last step, and crashes into a taller, far more sturdily built in front of her. The stairs were much taller here. Liane involuntarily overhears the young woman's hastily blurted out excuse as she walks around and past the scene. The stairs of the hoverbus weren't much taller than ten inches, which was quite a standard measurement for the height of a single stair. To stumble on that, the stairs the woman had back home must've been either closer to a flat incline than actual stairs, uncomfortably short to walk on, or she just possessed subpar feet-eye coordination, Liane thought to herself, refraining from blurting her observations out loud.

The welcoming speech was nothing of note. Though, that in itself was noteworthy, Liane supposed. As usual, there were obligatory praises sung to the Empress, and the rest of the information the Grand Director had provided were just as easily found in their orientation letters. To pass the time while the Director droned on, Liane contemplated just what about the Empress that made the entire Empire adore and respect her as such. As far as the homunculus was aware, the title and role was hereditary. What kind of 'honor' was so great that it gave one the right to rule that carried on to one's descendants indefinitely?

As the Grand Director's speech concluded, the quiet Liane prized so much as immediately cut short by a short, presumably petty conflict, spurred by what Liane assumed was somebody asking a girl for her contact a tad too aggressively, then a muscular man hollering his self-introduction obnoxiously loud.

"I am Aeoun of House Orion! It's good to meet you all!"

Her eyes drift to this loud individual, and Liane begins to scrutinize the loud individual. His outward appearance was flawless in every definition of the word; a toned, muscular, picturesque form that rivalled the carvings of artisans, a handsome, unmarred face that was practically the definition of beauty. However, his eyes, that reflected the deep, infinite cosmos tipped Liane off that he was a 'Katasteri', natives of the planet 'Urania'. His flawless form was hence artificial, a reflection of what he wills his appearance to be. If nothing else, he deserved credit for studying the definition of 'handsome' prior to coming here.

With all that said and done, there was little left of interest to Liane. It would do well to organize herself and prepare for the first class, and so, ignoring the vibrant chatter permeating the hall, Liane leaves to find her locker, from which she withdraws a huge crude, bladed implement measuring her entire height in length. It seemed this place was full of strange people, and if there was anything she had learned from prior experiences, it was to never go anywhere unarmed.

Then, she makes her way to the next assembly point whilst attracting as little attention as possible.

Well, as little attention as a girl lugging around a greatsword her equal in size could attract.
 
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SARINA R. KIRST

~~~~
Status: Active Duty
Location: AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
Interaction: Any
Mobius Armaments: N/A
~~~~

This day like those before it, were something to behold, having finished her basic training in system on her home world of Cenerithian, Sarina was still taken aback by Velika Prime, the stories were just that, stories, Imperial Wealth, a true paradise world. It actually made the stories look tame in some aspects. But the most striking thing of all was the sheer wide open tracts of land that lacked something trying to kill you. There was no dense fog and minus where it was by design, buildings did not need to be atop one another.

As they were processed and led about the course of events a few things stood out to her, first was the arrival at the AICA itself, where one other seemed caught up in the grandure of it all, or her inner thoughts, Sarina waited till the line started to move once more and walked at a brisk pace, only pausing to allow the legionnaire to do his functions. Soon there after she was with the rest heading into an audience hall, when a woman spoke to the group in general, or at least the two males first making their way in. She was smartly dressed in her uniform, while the woman was curious to her, the Cenerithian was quick to snap a salute in passing, as she quietly found herself a seat. She would be talking to this woman again soon if the tag she wore was any indication, if she remained as peaceful and smiling was yet to be seen. Even the most beautiful of roses had thorns.

The briefing was rather cut and dry, with her armband's interface projector showing her much and more, as the head of the project, introduced herself, Doctor Loxley and stated their purpose in brief, most of it was simply stating the name of herself, the project and introducing the two Major's. Major Muirse, that was the woman from before wasn't it? And Major Pakston, he bore the scars won only in years of battle, victor or lucky in defeat. Neither were to be underestimated. From there, one thing stuck out, redoing training was no big issue, and while she knew this was a MOBIUS related project, the fact augmentation was mentioned. With the need to ready them for it, it sounded like this was more than just another unit, so much as the Doctor having planned something more, her talk of being the spear tip aside... Would they all survive?

Eyeing the schedule and the rules of contact, it seemed physical training was first on the list. With the dismissal she consulted where her locker would be and her later room arrangements, not that she brought all that much with her in the first place, and the only people she had a need to talk with, well, her father was upset about her becoming a MOBIUS pilot, and for now she had nothing she could tell him that wouldn't be censored, half-baked or got her into more trouble.

Along the way a scuffle of sorts was to play out, while the girl had bumped into him in her haste to reach the female's locker room, the green haired male's response was well outside regulations. It was then that two other males slightly ahead of her intervened, with one stepping right up to the man. He seemed to be either some foolish idea of a high class noble, or was a masochist for the beating he took. Thinking of intervening herself, it was suddenly over as soon as it had begun. Going for her own locker, a Lizardman went straight out to the field, another woman retrieved a greatsword.

Wait... What?

Pausing to blink at this, Sarina seemed to doubt her eyes as she reached into her own locker for her PT wear, spats and a sports top. With her eyes tracing over the rest, more so the punching bag noble, the green haired assaulter, the clutzy girl, the lizardman, and the absent-minded girl that now had a sword nearly as tall as most of the rest, she started to ponder what in the Empress's name sort of circus she had signed on for. Well, was signed up for. She would have to speak with them all at some point or another. At least they weren't as crowded atop one another like back on Cenerith.

Letting out a sigh and shake of her head, Sarina continues past the two to join a few of the others in the locker room. Hopefully it would be less eventful, and from there to the field.
 
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RAKH XIRILENKIA
CADET
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
koala koala , Midrick Midrick , Pilgrim59 Pilgrim59
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

Neither the grinding roar of the hoverbus or the chitter-chatter of its occupants pierced Rakh's attention. Not for lack of trying, but the older Xirilenkian brother has had much practice in tuning out meddlesome distractions. Instead his interest had been directed to the pages of an untitled book, although if one would look over the clay haired man's shoulder, they could make out elaborate schematics with detailed descriptions on engines with their coil, alternator, camshaft coupled with lengthy paragraphs. A manual or textbook about automobiles. A stone-cold visage was firmly plastered across his face. Like a rock sprouted a torso, arms and legs and began walking around. But as his solemn eyes scanned through the words on his book, one minuscule passage rewound his mind fifty-five minutes ago when his younger brother cracked a blasphemous, private joke to him. An imperceptible crease slithered its way onto his lips. The tinniest smile imaginable, but it was still there.

