Page 3 of Redondo (Mates of the Mylos #7)

CHAPTER 3

REDONDO

“Frederick Allen,” Admiral Surkane called out.

The lone human to rank among the top stood up, grinning ear to ear as he climbed the stairs to the stage.

“Congratulations,” the admiral said to him. “You are the first human to graduate at the top of his primary field of study. I understand many underestimated you in the battle training arena, as well.”

Fred blushed. “Thank you, sir.”

The admiral handed him his assignment key. “You have been assigned to the Fleet at Yorshka station, where you will continue advanced medic training under the tutelage of Chief Medic Taranf.”

If Fred’s smile grew any wider, I feared his face would split in half. I was pleased for him. He’d been kind to me, always, and had made overtures of friendship. Which I’d been far too shy to accept, to my deep regret. Yllip was right. I needed to try harder at trusting my fellow warriors to be as accepting as they appeared to be. I vowed that I would make at least one new friend at our duty assignment. If Yllip found them trustworthy, then I would give them a chance.

“Yllip and Redondo,” the admiral’s lips lifted into an amused smile. “Why am I not surprised you’re going to the same posting? Please come on up, both of you.”

We stood and walked resolutely up onto the dais.

“Redondo, you put down ‘anywhere’ as a preferred assignment, and only that. Yllip, you put down some plum assignments indeed, but stated that above all, you wished to go where Redondo went.”

“Yes, sir,” Yllip replied, all brashness gone.

Surkane studied us closely.

“Redondo, as the only Dragonii within the Fleet, and the first of the Dragonii to become a citizen, it was felt that the universe has something quite special in mind for you. The odds were against your survival as a young on his own during the fearsome battle that set you onto the path which led to you standing before us today. And so, we reached out to the Galactic Council, who consulted with the Fleet’s AIs and asked them to compute the most likely place the stars wished you both to be. No constraints, as long as you could be together.” He held out our keys. “Tomorrow, after graduation, you are to depart for the Bride Fleet of Earth. May the universe smile, and bring you the joy of finding your mates.”

Exclamations broke out from the cadets watching. No one had ever gone straight from the academy to a Bride Fleet. Absolutely no one! It simply did not happen.

The admiral chuckled. “You can close your mouths now and go sit down. I have the rest of your class to hand these things out to and then dismiss everyone for dinner. The first years are looking particularly peckish.”

I nodded, staring numbly at the key in my hand.

Yllip tugged at my arm, trying to get me to follow him.

“Settle down!” Surkane told the rest of the auditorium. “You can gossip about the assignments over your meals later!”

I found myself slipping down into my seat, tucking my tail around my waist the best I could to avoid squashing it. I didn’t even remember actually walking back. I blinked, turning the key over in my hand.

“I’d put down some highly sought after assignments, but never dreamed of asking for what we got,” Yllip murmured. “Our parents are going to be so proud, they will be insufferable.”

I chuckled softly. He was correct. I could just hear Papa telling one of his friends, “And of course, the Academy and the entirety of the Fleet’s AI systems saw just how special our Ondo was, and sent him and Yllip straight to the Bride Fleet at Earth,” and my father would go on about how he’d known I was destined for special things, having fought off a full grown warrior well enough to escape and hide during the attack that decimated our colony. Yllip’s parents would be the same, no doubt imagining us finding our mates almost immediately and giving them grandyoung as we rapidly climbed the ranks.

“They’re going to be ridiculous,” I murmured back, then after a glare from the usher, we said nothing more until the last member of our graduating class had been called and given their assignment key.

“Dismissed. Leave in orderly rows, starting in the front,” Sukane ordered and we all stood, filing out as told.

Once in the corridor, Fred hurried over to us. “Wow! And I thought I had a fab assignment! My mom would have been over the moon if I’d gotten Earth. She’s one of the human IT workers who help write the code that allows human tech to communicate with the Fleet. I’ll introduce you tomorrow. I’m sure she’d love to show you all the best places to eat and stuff.”

“That’s very kind of you,” I said.

Yllip beamed at me. “It is, isn’t it?” He turned his smile over to Fred. “Thanks. It will be good to know someone already.”

He nodded. “We should hang out when I come home for Christmas. Okay, um, I promised Mom I’d call as soon as I knew my assignment. See you in the chow hall! Save me a seat!” He rushed off.

“See why it’s good to have more than one friend,” Yllip asked me, playfully poking me in the ribs.

I nodded. I’d say we were more acquaintances, but perhaps that was only on my side of things. Fred definitely seemed to believe we were friends. I smiled, liking the feel of that.

“Come on, we should go grab our dinner before all that’s left is replicated stuff and we both know how you prefer your vegetables fresh and grown in actual dirt.”

I rolled my eyes at him. Just how could he not tell that soil grown tasted superior to anything else?

“We should call our parents as soon as we finish eating though. Let’s do a group comm, so we only have to tell them once.”

“Seeing as they are traveling together, that sounds best,” I agreed.

“A vid comm,” he continued. “The looks on their faces will be something to not miss! In fact, we should record it.”

I chuckled. He was still the same incorrigible being I’d met as a child, despite all the years that had since passed. Okay, fourteen years had passed, not fifty or a hundred, but still. He was the same old male I was glad to consider a brother.