Every Story has a Beginning...

[James "Parker" Hall]

0715
Colorado Springs, Colorado
United States Air Force Academy
Outside Testing Room 425

The echos of footsteps down the long corridors of the US Air Force Academy did not distract Parker from the task at hand. The form was not very difficult to figure out. Name. Birthdate. Social Security Number. You know, all those lovely little juicy details. Being the only one sitting on the bench along the wall next to the door, the form was a welcome task, as opposed to doing nothing. The packet he received in the mail said to show up 15 minutes early to the testing site. Leave it to Parker to show up 45 minutes early, with nothing to do.

Well, not nothing, exactly...

Once he filled out the form and handed it to the rather formidible, uniformed gentleman at the door. The man nodded, and put the form in a file. Parker stood, grabbing the information packet at his side and prepared to enter the testing room, but the man raised his hand.

"I'm sorry, sir, but the proctor isn't here yet. I can't let you in." Nodding slightly, he resumed his seat on the bench, pausing a moment, then letting out a slight sigh. Always a waiting game for him. It was a waiting game at the airport on the flight from North Carolina to Colorado, thanks to some technical problems. It gave him a slight satisfaction to know that when he finished here he would be able to fix any problem an airplane had. That is...if he got in, of course.

However, since he did not know how to fix the jet, he sat in the concourse, waiting. While he waited, he drew. It was his thing. Not people. That would just be creepy. People watching? No, thanks. People scared him, really. They were all so...crazy. The human race was a strange one. To changing and unpredictable. No, he was more into inanimate objects. Not to sound funny, of course. Aircrafts, more specifically. He was one of those kids who took things apart and put them back together as a child. Since the Air Force wasn't going to loan him an F-16 just yet, he had to simply do with doing that on paper. Of course, when he drew, he didn't draw things exactly as they should have been. There were always ways to make things better...

Almost out unthinkingly, he had pulled out the information packet that gave him directions, well...orders to be here and what he was preparing for. They would test now for about three hours, break for lunch, then find out the results after. Not bad, eh? At the top of the page, he saw the border had several aircraft used by the Air Force. He looked at that for a while, identifying it quickly, then flipping over the paper and sketching out the schematics for that particular jet. He had seen it before, back home. In fact, the engineers his dad worked for had actually let him see the original set of blueprints. His sketch was merely a copy of those...

Just something to pass the time, he thought, becoming so engrossed in his sketch that he did not even notice that folks were starting to fill in some of the seats on the benches around him. He could be so oblivious sometimes...

<Tag ANYONE>

[Persephone Meyers]

0715
Colorado Springs, Colorado
United States Air Force Academy
Outside Testing Room 425

Why couldn’t they simply scan their brains and see if they were good enough for the US Air Force? Why couldn’t they just look at their previous records and determine from their past…their future? It was like taking the SAT in high school. Just look at their old grades. Jeez.

Playing with a bit of hair that hung in her face, Seph sighed. She was one among a very few that had showed up ridiculously early. Why? Because she had nothing better to do this fine day, and honestly wanted to get it done with. Just fast-forward through it all – and slow down for the in/out part. Enough of the slow-motion stuff.

Her mind easily wandered, causing it hard to concentrate upon the simple questions on the form. What was her name? She paused after she had put down the letters “S” and “E”. That really wasn’t her name. With a muted growl, she erased with the shotty pink eraser, and replaced the scribble upon the now indented paper, with the word, ‘Persephone.’ Middle name. Aardvark. A smile spread across her face, before she erased that too, and replaced it with Adrienne. Meyers. PAM. SPAM if you counted the nickname she commonly went by. Age. She counted on her fingers, before reaching her right pinky. It was tempting to take off her shoes to continue counting, just to see the looks on the uniforms’ faces. Ah – already doing psychological damage to the Air Force. Nice.

18.

Social Security number.

A long string of numbers that it had taken her forever to remember. Bleh. Wait…did it end in a six or four?