His hand snapped the hard-covered book shut with a thwack. Finally deciding to look up from the engrossing pages to peer at his future classmates. Although they were packed like sardines, head counts as far as the eye can see so much detail couldn't be gleamed. Instead he looked over his shoulder to his brother. Odds are that he'll either like this or despise it vehemently. Rakh hedges a bet that he'll ask him, in some manner, about what mess Rakh got him involved with.

In a way, he wanted this not just for his brother, but for himself as well. He'd be dogged by a perpetual downward spiral of unyielding monotony; with his employer holding paycheck next to paycheck over him thus earning barely enough to get by, but Rakh stopped the reminiscing. It was a fruitless, banal effort. The inkling that spurred this trip down memory lane was smothered in its bed.

The hoverbus slowed then ceased moving altogether as they arrived at their stop. Rakh cracked his neck side to side with an audible pop. Circling his shoulders to iron out the cramps in his thin, muscular tapestry. The light lanced into his retinas, stronger than Rakh thought, but a few blinks acclimatized them quickly. The facility's wind cut across his taut cheeks like an ice cold scalpel teasingly pressed against the skin. It felt more sobering than expected, like almost tripping on an uneven brick in the road. His head turned to look at the free-flowing Farbanian flags. Trying to find a patriotic sense of spirit, though he suspects that he'll have to keep digging deeper.

Just as the older Xirilenkia's left foot hit the ground with a decisive footfall, a weight came against his back. In a reflexive manner Rakh tensed to brace the woman who stumbled into him and to reinforce his own stance. He admits that he could've been a softer cushion, if he relaxed his chest more while keeping his legs firm. But alas, the woman will get a wall.

He stepped aside with the woman to allow others to pass. He turned to face her. Seeing apologetic feelings sprinkled across her countenance. She carried an air of nobility, yet she seemed humbler than the rest of the aristocrats. Awkward too as his head craned passed her to look at the steps.

"Tall, eh?" The thought shot across his mind.

"Nothing to apologise for, it happens." reassured Rakh. His voice had been hard like steel, but not as cold, indeed, it felt warmer than expected. Like a camp fire in the lone, cold night. It played an interesting contradiction to his face which was bereft of cold or warmth. He watched as the woman's head careen up to view his eyes, but suddenly stopping and a hand swam up to reach her cheek. He wondered what had made her stop. Then the briefest glimmer of scarlines appeared before being covered by her pepper hair. Well, that might explain her humbleness, he coldly thought. Among other things, he thumbed the scar striation on his chin. Though it wasn't unexpected, he wondered whether those were caused by the blue-blooded relatives or a collateral victim of her parentage.

The welcoming ceremony came and went like a mayfly's lifespan. He followed along with the Doctor's words, generic as they may be, even in their regulations. Three months of retraining did not surprise Rakh, actually he assumed that it would've longer. Certainly six months at least, but he can't fault the process if it has been refined into an efficient, effective machine to churn out pilots for the meat grinder.

But once the fanfare had been concluded, Rakh truly took in his classmates, their eccentricity was... Choking. Fairly certain that he saw someone lugging a greatsword as tall as her body. He remembered that another loudly announced their heritage too, gaudier than a neon sign with maximum brightness. A reptilian as well. My, my, a zany cavalcade of recruits. Rakh could only reply with iron apathy. He stood side by side with his brother, Nikadim. He could've, or should've said something to his brother in their native Dazhoretian accent, but declined against it. He wouldn't need to ask to hear his brother's thoughts. The only one who seemed normal was the scarred noble
 


















training day...





The ride had been entirely too long and too noisy for Odessa's liking. With limited means of communicating with the outside world, she had been stuck looking out the window while the other cadets talked amongst one another. She would have far preferred taking a car, a cycle...walking. Pretty much anything was better than being on a packed bus.

She knew very few people at the academy and given that only a handful were picked for the MOBIUS program, her circle was even smaller. The one positive was the possibility of making new, presumably more competent friends. That wasn't to say she thought less of her old group but that she was the leader more often than not.

Once the vehicle came to a halt, the former Caladanian grabbed her bag and stepped off the hoverbus, just barely avoiding the woman who fell ahead of her. Five points, she thought wryly. Her legs felt like jelly and her stomach hollow from an insufficient breakfast. It served as a reminder to stay vigilant as she neared the auditorium. She had no interest in the welcoming ceremony, but the materials provided couldn't be overlooked. The whole affair could have been squeezed into the syllabus or sent as a video on their armbands so Loxley's words felt like filler more than anything.

Once the meeting ended, Odessa left the hall and walked to her locker where she pored through her book bag. Phone, keys, book, syllabus...revolver? She opened the chamber and counted the bullets (blanks as far as the school was concerned), before closing it back up. Instinctively, she slipped the gun back in its holster, but the possibility of an instructor confiscating it gave her pause. Sure, it didn't have any sentimental value...but it was cool enough to change her mind.

Slamming her locker shut, she made her way to the changing room. She took little notice of the other students, barely catching a white-haired woman with a broadsword (which incidentally, caused her to curse herself for having second thoughts) before exchanging her normal uniform for her training outfit. From there the journey to the assembly point was a rather short one, punctuated only by the appearance of a hulking, blonde mass.

"I am Aeoun of House Orion! It's good to meet you all!"

"Okaaaaay. Very cool,"
Odessa replied with a half shrug. She wasn't sure what to make of the man or the odd patterns in his shadow. Was it the work of magic or was he from a far off planet? Though not always true, her experience in hospitality helped her clock non-natives and she'd certainly never met anyone like Aeoun. It made her wonder whether all of his people acted like him or if this was an anomaly.

Maybe they shipped him away for being too annoying. She held back a smirk as the rest of the cadets piled onto the field.






























song title












♡coded by uxie♡
 
MARIAN RUI MARIK
CADET
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
Any
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

We are what we pretend to be, her father reminded her, voice cold as the winter chill, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.

Marian’s fingers curled into a fist. She closed her eyes, feeling the familiar shape of the pendant against all too cool skin. What little warmth it had was soothing. Reassuring.

