I quickly conjured an ancient chalkboard and also a piece of chalk. Chance did this for a mission about three years ago when we had to be at four separate ends of the Way- Ladies Chance, Artemis Dell, Kitty, and Hope designated mission commanders. I had never seen such crude writing materials before that briefing. Of course, Ladies Chantell, Charli, and Hope had been awestruck and once again demanded to know how she knew about such techniques. We still didn’t know, but this situation seemed to once more warrant the use.
“Okay. What do we know so far?” I asked.
“That someone like, has been paying attention to our High Priestess?” Lady Demi offered with a giggle.
I rolled my eyes and began to write down the separate aspects of Savanna’s prophecy.
“Pegasus, from the closet, has slipped dimensions.”
“The mission to fail.”
“Only juniors to heed absence.”
“The champions, disappear.”
I spoke aloud each segment as I wrote it up on the ancient slab of slate.
“Now, any idea of an order?” I asked.
“Well. We know that at the start of every mission we most likely leave the base.” My cousin said and I placed a ‘one’ in front of the segment. “And, ‘slipped dimensions’ might mean they went to ‘warp’.”
“If like, the mission failed, the Champions would disappear most likely?” Lady Demi added dismally.
“Maybe, but they would still be able to contact us via our comms. If they ‘disappear’ that might mean something disabled the relay in Pega…By Libra! Pegasus must be going to crash! Or worse! That would effectively cut communications!” Kitty cried, as her eyes grew wide.
Savanna groaned from the sofa.
“My Ladies! She’s coming around.” Greer called. I had forgotten he was even in the room with us!
“Hey! Little sister! You okay?” I asked quickly, excitedly.
“What…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be mean. I’m sorry, Lyra. I’m very sorry, majesty! I’m sorry, Ladies Demeter and Artemis.” Savanna began crying in remorse.
“Be sorry later. Do you retain anything of what you prophesize, child?” Artemis bulldozed ahead.
“Prophesize? Oh, you mean when I see things in my dreams?” Savanna answered and looked confused.
“Do you remember speaking these phrases, Lady Savanna?” Greer asked as he tried to help by pointing to the large blackboard.
“I-I-I don’t know.”
“Does she even…” Greer began to ask, but Savanna cut him off.
“Of course I know how to read and write!”
“At a third year level.” I added.
“Well, yeah, but…”
I began to read the segments to her and looked for any recognition.
Savanna was just as appalled as we were.
“We have to save momma! I need to get to Oracle to save her!” She declared adamantly.
“Little sister, Oracle is only a simulation.” I reminded her.
“Oh yeah…right.” She deflated.
“Her sentiment is true though, sisters. We must contact Witch Corp Base to ascertain the Coven’s destination.” Lady Demi said as she looked around at us.
What sounded like thunder filled the room and the illumination pulsed several times.
“Seriously, Father ? Must we sit out yet another adventure to wait its outcome? Why?” Artemis cried as she looked to the ceiling.
Another rumble of the strange thunder reverberated throughout the suite.
Both Lady Demi and Lady Artemis sighed in disappointment.
“I am afraid we are to remain neutral of this quest, sisters. Zeus prohibits us from ‘assisting’. We have been called back to Olympus. I am truly sorry we cannot help, sisters.”
“Hey, Di? I like, can’t get there from here? Remember?”
Lady Artemis rolled her eyes at her sister.
“You also didn’t notice that Nike’s holding spell wore away three years ago, Demeter. And where precisely did you pop into the Simulator from?”
“It did? Ummm. I like, didn’t realize?”
Another rumble of thunder resonated through the room.
Lady Demi blushed profusely as she timidly looked around the ceiling.
“Take caution, young Olympians.” Artemis said then winked at me. “We can be of no more assistance. We bid you farewell.”
My suite decreased occupancy by two.
“Yeah…we’re strapped for bodies, so thanks for that, Zeus!” Kitty glared to the ceiling, holding up her middle digit.
I could see Lady Chantell’s influence on my cousin immediately.
 
 
“FeLane High Command to EFMC Pegasus.” Our simulation moderator, Col. Garrett called for maybe the tenth time. “I’m not even picking up a subspace carrier, majesty. There should at least be a subspace carrier for us to lock onto.”
“Fuel Re-Tailed and Hello Kitty for immediate departure.”
“Yes, your majesty.” Col. Garrett acknowledged.
“Begging your pardon, majesty, but you are scheduled to negotiate trade agreements with the Sagwa this evening. It is a twenty-six day, mandatory, attendance for you, Queen Kitty. You know they will only deal with your Royal Highness on such sensitive matters.” FeLane’s Prime Minister reminded. Wa’tua Su had knocked and entered several minutes ago to check on us after hearing rumbles of thunder throughout the Royal Residence.
“Dammit, Tua! Can’t you lead in my place? Witch Corps is in danger!”
“Wish as I may, Kitty, the Sagwa will only parley with you. They have been adamant on that point from the start of trade negotiations four standard years ago.
My cousin roared out in a very unlady-like display of temper.
“Why did I even take this damn job?!” She demanded.
“Because it is your birthright, Kitty Sinae! You are the legal heir to the throne.” Our PM replied calmly. Apparently, they had had this conversation before.
“I feel your need to go help your Coven, Kitty, but right now, with the impending trade talks, that simply is not possible. Doesn’t Witch Corps have a reserve unit?”
Kitty glared at him.
“We have a ‘junior’ Corps, but they are just kids, Tua! They have little to no real training and even less experience in the field. Lyra here is the only one of them to see actual action.” Kitty argued.
“But, cousin, I have been commissioned so am not technically in the juniors anymore.” I offered.
“That is true, Lyra, but…what can you do solo?”
“I wish not to rank my abilities, but guarantee that I will do everything in my power to rescue the Corps, My Queen.” I said as I bowed my head.
“I volunteer!” Greer shouted out from across the room. “I have military training and have seen several conflicts- though none requiring decisive actions, but if it is permissible, I’d like to help.”
“You don’t know what you are accepting, you foolhardy kit! The Witch Corps is a highly trained and ruthless fighting unit that employs Current in ways only they can control! And, there is a reason the unit is comprised solely of females.” PM Tua- as everyone called him- countered angrily.
“I’m sorry, Greer, but I have no authority to even ‘activate’ you. Only our High Priestess can do such a thing.” I apologized sadly.
“I don’t need… ‘activated’. Whatever that means. I can use weapons as well as any other member of the Royal Guard!”
“Again, you have no idea what you are submitting yourself t…!”
“Let him go, Tua. He is to keep Princess Lyra as safe as possible. Savanna, you will stay here with me since Hello Kitty is in two seat mode, but more so, because I promised your mother I would look after you.”
Savanna began to pout.
“Pout all you want, Princess. I’m responsible for you and you’ll stay with me.”
“But I can fly Re-Tailed…”
“The hell you will!” Kitty snarled ferociously. “She’s mine and keyed to me exclusively. Touch her and I’ll have to explain to your momma why you’re in little pieces!”
“Fine! I’ll stay here then!” Savanna grumped.
“Lady Lyra, allow me a few minutes to get my flight suit.” Greer stated, but I grabbed his hand and began pulling him out the door.
“You don’t need a flight suit!” I told him in a growl.
 