Shifting her eyes slightly, Seph carefully pulled out her phone, finding the code-name within her contacts. Hitting the ‘Ok” button, her social was revealed. With a sigh, she carefully wrote in the number four, before sliding her phone back into her pocket.

Her hand slid atop the paper, causing the little bits of eraser shavings to roll towards her fingers. Seph moved the little pill-shaped pieces of rubber into random shapes, before finally filling out the rest of the form…and was kicked back to her seat.

Glancing around the room, she felt her attention span failing. She needed to stay sharp for this…yet she was already out of it.

Bad. Very bad.

Hearing something that sounded like scribbling over her shoulder, Seph turned around in her seat – surprised to see some guy sitting with his back to her. Right on for chairs that go back-to-back. She silently watched him sketch for a moment. It was some type of flying….something.

A jet? Not an airplane. Those were shaped differently. A UFO? Hahahaha.

Funny.

The drawing wasn’t half bad either.

“What type of jet is that?” Seph asked, gesturing slightly to his paper, pretending like if he said a letter-and-number-combo (or some cool code-name), she would be able to tell the difference. She wouldn’t. But whatever. Conversation piece.

Pass.
The.
Time.
Please.

<TAG: Parker + anyone else =D>

[James "Parker" Hall]

0717
Colorado Springs, Colorado
United States Air Force Academy
Outside Testing Room 425

"An F-22 Raptor, a stealth fighter in just about every sense of the word," he said, not looking up from the paper, but now grinning slightly as he began to explain. "It's nearly impossible to spot this thing coming at you. It's meant to be nearly invisible to radar signature, infrared, acoustic, and radio frequency. In fact, you wouldn't even see this thing visually until....BAM!" He flipped the page around so it faced her, watching her expression as he added, "There it is. Right over top of you. And you're done."

<Tag Seph>

Parker quickly realized how bold he had just been. He realized this mainly because he felt a little part of him urge him quickly to crawl and hide under the chair as soon as it finally went through his little one-track mind that he was talking to someone. And not just someone...a GIRL. A cute girl, at that. Wha-oh...

"Um...sorry about that," he said, the corner of his lip tugging to the side slightly. Way to go and be a tool, Park, he thought to himself, quickly flipping the page over so the plane was no longer visible and the schedule for the day was. Quickly readjusting on the bench, to face her, he straightened up slightly, shrugging a bit as he said, "Planes. They're kind of my thing. I get...a little carried away. " Extending a hand meekly, he added, "Parker...James Parker Hall, according to that form."

<Tag Seph>

Introductions, check. Slight embarrassment, check. Small talk...er...

"So...ready for this, um, test thing?"

Smooth, captain. Real smooth.

<Tag Seph, Anyone>

[Azalea 'De' Andre]

0717
Colorado Springs, Colorado
United States Air Force Academy
Outside Testing Room 425

Home, thought Azalea Andre walking through the familiar halls of the Academy. OK well, almost home. Real home was the Stargate Academy; place where it was obvious have become her life and everything over the past three years. It was still hard for this young woman to believe that three years had already flown by. It feels like yesterday I just came here, she thought with a smile, remembering the first year here. It had probably been the best year of her life; or so she thought, but then again, every year here at the academy was always better than the other.

The first year the brunette remembered being so intimidating. Not just being new, but cause of the fact she was very not experienced to be in such a place. Meeting Mikayla, Izzy, Sean, Caleb, Trent, and so many others that year, the young woman knew that she had her work cut out. Not only that, but she was still bitter about the past. Coming from a background like hers, being forced into the military world without a better option, was not her idea of a fun time. Most of the cadets that she met the first year were excited to be apart of something great. They wanted to be there. Azalea? It didn't matter where, all she wanted to do was be anywhere but at the Academy. Oh did she make that known as well. A chuckle came through the lips remembering the fight her and Mikayla would get into before they became best friends. Oh how Izzy always had to break them up, set them on opposite sides of the room. It took them months to finally see eye to eye, and when they did? Well no stronger bond of friendship had been formed. Now Mikayla was off in Atlantis, having the time of her life. The two rarely got to see each other, but when they did? It was like no time had passed.

