Hello Everyone!

I'm completely insane for doing this, but a plot bunny grabbed me. I have nothing really to say...

Enjoy!

Chapter One

Begininings

"I'll never make it, Dad," a young woman mumbled into her father shoulder. "The whole system is made for boys. I might as well pull out now so I don't end up enlisted."

"Remind me again how many women make it into the Imperial Naval Academy each year?" he retorted, patting her on the back. Holding her at arms length, he gave a little shake with every word he said, a grin on his face. "You, Jalisa Vera Osderth, are part of a special class of women. You are strong, brave, and smart and you can make it. I know that I've told you to be proud of being a woman, but that doesn't mean you can't meet their goals, Sweetheart. This is your dream or am I very much mistaken?"

Jalisa smiled. "No, Dad, you're right. This is my dream."

The man hugged her tight again. "Sweetheart, I can't say that I'm exactly pleased that you're joining the Navy." Jalisa giggled at her father's put-down of the other branch. "But, I'm so proud of you. You are a beautiful young woman that surpassed my expectations of what I could raise. I know you can do this. Now, do you know you can do this?"

She laughed, squeezing her father a little harder. "I can do this."

He saw the pilot coming over to them and held up his finger. "It's time to go, Sweetheart," he choked, giving her a kiss.

"Don't cry, Dad, or I'll start," she exclaimed, kissing him back. She reached down and picked up her duffel, slinging it over her shoulder. They exchanged one more hug and kiss. "Stay safe, Dad. I love you. I'll be home before you know it."

"You too. I know. Now go get 'm."

With a final smile and wave, Jalisa followed the pilot on the shuttle. Her father didn't let his eyes off the ship till it was out of the atmosphere and no longer even a speck.

Jalisa walked up to the pilot. "Cadet Osderth reporting as ordered, Sir."

The man gave her a look from head to toe before ordering, "Follow me."

Strolling up the ramp, Jalisa stole one last glance at her father before entering the ship. "First time away from home, Kid?"

She nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"Mom couldn't make it?"

Jalisa's exuberant grin faded a bit. "She died when I was born, Sir."

The man gave her a pat on the back. "Sorry to hear that." He leaned over her duffel and fastened a tag. Placing it on a rack, he started for the door. "Hope you don't have anything breakable in there."

"No, Sir!"

They stepped into main cabin and Jalisa hesitated for a second as ten pairs of male eyes gave her the once over. The pilot shook his head before gesturing to the only empty bench. With a grateful smile and a quiet, "Thank you," she sat down and buckled up.

The PA system crackled before saying, "We still have eleven people to pick up on four planets with an estimated travel time of sixteen hours. So lay back and get some rest. It'll be the last you'll get for a couple of days."

"Ooh, ominous!" joked one of the boys.

"Hey, Babe, how did you get in?" asked a smirking one.

Another boy smacked him upside the head. "She's Jalisa Osderth. The girl who won the ITS engineering contest, you doofus! You ask how she made it?" He turned and reached over, offering his hand to her. "Name's Ceros Apus from Seline."

Shaking his hand, Jalisa laughed, "I think you know my name already. I'm from Dubrillion."

"Nice," he grinned. "So that's what we just left?"

"Yep."

"Well, we should listen to the guy and get some sleep. We'll be getting there pretty early in the morning."

"Good idea."

The rest of the trip was quiet to say the least. The only other girl boarded the shuttle on Yaga Minor, sat down next to Jalisa, and didn't speak to her the entire trip. Jalisa enjoyed talking to Eros for a few minutes every time they landed. Finally, the pilot came back and said that this was their last stop and next time they landed they'd be at the Academy. This was the longest jump of the trip, eight hours. As they landed, Jalisa took a few deep breaths, knowing some of what was to come.