 
“Capital Control, Pegasus13. Re-designate as Witch Corps Flight 2. All preflights are green. We’re ready for an alpha-alpha corridor departure vector.” I announced to Capital Control.
“Copy Witch Corps Flight 2. Sending vector now. Local airspace is clear and you are cleared for immediate departure. Safe flight.”
“Copy that, Capital Control. Oh, sorry in advance for the broken windows.” I replied as I hit my throttle.
We were immediately in space.
“I think I’m gonna be sick.” My companion groaned from my second seat.
That declaration made me giggle.
“Hello Kitty, locate Ident from Mare De Tempest and please plot a course.” I requested.
“Mare De Tempest located and is three hundred and seventy-five thousand LY’s from Felane Outer Border. ETA: Two standard hours and twenty-one minutes at full throttle. Course plotted and ready, Kitten.”
“Let’s go, Hello Kitty!” I said as I advanced the throttle. The stars around my canopy began to ‘blue-streak’ past us.
“H-h-h-h-h-h-how fast, how fasssssst are we going?” Greer gasped from my second seat.
“Forty-eight per standard second.” I answered without thinking. I had so much simulator time that it was an easy answer.
I just completely forgot that my passenger wasn’t in the Corps.
It became very quiet back there for a time.
 
 
“Wha-what happened? W-where are we?” My passenger weakly asked from behind me.
“Ten LY’s out from Mare De Tempest. Welcome back, by the way.” I giggled.
“B-b-but didn’t your fffflight c-c-computer ssssay that Mare wassss- was three hundred and seventy-five THOUSAND LY’s from FeLane?”
“What about it?” I continued giggling. “And Hello Kitty is my Broom, Greer, not a ‘flight computer’.
“I can eject him if he is getting too annoying, Kitten.” Hello Kitty offered.
“Thanks, girl, but he’s here to help. Dropping to sublight.” I laughed before activating my comm.
“Broom Closet Control, Kitten in Pegasus13: Hello Kitty. I need an approach vector and Broom Closet door activation, confirm.”
“Welcome back, Lady Lyra. Sending vector now. Broom Closet Decom initiating.”
“That’s Mare De Tempest, but where is the Base?” Greer inquired, even more confused.
“Broom Closet door activation. Flight line is short. Repeat, flight line is short, Kitten.”
“Copy, Control. Kitten out.”
 
 
“Welcome, home, Lady Lyra. Introduction is pending.” The AI greeted, but also reminded me that I needed to vouch for Greer.
“Lt. Greer Niger is my personal steward, slash, bodyguard assigned by Queen Kitty, Control. I personally vouch for his character and allegiance.
Broom Closet Control began reciting Greer’s service history including any encrypted information.
My companion was completely flabbergasted!
“Thank you, Control. This way.” I said while motioning to the metal stairway. “Control? Could you remove Cali and Zeus’ Pride from the flight line and back to their storage hangars, please? Artie and Demi have been recalled back to Olympus unexpectedly.”
“Should I also remove Hello Kitty, Lady Lyra?”
“Yes, thank you. Follow me, Greer.”
 
 
“Hello? Anybody home?” I called out once in the living quarters.
“Lady Sandra is currently off base in the Daycare facility. She will be teaching there until three o’clock.”
“And the family Anderson?” I asked.
“Also attending instructions.”
“What of our High Priestess?”
“Currently away on a mission.”
“To where, exactly?”
“To wherever the mission takes them, Lady Lyra. Our High Priestess did not say.”
Well, that didn’t work. I guessed I would have to wait for Sandra to get back.
 
 

 
 
