Unity

Chapter 4

"Zack" I said shaking his hand. Thad was tall and well built. He had black hair that sported the traditional military buzz cut. I was grateful in that moment that Derek had taken me to get my hair cut by a professional. The new style still took some getting used to. I had always kept it longer.

Before we could talk any further a hush settled over the crowd. We looked up and saw Admiral Jones step up to the podium.

"Welcome new recruits. I am Admiral Jones and I have been entrusted by The Council with your training. This is not a vacation and you will not be treated like tourists. You are now adults. There will not be anyone to remind you to get things done. I am not your mother. Each of you has been through rigorous testing and training to reach this point. This is serious business. Your family, your friends, and everyone else on the planet has entrusted you with their lives. I hope you give this calling the seriousness and respect it deserves." He paused for a moment to let the words sink in.

"The first topic I would like to discuss is the most important. Please pay attention as there will be no leniency and punishment will be harsh for those who break this rule. You may have noticed that berthing is are co-ed. This does not mean that those of the opposite gender are fair game. Any violation of privacy will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Any sexual harassment or sexual misconduct may result in you being on the wrong side of an airlock." I heard some chuckles in the crowd. Admiral Jones' face became hard as steel. "Again, it will not be tolerated. There is a code of conduct in Battle Fleet. Each of you has access to it through your tablets. I highly recommend that you review that document frequently. Any violations to this code is grounds for dismissal."

"The next topic I wish to address is security. Most of what you will learn here is highly classified. As such, we will be screening all correspondence coming in or going out. The safety of our fleet is more important than trying to keep your privacy. If you don't want something to be read by a stranger, then don't write it. This does not mean we are going to parade your private business in front of your comrades. This is only for keeping the fleet safe. Physical security is another concern. I will not tolerate acts of violence, bullying, hazing, or any other action meant to demean, harm, or cause shame. We are being brought together from all parts of the world. Understanding and patience will be required by all. The name of our flagship was chosen for a reason. We have to be the examples to the rest of the world, showing that unity is possible."

"The first month of training will be spent familiarizing you with the various ships in the fleet. We will be focusing on physical training and weapons training as well. After the first month is over you will receive your assignments. This will determine where you fit in the fleet. Please remember, somebody assigned as a fighter pilot or battleship commander does not make them better than engineers or any of our hundreds of support personnel. We are making assignments based on aptitude, not prestige. Each one of you is critical in making this a success. You will be housing with those of the same assignment to help facilitate training."

"At the end of the second phase of training you will receive your orders. These will give all the details of your position in the fleet. The last five months will be spent with your divisions. This final phase of training will train you on your daily tasks. We will also be receiving the bulk of our fleet during this time. This will allow for more hands-on training. The Unity is in space dock and is scheduled to be arrive at the end of the third phase of training. Once it arrives, we will transfer all personnel to the ship and complete any outstanding training."

Admiral Jones paused for a moment before continuing. "There are those out there that will do anything to see us fail. I truly believe mankind is on the brink of greatness. You are making history. Future generations will look at this moment. What will they see, our greatest triumph or complete failure? We have been called on to write history. We finally have the technology to reach out into space. We will colonize the rest of our solar system, discover great and wondrous things about the vastness of space around us. Ultimately, we will reach for the distance stars. You will decide if this fantastic future happens. We are humanities defense from internal threats, such as Chaos, and threats to come as we explore the galaxy. Work hard and make humanity proud. You're dismissed."

Jen, Thad, and I waited to see if we could rejoin the remnants of our group. We pulled out our tablets and found our berthing. It was on the Alpha arm of the station, second floor, berthing five. The arms of the station rotated around the axis, so we were forced to return using a different path. The journey back was much more relaxed and uneventful.

We were the first ones back. I decided that I needed a shower. There was some free time before lights out. After a relaxing, although quick, shower I dressed in the standard issue pajamas and crawled into bed. I pulled up the code of conduct that the admiral had spoken of and was in the process of reviewing it when sleep overtook me.