Chapter 5 - Troubled Waters

"...General, all groups of instructors have been sent to the different institutes, the 'Hermes' plan has been launched."

A middle-aged man sat in a large room full of military personnel and computer screens.

He had short brown hair with occasional gray streaks and a sharp look in his hazel eyes.

Upon hearing the military officer's report, he raised his head from the screen and smiled.

"Well, parliament has given us four months to prepare the students. Remember, our Northern Western Hemisphere headquarters cannot be left behind those other three bastards."

Since the confederation had taken control of Earth, it had temporarily divided it into four hemispheres: the Western Northern Hemisphere, Western Southern Hemisphere, Eastern Northern Hemisphere, and Eastern Southern Hemisphere.

Each hemisphere was governed militarily by a General and politically by a Governor.

The confederation was not made up of fools; they knew that allowing just eight people to hold power over the entire Earth could invite betrayal.

Thus, the confederation's parliament, a group of high-ranking members above the generals and governors of the four hemispheres, was established.

This governance structure, both military and civil, involved great bureaucracy, requiring hundreds of permits and controls.

The confederation could afford such a system as it had no rival power of comparable strength.

Of course, the parliament was not the only existing entity.

Between the parliament and the generals and governors, there was the office of internal affairs, which was in charge of keeping a sword hanging over all the officials of the confederation, from the smallest officials to governors and parliamentarians.

And finally, to keep any secessionist thoughts at bay, there was the military court, an entity that had a separate army from the generals of the four hemispheres.

There were also rumors about a special team of hunting dogs, in charge of decapitating the so-called "bad roots," a team about which until now, only whispers were heard.

Discontent was obvious—no one liked having enormous power while being constantly chained. They were always tempted to break those chains.

The confederation, based on a system of technocracy and meritocracy, decided it was time to put down the stick and offer a small carrot.

The "Hermes" project, as it was known among the high command, was an exit door from the intangible suffocation of high officials.

The confederation decided that Earth had fallen short and it was time to extend its reach to the vast galaxies.

Even the small army captains were thrilled; ruling a small piece of Mars could rocket their careers, making the confederation more extensive and powerful.

The so-called golden age, as dubbed by all high officials, had only just begun.

"General, parliament has sent a message. Do you want to play it?"

"Hmm? Good, play it."

As the general nodded in confusion, everyone in the room pricked up their ears.

Parliament was very mysterious; its exact location was unknown, and its formal members rarely appeared.

"...To all generals and governors, parliament has reached a consensus on the opening of two new positions: Governor and General of the lunar base. They will be responsible for the civil and military sections. Please try hard…"

Silence fell in the room. All the officers and staff members stared at the general, stunned. For a moment, they all thought they were dreaming.

Governor and General of the Moon—the positions were tacitly equated to being almost kings under an emperor.

If done right, the positions could even become hereditary.

"EVERYONE! If you perform well and make me General or Governor…!"

The eyes of those present began to light up.

They knew that even a wolf needed his pack, and what to say about a general or governor, especially the future General or Governor of the Moon.

"I promise a position for those who take me to the top!!"

"Yes, General!"

This situation was mirrored in the other three hemispheres, creating a commotion comparable to preparing for war.

Thanks to the parliament's announcement, the competition had become more brutal than ever.

At the Academy

"Uuuuaaahm…"

"Tch, Lieutenant, keep your composure, we are on an official mission."

Watching the duo argue as usual, the team captain sighed in exasperation.

She and her team had been sent with the goal of teaching the students their different specialties. But as she watched the duo of lieutenants, she felt that the mission would not be bearable.

"Lieutenant Abatino, Lieutenant Nikolaou, we have come to instruct the young people. I will not admit any behavior that causes inconvenience to the mission and its performance."

With a sharp look, Captain García addressed mainly the two lieutenants and the rest of the team made up of four sergeants.

"Yes, captain!"

Giving a military salute, the six members of the team stopped joking and responded seriously.

They knew that this mission was important for their team.

They had heard that if they performed well, they had a chance of being proposed as instructors at the lunar academy.

"Okay, let's get going. The director and the teachers are waiting for us."

The captain smiled at the ambition that appeared in the eyes of her team members.

She hoped that not only the director and teachers would be waiting for them, but also their one-way trip to a promotion in rank and salary.