PART VI - RADIANT STAR

Dessert came in the form of a Pama-summoned frozen sherbert, which in addition to being absolutely delicious, was quite the shock to Callie, as well as most of the table. Up until now, Callie had never seen any kind of a frozen treat, finding even ice in water a rarity. From other tables, Callie could hear people echoing the same happy surprise at something so novel being served. As for the sherbert itself, it had a strong citrus flavor, with bits of fruit similar to blueberries mixed into it. As she watched the smiles on the faces of Pixyl and the rest, Callie suddenly realized she really missed ice cream. Wasn't there a way to make it homemade? She vaguely remembered doing that at some point when she was a kid at a summer day camp or something, but couldn't remember any of the steps beyond sugar and cream.

Callie sat back in her chair, feet tucked under her while she held the little bowl of sherbert in her lap, taking tiny nibbles to try to stretch the experience out, while still eating fast enough it all didn't melt. Across the way, Nevikk had somehow managed to finagle a second bowl, either by stealing it from a tablemate, or maybe he cajoled an extra from the kitchen. Either way, he was grinning like he'd gotten away with something, all while complaining that his brain was frozen. Jorin and Reynard, seated on either side of him, were likewise smiles, the latter rubbing Nevvik's green head playfully. The whole room felt .. content maybe? Happy even? Certainly there wasn't a non-smile in the place.

But that changed before long, as the bottoms of bowls were scraped clean, and maybe even licked clean by those who refused to have any shame, Tazrok being one of them. At the front of the room, Legate Galin had stood from the long table and was making his way towards the podium.

The Legate had 'presence', just as the Commandant and Arkan had, but his had a much different feel to it. While the Arkan had been perhaps a bit commanding, and Xera momentarily serious, before turning playful, Galin's presence seemed to hang ominously in the room. He hardly needed to do so much as raise his hand before conversations ceased and all attention focused on him. The effect wasn't lost on Lhawni, either. Given what had happened earlier in the evening, she was now extra attentive to the effects the Legate was having on the crowd.

"We began this evening with a story," Legate Galin started off, spending no time on even something so mundane as introducing himself. "It is perhaps fitting that our dinner concludes with another, before we have our parting toasts." He straightened his posture, took a deep breath and began.

"Hundreds of recruits have come through this facility since its founding. Every one of them has gone on to the front to make us proud, and every single one, once their term of service concluded, has come home." Galin gestured back to the long table and then to himself. "We have always known that this day would come, and thanked the stars each and every day it didn't."

The vaguely ominous statement sent shivers through the recruits, and Callie immediately sensed what was coming. She'd heard the report from Galin directly, weeks ago, on the night of the welcome feast, and for some reason a decision had been made to share with all the recruits now.

"Utora was a Paladin, a Gnoll in fact, and small for one of her kind. She came to us from Imor where she was the daughter of a shoemaker, her mother, and a carpenter, her father, and only seventeen years old the day she stepped through our gates. She was a middle child of four in her family, with an older sister and brother, and a single younger sister. I remember the day she arrived, wearing the same terrified look on her face that so many of you wore on your own first day. In many ways, perhaps most ways, she was just like any recruit. Full of potential, scared, but eager to prove herself, and filled with a sense of service.

"Utora did not seek glory or fame. In fact, she once told me that her only motivation was 'to do my time and go back home', because her sister had postponed her wedding so that she'd be able to attend. She was quiet, pleasant, and her eyes twinkled when she laughed."

Galin took a deep breath, and Callie was able to detect just the barest hint of a waver in it, as if the Legate was pushing away the very-early signs of emotion.

"When Utora reached Silver," Galin continued, "she received her one and only melded power. That changed everything for her, and put her on a path she had never anticipated, nor had even wanted. Her melded skill, simply called Power Armor, would encase her body in a five-meter tall ghostly suit of nearly-impenetrable magic that glowed with the white-hot fury of the Paladins, while summoning a magnificent shield and great sword made of that same fury. The skill increased her strength at least tenfold, and her endurance knew no end. In this form, standing taller than even our Ogre friend here, she could move faster, fight harder and longer, and inspire fear even in the Demon hordes. She could even launch occasional explosives from this armor, imbued with its same perfect fury."

Callie remembered reading the report in one of the logbooks about a Paladin that could summon this 'power armor', and realized she had never noticed the name of who it was. That made her feel a little guilty, actually, as if she diminished the person by only looking at the power that had been recorded. The logbooks contained more than simply dry records and information, after all. They were alive with the people that were behind those records. She wanted to look through those books again, she decided, and meet the actual people this time.

