32 M1 - Term: 1, Round: 2 (2/2)
It did not go unnoticed to Daedo and the Chief that she had added 'and failing'. She made it sound like he received the demerits for being caught.
Chief Cleo sighed for the second time.
”Cadet,” she said, ”AIs are a wonderful thing. They can enhance your life in many ways. They can improve nearly every aspect of your performance at the Academy and out in the real world. But they can also be useless and worse, dangerous, if not handled properly. Do not experiment with your AI, follow the guides, follow the proven measures. And please, please, even if you are confronted with astronomical challenges, do not experiment with AI-symbiosis.”
Daedo stood. He nodded in agreement, ”Chief Cleo, I understand the risks with symbiosis, and it is my opinion it is extremely dangerous. When completing my research, I saw the cases of the brain dead scientists. Modern medicine could not help these people. It was incredibly sad, especially given their contribution to cybernetics and AI coding. A contribution which was truncated after self-experimentation. Rest assured I am not tempted to go down this path.”
”Satisfied?” Master Nader asked the Chief.
The Chief did not look happy, but she was satisfied for now. ”Dismissed Cadet. Get some sleep.”
Daedo realised finally why the Chief had requested a meeting at 0001 on the Monday morning of round two. Master Nader had requested no testing in round one, and she had complied. So she had organised a test in the first minute of round two. He shook his head. The games adults played were as bad, if not worse, than the Cadets.
Daedo: we dodged a bullet, Myrmidon.
Myrmidon: thanks to Master Nader. If she wasn't intervening on our behalf, the outcome would have been much worse.
Daedo: we still need to be careful. But at least we do not need to hide your capability anymore.
Daedo woke in time for his first obstacle course run in round two. The squad made their way to the newly designed course at the usual time of 0550. Their slot began at 0600.
The rankings were up, and Thoth Squad zero had performed exemplary. The consensus was, for Thoth, they were rockstars. Thoth always did well in the academic subjects, but rarely ranked in the top twenty, let alone ten, in the Gauntlet or the obstacle course. It was not unheard of a Thoth cadet being in the overall top ten rank, as there were many subjects such as Math, Physics, Reference, Tech Studies and AI. Which when you considered that Strategy held no score, was over half the subjects.
Considering they should be on a high because of the rankings, rankings which put Thoth squad zero in second place. It was the first place squad which concerned them. Tonight at 20:15 was their exo Arena match versus Horus. The first placed squad. Although Daedo was rank one Cadet, the overall rankings of the Horus squad zero were lower than Thoth. By an overall margin of twelve.
Which meant, if Gaumont ranked twenty-one instead of thirty-five, Thoth would have been the first placed squad.
After they ran the obstacle course most of the squad collect at the gym before breakfast.
”That was brutal,” Axelzero said.
”Try it with ten kilos of weights,” Daedo replied.
”Oh no, I am not that keen to kill myself,” Axelzero responded.
”They did say each round the obstacle course will get harder,” Picard added.
”I am not looking forward to round five,” Vannier said.
”Guys, guys,” Barran interrupted, ”I just got some news on the M1 feed.”
”You listen to that while you're on the bike?” Axelzero asked.
”Yeah, keeps me updated with what others are doing and saying,” Barran replied, ”but listen to this. Master Ustinov has suddenly come down with a rare disease, she was rushed to hospital last night and died this morning!”
The news received a similar response from all the cadets. They were astounded.
”I know she was old, but…, she looked fit,” Picard said finally.
”Old has nothing to do with a disease like that, but it was sudden. She was diagnosed, rushed to the hospital and died all in one night? That's crazy,” Axelzero speculated.
Daedo was quiet. Master Nader had said on two occasions he would know when she dealt with the one responsible for breaking in. And he didn't believe in coincidences. While they other cadets chatted animatedly, speculating what happened with the latest piece of gossip. Daedo was deathly quiet. He just stuck to his training regime.
Daedo: Myrmidon, can you find out and research the disease Master Ustinov died from?
Myrmidon: while human health is not something I have researched much about I will see what knowledge exists on the net and consume it.
Daedo: thanks.
Mace found Daedo at the end of the session. The Cadets took sonic showers in separate rooms and then collected together before heading to breakfast. Their bodysuits were self-cleaning, but that did not stop them stinking after the obstacle course and a gym session.
”You were quieter than normal during the workout,” Mace stated.
”And you were just as quiet as usual,” Daedo retorted.
She shrugged, ”you're not thinking what I am thinking are you?”
”If you are thinking what I am thinking it is probably best not to talk about it,” Daedo said.
She nodded slowly, ”agreed.”
Mace was amazing. Master Nader had mentioned it to him twice, where Mace was only present one of those occasions. But she came to the same speculative conclusion as he did, with less indirect clues.
”What should we do?” she asked. They had separated from the squad during their walk to breakfast. The others were chatting so much they lost track of them easily.
Daedo looked at Mace and while he was looking her bodysuit changed. White epaulettes were added to the black bodysuit, and a number three appeared on her right upper chest. It corresponded to the zero on her left shoulder.
”You're ranking,” Daedo said nodding at her right side.
Mace looked at Daedo, ”yours too, and you have an S as well.” An S had appeared next to his zero, which denoted squad zero.
Every M1 cadet now had a number from 1 to 1275 on their chest. There was no way Daedo could hide in obscurity now. If the S and the zero were not bad enough, the one on his right side was a beacon for trouble.
”Shit,” Daedo said. He had totally forgotten the orientation when Commander Malet said this would happen.
”You'd think you'd be happy,” Mace said. As she thought about it she realised and said, ”I kinda feel inadequate next to you.” And she laughed.
Daedo laughed too. Mace was rank three, only him and Fortescue outranked her.
”If you need an ego boost, go hang out with Gaumont,” Daedo teased.
”No thanks,” she said, ”I am happy right here.”
For the moment they had forgotten about Master Ustinov's demise and its implications.