“They left early two mornings ago when one of Pegasus’ probes reported a hit on all its programmed requisite search parameters.” Lady Sandra informed me when we met in the galley after her duty shift. Her pride- though well behaved at the moment- threatened conflict at the slightest hint of opportunity.
Glaring at Rowan, Garith, Aquia, Lithia, Derrick, Seth, Link, and Lilith, I produced my wand in warning. I also shook my left hand to unsheathe my ‘activated’ claws with an audible ‘sha-shing’. Greer noticed, but remained silent- though I noticed his eyes become larger.
“Now is not the time for ‘war games’, my sisters and brothers! I suggest you remain my allies and not my opponents.” I warned.
“So speaks the royal fourteen-year-old kitten.” Aquia slandered in a conceited voice.
Since she was almost two years my senior, I had been buffering my patience since we met eight years ago. Now, however, I needed to get this potentially critical rescue mission planned and started. Plus, I wasn’t going to stand for her priggish attitude a moment longer.
I growled a warning then stepped into action.
Before the older girl knew what happened, I had shredded every last stitch of clothing on her body, though not leaving a single mark, scratch, or drop of blood anywhere to be seen on her now naked form. My ending move was to stand face to face with her and glare intensely at her.
The room went eerily silent.
“Has Lady Sandra never taught you that Lynxins mature much faster than Terrans and should never, ever, be trifled with, Lady Aquia?” I asked calmly- not even breathing heavily. I also employed one of my cousin’s moves, slowly unsheathing my right pointer claw to within millimeters of her neck. “Or did you just choose not to listen?”
“Do you require further demonstration, Lady Aquia?” I added with a confident grin that revealed my longer canines when there came no response.
“Sis? In Lady Chantell’s vernacular, I’d recommend not ‘pissing’ her off more than you have. Maybe you two could be friends instead of adversaries?” Garith suggested as he tried to place himself between us.
“I’ll let you off this time, Lyra! Next time, I won’t be so understanding.” Aquia dared to counter.
“Sis? Leave it go. She has your wand in her belt, behind her back! According to the rules of peaceful dueling, Lyra has disarmed you, fair and square.” Garith pleaded while seeming to hold his laughter.
“Besides, you should go put some clothes on. She also completely disrobed you.” He continued before breaking out in haughty laughter.
“What?” Aquia exclaimed as she looked down and immediately began to blush before turning quickly and running out of the galley- her siblings all laughing loudly.
“I fear you have just thrown an accelerant onto your incendiary relationship, Lady Lyra- though I am very proud of you finally sticking up for yourself.” Lady Sandra told me. “I have been expecting this confrontation for the last five years, truth be told.”
“Lady Sandra. Though I am related to Serangetti Sonya, I have learned to hold my inherited temper and overpass as many altercations as possible. That patience, I received from my Poppy… I mean, Capt. Serrangetti.”
I felt myself blushing at my slip up.
“Did I hear my name used in compliment?” Poppy’s voice asked from the doorway.
“Poppy!” I shouted, unable to stop myself. I was instantly in his arms, my throat vibrating in happiness.
“I’ve missed you too, Serangetti Lyra! How are things back home?”
“Sometimes I think cousin is going to declare war on the Parliament, but she has been well accepted and the public seems satisfied with her management…so far.” I reported.
Poppy laughed softly.
“That certainly sounds like a Sinae all right. So…the young Alpha…” He hinted.
I had most certainly forgotten my traveling companion.
“Capt. Serangetti, my assigned steward- slash- bodyguard, Lt. Niger Greer. Greer, my father, Capt. Serangetti Kimbou.
“SIR!” Greer exclaimed, him having stood and snapped to attention the instant Poppy entered the room.
“Be at ease, lieutenant.” Poppy laughed.
“Sir!” Greer acknowledged as he moved to ‘Parade Rest’.
“You were assigned to Earth’s Horizon, were you not?” Poppy asked.
“Sir, yes, sir!”
“Son? How old are you?”
“Eighteen standard and three months, Sir.”
“And why are you not still on Earth’s Horizon?”
“Her Royal Highness, Queen Kitty, reassigned me, Sir.”
“At who’s request?” Poppy smiled deviously.
“My own, Sir. I personally requested this assignment as Princess Serangetti Lyra’s personal bodyguard.”
“I see.” Poppy thought a minute. “And what brings you to Witch Corps Base, lieutenant?”
“Ummmmm…Hello Kitty, Sir?” Greer blushed.
Poppy began laughing!
“Allow me to rephrase the question. Why has my daughter brought you along with her, son?”
“Queen Kitty thought it a good idea, Sir.”
“Again, at who’s request?”
“I volunteered, Sir. I am the Princess’ bodyguard after all. It is my duty to protect her, Sir.”
“Somehow, I think Lyra can protect herself and then some, lieutenant- if what just ran past me is any indication or example. Wouldn’t you agree?” Poppy smiled deviously.
“I’ve never seen anyone move that fast, Sir. Never seen anything like it in my entire life!”
Poppy kept smiling for a moment longer then looked directly at me.
“1st Lt. Serangetti Lyra, make sure Lt. Niger Greer is briefed on Witch Corps protocols and regulations.” He ordered and offered his hand. Greer gladly shook it.
“Welcome to the Corps, Lord Greer, and may the Gods have mercy on your soul.” Poppy declared as his smile became tense. “Now, let’s talk about this rumor about the Coven being in trouble.”
“Lady Savanna prophesized the disappearance of Pegasus and Lady Chance’s away team, sir.” I informed him. “According to her, only the Junior Witch Corps will answer the call for rescue.”
“Has there been any such call?” He asked.
“No sir. The Oracle stated no communication would come.”
“That is very troubling.” Poppy answered sadly.
“She may just be right on that, sir.” Lady Sandra spoke up. “I, personally, have qualifying tests coming up for my secondary finishing students, and primary elementary students all this week and next. Sad to say, I won’t be attending any rescue mission because of them. Simone, Janet, Samuel, and Cora are back on Norge for some kind of official commerce negotiations.”
“Queen Kitty is likewise occupied in trade negotiations.” I added.
“So even if I gave my okay on this, how could JWC remotely complete any rescue mission- especially when we know nothing about where Pegasus is?” Poppy asked in a dour tone.
“Hey, Base? Could you have Lady Aquia report to the simulator for flight training?” I asked our A.I.
“At once, Lady Lyra. What scenarios should be on the syllabus?”
“Tactical Broom training. Um…status on Broom Closet inventory?”
“As of this moment, Hello Kitty, Teacher’s Pet, California Dreamin’, Zeus’ Pride, Mini-Van, and Oracle are in inventory. Several other Brooms have been halted in various stages of manufacture.”
“Oracle!?” I gasped in surprise; repeating the name I had just recently heard for the first time. “Wait, several other Brooms? Halted in manufacture?”
“Insufficient raw material exists to complete the commissioned crafts and other projects, Lady Lyra.”
“And why has Oracle been commissioned?” I inquired in curiosity.
“Pegasus20 was commissioned three standard years ago by the High Priestess Lady Chance Summers. Any and all access to Pegasus20 has been disabled and prohibited until Lady Savanna Summers’ sixteenth birthday.”
“Base? How much raw material would it take to complete the commissioned brooms?” Lady Sandra asked.
“Forty thousand metric tons for all awaiting projects.”
I was astounded!
“Wow! That’s a lot of raw! Sorry I asked!” Lady Sandra groaned. “How are we going to get that much stuff? Trap an asteriod?”
Sandra quickly glared at me.
“Oh no! No, no, no, no! That much tonnage won’t likely play nice with Hello Kitty’s tractor beam, Lyra, even if we could find that much matter way out here.” Lady Sandra declared as she cut off my thoughts.
“I’ll have Mare’s sensors start scanning for any asteroid fields in our vicinity. Maybe if we can find enough smaller fragments…”
“That might work, Captain.” Sandra agreed.
“I’ll get right on it then. Lyra? Will you be staying with us, or are you going to stay on base?” Poppy asked.
“I think I’ll stay in our quarters here, sir. I’m going to intensify the JWC’s training regime just to be sure they’re ready.”
“Then you and Lord Greer have your work cut out for you. Carry on, Lady Lyra.” Poppy said as he placed a chaste kiss on my forehead, turned, and left.
 
