Time at the Academy was speeded up. All systems belonging to the ancients used a quantum time accelerator. It was how the retribution centers worked as well. Someone could be imprisoned there for what might seem like an eternity but emerge only a short while later in the home plane of existence. Likewise, personas at the Academy were able to experience years of training in what amounted to a rather short time relative to the original frame of reference.

Taljon stretched out on his sleeping pad. A hood lowered over him at the touch of a button. He could feel the induction coils come to life. This was routine now. Every night, the hood trained his mind with data strings and programming to be processed, integrated, and practiced the next day. Nova was already asleep under a hood on a pad adjacent to Tajlon’s. He’d been given his own curriculum, tailored to suit his nature and interests.

Tajlon had finished composing a letter to send back to his friends. He hesitated for a moment, then pressed the send key.

* * *

“It’s a message from Tajlon,” Hal shouted from the bridge of the Lady Devora. He opened his communication log.

“It’s about time we heard something,” Widhbo said. He was perched in his now familiar niche by the flight console.

Yoeke and Cratus gathered about to listen as Hal shared it aloud:

“Greetings to all my friends. Our first few weeks at Tor Academy has been a trying experience for all concerned. The very first day Nova broke one of Balvendro’s reflector units.”

“Just like Nova, “Yoeke said. “They’ll soon throw him out and send Lord Anakron a bill for damages.

What’s a reflector?” Widhbo asked.

“Hang on. There’s a lot more,” Hal said. Tajlon explains it right here. “These special hologram units are programmed to explore your mind and present you with some facet or another of your life experiences which need to be examined further. The reflector displays it allowing others to view and discuss it with you. Group therapy of sorts. The pictures produced are larger than life and show a three-dimensional version based on what was found locked away in one's subconscious.”

“They really don’t want to know what’s going on in Nova’s subconscious,” Widhbo added. “I still have bloody nightmares from hosting him in my magiton unit.”

Hal continued, “Nova happened upon a reflector unit before being informed of its ability or function. He was hungry after the trip and attracted by the hunt scene it portrayed. Seeing the realistic representation of a rabmuffin, Nova fell upon it with all fierceness, destroyed the cerebral interface, and ripped large holes in the rather expensive three-dimensional membrane. Balvendro was not pleased to say the least.”

Widhbo cackled and soon the others joined in, lost in their amusement. The racket got Munaci’s attention. He came on the bridge with the usual scowl on his face.

“What’s so hilarious now?” he asked.

“Relax, Munaci. We’re laughing about someone else for a change,” Hal said. “Tajlon sent us an update on his adventures at Tor Academy. Nova is tearing up their toys.”

Munaci smiled despite himself. “Tajlon’s far too young to attain enlightenment and Nova’s mind is a primitive abyss. Let them get a taste of what I’ve had to contend with.”

“What about Tajlon?” Widhbo asked. “How’s he doing?”

“That’s next,” Hal said. “It’s a great bonding experience and I’m making a lot of new friends. Members of each class that goes through the Academy’s training program together are permanently entangled. It’s overwhelming to know I’ll be connected to my classmates forever. Things can get a little rough at times as we ferret out one another’s strengths and weaknesses. The idea is to help everyone with past experiences they are still struggling to overcome. It appears I’ve had more than my share of troubles by comparison, even with the short life I’ve lived.

Nova is quite popular as they’ve never taught a truly primitive beast before. We both wear our guardchevs most of the time as it is so distracting to the others when we take them off. Everyone else here is over a thousand years old, so it’s the same problem we faced with the elders on the Moz Lidule. Balvendro is determined to desensitize everyone to the digital enhancement and freshness of our recent mortality. I think that will be more of a challenge to him than anything else.”

“Oh, I would love to be there to see this in person,” Widhbo said.

“It gets better.” Hal took a deep breath before he read on. “Balvendro made the mistake of prompting me to recall my most memorable experiences on the Moz Lidule while in reflector class. I have to wonder if he had forgotten about my incident at the hand of Admiral Bethon or perhaps it was just to test my mettle. Despite having the pain of my memories selectively erased by Lord Anakron, the objective truth of them remained and were projected in full holographic horror. Apparently, there are no censor filters built into the reflector units. It was surreal watching as an observer. Everyone was unnerved by the spectacle. The class got a refresher course in human sexuality, but it was the lesson in voldarkan predatory behavior they would never forget watching Bethon shift into his voldarkan form and attack.

Yoeke winced. “‘Awkward.”

Hal continued. “This was all new information to Nova who had to be restrained and sedated for several days. I’m certain he will try to kill Bethon should they ever meet again. I fear not even Balvendro can stop him. Last night I caught Nova eating herbs, reciting spells and trying to channel a Beldorian fire god so he could grow more powerful. Balvendro said it was superstitious tribal nonsense and not to worry, he’d get past it.”

Munaci had been perfectly quiet throughout the reading of the letter.

Hal looked up. “Don’t worry about Nova, Munaci, I’m sure someone else will beat him to it. Bethon’s list of enemies is growing and may well include all of Tajlon’s classmates by now,” he said before continuing.

“Personally, I have forgiven Bethon for reverting to his ancient instinctual behavior and in truth see it as no different from Nova’s attack on the rabmuffin. I do hold Bethon accountable for his deception and more purposeful behavior, but the ancients have punished sufficiently him for that.

I may not be writing again for some time as the training is getting even more intense. I’m not allowed to share any of the arcane knowledge I’m learning, and we’re being moved to an undisclosed location to advance our education even more.

Know that I am well, and we are in good hands with Balvendro. Behind his fierceness there’s a kind soul.

I miss everyone terribly. Please be careful of the devourer. He is dynamic and adaptable, growing exponentially, and becoming extremely dangerous. Even the ancients are worried. If we survive this, no matter how evolved I may be, know that I want to be treated exactly the same as before. I expect you to tell me if this elder god thing goes to my head and bring me back to my senses.

Eternally yours,

Tajlon.”