CHAPTER 4

NEW ARRIVAL

With the break of dawn, a blue sky with hardly any clouds from the previous day's storm greeted the residents of Arzenal as they woke up. Already the rainfall was beginning to dry out and it seemed as if it would be a beautiful morning, not that it made Commander Jill's mood any better. Exiting her personal shower, Jill could already tell it was going to be a long day. Cal himself she didn't expect would be much trouble. He had already shown that he was smart enough to not talk back and follow her orders. Usually with late arrivals, Jill had to knock some sense into them to make them fall in line. The real issue was the other residents. A man on an entire island full of mostly hormonal teenage girls. He'd be lucky if he wasn't jumped the second he stepped out of the command centre.

Following a quick change into her uniform, Jill headed to her office. The base was quiet as command personnel always woke a good 30 minutes before everyone else. It was one reason why Jill and her cohorts had been able to carry on Libertus' continuation despite the presence of an Overseer. Upon her arrival, Jill found two of them awaiting her. One was her age with shoulder length auburn hair and a lab coat over a very short black skirt and an overly tight red blouse that bared an ample amount of cleavage. As Arzenal's chief medical officer, Maggie had often been admonished by Inspector Emma over her lack of decorum as much as for her "unique" bedside manner, not that Maggie cared much either way. Her second guest was an older woman with dirty blond hair and wearing an indigo jacket over a light purple dress. As the former Commander of Arzenal, Jasmine was a legend for being one of the few Norma to make it past 40. After the failure of Libertus ten years prior, Jasmine had stepped down to manage Arzenal's mall to keep the humans from investigating too deeply. By her side, her dog Vulcan immediately sat down when he saw Jill approach. "I'm guessing you already know," Jill said as they entered her office.

"The entire base knows," Maggie confirmed. "Quite frankly I'm surprised a war hasn't broken out over which department gets to have him."

"What about Gaz?" Jasmine asked.

"He didn't make it." Jill shook her head. "He gave his life so Cal could escape." Jasmine's eyes cast downward though Jill could see the faintest sign of sadness in her eyes.

"That would be the way he would go out," she sighed. Vulcan whined and Jasmine knelt down to stroke the dog's neck. "How's Cal doing?"

"He got a little banged up but nothing worse than a bad sortie."

"Are you sure I shouldn't look him over?" Maggie asked. "Especially if you're going to put him where I think you are."

Jill lit a cigarette and leaned back. "If he dies then he didn't belong here," she told them. "He's lived too comfortably for too long. It's time he learned what it really means to be a Norma." Jasmine shot her a disapproving glare to which Jill gave a dismissive wave. "Oh relax. I won't subject him to anything worse than the others. And if he does well, I might just give him a little present."

"Oh?" Maggie said with a grin. "I never took you for a cougar." Jill was about to respond when the door opened and the Inspector came in, a file envelope under her arm.

"Commander Jill," she announced, "here's the paperwork on Norma #239713." Jill accepted the file and looked it over. As she expected, in addition to Cal's mugshot, the Norma Management Board had typed up a fake profile for Cal. Between his age, the fact that he escaped their attempt to capture him, not to mention being a male Norma; the humans would never live down the embarrassment if someone like him were made public knowledge. So long as he was contained and did his job, they wouldn't press the issue any further. "The Committee wants him trained and on duty ASAP. I've already drafted an accelerated curriculum for him." Jill blew a trail of smoke and snubbed out her cigarette.

"Very well," she agreed. "I'll meet you in the command centre after breakfast and we'll take him to the classroom." The Inspector gave a salute and turned to leave.

"What about Salia and Mei?" Jasmine asked once the door closed. "Shouldn't they be told about this as well?"

"They'll find out on their own soon enough," Jill smirked. "In the meantime, he'll need some clothes. Get me a standard uniform, some boots, and some jeans. My size should fit him."

"You got it," Jasmine nodded. "He'll also need a rider suit. It's a shame I didn't keep any in storage that belonged to the Ancient Folk." Since the failure of Libertus Jill and Jasmine made sure to get rid of any evidence of the Ancient Humans' association with Arzenal. Jill could only cringe at the thought of Cal wearing one since they weren't made for men. "I think I can alter one that'll be a little more modest. I'll try and find one in your size and send it to the first squad's locker room."

"I think most of the girls would rather enjoy seeing him in an unaltered one," Maggie chuckled.

As her two co-conspirators left, Jill gathered up Cal's file and went to inform Zola of her new recruit. They still had two hours until the children's morning lessons began so she'd have Pamela or one of the others bring him some breakfast and soap to wash up beforehand.


For the second time in as many days, Cal woke up drenched in sweat. He couldn't remember whether the nightmare was his usual or the previous day's fight. Just the same feeling of helplessness and dread and the image of fire surrounding him on all sides. Slowly, he rose up off the bunk and grimaced. Between the beating he had taken from his attackers and the hard stiff bunk he had slept on. His entire body was so sore he could barely move, he was just finishing stretching out when the door opened, and Olivier came in.

"Uh…hey," she nervously greeted. Remembering that it bothered girls to see boys undressed, Cal quickly covered himself with the blanket. "Did you sleep alright?"

"As good as I could," he admitted. Olivier immediately felt ashamed. 'Of course, he wouldn't have slept well.' She kicked herself. 'At least the commander decided not to subject him to a full inspection.' Aside from being injured enough, Cal didn't seem like the type who even knew a trick like that. Remembering why she was here, Olivier handed over the bag she was carrying.

"Here," she said. "Commander Jill told me to get you some breakfast. There's also some soap so you can clean up in the sink."

"Thank you," Cal said as he accepted it. "I really appreciate it. I wasn't sure what was going to happen to me here, but you and the others really helped me feel better."

"It…it's nothing really," Olivier said as she flushed. "Um...I've really got to get back to work but the Commander will be here soon to take you to basic. I'll see you later." Covering her face, Olivier hurried back out the door. 'Did I do something to make her uncomfortable?' he wondered. Olivier didn't seem upset. She actually seemed kind of happy. Cal guessed that she still just wasn't used to having a boy around. 'You're going to have a LOT of friends here.' That's what red haired girl Hikaru had told him. And while he would have liked to have had some boys here that he could do 'guy things' with as Gramps often said, he certainly wasn't going to reject any of the girls who wanted to befriend him. Especially if they were as kind as Pamela and the others had been. 'Or as pretty,' he thought. That was another thing to get excited about. He had seen pictures of girls before but now that he had seen some in real life, those didn't even compare.

After finishing the egg sandwich and carton of milk, Cal went to the sink and washed up as best he could. Being able to clean off the leftover grime and blood was a huge relief to him. He had just finished drying himself off with the blanket when the door opened and Commander Jill came in, a bundle of clothes under one arm.

