Lesser by Viola Grace Page B

fractions. It had all happened in this one place, the place she existed but never truly lived.
    She finished her tea and went upstairs to pack her duffel. If she could find a life, it had to be amongst people and places that were new and exciting. With very few exceptions, humans were very disappointing.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    Iridia Graves worked on her physical fitness with intensity and focus. This was her key to getting a foothold on her new life, and she took all education seriously.
    Norz was right. There were a variety of species on the moon base, and Iridia studied them all.
    Her combat instructor was a Selna. His species were known to be a little on the trampy sided, but he had given his heart to another one of her kind. He was in love and the object of his affections was missing in action. It was sad, but it made him devoted to his work. Iridia took full advantage of his focus to learn as much as she could.
    “I believe you are ready to move on to weapons training, Iridia.” Ikvaro grinned.
    She paused in her attack. “Are you sure?”
    He used her opening to attack again, but she blocked him.
    “I am definitely sure. You are competent at everything I can teach you, though I would urge you to take advantage of opportunities to learn that come your way.”
    She waited until he dropped his arms and backed away, bowing slightly. She bowed in return. “I have never passed up an opportunity to learn, Ikvaro. Even if the process is painful, the result is usually worthwhile.”
    “What of those times when it is not worthwhile?”
    “During those results I still learn. I don’t like it, but I get a little smarter.” She grimaced.
    A new voice interrupted their conversation. “Good. I hope that that will come in handy while I am training you. I am Master Yentak. I will be instructing you in the ways of weapons.”
    She turned and met a strange creature made of broad muscle and dark rainbow. “Master, is it?”
    “It is my trainer rank, as Ikvaro is Master Ikvaro. He rarely uses the introduction when meeting women, though. It gives them the wrong ideas.” Yentak grinned, showing flashing canines.
    “It does ring with a certain promise for human women.” Iridia winked at Ikvaro.
    Ikvaro sighed. “I am spoken for, or I would be if she could be found.”
    “She will be found. I have no doubt of that. If the women of our first wave were any example, Terrans don’t go down easily. Your second wave lady will be fine.”
    Ikvaro smiled softly. “I am counting on it.”
    Yentak grinned. “As long as we are all on the same page, I would ask that you now accompany me to the firing range, Recruit Graves. You will learn the first steps in accuracy.”
    Iridia smiled. “I look forward to it.”
    She stepped off the sparring platform, and with one more bow to Ikvaro, she turned to follow her new master. Weapons’ training was about to begin.
     
    Over the next two weeks, she learned many things about the weapons at the Alliance and Yentak learned that accuracy was not an issue. Her precision was born of a life of being watched. Everything had to be correct the first time or judgement would rain down on her. Each part of her life had been graded, from how she poured tea to how many crumbs were left on her plate, her school reports and her attire. She had wished to become invisible and that is what had happened. The accuracy and precision with which she moved was a side effect.
    “It seems that we will move to bladed weapons next, Recruit.” Yentak put the apple that he was munching down.
    “Why blades?”
    “Hundreds of species wish to trade with high-tech planets for luxury items but do not wish to break their culture into shards with that evolution. Several have set up colonies with low tech to appreciate the way that their ancestors evolved. They restrict the tech and do not allow it past the spaceports. You will still need to defend your charge if need be, so you need to know how to use blades, sticks,