55 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
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”What just happened?” Andre asked.
”They stepped over the zone line,” Stanley answered dourly.
”Why?” Andre asked. The pitch of his question rose sharply in the moment it took to utter the word why.
”Something has changed with their tactics,” Cillian speculated. Jeram's match was due to start in fifteen minutes, and the trio stood by the AR glass trying to work out what just happened. Stanley looked out the glass his face a mask of concentration. Andre was mumbling while Cillian kept looking up stats on the killboard in case the answer was buried in there somewhere.
The Marais box was usually a calm and collected affair. Today with Jeram Marais competing in the M3 semi-finals it was packed full of friends, business associates and colleagues. After the first semi-final with Thoth forfeiting on mass, the box had never been this rowdy.
Even Cillian's trio was not immune to interruption.
”Cillian, Cillian,” his head of chassis development, Sandor, injected himself into the conversation. ”This isn't normal, right? You know, I watch the Tier one League matches. They never forfeit.” It was Sandor's first time in the box, he had been at Marais Industries for four years.
”No Sandor,” Cillian answered patiently, ”I have never seen this happen before.”
”The prime melee cadet, he,” Sandor continued to describe the events they all just witnessed, ”he dragged the other cadet out,” Sandor said excitedly. ”He does know that its not real right?”
”Yes, Sandor. The cadets are well aware, they train in the Augmented Reality arena every day,” Cillian replied.
”So. Why?” Sandor asked the question that no one seemed to have the answer to.
”They are up again this afternoon in the M1 final. It was probably brought forward from the Friday because of this squad,” Andre noted.
Cillian wondered if they would be allowed to compete. Technically they didn't break any rules. On the other hand, they would have angered the faculty considerably.
”I wonder what Master Nader thinks?” Cillian asked out loud.
Sandor picked up on the sombre mood and asked quietly, ”who is Master Nader?”
”The Thoth House Master in charge of this squad,” Andre answered. He was not sure how he was going to report this to the Templars. It was simple up until now. Breakout talent in both engineering and strategy from Thoth M1. Now. He would have to report what just happened and let The Templars make their own conclusions.
”Oh,” Sander noted, ”they will probably be in all sorts of trouble.”
It was only yesterday Cillian and Stanley spent a few hours with this squad. They were insightful and disciplined. If anything he thought they could be too serious. You only got to be thirteen once and the years ahead were only going to get worse.
”Do you think they cracked under pressure?” Cillian asked Stanley. Other than answering Andre with a simple fact, he had been silent, lost in thought.
”It's…” Stanley began and then paused. ”It's like they were pretending this was a real battle.”
Andre, Sandor and Cillian looked at Stanley as if he was as crazy as what just transpired.
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*Commander Mallet: Master Nader Report to Faculty Box Immediately.
*Master Nader: I am busy. Hold a VR meeting if you must.
*Commander Mallet let out an exasperated sigh. Master Nader had rapidly gone from exemplary addition to the Middle Academy to become his adversary and worst nightmare.
*Commander Mallet: very well.
Within minutes the Commander convened an emergency peer review meeting with Master Becker from Osiris and Master Haddad from Shu. Master Nader ported in as a hologram while the others appeared to her in a VR room.
After a short preamble introducing the Masters and events, Commander Mallet got to the crux of the emergency meeting.
*Commander Mallet: Master Nader. What remedial actions are going to be taken against the cadets from Thoth squad zero after today's performance.
*Master Nader: There will be a review with the squad leader and second in command where I will assess their review of the battle report with the entire squad.
*Master Becker: Master Nader are you stating that you do not review the match yourself? You just review the squad's leadership review of the match?
*Master Nader: Your comprehension is adequate in this instance Master Becker.
*Master Becker: They have no mentor! How is this best practice, in cadet development, that we are held to at this Academy?
*Master Haddad: Master Nader is responsible for the cadet's education, but how she accomplishes this is within her purview. That is what I read in the FMA Master practices and cadet development manual (MP&CD manual).
*Master Becker: that manual is twenty years old!
*Master Haddad: and yet it is the current standing document.
*Commander Mallet: we digress. This meeting is not about the MP&CD Manual. We will cut right to the chase. Master Nader. Can you explain the actions of your cadets at today's tournament? And can you guarantee it will never happen again?
*Master Nader: Yes and No.
*Commander Mallet: Do not play games, Master Nader. This is serious, you can be sanctioned at this meeting.
*Master Nader: It's ironic that you are telling me not to play games. The cadets were conducting themselves as instructed by me.
*Commander Mallet's voice rose, as did his blood pressure and heart rate.
*Commander Mallet: That's perfect! Since you instructed them to behave this way you can now instruct them to stop.
*Master Nader: That will not work.
*Master Becker: why not? Don't you have these cadets under control? They are only M1 for godsakes.
*Master Nader: I not only gave them instruction I told them why. This cannot be undone short of mindwipe.
*Master Becker: what are you talking about? It makes no sense. Commander do you know what she is saying?
*Commander Mallet: Master Nader is being vague and obfuscating on purpose. Don't let it rattle you.
*Master Haddad couldn't help himself, he scoffed at the last remark.
*Commander Mallet: Master Nader. Let me put it another way.
*Master Becker: Don't give her any wiggle room.
*Commander Mallet: Master Nader, if any of your cadets forfeit in a future match they will be expelled from the Academy immediately.
*Master Nader: Commander. While I commend you for taking a firm stance. I would like to inform you that if any cadet. Any single cadet under my tutelage is expelled for any reason that I will leave this academy and take all the cadets who are willing with me to another more progressive establishment. This is not a threat. It is a warning.
*Master Haddad: Commander. It is not within the rules to expel a cadet for such an action.
*Master Becker: but it is for disobeying a direct order.
*Master Haddad: Sorry. Again. If Master Nader does not give this order, then it is not a Direct order.
*Master Becker: why are you here if you aren't going to support the Academy and the Commander?
*Master Haddad: ah forgive me. I am a new Master, it's only my first year. This meeting is an emergency peer review, and I was invited because I am a peer? Is that correct? There was no mention of resolute support for whatever the Commander proposed in the criteria.
*Commander Mallet: you two. Stop arguing. The meeting is again diverging from its purpose. Master Haddad is correct. We cannot expel a cadet for forfeiting a match without changing the Academy rules. However, we can hold a misconduct hearing in front of the honour committee which can recommend expulsion to the LG.
*Master Nader: I look forward to it.
After her last response, Master Nader blinked out of the meeting.
Master Becker put both his hands on his forehead in a sign of exasperation, ”can we hold a misconduct inquiry for Master Nader?”