He'd originally lived in New York, but then his family, for a change of pace, moved to Thinian... on an entirely different planet. That in itself was worthy of a begrudging, and he spent his first two years of high school making as much trouble as he could for anybody he could until his parents finally let him visit relatives back on Earth for summer vacation. He went, along with his two younger sisters, to stay with grandparents, and he enjoyed a wild three months in Manhattan before a call was received informing of the near destruction of more than a quarter of Thinian. His parents hadn't made it. At first there was grief, but it was quickly replaced by a furious desire for revenge. So, at the age of sixteen and a half, Lance Jackson joined the Space Academy armed with an attitude, bloodlust, and a knack for piloting fighter jets that was amazingly exceptional. And as he sat in his astronomy II class, Lance could only think of how long this last year would be and that at the end it would be all worth it to receive his own fighter so he could go and take his place in the front lines. He would kill them. He would kill them all. He'd worked hard to keep his hatred, even through the making of friends and the emotional rehabilitation of the academy, and every last Drule was going to die.
Major Lacrosse, usually loud and strict but always the coolest teacher in the opinion of the senior class, had turned and was writing on the board as Lance continued to smirk inwardly. Unconsciously, his eyes absently wandered toward the door, and through the two long, narrow windows, he saw Xelda and that new little kid out in the hall. She was saying something to him, bent over a little and nodding her head assuringly. She gestured with her chin toward the door. Was he about to come in? Sure enough, Xelda gave the kid a last pat on the shoulder and then started walking down the hall. Lance watched as, wide-eyed and bespectacled, the boy came through the door quietly, timidly. All eyes were on the short student in his little uniform, and with a flushed face he cleared his throat.
Lacrosse, seeing the new arrival, put his chalk down and stood at attention, waiting for the kid to announce his presence. The boy took a deep breath, his small chest rising to his chin, and then he held out a piece of paper that was in his hand.
"I'm Pedrian Nichols. I was assigned-"
"Yes, I know. I was expecting you, Nichols." The major went over and stood before him, fists on his hips, and he put on his infamous, nasty Lacrosse frown. The one which, accompanied with some efficiently horrifying yelling, sent most newbies home crying to their mothers. "Why aren't you standing at attention?" He boomed. The Nichols boy managed to look absolutely confused through a statement of fascination and fear.
"I am." He said with indignation, seemingly befuddled that the major would think he was doing otherwise.
This visibly upset Lacrosse who widened his eyes and deepened his frown. "Are you trying to be funny?!" He raged, bending over to look the kid in the face. "Stand at attention!"
Nichols was also starting to bristle a little. "What are you talking about? I'm standing here, and I'm looking right at you. You don't have to yell like that." The major's size didn't seam to intimidate the kid who was barely even half his size.
"You're trying to make a mockery out of me, and I will not stand for it you little imp! Stand at attention!"
Finally, the Nichols boy balled up his own little fists and jammed them on his hips in a manner very much like the major was doing, a look of furious outrage on his face. Lance sat up with interest, incredibly amused by the unnatural response the major was receiving. "Mister!" The kid admonished in a loud, angry voice. "You are very rude and insulting," he pointed his finger up and jabbed it toward Lacrosse's face, "and you have an unnecessary habit of shouting in the most uncivil manner, and I don't want to be in this class anymore." With that, he fiercely crossed his arms over his chest and stormed out of the room. Lacrosse straightened and blinked, his eyebrows raised in shock. Holding his breath, Lance dared to dart his eyes around. Like himself, all the other students pinched their lips together, eyes bugging out of their heads, trembling, trying their damnedest not to bust out laughing. Finally, Major Lacrosse slowly turned to face the class, a frown of surprise still readable on his face.
"Well..." He started quietly. "I don't know how I'm supposed to respond to that." His tone was good-natured, and the immediately rejoinder was an explosion of snorts that erupted into uproarious laughter. Even Major Lacrosse shook his head and chuckled a bit before he finally he quieted the class down. "He'll be back," he said convincingly and started back to work again. Lance couldn't stop grinning. That was priceless. That story would be circulating for days. It was these kinds of things that made the academy years memorable.
