[The White Raven, Chapter 18, Misconceptions] [Mulae Farael Battle Group, House Sparrow Battle Carrier] Pesa reads through the files the Sparrow Academy sent, the documents tell her everything she wouldn’t have known if her Host had remained at the Academy instead of being assigned to the Battle Carrier. The entire course curriculum was here, to include the stress tests and the exact number of her Host that was predicted for natural selection; her Host had been slated to lose six members over the four years at the Academy. But, that wouldn’t be necessary now, every day aboard the Battle Carrier was a stress test, any mistake on the Carrier could end in death. “Tonae, it looks like we are doing the Academy by correspondence now,” observes Pesa. “Yea, I was just thinking that,” replies Tonae. “Have you read about the end project we have to submit for graduation?” The graduation project required of every Host class would be graded on the commercial, military, or academic applications of the project. The requirement was that every Host had to present a new practical advancement in technology. Pesa reads through some of the previous graduating classes projects. The third project on the list caught her attention, she had used that device many times; it was her toothbrush. The toothbrush used ultra-sonic vibrations to guarantee the user would never suffer a cavity. The sixth project was a device that interested her, it was a navigation beacon that would bring a ship lost in TDS back to normal space. The last item on the list made Pesa gag. “Found the last item huh,” says Tonae grinning. “It’s disgusting,” says Pesa. “I looked it up,” says Tonae. “It was invented by Raven exchange students that attended twelve years ago.” “Who would insert such a thing inside their body,” says Pesa disgusted and tosses the file aside. “It’s the number one selling sex toy on all forty-nine worlds,” says Tonae. “Guarantees sublime pleasure, but has a warning that it’s highly addictive and can cause death. And, comes in seven different colors and seventeen models to fit all known species.” “How do you know?” asked Pesa, her face showing her shock and disgust. Tonae holds up a piece of paper, laughing and tipping his head to the side. “It says so here on this appendix report. How did you think I knew?” “The Ravens are sick and twisted,” says Pesa, trying to ignore Tonae’s little joke. “It’s an abomination and abuse of technology.” “Maybe, but they know how to make money,” argues Tonae. “This says the device has made over sixty billion, and that’s just what they’ve reported for taxes. Who knows how much they made under the table.” “Seriously?” Pesa grabs the file back and looks at the numbers. “The Ravens deal in perversions, it’s not a wonder they are the wealthiest House. We build all the Battle Carriers and the entire Dart Fleet, and still don’t make as much as they do.” “Yep, dark pleasures sell better than spaceships,” says Tonae. “Okay, lets figure out how we are going to do this,” says Pesa looking at the course curriculum. “There will be nobody monitoring us here on the ship because a Priestess isn’t allowed on a War Ship, so it’s all up to us to keep up.” “You’re the Host Leader,” says Tonae. “Just tell us the plan.” “According to the Academy schedule, we only had two more weeks of library familiarization before we started classes,” says Pesa glancing at the schedule. “But this is a whole new library here on the ship, we won’t be familiar enough with it to do the work… but… not enough time… hmmm.” Tonae amuses himself while Pesa thinks of a plan by looking at the design drawings of the Ravens sex device. “Give me that, you pervert,” snaps Pesa and grabs the drawing. “Here’s what we’ll do… we go back on rotation for the next two weeks, and we live right here in the library, and only four hours sleep a night instead of five.” “There’s no other Host assigned on this deck, so we have it to ourselves,” says Tonae. “One problem though, we have to do six hour shifts at our stations, and then you want to study the rest of the time, and… well… the Medical Officer has to approve all sleep plans, and he won’t approve four hours.” “Five hours?” asks Pesa. “Captain’s orders, all crew gets six hours sleep,” says Tonae. “That’s even less time for study than before,” complains Pesa. “I don’t think you are taking into account that we all have shifts at different times, there will never be more than two-thirds of us in here at any one time,” says Tonae. “Of course, we won’t have to do the strict rotation,” says