"Are you ready?" Jill asked. Cal nodded and stood up as straight as he could.

"I'm ready…Commander." From all the episodes of 'Elite Space,' he had watched, Cal had a general idea of how a soldier was supposed to act.

"Good." Jill said as she handed over the clothes. "Get dressed. You've got a lot to do." Cal accepted the clothes and looked them over. They looked very similar to what the girls who visited him wore. A sleeveless light blue tunic with black lining, she had also given him a pair of blue jeans and white boots with black stripes. Cal hurriedly dressed but it wasn't easy. The top was a little too tight around his abdomen and chest and as he was still extremely sore that it hurt to even move. His boots fit but were taped towards the end in a way that pinched his toes. It didn't help they were also low heeled which made his balance easy to offset. "It's a little uncomfortable." He moaned.

"Earn some cash and then buy yourself a custom made one." Jill instructed him. "Until then, suck it up. Now let's go." Cal followed her out of the room and back into the Command Centre where he saw Olivier, Hikaru, and Pamela sitting at their consoles. The three of them smiled and waved at Cal who returned the gesture. Olivier went scarlet while Hikaru beamed in excitement however Pamela just sighed at her friends' behaviour.


Once out of the command centre, Cal followed Jill back to the elevator which still amazed him over how it worked. When it finally reached the right floor, Jill guided Cal through the stone and metal hallways. His eyes counted the doors they passed, and it started to sink in that this place was bigger than Cal realized. He wouldn't at all be surprised if the complex extended all throughout the plateau's interior. Along the way they passed by other girls, most of whom were his age and wearing the same uniform as his friends in the command centre. Others wore thick orange overalls, and a few wore white uniforms that were similar to what Commander Jill wore although their tunics left their midriff bare. He noticed the white tunics varied the most with differences in jackets, skirts, and boots while some of them even wore shorts or long socks that nearly reached all the way up to their thighs. As they passed, nearly all the girls stopped to look at him, their expressions ranging from excited, surprised or even scared at the sight of him. The longer Cal walked however it felt as if the top around his abdomen was becoming tighter, like an invisible hand was squeezing him tightly. He briefly considering asking Jill if he could stop and take a break but the way she carried herself made him worry that she'd get mad at him, so he ignored the pain as best he could and pressed on. Finally, they went around a bend and found Inspector Emma standing in front of one of the hallway doors. She saw Cal walking behind Jill and frowned as she reflexively covered her chest with one arm.

"Inspector, the boy is ready for his education." Jill said. Emma gave Cal a wary glance but finally opened the door.

"Very well Commander." she said. "Ms Mary and the children are already inside."

"After you Inspector." Jill said with a slight smirk, enjoying the look of apprehension on Emma's face that she'd have to take her eyes off the 'perverted' male Norma. Once inside Cal was greeted by the sight of a woman Jill's age, with shoulder length brown hair and wore the same uniform as Cal, but her coat was full length and long sleeved. But nothing could have prepared Cal for when he looked down and saw a group of young girls clustered around her. Upon seeing they had guests, the teacher and the children stopped their lesson and turned to salute Commander Jill, but their attention was quickly drawn to Cal. And once they realized he was a boy; the kids nervously shrank away from him, some even hid behind the teacher.

"Oh my…" Mary whispered putting her hands to her mouth in shock.

"Mary." Jill announced. "I have another Newbie for you today. Make sure he understands why he is here."

"Yes Commander." Mary had heard the rumors same as everyone else, but she didn't think it was actually true that a male Norma had arrived from outside Arzenal. "Please take your seat," she gestured to Cal who decided on one that was placed next to the class window which gave him a good view of outside. But even after pushing out the desk to make room, the tiny seat was only big enough for him to settle on the edge to the point that he was nearly slipping off.

"Abigail sit down please." Ms Mary asked gently. Cal turned his head to the other side of the room and saw another little girl with light brown skin, curly dark brown hair and bronze eyes who seemed very afraid and sad. "Abigail please we want to set a good example for the Commander and Inspector." The fragile, frightened girl slowly made her way to her desk and sat down as Mary pulled the curtains over the window, much to Cal's annoyance as he was trying to get a better idea of just where he was. From what he could see, they were directly across from the landing strip where he had arrived yesterday. And beneath that was a multilevel hanger built into the rock of the island. Mary meanwhile turned on a tv hanging from one of the ceiling corners. "Okay class let's begin today's lesson." She announced as she took out a baton and pointed it to the screen. "Today we will be learning more about our job as the Norma and what we are fighting against."

As Cal and the whole class watched, a monstrous creature appeared on the screen. It looked just like the winged lizard Cal had seen on the emblem all around the base. Eyes set in in clusters of four glowed an angry red as it opened its mouth to manifest a glowing single ring from which a wave of fire blasted out. "Dimensional, Rift, Attuned, Gargantuan, Organic, Neototype." Mary explained. "These massive, hostile creatures who travel to our world are known as DRAGONs. We Norma have a very important job, to kill all the DRAGONs to protect the humans." Cal's eyes widened out of surprise and excitement. It was like watching his favorite anime 'Elite Space'. These DRAGONs were just like the aliens that Dom the Bomb would battle to save the day. "Exterminating the DRAGONS is the only reason we as the Norma are allowed to live in this world. Let's not forget that as we do our best in battle okay?"

"Yes Ma'am." All the children replied. Cal not sure what to do followed suit. "Yes Ma'am." Some of the children flinched slightly as he spoke up and looked at him, some with fear in their eyes.

"Excellent. We will now go over the types of DRAGONS you all will be facing in the future and understanding which is which." The image on the screen changed to a smaller creature similar to the first but with pink scales and only about three times the size of a human. "Who can tell me what this one is?" More than half of the hands shot up. "Yes Haley." Ms Mary said.

"A Schooner." A girl with orange hair tied in twin tails answered.

"Excellent. Well done Haley." Ms Mary praised. The imaged changed again to another one of the larger DRAGONs. This one was purple with horns that curled up in a spiral. According to the girl who answered, it was apparently called a 'Bombardment Type Brig'. This type had the ability to launch its scales from off its body as flying projectiles that were sharp enough to slice through rock.

The image changed again, and Cal gulped nervously. This DRAGON was huge. Green scales covered its body while lightning crackled all around it. A swarm of the pink Schooners flew alongside, and the size difference was so vast they might have been insects. This one was a "Storm Type Galleon," called so for its ability to create blasts of lightning. The lesson went on for over an hour, Cal absorbing the information like a sponge. If he was expected to fight these creatures, then he'd better learn as much as he could about them. At least it helped take his mind off his discomfort.

