Camille slid herself behind the door, trying her best to be discreet. As always, luck was not on her side and today’s course took place in the smallest lecture hall of the base which was still far larger than anything she had ever seen. In front of the giant holo-screen facing the trainees, her new professor was already discussing the subject they would study during the month. Camille had barely crossed the distance to the stair when he stopped to turn his gaze on the girl.

- Is someone with a bit of delay trying to sneak up?

Turning around, the girl saluted the man like she was taught.

- Sorry! I was in the infirmary.

- Take a seat, we barely started.

While climbing the stair, Camille took a long gaze at her new professor. He was young compared to the one she had on Earth, but a spark of cleverness lighted his orange eyes. His hairs were tied in the same way as the valag girls, only shorter as they only reached half his neck. His valag nature reflected on his body, quite frail compared to her other instructor. Camille would not have been surprised if Karin could have lifted him with one harm.

On the other side of the room, she could see Gwen wave her hand. Crossing among her comrade while apologising, she reached for her two friends. Their professor had already resumed his course when she sat. He was merely talking about the different subject they would study during the years, but Camille could already see how please he was to stand there.

- Do you feel better, Camille? Asked Gwen right away.

- They fixed me up, she shrugged back.

- I should not have let you fight against her, apologised Ender.

- It’s okay. You couldn’t do anything.

- You are stuck with her!

- Yes! How can this stupid vlin’ns do that! Is she blind or what? Overbid Gwen.

If Camille disapproved of how her friend was talking about Kiel, she didn’t dare to defend the woman. She had come to understand her action, not getting along with them. For the moment, the young noble wanted to keep her mind away from the troublesome news and focus on the course at hand.

- A shame you missed shooting practice. You should have seen me!

Camille turned a question full gaze to the stamping girl.

- She aced almost every shoot even if she had not held a gun before, eluded Ender.

- That’s impressive! Well done, complimented Camille a bit jealous.

- I will show you next time. Major Sibelle commended me in front of everyone and told me to keep it up and she would make me try a sniper rifle!

- For the moment you should concentrate on the test Gwen, slowly spoke Ender, I think the professor is staring at us.

The three lowered their gaze toward their personal holo-screen. The test was composed of a MCQ approaching many subjects, nothing complex as the goal was to test the general knowledge of the new recruits before starting the real courses. After a quick go through, Camille jumped right in with a smile. Finally, something that was not a problem for her.

Ten minutes later, Reg lift his head out of his own holo-screen, witnessing one of the trainees looking at the ceiling. After one minute of continuous observation, the professor left his seat and walked up to her.

- What is so interesting about the ceiling, trainee? Are you not supposed to complete your test?

- I already did. Answered back a haggard Camille.

- Come on, you should take it seriously…

Reg had become used to trainee randomly answering, believing academic grade was not important. Moving his finger along her screen, he scrolled down until he met the end of the page. With each passing line, his eyebrows tilted more. At the end, he turned to the girl who could only stare back with awkwardness.

- Where have you studied before?

- Solar study centre, she spoke out slowly.

With a few clicks, he loaded more test and ordered her to do them. He watched her scrupulously, the time the other had finished the first, she had done three of them.

- Come see me at the end of class.

The man laughed out before going back to his desk. The girl looked at her friend, trying to understand the problem, but both shook their head. Like nothing had happened, he resumed the courses and started to talk about the history of the federation. Camille had heard the boring story many times before, Reg filled it with such energy that it became hard to not listen. Even the more energetic valag where glued to his lips as he explained how the prominent had met together and built the nation.

The end of the courses came abruptly, and the young men had to promise to finish his lecture the next day. Outside, the light had finally died and the shroud of night had fallen over Erin. As everyone was leaving for the canteen, moment, Camille was waiting with impatience, the girl came to see her professor as demanded.

- Trainee Weiss, is it? Do you know how much you scored on the test?

She raised her shoulders. The test had seemed rather easy to the girl, and she suddenly felt the need to check again her answer.

- 100, 100 and 99 for the third. The two last tests were supposed to be the final of this month.

- And?

- You don’t need to attend class for the month. He laughed. The first month program is built to level everyone academic ability before the start of the year. You can come of course, but you don’t need them. I threw an eye at your other grades, normally I would have kept you during a week at least, but you need to train them more. Even if you missed shooting practice and obstacle run, Kiel and Major Lesskov observation are not good.

- Yes… I know…

- Don’t make that face. Kiel is really encouraging and Lesskov is just himself. Everybody cannot be talented at the military side of the school, but with the four hours where I will try to get your comrade to your level in mathematics, I want you to train those other subjects. I don’t want to lose a student who scored the best grade available the first day.