Pesa. “Everyone will have longer with books. Let’s get started.” The notification chime rings on Pesa’s tablet; she has an incoming message. Tonae glares at the tablet, his face turning dark. “Oh stop it, Tonae,” says Pesa. “Jealousy is stupid, and I’m here with you, so just get over it.” Pesa picks up the tablet, it’s a message from Jaco and she reads it. “Oh Goddess, no,” says Pesa. “What? He broke a nail?” asks Tonae. “Jaco’s been captured and given to a human as a sex slave,” whispers Pesa, horrified. Tonae picks up the drawing of the Raven's sex device and holds it out. “Here, send him the plans for this, sounds like he could use it.” Pesa jumps up from her chair, knocking it backwards, leans over the table, and smacks Tonae across the face. “Say something like that again and I’ll withdraw as your mate,” shouts Pesa. Tonae keeps his expression neutral, and his voice low. “No need, I’ll withdraw now,” says Tonae getting up and walking away. Pesa glares at Tonae’s back as he walks away, he can be so immature, not like Jaco. She has no time for this, Jaco needs help. Pesa runs out of the library, she knows exactly who can help. The corridors are full of crew members moving about whatever duty they are performing, but she was getting used to the travel lanes in the corridors and how to use them. Pesa ran and dodged past the slower moving crew members. Nobody would tell her to slow down, it was a War Ship, running somewhere was as natural as breathing. Pesa ran through the hatch to the Security Office and was immediately grabbed by Lieutenant Dak and pulled against the wall with other Hawks. Lieutenant Dak held his finger up to indicate Pesa to be silent. There were two Hawks in the center of the room fighting, and a third Hawk standing nearby holding a tray with a wrinkly baked golden apple. The two Hawks grappled, kicked, punched, and lashed their wings out at each other. One of the Hawks twisted and swept his leg in an arc, bringing the other Hawk to the ground. The first Hawk dropped and pinned the second Hawk down, and then Lieutenant Dak stepped forward. “Corporal Huakae has the blessings of the Goddess,” declares Lieutenant Dak. Corporal Huakae stands and walks to the Hawk holding the apple and takes it from the tray and holds it in the air. “I thank the Goddess for this blessing,” says the Corporal, and then takes a bite of the apple. Corporal Huakae holds the apple in the air again. “A Hawk does not win a battle alone, come brothers, share in the Goddess’ gift.” The other Hawks, some of them with black eyes and a few bloody noses, gather around and the apple is passed among them, including Lieutenant Dak. Pesa thinks she detects Lieutenant Dak has a slight limp. “What was that all about? asks Pesa. “When an apple turns gold it means the Goddess has given it the Blessing of Strength, and we must compete for the honor to eat it,” explains Lieutenant Dak. Pesa tipped her head to the side in amusement. She could explain to them that when the apple is heated, sugar from the apple saturates the apple skin and when the heat of the oven begins to caramelize the sugar in the skin it turns a golden color. But, Hawks were fanatical about their apples and they probably didn’t want the scientific reason for the color change of the apple. “You’re early for lunch,” says Lieutenant Dak. Pesa hands him the tablet. “Jaco has been captured and made a human’s sex slave, they haven’t even asked for ransom.” Lieutenant Dak reads the letter, furrows his brow a bit, and hands the tablet back to Pesa. “I don’t think he’s been captured at all,” says Lieutenant Dak. “But, I do believe there is some confusion as to how your friend is seeing the situation.” “But…” Pesa starts to say and the Lieutenant interrupts. “Pesa, I do not know exactly what is going on with your friend, but the humans have not chained or caged him, and they have him sleeping in their own sleeping quarters with no visible guards. They have not taken his tablet away to prevent him from contacting other Ravens for a rescue. And not only that, but your friend mentions that a Gunslinger made coffee knowing full well a Raven was right above him. Gunslingers are not so trusting of Ravens as to turn their backs on them, especially if the Raven is a prisoner.” Lieutenant Dak hands the tablet back to Pesa. She looks at the letter again. He’s right, she didn’t think it through, it doesn’t look like Jaco is a prisoner. “But they are forcing him to mate with a human,” says Pesa. “You’ve told me Jaco is a third year Raven