As Mary opened the window and light flooded back into the room, Emma received a notification of a Mana message and pulled up her screen. "Commander," she announced, "the Committee has sent you another file regarding the male Norma that needs signed by you immediately."

"Fine." she sighed impatiently. She looked at Cal who seemed to be paying attention and decided to let him finish basic on his own. "Mary keep an eye on the Newbie while I run an errand. It won't be long."

"Yes Commander." she saluted.

As Commander Jill and Emma left the room, Mary allowed the children to have some free time. Some got out books from the shelves while others took out puzzle games from the lower cupboard. All of them were still uneased by Cal's presence and kept their distance. He was like a stray dog who they didn't know if he'd be friendly or bite if they petted him. A few times Mary would catch him holding his sides and grunting in pain and wondered if maybe she should send him to the infirmary.

Cal barely noticed however as he was busying himself with looking out the window to continue his examination of the hanger across the way. It was too far to see for certain, but he could make out the outlines of more of the girls in orange coveralls. All of whom were working on machines that looked like Skyhooks only twice as big and in many different colors. A few them even had large canons of different types installed on their back. A sudden roar of engines drew his attention upward just in time to see eight of the machines lift off from the launch strip at speed that put Gramps' Skyhook to shame. 'I wonder if it's alright,' he wondered. With all that had happened he had been forced to leave it behind on the island where he had been picked up. It was all Cal had left of his old life and he hoped someday he'd be able to go back and reclaim it.

A sudden tap at his foot broke his train of thought and looked down to see a small red bouncy ball resting against his foot. As he picked it up, he saw a girl who seemed older than most of the other children with brown eyes and long purple hair tied in twin tails standing feet away from him. She and the other kids stared at him petrified as if they disturbed a scary monster from its sleep. "Here you go." he offered. Slowly, a second girl the same age with short green hair stepped towards him as her shaking hand reached out to take the ball.

"Thank you." she nervously gulped. Seeing how scared he was Cal realized he should choose his next words carefully.

"Hello there my name is Cal, what's yours." he greeted with a gentle smile. It seemed to work as both the girls relaxed and the one with twin tails came forward.

"My name is Coco." she said. "And this is Miranda." From her desk, Mary watched the scene and relaxed a little to see he wasn't as scary as she thought he was.

"Are you really a Norma like us?" Miranda asked.

"Yep." Cal replied. "Just like all of you." The two girls looked to each other in surprise but at least they didn't seem as scared of him now. Some of the other children were listening in on and the tension in the room seemed to lessen as Coco took Cal by the hand.

"Will you come play with us?" She asked. Cal didn't know what to do, he didn't want to scare the kids by being too forward but neither did he want them to think he didn't want to be friends. Mary was about to get out of her chair, fearing the girls were bothering him until he answered. "I'd like that."

Mary smiled as she watched as Coco and Miranda took him by the hand and led him to where the other children had gathered. 'I guess he's just the same as any other Norma,' she thought. Cal meanwhile busied himself with getting to know the kids. And when he mentioned how one puzzle image reminded him of a drawing he once made, the kids begged him to draw for them. After thinking for a moment what picture to make his thought trailed to his cabin. It still hurt to think that it was gone now but having people to share the memory with helped ease the loss. With a paper and pencil, Cal told them about where he had grown up as he drew, hunting with his Gramps, the animals he had encountered. He didn't tell them how he had come to Arzenal. He just said Gramps had died and that meant he had to come here. Finally, he finished, and he held it up so they all could see.

"Can we keep it?" One girl nervously asked.

"Sure." he smiled. The children beamed with excitement as Mary approached and was handed the picture by Miranda.

"How about I hang it on the wall." Mary suggested. 'Wow, everyone here is so nice,' he thought. 'Well except for maybe Inspector Emma.' He still wasn't sure why she seemed so nervous around him but maybe she just needed to get to know him a little better same as the kids. Suddenly, Cal felt his whole abdomen clench like something was twisting him from the inside. He grunted in pain and fell to his knees as the children backed up in alarm. "Cal!" Mary cried as she knelt down beside him. "Cal what's wrong!?" Cal's only response was a fit of wet coughing as he gazed down at his hand he had covered his mouth with and saw blood mixed in with his saliva. "It'll be okay," she reassured him. "We'll get you to the infirmary. Dr Maggie will be able to help. Coco, Miranda, you're both in charge until I get back." With one arm around his waist and the other on his arm, Mary helped Cal to his feet and walked him out the door.


As quickly as she could, Jill filled out the paperwork the Committee had demanded of her. She still had a lot to do regarding the boy and didn't want to waste any more time than she had to. On occasion, she would glance up at the Inspector who sat in a chair at the other side of her desk who seemed even more high strung than usual. "Is something wrong Inspector?"

"Of course there is!" she grumbled. "I've tried contacting the Norma Management Board and my Father regarding the male Norma and where he came from. But none of them are answering my calls."

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." she assured her. "They're probably just sorting things out. He is the first male Norma after all." Of course, Jill had her own ideas. The only one who could easily silence information of this calibre was Embryo. And that meant he had to be planning something. "There." she announced. "That should settle things on our end at least. Let's get back to the class. Cal should understand what's expected of him now, so I want him in First Company by the end of the day."

"First Company!" Emma startled. "But Commander what about Captain…"

"Zola's the top captain at Arzenal for a reason regardless of her 'hobbies.'" Jill said. "If anyone can whip Cal into shape she can." Before they could leave however, the intercom on Jill's desk suddenly buzzed. "Yes, what is it?",

"Commander Jill," a girl answered, "this is the Infirmary. It's that male Norma. Dr Maggie thinks he has internal injuries." Jill grimaced and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Maggie and Jasmine were never going to let her hear the end of this.

"We'll be right there." she answered.


Across the way from classroom, someone was watching Cal through a pair of binoculars. Well known throughout Arzenal, Captain Zola's skill on the battlefield was surpassed only by her reputation for lasciviousness. Her luxuriant blonde hair cascaded down a voluptuous body that was barely contained by her open top and the tiny shorts that clung to her hips and buttocks like a second skin. Next to her, her favorite play mate Hilda leaned back against her, moaning and flushed from Zola's hand that had reached into Hilda's top to fondle her breast.

"Oh, my darling look at you. Look at you." Zola cooed as she licked her lips. She adjusted the focus so she could get a better look at the boy's features. Spiked up black hair, a slim but athletic body. She couldn't get a good look at his face though. "Come on turn around."

"I don't see what the big deal is." Hilda sulked. "Why are you so excited about a man of all things?"

