Chương 4

The Administrative Hub was on the opposite side of the station from the docking bay. According to the holographic directory, the walk would take approximately fifteen minutes. I decided to make it twenty. Magna Protos deserved more than a hurried glance. I saved the map to my ICI, and started walking. The main concourse was a wide avenue lined with pillars of pale stone, each one carved with the names of notable alumni. I counted seven planetary governors before losing track.

The ceiling was made from transparent panels offering a view of the stars beyond. It was a beautiful view. Artificial gravity kept everything grounded, but the subtle wrongness of it reminded me that I was still very far from home. The students I passed seemed to know exactly where they were going, moving mostly in groups, talking and laughing with each other. They wore variations of the same uniform, dark jackets with colored trim that I assumed indicated society or year or both. I didn't know which.

That was becoming a theme. On the shuttle, Charlotte had known about Entoli Society. The orientation materials I had received after confirming my acceptance certainly mentioned none of that. All I knew was that Magna Protos was founded nine hundred years ago with a special emphasis on combat command and governance. None of that told me which color trim meant what. Politics. Ugh. The concourse opened into a wider plaza where several paths converged. A fountain occupied the center.

I looked in awe as the water defied expectations by flowing upward in spirals before cascading back down. We all love our expensive overpriced art installations, but damn, this one certainly deserves the probably astronomical amounts of money paid to the artist. A group of students near the fountain's edge were doubled over in laughter, one of them gesturing wildly as she recounted a story.

Another of the girls glanced my way, and I felt the brief weight of her attention before she looked past me and pulled her attention back to the group. Even those who were alone seemed to feel at home. A girl lay sprawled on the grass with her shoes kicked off as she poured through a book thick enough that it could probably be classified as a weapon. As I walked around the foundation, I realized that I wanted to be like these students.

I might not have known much about the intricacies of the clubs or societies, but I wanted to be like the student sprawled on the grass. I wanted to have those animated discussions by the fountain. I wanted that social connection that had been stunted due to my low spirit. Perhaps even more than a simple connection… I sighed in the way all single young adult men sigh, and continued on with my journey to my hopefully-not-impending doom. Everyone else was automatically admitted by the campus' ai.

What do they even want with me? Finally, I found my way to the Administrative Hub and the Dean of Studies' office. The office was smaller than I expected. There were no windows, which made sense given that we were in the interior of a space station, but there were a decent amount of paintings, all depicting beautiful landscapes of worlds I was not familiar with. Pink trees, floating islands, and an ocean world with water so clear that could could see hundreds of feet into the deep.

"Jax Akana." The Dean of Studies checked the clock and gestured to one of the chairs.

"Glad you could make it on time. Sit." I sat and noted that her chairs were slightly on the side of uncomfortable. I nodded at her, reading her name from the plaque on her desk.

"Dean Vasara, I came as soon as I saw the message."

"You're probably wondering why you've been summoned here, unlike the other first-years," she started.

"The thought had occurred to me." I would be smooth, and collected. Just like I had read. With nobles running around, one wrong word or action could spell death for me or my social life. The dean flicked the air, using her ICI to interface with her terminal, and a screen popped up in my vision. Displayed were charts and graphs, breaking my test performance into component parts.

"Your entrance scores were exceptional. Strong marks in strategic reasoning and pattern recognition. However, you never submitted your primary field of study, which is why we're here today." She pointed at one chart in particular.

"I noticed that your strongest area was patterns and understanding them. I believe that you would be a good fit for analytical work, so I recommend joining the Analytics field and exploring from there."

"Do I have to make a decision right now?" I asked.

"I was planning to spend a few months exploring different options at the university before deciding my career."

"Certainly. Feel free to take the time that you feel necessary." The dean didn't seem discouraged by my refusal.

"However, know that most students arrive at Magna Protos with their curriculum already determined. Their families have connections to specific departments and endowments to particular programs. Declaring a primary field of study later puts you even further behind other students which impacts your future placements."

"I see…" I let my words trail off as I pondered the situation. She was right that earlier specialization would increase my chances of getting a better placement after graduation. Was it really worth it to spend a few months exploring if it meant trying to play catch-up with everyone afterward?

"Okay, let's do–" Before I could finish the thought, the door to the room burst open. Both me and Dean turned as a woman sauntered in. She was younger than I had expected anyone with authority at Magna Protos to be, late twenties, maybe early thirties, and she wore a simple white lab coat over the most form-fitting outfit I had ever had the pleasure of seeing. I wrenched my eyes to her face before anyone could notice, only to meet her bright green eyes already looking right back at me, while smiling wolfishly.