PLONK. "MOVE IT CADETS! WHAT ARE YOU? A BUNCH OF OLD LADIES? GET OFF THIS SHIP!" screamed three Upperclassmen, charging on board. The girl next to her froze, but Jalisa was out of seat and running down the ramp as soon as she heard the men come on board. She was the second out of there and found two more Upperclassmen waiting, screaming, "STAND ON THIS LINE! STAND ON THIS LINE!" She did that, standing in parade rest until the rest of the cadets piled off the shuttle. She watched an Officer cross the landing pad. Only Eros, two other boys and she snapped to attention and saluted him.

The Officer frowned. "Don't you know how to greet an Officer? Attention and salute and hold that salute until I return it!" he shouted, demonstrating. All the Cadets fell in and held for a minute before he saluted again. Pointing to the people that knew, he ordered, "Names, right to left!"

The boys shouted out their names. "Cadet Jalisa Osderth, Sir!" she shouted.

The Officer nodded. Or rather, the Commander, as Jalisa could now see his rank as the sun rose. "At ease! The rest of you, names!" Once that was finished, he gave a speech.

"Welcome to the Coruscant Naval Academy! You are among the very privileged few who will spend the next two years here. If your grade falls below seventy-five percent, you will be enlisted, no exceptions! If you succeed, you will be on your way to a bright career! Our motto is Duty, Honor, Empire! See that you follow it! I will now shout your names and the troop that you are in. You will then find your bag, immediately find your Squad, and line up! Ceros Apus, Red!" He continued until he hit her. "Jalisa Osderth, Black!"

She shot off weaving her way through the chaos of the landing pad until she spotted a large black square with twelve small white squares. She stood on the square closest to her and snapped to attention, hand shooting up into salute. "Cadet Jalisa Osderth, reporting as ordered, Sir!"

With a surprised look, the Commander returned the salute. "Excellent, Cadet. Push those shoulders a little further back and push your butt forward." He nodded at her improved stance. Then two more cadets ran up and to Jalisa's shock, plopped down! The Commander flew at them, screaming, "GET UP! GET UP! ATTENTION! SALUTE!" The two boys looked like deer in front of a speeder. Luckily, the rest of the squad did not make the same mistake. When every cadet arrived, the Commander gave his own speech.

"My name is Commander Arc! You are now part of Black Squad! You will remain under my command until you graduate from this academy in the year 20! And you will graduate from this academy! I am known as the hardest commander here for good reasons! If you fail, then you do not deserve to even be in the Military! You will now have a psychical exam, a medical exam, haircuts, receive your uniforms and other supplies, and by then it will be night. Lunch is between the psychical exam and the medical exam. Dinner is after supplies. Now, to the left march!"

Off they went to the PT field. As they stood at parade rest, Commander Arc gave out the exercises. "Run three laps around the track and return!" Jalisa estimated it was about 1.6 km. Her time was 15 minutes. "100 Curl ups. You have two minutes!" Jalisa managed with a few seconds to spare. "50 pushups. Two minutes!" She was able to do forty. "12 pull ups. Two minutes!" Done. This continued until noon, by which everyone was hot, tired, hungry, and thirsty. Turns out, Jalisa's score was very good, only ten points behind the best. The Commander tossed out water bottles before ordering them to slow jog to the Mess. Only then dis Jalisa realize that she was the only woman in the squad, but before she could chew on that, they entered the Mess, full to the brim.

After getting their food, some kind of stew, and more water, they plopped down and after the Commander started, chowed down. Questions flew back and forth over the table. "Osderth, right?" asked a tall blond, blue-eyed man that she thought was named Claris.

As she had her mouth full, she nodded.

"Where did you come from?"

Jalisa grinned. "Dubrillion, Myto Sector. It's in the Outer Rim. You?"

"Kuat. Study?"

"Engineering."

"Strategy."

Questions flew back and forth over the table until they finished only a few minutes before the half hour was up.

Medical was fine. She had blood tests and hypos, the usual things that you went through during a medical exam. Then she received her clothes a few other items before finding herself in a small room that was her own. Quickly putting her room to rights, Jalisa slumped on her bed and was out like a light.

Please Review. Those are my muses!