"Aw are you jealous?" Zola teased as she nipped at Hilda's earlobe. "That's so cute."

"Captain!" someone scolded. Zola turned around and was greeted to the sight of Vice Captain Salia. Slender and slight breasted, like Hilda Salia's straight dark purple hair was done up in twin tails. In contrast to her Captain, Salia was a stickler for procedure and protocol as reflected in her more conservative attire that strictly adhered to acceptable pilot guidelines: a full sleeved jacket, closed top, thigh high stockings, shin length boots, and a calf length half skirt over a hip length pleated one. The only indulgence Salia permitted herself in regards to attire was in the dark blue color of her main skirt and only because the handbook didn't specify what shade it had to be. Personally, Zola felt that if her Vice-Captain would just take up her offer to join her and the others sometime, then perhaps she might not be so tense. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"Come see for yourself. Look in classroom A." Salia frowned as she came over and took the binoculars from Zola.

"No…no way!" she gasped. Zola had to stifle a laugh at the blush that spread over Salia's cute face. "The rumors are true?"

"What rumors?" Seeing the commotion over by the ledge, two more of their squad came to see what was going on, their curiosity further stoked by the expression on Salia's face. Along with Hilda, Rosalie and Chris were permanent members of Zola's collection. Rosalie had short orange hair with sky blue eyes and was nearly as busty as Zola. She even wore her top open in homage to her captain while a dangerously short yellow skirt and thigh high black stockings completed her ensemble. In contrast, Chris was shorter and dressed more modestly in blue shorts but was far from undesirable. In fact, her innocence was what had drawn Zola towards her. Long silver hair done up in a braid hung over one shoulder while meek looking pink eyes peeked out from under her bangs.

"Take a look." Zola said as she tapped Salia's shoulder. In a daze, Salia handed them the binoculars and both their mouths dropped open in shock.

"Holy shit!" Rosalie gasped. After the initial shock faded, their reactions however were very different. Like her Captain, Rosalie tried to zoom in on the boy's face while Chris nervously bit her lip.

"He's wearing a uniform," she whispered. "You…you don't think he might wind up in our squad, do you?"

"God, I hope not," Hilda sulked. "Who knows what kind of a pervert he is. Right Salia?"

"I…I wouldn't know," Salia shrugged. "Captain, have you heard anything?" Zola hummed and wondered if she should tell them. 'No,' she decided. 'It'll be a lot more fun to see their faces when he shows up.' Rosalie meanwhile put her arm around Chris's shoulder.

"Don't worry," she assured her. "I'll make sure no scary male Norma will harm you." Chris relaxed and managed a slight smile. "And I'm sure the Captain will teach him a lesson if he tries."

"You girls are so adorable," Zola teased, trying to get another look in on the Newbie, but he was gone. 'Ah too bad,' she thought. Still an actual male Norma. The very idea of what he could do with that body of his made Zola giddy with elation. 'I can't wait to play with him.'


Stripped down to his boxers, Cal sat quietly on the cot while the woman named Maggie that Ms. Mary had brought him too examined his injuries. Cal had seen doctor's offices in manga and tv shows he had watched with Gramps, but this was the first time he had ever been in one. Upon arrival, Maggie had hurried him to one of the cots in the infirmary's back which she had then closed off with a curtain to give him some privacy from her assistant nurses. A short while later, Commander Jill and Inspector Emma came in as well.

"I told you to let me examine him." Maggie scolded Jill. "You should have let me see him the moment he was brought in. Look at the state he's in."

"The situation is complex." Jill said. "Not to mention something we're completely unprepared for. Besides, the boy should have said something if he was in pain."

"Don't try to shift the blame onto him Commander."

"I agree." Emma added, adjusting her glasses. "Regardless of whether he's a Norma or not he can't expect to fulfil his duty if he collapses from his injuries." Maggie raised her eyebrow in surprise. Usually the Inspector didn't show much sympathy to any of their discomfort, but she guessed even she had standards when it came to this sort of thing. Continuing her exam, Maggie pressed her stethoscope against his chest. She didn't feel any broken ribs though it did seem to hurt him whenever he took a deep breath. As she leaned forward, Cal flushed as he found himself gazing down her cleavage.

"See something you like?" she smirked.

"Um no…I mean yes…NO!…what I mean is…" and Cal struggled to find some way to change the subject, "…doesn't it bother you all that I'm undressed?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I thought it bothered girls to see boys undressed." Maggie laughed softly.

"Aww aren't you sweet. Don't worry. It's perfectly acceptable in here." And she had to admit, being able to actually run her hands over a man's body again was quite a pleasurable experience for Maggie. 'I wonder how different his blood smells from a woman's' she thought. "How did you get these injuries anyway?" Cal looked to Jill and she shot him the same warning glance she had given him in the cell last night.

"His transport went down over open sea during the storm yesterday." Emma answered. "Apparently he was the only survivor. Though it still irritates me that the Committee didn't even see fit to warn me of his arrival." Maggie looked to Jill and recognized the lie. As Arzenal's chief medical officer, she had seen her fair share of beatings whenever fights broke out. And judging by how badly bruised Cal was it must have been a bad one.

"Is he cleared for duty?" Jill asked.

"He should be fine." she answered. "Just don't send him out into the field until he fully heals." To be safe, Maggie gave him a shot of antibiotics and Cal didn't even flinch when the needle penetrated his arm. "Tough guy huh." she whispered in her huskiest voice. "I like that."

"Reign it in Maggie." Jill ordered.

"Fine." she pouted. What a way to spoil the fun. With a strip of gauze, Maggie wrapped Cal's abdomen to keep the swelling down, then began applying liquid bandage to the cuts along his elbows and knees. "Is that better?"

"Yeah thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now, I'm going to send a prescription to the pharmacy for some painkillers. You can pick them up at the mall later."

"Is it bad?" Cal worriedly asked.

"Just some internal bruising," she assured him. "Take it easy and you should be fine in about a week. And be sure to let me know if it starts getting worse." From a bottle on a nearby counter, Maggie retrieved two pills and a cup of water. "In the meantime, this should help you through the rest of the day."

"Well now that the crisis is resolved," Jill interrupted, "Cal, do you understand what is expected of you?"

"Yes Ma'am." he nodded. "Kill the DRAGONs."

"Excellent. Then get dressed. It's time to meet your squad."

Maggie watched as Cal gulped down the painkillers and hurriedly dressed into his uniform. If she had to guess, the poor guy's condition had been aggravated by the ill-fitting garment. Meanwhile, the Inspector leaned against the wall and rubbed her temple. "Can I get you some painkillers as well?" she offered.

