Tom and the admiral discuss weddings and recruitment. Tuna and Derry start the Program.
Chapter 3.
The Arsenal
Tom came into Drannor’s office and said, “The wedding was rather interesting.”
“What happened?”
“One of the new gods set suicide bombers on the wedding. The Justiciars had things handled and pulled a bit of a prank on Jorge with the assistance of Princess Immianthe and your pilots. Have you been talking to people you shouldn’t be?”
Drannor grinned. “There may have some lunches purchased in Kellam’s and some favors exchanged.”
“Whatever you arranged, it did the trick. Jorge and Shael were pulled into the air, leaving the compelled without a target. The Justiciars were able to deal with them without a fuss.”
“Good. I imagine that Colonel Tollings will have a report.”
“He seemed to know what was up. I’m a bit concerned that the new gods will try that stunt again.”
“So is Colonel Tollings. That was what started a lot of the preparations, and discussions with the Justiciars. He’s been working on this for some time. So, how was the party otherwise?”
“Fun. I spoke with some characters, but we weren’t allowed to talk shop with the wives watching. As you can imagine, the Umevan went all out and the crowd was large.”
“Jorge has a lot of friends.”
“Yes he does. That was evident at the wedding. The Umevan are lucky to have him.”
“Anything else of interest?”
“I had a chat with some young pirates.”
“The two that managed to get themselves aboard that ship that was taken.
“Yes. The interest that the young lady had was obvious and the boy was protecting her, supposedly. Some Umevan girls were sniffing around already. I was tempted to suggest that Tuna join the navy, but I didn’t think that he would take that the right way.”
“We could use him. Getting a not so former pirate to sign up would spice things up and attract attention.”
“Are there recruitment issues?”
“You can talk to Vince about them. The end of last year, the Service debacle and the last Administration did not do us any favors.”
“You haven’t said anything.”
“It didn’t become obvious until after the session left for the summer. The recruitment reports came in and there were some issues.”
“So, what happened?”
“That’s hard to say, but we didn’t send enough recruiters to the upper schools and there were some anti navy and antiwar protests going on that we didn’t notice.”
“The Stewards?”
“Not them. Some other group. I don’t have very much on them. Vince and BuPers will have more details. The protests made things difficult for the recruiters to get their message out.”
“The recruiters weren’t helped by the events around the turn of the year. It’s lunch, so why don’t we have Vince and Carl to lunch and discuss this. That way, I have something to take to the President.”
Chapter 4.
Windergar Aerie
Resod looked across the new students, including a rather nervous boy from the Umevan and his pirate buddy and said, “I see that some of you have heard of me. In any case, I am Flight Instructor Resod Khumkith. I would say, “Welcome to the Program,” but this is not fun and games. Beside me are the other instructors, Esgalwathanar Yllanan, evasion and improvised weaponry, Vesstan Elstina, Stealth and non improvised weaponry, Roger Bloodfoot, tactical driving in automobiles and motorcycles, Eddie Harthold, firearms, Yddren Hotflamer and Walnut Yellowleaf, riding and Larranth Qinvaris, the fae arts. All of these instructors are experts at what they do. Listen to us and you will learn things that few know. Shall we begin? I see that Tad and Immianthe, our assistant instructors have arrived. Princess, that is a very nice dress you are wearing. Would you show our new students that the course can be managed without messing up a new Baladrial.”
“It’s not new, Flight Instructor. I do like it though, so I would not want to get it ruined.”
“The boys are going to try.”
“Of course they are. Here I go.”
Tuna turned to Derry and said, “We were had. The princess made it look easy. Are princesses supposed to do that?”
Derry groaned. “I didn’t think so.”
“Do you think that the dragonboys went easy on her?”
“Did it look as if they were going easy on her?”
“It didn’t look like it, but who knows.”
“They didn’t go easy on us.”
“We’re going to be doing this until the ship gets back, won’t we?”
“Afraid so.”
“I don’t think I like your grandfather like I used to.”
“You didn’t receive training to be a pirate?”
“Not like this.”
“Be careful or grandfather will arrange the training with your dad and we would get sent through this again.”
“Very careful.”
The Arts Mechanical 