She raised her fist to her mouth in silent prayer, before opening her eyes. The back of the hoverbus was quiet, with much of the students concentrated at the front. The roar of laughter, the low murmurs; all of it was familiar, yet unfamiliar. Distant, yet so achingly close. Right before her eyes was something she yearned for.

Marian exhaled. The pendant fell to her chest, and she adjusted her clothing to hide it once more.

The transition from dealing with Vranitran nobility to service in the name of the Empire was a curious one. Petty nobility and fallen Great Houses, constantly jockeying for her hand to restore some semblance of the old order, where the Seven played their games. No winners, only stalemates. Marik had leveraged their pull in the military industry, thin as it was, and turned it into a vehicle that would bring them unprecedented prosperity.

Father was pleased enough. He’d driven the other houses to ruin, destitution. There would be no more games, only the ascendance of House Marik. Yet he was not content with merely rising above the chaff of Vranitra, no. He aimed his sights higher, beyond the homeworld - a part in the grand stage of Imperial politics. Ambition ruled his every move, and for a man as young as he was - in relative terms - it made him dangerous.

But the man who called himself her father, for all the strings he pulled - including her own - was merciful. Those who submitted were allowed to toil in the name of their new lord with generosity. But a puppet was still a puppet, and a lie remained a lie. To step out of line with the image that Marian - the first - had presented would earn her a firm tug, and to break with it entirely…

Marian’s fist clenched. Unclenched. It was not something she’d dwell on.

In contrast to Vranitra, the jump to Velika Prime was almost comforting. She had taken in the sights of the Throneworld as her craft approached, a gem of gems shining brightly in the darkness of the universe. Its resplendence was something that many worlds across Farbania’s length and breadth had tried to emulate, only to fall short.

To be a Sorenti setting foot on their hated enemy’s homeworld, the capital that seemed so far out of reach… it was almost funny. Almost. The lies she’d sown from the moment she accepted Ruian Marik’s offer to become his ‘daughter’ had come to haunt her in that moment, and Marian’s mood had soured.

She was Farbanian. Not Sorenti.

As the bus disgorged the students, Marian shifted her posture, marching in lockstep with the horde of students to the welcoming ceremony.

The speech itself was nothing particularly stand out. but Marian found her eyes roaming. Other students, taking in the sights and marking out the others. People were already drawing lines, seeing who they could get along with. It was like this on Vranitra, and it was the same here. To judge was human. And this physical was a test for both teachers and her fellow classmates, too. She stalked off to her locker, already slipping on the mask she'd worn since that day. There were a gaggle of interesting figures in her end of the lockers, but she paid them no heed; Marina focused on getting herself ready for the beginning of something new.

And then the golden man arrived.

Marian had let out an exhale. There was arrogance etched into his features, a pale-faced imitation of the human form. It was an affront to Vranitran sensibilities and customs - and to many other customs of high society across Imperial worlds, no doubt. But such a brazen display was clearly a way to establish himself as superior to the rest of the rabble.

Nothing new, then.
Code by Nano
 
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Adric Pakston
"Be seeing you." Adric replied to Muirse as she left, waving a hand nonchalantly as she informed him of his appointment with the Dr. "I doubt they would let me forget my medication. Got to keep their teachers in top shape." As it was, he was beginning to notice that his antlers were starting to grow in crooked. No doubt caused by the crystals forming within them. He was not surprised in the slightest about that, he had gone through a lot prior to being hired on as a teacher here at AICA. Then again, he had not reported the crystal formations, so how were they to know for sure? They could easily attribute his deformed antlers to age. Perhaps he'd find out once he met with Dr. Loxely.

The opening ceremony was blessedly simple, all he had to do was be in his dress uniform, medals and pins shining, and stand there. Of course, once the ceremony was over he had to change to something more appropriate for his role as Physical Trainer. A plane grey shirt with military standard camo jeans. All purpose, didn't have to worry to much about it getting dirty for it was easy to clean, the logical choice. The same, however, could not be said about some of the cadets. Then again, they were often of different physiological and sociological upbringing than most of the Farbanian empire, so some leeway had to be given.

However, there were things that he could have zero tolerance for. "Line up!" He barked, waiting just long enough for the last cadet to fall into line before producing a burlap bag. "There will be no weapons unless I say you may use a weapon. And seeing as I don't want worthless milksops breaking multi million dollar equipment, none of you may use a weapon. If the weapon is attached to you, figure out a way to detach it, or I will detach it. I am Major Adric Pakston, your physical trainer. You will refer to me as 'Sir', 'Yes Sir', or 'Sir, yes Sir'. Not all of you will pass this course, and until you do you will be referred to as Cadet. "

As he spoke, he passed the bag to the first cadet in line, glaring at them until they passed the bag down the line. Why any of the students had felt a need to bring any weapon into school was a mystery to him, the bigger one being why they were even allowed in with one. But he had to work with what he was given, and so he wouldn't grumble about it to much. Once the last student in line had the bag, he paced his way down, inspecting the cadets along the line as he did so, and took it from them. There was a small collection of things in there, chief amongst them a large sword almost as tall as him.

"To gauge your physical fitness, you will be running a standard military obstacle course. If I have to explain it to you, I suggest you stop wasting my time and drop out of the course. Begin."
 

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STATUS: ACTIVE DUTY
LOCATION: TRAINING GROUNDS ; AICA, VELIKA PRIME, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
ATTIRE: TRAINING ATTIRE, HAIR IN PONYTAIL
MENTION: PIL’S KIDDOS ; AEOUN ; LIANE ; RAKH
INTERACTION: SARINA RedArmyShogun RedArmyShogun ; REL-TAREN ERode ERode ; ANY


There was a buzz of energy in the training ground’s air that Fionnuala could almost taste. Electrifying and cool with sprinkles of excitement. A few people were already paired off or in small groups, whispering about an oni bully and some Katasteri theater show that her cursed senses couldn’t unhear. The latter she remembered quite vividly, though she wasn’t sure if “theater show” was the correct terminology, and she didn’t recall ever seeing an oni.

“What a lively group..” Fionnuala murmured to no one in particular, though she had no doubt Sarina and anyone else within earshot could hear.

She eyed the woman beside her. Sarina, her new locker neighbor, was a bit quieter than the ones she had during Legion basics, but Fionnuala herself wasn’t particularly talkative that morning either so that didn’t bother her. A long bus ride and a bad seatmate tended to do that to someone.