"Don't patronize me!" Emma snapped. "This whole day has been a nightmare. Between the Committee's uncooperativeness and constantly having to watch my back around him it's a miracle I haven't had a nervous breakdown yet!"

So that was her issue then. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." Maggie told her. "After all he has an entire island of young girls to choose from. Plus, since he's going to First Squad, I doubt Zola will leave him with enough energy to pursue anyone else."

"Hmm." Emma realized. "You're right I didn't think of that."

"Then again," Maggie smirked, "he might just be one of those boys who's into older women." Emma's eyes widened in dread and Maggie continued to add fuel to the fire. "I can imagine him gazing at our full rounded breasts." she whispered. "Longing to feel the touch of experience that the younger girls can't give him. Of course, none of us have been with a man before so we wouldn't know what to do. Except you of course."

"Uh, excuse me Commander." Emma suddenly stammered. "I have to go make another call." Maggie had to stifle a laugh as Emma practically fled out the door.

"You better hurry Inspector." Maggie joked. "He looks hungry."

"Well I haven't had anything since this morning." Cal said casually scratching his chin. Emma gave a slight squeal out in the hall as her footsteps hurried away. Once she was gone, Jill shot Maggie a furious look though Cal was confused as to what had just happened.

"Come on," she ordered him.

"Yes Ma'am. Dr Maggie could you tell Ms. Mary and the kids that I'm alright? I don't want them to worry."

"I'll send word." she promised. After they had gone, Maggie sighed as she returned to her desk. 'That kid has no idea what he's in for,' she thought. Late arrivals weren't unheard of in Arzenal but Cal was the oldest they had ever received. Most of them had time to adjust and learn how things worked here at a comfortable pace but Cal was going to have to adapt far quicker if he wanted to make it. And the fact he was a male meant he was going to be tested in ways he probably never would have imagined. 'Salia really has her work cut out for this time.'


Like most days, Arzenal's Para-mail hanger was a bustle of activity. The grind of heavy machinery and the pungent odour of engine fluid hung in the air as the Armourer Clan raced back and forth to perform maintenance and refueling of the winged machines that lay around them. Atop one painted azure with yellow highlights, chief mechanic Zhao Mei ran final diagnostics following the replacement of its Armour. Despite her young age, at fourteen she was barely older than some of the Newbie pilots, Mei was regarded as a mechanical prodigy with a work ethic and command style as strict as the few adults on Arzenal. It was a talent she had inherited from her big sister Fei-Ling. The fact that two Norma of such a wide age gap could possibly be related had been a point of interest for the Inspector but Jill and Jasmine had convinced her that Fei-Ling had just adopted her, and she didn't press the issue any further.

With the diagnostic complete, Mei shut her terminal and looked down at the unit's pilot. From down on the deck, Naomi's large purple eyes watched Mei from beneath a head of long pink hair that was tied up into a ponytail at the back. At the ponytail's base, two bunches of Naomi's hair had been done up like cat ears with two thin pigtails trailing from their edge to fall across her shoulders. As the second light artillery troop from First Squad, Naomi's Glaive had been equipped with shoulder mounted linear canons for long range support. As a result, the agility that was a Glaive's saving grace was compromised which had resulted in a mid-air collision with a Schooner. Luckily, the damage had only been superficial, so Naomi had been able to make it back to base for repairs. "Alright Naomi," Zhao Mei said as she jumped down to the deck, "you're good to go. Just try not to crash into any more DRAGONs."

"Hey, it was the Schooner's fault for getting in my way." Naomi countered. "But at least I got him worse than he got me."

"Plus it counted towards your pay-out." Mei joked, reaching up to adjust her twin short tails. "By the way, have you heard the rumors?" Naomi raised her eyebrow in interest.

"What rumors?"

"Some of the other mechanics and pilots said they saw a man walking with the Commander and Inspector. They say he's a male Norma."

"You're kidding right?" Naomi laughed. "If there is a man here, he's probably a guest of the Inspector."

"I don't think so. They said he was wearing one of the base personnel uniforms. Some of my girls are even saying he was covered in bruises." Naomi knew Mei wasn't prone to flights of fancy, but she still found it hard to believe. 'There's no way a male Norma could even exist,' she thought. 'It's probably just some freshly caught Norma who's older and taller than the usual latecomer.' Still, how could anyone here not be able to tell the difference between a man and a woman? Especially with the magazines sold in that one curtained booth at the mall.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Naomi turned to see her friend Vivian. She was a small girl, about the same age as Mei, with short and messy vermilion hair and gold eyes. As usual, she had a sucker in her mouth, and she was brimming with energy. "Hey Naomi, here's a pop quiz." The younger girl chirped. "What rumors are going around?"

"What rumors?" someone asked behind Vivian. Walking up to them was a taller and older girl with gentle green eyes and long pink hair that reached down past her waist. As curvaceous as Captain Zola, thankfully Ersha was nowhere near as intimidating OR as amorous. In fact, she was one of the nicest girls on Arzenal with a reputation for serving as a mother figure to the base children. Before either of them could answer they heard someone calling them.

"Ersha, Naomi, Vivian," Salia called out, "Captain Zola wants to see everyone by the Para-mail simulators."

"Coming Salia." Naomi waved, the three of them following after their Vice Captain.

"So, what's the big rumor?" Ersha asked Vivian.

"That there's an actual male Norma on Arzenal!"

"Oh really?" Ersha smiled.

"They say he's as tall as a Galleon," Vivian went on. "And twice as scary. Hey, you think he'll be assigned to our squad?"

"Who knows. But I'm sure he's actually very nice so remember to be polite when we meet him." Naomi could tell Ersha didn't believe it either, but her patience was legendary, so she just went with it. Finally, they rounded a corner and in front of the Para-mail simulators, Zola and her harem were waiting for them.

"Everyone line up!" Zola ordered. "The Commander's sending a new recruit to us today and I expect you all to show them how we do it in First Squad."

"Yes Ma'am," they said, though something was off. Salia, Chris, and Rosalie all looked apprehensive while Hilda had a look of annoyed disgust on her face. Zola on the other hand seemed quite pleased. 'What is going on here?' Naomi wondered.

"Officer on deck!" Zola barked. The entire squad stood to attention just as Commander Jill stepped through the entrance followed by a second figure. 'She's a tall one,' Naomi thought. But it wasn't until they got closer that Naomi's eyes widened in shock at the sight before her.

"Oh my!" Ersha whispered.

"Awesome," Vivian squealed.

'I don't believe it,' Naomi gulped. 'It's an actual male Norma.' Zola meanwhile smirked at her squad's reactions. It was every bit as entertaining as she hoped it would be. But fun was fun, and she did have her pride as squad captain to maintain.