Lance found that he loved the academy. Although his reasons for joining were tragic, to say the least, Lance couldn't help but warm up and loosen up around the other kids who knew how to have fun. Not to mention the kids who didn't know how to have fun and were just begging to be taught. Lance loved to mess with good influences. Keith had been a favorite project of his ever since the day they were assigned together as roommates. That was the first year at the academy for both of them. Of course, somewhat obstinate about his morale, Keith had also managed to rub off on Lance a little as well. At least now, though he still took leaps before thinking and lived life a little risqué, he knew what good judgment was, and he always took under consideration the safety and care of others. Perhaps, however, it wouldn't hurt to show that new little kid a few of the ropes... specifically the ropes less traveled except by a certain Mr. Lance Jackson.
The classroom door suddenly, ever so quietly, opened again, and Nichols crept back into the room, this time accompanied by Xelda. Both of them had looks of mortification and embarrassment. Lacrosse had been right. The tittering from the class alerted the major, and he raised a bemused eyebrow before sternly eyeing the two sheepish looking students in his doorway. Both of them stood at attention, little Nichols watching Xelda's every move and mimicking her.
"Sir," began Xelda, licking her lips. "I apologize. It seems there has been a misunderstanding involving the basic instruction of the standard protocol behavior before a ranking officer. I'm afraid that it's my fault-"
"You forgot to teach this boy how to act, Lien." Lacrosse stated bluntly, and the class instantly began snickering again. Lance couldn't help but feel mild amazement as he grinned all the wider. Memorable indeed.
************************************
"Get out of there, baby, you won't have any left for the trip." Lieutenant Archibald Hunting obediently rolled up the brown sack that carried his girlfriend's scrumptious mint fudge brownies. Then, with a dashing and handsome, toothy smile, he bent his large, muscular frame over in order to share a tender kiss with the pretty girl.
"I can't help it, Lilly. You're a magician in the kitchen, and you put me under your spell."
Lilly laughed as he pulled her into his arms. "Hunk, that's the cheesiest line I've ever heard!"
He kissed her again. "I love you."
"That's better." She smiled sadly. "I love you too."
"It's probably going to be a long time."
"It's probably going to be hard." She agreed.
"But I'll still think of you every day." He said. Lilly began to cry.
"This is so ridiculous, Hunk!" She sobbed. "You probably won't even be gone more than two years, and when you come back we'll both still be waiting for each other, and we'll get married and have twelve kids-" He quieted her with a final, parting kiss.
"Goodbye, Lilly." She couldn't answer. She was still crying. He hated to leave her like this. They'd been going steady for over three years. But Arus was so far away. And things like rebuilding an economy, a kingdom, and an entire planet's ecosystem weren't just milk runs. They both knew that trying to maintain a long distance relationship, for that long, at their age, would be chancy and delicate, and neither wanted to risk heartache. So, they agreed to be mutual, and if someone else came along, there would be no hard feelings. If no one came along, then absence would make the heart fonder, Hunk would come home, and they'd live happily ever after. The End.
Picking up his duffel sack, Hunk bade his last farewells, and then he finally crossed the hangar to where Commander Feldman was slowly but surely getting the rest of his team together. Captain, as he would soon be called. Boy... that Keith. The guy was twenty-one or so, graduated from the academy only a year or two ago, but he had top marks, and he was outstandingly proficient in his duties, already having commanded sixteen or seventeen missions in his short service. Hunk couldn't help but have a little admiration for the fellow. And Hólmsteinnsen too. There was Sven now, coming from around the front of the ship. He would be second in command. That guy always knew exactly what he was doing, exactly where he was going, and there wasn't a single person he couldn't handle or talk to. He was smart and cool, always composed and knew precisely what to say and when to say it.
"Sven." He nodded in greeting, and the Scandinavian returned the motion.
"Good morning, Hunk. That brown sack wouldn't happen to contain something by your lovely Miss Lilly, would it?"
"As a matter of fact, this very sack does contain something... but I don't know that there's enough for everyone."
"Oh come on, old buddy..." Said Lance from up above where he was sitting on a wing of the ship. "It's going to be such a long trip. Didn't your mamma ever teach you to share?" He put on his best, innocent, un-Lance-like pout that usually set naïve, young girls to giggling. Hunk made a show of looking disgusted.
"Put that muggish snout away, you weasel. These are for the journey."
