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Stories

Here's a fictional story written by Draco. Look for the continuation in the near future. Yes, I will accept fictional stories. - Insano

Embers in the Void

By: Draco

(Based on his upcoming plug)

Prologue

Explosions rock in rhythmic beat. The time approaches for the second time. The door is opening with a rush of air, just as it did long ago. It is entering this universe. Again.

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Chapter One: Battle Training School

Drake wanted to go out and play 'Truslins and Aliens' with his friends, but his mother told him it was too dangerous. "The earth keeps shaking," she kept telling him. His friends were similarly confined, so they had to content themselves with playing simulated battles.

Every child in Drake's village dreamt of being a pilot. They practiced and practiced on the simulator and devised new strategies until their heads hurt, for the hopes that they would get picked up by the next ExploCorps® ship that passed by. They even published their 3D battles on the universal web, so a pilot might notice them. Drake was better then all of them, ever since Anglo Flemarian left 4 years ago, and everyone knew that he would be going to the School of Battle Training on Trage soon.

No one contested with Drake's battle skills. He could use the Truslin fighter on the simulator to destroy a whole frigate. When some other children teamed up against him, making it four Truslin fighters against one, Drake destroyed them all, suffering only half of his shields.

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After finishing the latest battle, Drake settled back to watch the replay. He noted a mistake he had made, and added it to his list of bad mistakes to work on. Then he went to the forum to check for a game to join. He blinked. There was a big ad on the top of the screen.

Young Pilot Needed! Email me at ADF@BattleTrainingSchool (Include your age, name, and an image of your average score.)

Drake quickly sent an email to the address, along with a snapshot of his average score. A few seconds later, an automatic reply came back to him. It told him that he was eligible to become a pilot. All he had to do was send a second email with the subject "Accept#18394038293". He cheered, and hurried to ask his mother.

"Mom? Can I go to Battle Training School?" he asked, fearing the answer would be no. She studied him for a moment, then told him that she would discuss it with his father.

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Two days later, Drake was still trembling with anxiety when his parents walked into his room in the midst of a battle.

"Son, we have decided that you are old enough to decide for yourself whether or not to go to Battle School. Will you go there or stay here with us?"

Drake told his parents that he would miss them very greatly at Battle Training School. He quickly sent the accept e-mail, and his parents paid the 3,000 credits for the trip to Trage. They also handed him a check for 50,000 credits for tuition, and 200 credits for pocket money.

As the shuttle lifted off, Drake had the oddest sensation that someone not Truslin was watching him, waiting...

End of Chapter One

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Chapter Two: Anglo Flemarian

As he sent a transmission to Noxtrus, his smile deepened as credits were added to his bank account. He turned the computer off and headed for the classroom...

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For two days Drake filled out forms. Some of them were as straightforward as name, birth date, and favorite color. But most of them were open-ended questions that Drake hadn't heard of, including the reasons for exploration, and the idea behind researching new technologies to fight the Embin Empire.

When Drake found his classroom after two days of filling out forms, he sat down in the only empty seat at the back. All the students stopped talking and turned around in their seats to stare at him, and Drake found himself turning red. He looked down at his desk. The boy next to him asked him what his name was. When Drake told him, the boy said, "Hello Drake, my name is Jeck. Do you like battling on the simulator? I love to. My average score is 436. What's yours?" He said this all in one breath.

While Drake stared at him, a familiar voice at the front said, "Students, please meet our new student, Drake."

Drake looked up in disbelief. Anglo was standing at the front of the room, and he had a teacher's uniform on. Anglo winked at him. "I got 'promoted'," he said to Drake.

Classes were fine. Drake learned about the history of the exploration of the Void, as well as the types of ships and each of their history from Anglo. Drake also learned new strategies from other children on the simulator. He taught a boy named Jeck his favorite maneuver, and Jeck taught Drake the Crusher. The Crusher worked by shooting two quick rockets, then speeding to the enemy's other side to shoot two more. It worked all the time on slow ships, because if they couldn't dodge any of the rockets, then they were crushed between them.

The other children learned to stay out of Jeck and Drake's way while they were fighting on the simulator. If they got too close, then a carefully aimed rocket would destroy them. They had to fight far from Jeck and Drake, so that they didn't get destroyed quickly.

It was rumored that the long battles of Jeck and Drake were monitored closely by the principal of the school. Some rumors even went so for to say that the Admiral himself actually looked at them. Whatever the case, the teachers definitely closely watched all the practice battles, and noted down strategies, as Drake found out by peeking inside Anglo's room after classes were over. Anglo was staring down at his computer. The latest battle of Drake and Jeck, dodging, shooting and swerving, was all over the screen.

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Most of Anglo's classes had the same appearance every day. First they would review what they had done the day before, then they would learn something new, then, at the end, they would have a short quiz.

