At four o'clock the next morning, Piper was picked up in front of the bunkhouse by a military standard steamcar. She had awoken at three on the dot, performed personal hygiene, and ensured that her uniform was free of stain and wrinkle. A uniform is what she referred to it as out of habit, though she was wearing civilian attire. In truth, Piper had only brought uniforms for the Land Division with her to the city, as she had not anticipated having need for any other clothing. It was a grievous oversight in her mind that she made a mental note to correct in the future.
So, after departing from Commander Prescott's office, Piper promptly went and purchased some clothing that she deemed, to the best of her knowledge, suitable for naval training. With this in mind, she chose a pair of plain corduroy slacks, as well as a gray high-collared blouse and brown peplum jacket. She decided it best to keep the boots.
Piper had already been waiting for over twenty minutes by the time the steamcar arrived at four, and she stepped into it without more than a polite greeting to the driver. She was exhausted and both her clothes and the seat in which she sat were uncomfortable, which you would never be able to determine based on her appearance or demeanor alone. She sat with her back straight against the cold box seat, her spine comparably stiff as the wood itself. Her chestnut hair, though naturally curly, was as rigid as the rest of her and chopped just above the length of her chin. She had not permitted it to touch her shoulders since she'd been a little girl. It was a two hour ride to the port through the quiet morning, but even so Piper did not sleep. She remained alert, hands folded neatly in her lap; only once in a while did she allow herself to steal a mildly interested glance out of the window.
Ferrier port was the first major shipping harbor established by the Republic of Animaeris, though it had not taken long to build it up for the use of the capital's shipping and military endeavors. New Albion had been quite the city even before Animaerisian sovereignty had been established, having even transformed more visibly from the Regganorian colonial capital to the city of industry it was today in Piper's short lifetime. Ferrier port itself had a colorful history of wooden Regganorian warships guarding against the threats of the perilous Clarimo Sea long before the hulking iron barges that populated the colossal wharfs today were even thought of. Though Piper had been on ships a handful of times, they were smaller vessels typically used for the movement of units up and down the great Magmine River and its many distributaries. As the steamcar jostled noisily around the bend that had given her the first glimpse of the open sea in the morning light, the sheer size of the place had been quite a shock to her.
Like a trimmed forest, masts shielded onlookers' vision from an unobstructed view of the Clarimo Sea with mechanical sails capable of being raised or lowered with the throwing of a lever. Sleek merchant vessels were proudly arrayed neatly in rows, like racers ready to sprint at the first crack of a pistol. Merchant mariners and dockhands hurried about the docks, eager to get a move on now that it was light enough to work. Meanwhile, other sailors milled about leisurely, reluctant to return to their ships for their long voyages at sea. Piper's steamcar passed the picturesque scene until they were tucked far into the southern corner of the port, where ironclad warships replaced the quainter of the seafaring vessels, and taciturn, uniformed sailors with permanent frowns marched along to complete their obligatory duties.
At last the car sputtered to a halt in front of a low, metal-roofed building in front of which close to a dozen young men and women stood about conversing. Piper gathered her scant belongings with little more than a nod to the driver and, concealing how groggy she actually felt, quickly made her way over to a trio of recruits who bore mixed expressions. They nodded to her as she joined them, though they continued their conversation with enraptured interest.
"I heard some of his earlier recruits called him 'The Titan'," said one anxious looking boy with freckles and dirty blonde hair.
It was obvious to Piper he was from a lesser populated region by his country accent.
"I wouldn't be surprised," shrugged a well-built boy closer to Piper's own age, "there were stories that when his ship was engaged with some Padasirian pirates, he'd run out of ammo - so he just picked up a harpoon gun that'd been dislodged by cannonfire and used it like a crossbow."
"Don't look so impressed, Micah, that's not even possible," said a girl to the first boy, rolling her eyes, "It takes at least three people to load and fire a naval harpoon gun. Don't believe everything you hear in the barracks."
The second boy blustered, "You don't know that it isn't true, Em. You haven't even been to the open sea yet - for a soldier you spent a lot of time in the office, anyhow."
"I know a lot more than you, Horse. I worked in the capital's intelligence division, so before joining the 2nd fleet I had to know quite a bit about the functions of our Navy while you were paddling river boats; and I am quite aware that those guns are twice the size at minimum of a whaling harpoon," said the girl called Em, flicking her auburn hair over her shoulder.
My hair used to look like that, thought Piper. Before I had to get it chopped for the Militia.
"Horse!" Snickered Micah, "Good one Emeline!"
"It's Horace!" Horse growled. "And you're one to laugh, having spent most of your time with the livestock, Micah!"