Camille nodded frenetically. She was still good at school and being commended for it reassured her. She had not expected other to match her intellectual level, but after her day, everything had become blurry. At least in that domain none could challenge her.

Leaving her professor, she joined with her friend who were waiting outside. After explaining what was that all about, Ender was looking at her with fisheyes.

- How is that even possible? I was never bad at school, but those tests need so much time to do.

- She was in Solar study centre, it’s one of the best on our home world. You will need to help me out with our homework!

- I was not expecting noble to actually learn a lot of things, I always pictured them a bit lazy, but you are both impressive, commented Ender.

- Said the one who makes Lesskov exercises look easy and complete the parkour run before anyone else!

- Any nog’lon could do that, Gwen. He laughed. Okay, maybe I’m not bad at it.

They reached together the mess where all the trainees were already taking their plate, forming small groups as friendship started to bloom between them. The three young where late and if BD base’s cafeteria was not known for the impressive choice, it had been reduced to nothing after all the hungry trainees’ passage. Camille ended up with some mashed legume and a piece of cardboard like white meat. Once at their table, she kept stared at the plate, sure it would start moving.

- Gwen had the same face during lunch. What kind of food your school gave you?

- Something edible…

- You get accustomed quickly. Spoke Gwen her mouth full. It’s not that bad.

Anyway, Camille was too hungry to refuse food. She started to eat and as Gwen told before, it was not that terrible. The meat tasted like chicken without any seasoning, but the mash was quite good to her surprise. Jasper would have done better with far less she thought, regretting it right away as everything became bland.

The three of them stayed in the canteen for an hour, chatting about their day. In the corner of her eyes, Camille could see Karin alone at a table. Her amber eyes fixed on her while she beat her plate with a knife. The earthling did her best to avoid the bothering presence and focused on Ender describing his hometown while Gwen did the same for theirs.

The nog’lon’s home was not far away from the base, one short hour by train could bring you there. He described a small village; houses build with the sandy bricks typical to the region. The soldiers were given the land for their services and they transformed the costal landscape to fit their need. Ender later explained that the coast was covered with small villages where different companies would live, soldiers who had lost their home during the war and needed a place to settle at the end of it. That strange environment explained well the unique character of the goliath.

- We are at the edge of Keshïr, the biggest city around. It hosts the best street market of all ErinIV, and you can find anything there. They even sell MEA and stuff like that.

Now that the night had felt over the dusty planet, they could see the vivid colour coming from the nearby city. They would not be able to visit them until their first permission in a month, Camille hoped to not be there at that time, but also wanted to see the alien city. She had never been in any major city in her life and her natural curiosity was bound to the alluring place.

Once their diner finish, her two friends left the table to drop their tray. Camille was about to follow when a voice stopped her.

- Wait!

Camille’s heart skipped a bit when she met Karin’s displeased face. The girl had left her place and was racing across the room. No one was standing near, the valag was totally coming her way. Internally screaming, Camille tried to articulate some words, but only wind left her lips.

- Sorry for earlier, I didn’t mean to hurt you that much.

The apologies came unexpected, the tall girl sounding more threatening than sorry. Camille stared in awe. Was Kiel right? The mindless bully had some sympathy hidden behind all her muscles? At the same moment, Ender and Gwen were coming back and the amber eyes switched to the new threat, after a short duel of stare, she returned to Camille.

- Yeah, I’m not worthy of an answer. Don’t expect me to go easy on you. She finished before turning away. Get lost nog’lon!

- What is wrong with her? Asked Gwen right away. She wants her revenge?

- I don’t think…

- Don’t even try, Camille. She is just an idiot, concluded Ender.

- Agreed, threw a suddenly energetic Gwen. Let’s do something else! I want to see Blue Dead, and we have some time before the curfew.

Ender shrugs while asking Camille with a gaze. The girl’s legs were sore after all the exercises, but she could handle herself a bit more. Right now, she only wanted to get Karin out of her head.

The nog’lon in front, they left the mess looking for the old MEA. Of course, they had to jog to their destination which annoyed Camille, who had enough of sports for the day. Blue Dead was stored in the middle of the base, not far away from the ceremonial centre and the lecture halls. The trainees had no idea where it was, so they had to run around to find it.

After passing a few administrative buildings, they found themselves in an odd part of the base. Not a single light was lit, but a few spots on the sidewalk. Ender stopped running and so did Camille, who tried to catch her breath back.

- Why did we had to run?