student?” asks Lieutenant Dak. “Yes.” “It is possible that Jaco mistranslated and didn’t understand what he was told,” says Lieutenant Dak. “A third year Temple student that has never had contact with humans before will not be proficient in Imperial Standard, and certainly not in Raunian, which is likely the language these Lone Gunslingers are speaking.” “Is there a way to find out what’s going on?” asks Pesa. “Oh yes, we are going to check,” says Lieutenant Dak. “Your friend has given a human the entire repository of Raven technology, and that is a very serious crime.” Lieutenant Dak walks over to a Vid-computer and sits down. Pesa follows with a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t mean to get Jaco in trouble. Lieutenant Dak punches Jaco’s name into the computer and almost immediately the screen turns black and the Seal of the Commonwealth Senate appears in the center of the screen. Jaco’s name is printed in bold letters at the bottom of the screen and below that is a message printed in a small white box. *Do not detain, question, or interfere with this individual, by order of the Commonwealth Senate* There is a yellow response block under the white block and Lieutenant Dak types the word ‘acknowledged’ in the space before hitting the enter button. The screen blanks out and returns to normal. “What happened?” asks Pesa. “Did we get Jaco in trouble?” “You should be more worried about yourself right now,” says Lieutenant Dak. “Huh?” “They will assume I saw a Ravens name on a ship manifest somewhere and ran a standard security check,” explains Lieutenant Dak. “As long as I don’t run another check, ever, there won’t be any red flags raised, but I am concerned about your letters.” “I can’t write Jaco anymore?” “Let me think,” says Lieutenant Dak tapping the ends of his taloned fingers on the desk.” “I didn’t mean to get anyone in trouble, I’ll stop writing,” says Pesa beginning to cry. “No, I think you should continue writing, but keep your letters innocent, only respond naturally to things he says, and never ask about his mission. There’s no doubt your letters are being read by whomever pulls Jaco’s strings, but… even spies have one friend, and I think your quasi-love letters will look perfectly normal.” “Spy?” “Look, Pesa, I don’t know, but this looks a lot like we have sent a spy to infiltrate the Gunslinger Order.” Lieutenant Dak grins and nods his head. “You know, it’s rather brilliant too, we’ve tried to infiltrate the Gunslingers before, but every time our operatives have been caught. From what I read in that letter, your Jaco is either brilliant, or an idiot, either way nobody would ever suspect him.” ***** [Demonian Evacuation Fleet, Low Orbit, Planet Darai] Cody checked his sleeping friend to make sure his oxygen mask was securely over his face. Gaevin had come in to check on him and drop some new clothes off for Cody to change into. Cody changed into the shorts, then pulled the thick high-top boots that came almost up to his knees. Gaevin said they were going somewhere that was very hot, and could be dangerous. The shorts were because it was going to be hot, and the boots to protect him from snake bites. Gaevin also said someone would be bringing hats and shirts for the Daraians that would be staying with the Demonians to help them get settled in. The Demonians didn’t wear hats and there wasn't any in storage on the ship, and they didn’t have any shirts that would fit Daraians, but the Struthians had hats and shirts, and would bring them later. Daraian shirts were different from every other humanoid species’ shirts. The Daraian shirts fastened with buttons in the back instead of the front, so they could fit around the wing-blades. Cody was very worried about that, he was a hatchling and until a month ago his wings were small enough that any shirt worked fine, but he had grown and his wings were getting too big to hide anymore. The woman that used to take care of him had been afraid of his wings and told him never to let anyone see them. Cody tried to pull his wings in tight, then tried adjusting his shirt, but nothing was working, he needed help, but Zan was asleep. Cody jumped up and down a few times to get used to his new boots and then walked over to the door and pulled the hatch open and looked out into the corridor. People were running around getting the ship ready for when the Darts giving them air would leave so they could land. “What do you want?” asks a voice. Cody whips his head around, Prince Mischief is leaning against the wall on