They fell into a routine. Days passed rather quickly, for there was never a dull moment at the Verena Osena. The day began with a workout, followed by a nourishing breakfast, weaponry, and intensive combat training. After lunch was celestial navigation and ship piloting, which took the entire afternoon until dinner. After dinner, the recruits were free to go about as they wished, whether it was the library, the fitness center, the lounge, or their dorms. There was an iridescent color-shifting greenish purple force field around the Verena Osena to prevent any recruits from leaving the military school.

The recruits wore different colored clothing for each part of training. For workout, they wore cobalt blue. For weaponry, they wore muted purple. For martial arts and self-defense, they wore pearl white. For combat training, they wore onyx black. For celestial navigation and ship piloting, they wore dark navy blue. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they were free to wear anything they liked.

Vengimi focused on building his strength and working out to stay in shape, feeling thankful for the opportunity to do so. Keth already knew how to use weapons, especially guns and swords, so he happily taught Vengimi how to use them. After training, they often practiced sword fighting together so Vengimi could become as proficient as Keth. Weekly reports were sent to Eirena, who read each report to keep tabs on each recruit's progress. The King received a monthly report.

Both men and women trained together, though they had separate dorms. Keth was pleased when he had to spar with a rather attractive woman with long black hair and almond shaped chocolate brown eyes. He enjoyed having her pin him on the ground and allow seductive fantasies to run through his mind, until the training instructor announced, "Leilani Qianru wins the match! Keth Vasileniy, you will undergo further training until you win a match."

Further training meant further martial arts courses, all of which thoroughly increased a person's flexibility, balance, coordination, and overall physical and mental health. In time, Keth was able to flip Leilani and successfully pin her on the ground, grinning happily as the training instructor announced he won the match. Afterwards, Keth was surprised when Leilani congratulated him with a kiss. She pulled him into her dorm, allowing Keth's earlier seductive fantasies to become reality.

When Keth returned to his dorm late at night, Vengimi looked up from the book he was reading, giving Keth the same look a parent gives a teenager who had come home late after a fun night. Keth held up his hands, saying, "Hey, might as well enjoy the benefits of this place while I can, ay?"

Vengimi sighed, shaking his head. Keth defended himself, showing Vengimi the silvery blue tin box where tea sachets were plentifully provided. "They even prepared us for such things, as if they already know what sort of activities we might be up to. This tea is called unlimitedx and is used for – "

"I don't want to know," Vengimi interrupted, not comfortable speaking of such things, even with a trusted friend like Keth. "That's your personal business, not mine. You do as you want." He set his book to the side and went to get ready for bed, tempted to turn the lights out and leave Keth in the dark.

Vengimi focused entirely on his training, determined to complete his training so he could fail the Path of Shattered Glass and therefore be free to return to planet Earth to finally reunite with his son. Not wanting to depend on Keth in case one of them passed the Path of Shattered Glass, Vengimi dedicated himself to learning all he could about celestial navigation and ship piloting. He spent extra time in the library, reading up on alien ships and space travel. He wanted to know how to pilot any kind of ship in case he wasn't able to fly Keth's ship.

As a result, celestial navigation and ship piloting became Vengimi's favorite part of training. He had much difficulty, since he had never flown a plane nor any kind of aircraft, and so after much struggle and crashing, Vengimi was paired with a woman proficient in celestial navigation and ship piloting.

It was the first time Vengimi stared at a woman recruit. Not in interest, but in astonishment, for the woman had metallic streaked pink and blue hair, cut short in a bob pixie cut style with side bangs. She wore edgy makeup with black eyeliner and blue sparkles. She was in excellent shape and form, her body showing she regularly worked out, even outside of training. She was dressed in a form fitting dark navy blue long sleeve shirt and pants, as did everyone else.

"Trixy Elusia, a human native to planet Mijishin, meet Vengimi Carven, a human from planet Earth," the pilot instructor Abellona Staszeczka introduced them. "You will be navigating ship number eight. Keth Vasileniy, human from planet Verdamnt, you will be assigned to Merzel Kyffindor, a human native to planet Mijishin. You will be navigating ship number seven."

