Xandrian Stone Book 1: Beginning of a Legend Read Free Page B

proper fashion, as long as these orders do not conflict with the Book of Morale Conventions.
    Given the nature of the EMPLOYER the EMPLOYEE accepts that the EMPLOYER will at all times attempt to take the EMPLOYEE's personal safety and health into account when giving orders but special situations may inhibit that.
    The EMPLOYER will pay the EMPLOYEE the standard salary as defined in the Book of Laws, private sector, as a basis, upon which he will add special salaries as defined in the Book of Laws, private sector, as the EMPLOYEE changes in rank and specialization.
    After TWENTY-FIVE YEARS of service the EMPLOYER and EMPLOYEE both may terminate the contract with ONE YEAR's NOTICE to the end of the following year. If either does not do so, the contract will automatically be renewed for a period of FIVE YEARS.
    After FIFTY YEARS of service the aforementioned renewal period changes to ONE YEAR.
    The Handbook of Service in the Swiss Federated Space Navy is an integrated part of this contract. If the Handbook of Service in the Swiss Federated Space Navy contradicts any part of this contract, the contradicted part of this contract will supersede the Handbook of Service in the Swiss Federated Space Navy.
    EMPLOYER HAS SIGNED
    EMPLOYEE HAS NOT SIGNED
    I chuckled. The Handbook of Service was a tome of several hundred pages that was ever changing. But it could only rule non-essentials, the navy could not be warped by it to something unrecognizable. Both the Book of Morale Conventions and the Book of Laws, private sector were parts of the contract and would supersede the handbook, protecting the contract.
    When I put my thumb on the appropriate position the last line of the contract changed to " EMPLOYEE HAS SIGNED ".
    I took a deep breath and stood up. I was SNECed. Cadet Xandrian Stone. I smiled to that.
    When the door behind me flew open I was busy dreaming of saving the Swiss Federation from all kinds of evil-doers, so I was caught by surprise when a powerful voice smashed through my daydreams. "Ateeen-TION Cadet!" 'Cadet'. Wow. I whirled around and stiffened myself to the best of my ability. For a reason I never really understood - in retrospect one could almost say that the Supreme Divine smiled on us both that day - the nameplate from the lieutenant in front of me caught my eye immediately: Radaean McGlennan.
    Lieutenant McGlennan radiated sincerity, discipline, hardness but no malice or sadism at all. Instantly I respected and liked the lieutenant. He looked at me with what I now know to be his best 'drill face', making me feel very small and cadet-like. I loved that feeling and desperately tried not to grin in happiness. "Wipe that smirk off your face Cadet!" I tried harder.
    "Ah, you're hopeless, Cadet! Fall in line and march to the quartermaster's office!" With that he turned to the door and stood still. I neither knew what he meant by "fall in line" nor where the quartermaster's office was. I did doubt, however, that I was supposed to drop to the ground trying to look like a line. The only thing that made sense was that the Lieutenant wanted me follow him, so I moved behind him and tried to stand on an imaginary line extending from him backwards. "Right foot forward-MARCH!" He thumped his right foot on the floor and marched. I failed to start at the same time and had to jog to keep up, then I tried to march in the same rhythm as the Lieutenant. After a few steps I started feeling confident and noticed that the Lieutenant's shoulders were as empty as mine, where the ribbons would be. "File - STAHP!" I thumped into his back, still too focused on marching and looking at the Lieutenant's shoulders. "Sorry, sir." I moved back to be "in line" again as he turned around to punish me with a hard stare. At least what I thought to be "in line". Then it hit me: The candidates I had seen dusting themselves off had misinterpreted the order to fall in line!
    I was getting a hang of controlling my face it seemed - the Lieutenant just snorted