 

 
 
“Agaaaaaain!” I shouted from the near wall of the huge training deck.
“I can’t do this.” Lilith Anderson cried as she flopped down onto the simulated dirt. The ten-year-old gray-haired, Delvian was nearing her limit and I feared she would just become inert for the rest of this training session.
“Let’s take a break then.” I suggested. “Galantry? Show me what you’ve learned.”
“What I have learned. Hmmmm. I can do this.”
The fourteen-year-old female Orion produced and dispatched her wand several times in rapid succession.
I had been hoping for more.
“You seem unimpressed, Instructor.”
“How many weeks have you been practicing, Lady Galantry?”
“Two-point-five, Lady Lyra.”
I nodded. “Then I think it time to start ‘broadening’ your horizons.”
With that I stepped up to her, produced my wand, bowed to her, and took several steps back.
“Prepare yourself.” I said as I took a dueling stance I knew she had seen demonstrated many times by the Anderson Clan.
“To do what?” She questioned, her eyes blinking several times in quick succession.
A blue bolt from my wand struck at her feet. She shrieked as she jumped back from it in terror.
“Why did you do that?”
“We have turned a new chapter in your development as a witch, my lady.” I answered as I shot another bolt at her feet.
Her reaction was the same.
“I suggest you try defending yourself, Lady Galantry.”
“From what?”
“From me!” I said as I landed a warning shot to her stomach.
“Ow! That hurt!”
“The next one will hurt even more if you do not assume a defensive posture.”
I tossed another shot at her stomach. This time she quite easily batted it away with her wand.
“A good first reaction, but it will only protect you from very weak attacks. You need something more substantial.” I lectured as I shot a slightly more intense bolt at her.
This time she barely deflected it. A cry escaped her mouth as she ‘glared’ at me.
Orions seemed custom designed to do that: glare, that is.
“Why are you doing this, Lyra?”
“Because! The Hoblins will not go lightly on us just because we are young and very inexperienced.”
“The Hoblins? Why would we need to fight the Hoblins?”
“They are why Witch Corps was formed over a thousand years ago. Hoblins are the very definition of Current being twisted, maligned…abused, Lady Galantry! They are what formed when individuals demanded from, forced, and enslaved a known sentient society. Similar to the enslavement of some sub-species we studied in history class. Only Current, in this case, reacted unexpectedly.” I preached as I attacked with another ‘soft’ blast.
Galantry successfully countered my shot with a shot of her own.
Good, she was learning.
“You do know that Orions are a peaceful subspecies, don’t you?” She was quick to remind me as I ‘tossed’ another shot at her. This time she anticipated and countered it.
Time to up the ante, as Lady Chance would say.
“So all that nonsense about Orions traveling to Terra and ‘probing’ the Terrans is just that? Lady Chantell would beg to differ.” I said as I strengthened my attack. This time I aimed for her shoulder.
“OOOWWWW! Everyone knows that was the Terran governments and one ‘playful’ Orion exploratory crew trying to dissuade any ‘first contact’ until Terra refined their inter-planetary equipment!” Galantry said as she fired back for the first time.
It hit hard!
“Very good! Now we’re getting somewhere!” I praised with a wince.
I fired several consecutive blasts at her.
Unexpectedly, Galantry waved her wand in front of her and a bluish force shield formed that deflected all ten of my shots.
I decided to advance us to the next level.
“That was very impressive, my lady, but can you defend against this?” I questioned as I manifested my broom, mounted it, and hovered three meters off the deck. I quickly fired several shots at her before flying to the opposite end of the training area.
I started my attack run, firing off randomly aimed shots.
Galantry screamed and hit the deck, rolling into a fetal ball.
I was disappointed and approached her to console her.
Two meters out, I suddenly- and quite unintentionally- stopped, feeling my whole body stiffen. I couldn’t even speak!
After a full minute, Galantry unfolded herself and looked around. Her attention centered on me.
“What do you delay for? To rub your superiority in my face? Why not finish me?” The Orion paused, her glare deepening. “Why won’t you answer me?!”
“Galantry?” Sandra hurried over to me and began examining me. “What did you do to her?”
“I didn’t do anything, my lady.”
“Witches just don’t stop in midair and remain stationary on their own, my lady! Especially not a Lynxin witch! Now, think back and tell me how you are doing this.”
“I don’t know!” She replied, her voice shaking in fear.
I hoped she figured things out soon; I was starting to get scared! Something like this had never happened to me before.
“Something had to have happened, Galantry. Try to remember what you were thinking.” Sandra pressed.
“I just wanted her to stop! I don’t want to fight! Why can’t we all just get along?”
“Life isn’t pick and choose. We can’t tell the galaxy what we want it to do, Galantry.” Sandra advised. “Just because you want something to stop doesn’t…” Sandra stared at the Orion, stunned.
“Oh! That is brilliant! Simply brilliant, my lady!” Sandra praised.
“Huh?” The Orion replied, dumbstruck.
“Such an ingenious defense- yet, so simple! Galantry? Search your feelings and try to focus on the newest, strangest of them. It might feel similar to when you produce your wand. Can you feel it, honey?” Sandra said excitedly.
“I can feel something…weird. I’m not sure it feels anything like when I conjure my wand though.”
“That’s the feeling, Galantry. Remember that feeling. Now, with that feeling in mind, ask your Current to repeal that feeling…um…disable it.” Sandra instructed as she gently pulled the girl out of my flight path. Anticipating what might happen, I willed myself to pull up.
The ceiling of the training hall came at me almost too quickly to react, though I managed to get myself under control and swung around to land gently beside Sandra and a very surprised Galantry.
“How in Queen Kitty’s name did you do that?” I asked, my voice shaking from adrenaline.
“I’m sorry, Lyra! I didn’t know I could do that.” Galantry said with remorse.
“No need to apologize, sister! That is a useful defensive tool. Remember it and don’t be afraid to use it if necessary.” I advised.
“I didn’t want to hurt you, Lyra. I was just afraid when you started to attack…”
“I was not hurt, sister! I just couldn’t move. I heard everything being said though.”
“Still, I’m sorry, Lyra. I was not instructed in offensive tactics while in my larval stage.”
“The fact that you are learning now is my only concern. Now, let’s see what other tricks you have up your sleeve.” I grinned. Try to conjure your personal broom and I’ll give you some flying lessons.”
“My maternal unit is a cargo pilot, Lyra! I think I already know how to fly!”
“Show me!” I dared as I rematerialized my personal broom, mounted it, hovered off the deck a meter, and waited.
 
