Space Fleet Academy: Year One (Biostellar Book 1) by Jon Del Arroz & Vox Day

Author:Jon Del Arroz & Vox Day [Arroz, Jon Del & Day, Vox]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Castalia House
Published: 2026-02-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13: DANGEROUS KNOWLEDGE

The training facility occupied the basement level of Founders Hall, behind biometric locks and down a corridor that did not appear on any public Academy map. Constantine arrived at 0545, fifteen minutes early, and found Elena already there.

She stood near the entrance with Sebastien, their heads close together, his hand resting on her shoulder. She laughed at something he said. The sound carried across the empty corridor and settled in Constantine’s chest like a stone.

One week. Sebastien had announced his intentions one week ago, and already they stood together like people who had known each other for years.

The door hissed open. Colonel Grimm stood at the centre of a cavernous space filled with modular training equipment, holographic projectors, and observation galleries. Admiral Silver stood beside him in dress uniform, her posture suggesting she intended to evaluate every cadet in the room and find most of them wanting.

"Inside. Now."

Twenty cadets filed in. Constantine, Elena, Sebastien, Elias, and sixteen others drawn from all four tracks. The Admiral did not look at her nephew. He did not seem to expect her to.

"You’ve been identified as future leaders," Silver said without preamble. "This training will determine whether that potential becomes reality. Ten additional hours per week, on top of your regular schedule. Complex decision-making. Multi-variable scenarios. Leadership under extreme pressure."

"Some of you will wash out," Grimm added. "That’s acceptable. Better to fail here than fail in command."

"Today’s exercise is simple. Free-for-all combat elimination. Last cadet standing wins. Training weapons only, laser-tag scoring. Three hits and you’re out. The arena includes multiple levels, obstacles, and environmental hazards. Alliances are permitted." Grimm’s scarred face twisted into something that might have been amusement. "Trust at your own risk. Begin in five minutes."

Constantine grabbed a training rifle from the rack, checked its balance, verified the targeting system. Standard issue.

Elena appeared beside him, selecting her own weapon with practiced efficiency.

"Good luck," she said. Her tone carried nothing personal.

"You too."

She waited a beat. When he said nothing else, she nodded and walked to Sebastien, who was already organising a group near the eastern entrance. Elias stood at his shoulder. Two other cadets fell in. Within thirty seconds Sebastien had assigned positions and fields of fire with the easy authority of someone born to command.

Ronald materialized at Constantine’s elbow. "Not joining a team?"

"Not yet."

"Smart. The alliances will collapse the moment it becomes advantageous. Better to stay mobile."

The klaxon sounded.

Constantine moved.

The first three minutes were chaos. Laser fire crisscrossed the arena, cadets scrambling for cover, alliances forming and dissolving in seconds. Constantine worked the northern sector, using elevated platforms to maintain sight lines while staying out of direct engagements. He tagged Hazlett from behind with two clean shots before the other cadet could turn, a third to finish.

"Hazlett, eliminated," the arena system announced.

Below, Sebastien’s group had established a defensive position near the central platform. Their coordinated fire drove back anyone who approached. Elena served as their tactical centre, calling out positions with precise efficiency. She and Sebastien moved together like components of the same machine.

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