Foundations of Blood, Sweat, Steel, Stone and Tears...
  • Posted On: Jan 9 2004 11:05am
Imperial Academy - Semester Start ... Several years ago..


"You have a bloody Republic soldier, who, incidentally, will wax philosophically over their love of civilians, and who wants very badly to destroy a particular loyalist Imperial ant. The loyalist ant, like all civilized creatures, lives in a sprawling metropolis called an anthill. Noting this fact, the Republic soldier takes careful aim at our hero electronically targeting him within the metropolis. Then, the soldier fires a cannon."

The speaker paused rather dramatically.

"No more heroic, loyalist, Imperial ant.... but, also, no more sprawling metropolis anthill."

Then the speaker grinned.

"So, where does the error lie?"

A student raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Herum?"

"The error lies with the Republican Soldier!" he stated flatly, "Their ideological preferences leave their society vulnerable and weak and their victory today will only be tomorrow's sorrow! They will fall!"

"Very poetic, Mr. Herum. Also, incorrect."

"The speaker turned.

"Anyone else? Ahh.. Yes, Ms. Betinia?"

"The Republic Soldier!" she stated, repeating her predecessor. "He chose the wrong weapon for the task at hand. Clearly, their ideology..."

"Was the soldier's goal met, Ms. Betinia?" the speaker cut in.

"Well, yes, but..."

"Then how is he in error?"

The female student went silent.

"Yes, Mr. Vin?"

"The Republican Soldier!" he also said quite firmly. "The weapons he chose went against their ideological principles and therefore--"


"STOP!" the speaker interrupted rather sharply.

He began to pace the center floor in an irritated manner, mumbling something to himself. Then he stopped and addressed his audience once more.

"I know General Kaine was here yesterday giving a speech in the auditorium and that you all are excited. But please remember that this is NOT Mr. Iskali's Philosophy Class! This is NOT Mr. Gevel's History Class!"

Then his voice bellowed, "This IS, however, Advanced Construction Mechanics! So get your lips off of Kaine's ass and onto the subject at hand!"

"Now, can anyone else answer the question as it relates too....ahh... Mr. Drevell, you have something to add?"

"The ant was in error." the student stated with conviction.

The speaker stopped and turned to actually look at the student.

"Explain, Mr. Drevell."

But the speaker's satisfaction was short lived for young Gustinius Drevell had not thought that far ahead.

"There is a professor that states," the speaker began, quickly forgetting Drevell, "the more advanced a civilization, the quicker it can collapse. The more complete all remembrances of its very existence can be erased."

He stared out at the silenced students.

"Was the Republican soldier in error?

No.

For he set a goal and met it.


Was the targeting computer in error?

No.

For the cannon struck what it was aimed at.


Was the cannon in error?

Again, no.

For it's destructive capacity performed exactly as it was designed.


For this Class,


For this Course,


ALL of you will remember..


Mr. Drevell was correct.

The error does lie with the ant!



Why?

BECAUSE NO TRACE OF THE ANTHILL REMAINED!

In this Class, we are not men. We are not women. We are not alien. We are Engineers!

We ALL have the privilege of representing the very pinnacle of Galactic Civilization!

That being the case, the lessor... inferior factions will seek, in their envy and fear, to tear down all that we build... all that we create."


The speaker paused.

"And we will create.

But creating is not the challenge.

This class is but the first in a series designed to help you take your knowledge, skill and abilities one step further.."


The speakers eyes shined.

"The challenge is to make what you create ..last.

Against whatever anyone throws at it.


That should this great Empire fall one day, the evidence... what this Empire leaves behind should continue to humble even the most haughty of posterity.

Our glory. Our Power. Our Civilization will still shine through and be the cause of envy..."

The speaker smiled.

"..even if it's begrudging envy.

Welcome to my class..."





Interlude..present day.


The voice was irritating. The voice was relentless...


"You stripped them of defenses... you did not care about the people..."


On and on it drones as Drevell blinked, the darkness surrounding his sight suddenly clearing in a bright intensity and he cried out.

The deprivation hurt.

"What was your mission, Major?"


Gustinius could not see his interrogator as the heat from the light's proximity began to dry his blinking tears.

"I was... I was to rebuild... I am M.. Major D.. Drevell of th.. the Imperial Con.. Construction .. Corps."

A sharp pain glanced across his cheek.

"Enough lies! You are a Major Governor, assigned to pacify the good people of Abregado-Rae. We already have signed confessions of them detailing how you were to strip mine the planet of all valuable resources, keeping the people in poverty."


His mouth seemed parched.

"Wh.. Who told you that?"

"Why the people of course."

More generalities. They were probably all actors. He had made the mistake of associating the Soveriegnty with the Republic. But the Soveriegnty held to no lightsided philosophy. They were self centered through and through and answered to no cause save what they name.

They were like teenagers pretending to be in a gang.

"That's all you can do.. pretend.." he rasped. "You've no real idea what you are doing.."

*crack*

And darkness claimed him.






Imperial Academy.... - Fourth Year..



Gustinius stopped his conversation with the two females nearby as several students entered the mess making alot of racket.

"We've done it!"

He started to stant.

"We've destroyed the Rogue Empire's Death Star at Hoth!"

Gustinius was suddenly among the students wanting to know details that only rumors seemed to bring. He wanted very dearly to see the plans the Rogues had used and compare them with the archives.

Was the new station designed in much the same way or was it employing new ideas? There was a great amount of Jutrallian Architecture finding itself more and more a part of the Rogue Empire and Drevell did not know what to make of it.





Interlude...Present Day..


Major Drevell sat on his bed dead tired. Every now and then a nurse would come by to administer to him medicines and comment on his general wellbeing.