 
“Not as easy as it looks, is it, sister?” I giggled as I watched Galantry try to mount her newly conjured broom.
Once successful, she still looked very uncomfortable on it- hovering mere centimeters off the deck.
“Maybe riding sidesaddle is not the beginner’s way to learn to ride a broom, sister. Try straddling it Terran-style.
Cautiously, and ever so slowly, my Orion sister changed her riding technique.
A rosy blush colored her grayish pallor as her hips sought balance on the narrow, rounded broom handle.
“Unfortunately that is the major problem with Terran-style riding.” I admitted, blushing myself. “Try not to think about it. If it becomes too distracting, you can always go back to sidesaddle.”
Once she had the basics of mounting and riding a broom down, we took several flights around the large training area. Galantry indeed seemed a natural to flying- her altitude and attitude changes being executed confidently and gracefully.
“Lady Sandra, might we ask your pride’s help for some more in-depth flight training?” I asked as I hovered over the nine Andersons, Aquia having recently returned after redressing in new- undamaged- clothes.
“Are you sure about that, Lyra?”Sandra looked to her pride then back at me in worry.
“I’d like you all to shoot practice ‘anti-broom’ shots up at us. I’d like Galantry to learn to evade things like that when flying.”
Eight of the Andersons suddenly displayed devious grins, and Sandra looked at her pride in very real worry!
Eight Andersons instantly had their wands at the ready!
Lilith Anderson took aim at me, but I was no longer stationary and successfully dodged her opening shots.
Galantry wasn’t so lucky, and took a relatively light shot to her left ankle from Rowan. She quickly caught on though, and within seconds we both were zooming through the air at breathtaking speeds and harrowing turns!
 
 
Ten minutes into our flight training, I had had enough of Aquia’s ever-intensifying attempts to down me. Her ‘practice’ shots were becoming ever stronger and intentional. Flying quickly to the opposite end of the training area, I quickly turned and decided on a slow-speed approach. Taking a page from Galantry’s defensive tricks, I produced a bluish shield in front of me. It successfully diverted the Andersons’ shots.
Now it was time for me to use one of my oldest tricks!
Hopping up to standing, I balanced my high-heel booted feet on the forward end of my broom handle (Lady Demi called it ‘hanging ten’), and keeping my shield at full strength, I asked my Current to help me ‘re-attire’ my opponents.
All eight of Sandra Anderson’s pride suddenly wore very bulky, blue, teddy bear costumes. Because of the oversized mittens that simulated bear paws, they all had dropped their wands AND their attention from Galantry and I.
I called upon my wand to enable ‘fully automatic’ mode and peppered the lot of them!
Lady Sandra began laughing hysterically as her encumbered pride began to lose group cohesion and waddle for any cover available!
Even Galantry took the advantage I had given and started picking off Rowan, Aquia, and Garith. She seemed truly content with shooting multiple bursts at Lilith though!
 
 
Soon our fun had run its course and I called a stop to our training.
“Base?” I called to our A.I. “I’d like to schedule Lady Galantry for some simulator training time. Start her out with a standard shuttle then advance her to broom qualifying simulations when she passes the required milestones. She shall DataTab you her schedule of free time within several hours.” I looked to the Orion and saw her nod.
“Understood, Lady Lyra. The requested training simulations have been queued and will be ready as per her reply.”
“Any word from the High Priestess yet, Base?” I asked.
“All secure comm. channels remain quiet, Lady Lyra.”
“Let Lady Sandra and I know the moment you pick up the tiniest chatter, Base.”
“I will do that, my lady.”
 
 
“Base? Please display the flight simulation statistics for Lady Galantry.” I ordered the next afternoon. I had not seen the Orion except entering base this morning.
My requested information appeared on my DataTab instantly.
I was amazed by what I saw!
Had she really almost completed her qualifying?
“Base? Where is Lady Galantry now?”
“Lady Fenile Galantry is currently taking a break in the galley, Lady Lyra. She is scheduled for module one-thirty-eight: ‘Advanced Formational Flight Protocols.’”
“Warm-up Simulator Two then interface with Hello Kitty’s ‘sim’ profile mode and prepare mission simulation twenty-one.” I ordered then paused.
“Lady Lyra, Lady Aquia. I need you in Simulator Two in fifteen standard minutes for a flight drill.”
I didn’t wait for any reply.
“Greer? How would you like to tag along?” I asked my Protector/steward.
 
 
“Witch Corps Flight One, form up on me and stay close. This minefield is a little on the ‘tight’ side and we need to be exceptionally vigilant traversing it. Remember, that convoy of relief ships carry minimum defenses and are relying on us to keep those pirates off their backs.” I said just after Hello Kitty’s canopy darkened and she went into ‘sim’ mode. Greer gasped as we found ourselves out in deep space.
“Copy, Kitten. Lil’ Gray has you on display and will be forming up in twelve seconds.” Galantry’s voice responded.
“Copy. Take my three, Lil’ Gray.”
“Where you want me, Kitten?” Aquia’s strained voice asked. She didn’t sound thrilled to have been included in this training mission.
“On my nine, Water Lily.” I replied neutrally.
Galantry appeared off my port side on intercept, pulled a one-eighty, and gracefully ‘rolled’ her way over to my starboard. Her maneuver was a bit flashy, but nothing like Aquia’s bold entrance!
‘Water Lily’ came in hot on my tail and abruptly pulled hard to port as she almost ran up my emitter! Her Broom then veered steeply to starboard, rolled several times and ‘see-sawed’ into position.
“I’ve never seen a spaceframe take so much abuse and still remain intact!” Greer gasped from behind me.
“What’s her structural integrity, my Lord?”
“Forty-five, Lady Lyra, and her forward weapons have gone offline for repair.” He reported a moment later.
“Witch Corps Flight One, weapons status.”
“Lil’ Gray, I’m fully functional, Kitten.”
“Water Lily. I’m…I’m good to go.” Aquia reported sickly after a moment.
“I’m surprised! After that bold entrance I’d expected your structure to be around forty-five percent with your forward weapons going completely offline! Who taught you to form up like that, Water Lily?”
“This is my first Broom sortie, Kitten. I’m not used to the enhanced handling yet.”
“No excuses, Water Lily! You’ve had extensive simulator time. We have a mission to complete and I want all of us to be able to talk about this over beverages afterwards.”
“Kitten, I show the mine field in two LY’s. Might I suggest forward defenses to full strength?” Lil’ Gray announced.
“Polarized mines, Lil’ Gray. Defensive shielding will only draw them into us. Line of sight detonation using our forward weapons will prove more effective.
“Now she tells me.”
“What was that, Water Lily? I didn’t copy you.”
“I….um…need you to cover for me for abooooouuuut…five more minutes, Kitten. Somehow, my forward weapons…um…just went off line.” Aquia meandered embarrassingly as she tried to save face.
“Slow to sublight until your weapons are back on line, Water Lilly. Stay behind us. Lil’ Gray? Let’s clear the road for our relief ships.”
“Copy, Kitten.”
 
