The Crystal Knight

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Six standard weeks and four missions later, the 1059th relaxed in one of Fire Drake's rec lounges. Tara and Max engaged in a virtual strategy game, while Jema and Eldorian played a game of Tetrad with several shipmates.

Atrael fiddled with her CommPak, ostensibly crafting a report on the latest mission. In reality, she was doing what she did best; keeping her finger on the social pulse of Fire Drake.

She was the closest the 1059th had to an intelligence specialist – and to an ersatz celebrity. The lives of GATECorp ruling families were almost as closely followed as those of the ASF's "Double Zeroes".

The GATE Corporation began life as a group of scientists researching the artifacts. They determined that not only could travel between coordinates be enabled, it could also be disabled.

When the Four Galaxies Federation realized that it was possible to limit and control the travel between and within the Four Galaxies, they expanded the research team's resources and personnel, forming the basis for GATECorp. With the ability to send their military forces anywhere instantly and to deny their enemies the ability to do the same, the Federation was able to quickly cement its hold on the Four Galaxies.

As the premier force behind transportation, communication and galactic trade, GATECorp was without a doubt the richest corporate entity in existence.

Its principle shareholder was the Four Galaxies Federation, placing control of the Corporation firmly in the hands of the public.

The corporation's executives, such as the well-known Aquvelte family, lived like virtual royalty; ruling unchallenged over the systems and sectors where the GATEs existed. Naturally, the de-facto capital worlds of each galaxy became those where the GATEs were located.

As the next in line to inherit the Aquvelte Branch of GATECorp, Atrael was almost instantly popular from the moment she'd set foot aboard Fire Drake. She nearly always had a small crowd of admirers, aspiring suitors and would-be toadies trailing her wherever she went.

Except when she wanted to spend time with her "family". Mithryl thought. Then they all magically seemed to disappear. He'd hadn't realized when he stopped reading the technical manual he'd been slogging through and started staring at the young woman.

Addie had been an instant sensation at the Academy too. She was one of the most vibrantly alive people Mithryl knew and she just naturally drew people to her.

Mithryl smiled as he remembered the first time they met.

It was Max and Mithryl's first evening at the Academy. Their heads were still spinning with all the orientation materials that had been thrown at them. They both left their quarters and went down to the common area of their wing. As always, it had been crowded.

Mithryl and Max discovered a large crowd around one of the recreational simulators. As it turned out, one of the new arrivals was trouncing several of the most senior students all afternoon in the starfighter simulator.

Despite Max's misgivings, Mithryl took up the challenge and ended up winning against the mysterious student fairly easily by sensing his opponent's intentions.

He would never forget the moment he popped the canopy and saw her there; the most beautiful woman he'd seen then or since: hands on hips, glaring down at him with luminous, icy blue eyes. She hadn't been expecting any resistance from a newcomer.

"I don't know how you managed that," she said, acidly, "but next time, I'm not going to go so easy on you." The mystery student began to sashay away, followed by a small crowd of admirers.