"They are treating you like a king.." came a nearby voice through the wall.

"I definitely did not rate a nurse."

"Then why do I remember getting the crap beat out of me.." Gustinius nearly coughed out, his lungs sore.

"Because they want something that you have not given them.."

"I've given them the truth.." Drevell said, a bit defiantly. "I was to help the Abregado-raens rebuild their world. Had a neutral government charter and everything." then he sighed. "I wonder what happened to poor Octav."


"If a guard's boast is to be believed, they put a few shots into his temple and put some political underling on the stage. Says, they licked the Empire good."


Drevell grunted at that. "They would."


The voice suddenly sounded pensive. "You know they won't stop until they get what they want."

"But I told them-"

"Obviously they don't give a damn about the truth, Empire-man. Or your truth. All they care about is their own truth."

Drevell sat down against a wall contemplating this. He noted the uneven construction along nearby walls.






Imperial Academy... - Seventh year


"Will you get a gander at her.." Drevell's companion nodded.

Gustinius turned and watched the petite woman march imperiously down the dorm hall as if she owned the place.

"Is she lost?" Drevell asked, more to himself than anything.

"That's Drayson!"

"Pardon?"

"That's Admiral Bhindi Drayson!"

"She looks like your little sister."

"That would make my thoughts very bad indeed. Yes, very bad."

Drevell began to laugh but stopped as the Admiral turned to his direction and moved toward him.





Interlude... Present..


"Your friends have already told us what we want to know."

"Then let them answer your questions," and the interrogator fell silent.

"A fine performance Major Governor. A shame your government denies your priviledged rank."

"Believe me, it's no priviledge." Drevell rasped out.


"Give me safe avigation points through the Core."

"But I don't know any..."

And the last thing Drevell remembered is being seated on the floor.

"Why would you make us stop treating you well, Mr. Drevell. Just tell us what we wish to know...

His cell neighbor's voice rang in his head.. "Tell them what they want to hear..."


He was too drugged to care anymore. "I am a Major Governor... the navigation points are as follows..." (and he rattled off a series of numbers pulled from the top of his head. Bogus numbers).

The interrogator seemed to be pleased with what he was getting. Drevell seemed not to care anymore, just hoping the good conditions would continue.

"You know, there is a message from the Empire over Abregado-rae." and he switched on the recording of Kaine's speech, stopping it after he mentioned Drevell's name.


At first, Gustinius just seemed to sit there. And then his eyes began to water and his face went down into his hands.


Misinterpreting the Imperial's reaction for despair, the interrogator continued, "You see. He does not acknowledge you are a Major Governor.."


Because I am not, you dolt! Thought Gustinius. But if you wish to know how much I do know in areas not of my field, you'll definitely get a singular experience.


"They have abandoned you completely." And Drevell let his shoulders slump, a slow satisfied smile spreading over the interrogator's face.

But a thought was forming in the pit of Drevell's stomach. He mentioned me! We are not forgotten!"


Kaine's message had gotten through. By speaking the name of the leading captured prisoner, it tells those in captivity who hear it that they are not forgotten.

Yes, hope was rekindled and Drevell saw his world in a new light.
  • Posted On: Jan 21 2004 8:25am
Semester End Period Test


The student worked feverishly, intensly occupied with his project. As he ran his finger over the structure he felt a surge of pride. He lifted the headphones from his ears having developed the habit of enjoying classical music as he worked.

"You're finished?" came the voice of his teacher.

"Yes." The satisfied smile of a completed task shining on Gustinius Drevell's face.

"Very nicely done, Cadet."

Drevell beamed. He had worked nonstop on the project and had finally..finally! earned (he felt) the commendation given.

"Only one problem.." the teacher continued interrupting his thoughts.

Problem!!, his mind cried indignantly. He gazed closely at his project, a small scale version of the Imperial Palace.. something of an ambitious choice for a cadet engineer.

"I am sorry, Sir." he said, after finding nothing amiss, "I can't see the problem." His voice had a defiant quality.

"Your project, Cadet, exceeded the allotted time limit." the teacher simply said.

Drevell's face clouded with anger. "I was not aware of a time limit, Sir."

"You are unaware that you are missing your next class, Cadet?"

Drevell's anger evaporated as his eyes darted to the nearby clock.

He was very late.

An uncontrolled "yelp" escaped his lips as he jumped up quickly collecting his materials to the silent amusement of the teacher.

Without another thought toward his replica of the Imperial Palace, Gustinius bolted from the Engineering Classroom.

As the young man left, his teacher bent over to inspect the cadet's work.


The welp has talent to go with his ambition." he mused.



*


The noise was deafening.

Cadet Drevell, crawling along in the goey, red muck before him called mud, tried unsuccessfully to block the sounds out.

"WHAT GOOD IS BUILDING A FRACKING BUILDING IF YOU CAN'T BE BOTHERED WITH LEARNING HOW TO DEFEND THEM!!" the grizzled Field Task Master shouted, looking alot like General Ming's ugly brother.

"KEEP YOUR STUPID HEAD DOWN!! DOWN, I SAID!"

Five stormtroopers fired live automatic rounds over Drevell's head and the angle seemed to shorten with each meter gained as the cadet crawled onward.

The taskmaster from hell grinned as the student stayed under the fire, not losing his nerve and unconsciously picking his head up or ever more stupid, standing up, as some cadets have the misfortune of doing.

He took out an object and hefted it in his hand.

"Take him to task. Work him and work him hard." Admiral Drayson had said.

"And work him I will.." he murmured.

He threw the object out onto the field near Drevell.

"GRENADE!!" he shouted almost as an afterthought.