 
I was very impressed by the rapid development of our Orion sister. Not only was she a very good shot, but also her flying was spot on and rivaled my own skill.
That in no way guaranteed how she would perform under actual combat situations however.
Aquia, though quite the show-off, finally contributed to the simulated mission, but only after her ‘Broom’ performed a major ‘self-repair’ on its forward weapons.
If an actual mission, she would have been diverted back to Witch Corps Base for major weapons and structural repairs!
I let her know this in our debriefing.
“Why must you always be picking on me, Lyra? What did I ever do to you?” Aquia went on the defensive after I had graded her performance.
“Look! I’m not zeroing in on you specifically, Aquia! You and Galantry were the selected participants of the simulated mission. I need to know I can trust my team if we ever do get out there on a real-life mission. What Witch Corps DOESN’T need is a flamboyant pilot that abuses the equipment beyond its limits. In real life, our Brooms can only auto-repair so much. What you put the ‘sim’ through was over and above normally accepted parameters. At forty-five percent of full structural integrity, you wouldn’t have been able to go trans-dimensional and instead be stuck out there until we came back for you. How would that have helped us complete the mission?”
“It was just a simulation!” Aquia shouted angrily and moved to get up.
“Sit down!” Sandra spat in anger as she entered the briefing room. “You will not embarrass me any further than you have, young lady!”
Aquia glared in red-faced rage but complied with her guardian’s order.
“Lyra is only trying to teach you how Witch Corps does its job! Yes, we have some fun when we can, but we do not beat down on our equipment! Can’t you understand that if your equipment fails out there, so do you?” Sandra scolded.
“Look, honey, I understand that you want- more than anything- to be a part of this,” Sandra continued, motioning around us, “but you must learn how to be responsible and present yourself as the mature individual you appear to be. Showboating on the simulator just proves how irresponsible you really are. Always use your knowledge, talent, and experience to achieve success. Moderation is the key most of the time.”
“But Lady Chance…”
“Lady Chance, as well as the rest of our Coven, has years more experience than you do, honey. You also forget that Lady Chance designed our Brooms and knows exactly what they can and cannot do. With experience you will learn that too, but it takes time.”
“And patience. Lots of patience.” I added.
“Horndogging in Sim doesn’t prepare you for what’s actually out there, Water Lily. Now, care to try the mission again? Only this time, treat it as real?” Lady Sandra suggested.
Through all the drama, Galantry and Greer remained quiet and seemed to absorb every bit of our debrief.
“I think I have a way to make the Sim a little bit more realistic, Lady Sandra.” I offered.
“Galantry. Aquia. Could you please follow Lady Sandra, Lt. Greer, and I to the Broom Closet?”
“Base? Could you cue mission 333402 into the simulator and enable remote linking, please?” I asked as we left the simulator debriefing room and headed down to Level one.
“Mission loaded and awaiting remote link, Lady Lyra.”
 
 
“Broom Closet Control, please open storage bay doors for Hello Kitty and Teacher’s Pet.”
The hangar doors for Pegasus10 and Pegasus13 actuated immediately.
Sandra hurried along the near wall to where Teacher’s Pet had been revealed. I calmly walked two doors farther to Hello Kitty.
“Hey, sweetie, miss me?” Sandra addressed her Broom.
“Yes, Miss Anderson.” The Broom’s childish voice replied.
“Note to self. Talk to Chance about graduating Teacher’s Pet to University Level.” Sandra deadpanned. “Sweetie, we’re going to play a simulation with Hello Kitty, Okay?”
“Oh goodie!”
Galantry seemed taken by the Broom’s A.I. and giggled?
“I think I understand your intended concept, Lady Lyra, but these Brooms appear to be both two-seaters. Should I have just stayed behind?” Greer asked in concern.
I saw his point and my error.
I smiled to my guardian.
“Broom Closet Control, please open Pegasus II hangar door.”
A larger door closer to the metal stairs began to lower revealing our secondary command ship: Mini-Van.”
Mini-Van was intended to serve as the Junior Witch Corps. Command Center when deemed necessary. One-third the scale of Pegasus, Mini-Van was capable of carrying four Brooms and berthing twelve Junior Members comfortably. Accommodations where Spartan with just a bridge, galley/meeting room and up to six bed compartments for personal privacy- as currently configured: four with bunks for Junior members and two with single beds for command officers. She still carried two forward and two rear cannons and, like Pegasus, utilized Broom armaments for added defense.
Lady Chance had intended Lady Sandra to command and pilot her, and having flown her several times in the last four years, I knew she was every bit as reliable, fast, and deadly as Pegasus.
“Control, Enable Mini-Van and link her with the simulator command console. Also enable environmental systems. Lt. Greer will be monitoring the mission from there.” I said as I motioned him toward the large, chromed craft.
He paused to look at her bow.
Mini-Van’s nose art was a ‘comically’ drawn, boxy, four-tired, dark blue land vehicle having several Terran arms and legs partially protruding from its side viewports or ‘windows’. There were also several ancient ‘soccer balls’ bouncing off the smooth black tarmac that ran under it.
Greer looked quizzically at the whimsical nose art then looked back to me for explanation.
“Lady Hope’s idea.”
“Ah.” He responded. “Why enable the environmental system?”
“A teaching aid.” I answered cryptically.
 