"Hey guys." Pidge ran up from across the hangar. "Am I late? My brother had a class and couldn't come to see us off, so I had to say goodbye before I came." Twelve years old, graduated already, and this would be his first assignment. Hunk had met the little guy two weeks ago, and he was still kind of in shock. But the kid was cute, made Hunk think of his five younger siblings back at home, and the two had made fast friends.
"Hiya, squirt." Called Lance. "You're still coming? I thought the old lady wasn't going to let you go?"
Pidge narrowed his eyes angrily, but refused to let himself be embarrassed by the taunt. "My dad and Colonel Haggerty convinced her I'd be fine, and that it would be an experience."
Lance snorted. "Okay... so where's the nanny?"
"If you call me that one more time, Lance, I'll put you through the propulsion systems." Xelda said as she ducked under the ship's tail to join the group.
"Oh Xelda," said Lance with sarcastic apprehension, "You make my bowels quiver with fear."
"Lance, knock it off." Keith ordered with annoyance as he finally showed himself from the hatch. "Take off in ten minutes, everybody." That basically meant that they were supposed to start congregating into the ship and toward their stations. So everyone made a believable show of milling around and gathering their things, in reality procrastinating for that one moment more as Xelda gave each of them a hug and wished a safe journey to them.
"And don't be so anal all the time, Keith." She added out loud as she lightly jocked him in the shoulder. "I know you've got a lot of serious work ahead, but make sure you loosen up from time to time, too, okay? Maybe you'll meet some girls there." Red-faced, Keith climbed into the ship. Lance grinned wickedly as he climbed in after his friend.
"Don't forget to write, dollface." He said with a wink and saluted before disappearing into the hatch. Xelda couldn't help but smile. Then she pecked Hunk on the cheek.
"Take care of my little guy for me, will you?" She whispered to him, and Hunk nodded with a smile.
"You betcha."
"And don't tell him I said that." She added hastily.
"I know!" He chuckled. Then, soberly he said, "Remind Lilly-"
"I will, Hunk."
Satisfied, the large man climbed into the ship. Sven was right behind him, saluting with a small nod to Xelda before lowering himself through the hatch. She then turned sternly to Pidge.
"You'll be fine." She stated firmly.
"I know." He said, heavily accenting the last word.
"Be good."
"I will." This time with exasperation.
"Give me a hug." This was obeyed as she added, "And remember to call sometimes."
"Bye, Xelda."
"Bye, hon." She watched as he climbed in, throwing a reassuring smile over his shoulder, and then the door was shut and locked. Five minutes later, she had backed away, and the ship was growing smaller and smaller as it flew further and further away from her.
Major Lacrosse, usually loud and strict but always the coolest teacher in the opinion of the senior class, had turned and was writing on the board as Lance continued to smirk inwardly. Unconsciously, his eyes absently wandered toward the door, and through the two long, narrow windows, he saw Xelda and that new little kid out in the hall. She was saying something to him, bent over a little and nodding her head assuringly. She gestured with her chin toward the door. Was he about to come in? Sure enough, Xelda gave the kid a last pat on the shoulder and then started walking down the hall. Lance watched as, wide-eyed and bespectacled, the boy came through the door quietly, timidly. All eyes were on the short student in his little uniform, and with a flushed face he cleared his throat.
Lacrosse, seeing the new arrival, put his chalk down and stood at attention, waiting for the kid to announce his presence. The boy took a deep breath, his small chest rising to his chin, and then he held out a piece of paper that was in his hand.
"I'm Pedrian Nichols. I was assigned-"
"Yes, I know. I was expecting you, Nichols." The major went over and stood before him, fists on his hips, and he put on his infamous, nasty Lacrosse frown. The one which, accompanied with some efficiently horrifying yelling, sent most newbies home crying to their mothers. "Why aren't you standing at attention?" He boomed. The Nichols boy managed to look absolutely confused through a statement of fascination and fear.
"I am." He said with indignation, seemingly befuddled that the major would think he was doing otherwise.
This visibly upset Lacrosse who widened his eyes and deepened his frown. "Are you trying to be funny?!" He raged, bending over to look the kid in the face. "Stand at attention!"