I started sweating.

"Professor Maren," the dean sighed.

"Your timing is impeccable as always. Unlike my door."

"I try." Without prompting, she unapologetically took the empty chair next to mine, settling into it like she owned the room.

"This Jax?"

"Jax Akana. Yes." Her eyes were still on me. I felt like I was being put under a microscope, everything that I was laid bare. Definitely high Spirit.

"I hear you beat Charlotte at Dominion. Not bad." I blinked.

"How did you know?"

"Word travels quickly when something interesting happens." She waved a hand dismissively and turned her attention to the dean.

"Anyways, the game doesn't matter, and not the reason I am here. What matters is something else I have been curious about. Are you aware of your sponsor?" I paused. So that's why I was really called.

"Not really, I only know that he sponsored me, and that for some reason I wasn't able to join any other academy because of it."

"Well," the professor steepled her fingers, looking amused, "after some digging, the only thing I found was that they thought exceptionally highly of your mental abilities, and isn't that interesting? Nothing else, no name, affiliation, nothing. Jax Akana. Born to a mercenary mother and a commoner father, referred to an academy most would kill to enter, with no strings attached." She leaned forward, her assets forcing a fight between my eyes and willpower, "Tell me, who really are you?"

I wanted a quiet life damnit. I tried applying to multiple universities, and they were originally extremely happy to accept me, only to do a complete one-eighty as soon as they dug a bit and found the sponsorship. It basically left me with the choice of simple community college, or join the most elite, most prestigious, and most stuck up university in the Empire. I was told it was a great gift. Uhuh. Right. Well, not like you fought too hard against- I smacked my inner voice down. I squirmed under her gaze.

It felt like she wanted to put me on a dissection table and pull me apart there and then, despite her outwardly pleasant appearance.

"That's enough." Dean Vasara scowled angrily at at professor Maren, slapping her palm hard against the table.

"He is not required to answer that." She turned back to me.

"The reason you were called today was to talk to you about the direction you want to take according to your talents and that recommendation. There is a…", she scrunched her face, " special opportunity that is available to you. I would recommend against that, and would strongly advise you choose Analytics -or any other available discipline- because I don't like throwing students into a pit of snakes, but the final choice is yours." Oh boy.

"Now, now, Vasara! Don't scare the newbie!" said the scariest woman I had met yet.

"I'm here to offer you admission into the school's special program for exceptional students! Nothing more, nothing less." Dean Vasara cleared her throat.

"Let me make an introduction first. Jax, Professor Maren here oversees the Strategos Program. To put it simply, it's designed to be a lot more intensive than the standard curriculum, and carries other risks besides that."" Significantly more intensive," Maren agreed, lounging back in her seat and making her body that much more visible.

"We're the racehorses of Magna Protos! The forerunners! The top! You'll get direct mentorship from faculty, and many of our students go on to command armies. What do you say? Would you like to spend time counting the stars or… moving them?" This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Her cheshire grin made me shiver.

"Professor Maren, before everything else, Jax should also know the consequences of that decision," the dean interjected with a strained smile.

"The Program is indeed one of the most important curriculums in the university. Should you choose it, it would become your primary field of study and teach you far more than any other field in our school. However, it comes with a… severe downside. Should you fail in your classes there, you'll find yourself expelled from Magna Protos entirely. No do-overs or second chances. You will also be competing with nobles of the highest echelons of the empire, which for a commoner like you can mean serious risk."

"Expelled?" I asked. I did my best to ignore the slight jab. Her concern was warranted, after all.

"Should you graduate, you'll be in charge of real lives. If you can't live with a little risk on the line, then you're not cut out for the program. If you fail, you'll have wasted your one chance at Magna Protos and learned a valuable lesson about overestimating yourself." Maren steepled her fingers, a calculating look in her green eyes. I swear her demeanor changes every few minutes.

"The choice is yours. Analytics is also a choice. You'll graduate with acceptable prospects, and have a simple but pleasant life serving the empire. Maybe even find someone to share it with, who knows?" That word hung in the air. Acceptable. It felt like a lead weight, and at the same time salvation, all bundled into one. But...

"Or?" I asked.

"Or you take the harder path with the Strategos Program. By the end, you'll be qualified for positions that most graduates can't even apply for. The empire will be at your fingertips, for you to choose the path you yourself want, not what others choose for you. You'll be someone." Her eyes twinkled. I looked at Dean Vasara. Her expression hadn't changed. Although he could swear he saw trace amounts of discomfort in the way she looked at the professor. Just who is Maren?

