PKA: Public Arrest Training

[Taggerung]

The time had come for their training to start. An excitement filled Justin from the bottom of his boots to the top of his blonde head. Blue eyes shined with an excitement that he didn't quite know how to describe. It was like his insides were bubbling, but they were also jumping around in such a way that made him feel like he'd been hit in the gut. The nervousness gripped him just as hard as the excitement, making him too queasy to eat as they all sat in the mess hall that morning.

Drawing in a deep, shaky breath, Justin fiddled with the tie that draped around his neck, mind whirling. He wondered if his uniform looked proper, if he'd polished his boots enough, if his hair was falling in the right direction. You could be kicked out of here for anything, right? Shuddering a little, the young man closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. This was his own decision, it wasn't like he had been forced to come. And he didn't have to be worried about what his parents at home thought of him; they were proud that he got into the academy...

So there was no need to panic. He was going to get through this. He was going to become a Peacekeeper and... then what?

“That's for later,” Justin mumbled quietly to himself, eyes blinking open finally. He shook his head, trying hard to swallow away his nervousness and uncertainty. He had to be confident. If he wasn't, they would know. And he knew that they would. Dismissing himself from the table, he pulled out a small piece of paper from his pocket, reading the directions on it.

Himself and another ('Alex Orca, that was one of the guys from the drama-filled dorm room, right? The guy who hopped off the bunkbed's shirt said Orca...') were scheduled to meet up at the gates today for Public Arrest training. It seemed like it would be only the two of them there, making him wonder where exactly all the rest of the kids he'd seen in the room would be going. He'd heard a lot of kids signed up for the fitness course, back in the mess hall. Not that he really understood it; half of them had already trained their asses off already before coming here. Maybe not for the sake of coming here, sure, but they still trained. What was the point of more of it?

“Huh, maybe the two throwing words can settle it with blows instead...”

Rushing to the gates, Justin continuously checked his watch, fear of being late just like his first day rolling through him. Panting slightly, he reached the gates and paused, looking around. He couldn't possibly be late, his watch said he wasn't. But looking around, he didn't see anyone else there, waiting for him. A few peacekeepers were around, but they paid him no attention which meant that they probably weren't the ones to be showing them anything. Maybe he'd gone to the wrong gate?

Or, checking his watch again, he was just early.

[Anatra]

Night time in the dorm was quiet. Few words, only the brief sounds of stillness outside, with the window slightly ajar. There's no conversation, no twilight stories. Nothing playful and nothing dramatic. It was just quiet. I liked it. I knocked on the wall next to the bunk, my brother Tyren in the top. I knocked only once. And I hear two knocks follow. They're his. I shut my eyes knowing that we're both alright, we're both fine and don't need to talk about anything major. This is how we would signal that, if it were ever a thing to occur.

I can hear something outside, plane or a hovercraft. It wasn't noisy as it was high in the sky Ithink. It soothes my eyes, my body turning numb to a slumber.

Suddenly, light disturbs anything that would once have been called a sleep. The sound rings in my ears; an alarm. The others are already out and gone to their fitness training. I didn't need to prepare for my course. It was going to be simple. Go and arrest somebody, come back, be evaluated. That was it. Nothing major and nothing challenging. I get up, and change from my sleepwear into my uniform. But no doubt they will give us all kinds of additional gear once we get to the actual location of the course. Or beforehand, however it works.

Stepping out, my legs are tired. My whole body is waking up but it is taking a while. It must be some time in the morning because the obvious smell of toast lingers in the air and runs throughout most of the building.

Suddenly, there's somebody behind me as I walk out of the main entrance. Who? I don't turn but the footsteps are literally following me. "Cadet." I stop in my tracks and turn quickly. "Yes, sir?" I see it is Captain Lussa, the dark skinned female who inspected the room yesterday morning. The one who called me 'glasses' because I had my glasses on that morning, the likes of which I haven't worn since. "Walk with me." We start walking in the direction I need to go, slowly at a pace of her choosing, not mine.

"Your brother is quite normal, for a ghost." She states. I don't reply since it wasn't a question. "Do you know where we are going today?" She asks. "No, sir." She rolls her eyes. "I mean, we're going to arrest somebody, sir."

"Stop calling me sir, that's an order." She grins at me. We share a small mutual smile of the similar humor we share. I don't know where that came from. I'm not displeased with it though. "So, where are we going?" I ask casually. The morning sun flares on us, as opposed to the usual coldness, it is quite warm. Though I can tell it might rain later. It's hard to say due to the lack of clouds, but it has that feel to it. "We shall be going to arrest somebody on the suspicion of rebellion." I nod my head, understanding. "Alright." I say briefly in acknowledgement. She knows more, of course, but it's clearly part of the course to react differently.

We arrive at the gate, to see Jeran Ruze already there. "You two shall accompany me to the household where we will make the arrest. I will go in first, no questions asked." She pauses. "If you see anything of note, alert me. If you hear anything of value, alert me. If you see the criminal run, alert me. Do not make chase."

"Got it." I say. I look over to Jeran as the gates open. "Nice to be working with you." I say to him to break the ice. The gates open and we walk straight towards a peacekeeper car. Jeran and I have to sit in the back as this specific one has all of Lussa's paperwork on the passenger front seat. She gets in, and after three hits of the doors, we're in. The engine starts, and we set off.

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