Pathway Selection
Mike was snapped out of his thoughts when an opening appeared in the wall, and someone walked into the room.
He blinked as he saw the person. It was an older woman with a pencil skirt and a white blouse. Her hair was tied into a neat bun, and a pair of glasses sat over her sharp eyes. She looked like the textbook definition of a teacher or principal.
However, what caught Mike's attention the most was the strange red marking on the side of her face, looking like some unique tattoo, but judging by the danger he felt from her, chances are that it wasn't just a tattoo.
"Hello," Mike said as he felt her inspect him just as he did her. She didn't immediately respond as she took the seat opposite him.
"Mike, correct?" She asked, Mike sensing it was just to serve as the opening for their conversation as he didn't doubt she knew who he was.
"Yes." He simply nodded.
"Alright, my name is Beatrice. Your assessment just now was deemed satisfactory, so for all intents and purposes, you are now a student of Eventide. That said, you can't just waltz in, you need to pick an adequate path of study before you can proceed." Hearing this, Mike blinked before nodding slowly. He knew that he'd need to select things to study when he arrived, he'd done some research on it while traveling, but he was still iffy on the details, especially considering that Eventide seemed inclined not to share too much information about themselves.
Beatrice seemed aware of this, hence her following explanation.
She adjusted her glasses, then she spoke.
"Alright, Mike. To be frank, this interview is more of a placement orientation than anything else, seeing as you already passed the aptitude test. Now, though, is the time for you to make a decision." She leaned forward slightly, not taking her eyes off Mike for an instant. The latter felt the urge to gulp but resisted it. It was oddly tense.
"The Academy adopts a system known as Pathways. Broad development tracks that dictate your overall direction in the academy and beyond. They aren't cages, but they shape your access to resources, teachings, mentorship, internships, and most importantly, your field experience." She tapped the table with her fingers twice, and Mike got rid of his faint anxiety as he listened closely.
"Currently, there are twelve recognized Pathways, with the most advised approach to these being to pick one path as their Core, then they pick a set of 5 courses under it. There is then a sixth slot which allows you to pick another course outside your Core Pathway to give yourself some flexibility. It's not necessary, though, and you can just take all the courses under a single Pathway." She flicked her wrist and a simple holographic list floated in the air between them.
[Recognized Pathways at Eventide Academy]
1. Combat Arts & Strategy: Close quarters and ranged combat, tactics, formations, threat engagement.
2. Defense & Containment: Shields, barriers, suppression, emergency response.
3. Field Operations & Exploration: Reconnaissance, terrain adaptation, survival, scouting remote or unstable zones.
4. Engineering & Applied Systems: Infrastructure, vehicles, systems design, tech maintenance.
5. Research & Innovation: Experimental tech, materials science, ability-based engineering.
6. Health Sciences & Restoration: Medical procedures, biological enhancement, trauma recovery.
7. Communications & Espionage: Surveillance, data extraction, encoding/decoding, behavioral reading.
8. Urban & Planetary Management: Governance systems, logistics, crisis mitigation, public infrastructure.
9. Policy & Interplanetary Law: Ethics, diplomacy, security agreements, internal structure.
10. Psychology & Influence: Mental resilience, negotiation, manipulation, crowd dynamics.
11. Cultural Integration & Memory Studies: Species diplomacy, legacy preservation, linguistics.
12. Trade & Economic Systems: Resource distribution, planetary trade, fiscal warfare.
She paused and allowed Mike to absorb the list.
'It's pretty varied.' He thought as he looked it through, though, his eyes kept flicking back to the first option. Seeing this, she continued.
"Some people stick to what they know. Others take a Cross-Path to diversify their toolkit. For example, a Field Operative might take a restoration course to help treat teammates on missions, or someone in Governance might take Policy to understand Interplanetary frameworks better." She regarded him as he looked from the list back to her.
"Before we proceed, I want to ask, what do you want for yourself?" Mike blinked and tilted his head, his brain recollecting what he said he wanted to do before replying.
"I want to pick a path that's combat-oriented and allows me to grow stronger. However, I don't intend to be tied to the military, nor do I want to have any long-term bonds with organizations, private or public. I also don't want to choose anything that will tie me to any of the families. At least, not long-term. " His response made her eyes flash a little.