Nichols was also starting to bristle a little. "What are you talking about? I'm standing here, and I'm looking right at you. You don't have to yell like that." The major's size didn't seam to intimidate the kid who was barely even half his size.
"You're trying to make a mockery out of me, and I will not stand for it you little imp! Stand at attention!"
Finally, the Nichols boy balled up his own little fists and jammed them on his hips in a manner very much like the major was doing, a look of furious outrage on his face. Lance sat up with interest, incredibly amused by the unnatural response the major was receiving. "Mister!" The kid admonished in a loud, angry voice. "You are very rude and insulting," he pointed his finger up and jabbed it toward Lacrosse's face, "and you have an unnecessary habit of shouting in the most uncivil manner, and I don't want to be in this class anymore." With that, he fiercely crossed his arms over his chest and stormed out of the room. Lacrosse straightened and blinked, his eyebrows raised in shock. Holding his breath, Lance dared to dart his eyes around. Like himself, all the other students pinched their lips together, eyes bugging out of their heads, trembling, trying their damnedest not to bust out laughing. Finally, Major Lacrosse slowly turned to face the class, a frown of surprise still readable on his face.
"Well..." He started quietly. "I don't know how I'm supposed to respond to that." His tone was good-natured, and the immediately rejoinder was an explosion of snorts that erupted into uproarious laughter. Even Major Lacrosse shook his head and chuckled a bit before he finally he quieted the class down. "He'll be back," he said convincingly and started back to work again. Lance couldn't stop grinning. That was priceless. That story would be circulating for days. It was these kinds of things that made the academy years memorable.
Lance found that he loved the academy. Although his reasons for joining were tragic, to say the least, Lance couldn't help but warm up and loosen up around the other kids who knew how to have fun. Not to mention the kids who didn't know how to have fun and were just begging to be taught. Lance loved to mess with good influences. Keith had been a favorite project of his ever since the day they were assigned together as roommates. That was the first year at the academy for both of them. Of course, somewhat obstinate about his morale, Keith had also managed to rub off on Lance a little as well. At least now, though he still took leaps before thinking and lived life a little risqué, he knew what good judgment was, and he always took under consideration the safety and care of others. Perhaps, however, it wouldn't hurt to show that new little kid a few of the ropes... specifically the ropes less traveled except by a certain Mr. Lance Jackson.
The classroom door suddenly, ever so quietly, opened again, and Nichols crept back into the room, this time accompanied by Xelda. Both of them had looks of mortification and embarrassment. Lacrosse had been right. The tittering from the class alerted the major, and he raised a bemused eyebrow before sternly eyeing the two sheepish looking students in his doorway. Both of them stood at attention, little Nichols watching Xelda's every move and mimicking her.
"Sir," began Xelda, licking her lips. "I apologize. It seems there has been a misunderstanding involving the basic instruction of the standard protocol behavior before a ranking officer. I'm afraid that it's my fault-"
"You forgot to teach this boy how to act, Lien." Lacrosse stated bluntly, and the class instantly began snickering again. Lance couldn't help but feel mild amazement as he grinned all the wider. Memorable indeed.
************************************
"Get out of there, baby, you won't have any left for the trip." Lieutenant Archibald Hunting obediently rolled up the brown sack that carried his girlfriend's scrumptious mint fudge brownies. Then, with a dashing and handsome, toothy smile, he bent his large, muscular frame over in order to share a tender kiss with the pretty girl.
"I can't help it, Lilly. You're a magician in the kitchen, and you put me under your spell."
Lilly laughed as he pulled her into his arms. "Hunk, that's the cheesiest line I've ever heard!"
He kissed her again. "I love you."
"That's better." She smiled sadly. "I love you too."
"It's probably going to be a long time."
"It's probably going to be hard." She agreed.
"But I'll still think of you every day." He said. Lilly began to cry.
"This is so ridiculous, Hunk!" She sobbed. "You probably won't even be gone more than two years, and when you come back we'll both still be waiting for each other, and we'll get married and have twelve kids-" He quieted her with a final, parting kiss.
