Jace walked up and shook hands with Admiral Dakota who was focused on a data pad the moment before while talking with Salem. "Admiral Dakota, it is a pleasure to see you again. I suppose you are flying us?"
Admiral Dakota chuckled as he nodded, "I am indeed. Only three people even know the location and we want to keep it that way. Come on, I only have so much time and I want to go say hello to my adorable daughter after this." He quickly walked onto the Osprey heading toward the pilot's cabin while just greeting the director with a wave of his hand.
"Jace?" Salem looked confused as she looked him over. Unlike her he was dressed in just sweats. Salem was dressed in a formal military outfit and appeared to have taken a shower already. She looked good in her enlisted formal uniform. After looking him over she glanced at the tiger that was now sniffing her and then the director, with a look of confusion on her face. "I have so many questions."
"Then I suppose I can answer them on the ride to wherever we are going." Jace told her as he walked up the ramp onto the Osprey. He moved to one of the seats and plopped down. The tiger jumped up and sat in the seat next to him. "I think I also need to come up with a name for this one."
Salem frowned as she sat next to him on the opposite side from the tiger, "yeah… first off, where did you get a tiger and why do you have a tiger?"
"Well I found her injured during the survival training and treated her wound. Then she started following me around so I fed her and she apparently imprinted on me. She is actually something called an Astral Beast so she can change forms if needed, but because she is so young her main form is just that of a tiger." Jace explained quickly as his mind wandered.
The tiger's name had to be feminine in nature. It should not be something simple. Maybe something feline, there were plenty of ancient mythical creatures and people with connections to feline creatures. This would require more research, he mostly knew about the ancient religion called Christianity and Greek Mythology.
"Okay… who is that woman?" Salem pointed at the director who was sitting across from them while smilinging innocently.
"My name is Director Fenrir, I am basically in charge of this system and all facilities inside of it. Tell me how annoying it is that you can not just look into my mind to see what you need to know?" The director chimed in with a giggle that was definitely not fitting her age.
Salem clicked her tongue, she only did that when she was annoyed with him. "Extremely annoying, especially since you and the Admiral are blocking me with the same method. Should I expect more people like yourself are going to be popping up and being able to block my ability?"
"Yes and no, the method myself and Dakota are using is the same. But there are also a very limited number of people that will be able to do that. Although by the end of the training here there should be some more." Director Fenrir shrugged, "by the way I heard you two were likely destined to end up together even if this whole arrangement was not going to happen."
Salem blushed and started stammering out a response. "I-I- you- what?"
"Salem, she is intentionally pushing your buttons in order to pass the time." Jace pointed out as he nudged her.
Salem frowned and leaned back in her seat looking away for a few minutes as the Osprey flew. Then she seemed to suddenly remember something, "actually, Jace I wanted to ask what your and the others special assignment was? And how did your training go?"
He used one of his hands to begin scratching the tiger's head who began looking around. Likely feeling the fact that they were entering an atmosphere of some kind.
"The people with S-Rank system compatibility were asked to protect the others as a secondary objective but to stay hidden during the assignment. I actually got lucky because no one else came to the top of the mountain." Jace began detailing how his survival training went. Everything from making a hammock out of his parachute, the time he came to assist the nearby group, even when he attacked and almost died fighting the suneaters.
"Wow, I figured you were doing something different. But that is on a whole other level. Wait but those things that fly at night track targets through the smell of blood. How did you avoid them attacking you after you were injured?" Salem asked as she realized a discrepancy in his story.
"Do they? I only encountered them one time. Otherwise I have no idea." Jace shrugged.
"Hmm… there is a good chance they avoided you since the Suneater poison was mixed with your blood. Although even after the poison no longer becomes lethal to you it still exists in your blood." Director Fenrir pulled up a holographic image from her watch. "I will make a note of it for the doctors to check later. But for now I would avoid giving out your fluids."
"What?" Salem asked in confusion.
"She is saying that I should not be making out or having sex with anyone until the doctors clear me." Jace leaned over and whispered in her ear, delighted that her face became crimson red with embarrassment.
Salem slapped his shoulder, "now you are doing it too." She pointed out before she began pouting.
"Sorry," Jace apologized before he leaned back in his own seat as well. "I am almost looking forward to this next week. It is sure to be interesting considering this past was so much fun. Anything you can share with us, Director?"
"Nope, Eelson has full control of what you kids do for this first month. But I have a feeling you can basically teach the second half of his course. But I would like to ask that Sergeant Wintry forget she ever met me, and never report about what she is about to see to her Union counterpart. Not that she would be able to until after the Tartarus Project initial training completes." Director Fenrir answered with a shrug as they could feel the Osprey slowing down.
"I suppose I can. Am I going to be given any access to classified intel?" Salem asked absentmindedly. She would be playing a dangerous game balancing what she was and was not allowed to disclose.
"No, the candidates for the Tartarus Project will not be exposed to anything. Anything you are able to take from others is fair game. All intel we don't want leaked to the Union is kept out of your reach and most peoples reach as well." Director Fenrir explained.
The door to the pilot's cabin opened up. Outside Jace could see desert dunes through the front window. "We are almost there. Get ready for landing." Admiral Dakota told them.
Jace initially flinched figuring he should grab a weapon. But he stopped himself when he realized that he would not need a weapon. They were not here to fight or anything else. As he took a breath to steady himself he felt the tiger rubbing its head against his thigh. Across from him he caught a glimpse of Director Fenrir looking sad for a moment before her expression steeled again.
There was a slight joseling as the Osprey landed. Then a moment later it started to lower its rear ramp. It was just as sandy as he thought it would be. But it was also bright which was an odd combination.
Since this was likely one of the moons the sunshine and heat made no sense, how was it so bright and hot? Jace stepped down the ramp and looked to the sky. The green planet was visible in the sky along with an almost bright shine around the edges of it.
"The central planet is acting as a reflective lens to send more light and radiation to these moons. But I am guessing they are so widely different because someone was playing with artificial atmospheric shielding?" Jace asked, looking at the director who just shrugged in response.
"Hahahaha!" Admiral Dakota came sauntering out of the pilot's cabin. "Fenrir is not one for sciency stuff. She is more focused on logistics and weapons." He earned a punch from Fenrir who was grinning.
"You never mentioned how your daughter was doing?" Fenrir pointed it out as they walked out of the ramp.
"Oh, you already know." Dakota rolled his eyes. "After graduating the academy she managed to earn herself a spot high up on this Tartarus Project. Then she joined Sergeant Steel here in being one of the S-Ranks."
"How do you become an S-Rank?" Salem asked as she followed them out of the ship.
"Genetic potential unlocked through hard work. The greater your potential for being an S-Rank is the lower your initial compatibility rating is. For instance if you managed to become an S-Rank it would not change much initially." Admiral Dakota explained with a shrug. "Fun fact, there were only five S-Ranks in the empire before Jace appeared."