the other side of the hatch. “Why do you hate me?” asks Cody. “I don’t hate you,” replies Prince Mischief. “I hate your father.” Prince Mischief walks past Cody and into the room, Cody pulls the hatch closed. Gaevin told him he had to keep hatches on a spaceship closed all the time when not using them. “You’re always mean to me,” says Cody. “You should be used to that,” says Prince Mischief walking over to his sleeping brother. “Especially if my brother is your friend.” “He’s not mean, he’s nice,” argues Cody. “Yea, well, he’s not supposed to be,” says Prince Mischief. “Why, being nice is good,” says Cody. “We’re Demonian, our names is what we are,” says Prince Mischief. “It’s unnatural not to live up to your name, that’s the Demonian way.” “You’re not Demonian,” says Cody. “I’m as much Demonian as my brother is, and he’s as much Kitsune as I am, we’re twins. It’s just that the Hatching Mother made us look different because he has to live on Demonia and I have to live on Kitsune.” Prince Mischief unties his brother’s shoes and reties them together in a knot. “That’s mean,” says Cody. “No, that’s good mischief,” replies Prince Mischief. “So, what was it you needed?” “My shirt doesn’t fit right anymore, and it hurts,” says Cody. “Well, duh, Captain Obvious,” says Prince Mischief. “Take your shirt off and let me see.” Cody narrows his eyes slightly, but doesn’t move to take his shirt off. “Okay, I’ll stop being mean to you,” says Prince Mischief. “And I already know who you are, and what you’re hiding under your shirt.” “I’m supposed to keep it a secret,” says Cody. “I know, it’s not your turn yet,” says Prince Mischief. Cody gives Prince Mischief a blank stare. “Dragon’s eyes, don’t you know anything.” says Prince Mischief. “Look, there’s four of us, we are each an evolutionary jump in four different directions. Those two idiots calling themselves a God and Goddess are trying to fix their mess instead of just waking the Dragon up, if I could find where the Dragon is sleeping I would wake her up myself.” Cody glances at the sleeping Zan, his friend would explain it so Cody understood. Prince Mischief sighs. “Never mind, you only need to know that it’s The Heart of Darai’s turn, yours will come later, just keep it a secret who you are or you’ll mess things up, now take off your shirt and we’ll make the best mischief there ever was.” Cody doesn’t understand a word Prince Mischief is saying, but he pulls his shirt off and flexes his back, his wings slowly unfold. Cody lets out a sigh of relief as his wings stretch out to their four-foot wing span. “That must have hurt keeping them folded like that,” says Prince Mischief reaching out and touching the tips of the black feathers, the white spots hadn’t come in yet and they looked a lot like Raven wings. “Why would you care?” asks Cody. “You got me mixed up with Zan,” says Prince Mischief. “He’s malice, not me, I don’t get a kick out of seeing someone in pain.” “He isn’t like that,” says Cody. “He told Papa to take my Hawk wings off because they were hurting me.” Prince Mischief shrugs. “Okay, maybe they should have named him ‘Lizard Licker’ instead. Are these your Hawk wings over here?” asks Prince Mischief walking over to the discarded glider wings lying on the floor. “Yea.” “Perfect, bring your shirt over here,” says Prince Mischief kneeling next to the wings. Prince Mischief begins undoing the harness that holds the wings together. The wings are designed to fit over the wing-blades, which are really just the last vestige of the Daraians wings. Cody brings his shirt over while Prince Mischief finishes disassembling the harness and tossing the two Hawk wings aside. “Now we put your shirt back on correctly,” says Prince Mischief standing. Cody holds his arms out in front of him and Prince Mischief pulls the shirt onto Cody and then wraps the back around his wings, the way the shirt was supposed to be worn. “But now my wings are on the outside.” “I know, hold on,” says Prince Mischief picking up the glider harness and straps. “Hold your arms out to the sides.” Prince Mischief slips the harness straps over Cody’s arm and wraps them in place around his chest, just as he would if he were putting an actual winged harness on. “There, now you’re wearing a harness like every other Daraian, nobody will ever notice the harness isn’t actually doing anything,” says Prince Mischief. "I'll be hiding the oh so great Eagle out in plain sight and nobody will see. That's good mischief." “But someone will notice the difference, my wings are real,” says