Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Star Sanctity ❯ Chapter II ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Star Sanctity




Star Sanctity
Chapter II
*CCS does no belong to me but the characters I made up do belong to me.*
A week and a half later, Sakura stifled an impatient sigh as she waited in line. So far she had not yet even gotten into a simulator since the test she had done before she could start training for the Fleet. True, she had been studying the controls and maneuvers of the Imperial Fighters, but mostly she and the other recruits had been put through one physical workout after another. The workouts had gotten so hard recently that some of the weaker recruits had already been sent away because they couldn't keep up. And, although she had managed to stay in the Flight Academy, she was always sore and more tired at night then she had ever been in her entire life. The officers had said that pilots needed to be in perfect physical condition to be able to fly. And, although she didn't like the workouts, Sakura had to admit that she was in the best physical condition of her life.
The only thing that was good about being so busy was that Spidra didn't have much time to pick on her. They had been assigned to the same dorm building, but their schedules were so busy that the only time anyone could talk was during lunch period and Spidra was already too busy complaining about the sanitation of the food and checking her vaccinations to bother Sakura too much.
But today Spidra had been extra nasty and had commented on how Sakura lived with her aunt and uncle and didn't have a real family. Sakura had thought that she should have felt sad, but instead her anger had bubbled inside of her from an unknown source and she had wanted to crush Spidra's delicate, uncontaminated neck. She had quickly squashed that notion, knowing it would get her nowhere.
At least today she'd be able to get into a simulator. She had heard the news yesterday morning and it had been all that she could do to keep her face expressionless as was required by regulations. There had been a couple of times when she had started to regret coming here, but all that had vanished when she had learned that she'd be put into a simulator today.
Suppressing another impatient sigh she leaned forward to see how many other recruits were ahead of her, waiting to get into a simulator and to be tested for their skill. She and the other pilots had been told that now that they knew the controls they would be tested and then divided into squadrons according to skill. Seeing that there were seven more recruits ahead of her she leaned back in her chair and waited for Rigg Rainsno to re-appear out of the simulator he was in.
Sakura had met Rigg on her way to the Flight Academy and they had become great friends. Rigg was blond and blue-eyed and had a great sense of humor. He loved to tell jokes and was quite good at imitations. Sakura was grateful to have a friend like him.
Yesterday, during lunch, Rigg had managed to tell her that the best pilots were placed together in Green squadron which was under the command of Commander Scath, then the rest of the pilots were placed in either the Yellow, Orange, Red, or Blue squadron, or they were exported to the Trooper Academy. From there they would finish their training and sorted into the real squadrons. The real squadrons had the same names as the training ones accept for the most powerful one, the Black squadron. Rigg hadn't needed to tell Sakura about the Black squadron, everyone knew about them. The Black Squadron was famed to be the best squadron in the galaxy. They only appeared when the others squads looked ready to be beaten. When they did come, people said that they squashed the enemies without a thought. No one had made it into the Black Squadron in a decade. People rumor that the Black Squadron was lead by the Dark Lord himself. The Black Squadron was said to be given elaborate rooms instead of barracks. They were treated with respect and honor wherever they went.
Sitting in her chair Sakura finally saw Rigg appear from the simulator before he started walking past the recruits towards her.
"I think I did okay," he whispered softly at Sakura's raised eyebrow. Then Rigg was out the door. The moment they were done with their testing they were ordered to go and get their assignments for the rest of the day until dinner. She had heard different recruits whispering amongst themselves that the assignments following the testing were normally messy clean-up jobs that the officers couldn't be bothered to do themselves. Pushing the thought aside Sakura looked forward instead and wondered exactly how she would be tested. She guessed that she'd probably have to go up against a computer program of sorts, but she wasn't sure what kind of program. The computer would probably create other Fighters that would be on her side so as to simulate what it would be like fighting and flying in a squadron.
"Kinomoto," an officer finally called out fifteen minutes later.
"Here Sir," Sakura replied, getting to her feet.
"Get into the simulator," the officer barked.
"Yes Sir," Sakura replied as she stepped forward and got into the simulator. Sitting down she strapped herself in and put on the breathing mask that covered her entire face. It took her a couple of seconds to get used to the feel of it, but then she pushed those thoughts aside as the blank screen before her changed into a space scene.
Taking hold of the controls she took a deep breath and waited. It was seconds later that she realized that this exercise wouldn't be done with anyone else, computer generated or not. Quickly glancing at the radar to her right she saw two dots rapidly approaching from behind, X-wings she realized from the studying she had done.
