Time for a Snippet! Who's Ready? Here is Snippet #03 from The Etheric Academy

I approached the door with a bit of apprehension this time. Last time the author barely spoke. The house looked different. The windows were covered and a new "TS PAUL WE DON'T LIVE HERE" sign graced the front door. The Author wouldn't keep me out for long this way! I peaked under the garage door, it was open a tiny crack.

There sat the Author's fancy car. He went nowhere without it and rumor was that it whispered sweet nothings to him while he drove.  I didn't care anything about that I just needed a snippet. The hordes knew where I lived now and climbing over the fence was out of the question. I jumped up on the porch and rang the doorbell. No Courage, No Results!

I heard a buzz, like a small battery operated motor was running. I looked down and saw the mail slot open, and a snippet connected to a plastic robot hand come out. The two pincers opened, the snippet dropped onto my foot. Reaching down, I grabbed the snippet and was about to turn away when the mail slot opened.

Out came the little robot arm with a business card. It read, "Merry Christmas Scott!" and in tiny print, "P.S. - We Still Don't Live Here!"

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Unedited.

Snippet #03 From The Etheric Academy Alpha Class Book 1

QBBS Merideth Reynolds, Academy Area

“Are you ready for this?”

Diane looked at her twin sister and smiled. “Why would I not be? It’s not like fighting off Forsaken in the wilds of Turkey. These are just children. Besides,” she looked around at the stone walls, running a hand across the smooth surface as they walked along.  “We helped build this place.”

Dorene agreed. “That’s true. I’m still getting used to having the energy to even think of tackling something like this.”

The hall the two ladies were walking through led from the administrative offices to the entrance of the school. The Meredith Reynolds was a huge asteroid that TQB had turned into a base, well a base station, actually.

When Bethany Anne had found the two sisters they were on the run from more than one Government. Many years ago they took a sponsored trip to Turkey.  They helped children enjoy a foreign country and saw the sights themselves and in return, they had be able to save a few dollars.

What actually happened, was they ended up trapped in a cave with a bunch of kids. Everyone hiding from ravenous Forsaken that were trying to kill them.

TQB intervened, led by the Queen herself. The two sister’s memories were altered so they would forget the entire incident. However, something unexpected happened and they both woke up one morning with the memories returned to them.

Dorene tried to discreetly find out more information about the event, not realizing who was involved at the time, or how badly information about them was wanted. Computer records were useless. They only glossed over the event calling it a meteor strike. Digging deeper into public records and contacting a few friends from her time in the service punched in names she remembered. Names like Ecatrina, Gabrielle, and Bethany Anne.

Her search touched off a twin hunt of sorts which led the two to needing to choose between joining TQB in space, or ending up lost down a hole with a government on Earth. ADAM found them before anyone and sent the Queens Marines to save them.

Anyone that had any sort of connection to Queen Bethany Anne and to TQB was wanted by many governments of the world for interrogation. Information of any kind was very valuable.  

Their information, since it was so far back, was unique.

“Why do you say that? Some of all this was your idea. Well yours and that cutie Marcus.” Diane was enjoying the revitalization that came with the job. The two elderly ladies no longer looked their age.

They, like many here on the station, had been put through a medical pod which modified their bodies with nanocytes, providing them not only a young-like appearance, but also enhanced energy.

“Some of it was my idea. The Queen had her say as well. Especially when it came to that.” She pointed upwards to the wall. In large, foot high letters was a quote from the Queen herself. Bethany Anne hadn’t remember saying it but it was verified by TOM, the Kurtherian alien.

“As long as a student pushes themselves, I’ll turn over the heavens to help them. - Bethany Anne”

“I like that one to most.” The two women agreed. There were others scattered around the school.

Diane looked over to Dorene, “Did the dorms get set up OK?”

She answered, “They did. The engineering crew said the rooms are all the width of two cargo containers. I have the sexes divided for now. Later we can discuss mixing them if there aren’t any issues. Most of the Russian kids at least are used to doubling up. Personal modesty sort of goes out the window when dealing with Wechselbalg. If the kids can handle it, we may let the groups team up that way.”

“How many girls did we get?”

“Not as many as we hoped for. Too much coddling is what I think. The Queen and Gabrielle make excellent role models but  the hard sciences weren’t stressed in school for these kids. Tina was the exception to the rule.  There are a few others as well.”

Diane glared at her sister, “So, again, how many are girls?”

Dorene smiled, “Oops, sorry. We have ten girls and twenty boys. Twelve are Wechselbalg of various ages and pack status. About half come to us as refugees from Romonavka along with ten Russian human children. The rest are from the Colorado base. It’s too bad we didn’t remember meeting the Queen and her troops until recently. The base there sounds like it’s pretty cool.”

Diane shook her head, “Let’s worry about the school first, you can chase pod pilots later.” Dorene had a big smile on her face. Another good thing about having the years wiped from your body was the ability to chase sexy men.

Sexy men that were pilots.

Dorene looked around, “Right. So the dorms are set and have been furnished. Technical Engineering supplied tablets for all the students along with locater beacons. At the moment they will wear them. Once they finish school they will be able to have them implanted like many of the regular crew.”

“Good. That sounds good. Bethany Anne wants you to take care of student welfare.” Diane held up her hands in a stopping motion. “Before you start, this comes from the Queen herself. I have to take student administration. Maybe we can switch later. Many of these kids have never been away from home for extended periods. We need to be there for them to lean on.”

“If I have to. You know their parents are only a couple of miles away on the other side of the asteroid.” Dorene pointed upward.

Diane shrugged, “I know that and you know that but most of them don’t know it or if they do, they don’t know it emotionally yet. Besides, we are supposed to teach them to be independent. No running home to mom. If that happens we need to track it carefully. They might not be up to task for the crew we want anyway. Try to get them to listen to you. These kids are the future of the realm.”

Diane smiled at her sister. “Come on they should be arriving soon. Have any of the trainers arrived in the great hall?”

“I have no idea. I can check though.” Dorene looked up and called out to the E.I. (Entity Intelligence) for the Meredith Reynolds herself. “Meredith? Have the instructors arrived for introductions and sorting?”

The E.I.’s voice resonated around them, coming out from discreet speakers, “Hello, Dorene. The representatives from most of the departments are waiting for you and your sister in the main hall. The Queen along with her bodyguard will arrive in your office moments before commencement. Please be sure the room is empty.”

“It is. I activated the special lock and everything.” Dorene said, then paled for a moment.

Diane looked concerned as she noticed her sister's face, “DJ are you alright?”

Dorene looked around, a little frantic, “I just remembered that I left out a few items on the desk.” She turned to her sister, “Maybe the Queen's guards won’t notice?”

“What did you leave out?” Diane relaxed, she had an idea where this was heading.

“Remember those calendars we found on the Internet?” Dorene blushed.

Diane just shook her head. “Only you. Maybe they won’t notice. But, leave John alone. Remember what happened last time? We need both you and Jean. She almost ejected you out of that port last time you got frisky.”

“That woman scares the crap out of me! It was just a little pinch. Who knew she was tapped into the security system?”                                                  

“If anyone could be, it would be her. No touchy touchy the big guard man this time, OK?” Dorene nodded her head in agreement. Jean had her pressed up against the waste ejection port last time with her hand on the release button.

It had taken some serious fast talking to get Dorene out of that one. Gabrielle had asked the sisters if they needed to join a twelve-step program for women who pinched men’s butts?