AN: This is my first chapter fic. Unfortunately I don't know how often I'll be able to update as I have also just signed up for fiction press and I am trying to write a book as well as type and edit a "finished" one, and taking medical assisting classes at college. Here I am twenty years old and still reading Artemis Fowl. (shrugs) well I didn't start reading it until I was seventeen so big deal right? Anyway the good news is I don't have a job so I have more free time than most college students. I'm going to try for once a week updates, but no promises.

Disclaimer: I (sob) do not (sob) own (sob) Artemis Fowl (weeping and wailing).(sniffs) OK I'm over it. On with the story!

Young and Stupid

Chapter One: Oops!

Holly Short climbed out of the smoking remains of the simulated LEP pod and jumped the short distance to the ground. She turned to see Commander Raine Vinyaya pressed stiffly against the wall with only an inch between her nose and the ruined simulator. "Um…oops," Holly murmured, aware that it was woefully inadequate.

A few hours later Holly stood in the Commander's office. "Well, I must say that I have never seen a worse pilot in my life! How in Frond's name did you manage to crash a simulator? It is amazing that no one - even you, well especially you - was hurt!"The commander drummed her fingers on her desk and Holly realized she was waiting for a reply.

"I just started, sir. This was my first time in the simulator. I don't know what went wrong."

"The fact that this was your first time in the simulator is the only reason I have not already written you off as failure. You should know, Short, that unless you learn to fly, and fly well, you won't stand a chance in the LEP, let alone Recon. Commander Root is tough on females as it is."

"I know Commander," Holly looked at the floor as she replied.

Vinyaya sighed, "However it is highly unlikely that this is entirely your fault. Machines that are bolted down do not routinely come loose just because a bad pilot is at the wheel. A tech team is checking the system now, most likely there was some kind of equipment failure. No doubt Foaly will see it as an excuse to redesign the entire system, he will probably see it as a favor."

Holly smiled slightly. She had never met the LEP's technical consultant, now she found herself looking forward to the day she would.

"Get back to your classes, Short. I suggest you find someone who can help you work on those flight skills." Vinyaya pretended to turn back to her paperwork as Short left the room. As soon as the door closed she looked up, frowning. She had deliberately left out any mention of the other possibility - sabotage. The student had enough to worry about as things stood, besides Vinyaya herself was, most likely, the intended target. But why such an unreliable method? The only person who was almost sure to get hurt was whoever was in the simulator. Surly, Short was not the target. She was just a first-year student, no threat to anyone yet. Unless one of her rivals for the goal of first female in Recon was trying to scare her away. Vinyaya had to admit that, out of all the students, Short stood the best chance of achieving that goal. If that had been the intention then whoever was behind it had defeated the purpose. Though she had not admitted it, Vinyaya was actually impressed that Short had stopped the simulator before it hit either her or the wall. Besides, from what she had seen if Short found out she had a rival that determined she would just push harder. She probably would not even tell any of the instructors if she knew who it was just to have the personal satisfaction of beating them herself. Vinyaya sat back in her chair and smiled. Holly Short was going places, of that she was certain. Where exactly those places were only time would tell.

With all her classes done for the day and nowhere else to go, Holly Short headed for her dorm room. Once in she went straight to her bed and picked up the Horri Antowitz novel she was reading. She knew she should really be studying, but after what happened with the simulator she figured she deserved a break.

"I heard about your accident," a familiar voice said. Holly looked up to see her roommate, Lilli Frond sitting at her vanity, painting her nails. Again.

"Who hasn't?" she groaned. There were some days when Holly really couldn't stand Lilli, but there was no better source for information. Personally she thought a career in journalism suited her roommate better than the LEP, but she had never said so out loud.

Lilli shrugged, "Maybe some of the boys, they don't gossip as much as girls. Although I'm sure their girlfriends do, so maybe they have heard."

Holly sighed and decided to change the subject. "Do you have a date tonight or something? I think this is the third time I've seen you do your nails today!"

"How can I expect to get a date if I don't keep up appearances?" she glanced critically at Holly who rolled her eyes and picked up her book, silently declaring the conversation over. Lilli went back to her nails.

A few minutes later Holly's holocomunicator beeped. She jumped up and went to her desk, there was only one person who could be calling her.

"Hello Fifi," she said brightly as the image of her older sister appeared.

"Hey there, Hollypop. How was your first day in the simulator?" Dr. Fiona Short was an archaeologist, which was a dangerous job for fairies as it meant spending weeks at a time on the surface trying to find magical artifacts before humans did. In the hologram her long, brunette hair was held back in a braid, and the surface light revealed the faint natural red highlights that were usually hidden in the dim, underground city; she was smiling and her green eyes shone with excitement. Unlike Holly, who had a willowy figure like their mother, Fiona had a stocky build. Holly liked to think that Fiona was built to withstand the elements and possibly an attack while she was built to lead one, or at least take part in one. Fiona was more laid back than her sister, though no less tough, and their mother had often claimed that Fiona was the type of person who dealt with trouble as it came while Holly was the kind that went looking for it. Considering what each had chosen as a career this seemed to be true.

"How is the dig coming?" Holly asked, ignoring her sister's question.

Fiona shrugged, "Same as yesterday, nothing yet. You know I would have said something right away if that had changed. Stop avoiding the question, how was the simulator?" Holly groaned. "That bad, huh?"

"You have no idea."

I know the books say Holly doesn't have any family left, but if you were paying attention you know that this is before the books so I have plenty of time to kill her off (Probably not in this fanfic though). Anyway I'm not really sure where I'm going with the whole sabotage thing, but I find it hard to believe that Holly crashed a simulator all on her own.

You know how some authors on this site offer you cookies if you review? Well I'm going to do better. I'm offering you a whole batch of my MAMA'S FUDGE! Trust me it's worth it!