Promotion, Julie Steimle [best story books to read .TXT] 📗

Test. He thought it was more likely she rigged it.

“Alea Sholda, Alpha Damor Mese level three sir. I have come with Cadet Zormna Clendar,” he said.

A slight pause then a buzz preceded the Kevin’s next query.  <<Which Zormna Clendar? You know we have over a hundred in the Patrol.>>

Zormna suppressed a grin.

Alea Sholda clenched his teeth. “Which Zormna Clendar always ends up at your door, sir?”

Both Zormna and the Alea could hear the Kevin groan through the door. Sholda smiled.

<<Enter.>>

Zormna watched the door opened. She stepped in, shame-faced, with the Alea prodding from behind. As usual, the Kevin sat at his desk looking tired and worn.

“Cadet Zormna—” Alea Sholda started.

Stepping forward, Zormna cut him off. “Kevin, please can I explain myself before I am judged and convicted?”

The Kevin glanced at Alea Sholda for a moment, reading his disapproving look. Then he returned his gaze to the pleading green eyes of his undeniably favorite cadet.

She mouthed “please” once again, giving him her innocent I-didn’t-mean-to-turn-his-hair-green-permanently look.

Shaking his head, the Kevin said, “Alright, Cadet Zormna, you can tell your side.”

Alea Sholda stepped closer to the desk. “May I remind you that Cadet Zormna is an adult now and should not be pampered in any way?”

She scowled, folding her arms in contempt. “Fine! You tell your side, Alea Sholda, then I’ll tell mine if it gets this thing over with.”

The Kevin stared back at her. “Cadet Zormna, he is your superior officer and he deserves your respect.”

       Sulking more, Zormna looked at Alea Sholda, doubting very much that he earned his rank with anything more than just butt kissing. She stepped back.

The head flight instructor’s smug grin returned as he nodded to her then the Kevin. Then he went right into one of his long wordy orations that Zormna so detested, listing all the trials and problems he has had with her in the past, especially relating the green hair incident and the pronuk scam. And though the Kevin listened, he yawned twice while trying to keep his eyes focused on the Alea, though they glazed over near the end of Sholda’s recitation. Zormna just stared at the ceiling, wondering when the Alea would actually reach the subject matter.

“…And then today I caught her tampering with computer codes. Kevin Dezpah, Cadet Zormna has been a constant menace to the Patrol since her arrival, and I think a hearing with the council to revoke her adult status is in order,” Alea Sholda finished.

Zormna’s eyes shot quickly to the Alea’s face. That horrible suggestion could only be thought of by this man. She had always known she was not his favorite cadet, especially since she beat his own speed record in the flight tunnels that last year, but his resentment had gone far enough.

“Kevin, I protest!” Zormna marched up to his desk. “Alea Sholda is hardly a good judge of—”

“As you can see, sir, Cadet Zormna is hardly capable—” Sholda interrupted.

“Kevin, if you believe a word—” Zormna fought back, stepping closer to her leader’s desk that she was nearly leaning on it.

“Sir, plainly it is clear—” Sholda shouted, waving his arms at her in demonstration.

“Enough!” The Kevin stood up from his chair and faced both individuals, his hands clamped on his ears. “Alea Sholda, you have had your say. As promised, it is her turn to speak.”

“But Kevin—” Sholda’s mouth opened in a gape.

The Kevin shook his head, glaring with authority.

Alea Sholda stepped back in obedient submission. The Kevin then nodded to the still-shaking cadet.

Zormna nodded to her leader, taking a deep breath to speak.

“Kevin, I awoke this morning and came to the eating hall for breakfast. When I ran my card through the slot….” She had noticed a smirk form on the Kevin’s lips, his eye crinkling. He sat down in his chair, shaking his head. Zormna could hardly finish. “Kevin?”

“I’m sorry. Please continue.” He still smiled, this time covering his mouth with his hand.

“Sir?” Zormna started to wonder if this entire incident was nothing more than a cruel prank. She had played so many on others that perhaps it was merely revenge.

“Continue, Cadet,” the Kevin said with more authority in his voice, but his smile had not vanished.

So she continued. “Well, I ran my card through the slot, and the computer refused to accept it. I tried several times, running my card through slower—anything. It just wouldn’t work.”

“That was when she used this.” Sholda butted in. He handed the Kevin the flat, pronged contraption, holding his head high as he basked in triumph.

The Kevin took the piece from the Alea’s fingers and glanced it over.

Moaning, Zormna took a step closer to the Kevin’s desk. “Kevin, I had to have breakfast. There was barely any dinner last night. And with my card going crazy I did not think you would mind—or that it really mattered.” 

The Kevin turned the device in his palm thoughtfully. “Zormna…”

Alea Sholda straightened up proudly.