"A family had become trapped in their home, surrounded by demons and sure to die." Galin frowned as he continued the story, almost seeming … apologetic? "Utora's field-sergeant was forced to deem the rescue too risky, if not impossible. After all, hundreds of demons lay between our forces and the little cottage, and the cold calculations of war said the risk in saving the people was too high. It's hard to understand a decision to do nothing, sometimes. Very hard. Utora's two words to her sergeant in response were forced, direct, and something that should not be said in polite company. Trust me, they were certainly not something we'd ever have expected from Utora."

"I know what she said," Pixyl whispered to herself, her eyes narrowing to a piercing glare. There was an intense, almost angry look on the Pixie's face, and a sense of bitter frustration in her voice. Callie reached out, taking Pixyl's clenched hand and then forcing it open so she could hold it. Pixyl continued to stare at the Legate, her eyes still bitter about what had happened in the story, but her body relaxed just the tiniest amount.

"This simple, small Gnoll girl, now an eighteen-year-old battle-machine of light, charged into the fray, her orders be damned. With every trick and power at her disposal, she carved a path towards the lone farmhouse, battling imps, fiends, and other horrors that swarmed from all sides. Her magic and unwavering resolve held the demonic horde at bay. Upon reaching the trapped family, she easily smashed a hole in the wall, creating an escape route. Then, as they ran for safety, she defended them from the incoming waves of the enemy.

There was a bit of a downcast look on the Legate's face, as if dreading his next words. "Utora fell," Legate Galin stated simply, letting the statement hang in the air for a long moment. "Even with Paladin magic and her extraordinary power, the demonic onslaught was too much, and she was ultimately overwhelmed. But the family lived, a testament to her heroism and heart. Heroes, true heroes, are few, and this young Gnoll sub-private with eyes of twinkling laughter, though she sought no glory or accolades, became one that day."

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Galin paused, his face seeming sad and introspective, and his words hanging in the air for everyone to consider. Glancing to the side of the dais, he saw that Natala had risen and taken post and was apparently ready for whatever her part was going to be. He nodded, just slightly, to her.

"All shall rise," she called out, and immediately, chairs were pushed back while everyone in the audience stood, the atmosphere filled with an anticipatory reverence. Callie, Pixyl, Chown and Lhawni all moved to take position at the front, so they could see. Off to the side of the dais, Commandant Xera led a person to the center. It was another Gnoll visitor that Callie had seen a couple times at the various Midsummer gatherings, but never spoken to.

Turning to the new person, Galin bowed his head deeply. "Your sister was the finest of us, and the world is a far less-bright place with her loss. I am forever touched for having known her."

Sergeant-Major Natala stepped forward, opening a wooden box much like what had held Pixyl's Bronze Sword medal at that opening feast. Even from this distance and angle, Callie could see something was glowing inside.

Xera stepped up to the podium as Galin made way for them, and then spoke to everyone. "For courage and sacrifice in the face of impossible odds," Xera called out, "and for manifesting the grandest ideals of heroism, it is the Imorian Army's humblest of honors to posthumously award Utora Rehtdesi The Radiant Star, our highest recognition for valor." The wooden box was tilted enough to show the audience the medal, which was identical to the one that Major Celeste wore around her neck.

A round of very polite yet hesitant applause began as Utora's sister stepped close, wiping a tear from her eye. The applause died, however, nobody quite sure what was appropriate. The Gnoll visitor clasped wrists with Xera and then Galin, following them with light hugs, before exchanging a few private words and then accepting the box from the Sergeant-Major. The glow reflected for a moment off the tears on her furry face, before she slowly closed the lid. It was a bittersweet moment for everyone. While it felt grand to recognize someone for such courage and deeds, the fact that it was posthumous weighed heavily over any sense of true celebration.

Xera returned to the podium, waiting for room to settle, before continuing to speak. "Let it be hereby be recorded upon this day that this location will no longer be known as 'Eastern Advanced Recruit Training Camp'. In keeping with Imorian tradition, this site shall now and henceforth be known as Camp Utora, named after the first casualty of one of its graduates, to forever honor her memory."

There was another round of polite applause in recognition, this one seeming a little more appropriate, but still not too boisterous or celebratory. There was a sense of reverence in the air, as if everyone watching on was bearing witness to a moment of history, which, in a way they were. Instinctively, Callie put her arm around Pixyl and pulled her close, kissing her gently on the temple. She wasn't completely sure why she did that specifically, but in this solemn moment, it felt like the right thing to do, and Pixyl noticeably relaxed. The presentation ended, and people returned to their seats.