A faint grin threatened to break out on Fionnuala’s face as she recalled their awkward eye contact from the locker rooms. Surprising as it was, watching a classmate lugging a greatsword longer than they were tall was amusing and a wonderful ice breaker.

Thoughts scattered and unfocused, she eventually stole a glimpse at the individual to her right, a Lizardman with off-white scales that nearly blinded her underneath the crisp morning sun. His physique was strong and he looked like he’d seen battles that Fionnuala secretly hoped she didn’t have to experience so soon.

Beady orbs the shade of Latenia’s quarterly blood moon met her lingering gaze and she let out a breathy laugh, “Hello,” as both she and the Lizardman seemed to study each other from head to toe. “I didn’t mean to stare. I just find beings who aren’t… human very interesting.”

"Ah, yes." Rel-Taren bared his teeth, eyes narrowing into bloody slits. Amusement, resting upon a knife's edge. "You've interest in feeling my scales then? Or is this the first you've seen a non-human outside of, what was it...a zoo?"

Fionnuala instantly regretted her choice in words as tension pinched her neck. Did she offend someone already?

“No!” She began, grasping at answers that wanted to fly away from her brain. “Well, yes, I do wonder how smooth your scales are. Please forgive me if I’ve upset you-” A sigh escaped as she opened her mouth and let her fangs elongate into twin, pearly peaks, showing she was not as human as she appeared. “I assure you my staring was due to curiosity over whose epidermis is more durable.

“My name is Fionnuala, by the way. Fionnuala-” She contemplated if saying her full name was the best thing to do. It usually felt wrong and almost dirty, like she was bragging about her status. That was why she tended to mix casual speech with her words. Anything to make her seem more normal since she already stood out with her mangled face.

“-rui Esteriel.”

Be yourself. Her brother’s voice echoed. Fionnuala could’ve sworn she felt the wind give her a slight nudge of encouragement too.

“But I prefer Fion or Fi.”

It surely wouldn’t harm anyone to be less stiff if she was careful, right? These were the people she’d soon fight alongside with for years, so becoming comfortable with each other was a given. If she were to die- wait… is that why her parents were so keen on her attending AICA? Did they want her to-

The Lizardman lifted his own hands up in a vaguely placating gesture, tail gently slapping against the ground. She sucked in a breath.

“There’s no offense here, Fionnuala; I’ve plenty of interest in the odd ones too.” And if there was offense, he had no reason to so blatantly show it. “I am Rel-Taren Scale-of-Moon. By epee-dur-mee though, do you mean teeth?”

Fionnuala blinked once, then twice, before she covered her mouth. Nerves from the entire morning rolled off her shoulders as she giggled. Rel-Taren had an unexpectedly gentle and cute personality, perhaps emphasized by the movements of his tail; a breath of fresh air in the stuffy confines of Velika Prime with its dazzling architecture and people who seemed too perfect to really be people.

“No.” With a smile, she shook her head. “You beat my teeth by a million. Lizardmen may call it differently, but epidermis is the outer layer of our skin. Though looking at you more closely, you win in that area, too.” She pointed to her scarred cheek, the corners of her smile dropping slightly but still plastered nonetheless.

Something about Rel-Taren changed then. She couldn’t quite pin point what it was, but the familiar sensation that she’d disappointed someone crept up her spine.

Her mouth opened to say something else, but she was swiftly cut off by the presence of their instructor. Adric Pakston, a man her brother mentioned a couple times before. He was a war-torn veteran that even Cainnech admired, which said a lot considering her twin enjoyed complimenting himself in the mirror every chance he got.

While she hoped to further her acquaintanceship with Rel-Taren, she decided it was best to end their conversation there. Offering him an apologetic smile as she nodded towards their approaching instructor, she faced forwards. There would be another time to inquire about what she said that offended him.

Slight surprise filled her eyes then as she saw who was standing in front of her, the familiar scents of dirt, lavender, and faint hints of engine oil tickling her nose as her cheeks burned from old embarrassment. The clay-haired man. The man she’d face-planted for the viewing of dozens. Mr. Brick Wall. With his back turned to her, of course, as if the fates thought they were funny.

What a bad joke. Fionnuala thought with a sigh. But maybe this is a sign to befriend him…








hellscythe



fion.








  • filler tab!





♡coded by uxie♡
 
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EKO "ECHO" GOBBS
3TNKAaE.jpg

STATUS: Active Duty
LOCATION: AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION: Any
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS: N/A

"I need a coin...," Eko thought to himself...out loud. You see, Eko was trying to determine if he was blessed by fate, or cursed by it. Born to an affluent family, but born with underwhelming genes. Sent to fend for himself because of those genes, but able to move beyond the stagnation that people call an honest living. Honing a talent he could be proud of, but using that talent to aid an abet criminals. Being arrested for something he didn't do and thrown in jail only to be freed and forced into the military. At the very least the seats were comfortable so the trip was already an absolute win. Becoming a dog for the military wasn't exactly in the outline of "Operation Prove Your Worth To Society", but he had to admit that this could be the lucky break that he needed. Given, his checkered past Eko could not afford to get caught up in the grandeur of their task. After all, lucky breaks were always followed by a catch and that catch followed by another luck break. he couldn't help but chuckle as he imagined he was being trolled by some goddess obsessed with the absurdity of balance. wonder what the catch would be this time. Eko would spend a majority of the ride twirling a pen through his fingers while reading his favorite book. He would visualize the pen as a gun while performing a plethora of imaginary trick shots. Of course they wouldn't allow him to carry a real weapon given the circumstances of his joining their cause; nevertheless, he was grateful for just the freedom of movement. Somehow, he summoned the strength of 100 men to resist going "pew pew" and making explosion sounds (he would have to rectify that in solitude), only breaking his concentration to give half hearted laughs at the tail end of conversations, or jokes he was not privy to hearing as he sat towards the back. He couldn't help but wonder if he had unlocked an unknown camouflage ability of his race, he didn't really feel like he belonged here. Maybe it was because he had not planned for it, only time would tell.

The bus came to swift stop causing him to fumble his pens forward. Alas, he would forfeit his weapons to the bus as a memento of his freedom since the next stop would surely be hell. With a sigh he followed the rest of his peers to the facility. With nothing better to do than people watch, Eko was beginning to understand the catch to this unbelievably fortuitous circumstance.

"...Hey."

