53 M1 - Term: 1, Round: 5 (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: 1, Round: 5
.
.
The alcove's silence was palpable, it was only a minute, but seemed like forever. Neither the Pagets nor Vannier dared make a sound waiting for Fortescue's response.
Karine suddenly broke down in uncontrollable laughter. She slapped her leg, rolled back on the couch, she laughed so much she snorted which led to sudden embarrassment.
”Do you think I don't know that?” She said caustically, her mood swinging from unbridled mirth to cynical in a moment.
Fortescue continued while Daedo remained silent, ”they have been trying to butt in and change everything since we lost our first M3 match. They even held meetings with Master Nader to bring you and a couple of the other across to my squad. You don't need to change my mind, I am in agreement with you on this. I don't want any of you in my squad. We,”she indicated the Pagets and ostensibly her squad, ”will learn from our mistakes and come back stronger next term. We've only just started. I am not in a panic. Unlike my Mother, the Commander or Master Becker.”
”So yes I know that already. I am not worrying what the adults think,” she finished.
There was a long pause, and a satisfied vibe emanated from the Horus cadets at Karine's shutdown of Daedo. Putting him in his place. Lola Paget was smirking.
Daedo shook his head, ”no. You misunderstood my meaning.” Vannier had an idea what he meant, but the other cadets were clueless.
”Please educate me Daedo,” Fortescue said evenly. No hint of sarcasm or cynicism this time. If this cadet had proved anything, it was that he was smart. She would hear him out.
”You and I are on the same side, even though we are in different houses. Even if we were in different Academies, we would still on the same side. The adults think that winning tournaments, gaining promotion or earning wealth is important. And you are caught up in that,” he said patiently.
Karine rocked back again, but not in laughter, in thought. She leaned forward and asked, ”then why do you try so hard to win if all this is for nothing?” She turned to Paget-L and snickered, ”rather Marxist isn't he?”
Vannier bridled, but kept silent, she would not attempt to speak for Daedo now the conversation had taken this turn.
Daedo stood and said off-handedly as he turned to leave, ”we aren't trying to win. We are training.”
The pair turned their backs to Fortescue and the Pagets and left. The confrontation was over.
.
.
”What did he mean by that?” Paget-L said viciously, ”was he implying they don't care if they win or lose?”
Fortescue shook her head as Raoult, Girard and Niel arrived and scooted into seats in the alcove.
”What happened?” Raoult asked desperately. The trio was hungry for information about the exchange.
”Thoth reckon they haven't been trying to win. That they have just been training. And get this,” Paget-L salaciously shared, ”adults know shit!” With the last, she broke into laughter.
Fortescue turned to her resident thinker, ”what do you think?” She asked Paget-A.
Aline Paget was almost identical to her sister in looks apart from the hair colour and style. Even if they had the same colour hair and style it was unlikely friends would mix them up once they spoke. Lola Paget was brash and aggressive, where Aline was intelligent and thoughtful.
They were the Horus equivalent of Barran and Daedo, apart from the fact they were cute twin girls.
Paget-A tapped her finger on her cheek, she was trying to find the right phrasing, it was in her nature to be careful with wording, ”I think,” she began before her sister cut her off.
”Bah, you think, you think! Just look at their actions, their actions are what matters not his words,” Paget-L interrupted.
Fortescue stared down Paget-L. The icy cold look was followed with the statement, ”I asked Aline what she thought. Do you think I can be allowed to hear it?”
Paget-L sat back on the couch and crossed her arms, suitably chastised.
Fortescue looked back to Paget-A and nodded indicating for her to continue.
”I think,” she began again, ”if you saw their match today you would see actions that validate what he just said. It looked to me like it was a drill, they were using different tactics and loadouts.”
”Why does he win the Gauntlet each round then?” Fortescue asked Paget-A.
She shrugged, ”you must admit he plays with it most of the time.”
”What about this adult thing,” Fortescue asked, ”what does he mean by that. He said I misunderstood.”
”He's referring to aliens.” Paget-A continued, ”He said that even if we were in different Academies, we would still be on the same team. Which can only mean there is a common enemy which we would side against.”
Most of the squad scoffed, ”we haven't seen Aliens since. Well ever.” Girard offered.
”Since 2101,” Paget-A nodded with the answer.
Fortescue looked frustrated, ”I think…” she started and stopped most of her squad was waiting for her verdict before conforming their opinion to it.
She shook her head, as if casting doubts away, ”I think he is a genius but also crazy as a loon.” She tapped the table in front of the couch timing her word with the taps. ”He probably believes what he says. Which just proves he is crazy.”
”What about the rest of them? Mace is second, and Vannier is always top five,” Raoult said.
”They wouldn't be if it wasn't for that exo. Look at the first round, they were barely in the top ten until their new exo arrived, that's when they passed everyone,” Fortescue replied.
”So….,” Raoult kicked her foot on the floor sheepishly, ”why don't you recruit him?” No one else dared to broach the subject with Fortescue. Their best athlete and fighter was also foolishly brave.
Fortescue stared at Raoult gobsmacked, ”Haven't you been paying attention. That's what I have been fighting with Mother and Becker about! Plus…” she flummoxed, ”he would never join.” She slammed the table emphasising each and. ”And he would never follow orders.” Thump. ”And he is crazy!”
The atmosphere became thick with tension. No one from Horus zero spoke for minutes allowing Karine Fortescue to cool off.
Aline Paget wondered if Daedo was actually crazy. Unlike the rest of her squad who were sold on the idea.
.
.
”That went well,” Vannier said with a dash of humour as they made their way back.
”What were you expecting?” Daedo asked sincerely.
She thought about it, ”to be honest I had no idea what to expect. I just wanted to be in the top dog position for a change.”
”mmm,” Daedo replied thoughtfully, ”I don't think Fortescue does lower dog very well.”
Vannier laughed, she wasn't sure if Daedo was trying to be funny, but she thought it was hilarious.
When Daedo and Vannier shared the capture of their meeting, it raised many questions instead of satiating the squad's thirst for triumph over Fortescue and her lackeys.
”Okay, okay, so..” Barran was trying to decipher the sledging, ”what's all this stuff about adults know shit. We are on the same team. Were you messing with her?”
Daedo shook his head.
”They think you are crazy. Look at their faces,” Axelzero observed.
Mace watched the entire capture over twice before messaging Daedo.
*Mace: we need to talk.*
*Daedo: okay. Can we have a serious talk during the break?*
”Let's just watch the mechs,” Vannier said trying to calm the squad down. ”It's going to start in ten minutes.”
”Oh, I can get us into a box,” Barran said.
”Which one?” Vannier asked, knowing it may come with strings attached.
”Marais of course, those guys love us,” Barran answered.
Vannier looked at Daedo who shrugged as if to say, up to you.
She looked it up and sighed, ”alright. We will need to run, it's on the other side. Barran it was your idea, get permission before we arrive, or we will just take cadet seating on that side.”
The Thoth cadets ran, it was a rare time they acted like regular thirteen-year-olds. They laughed and were excited to get into a box, and not on the back of who their parents were, but who they were themselves.
On the upper deck of the western stadium, they rushed past several adults who only saw kids running in a hallway.
”I thought Thoth were the smart, quiet types?” One said. The cadets rushed past too fast for them to see the zeros and single digits, they only saw their height and the black with white insignia.
Barran pulled up to the door first, in his mind, it was a race. He turned back to see Picard and beamed at her, ”First!” She just shook her head.
”Only because I didn't trip you when I had the chance,” she teased pushing him out of the way.