35 Book 3 - Chapter 93 (1/2)
Attendance at Fortescue Military Academy M1 Y:2142
House Thoth, Squad Leader, Squad Zero
M1 Rank: 1/1275, Tier 3 M-Rank: Null
Term: 2, Round: 5
Daedalus Operating Capital: -1,650,000 bitcreds
”Daedo!” Barran yelled at the top of his lungs outside of the door to Daedo's room. He proceeded to bang on the said door. ”Daedo, you gotta see this,” Barran spoke extremely loudly.
It was 0430, and the cadets didn't usually rise for at least another hour.
The door slid open with Daedo rubbing sleep his eye, ”What?”
”The Japanese pro league,” Barran said excitedly.
”What about the Japanese pro league?” Daedo asked with a hint of irritation in his voice.
”They know about us!” Barran did a little dance, and after spinning around, he announced, ”One of the teams want to purchase a Mech by the company that built Dead Beat.”
Daedo put on his helmet and unnecessarily said, ”Noise Cancelling, all frequencies.” It was for Barran's benefit. The door promptly slid shut, and Daedo disappeared.
Vannier stormed out of her room, ”Seriously Barran!”
”What?” He said.
”Not only did you wake everyone up, but don't you think he may need his sleep? He's been working himself to death after you made that stupid bet!” She said angrily.
Vannier didn't view the bet as stupid, she saw it as Daedo backing himself. It scared her, but she admired him for his chutzpah.
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However, right now, at 0430, a cranky Vannier let Barran have it both barrels. ”It's four thirty!”
Barran looked guilty for a record time of two-point-nine seconds.
”But Japan.” He said in an elongated fashion stretching his arms out theatrically.
Vannier hit him with her best death stare. Barran had survived death stares which were several orders of magnitude more deathly. After holding the stare for a good fifteen seconds, her door slid shut, and Vannier went back to bed.
**Mace: if you're up, we need to talk. Or we can talk after the obstacle course if you like.
**Daedo: no, I'm up now. My powernap superpower doesn't work at this time of day apparently.
**Mace: let's go to the cafeteria and get a sneaky shake.
**Daedo: no way! I'll die on the course. But we can go there. I'll just have water and see if they have any bananas.
**Mace: you're dreaming. They only had bananas once last term, and they lasted for an hour.
**Daedo: ahum. And when did they have them last term?
The pair had now met in the corridor and were walking towards the cafeteria.
”Um, let me check,” Mace said. ”Oh! It was during the tournament week.”
It was the second week of round five, the tournament matches were beginning today, including M1 group matches.
The pair raced to the cafeteria only to be disappointed.
”There was only a point-zero-four-seven percent chance there would be Bananas,” Daedo said sadly.
”You got my hopes up!” Mace accused him.
”You were dreaming so don't blame me,” Daedo replied, and he changed the subject, ”What was it we needed to talk about?”
Mace looked around to ensure no one was in earshot and she checked her frequency sensors.
Daedo waited patiently intrigued by the measures she was taking to ensure they weren't overheard. Next, she would want a secure VR room like Master Nader.
”I'm worried about you,' She said finally.
”Yes, I got that message loud and clear. We are on schedule, and I should be able to return to a more balanced timetable soon,” Daedo replied.
Mace paused for a moment, she looked at him seriously, ”I'm not stupid. I see what's happening with Master Nader.”
Daedo panicked for a moment, how could she possibly know? She noticed him panicking and looked a little concerned. Daedo's mind began to review all possibilities, it was possible she didn't know but suspected something due to the time he had been spending with Master Nader. And although she was insightful, she wasn't an all-seeing oracle from the fantasy streams.
”What do you see?” Daedo asked, calling her bluff.
Mace smiled, ”We don't need to play games. I trust you. But do you trust me?”
”I do, but there are things I can't tell you,” Daedo said honestly.
Mace nodded solemnly. ”I've tried to crack her security since the first week of term one, and I've never seen anything like it,” Mace admitted.
Daedo panicked again, he wasn't worried about Mace finding out, he was worried for her life. ”She will know! You know what happened to you know who. Don't test Master Nader!” It was sufficiently vague, but the pair knew exactly who Daedo was talking about. Master Ustinov.
Mace shook her head, ”Oh she knows. I think she even encourages me to try, she has sent me subtle messages when I have broken through layers.”
Daedo looked stricken, ”Mace you have no idea.”
”Then tell me,” she said looking hurt.
”I can't,” Daedo said stricken.
”Fine,” she said angrily.
Daedo had not been educated on the meaning of the word fine when spoken by the opposite sex with a specific tone, he was still young.
”Good,” he replied. ”And stop trying to pierce her defence, even Fortescue couldn't.”
”Fortescue are amateurs,” Mace said and then she looked like she wished she hadn't.
”What aren't you telling me?” Daedo asked.
”I can't,” she said honestly, but with a little satisfaction that she was holding back just as he was.
”I knew you were a superb coder from the first week. And I know you're cunning and insightful,” Daedo stated the truth.
Mace blushed slightly.
”You worked out the thing with you know who and you weren't even at the meeting with me, Vannier and Master Nader,” he continued.
”Even Vannier didn't put two and two together, and she was at the meeting!”
He looked at her, she had hung her head down and wasn't making eye contact.
”Then you produce that tiny spider drone, you've never used it before, well, I've never seen it. And you said you had it all along.” Still no reaction from Mace so Daedo continued.
”And your parents, I know they travel all the time, but what exactly do they do?” Daedo listed all the facts he had gathered regarding Mace she slowly lifted her head and met his gaze.
She stated with all seriousness, ”We are at a stalemate, and I will warn you just as you warned me. Don't think or talk about what my parents do again, it's not safe to speculate on such topics,” Mace said mysteriously and ominously.
Daedo wondered for a moment.
”They are trade brokers, that's all you need to know,” Mace said. That was the cover story, and she knew Daedo would see right through it. That's why she didn't try and convince him.
”Agreed stalemate,” Daedo said finally. He would not push her any further no matter how disturbing her background was. He began to wonder about her. Did he really know her? Did she have an agenda other than what they all took for granted?
And as if she could read his mind she said, ”Don't. Speculation will only build distrust. If I say I am your friend and I am with you, then believe me.” She said earnestly, her eyes were watering. She wiped her face before a tear could fall.
Daedo nodded and said, ”Fine.” He stood, it was time to head to the obstacle course.
Despite not completing all his work last round, despite many M1 squads renting the two-point six exo, despite ranking sixth on the gauntlet because as he only completed it once in round four; Daedo was still rank one cadet in M1. But the leading margin must have narrowed, and he would certainly lose it if he didn't complete all the activities by the end of the week.
Performing well in the tournament would also help solidify all M1TS0 rankings including Kang. Unlike term one, M1TS0 were only competing in M1 with the additional match on Friday with Siderus' squad. The Academy admin had placed it in the premium slot, as the main exo match, with the M1 and M3 finals moved to earlier in the morning.
Term 2, Round 4
Rank, Cadet, House
1, Daedo, Thoth
2, Mace, Thoth
3, Vannier, Thoth
4, Paget-A , Horus