The first year had been a whirl wind of chaos, but it wasn't til last year change came to this cadet. After Mikayla, Izzy, and so many other graduated, Azalea had to make new friends. It was hard at first, but thankfully there was one person to help her with it all; Isaac Thompspon, her best friend almost like a brother. They had briefly dated, but it didn't last too long. They realized it was better as best friends, and a best friend he was. It was then her mind went back to the day she lost him; the day she had lost herself. Last year, the cadets had come back from exploring a planet, only to have half of them come down with a strange illness. So many dead, among them was Isaac, and surprisingly Az as well. It was still a mystery, and miracle, that this female was alive, but Isaac hadn't been so fortunate. Losing him took a lot out of her. Enough that the cadet requested falling back to the second cadet group for a period of time. For those few months, a change came over Azalea. It was through that time she learned about herself, relying on others, and being part of a teammate. That was where this young woman made the U turn to being the person was today.

Coming back to the first cadet group, Azalea reconnected with the others in new ways, meeting two of sweetest girls ever; Billie Weaver and Shannon Meyers. The two became her closest girlfriends, Billie even more so. Shannon was now graduated and off doing god knows what, but Billie was back with another year and how that excited her. The young blond was always full of energy and life. There was never a dull moment with her and Azalea couldn't be more thankful for her friendship. Especially this year with many of the former students gone. That was always the hardest with the start of each year. The teams would get so close through the year, only to have some leave, and have to start over again. It was bitter sweet. Sometimes feeling more bitter than sweet. Though as the thoughts continued to turn to those returning, the settled on one young man, who she unfortunately couldn't get out of the mind all summer long; Kennith Simmons. Their interaction towards the end of the previous year had left a huge mark on the young woman. Questions continually aroused in the mind whenever his face surface, but one thing was clear. There were obvious feelings there. It made her curious to see what would play out this year.

Shaking the head free of all thoughts, the older cadet moved into the testing room, wondering why she had been asked to come. She didn't have to take a test to get into the Academy. Maybe it was because after the testing, they wanted the new cadets to feel welcomed and meet someone who's already been through a lot here. Whatever the reason, she moved to the back of the room, beside two cadets; female and male. Glancing over, she chuckled. "I think I like you new cadets already," she stated leaning against the wall behind. If this was what they did when bored? Oh it was going to be a fun year.

< Tag Parker, Seph, anyone else >

[Persephone Meyers]

0718
Colorado Springs, Colorado
United States Air Force Academy
Outside Testing Room 425

"An F-22 Raptor, a stealth fighter in just about every sense of the word," the fellow-hopefully-future-cadet reported, faster then she half expected, causing her to jump slightly, "It's nearly impossible to spot this thing coming at you. It's meant to be nearly invisible to radar signature, infrared, acoustic, and radio frequency. In fact, you wouldn't even see this thing visually until....BAM!" He flipped the page around so it faced her, readjusting so he could actually see her, "There it is. Right over top of you. And you're done."

Her expresson can only be described with a smiley face.
=o

A large grin broke out across her face, just as the guy looked as though he had done something bad – going from Mr. Outgoing to Mr. Hide-under-a-rock in a heartbeat. Her grin broke slightly at his sudden withdrawal, but she half-pretended like it never happened, “Wow – that’s intense,” she admitted, regaining her smile, “Like…wow. I’m jealous. You’re already talented. I’m coming here hoping to find some talent,” she ranted in a half-confession.

"Um...sorry about that," Mysterious-boy replied, looking ashamed.
“About what? Did you fart?” her voice highly confused, as he readjusted to face her better, "Planes. They're kind of my thing. I get...a little carried away. "
“Hey – it’s something you’re into. That’s cool. I’m more of a Physics and Philosophy nerd, myself. I know they don’t go together really, but they work together in my head,” she shrugged, fingers tapping upon the back of her chair.