"What does that mean exactly? Beyond the vague nonsense?" I pressed.

"Fleet commissions and leadership positions in land missions," the alluringly dangerous woman purred.

"You'll have access to career tracks that are otherwise restricted to noble houses. The Strategos Program exists because the empire needs leaders. It needs those who earned their position through ability and determination, not just nepotism." This is stupid. Just take the simple path. That's what you wanted. That was the plan. She definitely has a secret agenda, if not multiple. And yet… the game of Dominion lingered in my mind. While Professor Maren spoke, a feeling I had long forgotten started stirring within me.

When was the last time I had as much fun as I had with that game? That match was exhilarating. Finding people I could pit myself against that were more than simple fodder. Maybe I could finally get to hone myself instead of simply coasting through life. Do I really want to tangle myself in noble politics? This isn't a decision you can take back. I thought about Grant, heading to Technica Deuteros to work on his starships. Finn, disappearing deep into the research halls of Fabrica Tritos.

They had both found paths that matched their desires. They both knew what they wanted. I had come to Magna Protos because I had no other choice, but… deep down, maybe I was hoping for something more as well. That maybe some subject that could capture me in the same way Grant and Finn had with theirs. Like Professor Maren had said. Still. The rational part of my brain insisted. It's not worth it. Take the guaranteed path. You can figure that out without potentially losing everything.

Nothing good ever comes from noble politics, you know that. I nodded. It was a good point. The safe path was the smart choice. I took a deep breath and confirmed my decision.

"I'll join the Strategos Program," I said. Wait, what?! My rational side shouted loudly as it was suppressed by the surging excitement and adrenaline of the impulsiveness that I thought I had left long behind. I would have probably picked the safe route, but that game, that adrenaline, was so fresh in my mind, and oh, so, tempting. I extended my hand to the devil in a labcoat, and took her offer.

Maren's face morphed into a beaming smile, accepting my hand, pulling it a bit closer, and holding it a tad longer than necessary.

"Good answer! Wrong, possibly, but good!" She stood.

"However, you'll need a mentor. Someone to help you navigate the first year and keep you from making the obvious mistakes." I was confused.

"I thought the program didn't hold your hand?"

"It doesn't. But you're starting from a deficit, so it's only fair. No family connections and no network. A mentor can't carry you, but they can point you toward resources you wouldn't find on your own. Let's call it a personal favor from me, since you caught my interest." Maren glanced at the door.

"She's waiting outside." Maren opened the door and gestured. A moment later, my eyes widened in surprise as Vera stepped into the office.

"Jax Akana," Maren said, "Vera Castellan. I believe the two of you have already met! Small world, right? Cadet Vera was the one who told me about your feat over Charlotte. Congratulations again by the way. She's to be your mentor for the foreseeable future, so make sure to listen to her. She'll be responsible for making sure you survive long enough to prove whether you belong here, or…" her smile reached her eyes, "if you end up being nothing more than meat for the wolves." Was my acceptance planned from the start?

Scary woman. Vera turned to Professor Maren.

"Understood. I'll handle it from here. His housing?"

"Already transferred to the Strategos quarters. Room assignments should be updated within the hour."

"Good." She glanced at me.

"Come on. I'll show you where you'll be living." I glanced at Dean Vasara, who nodded slightly.

"Thank you," I said, though not sure if I meant it. She had at least tried to put me on a safer path, as ineffectual as that ended up being.

"Don't thank me yet," the dean replied, her eyes creasing slightly in worry.

"Thank me if you graduate." Vera was already walking out the door. I nodded and followed her, leaving the Dean's office behind and lengthening my strides to keep up. I hope I didn't just make a huge mistake. — The dean and professor watched at the door closed behind the two students.

"So, Maren", Sibil scowled as she watched the woman intently, "are you happy? That boy would have chosen Analytics and led a happy, if simple, life." Eluria Maren clutched at her heart, faking offence, "You wound me, Sibil, whatever could you mean? I didn't lie to the boy, did I?"

"I know you set it up. Getting the Charlotte girl to play Dominion with him was your doing, don't lie."

"Nope!" Maren laughed.

"All I did was make sure that they were both scheduled on the same flight, and that all the other seats on that particular ride were taken with people she really didn't want to deal with, leaving just one place open next to good ol Jax~" she shrugged smiling broadly, "It's not my fault she likes to play Dominion a lot, and that his personality profile shows that he is equally inclined towards beautiful women and challenging situations!" Sibil sighed.

