Leonidas gazed across the room. The eyes that had glared holes through him earlier now afraid to meet his stare.
'Good that should make them leave us alone. For now maybe' he thought.
He approached the counter and asked the grizzly receptionist about how everything works.
"It's straight and narrow, kid. Two test, Flight sim and blaster range. Pass both, you get your credentials. Follow this way."
They walk into an elevator that sent them to a lower floor. As the doors open what looked like the cockpit of a standard starfighter appeared before them. This is the simulator pod. Leonidas approached the captain's seat, gently dragging a hand on the armrest.
'Even for a backwater HQ like this one, the guild spared no expense on this sim pod. It's almost as good as the one at the Academy'
Leonidas slid onto the chair, and the system came to life. Slid the headgear over his head, felt the neural interface syncing with his reflexes. He closed his eyes for but a moment, and when he open them the scenario loaded - asteroid field, hostile drones, time limit.
All of this reminded Leonidas of his academy days. When all he ever wanted was to serve the Empire as the captain of a famous. Yet now he only seeks to serve himself.
He grips the controls. The countdown begins. 3...2...1...
The pod lit up with motion. Leonidas weaved through debris, dodged plasma fire, and took out target with great ease and surgical precision. Years of serving on the Imperial Police Force kicked in - muscle memory, instinct, clarity.
At the helm of a ship. This is where he felt most alive. Where he felt his life had meaning.
The simulation ends with speed. To the amusement of the grizzly receptionist. He stares at his terminal to look at the score:
98.7% - Elite Tier
This was the highest score he'd scene in all his years.
"Not bad, for a half-ling" he grunted.
"You will mind your tongue when you speak to the young master or you will find yourself holding it in your hand" says Titus.
"It's alright Titus. Shall we proceed" he grinned.
The receptionist wipes his forehead of sweat. The old soldier had scared him to death.
"Yes, yes, young sir. This way to the gun range" he says politely.
At the range, Leonidas is handed a standard-issue plasma pistol. Targets popped up- humanoid silhouettes, moving at unpredictable speeds.
He squeezes the trigger, fires with calm precision. Center mass. No wasted energy.
Then he hears a voice, "It was not your fault".
His trigger hand shakes but he pushes through.
The final target dropped, the system chimed.
Score: 75.5 Standard Tier
This score did not worry Leonidas. He was never one for guns anyways.
The receptionist hands him a datapad. "Credentials approved. Welcome to the guild, Captain?"
Leonidas takes the datapad and enters the requiredinformation, "Leonidas. Just Leonidas."
Titus puts a hand on his shoulder. "Now we find work."
Leonidas smiles.