 
Once Greer was aboard the Mini-Van, I stepped out onto the flight line. Aquia and Galantry followed. I looked to the ceiling structure.
“Ladies Artemis and Demeter? I know you can see and hear me. I’d like permission to utilize your brooms for a training simulation. I certify neither will leave the Broom Closet. Would that be allowable?” I said loudly. “If so, could you verify by allowing access to…”
The hangar doors for Pegasus11 and Pegasus12 actuated!
Gasps escaped Aquia and Galantry’s mouths as they looked between the specific hangars and me.
“My thanks, My Ladies.” I replied to the ceiling with a smile.
“Water Lily, you go introduce yourself to California Dreamin’ and Galantry… make introduction to Zeus’ Pride.
I thought it humorous how Aquia suddenly seemed very shy as she approached Lady Demi’s Broom.
“H-h-h-hi. I’m…I’m Aquia Anderson…ummmmm…Water Lily?”
“Hey, girl! Nice ta meet ya! Wanna hit the surf? I hear the Galatic waves are bitchin’ today!”
“Ummm…we were just hoping to run a mission simulation? Ummm…please?”
“Aw, like, bummer, girlfriend! But, hey, bogus waves are almost as awesome as the real curls, so climb aboard and let’s start making for the ‘Simmie’ breakers, ‘K’?”
“Ummm…”
“She’s welcoming you to preflight and get aboard, Aquia. You have her permission to take the controls.” I translated.
Galantry was next and she approached Zeus’ Pride like it would suddenly reach out and assault her!
“Zeus’ Pride? Fenile Galantry- ‘Lil’ Gray’? Permission to approach and employ you for a simulated mission.”
“But of course, Lil’ Gray! I’ve reviewed your qualifications and deemed you suitable for taking my controls. You may proceed.”
“Th-thank you, My Lady.” Galantry replied as Zeus’ Pride’s external ladder appeared.
 
 
Lady Lyra, Witch Corps Sim Flight 1. Ladies, please enable your environmental systems and engage your Broom’s remote link to Simulator Command. Acknowledge when complete.” I ordered into my comm.
“Pegasus10, environment online and linked.” Lady Sandra responded professionally.
“Pegasus11, environment…enabled and link…established.” Aquia answered, sounding very unsure of herself and what was going to happen.
“Pegasus12, Environment is go and we’re linked into SimCom.” Galantry responded in a very professional, confident voice.
“Pegasus13, Evironment and SimCom link- go.” I responded.
“Pegasus II, online and linked as Sim Command. We are ready, Lady Lyra.” Greer responded from Mini-Van.
“Broom Closet Command, Lady Lyra. Sound alerts and commense Flightline Decom. Disable illumination when space normal.”
“Lyra, why are you doing this?! We’ll be trapped in here if something goes wrong!” Aquia shouted hysterically over the comms.
“Simulator Command. Set simulation limiters to actual Broom parameters. Water Lily, you complained about the simulation and it not being real, now I’ve made it as real as it can get. To all Brooms linked into this simulation: decrease interior atmosphere by one percent for each virtual over limit infraction to your spaceframes. Do not exceed fifty percent though.
“Kitten? Is that wise? We don’t want to put too much pressure on the students.” Lady Sandra questioned as the flight line went dark.
“Soccer Mom, both Water Lily and Lil’ Gray are up to the challenge. Hopefully this will give them firsthand knowledge of what is actually involved in any real mission Witch Corps experiences. Sim Command, start the mission at one hundred-forty LY’s out. Everyone form up on me. Lil’ Gray on my eight; Water Lily on my five with Soccer Mom on her five.”
Hello Kitty’s canopy filled with blue streaks as the simulation commenced. Water Lily appeared off to my right and Lil’ Gray, on my left.
“Trinity system outer defensive border in one hundred-thirty-seven LY’s, Kitten.” Hello Kitty announced.
“Thanks”, I said as I looked off to my right and noticed Water Lily’s course wavering erratically.
“Problems, Water Lily?” I asked.
There was no response.
“Water Lily, do you copy? Soccer Mom? Can you see what’s wrong with Water Lily?” I asked in worry.
“I’m…I’m alright, Kitten. I-I-I-I started to…ummm…a bad case of nerves, M’lady. I’m okay now…I copy.”
Aquia’s Broom stabilized.
“Soccer Mom, Kitten. It sounds like she started to panic. Are you sure this was the best approach?”
“She’ll be alright, Soccer Mom. It’s her first time in anything close to an actual Broom or actual space.”
“Kitten and Soccer Mom, Moderator. Water Lily’s HR and RR ramped up to caution, but are normalizing as we speak. She seems to be alright.” Greer informed us.
“Thanks, Moderator. Hello Kitty, reconnect Flight 1 comms.”
 
 
“Flight 1. At two LY’s out we drop our deep space camo and slow to sublight. I’ll contact Trinity Defense to alert them we’re here. Trinity System is very skittish of outsiders because of numerous privateer raids on supply ships. Hence, the reason we’re here. Our mission is to help clear the trade routes to and from Trinity 3 so needed food and medical supplies can get through. We will not arm our weapons until certified to do so. Is that clear?”
“Soccer Mom, roger.”
“Lil’ Gray, acknowledged.”
“Umm…what if we get attacked right away, Kitten?” Water Lily wondered.
“Then we dazzle them with our piloting skills until we receive permission, Water Lily. Copy?”
“Copy…Water Lily, roger.”
 