The boy extended a hand, and Seph reached out to meet it.
"Parker...James Parker Hall, according to that form."
Seph laughed – not meanly, “Hahaha – right on for not going by your first name. I’m Seph – but the form says Persephone Aardvark Meyers,” she reported, giving his hand a good shake.

“We’ve filled out this information about a million times in our life…why do we need to do it again?” she asked, sounding mildly troubled as she released his hand.

"So...ready for this, um, test thing?"

She smiled.

“Nope.”

Another girl came over and sat beside them, causing Seph to glance over.

"I think I like you new cadets already.”

New Cadets.
Meaning she was a non-new cadet.

Whoa.

Seph reached out and poked the arm of the girl, “Old,” she stated, as she poked, “And thanks for liking us based on half-a-second of random small talk,” she added, being blunt again.

Way to make first impressions, Seph.

<Tag Az and Parker and WHOEVER =D>

[James "Parker" Hall]

0718
Colorado Springs, Colorado
United States Air Force Academy
Outside Testing Room 425

As predicted, the girl gawked at him. He got this a lot when he ended up talking about things he enjoyed, such as aircrafts and math. It kind of made him out to look like a nerd. So much for making a new, fresh start as a 'normal dude'. “Like…wow. I’m jealous. You’re already talented. I’m coming here hoping to find some talent.”

"I wouldn't go so far as to say 'talented'. More like, I couldn't find a normal hobby, like, um...baseball or...Facebook..." Sometimes, the SHUT UP button on his brain did not work. Like now, for instance. Thank god, she changed the subject. He still wasn't quite sure if it was intentional or not. After he shook her hand, he couldn't help but grin at her using a nickname. He tried his best not to seem too surprised at her name.

"Wow..that's a mouthful. Aardvark? Really? Did your parents hate you or something?" He laughed slightly, knowing she probably got that a lot. To be perfectly honest, he wasn't sure he could spell her name, first OR middle. That subject never came as a strength to him in high school. Then again, thank god for spell check.

"I think I like you new cadets already," a girl in uniform said from off to the side, leaning against the wall. Leave it to the two early kids to catch the seats furthest from the front. Such nerds. "Old." Parker's eyes could have popped out at the blatant statement, followed quickly by a laugh. This Seph girl was a hoot! “And thanks for liking us based on half-a-second of random small talk.”

"Well, actually," Parker said, turning on his too-cool-for-school-tool voice, sarcastically stretching his arms overhead with a slight groan, then intertwining his fingers behind his head. "I've always found myself to be rather likeable at any rate." He nodded, trying out the cool-guy approach. As fate would have it, as he propped his feet on the chair in front of him, it jostled his desk, causing his yellow #2 pencil to fall onto the ground...and break in half.

Fail.

"Great," he said, dropping the act and grinning sheepishly, "Broken pencil. That's karma for you."

<Tag Seph, Az>

[Billie Jean Witwer]

0718
Colorado Springs, Colorado
United States Air Force Academy
Outside Testing Room 425

Who decided that 0700 hrs was the best time to get the test started, Billie thought as leaned against the wall where Az, one of her best friends stood, with one eye cracked open, the third class midshipman was still half asleep. What she needed was a large dose of the coffee to wake her up and about.

Darting her opened eye at Az, she remember the two weeks of her summer she spent with Az at her home. It had been like a long pyjama party. Shopping and talking had been fun. Few days had been spent camping with her family. With three weeks left to her summer, Witwer had gone shopping for supplies she needed and other small stuff, before crossing paths with Matt. From that point the rest of her summer had been spent sulking and brooding. Her first year had been fun and interesting to say, now that she was back to the second year and thank the Lord without Redding around for distraction she just might get better with her studies.

Hearing Az’s comment she crooked a smile, “They be a interesting bunch,” Billie added, looked at the new faces, shifting on her feet, “They will do well.” She added some cheer to her voice to cover her sour mood.

“First few weeks will be a shock for sure. But they will get over it.” She had been there done that, just last year. She could only describe it as fun. Faces she knew from her first year weren't here, well not many of them.

Her friends didn’t need her foul mood here and now.

<<Tag Az/All>>