"Goodbye, Lilly." She couldn't answer. She was still crying. He hated to leave her like this. They'd been going steady for over three years. But Arus was so far away. And things like rebuilding an economy, a kingdom, and an entire planet's ecosystem weren't just milk runs. They both knew that trying to maintain a long distance relationship, for that long, at their age, would be chancy and delicate, and neither wanted to risk heartache. So, they agreed to be mutual, and if someone else came along, there would be no hard feelings. If no one came along, then absence would make the heart fonder, Hunk would come home, and they'd live happily ever after. The End.
Picking up his duffel sack, Hunk bade his last farewells, and then he finally crossed the hangar to where Commander Feldman was slowly but surely getting the rest of his team together. Captain, as he would soon be called. Boy... that Keith. The guy was twenty-one or so, graduated from the academy only a year or two ago, but he had top marks, and he was outstandingly proficient in his duties, already having commanded sixteen or seventeen missions in his short service. Hunk couldn't help but have a little admiration for the fellow. And Hólmsteinnsen too. There was Sven now, coming from around the front of the ship. He would be second in command. That guy always knew exactly what he was doing, exactly where he was going, and there wasn't a single person he couldn't handle or talk to. He was smart and cool, always composed and knew precisely what to say and when to say it.
"Sven." He nodded in greeting, and the Scandinavian returned the motion.
"Good morning, Hunk. That brown sack wouldn't happen to contain something by your lovely Miss Lilly, would it?"
"As a matter of fact, this very sack does contain something... but I don't know that there's enough for everyone."
"Oh come on, old buddy..." Said Lance from up above where he was sitting on a wing of the ship. "It's going to be such a long trip. Didn't your mamma ever teach you to share?" He put on his best, innocent, un-Lance-like pout that usually set naïve, young girls to giggling. Hunk made a show of looking disgusted.
"Put that muggish snout away, you weasel. These are for the journey."
"Hey guys." Pidge ran up from across the hangar. "Am I late? My brother had a class and couldn't come to see us off, so I had to say goodbye before I came." Twelve years old, graduated already, and this would be his first assignment. Hunk had met the little guy two weeks ago, and he was still kind of in shock. But the kid was cute, made Hunk think of his five younger siblings back at home, and the two had made fast friends.
"Hiya, squirt." Called Lance. "You're still coming? I thought the old lady wasn't going to let you go?"
Pidge narrowed his eyes angrily, but refused to let himself be embarrassed by the taunt. "My dad and Colonel Haggerty convinced her I'd be fine, and that it would be an experience."
Lance snorted. "Okay... so where's the nanny?"
"If you call me that one more time, Lance, I'll put you through the propulsion systems." Xelda said as she ducked under the ship's tail to join the group.
"Oh Xelda," said Lance with sarcastic apprehension, "You make my bowels quiver with fear."
"Lance, knock it off." Keith ordered with annoyance as he finally showed himself from the hatch. "Take off in ten minutes, everybody." That basically meant that they were supposed to start congregating into the ship and toward their stations. So everyone made a believable show of milling around and gathering their things, in reality procrastinating for that one moment more as Xelda gave each of them a hug and wished a safe journey to them.
"And don't be so anal all the time, Keith." She added out loud as she lightly jocked him in the shoulder. "I know you've got a lot of serious work ahead, but make sure you loosen up from time to time, too, okay? Maybe you'll meet some girls there." Red-faced, Keith climbed into the ship. Lance grinned wickedly as he climbed in after his friend.
"Don't forget to write, dollface." He said with a wink and saluted before disappearing into the hatch. Xelda couldn't help but smile. Then she pecked Hunk on the cheek.
"Take care of my little guy for me, will you?" She whispered to him, and Hunk nodded with a smile.
"You betcha."
"And don't tell him I said that." She added hastily.
"I know!" He chuckled. Then, soberly he said, "Remind Lilly-"
"I will, Hunk."
Satisfied, the large man climbed into the ship. Sven was right behind him, saluting with a small nod to Xelda before lowering himself through the hatch. She then turned sternly to Pidge.
"You'll be fine." She stated firmly.
"I know." He said, heavily accenting the last word.
"Be good."
"I will." This time with exasperation.
"Give me a hug." This was obeyed as she added, "And remember to call sometimes."
"Bye, Xelda."
"Bye, hon." She watched as he climbed in, throwing a reassuring smile over his shoulder, and then the door was shut and locked. Five minutes later, she had backed away, and the ship was growing smaller and smaller as it flew further and further away from her.