In the year 10 NS (New Star era), the "United of Sagitarius," or UoS for short, was opening a new recruitment drive for its various divisions.
News of the recruitment was met with fervent enthusiasm from young people across the Sagitarius galaxy sector. Joining a UoS division meant a guaranteed life and the protection of the galactic government.
January marked the opening of the registration period. Throngs of youth flocked to Planet Romeus—the seat of government and the primary base of operations for the UoS. There stood "The Haast," the main headquarters serving as the registration hub for all hopeful recruits. The Haast itself was situated in the heart of Nexus City, the planet's capital.
Among the crowds arriving at the base were two girls who appeared to be close friends: a blonde-haired human named Valencia Regina and a blue-haired elf named Marina Florence.
"Hey, which division are you aiming for? I see you're carrying so many files you actually had to use your drone," Valencia remarked. Walking with her own bag of documents, she noticed that the stack Marina brought was far larger than her own.
"Uh, I-I plan to join the Science Division. And about these files... I-I heard that the Science Division requires a lot of data for registration." Marina's blue hair hung down as her hands busied themselves controlling her owl-shaped drone.
"Hehe, as for me, I'm joining the Spartan Division. I really want to be on the front lines. Protecting others—including you." Valencia suddenly pinched Marina's cheek while the elf was still focused on the drone, startling her.
"Hey! What was that for?" Marina's face flushed a deep red, her long ears twitching in protest.
"Haha, just kidding! Why are you always so nervous? Just relax!" Valencia pulled her hand away and chuckled softly.
"Hmph, you're always so unpredictable!" Marina huffed, seemingly annoyed by Valencia's antics. "Hehehe, sorry, my beautiful elf friend. I was just bored," Valencia added with a small smile, watching Marina's habitual nervousness as they walked through the bustling Haast district.
Valencia glanced at her wristwatch; it was 9:00 AM. All around them, young people carried documents to register. Some used drones like Marina, some used robots to haul their gear, and others carried their files the conventional way.
In the sky, numerous UoS military spacecraft moved in and out of The Haast, while commercial starships could be seen departing Nexus City and Planet Romeus.
The distant hum of flying cars, the magnetic trains gliding beneath the district, and the general bustle created an atmosphere of a city that never tired of welcoming newcomers.
Finally, they arrived at the main gate of The Haast, a colossal fortress nicknamed the "Eye of Dominion" throughout the Sagitarius galaxy.
"Wow... this is incredible!" Valencia stared up at the towering gate. "Hey look, there's even a clock on one of the gate doors!" She pointed to a giant timepiece embedded in the entrance.
"L-let's go in, Valen. we can't afford to wait." Marina led the way while Valencia remained mesmerized by the scale of the base. "Hey, hurry up!" Marina turned back, seeing Valencia standing still and staring upward, and urged her to enter the headquarters to finalize their registration.
"Y-yeah, I'm coming, my beautiful friend! Wait for me!" Satisfied with her view of the gate, Valencia hurried to catch up with Marina.
The scene inside the headquarters was just as crowded. UoS troops were busy with their respective duties—some moved large crates with the help of robots and drones, some were busy with repairs, and others were assisting with the registration tents set up for the new candidates.
"So many people... I wonder where the registration tents are?" Valencia looked around, trying to locate the specific areas for each division.
Suddenly, a young man in a cloak approached them, having noticed their confused expressions.
"Ahem, may I help you, ladies?" The man asked in a firm, authoritative voice.
"Oh, yes, sir. I wanted to ask where the registration tents for each division are located?" Valencia looked at the man; he had a tall, athletic build, a handsome face, white hair, and striking green eyes.
"The registration tents? Which division are you heading for, miss?" The man's voice seemed to captivate Valencia for a moment.
"Uh, the Spartan Division, sir. And my friend is heading for the Science Division," Valencia replied with sparkling eyes.
"I see. Spartan and Science. In that case, go straight ahead and then turn right; there will be soldiers there to guide you. As for your blue-haired friend, head left from here, go straight, and you'll find the personnel who will assist her." The cloaked man pointed out the directions, showing them exactly where their desired divisions were.
"A-ah, thank you, sir, for showing us the way. We'll be going now." Valencia immediately began walking with Marina, leaving the man behind. "Alright, stay safe, miss," the cloaked man said before returning to his business.
Once they were a short distance away, Valencia couldn't help but talk about the man they had just met.
"Did you see that? He was so handsome, authoritative, and cool! And that white hair... oh my god, what am I even saying!" Valencia gushed, clearly distracted by the man's presence.
"Y-yeah, he was cool, I guess. But come on, Valen, we have to finish our business here!" Marina was also impressed, but unlike Valencia, she kept her focus.
"Oh, right. Well then, I'm heading off to finish my registration! Hehe! See you later, my beautiful elf friend!" With that, Valencia ran off, leaving Marina behind.
"Y-yes, stay safe, Valen!" From afar, Marina watched Valencia sprint away, still clearly flustered by the handsome man.
"Huh... typical Valen. One look at a handsome guy and she loses all focus. Oh well, I better get my own stuff done." Marina looked toward the Science Division tent to her left and started walking.
The two friends separated to handle their respective tasks. Several hours later, as the clock hit 5:00 PM local time, Valencia found Marina sitting in a park near the headquarters gate, waiting while eating an ice cream.
"So, you've been done for a while?" Valencia looked exhausted, sweat dripping from her face after the run back.
"Yeah, turns out the Science Division is quite fast. When I got to the tent, they just told me to hand over my files and answer a few questions." While eating her ice cream, Marina watched a panting Valencia.
"My Spartan registration wasn't like that at all. After I turned in the files, I had to answer questions, and then it was followed by a brief physical test. Huft, that's what took so long!" Valencia was still catching her breath.
"In that case, take a rest. Here, sit beside me." Marina moved over to give Valencia room on the bench.
"Finally... I'm so tired!" Valencia sat down, still sweating profusely.
"Hey, where did you buy that?" Valencia's eyes fixed on the vanilla ice cream Marina was eating. "Over there, there's a mobile ice cream truck." Marina pointed to the vendor across the park. "Alright then, I'm going to grab one! Stay here, okay?" Valencia suddenly stood up and sprinted toward the truck.
"Be careful! And she's running again... classic Valen." Marina watched her friend run off despite just complaining about being tired, baffled by her endless energy.
The light of Planet Romeus's primary star bathed the world in a soft blue hue, and from above, Nexus City remained a hive of activity even as the workday drew to a close.