The first subject Remian wanted Alani to learn was language. This included speed reading and flash reading. He also had her start on memory exercises. “The thing about your memory is that it can be cultivated, trained like your muscles.” Remian explained. “There are also some tricks to memorization, like associating what you want to remember with something you couldn’t forget if you tried. It all takes time, so be patient with it.” The third thing he had her study was Observation. This focused on people, their mannerisms and identifying physical traits. “What does all this have to do with starships, in the end?” Alani wanted to know. “Nothing. It has to do with people.” Remian explained. “Most especially your future classmates, or teammates, if you prefer.” “There’s going to be other students, then?” “Other teachers, too.” “Who do you have in mind?” “You’ll meet him tomorrow.” *** Gary did not think he w

One week later, the Three Orders were officially formed. The Order of Light, the Order of Steel and the Order of Sand started recruiting under their new banners in Three Pines, Kara-Goth and Fal’Herim respectively.With most of their Order fighting the Spectres in the south, the ex-Temple Knights and supporting Priests were based in a massive camp not far from Three Pines. As the Order of Light was formally launched, they began to construct permanent buildings where before they had pitched tents.Led by Darian, two Order of Light Sky Galleons ventured deep into the far south looking for Sky Trees.On top of that, George had the Adventurers at Three Pines seed the fertile heights of that region with Lenisu. Those hills would eventually be covered in Lenisu vines.As Frames became harder and harder to use due to waning mana, more and more residents at Three Pines turned to their Comrades to get around. Wolfcats were an absolute favorite, and it was fa

Mindy, like Tim, bought her way in, but her 10% shares only cost her 50 million... per year, for 10 years. As for George and Remian, one was going to be the managing administrator, the other was the ‘inventor’ of the Clira. “Fine.” Tim didn’t complain overmuch. 500 million was steep, even for him, but manageable. With a billion lir of pledges in capital, the new Templars Bank started out as a poor knights’ support with intention to introduce the new Clira currency at the end of the year. The main reason for that was to give the Knight Captains (Earth Qi stage) time to make Clira. They weren’t told what it was they were making, and were currently paid in Lir for their efforts at a ratio of 10 lir for a Clira. “Aren’t we overvaluing the Clira a bit? Or overpaying the Knight Captains and above?” George asked. Remian shook his head. “No, because the value of the lir is plummeting. Using the price of an adult’s meal as a measure, the purchasing power of th

Time was the deciding factor. Remian’s plans went like this; following the most reliable escape route, they would need a fully functional Warp Gate and a massive evacuation fleet within two hundred years. The Warp Gate alone could take fifty years to construct, depending on the equipment and manpower available in space. That’s right; in space, not on the ground. Something that big could only be constructed in zero-gravity, and would need to be assembled by colonists living in space. An entire generation could be born and grow up their whole lives doing nothing but building that Warp Gate. If they had trouble, or things slowed down, they might need two generations or even three. Why fifty years? Well, getting the materials for the Gate alone could take decades. It would involve mining asteroids, and mining ships could take years to make the trip out, extract the ores, and return. Using ion propulsion, it could take some five years just to make the trip to the asteroid belt. Actually

Around that time, a ten year old girl was lost in a mall in Ashdale. One of Mandy’s group, she had gotten left behind during a shopping trip. Alone and frightened, she stayed right where she was crying for the better part of four hours, much to the dismay and the souring of moods of many perturbed shoppers. At last, she was rescued and spent half the day moping around being comforted with treats and sweets and still sulking through the day, as if blaming everyone for herself getting lost and left behind. Those adults around her merely shrugged indifferently. After all, she was just a little girl. She was only ten years old. *** In those four hours, ten year old Alani crossed continents. “Land ho!” the call rang out from the lookouts at the front of the convoy, passed along ship to ship, and then officially announced via comms crystals. “That’s the Midlands.” Isabella informed them. “What you’re looking at it either Itarim, the