 
“Two LY’s out, Kitten.”
Flight, Camo to default. Slow to point seven-five sublight. Trinity Defense, this is EFMC Witch Corps Flight 1 requesting clearance to enter your outer defensive boundary.” I said to officially start our sim mission.
“Unknown formation entering outer defensive border. Identify.”
“I repeat. Trinity Defense, this is EFMC Witch Corps Flight 1 requesting clearance to enter your outer defensive boundary.”
“Unknown formation entering outer defensive border. Identify.”
“Apparently they can’t hear us, Kitten. Orders?” Galantry asked.
“Without permission, we cannot legally enter their system, so we hold out here until we can contact Trinity Defense.” I responded. “Soccer Mom. See if you can raise Witch Corps Base. See if they can punch communications through.”
“On it, Kitten.”
“Kitten, my short-range just went wild. We have company bearing two-seven-three by two-zero-zero, nine hundred fifty thousand kilometers and closing.” Water Lily sounded worried.
“Hold at six hundred thousand kilometers outside their outer defense border. Let’s see what their intentions are, ladies.” I said as I wondered which one of the girls would bite first…”
“Zeus’s Pride is reading no lifesigns from the incoming ships, Kitten. What should we do?”
“Kitten, Moderator. Teacher’s Pet has just armed her weapons.”
That was definitely a surprise! Though, someone was bound to do it. This simulation wagered on that fact. I just didn’t expect Lady Sandra to react first and take the bait- especially since she’d done this specific Sim several dozen times in the past.
“Incoming ships are arming their weapons, Kitten. Orders?” Galantry inquired calmly.
“Shields.” I responded. “Raise our shields, Hello Kitty.”
“Shield enabled, Kitten. I’m very surprised that Soccer Mom took the bait.”
“Not surprising, considering how much stress she’s under trying to raise a pride of eight. I’ll bet we’ll see a good bit of ‘stress relief’ during this simulation.” I told my A.I.
“Flight. On my mark, we break and arm weapons. Take out their main propulsion and weapons if possible. Water Lily, be nice with Cali.”
“I show one hundred and eighty ships in the first wave, Kitten.” Galantry announced- her voice slightly stressed.
“Hold until my mark.” I restated evenly. “We do not follow any retreating ship across the border, is that understood?”
Teacher’s Pet suddenly veered off, up and over my canopy and vectored away from the oncoming forces.
“Umm…Soccer Mom?” I asked with a giggle. “Did you forget to go before we left?”
Giggling filled our comms.
“Just thought I’d draw them further away from the border, Kitten. You’re welcome.”
“Much appreciated. We break when they’re about a thousand kilometers away, ladies.”
“But we’ll be well within weapons range by then, Kitten!” Water Lily cried out.
“Our Brooms are more manueverable, Water Lily. And faster?” I reminded. “We stay sublight, ladies. Don’t wanna give too much away.”
“One thousand-eighty kilometers and closing, Kitten.”
Thank you, Hello Kitty. Everyone…break!” I ordered.
Water Lily vectored off to the right and Lil’ Gray pulled up and performed half a barrel roll, seamlessly inverting her arc then rolled several times to the left. She had scored ten ‘kills’ in that short measure of time and had now rolled under the rear of the attack force, slowed, and quickly pulled another ancient ‘Emilman’- half a loop and half a barrel roll- to end up right on their emitters.
“Damn that girl’s got some moves, Kitten!” Soccer Mom commented enthusiastically.
Lil’ Gray scored twenty more ‘kills’ as we spoke.
On my display, I watched as California Dreamin’ vectored around and behind the attacking forces. She was running a left to right angle from behind. She scored thirty ‘kills’ at the end of her first run.
“And the competition is heating up!” Lady Sandra called out over comms. I watched as she came in from the far right center and perped our enemy.
With forward guns blazing she took out their port weapons. Teacher’s Pet’s aft defenses blasted the enemy’s starboard weapons after she passed!
“Burning off some tension and stress, Soccer Mom?” I asked with a giggle.
“What gave you that idea, Kitten?” She replied as she banked hard to repeat her attack- this time from right to left.
The first wave had been successfully neutralized.
“Trinity Defense, this is EFMC Witch Corps Flight 1 asking for clearance to enter your outer defensive boundary.” I tried contacting Trinity Defense again.
“Witch Corps. Flight 1, Trinity Defense. We’ve detected heavy fire in your sector. Are you alright? We have been attempting to contact you since you appeared on our sensor displays. Please appraise your situation.” A man’s voice answered sounding very concerned.
“We’re fine, Trinity. We scrapped about one hundred and eighty unaffiliated starfighters. They aren’t going anywhere any time soon so you can pick them up at your leisure.” I responded.
“Witch Corps. Flight 1, we show you have more company inbound to your sector. Do you require assistance?”
“Negative. We only require permission to cross your defensive border to finish the job, Trinity Defense.”
“Permission granted. We’ve been expecting you, Witch Corps.”
“You heard the man. Let’s finish the job, ladies. Safeties are off. Repeat, safeties are off.”
“YES!!!!!!” Soccer Mom shouted over our comms. “Going to warp! I’ll save ya some, girls.”
Pegasus11 and12 remained stationary on my display.
“What are you waiting for, ladies?” I asked.
“Our ‘safeties are already off, Kitten. What did you mean by that?” Lil’ Gray asked, sounding confused.
“That means that we can take the bad guys out as we see fit. Be it at sublight or…”
“Oh, I get it!” Water Lily replied as she hit her throttle and disappeared.
“Kitten? I am not up on the more specific lingo…”
“Hit them at warp, sister. Show me what you got, but don’t stress the spaceframe. Lady Artemis would kill me if you hurt her baby.” I giggled.
Galantry was off in a shot.
 
 

 
 
“So, did everyone have fun?” I asked as we all walked into the galley, poured refreshments, and took seats.
Lady Sandra rubbed her palms together with a devious, but contented smile.
“It’ll suffice.” She replied impartially. “For now.”
Galantry and especially Aquia stared at their teacher/ guardian.
“By the way, Lyra. How did you get Hello Kitty to spin around on all axes like that? I’ve never seen anyone do that before.” Galantry inquired, her eyes blinking repeatedly.
“Once, when I was in our simulator on a longer mission, I began to wonder if a preprogrammed attack I dubbed ‘Coronaburst’ would prove useful or just tear my sim-broom apart. In implementation, the Broom’s A.I. accounts for all the friendly’s and creates a ‘mask’ that disables the weapons in specific areas- namely our friends. The ‘3D’ coronal burst pattern- with the ‘mask’- is then activated along with all weapons and all maneuvering emitters. It took quite a few trials varying the rotational speed before I found the ‘magic’ number- the speed at which a broom AND its pilot can survive the centripetal forces that temporarily overload the inertial dampeners.” I answered.
“Still, I wouldn’t recommend eating anything before that one. I performed many clean-ups in my simulator cockpit!”
“So, Aquia, what happened? It’s okay to say you were overwhelmed by the equipment. It happened to me the first time I took Hello Kitty out. I was halfway to Earth’s Horizon before she would let me take the stock.” I admitted.
“For me it was the fact I was ‘trans-dimensional’- or ‘at warp’ as Lady Chance calls it- and completely alone…well, Hello Kitty and I, that is. It can be very overwhelming…terrifying, actually. It’s funny how it didn’t bother me in Pegasus or Mini Van, though.” I continued.
We were all quiet for several standard minutes- me, I was contemplating the differences I had just spoken of; the others…I had no idea what Galantry or Aquia were thinking.
“I think we’ve trained enough for today, sisters. Lt. Greer has agreed to process all the data gathered from today’s simulation. We’ll all meet back here tomorrow for his report and to discuss his suggestions then we’ll discuss our next training objectives.” Lady Sandra announced, breaking the silence.