Starcraft: Rise Of The Empire 14 Spying – 1

I wake up with a jump to the blasting of a horn. I look around confused, to a faintly familiar room. Oh yeah, I'm under Vladmir now. I get up quickly, a quick to form habit after going to sleep so early in the night. After all, I have been training intensely here.

I get out of my room after putting on my clothes, b.u.mping into someone. I catch her, my sister, before she falls. Her room is near mine, as are that of the other children. My sister looks up to me and smiles, in my arms. I smile back to her.

- Let's go. – I tell her, putting her on her feet. – We got a long day ahead of us.

Suna just smiles to me, nodding the other children also look to me with respect. After all, I'm more or less the leader of this small group. We march, as we were taught, to the training field, but instead of our usual instructor, we are met with someone else talking with our instructor. Isn't that… Vladmir?

We stop, taking a line formation by height, with me on the leftmost end. We also stand ready, since our instructor made sure to drill that in us in this short period. Our tutor notices us and speaks something with Vladmir. He then looks at us, and my whole body tenses up. I don't know why, but his stare is… heavy, somehow.

They stop right in front of us, and after a few moments in silence, Vladmir raises one eyebrow.

- You haven't taught them official etiquette yet? �� He asked to our tutor, who, surprisingly, goes red with embarra.s.sment.

- I am extremely sorry, Commander. I didn't foresee a visit from your Excellency. – He said, bowing deeply.

- I see. – He nodded. – Very well, we shall skip the formalities for now. Recruits! I came here to check on your training! – He said with a wide smile. – As of today, you are all to be trained in combat as true soldiers of this army!

When he said that, there was an immediate s.h.i.+ft on the children. I'm also not that comfortable with this, for political "hostages" this could be a bad sign, one that they could actually send us to battle to die of the need arises.

Vladmir stared at every single one of us when saying those words, and when his eyes met mine, he stopped for a second. I couldn't help but to stare back at him, those icy blue eyes. I feel… strange, as if my mind is going numb. Suddenly the memories of training surface, how my father taught me how to use a sword, the fights with the other kids, my first monster kill and the tournaments that we did in town without my father knowing. Why am I thinking about all of this?

- Well, not that I expect a lot from you all on the subject of battle. – He says suddenly breaking eye contact, my mind clearing a little. – You are all young, after all, and I doubt most of you have faced a serious, life-threatening battle. You will all be tested, and evaluated to where you will be sent. Field Instructor, I will leave the sorting at your discretion!

- Sir, yes Sir! – the instructor salutes as Vladmir turns to go away. Our instructor turns to us, making a very satisfied and happy face. – Now, form a line! I'll be testing all of you one by one!

(Vladmir's POV)

That was unexpected, the wolf woman has much more in her than I expected. I have gotten better at mind reading, and my Marines have reported that they barely notice when they have their minds read.

The children were easy to read, after all their minds are young and don't have the same toughness that an adult mind has. The little wolf girl had a stronger mind than expected, but I doubt that she noticed. The wolf woman however, had more backbone, I needed a few more seconds to go through her surface memories.

She's a good fighter, but I doubt that she stands a chance against one of my Marines, even less with me. Anyway, they will make for decent soldiers, although all of them have insecurities, the most grave ones are that of the Wolf Woman, Luna.

Since I was reading her mind, her immediate thoughts came to me, and the insecurity of being sent to die in the battlefield. Not that I had that idea but would be a good way to get rid of political hostages, actually. Anyway, my intent is to awe them with how advanced we are, and train them to be loyal and some light brainwas.h.i.+ng. Nothing too much, just some propaganda.

Anyway, today is a good day. The Ghost scouts came back with definitive information about the army. They have settled in the town ruins, and have risen a camp in the houses that can still work as shelter after some small repair. The Banshees are keeping an eye for me, but I need better info.

Because of that, yesterday I had sent my Ghosts to gather information, and they are returning now with intel. I pull back the sleeve of my left arm, revealing a bracelet that cover my entire forearm, a silvery bracelet with a screen on it. the most recent model of the Command Gauntlet (trademark pending).

With a touch, a holographic screen is projected in the air, the face of the Ghost that I sent as leader, now covered with a helmet, appearing on it, the forest as background. It seems that he is on his way back.

- Status Report. – I order.

- Yes Sir! We have footage of several doc.u.ments and audio from commanders of the invading host, and I think you will be interested in this information, Commander. – He says seriously.

I nod as I walk through the camp, already too far from the recruits that aren't having a stellar time at this moment. of course, I have nothing to hide from my soldiers, since they are completely loyal.

- Give me a brief summary, lieutenant.

- Sir, they are disguising themselves as an administrative force, to help academy students to come and train in the surroundings of the ruins. Their true intention, however, is to find the beastman settlement sir.

I nod.

- As expected. Good job soldier, aside from the main terminal, send it to my personal one as well. I want to review it personally aside from the commanders.

- As you wish Commander, uploading to your personal terminal now.

- Well done lieutenant, transmission over. – I say, turning off my gauntlet. Alright, time to go back home.

I walk to a relatively empty spot of the camp not far from where I am, moving my hand on the empty air, uncovering the Stealth Vulture.

- You two, get on your Vultures as well, we are returning to the Command Center.

- - Yes Sir. - -

I hear two voices from the two stealthed Ghosts, acting as my bodyguards. Both male, of course, they are excellent stealth masters after all. I mount my Vulture, and they do the same on their stealthed ones. With that, I stealth together with my Vulture, and ride back to my main headquarters. I need to review the info.