"Enough time to know one when I see one." Chuckled Micah boldly, earning a stifled laugh from Emeline.
Even Piper smiled at the remark.
Horace was exasperated, "Look what an impression you've left, even the new arrivals think me a laughingstock!"
They shared a glance at Piper now, who became overcome with embarrassment but managed to hide it.
"Are we not all new?" she queried, confused by the comment.
"Well yes, in a technical sense," answered Emeline, "but some of us have been waiting here for nearly a moon at the Naval barracks. We were sent here for prep as soon as our transfer from our stations, but I only arrived four days ago."
"I've been here a nock's time," shrugged Micah, "I was transferred from farthest away, it was nice being able to get used to things 'round here before the Captain's arrival."
"Micah and I were both moved from different Quarters, so we were set to arrive here early." explained Horace, grateful for the change of topic. "I'm from the Third, he's from the Second."
Piper remembered the Four Quarters from the schoolhouse at Brackendow Ridge. They didn't have official names, but everyone in the military knew of them because, similar to Regganor, the Animaerisian military had four Commanders in charge of different provinces that all served directly under the Chancellor. Piper had come from Quarter 1, Northwest of the great Magmine River that divided their country in two, and home to the capital of New Albion. Their Quarter bordered the Magmine to their east and the treacherous Clarimo Sea to their west, with the Kingdom of Regganor to their north. Quarter 2 also had the river and sea bordering their east and west respectively, but their southern side was guarded at all times, as it was home to the Dryadalum Forest, which served as a known magical barrier between their land and the Kingdom of Elves, Incanterra.
Horace's home in Quarter 3 was similar to the 4th in that it was widely known as frontier land, largely unsettled wildlands that lay past the eastern bank of the Magmine, far removed from the urban sprawl of New Albion and other cities of industry. These frontiers, speckled with farmlands and attempted settlements, were used to gather raw materials such as stone, ore, lumber, and food for the west. Quarter 3 was in the northeast bordering Regganor, and Quarter 4 was to the south, also bordering Incanterra. However, these dangers were nothing compared to their very eastern border. The further east you went, the wild forests turned to plateau, from plateau to prairie, and from prairie to a vast desert of dust and soot - known only as the Barren Ash, where strange creatures were known to appear, and stranger still the events rumored to take place.
Piper calculated all of this information in her head as their Quarters were announced. "So you're from the first then?" she asked Emeline.
"Same as yourself," she smiled.
Piper was amused, "How did you figure I was from the first?"
"That's easy enough, since you only arrived today."
"But you came four days past?"
"I arrived early to get a feel for the navy. As much as I loathe to admit it, Horace is correct in saying he's got greater naval experience than Micah or myself."
Great, they've come to prepare, and I've only the dregs of an hourglass to learn what I'll be in for.
Anxious to once again redirect the subject, she asked each of the recruits what divisions they had journeyed from.
Micah eagerly began, "I was a footman in the militia down south under Commander Letchford in Daydows Bridge, a little farm town near Ivanhoe - built around a Dryadalum lumber mill. I figured the Navy could help sharpen my skills a bit, Letchford agreed after a time."
He scratched the back of his head and blushed. Piper noticed for the first time that Micah was definitely the youngest of the lot, he was shorter and thinner than most any experienced soldier she had known, and he had likely come to the very same conclusion about himself.
"I went to training just over a half-cade ago now and joined intelligence in New Albion straightaway," Emeline smiled as she spoke, "though I realized I needed more hands-on experience if I ever wanted to increase my standing. After pulling a few strings, Commander Prescott finally approved my transfer."
Piper crossed her arms subconsciously at the casual mention of the Commander's name.
"And those of us whose siblings don't work under the Vice Chancellor at the State Building earned our positions through hard work." Horace jibed, continuing before Emeline could lose her temper.
"I worked the ferry at Ruttham Landing with my aunt and uncle," Horace explained proudly, "after passing training, Commander Corbyn assigned me directly to the navy. He said I was his first choice to move on, even Em doesn't have such a thing to boast about."
"It's true," said Emeline seriously, "I heard Corbyn had never laid eyes on a nobler steed."
They all laughed at that, even Horace couldn't keep his professional demeanor up at that point, cracking a smile through his scowl.
Emeline was about to continue her verbal flaying of Horace, though for the meantime he would have to have the last word, as at that moment the tips of white sails approaching the harbor had been spotted at last. Recruits scurried to and fro out of the barracks along the docks to prepare for the Captain's arrival and appraisal, as the more trained sailors helped ferry the ship to port.