I heard a lot about halfbreeds.
We don't really distinguish between ourselves. We respect each other and treat as equals, but we don't mix, if you understand. Civire's children must remain Civire, as Deteis children should be Deteis. Yet you can't always order to your feelings, and sometimes mixes happen. Children born in these unions are not the happiest ones in the State. Starting with the fact that it would be very hard for them to make a family and continue their bloodline, and ending with the fact that they are shunned away by almost any local societies, they are most often bullied and mocked at. I wouldn't bully a halfbreed myself. I think I wouldn't. Most probably I would stand on their defense or even try to befriend them. Because I feel sorry about halfbreeds, I heard a lot about them, but I never actually met one, until this day.
I was a cadet in the War Academy, and they have just transferred me to another planet. Our squad was reformed because of authorities outside of regulations. You know, how it happens. Someone who is not happy with his internal rank comes to his training officer to talk with tea, and the next morning our squad is no more. And then I was put into a shuttle and sent to completely different planet. No, really, I have no idea why they sent us to different planets, since we barely were outside a single district of the university. Probably to make an impression of gravity situation, but I never heard that anyone was actually punished for this.
Nevertheless I was happy, because on this planet there were no domes and I could walk outside without life support suit. I was always afraid of these domes, they seemed so fragile. There was of course and bad part. Despite officials deny this, authorities outside of regulations exist in almost all squads. And now I had to present myself to them properly. Or even worse, pass some sort of silly test.
After I dropped my humble possessions, my new instructor led me to huge open air training field, where squads were resting between exercises. He introduced me to my new squad mates and left to drink tea with other instructors, or whatever else they were doing during this time. One rather plump achuran guy pointed hand to me: “Hey you, newcomer, come here for a moment.” I walked towards him silently. Cadet raised from the bench and approached me closely, pointing his hand now towards lone figure, still doing exercises on a chin-up bar, and said almost to my ear:
- See this girl?
I nodded.
- Look, I like her. Could you do a favor to me?
- What favor?
- Just ask her if she is achuran. That’s all.
- Sure, - I replied quite quickly.
“It was rather mean, to ask me to approach a girl,” – I was thinking at first, heading towards her. But, hell, in fact it could have been way worse. This kind of “test” seemed rather simple to me. And I was so mistaken…
The girl saw me, jumped down on the ground, grabbed a bottle of water, straightened, put a towel over her shoulder, and turned towards me. She was young Achuran woman. Light beams of morning sun were striking through her dark hairs, and she was staring directly into my eyes. She slightly tilted her head and widely smiled to me. I couldn’t remove my eyes away from her, I couldn’t blink. We looked at each other silently for a couple of minutes, and I was feeling like I knew her all my life, like we were best friends, who just met again after long parting. I was still looking at her face, and suddenly I understood, that something is wrong about her. Her lines were stiffer, her eyes, her mouth, even shape of her nose, they weren’t completely Achuran. There was something different from people of Saisio, but more familiar to me. Something... Civire. My thoughts tangled in my head, and I couldn’t remember what I was thinking about, but I finally opened my mouth and asked: “Are you a halfbreed?”
And then I realized it. My heart thudded. I haven’t even greeted her, nor presented myself. I blunted terribly, I had to apologize now, but I couldn’t move and say a word. I put my eyes down and saw that the bottle of water, that she was holding, was falling on the ground. I quickly raised my head and looked at her. She was still smiling and looking in my eyes, but her hand, holding a fist, was flying towards my face.
I felt like I was struck by a hovertruck. I lost my balance and fell on my back, automatically raising hands to my face. My nose was burning and salty taste of own blood filled my mouth. I raised my eyes.
She was standing above me in a battle stance like enraged predator over crippled prey. She looked at me with contempt and determination. Her fists were firmly clenched and her face became red from anger. This was the most frightening face I saw in whole my life. I closed my eyes and contracted my whole body in anticipation of the strike.
But it didn't follow. Instead, I heard loud squeaky scream: "Who the hell told him to do it? Come out now or it will be worse! Korkkimo, little bastard! You did it? I freacking end you right now! You are fracking dead!"
I have opened my eyes and saw her running towards one of the relaxing groups. From other side of the field three cadets were approaching me fast. I recognized one of him. Plump achuran guy bended down and extended his hand towards me, saying: “Congratulations! You just survived our shenaa-gurista-haani” I took his hand and he helped me to get up. One of cadets quickly gave me a piece of cloth, which I applied to my hurting nose that was leaking blood fast.
While we were walking away, I turned my head and noticed large scuffle, that this girl started with other students and I asked:
- Will she be okay?
- No, - answered one of boys.
- Don’t worry, she is always like that, - said another one.
- You will have a chance to speak with her again in the aid post, - told me plump achuran guy, placing his hand on my shoulder.
I didn’t meet her in the aid post. Later I learned that she was training in another squad. I never made up my mind to approach her again to apologize or just to talk. But I saw her a lot when we were having breaks or recreational time. She was always alone.
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Topic: Halfbreed (Read 1035 times)