Exodus Ch. 01

 

Sanglamore Academy

Skye

Lyran Commonwealth

31 December, 2766

 

 

               Carli Benedict glanced around the room which was currently filled with dancers. It was the New Year’s Ball at Sanglamore Military Academy and all members of the upcoming graduating class were all in attendance. Of course, also in attendance were most of the faculty and more importantly, a sizeable representation of the nobility. There were nobles from dozens of worlds, most of them from the Isle of Skye region of the Lyran Commonwealth.

               “Isn’t it exciting?”

               The question came from her classmate and best friend Arabella Schmidt. “You know I hate these things, Bella.”

               It was the part of Academy life that she liked the least, the social displays that were such a part of Commonwealth military culture. Driving a ‘Mech was easy. Navigating the ridiculously complicated waters of the social network of Lyran nobility was something entirely different.

               At least her dress fit right. In her early years at the academy that had been the bane of her existence. With her body changing from the rigors of the academy, finding suitable formalwear for the myriad of social functions had been a near impossible mission. But for today, she had managed to acquire an off-the-shoulder gown that fit her to perfection, and in the dark green of Sanglamore’s colors. Her auburn hair she wore up, as was the current fashion among the female cadets. Her jewelry was minimal, a pair of emerald studs in her ears and a delicate gold necklace.

               “Of course you do. But you don’t hate Roger Ruby, and this is going to be one of your last chances to sink your claws into him.” Her friend looked at her coyly.

               Bella was a true Lyran in that she loved these occasions and her fashion showed it. She wore a gown of Steiner Blue, eschewing school colors for the currently en vogue colors of the ruling Steiner Dynasty. The gown hugged her every curve and she wore it as if she were born in it. She wore her golden blonde hair down, just as the upper crust of Lyran nobility were doing at the moment. Her diamond drop earrings would occasionally catch the light, but they paled in comparison to the diamond choker that her mother had given her specially for the occasion.

               Carli was less than amused. “Just because Roger and I are a thing…sometimes, doesn’t mean that I have to rope him in and plan our lives out together. I plan on living a little, thank you very much. Besides, you know he’s SLDF.”

               Bella slipped her arm into Carli’s. “So? As if a little cross pollination never happened before?”

               Carli bristled, as she did every time her friend tried to play matchmaker and plan out her life with her on-and-off lover Roger Ruby. Sure, she and Roger had some good times together, but she was hardly at a time in life where she was searching out marriage prospects. Career prospects were hard enough to manage. She would soon be graduating as a Leutnant in the ranks of the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces. It was her dream to be a MechWarrior, but she knew it would take focus if she was to achieve the career she wanted.

               As if on cue, a dark-haired cadet made his way in their direction. Roger Ruby was sharply dressed in the formal cadet uniform of the Academy, which was a shade darker than the SLDF green Carli knew he would soon be wearing. It complimented his dark brown hair and the firm jaw that had first attracted Carli’s eye two years ago.

               “Ladies, you are both looking stunning tonight, my compliments.”

               “Compliments will get you nowhere, Roger,” she said with an exaggerated sternness.

               Bella deftly slipped her arm out from Carli’s and positioned herself so that Roger would reach Carli first. “Compliments will get you everywhere, Roger Ruby.”

               Carli chuckled slightly at Bella’s move. She did not protest as he slipped his arm into hers. He had a soft kind of strength that she enjoyed at times like these where she felt slightly out of her element. His touch had a way of putting her at ease and making the awkwardness of the social situations far less and allowing her to be more herself. If his looks had drawn her to him at first, it was that feeling of safety that had more than once drawn her back to him during their two years of on-and-off romance.

               “Well, you do look rather dashing, I’ll give you that,” she said with a slight wink. “Is it midnight yet?”

               “Afraid I’ll turn into a pumpkin or something?” He raised an eyebrow.

               “At least at midnight, things will start to wind down, and there may be some hope of escape for us.” She responded.

               Bella stepped closer to the pair and linked her arm with Carli’s free arm. “Thank god your battlefield tactics are better than that, Carli. If you really want to escape, you have to make it happen.”

               “It’s not as if we are hostages here, but I think ducking out before midnight would be frowned upon, Bella.” Roger gave her arm a gentle squeeze.

               Carli spotted one of their instructors making their way towards them with his wife by his side. She tensed her arms slightly, but enough to catch the attention of both Roger and Bella. “Speaking of tactics and escape plans, we better come up with one quick or else we’re going to be stuck here talking to Professor Vanderwald until graduation”

               “Roger, did Carli tell you we got a room at one of the best hotels in Bannockburn tonight?” Bella quipped.

               She elbowed Bella gently.

               “That sounded like an invitation,” Roger replied with a wry smile.

               Sighing, Carli shook her head slightly. “Yeah, well none of that is going to matter in about five seconds, because we’re going to be stuck talking about the current Periphery uprisings and how they differ from the Reunification War until we grow old and die, so get your best fast talking ready, boys and girls.”