Instantly she threw the Fighter into a sharp, spiral, turn just as the lead X-wing's red laser fire overshot her by inches. Suddenly she realized why some of the recruits had come out of the simulator so fast, they had been completely taken by surprise and wiped out with a couple of well placed shots by the X-wings. Clearing her mind of everything but that which she had learned about Fighters, their controls, and maneuvers she quickly brought the TIE she was in level as she fired at one of the two X-wings. One of her two shots hit the X-wing, only to be deflected by its shield. Somehow managing to avoid the X-wing's fire, she finally managed to destroy one of the two X-wings.
"Now the numbers are even," she said to herself as she started chasing the second X-wing.
Ten minutes and two X-wings later, as more of them had appeared out of nowhere when she had finished off the second one, she was finally hit and destroyed by one of the X-wings. Leaning back in her seat and taking off the breathing mask she took a deep breath as she wondered whether she had done well or not. The officers had said absolutely nothing about what they expected them to do in the simulator and the test results would only be out after dinner.
Sighing once more Sakura quickly climbed out of the simulator and went to go get her next assignment before dinner.
Plates clattered and the rattle of dinnerware was loud, but only a few whispers were heard. The bare gray dinning hall held the nervous recruits who were busily shoveling food into their mouths. The recruits didn't have time to talk, the 15 minutes given for meals wasn't nearly enough time to eat, let alone discuss anything. Sakura sat at his assigned seat at dinner, gulping down the food and trying not to choke- the results of the simulation would be announced after dinner, and she felt too nervous to eat. But, at the Academy, you ate anytime you were given food.
"ATTENTION!" Five officers had walked in. All the recruits instantly dropped their forks, jumped to their feet, turned, and snapped a salute. The first officer pointed at a space on the floor.
"The following recruits are to line up here! Kinomoto, Quaret…" startled, Sakura had already started marching to the front, missing the next few names. "…Rainsno, Webniner…" Well, at least Rigg and her were together, but Webniner was Spidra's last name. Oh, how was she going to survive with Spidra in her squad? She snapped to attention at the front of the line. The officer finished reading the first list. "You recruits are now Green Squadron. Follow Commander Scath." One of the officers stepped out and nodded at the line and marched out of the cafeteria. Sakura followed, the rest of the group marching behind as the officer in the dinning hall started reading a second list of names.
They quickly turned into a classroom, everyone took a seat while Commander Scath leaned against the desk at the front of the room. He was an older man- salt and pepper hair topped a small athletic frame, crows feet marked sharp eyes, and one half of his face was covered in a thin network of scars. The scars went up into his hairline, down across his neck and stopped an inch above his uniform.
As Commander Riggs spoke, it was obvious that whatever had scared his face had also damaged his voice. He spoke in a gravely rasp, words dragged across ruined vocal cords. "You are Green Squadron. Your simulation scores gave the indication that you may become Fighter pilots. Do not think that this means that you have secured your pilot status. I will expect more out of you than you have given the Empire before. You must learn to work as part of a squad. You must learn unwavering concentration."
The commander smiled. It did not suit his damaged face. "I've learned the price of wingmates that loose their concentration in battle." His eyes bored into the recruits "I will not let you become pilots without that concentration, that skill."
"Kinomoto, stand up, face your squad." Sakura stood, nervous. "I want you all to know that Kinomoto here has set the academy record for first-time simulation scores and she is also the first female to do so. Beating her scores in future simulator flights is now your goal. That shouldn't be too hard, considering she's just some kid without parents. Therefore, everyday we run a simulation and no one beats her either time, we will find something to do to 'reward' the group. However, Kinomoto, if you throw a sim, you'll flunk out of the Academy and will be sent to be a Trooper. Sit down."
Commander Riggs went on to describe the coming week's schedule. Two simulation flights per day were planned. Sakura's growing enthusiasm was only slightly damped by fears- surely she wasn't that much better than everyone else.
"Are there any questions?" Commander Riggs growled. "Good. Report to the parade ground in 10 minutes."
As the recruits filed out, Rigg caught her arm. "Sith, Sakura, what did you do?"
"I don't know."
Rigg sighed. "Can't be too bad. How long did you last in that sim flight anyway?" The rest of the squad slowed down, listening without looking like it.
"Um, not long past the third X-wing I got, about 10 minutes."
Most of the squad looked at Sakura. One of them swore under their breath.
Rigg sighed. "Well, I got two. We'll be okay. Besides, my dad said they always find something to get you for, everyday. If it isn't you, it will be something else. Won't really be your fault. Come on, let's go." Rigg looked at the rest of the squad. "Anyone else get two?"
Four others raised their hands.
"Actually, I got three as well. But I had to ram the last one." That was from a small blond recruit. "I'm Quaret. I think they lined us up in order."
Rigg nodded. "See, we'll be all right."
Sakura nodded back, earnestly wishing that Rigg was right. She didn't want everyone to hate her, especially if she had to deal with Spidra.

End notes: I generally don't care that much if people don't review, but I worked extra hard on this story so I would like some more reviews. Reviewing would help motivate me to write faster and keep this story up. I might take this story down because it's taking up too much of my time. Thank you to Negau for reviewing.

the Lioness
June 20, 2001