The Sky Drifter Read Free Page A

ready for battle.
    Tapping rapidly on her own console, Ms. Photuris announced, You may now begin . The program started.
    My first move was to send the four heavy artillery ships from the back left and right flanks charging ahead on the far sides of the field, drawing immediate fire from my opponent’s long-range reserves.
    “ You’re mine ,” whispered One opposite me.
    Focusing on the battle again, I deployed the front light-infantry ships and my reserves behind them toward my adversary, ahead of the flanking artillery ships, which had taken much damage and had stopped. This prompted them to deploy their own light-infantry toward mine.
    “Got you!” scoffed One quietly almost to himself.
    Just as they were set to collide, however, I retreated both infantry and reserves back toward home territory. As predicted, my opponent followed with his own infantry and reserves, hungry for victory.
    As their ships drew closer, I sent my infantry ships racing ahead while my reserves split left and right, creating a “U” shape. Just as their ships were in the center of the “U,” my own turned and fired, trapping them. Their ships abandoned formation in desperation and I sent my heavy artillery, which I’d made them believe were destroyed, charging toward their own. Their mind being on the enormous damage their infantry and reserves took, my heavy artillery quickly disposed of them, and soon the battle was over.
    Expertly done number 7. Full marks , began Ms. Photuris as the glowing light inside her gradually dimmed and then stopped. 1, your efforts are as impressive as always, though your rash decisions continue to impede your progress. You shall all, as always, find the recorded files of this class on your personal academy pads. I highly suggest you take some time to study 7’s methods.
    I dropped my head to look at the console, feeling it becoming hotter and hotter. I wished Ms. Photuris wouldn’t keep using me as an example. While my other classmates didn’t seem to resent me, it was still embarrassing.
    I glanced up briefly to see One standing completely still, his fists clenched on his station console, and I understood that it’d probably been him whom I’d just faced. While I’d been paying attention to my own screen, it was possible for anyone to look over at anyone else’s. His reaction and evident anger toward me suggested he’d looked over at mine. He hated losing to me, and I knew later that day he’d do everything he could to make me pay.
    Aside from playing Sphere, Strategy class was my favourite thing to do, and I always had the highest grade in the class, with One usually being second. Despite not being able to see the look on his face, I felt the rage still seething inside him. Even if I hadn’t been able to, however, the very colorful adjectives he’d used to describe me after class as he shoved passed me and then out of sight would have been enough of a clue.
    After I walked out of class, I headed downstairs to the rumbling sounds of my stomach. I negotiated through the crowds of equally hungry students, which at times proved to be challenging.
    The academy was a multi-species environment and accommodated students of all shapes and sizes. Winding around races like the Eris was easy enough, given their small size, albeit carefully due to the multitude of spikes on their backs and arms. Belluas, however, were much trickier, if not impossible, to overtake. So big were they that should two of them walk side by side the entire hallway would look like an impenetrable slow-moving, gray wall.
    Once I finally managed to fight my way to the far right side of the academy, I entered the wide, high-ceilinged canteen, which was already bustling with the sounds, songs, and growls of students.
    The six-legged, black Langors were already standing motionlessly in line under the nourishing light that shone from the glass above. The colorful, shapeless Pingos made their usual mess by throwing liquid globs of themselves