Chapter 1
Bill and Tom were enjoying themselves quite thoroughly at the party. There were plenty of girls, and plenty of booze. All 24 people invited managed to show up as well, to the delight of the �hosts� of the party.
�So, what�s your name?� a tipsy Tom said to a beautiful blonde.
�My name is Sara Evremonde,� she replied.
�Are you enjoying the party?� he asked.
�Of course, you and Bill set this whole thing up, right?� she said.
�Yup, from the beer to the grass, we got it all,� Tom said.
�I�ve been noticing you in class since the beginning of the year. You always try to make a scene,� Sara said flirtatiously.
�Yeah, you know me, always gotta be the life of the classroom,� Tom said.
�Want to make a scene here?� Sara said, winking.
�What kind of scene do you want to make,� Tom said, not comprehending.
�I�m sure if you were sober you would get it,� Sara said.
�Probably, after a couple of joints and a fifth of Bicardi 151, I�m not in my right mind,� Tom said.
�Alright, let me make it clear for you,� Sara said, taking off her shirt.
�Alright, that�s clear enough for me,� Tom said.
�Good, how about that bed over there?� Sara said.
�Fine with me, let�s go,� Tom said. The two of them go over to the bed and start having sex.
A short distance away, Bill is talking to a black-haired girl. �Do you like the party so far?� he asks.
�No, it�s been kind of boring. Nothing�s really going on so far,� she said.
�What�s your name again? I don�t talk to you often in class,� Bill replied.
�My name is Maria Verdi,� she replied.
�You from Puria?� Bill asked.
�Yes, I am,� Maria answered.
�Are there any other students here that you knew well before coming to the Imperial School?� Bill queried.
�Only by reputation,� Maria said.
�And who would that be?� Bill asked.
�A girl named Delia Sanchez. I�m glad you didn�t invite her here. From what my friends told me, she was such a freak. I wonder what happened to her, since she doesn�t seem that way here,� Maria said.
�A freak, you mean she was adventuresome in bed?� Bill asked, a bit shocked.
�Yeah, I heard she would do anything her boys would ask her to do,� Maria said.
�Too bad she�s been so mousy and hanging around that nerd so much,� Bill said.
�Well, I�ll go back to my dorm room now, it doesn�t seem like anything interesting is going on here,� Maria said.
�Wait, have something to drink, and you�ll enjoy the party a lot more,� Bill said.
�I don�t like beer at all, I was hoping you had some better stuff than that,� Maria said.
�I didn�t think to buy any Kahlua,� Bill said.
�Too bad,� Maria said as she left.
Bill then talks to an auburn haired girl. �So, how are you enjoying the party?�
�It�s not bad so far,� she said.
�So, what is your name again? I know we worked together in a history project in the spring semester,� Bill said.
�My name is Autumn McFadden,� she replied.
�What a beautiful name you have,� he answered.
�Apparently not beautiful enough for you to remember,� Autumn said.
�But you are very beautiful too,� Bill said.
�Well, I already have a boyfriend. See that guy over there getting two drinks?� Autumn said testily.
�Yeah, I see him,� Bill answered.
�That is my boyfriend, a very good one too,� Autumn said.
�Too bad, too bad,� Bill said as he turned away from her before her boyfriend returned.
As Bill was looking around for another girl to try to flirt with, he heard a tapping at the door. �It�s a bust,� he yelled.
The door was kicked open by the Directrix, who stood at the head of a detachment of troops. Everyone suddenly stopped what they were doing, even those that were having sex at the time. For a while there was a silence, as if this was not entirely real and that the nightmare would end any second, and then Natonito spoke.
�Whose party is this?� Natonito asked icily.
�It was Bill and Tom�s party,� a student piped up.
�I see,� Natonito�s eyes narrowed into slits. �And how many people are here, Major?�
�There are 25 students in here,� the major answered.
�Take Bill and Tom to the prison,� Natonito said as he glared at the students. �The rest will be disciplined by their parents when I tell them of this. Which of the students are not here?�
�Boss, Daniel, Delia, Henry, Cherie, and Maria are gone,� the major said.
�Good, this party�s over,� Natonito said as he walked out of the room, as the troops dragged Bill and Tom behind him. He walked off to the prison area of the palace compound, and the only sound was the uniform marching of Natonito and the troops. Finally, they reached the compound.
�You do realize what trouble you are in right now, don�t you?� Natonito said with an evil glare.
�Um, big trouble, right?� Bill said.
�Yes, big trouble,� Tom said, fidgeting.
�Yes, the weed and alcohol have not dulled your minds that much, I see,� Natonito said.
�How did you know there was weed too?� Bill said.
�I could smell it, and people were leaving joints out all over the place. If you guys are going to do something wrong, be smart about it and cover your tracks. You guys are not only miscreants, but you�re inept at it,� Natonito said.
�What are you going to do, expel us?� Bill said.
�Of course. You knew that was coming. I am also sending you to the Imperial Marines,� Natonito said. �As I warned your parents I was going to do if you did not improve. I think they took me seriously, but I can see you did not.�
�The Imperial Marines? I thought they didn�t take people with criminal records?� Tom said.
�You are quite mistaken. The empire constantly sends out its convicts as grunts in the marines. They are always looking for more cannon fodder in that particular branch of the service, and you two will do quite nicely,� Natonito said.
�You�re saying we make good cannon fodder?� Bill asked.
�Yes, you are dumb, energetic, and no one will miss you. If you die, you will be heroes of the empire, serving in some kind of brave operation,� Natonito said. �If you live, you will find life difficult on the civilian side, and when you try to raise kids yourself, they will turn out just like you.�
�What about the girls?� Tom asked.
�Girls? The only girls you will see are those speaking foreign languages with all sorts of freaky diseases. The only girls that you will be sleeping with for the next four years, if not longer, are going to be the prostitutes that frequent military bases. Oh, and be careful in the showers; don�t drop your soap,� Natonito said.
�What�s that supposed to mean?� Bill asked.
�In the military we have a don�t ask, don�t tell policy about gays. We keep them out of the officer�s corps, but we sprinkle a few of the enlisted classes with them just to jump the bones of some of the recruits,� Natonito said. �Don�t say I didn�t warn you.�
�What are you signing us up for?� Tom asked. �Are you trying to kill us?�
�No, worse. I am going to make you grow up one way or another. As noblemen, you two will be subject to a lot of abuse, because the marines are the abode of the lowest of the low. They will want to know why two aristocrats are in their midst, and when they find out, you will be tormented by them for all time,� Natonito said.
�Why don�t you just jail us?� Tom asked.
�Why have the people of the empire pay for your room and board? You will be serving the empire, and paying off your time in a way that is productive and useful, by destroying the enemies of the empire, or stopping their bullets at least,� Natonito said.
�Do we have a choice not to do it?� Bill asked pathetically.
�No, but you will not be shipped out until after the end of classes, when you will be paraded out of the school to ridicule and mocking. The people who partied with you will see you as examples, and if that does not curve their behavior, then the marines will have lots of recruits,� Natonito said. �I think your punishment will have a sobering effect on all of them. Enjoy the next few days here in the slammer.� Natonito then walked to his room to go to sleep.
[ Chapter 2 ]
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