For instance, the day that they learned about the exploration of ISP-0001, they started with a review about Derk Uin's life. Then Anglo stood up, and said, "Today we are going to learn about ISP-0001. Does anyone know anything about it?"

A short girl named Rita raised her hand. When Anglo called her name, she said tentatively, "Wasn't that the first planet explored by the Omega Squadrant?"

After Anglo told her she was right, he asked, "Does anyone know what Omega Squadrant was famous for?"

Even Drake knew that. Omega Squadrant had been the first squadrant to visit Noxtrus, the homeworld of the alien race that the Truslin race was currently at war with.

Anglo nodded, and went on to explain that it was also the site of an old tomb, which hadn't been opened. It seemed that a 'curse' would be laid on whoever opened it. Anglo disregarded this as nonsense, but the archaeologists who explored it didn't seem to want to open it. Right before they started the quiz, Anglo told everybody that some kind of giant supposedly held the key to the tomb, which is why he didn't believe anything. However, as he handed out the question sheets, everybody could tell that there was always a possibility. always.

End of Chapter Two

Chapter Three: First Test

"It shall be done," he said to the tall, red-haired figure on the screen. "If Jahl loses this battle, then we will eventually gain. If Drake loses, then we gain anyway. It is as simple as that."

"Good," answered the figure, "because if we lose..." He fingered a gun set with red gems hanging from his side. "Then you die..."

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The year was rapidly coming to a close. Soon Drake would have to leave Trage for 3 whole months, to visit his parents. He didn't want to, but he did miss his parents. However, the chance to see them soon was dashed when, on the last day of the first four-month term, Drake was given a note. It was put on his desk a few hours before the end of the term. It read:

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Dear Drake,

It has come to my attention that you have the highest grade and score in Battle Training School. We are considering skipping you three levels. You would have to take two tests. The second one is beating someone in a duel, but I don't think you will have much trouble with that. If you succeed, then you pass. Passing entails being accepted into the Truslin Fleet, either on guard duty, or in an attack squadrant. You do not have to accept, but we would be delighted if you do. Please come to my office. Sincerely,

Reaet, Principal of Battle Training School

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Drake considered for a moment, and then decided that he would rather pass then have to take another three years of school. He hurried to Reaet's office. He poked his head around the corner to make sure he wasn't interrupting, and saw that Reaet, a tall, old man with a big head looking at some papers on his desk. He stepped inside, but Reaet still hadn't noticed him, so he cleared his throat. Reaet looked up, and motioned for Drake to sit down on one of his cushioned chairs.

"Drake, have you considered my suggestion?" Reaet asked him. Drake nodded, so Reaet continued, "What is your answer?"

"I think that I will accept it," he decided firmly. "I would rather help now, rather then waiting 3 years to help."

"Good answer," Reaet said. "Now I can turn the microphone off." He flicked a switch under the desk, and Drake heard a little beep. "Would you like to take the tests now?"

Drake nodded, nervous about what he would have to do. Reaet led him out into the corridor and down the hall, to a part of the school that students weren't normally allowed in. When they reached a huge metal door, Reaet hesitated. Then he turned to Drake, as if to say something to him, but seemed to think better of it. He put his hand upon a panel, and when it had finished checking his hand, the door opened.

"Now, the first test is straightforward. You must write all of the strategies you have learned and know. That includes your little strategies I have seen you using. Once you have finished that, I will bring you to the other test."

After Reaet had walked out, Drake sat down in the chair provided, and scrutinized the computer. The keyboard was the same size as the one that he used daily, but the computer itself had a sense of being... well... important. Drake couldn't imagine how a computer of this normal size could be that important. He shivered. Well, it looked normal. Drake put out a hand, and touched what looked like the air around the computer. It was as hard as metal. He moved his hands around searching for the ends of it. The mammoth thing took up half the room, which was as big as Drake's house! He pondered for a few seconds what possible use they could have for this mammoth thing, and why they would want to disguise its size, but the thought passed. Drake started typing into the two columns.

Strategy Name Strategy
Flinger Shoot six rockets, two on each side
Dapte Zoom close, so they pull back, then fire everything you've got.

He stopped here, and thought some more. Then he filled in the remaining eighteen slots with all the easy to beat school strategies he had learned. It only took him about ten minutes. After he had filled them in, Reaet walked in again.

There were three other Truslins with him. Drake heard him remarking, "That was a record. Most students take about thirty minutes, and that is when they know a lot more then he does. Well," he said, addressing Drake now, "you seem to have passed test one. Ready for test two?"

Drake grinned, and said, "Of course. Did you really think I'd wimp out now?"

Reaet raised his eyebrows, and Drake could have sworn he had smiled...

End of Chapter Three