"Shadow Glide approach from the eastern ridge," the cadet suggested, "followed by a coordinated dragfire strike on the enemy's rear position."
"And why eastern rather than western?" Kestrel pressed.
The cadet hesitated, looking uncertain.
"Because the morning sun would be at our backs," I said without thinking.
"Go on." The instructor left me no choice but to continue.
"The sun will blind the enemy while giving us clear visibility." I ignored Codric's head shaking. "Additionally, the eastern ridge offers better cover for the initial approach, reducing the chance of early detection."
One of Kestrel's eyebrows lifted. "That's correct, Cadet...?"
"Alar Tekum, Commander."
"That was very good, Cadet Tekum. Have you had military training before?"
I hesitated, aware that I needed to be careful about revealing too much of my background, but I also felt obliged to respect these people's adherence to the Precepts of Truth. "I had basic training, Commander."
"Where did you receive this training?" she asked. "It's unusual for Elurians to have military education, and especially in aerial tactics."
"We obviously didn't study aerial tactics." I felt a cold sweat break out on my back. This was dangerous territory. "Codric and I spent a few months attending the Vedona Academy, which is something young men of our class are encouraged todo. I was intrigued by strategy and spent a lot of time in the library reading up on old battles." I offered her what I hoped was a charming smile. "I have to admit that most of it was romanticized fiction, but the authors did a good job weaving real strategies into the narrative."
My only lie was that fiction, romanticized or not, hadn't been most of the reading I'd done, just some of it.
The commander looked intrigued. "I would love to read some of those fictional accounts. If you provide me with a list of titles, I can request that the books be sent to me."
I only remembered one such novel, but I could scribble a few more plausible titles and warn her that my memory wasn't the best and I might have remembered wrong. I hated adding more lies to the list of those I'd already told, but it wasn't like I had a choice.
"Of course, Commander." I dipped my head. "It would be my pleasure."
Commander Kestrel nodded. "The Vedona Elite Academy has a reputation for excellence. Your perspective may be valuable in our discussions even though your training was focused on ground operations." She turned back to address the class. "Diverse backgrounds can bring fresh insights into tactical planning."
I released a breath, relieved that she had let it go for now.
"Let's continue with another scenario," Kestrel said, changing the image to show a new battlefield layout. "A Shedun raiding party has been spotted approaching an Elucian village through this narrow valley. You command a flight of five dragons, including your own. How do you deploy them for maximum effectiveness?"
Again, hands went up around the room. This time, Kestrel called on Kailin.
"I would position one dragon at the valley entrance and one at the exit," she suggested. "The other three would fly directly above the valley. When the raiding party reaches the midpoint, the dragons at each end would unleash dragfire to create walls of flame, trapping the Shedun. The overhead dragons would then target the trapped forces directly."
Kestrel nodded approvingly. "That's a solid approach, Cadet Strom. The classic 'dragon's jaw' maneuver. However, there's a significant risk: if the Shedun are equipped with long-range projectile weapons, your dragons at the valley ends could be vulnerable during their approach."
"Then I would modify the approach," Kailin countered, surprising me with her confidence. "Have the dragons maintain altitude until the last possible moment, then execute a steep dive for the dragfire strike, using momentum to carry them back to a safe altitude immediately after."
A smile tugged at Kestrel's lips. "Very good. Adaptation is essential in tactical planning. No plan survives first contact with the enemy unchanged."
I was so proud of Kailin.
She might lack formal training, but she had a natural instinct for tactical considerations. It was a reminder not to underestimate her—or any of these Elucian cadets, for that matter. They had grown up in a harsh and hostile environment that fostered strategic thinking.
The lesson continued with Kestrel presenting increasingly complex scenarios, calling on various cadets to propose solutions, then dissecting the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. I participated when called upon, careful to demonstrate knowledge consistent with basic training and some extracurricular reading, which wasn't difficult since everything about aerial battles was as new to me as it was to the other cadets.
Kailin seemed fully engaged in the lesson, occasionally whispering observations to Shovia or writing in her notebook. Whatever she had discussed with Commander Ravel, it didn't appear to be distracting her from her studies.
As the class neared its conclusion, Commander Kestrel presented us with a final scenario: a full-scale Shedun assault on an Elucian mountain fortress, with multiple attack vectors and diverse enemy forces.
"This is a complex operation that would typically involve all four wings of the Dragon Force," she explained. "We'll use it as an ongoing case study throughout your training, adding layers of complexity as you develop your tactical understanding."