"Salute the Commander!" Zola's order snapped the others out of their shock as they stood to attention. Commander Jill returned the gesture and stood aside so the boy and his new squad could meet each other. Now that she had a good look at him, Zola was VERY satisfied indeed. His face was a bit beat up but nothing a few days healing couldn't fix.

"Captain Zola, he's all yours. Get him into a unit by the end of the week. Until then, consider yourselves on support duty."

"Just great." Hilda griped. "Now we're stuck babysitting the newbie." Jill meanwhile gave a final salute and walked off. 'Have fun kid,' she thought. 'Show me you're worth Gaz's life.'


Cal looked at the group of girls that stood before him. They wore the midriff baring white uniforms he had seen on some of the other Norma though like them each one had its own variances. His attention turned to the woman in front, the one Commander Jill had spoken to. She looked a few years older than the others and was slightly taller than him. But what struck Cal the most was her features. Long blonde hair trailed down her back and compared to the others her clothes were considerably more revealing. A red tattoo of a flower adorned her left breast and right thigh and her body was toned and voluptuous. She looked exactly like one of the strong women he would see in action films, something his Gramps would tease him for being his 'fetish'. In the midst of his examination of her, she closed the distance and Cal bent back slightly as she leaned in towards him.

"Welcome to the First Company of Death." she said. "I'm Captain Zola." Her voice was deep and sultry and the hungry look in her eyes reminded Cal of a predator stalking its prey. "So you're the male Norma. What's your name?"

"I'm…Cal." He responded. She walked around him as if sizing him up when suddenly she seized him from behind, her arms wrapping around his chest and feeling him through his uniform.

"Good muscle tone," she purred into his ear. "I think you'll do just fine here." Cal froze, as much as from fear as from confusion. He could feel Zola's ample breasts pushing against his back and her hot breath against his ear but wasn't sure if he should try and fight back or not.

"Captain!" the girl with the dark purple twin tails snapped. "That's enough! Can't you see you're making him uncomfortable."

"As you wish Salia," Zola said, releasing Cal just long enough place her hand on his rear and shove him forward. "I don't mind letting you go first!" Zola licked her fingertip with a hungry look and Cal decided he did NOT like her.

"I'm…sorry about that," Salia said, her heart pounding in her chest. This Cal boy was as tall as the Commander and she froze a bit as she looked up into his sky-blue eyes. 'Get yourself together', she thought, 'he's supposed to be a new recruit.' She may have been talking to a boy for the first time in her life but unlike her Captain she was at least going to TRY to keep things professional. "I'm Vice Captain Salia." she continued as she gestured to the rest of the squad. "This is Hilda and Vivian. They're the assault pilots."

"Hey how's it going!" the smaller girl cheerfully spoke up. The other girl Hilda however, shot him an annoyed look and didn't say anything.

"Naomi and Rosalie are our light artillery." Salia continued.

"Hi," Naomi nervously said she waved hello. "Its's nice to meet you."

"So you're the newbie." Rosalie commented. He didn't seem as scary as the rumors made out to be but she wasn't about to let him think she was a pushover either. "Just keep in mind who gets first dibs on the rewards."

"Chris and Ersha are our heavy artillery support." The pink haired girl stepped towards him and slowly extended her hand.

"Hello," she said. Cal accepted her hand and noted how surprisingly strong it was despite its delicate appearance. Chris on the other hand didn't say a word but kept herself close to Rosalie and Hilda, her eyes glued to Cal in apprehension.

"Hello," Cal finally said, "it's nice to meet you all."

"So cool." Vivian said. "An actual Male Norma. Hey, wanna be friends?"

"Err…okay." Cal said chuffed by how friendly Vivian was. "So why are you all called the First squad?"

"It's because we're the best of the best," Hilda finally said. "So if you expect to fight with us then you'd better prove you have what it takes. We don't have the time to carry dead weight." Cal remembered that Ms Mary had told him the Norma existed to fight the DRAGONs, but he thought he was going to do it on his own. Having teammates by his side was just like his favorite character Dom the Bomb. This was like a dream come true.

"What happened to your face?" Vivian suddenly asked.

"Vivian!" Ersha scolded. The memories came rushing back to Cal; being slammed against the cave wall by his head as he was kicked and stomped on, his Gramps bleeding out, the Skyhooks' cave exploding with Gramps still inside, and the guilt he still felt over the wish he had made at his birthday. Cal looked down and bit his lip to keep from breaking down in front of them.

"I…I don't want to talk about it." Hilda raised an eyebrow as she watched. She had seen late arrivals before who looked like him. And she herself knew just how cruel humans could be and felt some pity for him.

"Hey it's okay." Naomi said as her hands rested on her shoulders. "You can tell us when you're ready. Until then just get yourself situated okay?"

"Whatever happened you're safe here," Ersha said, soothingly patting him on the back. "And we'll help you in any way we can." Cal looked up at her and rubbed his eyes. Ersha's presence gave off a kind and gentle nature that eased him out of his sorrow.

"Thanks."

"So, you really can't use Mana like the rest of us?" Rosalie asked. "Male Normas are actually a thing?"

"I guess so," he admitted. "Gramps told me it was the reason why. To be honest, until last night I didn't even know I WAS the only male Norma." Rosalie was taken aback by how straightforward he was. Usually late arrivals were so deep in denial they needed a good beating to get their acts together. Not to mention he was the only male Norma to ever exist which seemed entirely impossible to her. Zola meanwhile was quite pleased with how he handled himself. Training him might be easier than she thought. And not just in combat either.

"I think that's enough of the meet and greet." she announced. Stepping among them, Zola straightened herself up and began issuing orders. "Salia, take charge of Cal and show him the ropes. The rest of you, hit the simulators and begin battle scenario Alpha. Difficulty 6. I want this session to go without any damage this time."

"Yes Ma'am." the group saluted. Cal had to admit he was surprised. Zola's demeanor had changed so deeply she was practically a different person.

"Come with me Cal." Salia said.

"Yes Vice Captain." he answered. Cal couldn't wait to get started, this was all pretty new to him and was very eager to prove himself to them.


"This is so awesome!" Vivian squealed as she changed into her plug suit. "Cal is really cool." Hilda however begged to differ. Nothing about Cal was cool. He may have been a Norma but he was still a man and what experience Hilda had with them had been far from pleasant. And the way he just blindly accepted his fate showed just how pitiful he actually was. Across the room, Rosalie snapped on her ceramic armour while Chris leaned back against the locker looking like she was about to faint. Since meeting Cal, the silver haired girl had practically glued herself to Rosalie's side like a frightened child.