Zormna slouched though she still gazed at the Kevin with wide, shame-filled eyes.

“Zormna, I am sorry,” the Kevin said, looking up with an apologetic grin. “It was my fault your card was not accepted by the computer. I had promoted you yesterday after I received the news that you passed the adult test, and I forgot to let you know that you had a new code.”

Zormna’s eyes grew wide at the word promoted. Her head perked with a stare of amazement coupled with relief. Alea Sholda, on the other hand, lost all the proud smugness in his face as his jaw dropped.

Spinning the electronic card in between his fingers, the Kevin grinned wider. “This is quite a piece of work, Zormna. It reminds me of the cards I used to build.” 

He kept spinning the card in amused delight at her resourcefulness as if being sneaky was a great Surface Patrol trait. Alea Sholda scowled with a glare between his superior and that favored cadet. The Alea straightened his coat, grabbing onto the hem to jerk it downward, then turned ceremonially around and exited the office, slapping the door panel with disgust. The Kevin and Zormna purposefully ignored his exit, enough punishment for purposefully seeking to ruin her military career.

When the Alea was gone for sure the Kevin nodded to Zormna, warning her in a low voice. “Be careful. That man and many others do not like you. That reputation of yours has earned you fame, but that doesn’t come without pitfalls.”

“I know. I know.” Zormna walked behind the desk, sliding next to her ‘adoptive’ father in appreciation. “What can I do? I’m not about to pretend to be incapable just so others won’t feel envious.” Then smirking, she added, “Who would think it was a curse to be smart?”

The Kevin shook his head at her. “Just don’t get too cocky. If you do, then they’ll earnestly be looking for ways to get you.” 

Shrugging, she slipped from his side back to door.

“Oh, and next time you lock someone in the shower and jam the controls,” he said with a knowing grin on his lips, “make sure the thing you use is not a necklace clip.” The Kevin handed Zormna the shiny metal part. “It gives you away.”

Zormna blushed, ducking her head. “Does this mean I have wash duty?”

The Kevin nodded.

She sighed. She could never truly get away with anything.

“Oh, and Zormna, I was wondering. Which code did you use to get your breakfast?” he asked.

Zormna smiled before she responded, knowing the Kevin would enjoy the irony.

Sholda's Breakfast

 

Alea Sholda stood at last in front of the food dispenser. The wait in line had been unbearable since his defeat in the Kevin’s office. He swiped his card through the slot in tired disgust, staring at the open shelf that would receive his food.

<<ACCESS DENIED. YOU HAD YOUR ALLOTMENT.>>

“Zormna!”

Several heads of young girls and women turned, cadets and officers all named Zormna. Recognizing Alea Sholda in that moment, they knew which Zormna he meant and smirked.

 

Awaited for Ceremony

 

The great hall of the Alpha district stood packed full of cadets and Surface Patrol officers. Zormna recognized several faces of fellow cadets as she stared down from the platform at the head of the hall. She stood erect with twenty other cadets who were receiving their promotions to Aver, third class, recognized in front of all the Surface Patrol through video feed. Such an honor only came once in a lifetime, twice if you were promoted as a district head. She was the youngest by three years at least.

Alea Arden handed each cadet a new uniform as an officer. Facing her, he smiled, winking with special favor before he continued on until the end of the line. There he promptly stood at the center of the stage to speak. “Officers! Cadets! Servants of the people! I give you our new Avers!”

The people in the crowd stomped their feet twice in acceptance and recognition. The echo shook the entire hall so that it rumbled in unison.

“May we, by your honor, swear to fulfill our duties. May we fulfill the creed of Jakhee. And may we all welcome the bright future,” Alea Arden said.

Zormna beamed proudly in achievement. Eyes of acceptance and recognition scanned over all the new soldiers. Head Aleas nodded simultaneously in ritualistic honor. Among them, Zormna spotted Alea Tenngar the head of the Zeta District. He stared directly at her, his creamy green eyes fixed with his famous intensity. It was a little unnerving being so singled out by that Alea’s stares, but then she knew she would probably be promoted to his district where all the best pilots went. She had heard of his fanatically competitive reputation. Zormna returned his stare, but held herself high as if letting him know she was worthy to be in Zeta.

The Kevin then approached each of the new Avers, shaking their hands, congratulating them individually. He paused longer in front of her, holding onto her hand in a friendly firm grip as he looked into her eyes. She knew the depth of the honor as well as the faith he had in her. She may have been a prankster; she may have been a smart-mouthed cadet; but he saw her as the greatest promise ever to sweep the Patrol. She only hoped she could fulfill his expectations.

The Kevin let go of her hand, continuing on with the ceremony. Zormna stared out into the crowd again and grinned with a great sense of satisfaction. She had accomplished the near impossible and kept going. The future and excitement now waited for her.