We all headed to the pilot track, where the physical training of all the new cadets began. First, they would give us an endurance test. We had to do ten laps of the asphalt track. I didn't know how long it was, but I felt very insecure. It was getting very hot, and I might not last long.

The rest of my teammates didn't look too happy, no one liked to do this, but it was one of the tests we had to do. With the sound of a horn, we all started jogging. At first, I had some difficulty, my suit was too tight. I felt very uncomfortable, but as the minutes passed, I was able to keep up with the pace I had set for myself. However, I noticed that most of my companions stayed behind. The sun had them sick, they couldn't keep jogging. In the short time I had been running, I had done half of it.

Suddenly, the horn sounded again to start the race. I stopped immediately, I was sweating too much. The sun in three places was exhausting.

I tried to get back to my other companions, but I saw that most of them were receiving medical attention. These were not the conditions to do this kind of thing. However, I remembered my father's words.

<>>.

Maybe he lived through something like that, but we were mere cadets, such a climate would kill us. All my classmates were exhausted and two of them were in serious condition. I noticed that there were quite a few missing. I didn't want to ask anyone, but one of them spoke to me. He had frizzy hair and brown eyes, was a little short and had glasses.

"You were the best. You did more laps than everyone."

"It's nothing, I'm used to weathering like this, but this is too rough."

"Ah... I introduce myself. My name, the Alex, I'm in group 10. Most of my classmates were already given a position as ship captain, so they're not here."

"They are already captains. That's pretty rare, do they have the ability to lead?"

"No, but right now I was giving them the test, if they pass they are left at once, if not they will have to continue as normal cadets. That's what you get with the power of money."

Hearing that, at least, I already knew that this academy, was not what it seemed. I would have to try much harder to stand out. However, someone familiar suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

My father was talking to one of the lieutenants, obviously I ignored him, I didn't want anyone to know we were family. I didn't know what he was doing here, but he probably wanted to know how I was doing.

I tried to avoid my father, as I knew he was going to scold me for losing two fingers and why I was almost taken out of institution. I only stayed away from the group until lunch time, I thought I wouldn't see him, but when the group was heading to the rooms. I tried to get away from them and ran into him.

He spoke to me in the hallway.

"What are you doing, Nick? I told you, don't draw attention to yourself, and that's the first thing you do. Even if you're missing a hand, you'll have to follow. Don't do stupid things, or you'll look like a fucking cripple living on the street."

I stopped and answered him.

"I don't want to be a cadet. I just want to live a normal life, why are they hard for you to understand that?"

"Nick, this world is not easy. Here you are forced to follow your parents' orders. Without money, you won't be able to do anything, if you want you can leave the academy, but don't ever look for me. I won't be your father anymore, and don't use my name to get people to help you."

I got so angry that I answered him in the worst way.

"What is it that you couldn't do that you want me to do so much!"

He slapped me shortly after telling him that, and to make it all worse, someone had followed him. A fan had a poster of Harrison, the hero's story. I don't know at what point she appeared there or how long she watched us. I was very surprised to see that the person who was there was Lucia, the second level cadet. She was confused when she saw the scene, and I was shaking with fear. I had seen my father kill people who were a problem for him, and this could be one of these occasions. The only thing that saved the girl were the cameras that could show that we had passed this way, but he might try another time.

"Uh... He's my uncle... "I said to keep her from suspecting me.

My dad didn't hesitate to speak up to make himself look good.

"I'm sorry you saw this, but I'm very upset with him, because of his recklessness he almost died."

"Ah... That.... Yes, it was very reckless of him, but he will get used to this and learn to behave himself. Uh... Can you sign my book?"

I was very disturbed to see that she was a fan of my father. She acted like she didn't give a damn. It was typical of obsessive fans to do something like that. The girl had followed him here, and the worst part was that the book he asked her to sign looked pretty old. When he opened it. I could see pictures of missions he had done and there were some descriptions in there, maybe they were all in there. I don't know what my father thought, but even I felt sorry for him.

"Sure, don't worry about it."

She was very happy to see how he had signed it for her and looked like she didn't believe what was happening. When my dad finished signing it, she spoke to him.

"Thank you so much."

"Ah, please don't say anything to anyone, Nick's life is at risk. Just because he's my nephew, you're in danger. They could kidnap him to demand money from me and things like that."

"I understand, I won't tell anyone."

She was smiling and started walking down the halls. She looked very happy. I had gotten her signature, but I was freaking out about what was going on with my dad. I didn't hesitate to talk to her.

"Please don't do anything to her."

"Of course I won't, but if it becomes a problem I'll have to. I know she was the girl on the pallet you helped. Understand at once everyone here is just people you are going to talk to every day and die sometimes. Yes, I see you with a lot of attachment to your partners. I will have to cripple or eliminate them. No friends, anyone can betray you, it happened to me many times. Maybe not her, because she admires me and would do anything I asked her to do, she is a crazy fanatic. I have had cases equal and worse than this one, but the rest of the people maybe not. Be careful."