Tall ones, tough ones, green ones, strange ones, scaly ones, cosmic ones...everyone here....

"Th...th.."

The opening ceremony came and went, Eko could barely remember what they said as his mind was occupied with other matters of importance.

"They...they...."

All he had to do was make a good impression, it should be simple. Several people loved him during his misadventures. Buggs the Butcher, Venny the swine, the Dirt Tax Twins, George Slimy Jones, Dent Skull Danny....he had made plenty of friends in the past. All he had to do was smile, be friendly, state that he comes in peace and shoot anyone his new friends didn't like. That said there was one thing he couldn't ignore and it had been plaguing him the entire bus ride even as he fell in line to begin the obstacle course...

" WHY ARE THEY ALL SO HOT? EVEN THE TEACHERS!?"

Even the freaking lizard was a stud! What was this top tier genetic pool of a classroom!? How was Henchman Eko supposed to compete with the likes of these works of art? If he looked like that one guy he would be announcing his arrival too! As a flurry of questions and statements tore through his mind... A blanket of dread draped over the young Marshain with so much weight that he was tempted to turn into a helpless puddle at that very moment. He realized he wasn't just listening to thoughts roaming about his brain. He could actually hear his unusually deep voice reverberating in the facility and back to him...

"I was thinking out loud wasn't I?....I'm still doing it....stop it, Eko....annnnnd now its gone to the third person.....Ahem, hello my name is Eko-.....Imma just...get ready for the physical...thing," Eko said as he would begin the course. Operation first impression was a huge success, or at least he would tell himself that to stay sane. He wished he had his pen.
 
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Location: AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
Interactions: ThatWhichShouldBe ThatWhichShouldBe LostHaven LostHaven
Lizardmen.

Well, it was to be expected that such terms be used. He let it roll off his scales like rain, eyes tracing the scars upon Fionnuala’s face, but before conversation could be continued, their instructor spoke up. An antlered man, muscular and smelling of sick. Rel-Taren’s tongue flicked outwards, tasting the blood and oil, glancing over towards his fellow cadets as they lined up. Ah, so the pale one beside him had brought her sword the entire way. Fun, but…

The burlap sack opened up, passed along.

“Tragedy.” His tail flicked behind him, the serpentine mass slapping the uncommonly still human on the back. “Would benefit from the extra weight.”

With a course like this, so filled with climbing and crawling and jumping, there was no hope that the slender waif, built as if a prisoner left to rot upon rocks, could actually gain any muscle here. Another war-child like himself? If so, miraculous she stayed so appetizing. He cackled as he turned, rolling up the sleeves of his class-regulation uniform. It had been combat training with the Wolf, sharpening technique and theory, tempering barbaric ferocity; his conditioning itself had finished after the sixth year of waging war. The kinks in his muscles, the scars that had not healed properly, had been fixed up over successive surgeries. The food had been filling, making up for those hungry months, the feast-and-famine of outpost raids. He was a lizard amongst giants still, but as for his capabilities? Rel-Taren knew his body well.

And so, there was a desire for a test.

“Aeoun of House Orion.” If there was ever a champion of humanity amongst the cadets, this was the one. No matter that his substance smelled of forgery, his form craft not from consumption. Care for a race? Pleasant memories flickered, of chasing Sorenti down amongst the dunes, unzippering their backs with scrap-steel scimitars, crushing their craniums with the detritus of their drones. The bloodrush of a meaningful sprint, contrasting to the banality of mere exercise. “To keep things interesting.”
 
Liane D. Venhaus
A.I.C.A. | "I do not believe 'taste' was a factor considered in my conception."

At times, excellent hearing was quite the heavy burden to bear. Countless, disjointed conversations all clambering atop each other to assault Liane's ears, a Marshian seemingly unable to keep their hormones under control, and the instructor's voice, projected loud enough to silence the static chatter in comparison. The homunculus' eyes quickly settled onto the man that introduced himself as their physical training instructor, though it was not his painfully cliched drill-instructor spiel that captivated the absent-minded woman's attention. She remembered the aged man at the Doctor's speech, standing silently upright, decorated with what Liane easily recognized at the Farbanian Armed Forces uniform, and countless, shining medals.

No, it wasn't his presumably very motivating pep talk - Liane had long tuned out of it - but rather the horns protruding from the man's head that seemed to be the target of Liane's focus. Twisted, worn, the unideal state of the man's antlers could easily be chalked up to signs of aging, but for a being such as herself, that was something else entirely under the skin of a human, the more subtle signs could be identified, even at the distance she was standing. The war veteran's mana flow in that region was unnatural. Twisted, tangled like a knot. A giveaway sign of mana-crystallization. "Curious. He displays signs of mana-sickness. Perhaps this was to be expected?" mumbles the homunculus, to nobody in particular, uncaring for who may overhear her words to herself.

It took the cadet in front of her several pokes to the shoulder to be tugged out of the recesses of her own deep thought. Abruptly interrupted from her daze, Liane finds herself staring at a burlap bag being thrusted in her face. She stares at it for a brief moment, forcing the cadet in front of her to awkwardly wait for her to accept the bag. She does, eventually, and heaves the greatsword, point-down right into the sack, piercing right through the bottom. Thankfully, ceaseless use has, however, aged the blade to enough of an extent that it only pierced a hole through the bottom rather than slicing the back straight open. "Hmm. This contradicts my previous superior's orders," she again mutters to the nothingness as she passed the now damaged bag on. Her captain was a careful man. At the battlefront, foot soldiers were practically ordered to sleep with their weapons, never allowing their blades and firearms out of an arm's reach.

Well, he wasn't around anymore, so she supposed those orders were voided. Besides, she had new superiors now. And if one of them ordered her to drop her weapon, well. She'd comply.

Proceeding with the trend of disallowing Liane silent thought, she would proceed to feel a heavy slap to her back, with the culprit being the lizard-like humanoid to her side, that seemed to be eyeing her like some sort of delectable snack. She does not flinch from the lizardman's act of over-familiarity and breaching of personal space, and Rel-Taren would find the apparent 'human's' back to be surprisingly cold and uncharacteristically rigid, like he had slapped a solid block of ice. His joking remark flies over her head, though, as Liane tilts her head at the lizardman quizzically. "I do not see how an additional four kilograms to my mass would be substantial enough to be 'beneficial'," she states blankly, voice sharp, cold, and devoid of any distinguishable tone. If a larger body mass was so beneficial to her overall state, then her maker would have made that consideration when she had been fabricated.

