**Prologue**
Explosions rock in rhythmic beat. The time approaches for the second time. The door is opening with a rush of air, just as it did long ago.
It is entering this universe. Again.
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Chapter One: Battle Training School
Drake wanted to go out and play 'Humans and Voinans' with his friends, but his mother told him it was too dangerous. "The earth keeps shaking," she kept telling him. His friends were similarly confined, so they had to content themselves with playing simulated battles.
Every child in Drake's village dreamt of being a pilot. They practiced and practiced on the simulator and devised new strategies until their heads hurt, for the hopes that they would get picked up by the next Stellar CorpsŽ ship that passed by. They even published their 3D battles on the universal web, so a pilot might notice them. Drake was better then all of them, ever since Anglo Flemarian left 4 years ago, and everyone knew that he would be going to the School of Battle Training on Paaren Station soon.
No one contested with Drake's battle skills. He could use the UE fighter on the simulator to destroy a whole Voinan Frigate. When some other children teamed up against him, making it four UE fighters against one, Drake destroyed them all, suffering only half ofhis shields.
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After finishing the latest battle, Drake settled back to watch the replay. He noted a mistake he had made, and added it to his list of bad habits to work on. Then he went to the forum to check for a game to join. He blinked. There was a big ad on the top of the screen.
Young Pilot Needed!
Email me at ADF@BattleTrainingSchool
(Include your age, name, and an image of your average score.)
Drake quickly sent an email to the address, along with a snapshot of his average score. A few seconds later, an automatic reply came back to him. It told him that he was eligible to become a pilot. All he had to do was send a second email with thesubject "Accept#18394038293". He cheered, and hurried to ask his mother.
"Mom? Can I go to Battle Training School?" he asked, fearing the answer would be no. She studied him for a moment, then told him that she would discuss it with his father.
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Two days later, Drake was still trembling with anxiety when his parents walked into his room in the midst of a battle.
"Son, we have decided that you are old enough to decide for yourself whether or not to go to Battle School. Will you go there or stay here with us?"
Drake told his parents that he would miss them very greatly at Battle Training School. He quickly sent the accept e-mail, and his parents paid the 3,000 credits for the trip to Paaren Station. They also handed him a check for 50,000 credits for tuition, and 200 credits for pocket money.
As the shuttle lifted off, Drake had the oddest sensation that someone not human was watching him, waiting...
**End of Chapter One**
(This message has been edited by draco_2488 (edited 04-28-2001).)
