Stars Waited Above Empty Streets by Lorin Wren 201

Chapter 201 Defense 

Finished 

“I told her straight up, if she thought it was unfair, she could go complain to command. I even offered to swap rooms with her. She shot me down and called me fake. 

“I told her she was spreading lies, and she flipped out, said I was cussing her out. I swear, Ms. Levis, I never said a single curse word. You can ask the others. They all saw what happened.” 

Noelle and Zoey both nodded right away. 

Ms. Levis glanced at the girl with the dreadlocks. Picking fights on day one. “Room assignments were done when Ava got here. She was the extra one, so we had to clear things with command. That wasn’t her decision. That was ours. Got a problem with that? 

“Always favoritism! What about you standing up there, huh? Isn’t that favoritism too? If everything’s so fair, why don’t we all just sleep in one giant open barracks like the boys?” 

Ms. Levis turned to the rest of the girls. Her voice cut through the tension. “So? Who’s in? Who wants to sleep in a packed hall with forty other people?” 

Ava raised her hand right away. “I’m fine with it. I’ll take whatever assignment I’m given.” 

Noelle spoke up. “Same here. I’ll follow whatever the base assigns.” 

Zoey added, “Me too. I’m not picky.” 

The other girls didn’t say a word. Most of them dropped their gazes, pretending not to see Ms. Levis looking at them. 

Ms. Levis took her time. She studied each face before speaking again. “You’re all used to being pampered. You’ve never had to tough it out. The school got special permission just to give you girls real beds. The soldiers gave up their rooms for you. 

“And now you’re nitpicking the arrangement? You even know where those soldiers are sleeping now? They’re the ones packed into those giant bunk halls. You keep crying favoritism, but you ever actually met anyone with real power?” 

dub 

Then, her tone eased. “This next month, I expect teamwork. Don’t start cliques. Don’t freeze anyone out. If you’ve got a chip on your shoulder, prove yourself in the drills. Step up. Be the best. 

“Alright. Time’s up. Line up. Head to the cafeteria.” 

The girls formed rows. Not a single one dared to speak after that. They marched in line toward the mess hall without a word. 

15:39 Mon, Jan 19 

Chapter 201 Defense 

There were around a dozen tables inside, each one meant for ten. Some were already filled with boys who’d gotten there first. The girls filled the rest of the scats. Just as they settled in, the kitchen crew started placing trays of food in front of them. 

Once all the trays were served, a uniformed officer stepped up and addressed the room. “Welcome to base, students. You’ll be training here for the next month. This won’t be easy. But 1 guarantee, when it’s over, you’ll come out stronger than you’ve ever been. For now, enjoy dinner. Your instructors will meet you later tonight.” 

He turned to look toward the girls‘ tables. “Who’s Ava?” 

Ava lifted her hand. “Sir, that’s me.” 

The officer approached her. “Apologies. We missed assigning you to a room. That’s on us. To fix that, we’ve arranged for you to stay in the officer dorms. It’s a little farther out, so here’s a walkie. Keep it with you. If anything comes up, your instructor will reach you through it.” 

Ava took the walkie. She didn’t know if Laurent had set this up behind the scenes or not. Either way, at least now it was out in the open. 

“Soon, your Holobands will be collected. You’ll get them back every two weeks to call home. But heads–up–every call’s monitored. Watch your words. 

“Alright. Eat up.” 

Once the officer left, everyone finally relaxed. The clatter of trays and utensils filled the air as people dug into their meals. 

Noelle bumped her arm against Ava’s. “Next time someone opens their mouth about favoritism, I’ll drag them to that officer myself!” 

She threw a sharp look across the table at the dreadlocked girl. Her face said everything she didn’t say out loud. 

Ava felt a wave of warmth rush over her. Noelle had defended her before even knowing anything about her. 

She turned to her. “Noelle, thank you. Seriously.” 

Noelle scratched the back of her head. She looked a little awkward. “Nah, it’s cool. That chick was way outta line. I can’t stand people like that.” 

Ava gave her a soft smile. “I really do appreciate it. But Ms. Levis wasn’t wrong. Starry Heavens has a lot of people with real connections. Being too blunt could end up biting you.” 

Zoey nodded. “Yeah, Ava’s right. You should be careful. This isn’t home. We’re on Capitol Planet now. We gotta stay smart.”