Soon after, the Lizardman proposes a race to the flamboyant Katasteri. "Hmm. The Xihu’teins are known to be agile enough to dart across desert sand without much resistance. I believe the outcome can be accurately predetermined without the need for such lengthy observation?" she asks, head still tilted at the pale lizard.

ERode ERode ThatWhichShouldBe ThatWhichShouldBe
 
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Renee Aloensis
Interactions: TheRealAngeloftheStorm TheRealAngeloftheStorm
Mentions: All

Velika Prime.... She had been a multitude of times before. The shining jewel of the Empire had been all to familar for her at this point, but things felt...different this time. Memories of the silence of a limo cab had been replaced by a variety of voices blending together with the hum of the hoverbus. The tinted windows, replaced by crystal clear vistas of the city below. The humdrum movements of secretaries and managers all replaced by the erratic and unpredictable persons newly dubbed as her classmates.

This is certainly going to be interesting.

That thought was only reaffirmed in her mind as she took note of the others along for the ride. Nobles, commoners, mercenaries, Lizardmen, Cenerethians, even a Marshian! A veritable smorgasbord of personalities and cultures. Time would tell whether that was a good thing though. For now though, Renee decided to relax. There likely wouldn't be many chances to do so once they arrived at the academy.

Heh, I guess Leon rubbed off on me a bit.

Time passes quickly as the hoverbus passes through the gates to the academy, eventually lulling to a halt. The passengers all begin making their way to the entrance hall, where the opening ceremony is meant to be held. Some have already begun chatting amongst themselves as they walk. Others, Renee included, walked in silence likely caught up in their own thoughts. Though one individual in particular felt it necessary to announce themselves in ostentatious fashion.

"I am Aeoun of House Orion! It's good to meet you all!"

Renee chuckled slightly at this proclamation. It's rare to see such enthusiasm in today's day and age, so it was a breath of fresh air to say the least. On second glance, the man had quiet the interesting form. He certainly had Human features, though any precedent set was immediately thwarted by the starlight reflected in his eyes. Ah, a Katasteri, those eyes are unmistakable though Renee had never met one in person. Were they all as boisterous as this one? A research topic for a later time.

The ceremony came and went without much to speak of. The typical droning speech was present, as was the pomp and circumstance of Empire tradition. Soon all the attendees were sent off to their first classes. Renee checked over the sheet in her hand once more to confirm; Physical Training with Insteuctor Paxton. Renee had read about him through her studies on various military operations, though a lot of information on the specifics had been lost to the public. Renee pondered for a moment before continuing onwards.

A decorated Mobius pilot... definitely a lot to learn from him.

Renee quickly changed into something more athletic and tied her hair back into a ponytail. Her scars were slightly more exposed, though it didn't bother her. Heading back to the locker room ,she did manage to get a better look at some of the other cadets; Namely a white-haired woman lugging around a massive blade. The urge to ask if that was even allowed was all too strong, but Renee held her tongue, better to simply leave it be. Though it was almost impressive how comically large it was. Out of the corner of her vision she also noticed a fashionable woman with blonde hair seemingly having an internal debate with herself. In her hands Renee spotted a... Revolver? That's some seriously old technology. Just then another thought crossed her mind; was she the only one without a weapon? Were they even supposed to bring weapons into the academy? The Cenerethian girl nearby didn't seem to, nor did the Katasteri from earlier.

Heading out into the training field, it seemed she'd find her answer in the form of a burlap sack. Instructor Paxton began going down the lineup, collecting weapons in the process. Renee breathed an internal sigh of relief. Though it was only a brief respite, as soon after instructor shouted the signal to begin the obstacle course in front of them. Renee began moving into formation but failed to catch someone moving from around her side, causing her to accidentally bump into them. It was only a light bump, barely enough to care about in most cases though Renee apologized almost immediately through muscle memory.

"My apologies, I didnt..."

Her words trailed off as her eyes met with a familiar white haired woman. Those violet eyes that all Vranitran knew. Marian Ishtar Marik, the pride and joy of House Marik. Renee paused briefly to consider her words before continuing.

"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting to meet Vranitran nobility here."

Her words carried a slight softness to them, indicative of the slight smile she wore.

"Once again, my apologies. I should introduce myself. Renee Aloensis, pleasure to meet you."

She spoke much more formerly this time. Brief, to the point, no hesitatation; akin to how she was raised. Typically this would be followed by a bow or courtsey, though she chose to leave that part out so as to not stand out, even if it meant foregoing etiquette.

"Let's get back in line... I can already feel Instructor Paxtons eyes boring a hole into the back of my head."

The comedic tone in her voice served to break any tension, but she sincerely hoped he wasn't actually staring her down. Hopefully.

 
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Status: Active duty
Location: AICA, Velika Prime, Fabelika Praetori system
Interactions: LazyDaze LazyDaze Worthlessplebian Worthlessplebian


To say that the hoverbus ride to the academy was uneventful would be the understatement of the century. Seated next to the young man reading a book full of technical specifications and detailed explanations of automobile engineering was his brother, one Nikadim Xirilenkia, who currently had his arms crossed over his chest and head lolling backwards, unlike his studious and hardworking brother Rakh, Nika was currently watching the inside of his eyelids in a futile attempt to make the minutes go by faster. The sudden lack of forward momentum signaled that they had finally reached their location after what felt like eons of waiting. Taking a moment to place his hands behind him and stretch out his back, a series of pops sounding off like a firing line. a shorter girl with black hair managed to snag his spot behind Rakh, following them off the hoverbus, Nika couldn't help but chuckle as she missed a step and bumped into his brother from. Sensing an opportunity he approached Rakh's right hand side. "Not even five minutes off the bus, and you've already got women throwing themselves at you." Nika said in Dazhorian with a short bark of laughter and a wink as he passed. Never one to let the chance to incorporate his brother into his jokes, Nika took stock of the other recruits.