Cody. “Naw, they’ll just think you’re poor and can’t afford a set of the newer alloy wings, or that you just prefer the older glider wings before they were made from Demonian metal. I’ve seen lots of Daraians wearing the older wings, hatchlings grow out of wings too fast to keep buying the expensive ones, so they get hand-me-downs all the time.” Cody stretches his wings out and spins around to test them. Prince Mischief is caught off-guard and is knocked down by the powerful eagle wings. “Oh, I’m sorry,” says Cody innocently. “You did that on purpose,” says Prince Mischief. “No wonder my brother likes you, you’ve both got a malicious streak. Good job, it was a little crude, but my brother would be proud. Was that revenge for me tying his shoes together?” Cody lifts his head and sniffs at the air. “Something's wrong, put your mask on.” “I don’t smell anything,” says Prince Mischief. The ship starts to shake and Prince Mischief jumps up. “The Dart ships have un-docked, we’re not getting anymore fresh air, but how did you know, I still don’t smell a difference.” Cody shrugs and runs over to check Zan. “I’ll bet it’s your primordial senses, they’re more sensitive,” says Prince Mischief. “I have to get to the Bridge.” Prince Mischief pauses at the hatch. “Hey, you’re okay, you can call me Zam.” Cody walks over to the round port window and looks out at the planet getting bigger, and then flames appear outside the window and he wonders if that’s normal. ***** [Eagle Province, Struthio Continent, Planet Darai] Raen laid on the ground, his wings spread out to his sides, along with every other male eagle. The females knelt and held their heads down, their arms held out and trying to hold as many of the trembling eagle hatchlings as they could. They had been unloading lumber from the ships when she appeared. Raen was inside one of the cargo ships when it happened. The hatchlings started screaming and ran for the safety of the adult females. Raen had run outside and saw her striding into the ‘camp’, and calling it a camp at this point was a stretch. The woman wore a gown that appeared to be made from the very night itself. She was terrifying in her appearance, and even Raen felt dread at her presence. Her wings spread out to her sides and she stopped in front of Raen and looked down. “Stand up, child,” says the Raven Goddess. Raen stands, but keeps his head down. “We are not Ravens anymore, you have no right to be here,” says Raen. “You have always been the bravest of my children,” says the Goddess. “This moment will fade quickly, now give me your hand, and very carefully think of what it is you want the Eagles to be.” Raen holds his hand out and the Raven Goddess takes it, and then… she begins to change… her gown becomes the deepest blue of the sky… her wing span grows and the oily black wings become powerful black and white and… and… her face changes… she becomes so beautiful. The Goddess becomes the very incarnation of…. Regal… yes, that is the only word Raen can think of to describe her. “So it’s true,” whispers Raen. “There is only one Goddess.” “I am to each of my children as I must be,” says the Goddess. “I won’t allow you to bring the evil of the Ravens here, or the senseless torture and killing of our hatchlings,” says Raen. “Child, you can not rid yourself of natural selection,” says the Goddess softly. “But, you can discover your own way, the way of the Eagles.” “We won’t embrace theft, drugs, gambling, and… all of the rest of what we were,” says Raen. “Those things belong to the Ravens, and are now behind you,” says the Goddess. “We will discover together what you will become.” The Goddess raises her arms… and… Raen was unloading one of the cargo ships when the shouting began. He ran outside in time to see the hundreds of hatchlings, both female and male together, standing with their wings outstretched, their heads held high, and reaching out to a woman in a long deep blue gown. The woman approached Raen and he lifted his head and stretched his own powerful wings out for the woman to see how strong he was. “I have waited a long time for you to arrive,” says the woman. “Greetings, Eagle Goddess,” says Raen. “We are here.” The Eagle Goddess looks up at the sky and Raen follows her gaze, thousands of fiery streaks of ships descending through the atmosphere towards the Struthio Continent can be seen. “You, child, come with me,” says the Goddess, holding her hand out to Ring standing nearby. Ring walks to the Goddess and takes her hand. The Goddess and Ring disappear.