The Academy

The Bully

The RoyalAcademy was located on Ares, the fourth moon of Zeus, which was the sixth planet in our solar system. When humans left Earth-that-was because the sun was dying, they searched long and hard before finding another system that would support life. Two of the six planets were in the habitable zone around the medium-sized yellow star we called Prometheus. One was covered in liquid methane and the other was a huge gas giant with rings, much like the planet Saturn from our first solar home. Luckily, both of them had many habitable moons. This was where humanity had settled after their long voyage, strung out along the ring of moons like pearls on a chain.

My home and Kristopher's was located on Dianna, the third moon of Hera, the methane planet. The journey on the inter-system shuttle to Ares took most of the morning but I didn't mind. I watched with interest as the pilot boarded the shuttle and entered his secured compartment. I couldn't understand the bored look on his face. Flying from one moon to another was exciting—Kristopher and I had only ever been to another moon once when our father took us to a show on Gaia for our twelfth birthday. This is what I want, I thought, looking though the clear plastiglass window which showed the vast ringed side of Zeus looming near. To fly, to explore, to be free. And if this is the only way to do it, I'll take my chances.

I looked at my reflection in the window and ran my fingers through my newly shortened mane. Kristopher had actually shed a few tears as he cut it—he loved my long hair and was sorry to see it go. Much sorrier than I was. Afterward he folded the heavy, blue-black length carefully and stored it in a small box under his bed.

"Why are you keeping that?" I had asked him, frowning. It seemed a pointless gesture.

Kristopher shrugged, his cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. "It smells like you—you always smell of flowers. Flowers and apples and sunshine."

"Flowers and apples and sunshine?" I had burst out laughing. "Truly?"

Kristopher nodded. "I shall miss that scent. And your laugh. And the way you can always jolly me out of a bad mood. Oh, Kristina, I shall miss you."

"I shall miss you too." My voice had trembled as I realized we were saying our goodbyes. We were going to be parted for the first time in our lives. And not for an hour or a day but for months and months. How could I bear to be apart from my brother and best friend so long?

The scene had gotten tearful on both sides at that point. Turning away from the window, I decided it was best not to remember. Still, when I blinked, droplets of moisture clung to my eyelashes. Angrily, I pressed my sleeve—the sleeve of one of Kristopher's old jackets—to my eyes. It wouldn't do to start my new life like this. I had to be strong, masculine. Though I hadn't been around many men in my life, I knew enough of them to know that they would take me for weak and girly if I cried. And that could be my downfall.

No crying, I told myself sternly as the shuttle docked and the passengers around me rose and gathered their belongings. No crying and no going back. This is it.

Taking a deep breath, I got up and grabbed my single canvas rucksack. I hadn't brought much—a few sets of Kristopher's old clothes and some mementos of home. Tucked into the toe of one of my slippers was a year's supply of flow-dots—tiny but powerful hygiene items which could be inserted to absorb an entire female monthly cycle and then disposed of discreetly. In the toe of the other slipper were some extra bandages for binding my small breasts. I was ready for anything—or so I told myself.

As for the standard issue navy blue RoyalAcademy uniform, I would be supplied with several as well as a pair of boots once I got to the Academy. I just hoped they had my rather diminutive size in stock.