Sirikaan~
Your life certainly has become adventurous. I beg you to be careful in your endeavors; you are in a most dangerous position. I worry. I know you are capable of handling yourself, but you are still 15 yet. I wish I could be of more help to you, but it will be difficult. I have not been placed in the Navy. Instead, I've been assigned into the operational division, with a side of hand battle if needed. But perhaps I can do some hacking…we shall see. At the moment, the most important thing is for you to find yourself an ally. Perhaps you could hire a mercenary, and I'll come be your bodyguard! Well, it's a thought, even if I won't be able to protect you directly. All I can think to advise at this point is that you find someone to support you so you're not alone. I wish I could help you further, but since reaching Rylann, I've been swamped with training. Things here are hardly what I expected them to be.

After Chenna worked so hard to be free from oppression, here is the last place I expected to find prejudices. Yet, that is exactly what I've found so far, I can't tell you how absolutely frustrating it is! Well, I'm sure you can imagine…let me see if I can explain just what I mean.

Shortly after we had been placed in our divisions, we were separated into squads and assigned dorms. Each squad dormed together in the specific sectors near their posts, and well, the minor details aren't entirely important. I'm dormed in sector C, 5th floor, Room 217, with three other people, all female and in my squad. Next door, the males of our squad are dormed together, and down the hall is our instructor. You would understand my surprise when I discovered that our instructor was the very same Leader General from the shuttle! He immediately appointed a young Norean man as our squad leader. At first I didn't think that it would be a problem, but from the way he smirked at me I began to have my doubts. Though the Nore/Chenna feud had been nearly 100 solar years ago, I suppose he was one of those that had been raised in the Old Ways. Over the next few days, I saw the extent of his malice. It started slowly, with him assigning me kitchen duty for a week instead of the regular 2-day duty. Then it escalated to being given late night watch on the training field. The thing that got me the most was the way he talked to me.

"Hey Cheg, my uniform is dirty. I want it laundered in 0300 hours." He sneered at me. It took all my strength of mind not to murder him on the spot. I had thought such derogatory terms as 'Cheg' had been abolished, but I guess not. So I tried to keep my cool as I replied to his demands.

"And what exactly do you want me to do about it?" I asked caustically.

"What do you think, Cheg?" he threw the sweaty uniform in my face. "Get it cleaned in three hours, or I'll be forced to give you extra duties." Slowly, I smoothed back my chestnut hair and glared at him.

"I'm not your maidservant, Ander. Do it yourself after lessons." So saying, I tossed his uniform at his feet and turned back to my console.

"I don't think you understand the roles of authority in this squad, Cheg. I'm squad leader here, which means I give the orders." Ander hissed. "Now, get going." He snarled at him, tossing the clothing at my feet. I set my amber eyes on him coolly and did not stand from my seat.

"I'm busy doing my work. Have someone else do it, if you want it done so desperately and are too lazy to do it yourself." I looked to General Sevil (as the Leader General had us call him) to see if he would put an end to this madness, but he was just watching with cold interest. Ander grabbed the back of my chair and spun me away from my console to face him.

"You will stop your duties and clean this uniform, Cheg, and tonight you will tend to kitchen duties for lack of respect towards your betters. Do I make myself clear?" he gave my chair a mighty swing and sent me sprawling across my desk. I looked to the General again, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that he would do nothing to stop the insanity. I set my eyes on the rest of the squad, but most shifted to keep from meeting my gaze. Disgusted, I grabbed the uniform and stormed out of the training room.

That night, after I had finished scrapping food from over 300 trays in the kitchen, I went down the hallway to the General's room and office. I knocked on the door and waited to be admitted. When at last the door opened, I saw General Sevil sitting at a desk in the middle of the room. For a moment I was startled, because I had thought he slept there, but then I saw a bedroom through a side door. I guess the higher your rank, the more personal space you have. I must have been standing silently for some time, because he shifted through his papers and looked up at me.

"If you're just going to stand there like an idiot, then do it elsewhere and leave me to my work."

"I wanted to talk to you about this afternoon, sir." I said smartly.

"I thought you might. There is nothing to discuss, unless you have a mind to return home." He returned to his paperwork. "If that is the case, you may stay. Otherwise, you're dismissed to return to your dorm."

"Sir, I will not." I responded, slamming my fist on the table. He looked at it mildly, then looked up at me calmly as I continued. "Ander is out of control. You must have seen how he treats me, all because of a silly prejudice."

"And this angers you." General Sevil responded harshly. I laughed sarcastically.

"Not as much as the idea that you believe him to be capable enough to run a squadron when it's clear he bases all his thoughts and actions on prejudices and games. It seems to be clear to everyone but you that he is an unfit leader." I think I saw something of emotion cross his face, but I couldn't be sure because once more his cool indifference masked whatever his true feelings were.

"Are you saying I don't know what I'm doing?" he asked darkly. I flinched, but held my ground.

"What I'm saying, sir, is that I believe something should be done about the way the situation is currently being handled." General Sevil was silent for a moment, as if listening to something. To my surprise, I saw a flicker beside him like I had seen in the hallway during our first test. I thought that perhaps I was hallucinating from lack of sleep and frustration towards Ander. At last the General spoke, and the flickering vanished. His voice was gentler than I was used to hearing, but I listened carefully to what he said.

"Unless Ander oversteps the laws, I cannot do anything specific. For now, you will follow orders as usual. Think of it as a test of tolerance, if you must. But I will not baby you just because you don't like the way Ander handles his power."

"And you do?" I scoffed, irritation mounting to anger.

"It doesn't matter what I think. The decision has been made, and will be kept. You will return to your duties as normal, and I do not want to hear any more complaints from you on the topic. Am I understood?" He held my gaze with his dark eyes until I finally nodded my head in reluctant agreement.

I couldn't believe it. It seemed as though everyone was against me, and I would be denied my basic rights! Sirikaan, you know how my temper can flare, can you image the hardship it was to remain controlled? General Sevil watched me expectantly, and I saw the flash beside him once more.

"Yes, sir." I managed to grit through my teeth before turning on my heels and returning to my bunk. There is more to tell of the evening's events, but I need my rest for an early rise tomorrow. I will tell you the rest in my next data stream. I bid you luck on your encounter with the Oracle, and I hope you'll take my advice to seek out an ally to heart. Songsteel's blessings, dear sister. May his melody guide your heart and his blade your actions.

Jemma

P.S. Did Chingri happen to mention any more about the poison the Admiral used? Method, name, anything? I fear for her, Mother and Father. If se mentioned anything, please let me know. The library here is monstrous and I will devote all my spare time to finding a way to cure them. The Admiral certainly seems to be a wicked man; perhaps a few rumors started in the right places will make him too busy to worry about you for enough time so you can get away? I'll see what I can cook up. Love and prayers to you and the family.