Most seemed like snobby nobles who got in because of their last names than because of actual ability, but there were some outliers among the sea of otherwise unassuming and homogeneous faces.
one of the aforementioned outliers, who was almost 7 ft. tall and looked more like a marble statue from antiquity instead of a person bellowed a greeting to the others, he saw a girl about a head shorter than him lugging a greatsword around like it was noting more than a than a baseball bat, a reptilian something that looked like he jumped out of a movie screen, and then their instructor introduced himself. Despite the eccentricities or maybe because of them, Nika was actually kind of excited to learn about them, even if the whole 'military academy' thing got old, he would still have plenty of entertainment because of the menagerie that was currently gathered in the courtyard of the academy. Nika was roused from his musings by what he could only describe as rambling behind him, turning his head he saw what appeared to be a completely white humanoid that almost resembled a ghost either thinking out loud, or having a complete mental breakdown. Nika simply cocked an eyebrow with a slight look of concern in his direction before walking back over to his brother while their new instructor gave a brief and rather spartan introduction.

Watching as their instructor walked down the line collecting weapons, Nika slipped into line next to his brother, watching as multiple students placed blades and firearms of all shapes and sizes in the bag, passing the rough burlap sack to his left and tried to look unassuming as possible when Adric walked down the line, inspecting his new trainees. After Pakston passed, Nika craned his neck out slightly to make sure the major was out of earshot. "They really rolled the whole damn circus out looking for pilots, huh?" Nika said as he looked from his brother to obstacle course they would momentarily be running. His experience in jumping rooftops, fences, and other urban obstacles would no doubt come in handy for the little test their instructor had devised. He rolled up his sleeves exposing the multitude of colored markings blending and criss crossing his skin.
 
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SARINA R. KIRST

~~~~
Status: Active Duty
Location: AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
Interaction: Fionnuala koala koala (others applicable to one extent or another)
Mobius Armaments: N/A
~~~~

As the team finally regrouped and met on the field, Sarina remained within earshot of her locker mate, offering a simple "Indeed." to her earlier remark on the group as a whole. While she would not mind speaking to the woman, now simply was not the time, she would make it up to her later, she seemed decent enough and the scars were something she understood well from her father, he had more than a few that went along with his medals. The question was, were hers born from war, a rough upbringing or some other sort of story? Still it was by luck or chance they found themselves next to the Lizardman. In all honesty, he reminded her of some of the beasts upon Cenerith. His reptilian visage and how he looked at them with the eyes of a predator, if the Empire welcomed him for the here and now, she would not dispute it, but she would not go off guard around him as Fionnuala did. Or Fion or Fi as she preferred to be known by, carried out an extensive conversation with the Lizardman who was known as Rel-Taren.

To no small surprise, the woman ended up being a noble, the Major yelled at them all, another man voiced hi- Wait, was he a man? Now that she could get a good look at everyone, he was also a non-human. And there were a couple more that shown the traits of nobility, as in physical scions of the Imperial Houses. Some of which confirmed as much, soon after. Still, she had expectations and the upringing of her family, the fate of most Cenerithians was to be a soldier, to kill and if need be die to destroy the enemies of Farbania. If the rest wished to be casual with an angry Major looking down upon them, she would not.

And the opportunity was on hand to snatch victory with her own two hands. "Major! SIR YES SIR!" Still she would not be totally unsociable as she glanced over to Fi. She much rather use that name if allowed to address the woman as such. "Sarina Rayven Kirst. Sarina is fine, or even Kirst. Be seeing you Fi."

With that and the challenges issued by the lizard and the nobleman, she snorted in contempt. "Cadet Kirst taking the field!" And with that, the knife eared woman began her sprint with all the fortitude and speed she could. While she doubted, she could outdo them in speed, it would be the balancing and climbing based portions of the course that she could catch up and pass most of those who were here. Of that, she was sure. Still, for one who had not said anything of the sort, she had thrown down the gauntlet herself with this act, or mayhap they would ignore her.
 
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MURIS SOLEIL
CADET
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
Soviet Panda Soviet Panda
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A
H.Y.M.N:
TBD

"Mother died a week ago, or was it two?"

Muris was sitting flat against the slightly hard, and cold cushioning of the hovering bus, currently headed in the direction of the Aerospace Initiative Combat Academy. He didn't bother to look outside the window when the comm stated their arrival, and writing a vivid description of the academy, unlike the other students. The bus was full of excitement and revelry, discussions of how gorgeous and beautiful the view was. It did not particularly matter to him whether he looked now or later, as he'd see it from a better perspective when he was off the bus.

The hoverbus soon arrived at the destination, landing smoothly on the landing pad. The automated inter-comm system spoke out, doing it's rounds to have the students leave in an orderly fashion, and making sure to remind the students to check their belonging and to not forget anything. Muris already had everything on his body, a duffel bag strapped to his chest snugly, not too tightly, but not too comfortably. Before existing off the bus, walking off in a perfectly normal fashion.

The unassuming man continued forward with the crowd, slowly being ushered towards a few legionnaire in full armor. Responsible for identifying the cadets upon their arrival and ensuring their safety, the legionnaire scanned each cadet's armbands, before securing each student's personal belongings in their designated lockers. Muris unlatched his duffel bag, and handed it to the legionnaire who requested for it, which he gave without question. However, it seemed that the legionnaire struggled a bit carrying it to his designated lockers.

Into the auditorium for the welcoming ceremony and orientation. Muris took the closest open seat he could without inconveniencing others. as he listened carefully to the lady who introduced themselves as Doctor Loxley. Starting at 0813. He made sure to listen and to memorize the entire speech, in case he may have missed key information. Also figured to keep a mental bulletin of key points of information.

1. Doctor Loxley is the Grand Director of the Palatine Section initiative and Head of AICA.
2. The Imperial Majesty, may be directly funding Doctor Loxley's work.
3. During these three months, as training cadets, Major Muirse the lady he saw and Major Pakston will be the senior instructors, and we will be lacking personal time. At the end of the training, we will receive our final augmentation process.
5. The living quarters and hall lockers have been assigned to you the moment you went past inspection in the hall.
6. All communication are being limited to AICA's encrypted channels, so any information going out will need express permission from higher ups, alongside, any unauthorized attempt to exit campus will result in an arrest.

The welcoming ceremony ended in around ten minutes. Muris appreciated the concise ceremony, as he walked out to the hallway to examine the contents of his locker. Quickly finding his duffel bag inside.

He simply acknowledged it's existence, and grabbing his equipment. As he made his way to the first class, Physical Education, a few cadets already changing out of their uniform and into exercise equipment, as the manual had stated, Muris soon followed suit. As passing by what looked to be a small scuffle between two students. Frankly, he would not have notices such an occurrence if they weren't both audibly loud. As he moved himself to the outdoor courts.