"That's... a bit of a gray space," She said, but there was a bit of carefulness in her voice. "That's rare. Most students either have sponsors via their families or aim to affiliate eventually." She gave him a long look. Her tone unreadable
"Still, it's not unfeasible. I suppose you are just building your future from scratch." With that, she flicked her wrist again, and Mike felt his watch buzzing.
"I've sent the list to you. You can make your Core Path selection, then pick the rest. You don't have to finalize everything today, but your Core determines your schedule starting next week." Mike blinked.
"Well, I'm picking combat as my Core Pathway for starters." He said almost immediately, and she just hummed, not surprised.
"Alright. You'll receive a list detailing the different courses under that Pathway. You will also receive a similar list for the other Core Pathways. You can choose to do the Cross-Path like others, or you can choose to select everything from the combat Pathway. It's up to you, really." She tilted her head slightly.
"Oh, and you don't need to select everything today. But your Core determines your weekly schedule starting from next week, so I suggest you get it done in the next few days. Once you've done that, you can send me the final result and we can get your schedule made." She explained, and Mike let out a small sigh, relieved that he wouldn't need to make his choice on the spot, however, he tilted his head.
"Wait, so... where do I stay in the meantime?" He suddenly remembered his lack of accommodation.
"Hm. Well, you will be assigned a dormitory to stay in with a roommate. Also, you will have access to our virtual library to keep yourself busy in the meantime." Beatrice answered curtly and Mike nodded, not surprised by the arrangement. However, it was nice knowing he could access the virtual library.
"Alright. Is there anything else I should know?" He asked, and Beatrice pondered for a moment before replying.
"Well, there will be an orientation tomorrow to explain more things in detail, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to share some more common knowledge that would help you immediately." She mumbled before answering properly.
"For starters, there is an informal hierarchy among students. It's not enforced by staff, but it exists. Those from prestigious families or impressive abilities often gather into factions or cliques. I advise you not to step on any toes too early, unless you're sure you can handle the result.
Also, you'll want to learn about Merit Points. They are our internal currency. You earn them through classes, completing missions, accepting and winning duels, helping around campus, or just having some rich senior who hands them out. They can be used for a variety of things. Be it better and more nutritious meals, private rooms, better training facilities, gear upgrades, even access to restricted areas in the library. The more you earn, the more freedom and status you get. And yes, they hold the same rate of exchange as credits outside.
Moving on. Most professors and lecturers are approachable... to a degree. Some prefer not to be disturbed outside their classes. If you want help or mentorship, go through the appropriate channels, or build a reputation first. Connections go a long way here, especially for someone like you who has no background.
Next, Eventide may look sleek, but don't let the shine fool you. Sometimes, students find loopholes that allow them to hurt each other. Which also ties into the first point I mentioned. There are rules against fighting outside of duels, but some students learn how to circumvent these Rules, either through loopholes or leveraging their position. So once more, you need to be careful not to offend the wrong person. And if you do, make sure you have the ability to defend yourself." That last one made Mike frown, but when he thought about it, it wasn't so surprising. This school was run by the most powerful people humanity had to offer, naturally, the rules would favor their descendants. And if said descendants perceived that they were slighted by someone, especially someone of a lower standing than them, then it wasn't off for them to seek revenge in one way or the other.
'Reminds me the some scavengers.' He thought, his twitching.
Beatrice noticed this but continued anyway.
"Also, learn to keep your eyes open. The Academy doesn't advertise all its opportunities. Some great opportunities for growth are hidden. Whether in unassuming programs, secret challenges, or recommendations from the staff. Either you find them, or they find you." She sighed.
"Lastly, there's the orientation itself. You will be introduced to key staff and you will be enlightened on how ranking works. But be warned, that place will be filled with students trying to make subtle and obvious power plays to establish their dominance. Some will approach you, some will try and demean you. Regardless, make a good impression. If not, try and make allies." She finished, and Mike fell silent as he considered all that she had said.
It ended up being more than he'd expected, but he was more than grateful for it.
After a while, he nodded.
"Thank you for all of that." He smiled, and she returned the nod.
"Good. Then, you will be shown to your dorm room."