Chapter 20

　　"I`ve come to rely on you both this past month. What we have accomplished would have been impossible without your support. But there is something else I need your assistance with." Kal said, his tone serious.

　　Sylla nodded immediately while a nervous feeling crept through her stomach. Whenever the Baron approached her with a problem, it was never simple. Next to her, Tamara waited for him to speak with the patience of a soldier.

　　"Typically, an Heir to a Noble House is groomed to inherit through years of training and education. We will study politics, history, etiquette, mathematics and science on Terra with the best Imperial Tutors. It also allows us time to form bonds and connections with other Scions. The Emperor would come to know us and judge our character by our accomplishments there." Kal explained.

　　"After Terra, we would be assigned to a position in the Imperial Guard to gain military experience and knowledge. Piloting transports, Mechs, and even starships, we would be expected to know countless details of combat and tactics.

　　"Finally, many noble sons and daughters become wards in other fiefdoms to be exposed to different cultures and strengthen our ties with other Houses. My father spent three centuries travelling abroad before returning to claim his Ducal Title. He made many terrible decisions, but they weren`t from a lack of education and experience.

　　"So, you see my problem and why I need your help." Kal finished.

　　"You`re too young and inexperienced to be an effective Baron." Tamara replied, conveying the problem concisely.

　　"I am only 20 years old. When my Grandparents were alive, I was too young to study on Terra. They had a plan for my education, but it was discarded after their death. My Father was leery of sending me away from Caledon. He didn`t want me forming bonds with those who may be potential opponents of his plan for the Rebellion. Truthfully, he was correct in his judgment." Kal said with a smile.

　　"He ordered all the materials my Grandparents left me to be erased. My studies were to be halted until things stabilized. I managed to recover some, but not nearly enough. Ten years of basic education and ten years of self-studies from things I managed to scrounge together without my parents knowing. Not nearly enough to prepare me for what is expected of a Noble." Kal explained.

　　"The more time that passes without addressing my shortcomings, the more the cracks will show. People will begin to doubt my leadership abilities, and Caledon will suffer as it did in my absence. " Kal stated.

　　"What do you need from us?" Sylla asked.

　　"It`s too late for me to go to Terra, and joining the Imperial Guard is not an option. Reaching out personally to tutors or enrolling in an academy will only highlight my inadequacies, which will be considered a weakness. After the Rebellion, and the recent turmoil, Caledon needs a leader without flaws, and I cannot risk my deficiencies becoming common knowledge." Kal stated.

　　He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a deep breath as he felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. Only in this room, with the two people he trusted most, could he let it show.

　　"I can find tutors for you, gather the materials under the guise that it is for me, and the aides that I have hired. There are several people I trust off-world that can help." Sylla offered.

　　It would benefit her as well since she could use a refresher. Her role had been largely ceremonial and ineffectual for decades. Now that she could affect changes on Caledon, she wanted to make the right decisions.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it`s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

　　"Good. Tamara, I need to learn how to become a Pilot. Mechs, transports, everything I must know to lead a military force." Kal said, turning to Tamara. She wasn`t surprised that he couldn`t operate a Mech. In her time in the Guard, Kal`s activities were heavily restricted.

　　The older woman took a moment to assess the problem, running through a few scenarios on how to train someone in the basics of Piloting.

　　"You need it to be discrete. That means live training is out. I can`t have you stumbling around in a Mech, hurting yourself and causing a ruckus. It`ll draw eyes." Tamara said, explaining her reasoning.

　　"Do you have a solution?" Kal asked.

　　"Hmm. I do. On the Starship, we have something that will work. It won`t be perfect and can`t replace the real thing, but the simulators can replicate our training. It`s how Talha learned the basics before she moved on to an actual Mech.

　　"But there`s a problem. If we move a Sim from our ship to the surface, it will draw eyes. I`ll need to speak to Elric and Talha and see if we can find an alternative." Tamara said, giving Kal a nod before leaving the room.

　　"I`ll gather everything in the next few days and send it to you." Sylla replied, patting Kal gently on the arm in appreciation of his difficulties.

　　"Thank you."

　　� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

　　"So? What do you think?" Talha asked, gesturing at the machine in front of Kal. It was a pod-shaped device, similar to a large coffin or sarcophagus, with wires running from its underside and connecting to a terminal near the far wall.

　　They were in the basement of their residential building, in what had been a wine cellar, back when the Estate had anything of value to store from Caledon`s vineyards. It had been empty for centuries until Talha had commandeered it.

　　It had been only a few days since his conversation with Sylla and Tamara. Both had come through spectacularly. The Governor had provided him with more than enough resources for his studies, although she was still working on a tutor for him.

　　But Tamara, Elric and Talha were the reason he found himself in a dusty, out-of-the-way wine cellar in the middle of the night. The redhead had practically dragged him down the stairs, her excitement palpable. From what he gathered, she enjoyed a challenge and making him a simulator for his training was a task that she attacked with gusto.

　　"It`s a Virtual Reality terminal." Kal said, walking next to the machine and looking at it closely. At his approach, the pod split in half, the top retracting to reveal soft padding, several controls and a display screen.

　　"More than just a VR terminal, it`s a top-of-the-line model. Neural link capable, it`s more than enough to suit your needs. After a few adjustments, it can outperform even the latest Simulators." Talha explained, pointing out a few features of the equipment.

　　"That`s great. Where did you get it?" Kal asked, confused. It had only been a few days. Did they order it from off-world?

　　"Morrow had it. He used it for his more basic needs." Elric said, his arms crossed as he stared at the machine.

　　"Don`t worry. We cleaned it." Talha said, seeing the frown on Kal`s face. Shaking his head, Kal pushed the image of what Ellis Morrow would have used it for out of his mind.

　　"How accurate will it be compared to a real Mech?" Kal asked.

　　"Nothing can replace the real thing," Talha said, repeating her Grandmother`s words. "But this will be very close. Mechs also use a Neural Link, the Pilot`s mind acting as a computer. Understandably, it puts tremendous strain on the operator. VR can do something similar, although most of the computing power comes from the Imperial Net, rather than the user."

　　"When you go from a sim to a real Mech, you`ll understand the difference. It`s clear as day. But training in VR means you won`t hurt yourself or have your head explode from the overload. There`s a reason rookie Pilots don`t hop into a Heavy Class right out of the gate." Elric explained.

　　"It takes years to adjust to the link. It`s like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Everyone starts on a Sim." Tamara added.

　　"So, you`ll have me begin on a Mech Sim?" Kal asked, looking from the VR terminal to Tamara. The older woman shook her head.

　　"No. You need to learn more than just how to use a Mech. There`s a game that`s perfect for you. It will teach you everything you need to know and is fairly accurate. Talha plays it." Tamara said, pointing at her Granddaughter.

　　"You`re going to have me play a game?" Kal said, doubt in his voice.

　　"Don`t disparage it. I`m having all the recruits for your House Guard start on it. With a Sim or VR terminal, it`s safer and cheaper than live training." Tamara continued.

　　"Fine. What`s the name of this game?" Kal asked, resigned.

　　"MechTech BattleWarrior." Talha said with a grin.