"So, you won't do anything to her?"

"Not for now, but if the girl becomes a problem. I'll have to get rid of her."

His warning left me cold. For him, everything was valid if he wanted to protect me and prevent someone from hurting me. I had seen him kill people who betrayed him. Mostly ordinary people. Maybe he was right, I shouldn't trust anyone.

[...]

I returned to the group of new cadets in the cafeteria. There at least there was organization, everything was orderly. I had to sit at the emptiest table I saw there. I didn't like that atmosphere, everyone looked pretty tense because of the hard day they had.

It was just lunchtime and many of them were shaking. It seemed that the last few days had been difficult for all of them, luckily it was only a few days, and it would only be done once a week to avoid them all getting sick.

I was sitting at one of the loneliest tables. There were only four people. All away from each other. I preferred it that way, but my dad had been wrong, it was impossible to learn alone here, even though this was a competition to be a pilot of any ship.

I watched as the lieutenants approached all of us and did not hesitate to talk to us.

"Good morning to all the new cadets. This week the weather has been very rough, so we planned to hold off on this endurance test until later. However, we will continue the problem solving theory ones. In one hour, everyone should go to the monitoring room. Have a good day.

It was more soothing. It gave me time to recover from the physical discomfort that prevented me from moving at ease.

However, when I raised my face and saw a mercenary I knew some time ago. An idea of the institution, perhaps. I remember him from a trip I took with my father. He took me to a city to learn how to handle weapons. I didn't know if he recognized me, but I preferred to avoid him. I noticed that he had removed the tattoos from his face and hands. He only had a few scars, but he looked the same. His green eyes were serious, and his black hair was unkempt. The long, untidy beard he had before had been cut, but it was still dangerous to change his image.

[...]

In the monitoring rooms, each one was given a tablet that simulated a ship traveling through the galaxy.

We were thirty cadets in that place. Two lieutenants were watching us. In place was a series of chairs in a row. The chairs were gray and each had a wooden desk. It also had tinted windows and five cameras that watched us, so we wouldn't cheat or talk to anyone.

There we had to answer questions about problems with the ship. If the thrusters were damaged, what action should I take, if I would continue traveling if half of my crew died. There were almost a hundred questions. On top of that they put something weird in our hand. To measure the heartbeat, for some strange reason.

I just started answering all the questions that were closest to the answer, although I was not sure, because each ship was different and could not be controlled in the same way.

I tried to answer quickly and after that I could go to the infirmary for a check-up again. There I could sleep the rest of the day and avoid being tired tomorrow.

However, in the windows it came out in reflection. There they began to show who was first in this room.

I was the only one who had already done half of the questions, the rest had not made it past there.

I got pretty nervous, my dad told me, I shouldn't draw attention to myself, but I felt like what I had in my hand was a polygraph, and they would probably know I wasn't answering honestly. I had no choice but to answer each of the questions as I felt was right.

It was worse for me if I started guessing or answering everything incorrectly.

[...]

Within an hour, I finished answering all the questions, so they let me out of there. One of the lieutenants in charge of my unit let me out.

I was tired, that exam was really heavy, and we hadn't even gotten on a ship here.

I just thought I would go to the infirmary, but on my way to the infirmary. I saw a lot of second level cadets. They were all looking at me kind of surprised, maybe why most of the new cadets like me were still taking their exam, and I was walking around like I was free.

I avoided looking them in the eye and continued on my way. I did not know how I had done in the exams, but I knew that if I did badly the lieutenants who were in charge of everything were going to tell me that I did not read anything and for finishing fast I did not answer the questions well, I stopped thinking about that and without realizing I had already arrived at the infirmary I saw that there was no one there at that hour, I only opened the door again, and I lay down on the stretcher to wait for her. I didn't want to go anywhere else; however, someone arrived and they were bringing an injured person.

It was a first level cadet, apparently something had fallen on his head and he was unconscious. He was being carried by two of his fellow cadets. One of them was my brother. He was older than me and taller, we didn't look alike physically. Our mothers were different, according to what our father said.

Miguel had blond hair and green eyes, his face was round with some fine features. He looked me in the eyes and spoke to me.

"The nurse?"

"She's not here. I'm waiting for her."

He treated me as if I were anyone else, I thought he would treat me as his brother, but I concluded that it was best that our treatment be the same as it was at that moment. I went to the gurney farthest away from them and lay down there. From experience with some second levelers, I knew that senior cadets didn't like newbies, and it was best to avoid them.

However, while the four of us were there. Someone else appeared and opened the door in a rude manner, and it sounded quite loud. It left us somewhat terrified when we looked into his eyes.