The room was abuzz with quiet whispers about the awarding of the Radiant Star, and Callie got the sense it was on par with a Medal of Honor back on Earth. She'd seen, in passing, a news clip once about the president bestowing that award to someone, and remembered how solemn and dignified the occasion seemed. That mirrored the feeling in this room as well. The presentation of the medal completed, Xera led the Gnoll off the dais while the Legate retook center-stage. Pama stepped in from the side, taking up a spot next to him, one of her Goblin assistants holding a tray with little glasses on it.. Galin cleared his throat once, reclaiming attention. "We will conclude our evening with our toasts. Everyone, please clear away the area in front of you so our Culinar can disperse the drinks." Everyone did so, picking up cups or napkins or anything else that may have been occupying the space. After a moment, Pama waved her hands a bit, calling on magic to replicate the contents of the tray. There was a wibble of light and a small plate appeared in front of each person with four of the long-necked shot glasses that Callie remembered from that first feast.

The final toasts followed much the same sequence as the ones at the welcome feast, except that it led off with a specific toast in memory and honor of King Regent Feldwin and King Regent Ruvan. It then went on to toast those who had died in battle, with a specific callout for Utora, followed by the playing of this world's version of Taps. The next toast was for those in service to the kingdom, and finally one for Pama and her staff.

For that final toast, the Goblins from the kitchens, along with others that had helped with serving, gathered in a group on the dais behind Pama, acknowledging the loud applause while at the same time seeming embarrassed by the accolades. They had done an amazing job in not only preparing the meal, but in coordinating the serving of it. With much of the meal being 'real food', and not magicked in some way, that amplified the logistics many-fold, and everything had been pulled off to perfection.

And with that, the meal was over. The Legate dismissed everyone with instructions to clear the tent for at least the next hour, in order to allow for furniture to be rearranged or removed so the space could be set up. The bell would ring when everyone could return. As he described what was to come next, it sounded less like a formal ball, and a little more similar to the party they'd all had that second night here. However, since there was professional music this time and an Illusionist, Callie suspected things would naturally migrate towards a lot more dancing, especially if Deduxia and the rest of the band could get something peppy going. Most of the music that first time had been somewhat dull three-beat waltzes or something else Callie found pretty boring.

"That was a marvelous meal," Vanis said as Table 1 stood and casually gathered together, waiting for the egress line to thin out a bit. "Daida was the perfect selection for tonight."

'It really was,' Callie thought as she nodded in agreement. What better way to celebrate coming together for a holiday than a meal served family style?

"Yes, it was very delicious," Juniper echoed. "Although, this was quite a strange drink." She indicated the now-empty toasting glasses. "Very good, but quite different." Looking up to Vanis, she asked, "Are we allowed to have more than one favorite? Up until now I had quite enjoyed the wine, but enjoyed this one equally." Juniper hadn't taken to the harder spirits or brews that were often available.

"Of course." the Prince replied, returning a smile to Juniper's relieved face. "You may have as many favorites as you wish."

"Congratulations, Sub-Captain," another recruit said to Lhawni as he walked by her, momentarily interrupting the conversation. He'd been about the fifth or sixth person that had detoured out of the way to say that, which was making Lhawni rather irritated at all the attention. The latter half of the meal had been enough of a distraction to largely forget what had happened to her, or at least make a minimal, if momentary, peace with it. Now with fresh reminders, that anxiety was bubbling up again.

"This is all so surreal," Lhawni said with a grouch. "I still don't understand why …"

"Would you like to go for a bit of a walk?" Chown interrupted, taking Lhawni's hand in his. You could tell he was trying to change the subject and get her mind off her promotion. "We have an hour or so. Why don't we go for a walk? It will take your mind off things.."

"Sure," the new officer replied, a bit of unenthusiastic hesitation in her voice. Then, her face relaxed and brightened as she gave the idea a second thought. Amending her previous, she said, "Actually, yes, that would be great. Let's get away from people for a bit."

Callie actually liked that idea, too. Turning to Pixyl, she asked, "What about you? Want to go for a walk in the woods? We could make out or something to pass the time." She couldn't help but grin at Pixyl's shocked and then blushing expression, but noticed the little glint of mischievousness in there, too.

"That was exactly my idea," Lhawni said. "I need a distraction," she added with a sigh. Turning to Chown, she stiffened somewhat, mockingly issuing an order. "Since I now outrank you, Recruit, with me into the woods! You have work to do!"

Chown's own eyes lit up with the same mischievous look that Pixyl had. "Yes, Sub-Captain! Whatever you order, Sub-Captain!" Just to add to the response, he likewise stiffened to perfect attention, snapping the heels of his boots together and pounding his fist to his chest. "I am eager to serve your needs!"

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