The silence answered back, her two-friend lost on the creature they were facing. Camille caught up with them, freezing too, as she passed the corner. Her mouth went dry, among the dense shadow, two small blue eyes were glaring at her. Like cut with a knife, the shape of the MEA could be worked out of the surrounding dark, its blue armour outlined by the faint light coming from behind the group. Every MEA had a somewhat humanoid form, this one was a savage beast. Prone, ready to pounce at any moment, Camille would not have been surprised if the steel figure was alive. Dead was smaller than any she had seen, yet it was creeping her out. She could guess the fear of those who had fought against. The head was the worse, the gleaming eyes followed her every move and a hungry smile had been carved into it, with ravenous teeth ready to bite.

Sliding her hand under her shirt, she grabbed her ship. On the right harm, a hole in its armour could be noticed. The place Blue extracted the steel a long time ago.

- It’s smaller than I thought but…

- I know…

Gwen and Ender were not daring enough to close, fearing the beast awakening. Camille’s body wanted to run, but the girl pushed forward, tiny step after another, she reached for the monstrosity.

- Are you really going near that thing? Yelped Gwen.

- It’s you who wanted to come! Let’s see it up close!

They could hear fear in her voice, however, she kept advancing, and it became clear she would not back down.

- I don’t know… I feel like it is watching me, whispered Gwen.

- I think, it was the point, agreed Ender.

He followed behind Camille. No way he would stand afraid while a girl incapable of running for five minutes dared to face the beast. Camille had already crossed the ten meters and stood right in front of him.

- Where are the weapons?

- They removed them. They can’t display a functional armour.

- Hello Dead! How are you? Asked the girl while patting its head. Don’t eat me, okay?

- What are you doing? Asked the nog’lon.

- I don’t know. Not many people seem to come here. It must feel abandoned.

- What a surprise! Have you seen its face! Karin looks cute in comparison!

The two young laughed together. Now that the young noble had seen Blue’s MEA, she wanted to take a good look at Dark Dominance from Kiel’s story. The shadow could not be as creepy as the blue stalker, but from what she had felt during the psylink, was much more impressive.

- What are you saying Dead, you want to jump on Gwen.

- Stop saying that Ender! I’m not stupid!

That last was still hidden behind the corner, ready to flee at the first sight of danger.

Cutting some slack for their comrade, they decided to leave. As they crossed again the corner, Camille believed to hear a small metallic laugh. Looking over her shoulder, nothing had change behind. Attributing it to her tired spirit, she forgot it right away. When they reached their room, everyone had already returned, and a few had already dropped in their bed.

Because they only had uniform, they had to sleep in their underwear, which changed for the girl, who would have loved to wear one of her comfortable pyjamas. But first she needed to take a shower as she could feel the dirt on her skin. Many of her comrades were taking their shower at the same time. Camille felt her cheek turned to brazier has she crossed the damp room to a free pole, but when the hot water fell on her head, she suddenly stopped thinking and just enjoyed the moment.

It was only when she left the stream of water to actually start to clean herself, that she realized Ender was right next to her. The nog’lon was even more impressive naked as she could see the bone plate all around his body. Already his face was distinctive as it’s cheek bones and most of his jaw was covered in hard bones, but his shoulders and scapula were protected by natural rampart. She then realized that compare to other nog’lon, most of the hard bones had been removed, leaving behind long and lighter scars on his black skin.

- It’s ugly, isn’t it. He spoke without turning around.

- No! Just different from human…

He laughed a bit at her remark.

- If you were nog’lon you would have agreed. I’m not better than a disabled to my kindred. The surgery my parent did on me removed everything that made me a proper mate.

- Why would they remove it?

Ender lifted his arm above his head, a wiry smile on the face.

- You will not see many nog’lon do this. We are not naturally agile, and our plate bones prevent us from reaching up. It’s actually a gift, I can move like a human, but every nog’lon will always mock me for this.

- I will never say anything like this.

- Thank a lot, Camille. I envy you; I would have loved to be born human, to be like my parents.

The girl turned away to hide herself from the boy’s gaze.

- Sorry, I didn’t mean to…

- It’s okay. I should get familiar with people watching me… See you tomorrow Ender, I’m going to sleep.

He answered with a few nodes. Running back out of the showers, she dried herself and returned to her bed. Above, Gwen was already sleeping, curl on herself still half wet. Camille rolled her eyes before snuggling up under her cover. A few minutes later the light turned off and the last trainee had to reach their bed in the dark.

Her face lay on her pillow, Camille allowed herself a faint smile. She had survived her first day. Quickly the smile turned into a wince as sobs rose through her. Tears started to flow down as she whispered to herself.

- Mom, Dad… Where are you?