The Academy Gates
Chapter 5: The Academy Gates
The military AV descended through the thick, gray clouds, its engines humming with a low, resonant growl. Lena sat near the window, her gaze fixed on the sprawling complex emerging from the mist below. Though she was not sure but listening whispers from a few other recruits in the same AV, she gathered that this facility was situated at the pole of the planet. As soon as the scene outside became clear, Lena observed throngs of similar sized AV parked on the air-field below.
The Empire's Basic Military Academy of this planet, was a fortress of steel and glass, its towering spires and angular structures cutting through the sky like blades. The facility was surrounded by a high-tech perimeter fence, its surface shimmering faintly with the telltale glow of energy shields. Beyond the fence, the training grounds stretched endlessly—a labyrinth of obstacle courses, firing ranges, and simulation domes. All of this area was established over the artificial island they have created on the ocean.
Lena's lips curled into a faint smile. 'This is where it begins.'
The AV touched down on a landing pad, its hatch hissing open to reveal a squad of stern-faced officers waiting to greet the new recruits. Lena grabbed her duffel bag and stepped out, her boots clicking against the metallic surface. The air was crisp, tinged with the faint scent of ozone and machinery. Around her, several other recruits disembarked from other AVs who had landed at the same time as their AV, their faces a mix of excitement, anxiety, and determination.
"Welcome to the Basic Military Academy," one of the officers barked, his voice carrying over the hum of the AV's engines. "You have one hour to settle into your assigned quarters. After that, report to the main hall for orientation. Remember it is a basic training facility, more than skills and special ops we will be teaching you discipline and punctuality, a necessity to serve the crown.
Dismissed!"
Lena slung her bag over her shoulder and followed the flow of recruits toward the barracks. The academy was a maze of corridors and elevators, its walls lined with holographic displays showcasing the Empire's military achievements. Images of towering mechs, sleek fighter jets, and disciplined soldiers flickered across the screens, accompanied by slogans like "Strength Through Discipline" and "Serve the Crown, Become More."
As she walked, Lena observed her fellow recruits. They were a diverse group—men and women of various ages, backgrounds, and builds. Some looked like seasoned fighters, their muscles taut and their movements deliberate. Others were clearly fresh out of civilian life, their wide eyes betraying their inexperience. Few of them could also be differentiated on the basis of their expensive apparels and sophisticated gestures, clearly progeny of the rich.
Lena's gaze lingered on a group of female recruits walking ahead of her. They were chatting animatedly, their laughter echoing down the corridor. One of them, a tall woman with sharp features and an air of confidence, seemed to be the leader. Lena noted the way the others deferred to her, their body language submissive yet eager to please.
'Interesting' Lena thought in amusement. 'A queen bee has come pre-crowned in our batch.'
Lena decided to keep her distance for now. Mingling with the girls at this stage would only prove hindrance. Better to observe and assess before making her move. Moreover if she has to achieve what she wishes, this facility is just a temporary stop. Clearly, she could never waste three years of her precious life in just basic training. Therefore, these girls and boys of her batch were not her competition.
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The barracks were a stark contrast to the academy's grand exterior. The rooms were small and utilitarian, with the single beds, lockers, and a connected bathroom. Lena was assigned to a room at the corner of the building. Fortunately, each recruit was given a single room of their own to keep their privacy.
Lena was about to step in her room when,
"Hey," the guy from her neighboring room greeted her—a wiry young man with a mop of curly hair and a nervous smile. He looked excited to see the beauty of her level as his neighbor. "I'm Jax. You're Lena, right? I saw your name on the nameplate. I myself came half a month ago and was thinking how my neighbor would be. I didn't expect natural beauty. "
Lena smiled teasingly at his effort to strike a conversation, setting bag down on her bed. She turned around and greeted him, "Well I'm also happy to see an approachable friend as my neighbor. I would trouble you for taking care of me for this period of 3 years."
