12 Book 2 - Chapter 70 (2/2)

”We have new exos next week, I've given your measurements to Daedo, and he's making it now,” Vannier said, ”As soon as its ready we are heading back to the Academy.”

Kang nodded and opened up the design studio app that Daedo had given her. She quickly filled in the formulae for the three items Vannier asked for. A compound for the shields that lowered the weight slightly and increased its kinetic soaking potential. The swordlance was tweaked so it would be dense with keen edges and lastly the plates for the exo. Due to the mesh beneath, she exchanged the current ceramics with a metal alloy compound that would soak twice as much damage with the weight restrictions given to her.

She thought about the designs for a moment, these were off the top of her head. Her experience from the pro league and many months of tweaking. She could improve them, but that would require more thinking and many rounds of testing and tweaking. These at least would give the squad an immediate lift in quality and would buy her time to get on top of the schedule that was just handed to her.

A few hours later Kang gave birth to her AI,and she followed the squad's instructions rather than the Academy tutes. Her room was tiny, but the common area for the squad was quite large. She was used to sleeping in small spaces, so none of it worried her. She was glad she could have some privacy, although small the room was for her alone. It had a sonic shower, room for her exo and equipment. Clothes weren't an option cadets wore bodysuits unless showering. Fortunately, the Axel top of the range model had excellent self-cleaning properties.

For the rest of the night, she played with her AI until she fell asleep.

At 0545 an alarm sounded. Kang almost fell out of bed. She swore and began to wonder why she agreed to come to the Academy. If she had stayed on the pro league circuit, she could sleep in. She was a firm believer in sleep. Sleep was good for you.

It seemed like the squad were taking turns to babysit her. Picard was encouraging and pushing her all the way to the obstacle course.

”Remember to pace yourself. Remember to breathe. I will run with you today, we're allowed to go two at a time,” Picard said happily.

”Do you wake up this chirpy?” Kang asked.

”Kang, I am never chirpy. I am Picard the warrior grrr,” Picard replied and laughed.

”Are you using the swordlance?” Kang asked before they had to start, they were going first apparently to give her enough time to finish.

”Last term I didn't, but this term I am in the Vanguard with Barran,” Picard replied, ”Alright, are you ready?”

”No,” Kang said in a panicked voice.

Picard pushed her onto the course. ”Let's go K-pop!”

Kang knew from the induction that nicknames were not allowed, cadets had to use the proper designation for each other. At the time she thought that was a silly rule. Now she was in total agreement.

She struggled for breath and composure, but Kang found the will to accuse Picard, ”No nicknames! That's a breach.”

Picard just laughed. She was evil Kang was sure. She looked for the record feature on her bodysuit, she would catch Picard if she called her K-pop again.

After fifty minutes of gruelling running, climbing, jumping, dodging and falling Kang lay on her back. Everyone had passed her. And much to her chagrin she found out that Picard was running with thirty kilos extra weight and still slowed down for her. Pushing her all the way.

”Stand,” Picard ordered, ”You can't breathe properly lying down. The fastest way to recover is to stand and walk around.”

”But lying is so much easier,” Kang argued breathlessly.

Picard proceeded to pull her to her feet like she weighed nothing. Kang thought about it for a moment. She weighed thirty kilos, Picard basically ran the obstacle course carrying her.

”Okay, okay. I can stand by myself,” Kang protested as Picard held her up. It was embarrassing because the rest of the squad were waiting. She looked at Daedo to ensure he didn't have a smug look on his face and he was fortunate. He had his helmet on, probably doing some work because he was sick of waiting for her.

”Where to next?” Kang asked between breaths. She was too tired to remember the schedule and too sore to open it.

”For you, warm down then breakfast,” Picard said, ”We don't want you cramping, and we need to repair your micro muscle tears.”

Kang watched as the other cadets did some sort of arcane stretching and balancing, possibly yoga.

”Take off your bodysuit and jump in the cold pool,” Picard ordered, and Kang did so. The bodysuits thermal properties would make the cold pool virtually useless. Kang was slightly embarrassed to be down to her underwear, but no one seemed to care.

”It's freezing!” Kang yelled as Picard pushed her all the way in.

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”Okay, now the hot one,” Picard ordered.

”Phew,” Kang said before realising it was too hot. She swore.

”Okay cold again,” Picard ordered.

”Are you a fucking sadist!?” Kang asked too loudly.

Picard shook her head, but she still smiled.

”I knew it!” Kang protested as Picard pushed her in again. ”Okay do that once more, and I will floor you,” Kang had lost her patience.

”Martial combat is at 1115. You are welcome to try,” Picard actually grinned evilly. ”Over here! This robot will massage you,” Picard stated, a little more gently this time. ”It's all downhill from here. I promise.”

Picard wasn't lying the robot was fairly gentle except for the calves. When she was done Kang put her bodysuit back on and followed Picard to breakfast.

”How was the obstacle course?” Daedo asked. He was pretending to be kind, but Kang saw through it.

”It was really hard, but nothing I wasn't warned about. I'm not used to this type of thing so you will have to be patient while I catch up,” Kang replied doing her best to be diplomatic.

”Kang,” Daedo said quietly although everyone could hear, for some reason all the cadets were quiet when Daedo spoke. They spoke over one another all the time, but when he spoke, they listened. It seemed they took the squad leader title very seriously. ”Did you know that Picard won a scholarship to attend?”

”She isn't some rich kid,” Vannier added smiling and poking Axelzero.

”Hey you are just as rich as me,” Axelzero protested.

”Daedo isn't from a wealthy family either,” Barran stated. ”If it wasn't for CyberMech he would be dirt poor.”

”Eh, that may be an exaggeration and a little rude,” Vannier corrected Barran.

Kang looked at Picard who nodded with a small smile and then to Daedo who shrugged. He might not be a rich kid, but he was still super smug.

Kang sighed and came to a conclusion, ”Okay. Since I am family and will be living with you mob for the foreseeable future, it might be a good idea to get to know you.”

”Perfect,” Vannier said smiling. ”Each meal we can tell you our life story.”

”We pretty much know yours,” Barran added.

”And the next person to call me K-pop will die horribly,” Kang said staring at Picard who looked the picture of innocence.

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