"Come on Chris." Rosalie told her. "Look at him, the guy's a total pussycat."

"Maybe." she mumbled.

"Exactly." Hilda said. "He'll be out of our hair in a day. There's no way someone like him could possibly qualify for flight duty." Rosalie and Chris looked to each other and nodded. The look they had seen Hilda shooting Cal's way was one she reserved for those she did not like. Especially if they posed a threat to her position as Zola's favorite. Though whether it was because Hilda genuinely loved her or just wanted to ensure her own well being they couldn't say. Either way, they had a feeling Cal was in the running for some pretty serious hazing.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Zola said. "If Commander Jill gave him to us then she clearly has faith in him. I say let him show us what he can do."

"I still don't see why he couldn't just change with us." Vivian added. "How come Salia had to take him to second squad's locker room?" 'He probably wishes he had,' Hilda thought with disdain. She didn't buy Cal's 'nice guy' act for a moment. No one was that nice without some kind of strings attached.

"You can't tell me you aren't a little bit curious." Naomi said as she buttoned her plug suit across her ample bosom. "I mean think about it. Sex with a man. I never imagined I'd even get the chance."

"And what's so great about that?" Hilda grimaced. Rosalie however flushed a bit at the thought. Norma basic included sex ed, both the normal and the Arzenal way. And she had to admit she was curious about what it would to be like with a man.

"I bet Salia would be interested." Naomi joked. "Did you see the way she nearly got a nosebleed when she saw the plug suit Command had left for Cal."

"Hey yeah," Vivian piped up. "Come to think of it, she really loves reading that one book of hers."

"What book?" Chris asked.

"Well, it has pictures of boys and girls…"

"Okay that's enough," Ersha interrupted, "let's get going. We do have a lot of training to do after all."


As she made her way to second squad's locker room, Salia was still in disbelief of a male Norma actually existing. But at least Cal seemed like a nice person although it was pretty clear he didn't quite understand some things about associating with girls. When the first squad had arrived at their locker room, Cal had almost gone in with them before Salia stopped him. And Captain Zola didn't help much when she tried to convince him otherwise before the outcry from the rest of the squad made her relent. Thankfully, someone from the mall was waiting for them with a box from Jasmine when they arrived.

"Hello?" she called. Nobody answered so Salia looked in and sighed in relief that it was empty. She made a note however to draw up a schedule for when Cal could use their locker room and make sure Zola never found out when.

"Here." she said. "Go in and put this on. I'll wait out here to make sure no one comes in on you." Cal accepted the parcel and went in. Inside was something that he wasn't even sure could be called clothing. It was a horrible seaweed green with race yellow lining running down the side of the legs. A huge gap ran down the chest to the crotch where what looked like a pair of spandex shorts had been sewn into the lower lining of the interior. A sheathe for a knife hung from the right hip and a pistol holster hung from the left flank. Also in the box were pieces of what looked like ceramic plates. He had just finished putting on the primary article and was in the midst of figuring out where to attach the other pieces when Vice Captain Salia called through the door. "Is everything alright in there?"

"I'm just trying to figure out where all these pieces go." Something squeaked out in the hall followed by a long silence.

"If it's okay with you…" she offered, "I could maybe help you."

"Yeah I'd appreciate that." Salia opened the door and her eyes burst open in shock. The plug suit accentuated Cal's masculine form, highlighting his slim but athletic build and exposing his toned chest and stomach. Salia had seen pictures of men in various states undressed but actually seeing one in person was a completely different experience. She then noticed how badly bruised his torso was and the gauze that wrapped around his midsection. Salia thought back to when Vivian had questioned him about his face and the expression he had shown. Whatever he had gone through must have been terrible. Her eyes drifted downward, and she saw that Jasmine had replaced the usual thong with a pair of spandex shorts which clung to his hips and what lay between them. 'It's…it's so big,' she gulped. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Huh? Yes! It's fine! Here, let me show you." Focusing on the task at hand, Salia showed him how to attach the ceramic Armour boots, bracers, and pauldrons, the whole time feeling as if she were about to faint. "I really appreciate the help Vice-Captain."

"Actually," she said, "you can just call me Salia."

"Is that alright?" Cal asked. "I mean, I'm supposed to be a soldier aren't I."

"Well," she admitted, "I don't mind. After training we should go to the mall and see Jasmine. We'll put in an order for a custom uniform and flight suit." Although to be honest she wouldn't mind seeing him in a standard plug suit every day. Exiting the locker room, Salia led Cal back to the hanger though she could feel the eyes of every girl they passed.

"Do you see that?"

"So hot!"

"I wish I had a camera!"

Doing her best to ignore them, Salia hurried him along and finally arrived at the hanger just in time to catch the rest of First Squad as they exited the locker room. Like Cal, they too were dressed in plug suits like his although in different colors. Hilda in red, Naomi in azure blue, Ersha in orange, Rosalie in yellow, Chris in green, and Vivian in pink. Like Salia however, Zola was still in her uniform.

"Well look at you." Zola purred as he scanned Cal up and down. As he approached them, Cal realized the open patch over their chest gave him a wide view of their breasts. Not only that, but unlike the shorts sewn into in his suit, theirs were a lot smaller and more revealing.

"And what are you looking at?" Hilda suddenly growled as she noticed the way he was looking at them.

"Huh…sorry," Cal stammered, embarrassed at how rude he had been, "It's just…"

"Now, now." Zola said as she wrapped her arms around Hilda shoulders. "No need to be catty. We're all Norma, here right? And besides, he's giving us quite a show as well." Salia was about to speak up when Zola's expression changed as she noticed the state his body was in. The others did too, and even Hilda seemed a little surprised by the damage he had taken. "Listen up." she told him. "I want you to pay attention to what your body says. You feel any pain I want you to let me or Salia know immediately. Is that clear?" Beneath the surface, Zola was a bit disappointed. There was no way he could perform to his maximum like that. 'Looks like I'll have to entertain myself with Hilda and the others until he fully heals,' she decided.

"Yes Ma'am." Cal answered, surprised again by the sudden change in her bearing. He wasn't sure what to make of Zola. One moment she was intimidating and predatory, the next she seemed almost protective and nurturing. 'Judge a person by who they are not by what they are.' That was what Gramps note had said so Cal decided he should perhaps not be so quick to make a decision about Captain Zola until he got to know her better.