He quickly recognized the voice and tone of the drill sergeant of the first class, Major Pakston. A man of height and muscle mass, glaring into the collected group of Cadets.

"Line up!" Major Pakston declared, waiting just long enough for the last cadet to fall into line before producing a burlap bag. "There will be no weapons unless I say you may use a weapon. And seeing as I don't want worthless milksops breaking multi million dollar equipment, none of you may use a weapon. If the weapon is attached to you, figure out a way to detach it, or I will detach it. I am Major Adric Pakston, your physical trainer. You will refer to me as 'Sir', 'Yes Sir', or 'Sir, yes Sir'. Not all of you will pass this course, and until you do you will be referred to as Cadet. "

Muris followed instruction. Making sure to line up where the others were, and as he made sure to keep his weapons inside his lockers. He had no trouble with this second instruction.

"To gauge your physical fitness, you will be running a standard military obstacle course. If I have to explain it to you, I suggest you stop wasting my time and drop out of the course. Begin."

With the third instruction laid out. Muris saluted but did not reply as loudly unlike many of the other Cadets, "Commencing your orders, Sir." As only scanning around the area and locating the standard obstacle course spoken of in the manual. As he ran towards it, beginning to work on overcoming the first lap.

Code by Nano
 
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training day...





The trainer was a rugged man somewhere in his mid to late forties, though she didn't know what that translated to in his species. His antlers signified that he was extraterrestrial, but with the abundance of people who looked human sans a few extraneous features, he might as well have been. Despite his aggressive manner, Pakston seemed almost harmless. Like a the hard ass with a heart of gold. Though she'd give him a general "sir", there was no way she'd spring for the "sir yes, sir" unless she was under the threat of expulsion.

Per his orders, Odessa lined up somewhere closer to the middle of the queue and glanced ahead to see him produce a burlap sack. As sad as she felt watching one of the cadets drop her sword into the bag, she felt vindicated in her decision to leave her gun behind. Aside from the fact that she loved the revolver with all her heart, the competitive side of her would have challenged the white-haired woman to a duel.

She had no doubt that the sword wielder would be a worthy opponent either.

Passing the bag along, Odessa gazed at the obstacle course before her and sighed, flexing her shoulder. Climbing, jumping, and running were all fine but crawling? She may not have been in a suit anymore, but that didn't mean she would enjoy getting down and dirty. Years of running through sand, scaling cliffs, and sneaking around meant that she had the advantage in speed and endurance but she had a feeling that her aversion to grime would be her downfall.

"WHY ARE THEY ALL SO HOT? EVEN THE TEACHERS!?"

Snapped out of thought, Odessa turned to face a man of unknown origin. If the galaxy laden warrior hadn't perturbed her, the white-faced man next to her certainly did. Though she was familiar with non-human appearances, the boldness of his words caught her by surprise. She knew she was attractive but that didn't mean he had to announce it. Normally his less than stellar recovery would have incited Odessa's laughter but it was too early to make enemies. Not to mention, he was one of the few that didn't huddle in a corner waiting for their mentor. Deciding to preserve the little dignity he had, she decided shoot him a smile.

"Name's Odessa, see you out there."


After a few minutes of stretching and gazing at her fellow cadets, the Caladanian sprinted away with eyes honed in on the first target.




























BG Music












♡coded by uxie♡
 
“Aeoun of House Orion.” If there was ever a champion of humanity amongst the cadets, this was the one. No matter that his substance smelled of forgery, his form craft not from consumption. “Care for a race?” Pleasant memories flickered, of chasing Sorenti down amongst the dunes, unzippering their backs with scrap-steel scimitars, crushing their craniums with the detritus of their drones. The bloodrush of a meaningful sprint, contrasting to the banality of mere exercise. “To keep things interesting.”

Soon after, the Lizardman proposes a race to the flamboyant Katasteri. "Hmm. The Xihu’teins are known to be agile enough to dart across desert sand without much resistance. I believe the outcome can be accurately predetermined without the need for such lengthy observation?" she asks, head still tilted at the pale lizard.

AEOUN
CADET
STATUS:
Active Duty
LOCATION:
AICA, Velika Prime, FABELIKA PRAETORI SYSTEM
INTERACTION:
ANY, Rel-Taren, Liane
MOBIUS ARMAMENTS:
N/A

Well, they didn't exactly seem the friendliest sort, were they? Not even bothering to introduce themselves. Still, Aeoun doesn't mind, continuing along and standing in formation with the rest of the cadets. He does, however, watch with some amusement as the various weapons are confiscated by the tough-looking drill sergeant. In some things, it seemed, both the armies of the stars and the armies of Urania had common ground.... Stupid cadets and hard-nosed trainers. Really, who trains with weapons on the first day? Obviously, Pankration and athletics would be the first displays of one's competence; refinement of the body alone.

And then, they were given a task. A simple obstacle course, though it seemed much stranger than any he'd ever seen before... Though with the techno-sorcery of the Farbanians, that much was to be expected. He looks to the little lizard-man nearby as they speak up, seemingly challenging him. And Aeoun returns him a savage, fierce grin, that breaks into a full laugh once that strange girl who'd carried that massive sword into the encounter spoke up.

"Xihu'tein may be agile, little girl, but they have never raced one like me!"

And then the race is off. But what Rel-Taren will find is that he is not competing against any human he's ever seen before. He couldn't be human. The first time his body simply warps and stretches, turning into a strange snake-like rope of star-stuff to climb up a pole, Rel-Taren realizes he's facing something unlike anything he's seen before. Orion's Katasteri Biology does not simply give him an advantage in many unconventional traversal segments, but as a young warrior-noble, he had spent many rotations honing his athleticism under the light of the stars, taking the Katasteri biology to its absolute limits. There is a single key flaw, however, that slows Orion down, making it a proper race rather than a runaway victory.

Orion has to figure out each and every technological segment on his own. 0-g is entirely unintuitive for one who has only ever lived planetbound, and there are plenty of similar segments where Orion has to treat it as much as a puzzle as a test of physique and coordination, learning on his own and by watching other cadets the 'rules' of some of the technological obstacles he faces. He morphs into a strange octopoid-like form to make it through the 0-g section, the simulation of the internals of a space station allowing him ample area to clamber around on the surfaces.... But there's plenty more to go, and it's one hell of a close thing as Orion and Rel-Taren compete to make it through the various obstacles.
Code by Nano
 
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