"Of course…Ofcourse. " Jax chuckled. "We should form a good friendship, it is better to rely on neighbors than strangers in foreign lands, right? Haha my grandfather used to say these words, now I understand his intentions."
"Your grandfather appears to be very wise," Lena replied, her tone neutral yet charming. Clearly she could not bear to tell him that he probably meant something more in practical terms than his grandson using it to talk with a pretty girl.
Her other neighbor —a petite woman with a stern expression—came out after hearing commotion and glanced at her but said nothing. Lena could sense her curiosity, but she didn't engage. She didn't take the initiative to talk with her.
After saying goodbye to enthusiastic Jax and refusing his offer to help, she unpacked her few belongings. Afterwards, Lena decided to explore the academy by herself. She had an hour to kill, and she wanted to familiarize herself with the layout.
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The academy was a sprawling complex, its facilities designed to push recruits to their limits. Lena wandered through the simulation rooms, exercise rooms, gravity acclimation rooms and afterwards found herself finally in the vast training grounds situated at the heart of the facility, her sharp eyes taking in every detail. The grounds were so vast in size that even a hundred large AVs parked would only take less than half of its space, thus clearly designed for on-field Mech training.
There was also an obstacle course, which was a nightmare of towering walls, narrow beams, and spinning towers. Some older batch recruits were already practicing, their faces red with exertion as they struggled to complete the course. Lena watched for a moment, noting the techniques of the more experienced recruits. She even purposely noted the best time several senior recruits used to clear various obstacles to gauge the average standard of the academy.
The firing range was equally impressive, with rows of holographic targets and an array of weapons on display. Lena's fingers itched to try them out, but she resisted the urge. There would be time for that later. Afterwards she checked out the cafeteria and a few other faculties, to where she found several students rushing towards to wander.
The simulation domes were the most intriguing. These massive, spherical structures housed advanced VR systems that replicated real-world combat scenarios. Lena could see recruits entering and exiting the domes, their faces flushed with adrenaline. She even spotted a few recruits who were treated like a micro celebrity as soon as they showed up at the area, clearly they must be big shots of cadets.
As she walked, Lena kept mostly to herself but despite hiding face with a cap, her attractive figure still attracted gazes from everywhere but she was used to this kind of attention. Fortunately no one approached her to see who this unfamiliar girl was. In her stroll, she noticed the cliques among the recruits no matter which batch.
Women were more separated, and segregated in several clearly defined groups and even though men had some small groups, compared to women they were more homogenous. Lena smirked, after inferring from her observations that women in here were waging more cut throat competition amongst themselves than men.
Lena tried her best to keep herself away from others, her presence unobtrusive but her observation skills were working overtime. In this small time she had already noted the hierarchies, the alliances, the rivalries among several batches of recruits. This was a microcosm of the human society itself—a place where strength and cunning were the only currencies that mattered.
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By the time Lena returned to the hostel building, she had a clear picture of the academy's social landscape. While returning she also observed her own batch, freshers. The female recruits were already showing signs of being divided into two main groups: the confident clique led by the tall woman, and a smaller, more reserved group that seemed to keep to themselves. The male recruits were more fragmented, with no clear leader emerging yet.
Lena's decision to remain solo was deliberate. She didn't need allies here—at least not yet. As per her own plan, she had to leap as soon as possible to some Major planet of the empire before thinking about dipping her toes into politics, this planet wasn't worth it for her to delve into conspiracies. For now, she would focus on herself, on honing her skills and gathering information.
As Lena lay on her bed which was somehow better than her cheap bed back in the flat, staring at the ceiling, Lena's mind raced with possibilities. The academy was a stepping stone, a place to prove herself and gain the power she craved. But it was also a battlefield, and Lena was determined to come out on top. But the only requirement for herself was her improvement of skills. She would compete openly and will aim to become better than everyone else, then she will jump out from this pond to bigger lake - that simple. No need for some convoluted schemes.
The orientation buzz rang, jolting Lena from her thoughts. She sat up, her eyes gleaming with determination.
'Let the first round begin.'