"You look great." Vivian said. "Just like one of us." Cal smiled slightly from the compliment though he still felt a little uncomfortable. First it embarrassed girls to see him undressed, then it didn't, now it both did and didn't. Out of the entire squad; Salia, Vivian, Ersha, and Naomi all seemed to be the most approachable so maybe he could ask them to explain how to tell the difference. In the meantime, Cal followed the rest of the squad as they returned to the part of the hanger where they had been introduced. Cal had wondered what these machines were. They were big and boxy like metal crates, yet their front tapered to a point while a computer console had been mounted on their side. As he watched, Captain Zola led the others minus him and Salia to one group of the pods where a hatch in each one opened through which the other entered. Zola however stayed outside and began typing on the console of the one Hilda had climbed into.

"What are these things?" he asked.

"They're Para-mail simulators." Salia answered. "We use them to run combat drills for when the DRAGONs attack."

"Do you mean those big Skyhooks that I saw in the hanger?"

"I…suppose you could call them that yes." Taking him to an unoccupied unit, Salia opened the hatch and handed him a visor from inside. "We'll start you off on the Glaive. It's the basic close combat unit. Depending on how well you do in training and the field, you can upgrade to other models. But for now, let's just focus on basic flying. I'll talk you through it using your visor's communicator." Cal accepted the visor and placed it over his head as he climbed in and perched on the seat. "Pay attention." Salia lectured as she pointed to the two handles which were exactly like the ones in the Skyhook. "You use these to accelerate, brake and roll. Use the foot pedals to control your pitch and speed. This gauge here on the console is the Indicator which checks your altitude and speed. The forward screen displays your radar map. Comrades will appear as blue dots while any DRAGONS in range will show up as red dots. Further data will be displayed through your heads-up visor display." As Salia leaned in more her shoulder brushed against his chest and she slightly blushed at how different it felt from a woman's. She shook her head to regain her composure as she reached down and showed him the cable that protruded from the lower back of his plug suit. "This is your Plenum Chamber cord. It allows the circuitry in your suit to sync up with your unit's CPU. Are you ready?"

"You bet!" he beamed. Salia frowned at his eagerness. It was almost as if he was being given a brand-new toy instead of about to be thrown into a life where death could come at any moment. Well, hopefully he'd realize the seriousness of his situation soon enough. She shut the door and the inside of the simulator changed to display a three-dimensional image of the hanger. In front of him was the launch deck with a clear view of the sea and sky.

"You mentioned Skyhooks." Salia's voice said in his ear. "Are their controls similar to this?"

"Yeah they are," Cal answered.

"In that case I'm going to try something a little different with you. First things first, insert your Plenum Chamber chord." Cal reached behind him and took a hold of the cable. In the rear of the seat behind him was a socket which Cal inserted the plug into. As he did, a light flashed in his visor followed by a column of data before a display screen popped up.

"Plenum Chamber confirmed charging." Salia said. "Normally we'd send you on a pre-programmed flight scenario. But since you already know the basics, I'll give you free reign for now. Are you ready?"

"Ready."

"Release the arresting gear so you don't rip your machine in half when you take off. It's the blue button in front of you. When launching, always announce that you're ready by saying, 'Unit Cal ready to launch.'"

"Okay," Cal said. "Arresting gear released. Unit Cal ready to launch."

"Unit Cal confirmed. Launch!" Cal gunned the accelerator and was nearly thrown back out of his seat by the sudden boost of speed. '"Holy shit!" he yelped. Gramps' Skyhook had never moved this fast. As it felt like his chest was beginning to tighten again, Cal pulled back on the thrust and felt the pressure relieve itself. As he did, he looked around and was overcome with awe. All around him, the endless blue of the sea stretched out to the horizon. He was flying free as a bird. "Cal?"

"I'm okay." he assured her. "Just got a little overwhelmed for a second."

"Fly around for a while." she said. "Get a grip on how your machine feels."

"Yes Ma'am." Thanks to his wounds, Cal couldn't push the simulation as hard as he'd like but at least he could show off a little. Banking to the right, Cal circled over the sea, the G-forces making him dizzy from the strain.

"Now dive." Salia ordered. Cal obeyed and his simulation angled downwards as the sea raced up to catch him. "Pull up!" Despite the disorientation, Cal jerked the controls and launched back towards the sky in a spiral climb. Leaning forward, Cal rose his hips up so that he now was parallel to the seat and found that the G-forces were reduced. 'This is awesome,' he thought. On the monitor outside the simulator, Salia took her hand away from the emergency shutoff button. It was standard procedure for a new recruit to crash on their first simulation, but Cal had taken to it like a fish to water. 'He mentioned Skyhooks,' she remembered. 'Isn't that what Alektra called the stealth vehicles used by the Ancient Folk?' Did that mean she had plans of bringing him in to Libertus? However, Salia was starting to worry about how cocky he was getting. The more used he got to his unit the more reckless and erratic his flying became.

"My, my." someone said. Salia gave a start as she looked behind her and saw Zola and the others watching Cal's progress intently. She had been so focused on him that she hadn't noticed them gathering around her. "He's a natural."

"It's still early," Hilda said. "Plenty of time for him to crash and burn." Cal meanwhile was having too much of a good time to notice the extra audience that had gathered outside. 'Let's try one of Dom the Bomb's move's he thought. Gunning the accelerator, Cal sent his unit into a loop.

"Cal what are you doing!" Salia yelled as he dove back towards the sea. Leveling out over the surf, Cal skidded along the water's surface, kicking up a trail of water in his wake.

"Woohoo!" he howled.

"Totally awesome!" Vivian cheered.

"This kid is a riot!' Zola laughed. Salia however was less than impressed.

"Cal!" she yelled. "Watch your drift! You're about to…" and then it happened. The strain on the Para-mail's aerodynamics finally became too much and Cal's unit spun out, crashing and bouncing across the water.

"Serves him right for being a show-off." Hilda smirked. With the simulation over, the hatch opened, and Cal stumbled out, his face red with excitement.

"That…was friggin awesome!" he laughed just as Salia leapt forward and grabbed him by his collar.

"What is wrong with you!" Salia raged. "If that wasn't a simulation you would be dead! Get it through your head that this isn't a game! Pull something like that in battle and you can get yourself AND your squad killed!"

"Sorry." Cal stammered; a bit surprised at her anger. "I won't do that again."

"Now, now Salia no need to be so harsh. He did rather well compared to most new recruits." Salia gave an angry look to Zola for encouraging Cal's recklessness. "I'm actually quite impressed. You didn't even vomit." Before Cal could answer, his face took on a greenish tint and he clutched his stomach. Luckily, maintenance was always prepared for this sort of thing. Grabbing the bucket kept beneath the console, Salia shoved it into his hands as he doubled over and emptied the contents of his stomach into the pail.

"There he blows!" Hilda snickered before bursting into laughter.

"Spoke too soon." Zola sighed as she bemusedly rubbed her head.