Shi Lang’s ship landed on the dock and the two people made their way out to the interchange hub. The Federation had developed a space elevator, leading to the space station where all the small ships would dock and the passengers would transit.
Shi Lang and Aries were in the queue to get down when a calm voice attracted their attention, “Commander Aries.”
Aries turned around along with Shi Lang and found a young lady wearing a military uniform and skirt standing at a distance. The commander suddenly became stiff. The lady walked over and said, “What are you standing in the queue for?”
Aries replied, “That, Captain Archie, we have to get down through the space elevator, but we had no prior announcements so we were told to wait.”
The lady was very beautiful and had a sense of heroism around her, Aries was stiff but the lady was like a natural flow of water. Her features could not be expressed, filled in the right places, and pleasing to the gazes.
She asked, “We?” with a slight frown.
Commander Aries hurriedly introduced Shi Lang. He pointed at him and said, “This is Cadet Shi Lang, he came from a special training camp and I am responsible for his safety on the road.”
Captain Archie took notice of a handsome boy standing beside him, and her frown washed away. She nodded and said, “I am also going down, I have a reservation, follow me, if you do not mind.”
Commander Aries nodded like a chicken pecking rice. Captain Archie walked ahead of the queue and used her ID as the two people followed her. The space elevator was used by both military and civilian passengers, the military personnel was asked to declare their visit in advance.
The space station had twenty such elevators, all capable of transporting hundred people in one go. The flow of passengers was strictly controlled because who knows when something happens to the elevator. Three people boarded the elevator with ninety-seven other military officers.
Shi Lang stood in front of Captain Archie and with a proper salute he said, “Forgive me for my dereliction of manners, Ma’am.”
Captain Archie nodded and said, “You are free.” she did not give him anytime early and thus he saluted her now. She gave him free rein because he was just a cadet in her vision.
Shi Lang nodded and turned around to walk to stand near the transparent graphene wall and gazed at the scenery outside. Captian Archie looked at the words printed on the back of his t-shirt. She asked in surprise, “He came from there?”
Aries nodded and said, “He only had three months approximately, not anymore.”
Captain Archie let out a breath, she asked, “His mental health?” her voice was low but was completely concerned. She had heard about people becoming weird when they come back from Ragnarok, and a lot of them do not survive to tell the tale.
Aries said, “He is cleared. His mental health is stable, and his strength is on par with a five-star Terran.” his voice was calm yet revealed a trace of excitement.
Captain Archie asked, “What about the task?”
Aries shook his head, indicating he was not told. The two began to chat and the topics evolved from the blues. The topics were their personal life and also the battlefront situations. Suddenly Shi Lang came over and stood by quietly.
Aries asked, “What happened?”
The boy opened his communicator and asked, “The rules of the assessment have changed.”
Commander Aries was shocked and asked, “What do you mean? How can they change the rules of the military examination?”
Shi Lang shrugged his shoulder and said, “How would I know?”
Captain Archie asked, “What are the changes?”
Shi Lang said, “This is published on the internet. The candidates are to answer scenarios created in the question papers, other than that, they will have to go through a physical assessment. The third round of the simulation battles is canceled. The groups will battle in real.”
Commander Aries said, “This does not seem to be very candidate friendly. In the past, they did this and the result was casualties and drop in recruitment rate.”
Captain Archie nodded and asked, “Is there no other information?”
Shi Lang replied, “It says here that the details of the changed rules will be told to the candidates upon arriving at the school. Why is this? What is the Military High Command thinking?”
Captain Archie said, “How about I help you look into it when we get down?”
Shi Lang asked, “Ma’am, will this not affect you? Calling in to check something secret would need you to use a lot of chips. Also, will we not find it out at the school?”
He realized that she will be calling in a favor with someone strong. How can he let her do that? If she called a favor for him, then he will owe her one. He did not want to owe any random passer-by.
Captain Archie smiled and said, “I will call up a favor for you, in return I want you to give priority to my division when joining the ranks. My favor will help all your classmates if you are willing to be a bigger man.” she knew that this guy was indirectly telling her, he did not want to owe her, so she decided to bare it all.
Shi Lang shook his head and asked, “How can I do that? I do not even know what division you are from.”
Commander Aries said, “Kid, listen to what your elder sister says, you will not regret joining her division. Believe me.”
Shi Lang looked at him and saw the middle-aged man standing with no fluctuation on his face. He said, “I will be needing a few details at least the basic ones. I will never trust anyone I do not know. You sent me on a trip to hell using this good-man aura of yours commander, I am not falling for it again. Also, how is she my sister?”
Captain Archie let out a chuckle. The expression on Aries’ face was too amusing. Contracted and scrunched up. She had not seen him like this in a long time. She said, “Cadet Shi Lang, let me introduce myself, I am Captain Archie Arkham, the niece of Commander Aries Arkham, also known as, Goodman Mech Titan.”
Aries said, “Girl are you forgetting your rank?” his voice was heavy and deep.
Archie replied, “Do you really want to pull off ranks with me?” she raised her eyebrow in provocation but the man just sighed.
Archie turned her head to look at Shi Lang and said, “Have you ever heard of the Justice Massacre?”
Shi Lang was well versed in his history of major events of the federation. This event, the justice massacre, was a scene where a series of assassinations took place. In one night, two hundred high-ranking officials were killed, next to their bodies were evidence of their corruption and sins. The entire world was shocked.
He quickly caught on the hint she passed and his pupils dilated, he asked, “If what I think is your hint, then some things are better unsaid.”
Archie nodded and said, “Indeed, some things are better left unsaid, but they are true.”
Her statement confirmed his doubt, it was heard division that took steps and committed that entire incident. He said, “If I join, what will I get?”
Archie smirked and said, “Individuality, and me as your team leader.”
Shi Lang thought for a bit and nodded. The three people descended in the space elevator, and Shi Lang had no idea that he would chance upon such a thing. The division that can deal with internal conflicts was stronger than the ones in the external frontier.
He looked outside the elevator and gazed at the endless horizon as he though, ‘Chance, huh?’