"Your hair," Vengimi spoke without thinking, his voice that of amazement. "The blue and pink colors remind me of Trix yogurt cups from my planet. Your name is even the same as the yogurt."

"Are you saying I look like yogurt from another planet?" Trixy repeated, her eyebrows raised in incredulity.

"Well, when you put it that way," Vengimi stammered, turning red from embarrassment.

Keth laughed heartily, clapping Vengimi on the back. "Good one, Vengimi! I shall have to remember that one. Hey, you look like yogurt from another planet! What a compliment, man. Excellent thinking."

"Excellent strangeness, if you ask me," Trixy murmured, sighing. She turned to Abellona, asking, "Could I please be reassigned to someone who doesn't think I look like yogurt from another planet?"

"Nope, you're stuck with the recruit who needs to learn teamwork in addition to ship piloting," Abellona said glibly. She tapped her clipboard, saying, "Get moving, now!"

Keth gave Vengimi a good luck pat on the shoulder as he walked past, suppressing a grin. Merzel went with Keth while Vengimi nervously turned to Trixy, who pushed her hair back and said, "You ready, marshmallow?"

"Marshmallow?" Vengimi repeated in confusion.

Trixy handed him a stack of papers. "These are the blueprints to our assigned ship. You are to memorize everything on those papers." Trixy pushed Vengimi back, moving him so that he was standing a few footsteps from the ship. "Now watch me take-off and land the ship without crashing it."

"Aren't we supposed to work together on this?" Vengimi asked as Trixy lightly stepped aboard the ship. He attempted to follow her, but Trixy held up a hand to stop him.

"After you watch the expert, I will stand and watch as you attempt to do the same," Trixy said, already anticipating having to correct him on steering, if the ship was to remain intact.

Vengimi pushed her hand aside. "I don't think that's right," he said. "This is a team effort, not a lone person assignment."

Trixy motioned towards the distance where Keth and Menzel were. "They're doing the same," Trixy informed Vengimi as they watched Menzel fly the ship, showing Keth the proper way to do so, before allowing Keth to take the wheel, with Menzel standing beside Keth to instruct him on proper techniques and such.

Trixy proceeded to board the ship, Vengimi stepping back as Trixy took up position at the wheel. She lifted the ship with ease, the ship almost gliding in the air, reminding Vengimi of a swan lifting its wings. The ship rose elegantly before banking and landing smoothly in its assigned place.

"Your turn," Trixy said, tilting her head to the side as she stepped away, waiting for Vengimi to take his place at the wheel.

My son would be so thrilled by this, Vengimi thought as he boarded the ship. I feel as though I'm flying a pirate ship, but in the air instead of in the water.

Vengimi was still entranced by the way Trixy handled the ship, the way the wind ruffled her short hair, the carefree look on her face, the taste of freedom one felt aboard a ship. He placed his hand on the steering wheel, thinking to himself, Just like a car, Vengimi. But with no gas pedal and no brakes.

The hardest part for Vengimi was the maneuvering. While Keth picked up on it easily and became as masterful as Menzel, Vengimi was having trouble steering the ship. He kept pressing his foot down on an invisible brake, Trixy having to take over in steering to avoid a collision with another ship.

"Are you seriously this terrible at piloting?" Trixy asked Vengimi, shaking her head in disbelief.

"It is certainly not one of my talents," Vengimi admitted, wishing it wasn't so hard for him.

Trixy noticed the firm grip on the wheel, the tension and frustration making him mess up even more. Her face softened as she placed a hand over Vengimi's.

"You've got to feel the ship," Trixy advised Vengimi, slowly guiding his hand in steering the ship. "You're too tense, too focused on trying not to make a mistake, that what it does is make certain of repeated mistakes. You've got to relax and let go of those fears."

"Easy to say, hard to implement," Vengimi murmured, glancing at the wheel.