That woman knew way too much about everything that was going on, but that was a requirement when you were the head of the most prestigious teaching program in the empire. Even Sibil couldn't interfere too deeply in their affairs. That irked her most of all.

"Why even go that far? His grades are good, sure, but he is a commoner that will get eaten alive by those nobles. With the new law going around, he is more likely to end up with a subordination contract and attached to the harem of one of the more ruthless women studying here than he is to graduate and earn the positions you tantalized him with. He wouldn't have let himself be dragged along is not for what you did." Professor Maren stood up from her seat, stretching her lithe body and flexing her skintight suit.

"Have some faith, Sibil! You never know where unpolished gems could be found. And aren't you curious about how he received a sponsorship even I wasn't able to look into?" Sibil nodded, surprised.

"I thought you were just fishing for information."

"Not a tiny bit! Well, I was fishing, but I truly know nothing! Isn't it exciting? Could be nothing, or…" she paused before gliding out of the room, "he could be what shakes up the status quo in the years to come!" The click of the door closing once again punctuated the ensuing silence as Sibil sat in her chair, wondered about the headaches in her future, and sighed, rubbing her temples. —"The Strategos quarters are in the North Tower," Vera talked without looking back at me.

"It's separate from the general housing. Smaller rooms, but better overall facilities."

"That sounds great. So, does the Entoli Society mean the same thing as the Strategos Program?"

"Nope, the society is focused around Dominion." She turned a corner sharply enough that I almost missed it. We were in another hallway, this one empty. She is probably not happy about needing to babysit me. Understandable to be honest. I hedged.

"Hey, sorry you got dragged into this." I gestured vaguely.

"I'll try my best to not be too much of a burden." She stopped for a moment, studying me.

"Thank you for your concern, but you should not worry. I volunteered for this when Professor Maren told me about her desire to add you to the program." she shrugged and turned to continue walking. So it was planned. I made a mental note to never get on Professor Maren's bad side. I shivered a bit, remembering the way she had looked at me.

"Oh, uh, great! So, can you tell me more about the program? Professor Maren didn't really talk specifics beyond what I could get for completing it." That may have been a mistake. Why didn't I ask more questions?? I thought back to my desperate struggle to focus on her face and not be a perv. Oh boy. Ohhh boy. What did I sign up for? Why didn't I read the fine print? Did she dress like that on purpose? Stupid impulsive brain. One scary woman looks at you funny and suddenly you can't think straight.

Vera paused again as she ran her hand through her hair, sighing.

"I should have known. What did she tell you?"

"That this was an intense program and I'll be expelled if I fail? Which seems a bit harsh if I might say."

"Not… exactly." Vera glanced around and made sure that we were alone.

"Despite the name, the Strategos program is a field of study like the others. Take logistics, people who study that usually end up in logistics related fields. If you're great, you get to manage logistics for the Imperial army. If you're not so great, you can manage logistics for the mining colonies. What do you think the Strategos program teaches?"

"Based on what the professor said, command? Or something like that?"

"Exactly. So what do you do with someone who fails at command?"

"Give them a smaller army and see what happens?" I tried.

"No, you stop teaching them how to command armies. The only thing more dangerous than a bad commander is one who has something to prove because they got the worst grades in school. The Strategos program exists to make sure that the Empire has qualified leaders."

"Isn't that too harsh?"

"Almost every noble house worth their salt has their kids in the Strategos Program," Vera continued.

"Their family will find them admission somewhere else if they fail. But for us, ones that aren't favored or heirs, or commoners," she gestured at both of us, "this program is a chance to sidestep centuries of tradition."

"As long as we don't fail."

"As long as we're better than them," Vera corrected. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Either way, it's going to be the worst four years of your life. Or the best… depending on your placement afterwards." We walked in silence for a while. The corridors shifted from administrative to residential, the architecture growing slightly warmer. Students passed us occasionally, some nodding to Vera with obvious respect. She stopped at a door marked with a room number: N-127.

"This is you. Keycard access is already programmed to your biometrics. Settle in and review the materials that will be sent to your interface. I'll meet you at the main commissary at zero-seven-hundred for breakfast."

"And after breakfast?"

"After breakfast, you have class. But after your class, I'll spend some time with you to go over what you need to know." She turned to leave, then paused.

"One more thing. Charlotte Valen."

"What about her?"

"Her family is one of the most influential in the Empire." Vera looked tired in that moment.

"Be careful with her."

"We just played a game."

"Nothing at Magna Protos is just a game."