Trixy's hand remained over his own, gently moving as needed. From her touch, Vengimi felt no tension, no stress, her hand light and easy over his. He relaxed his grip, allowing Trixy to guide him as the ship continued to fly in the air. From this somewhat sensual guidance, Vengimi was able to feel when to apply pressure, when to grip tighter and when to let go.

So unlike my wife's touch, if I can even call her my wife anymore, Vengimi thought as he remembered the abuse Nadima put him through, whenever she hurt him instead of lovingly touching him. Since then, he had shied away from any womanly touch, uncomfortable even when a female coworker attempted to hug him, but surprisingly, Vengimi felt no discomfort with Trixy, no desire to take her hand away from his. There were no awful memories associated with her touch; rather, it was of gentle guidance, one that promised no harm.

Keth and Menzel watched as Vengimi landed the ship successfully, without crashing, even managing to park a few breaths away from a bird in front of the parking spot, the bird glancing once at the ship before continuing to preen.

"Well done, Vengimi! That was a big improvement!" Keth said cheerfully as Vengimi and Trixy disembarked from the ship. He gave Vengimi a high five, pleased to see he did well. He turned to Trixy, saying, "Thank you, yogurt, for teaching him!"

Trixy raised an eyebrow. "I could shove you, but I don't think you're worth the effort," she said. "Not when you're not the dinko who called me yogurt in the first place."

Vengimi reddened, feeling like there wouldn't be an end to his yogurt blunder. "I didn't mean any offense, Trix yo – I mean Trixy!"

"Oh, so you think I'm full of 'tricks' now, don't you?" Trixy shook her head, murmuring, "Clueless marshmallow."

"Tricks?" Vengimi was indeed a clueless marshmallow, unable to differentiate between tricks and Trix yogurt. "What's with the marshmallow remark?"

Trixy tossed him a glance. "I look like yogurt from your planet; you look like confectionary from my planet."

Trixy sauntered away, leaving a stunned Vengimi. I suppose it is only fair, Vengimi thought, to be called a marshmallow when I called her yogurt.

Keth looked like he was reading a romance novel. His eyes lit up as he said excitedly, "She likes you, Ven! That's her way of calling you sweet. I'm so happy for you! She seems a good, fun woman. Not my type, personally, but she is certainly very suitable for you. What do you think of her, Vengimi?"

"I...." Vengimi paused, not exactly sure. He thought back to the way Trixy held his hand, guiding him as they steered the ship together. It made him feel....warm, safe. Fearless, cared for.

"She is a good woman," Vengimi said, reflecting on the positive thoughts he had of Trixy. "One who would never hurt me."

"Indeed," Keth agreed, looking over to where the clockwork read it was almost dinnertime. "I'll be in the cafeteria. I have a date with some awesome fish and mashed potatoes, along with parsley and garlic. And of course, that wonderful pomegranate juice!"

That was another good thing about this place: the food. Vengimi was once again thankful for his situation. Even though he was essentially a prisoner in a military school, he was treated well and never once received a frown or slap, no swearing nor cussing, no hitting and throwing. Overall, the Verena Osena was a very friendly environment, pleasant and safe, certainly well protected.

If only my son waswell protected, Vengimi thought, wishing there was some way to get in touch, but he wasfaraway on an alien planet, with no phone nor ship. At least I accomplishedsomething today. I am one step closer to finding my son. Vengimi was gladto have met Trixy, feeling like things would only get better from here on out.

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✨ Fun fact! ✨

~ Trixy means "voyager", not yogurt cups
~ Vengimi is a derivation from Venyamin or Benjamin, meaning "son of the right hand or son of the south"
~ Keth means "clear, pure" or "purified", a sophisticated name
~ Eirena means "peace" and is a fun version of Irina or Irena

✨ I think name meanings are so cool and they truly give some definition to a person and their characteristics. My name meaning is definitely true for me :)

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Music:

"Spaceship Gurl (Dream Fiend Remix)"
by StayLoose

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