86 M1: Term: 2, Round: 3 (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: 3
Daedalus Operating Capital: 160,000 bitcreds
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They were alone in the library again. Fortescue and the older cadets had left five minutes ago while the squad remained quiet in their study room, not wanting to open the door or move for fear of being discovered. After five minutes had passed, they felt comfortable enough to talk, although Mace left her spy-der drone at the main entrance just in case.
”You gotta admit, Fortescue is kinda ballsy” Barran observed. Unsurprisingly he received looks of condemnation.
”Don't even go there,” Picard said angrily. ”What are we going to do?” She asked in a concerned tone looking at Vannier and Daedo.
”We could turn in the recording,” Vannier said, ”But who would we give it to?”
”Master Nader?” Axelzero asked.
”Wait,” Barran said, ”Why would he hand this in? This is leverage.”
”I agree with Barran,” Mace said, ”We should hold on to this and use it when needed.” The cadets expected this sort of thinking from Barran, but the statement coming from Mace surprised everyone except Daedo. She had displayed insight and cunning on many occasions.
”We can't let this go. It could be dangerous for the M3 cadets.” Picard said distressed. She didn't like rich kids, but she would naturally side with the underdog, and on this occasion, the M3 cadets were being pushed around by the more powerful Fortescue.
”Does the military implement gene therapy on its soldiers?” Daedo asked Picard.
”Not that I know of. I wouldn't put it past Private Military though,” she replied.
”The ones we fought weren't fast enough to have had successful gene therapy,” Mace said.
”I agree with Barran and Mace, we should hold onto it,” Kang piped up. ”And I want to see the vid when you show that rich bitch the recording.”
”Kang!” Picard said distressed. ”This isn't natural.”
”Neither is colouring your hair,” Kang observed pointing out that both Picard and Vannier had their hair colour altered genetically.
”That isn't the same. It's a very simple procedure and has been done millions of times. It's perfectly safe.” Vannier stated.
”Whose to say what Fortescue is proposing isn't safe? Those M3 cadets can make up their own mind,” Kang argued.
”She's right, it's the match-fixing where we really have her,” Barran stated.
”The M3 cadets desperately want to be on the first team,” Daedo said. ”They might do something they normally wouldn't agree to just to get onto the team.”
”Daedo,” Vannier said seriously, ”Three of us want to turn this information in, to at least Master Nader, and the other three want to hold onto it.”
”Wait who is the three to turn it in?” Barran asked.
”Me, Picard and Vannier,” Axelzero said.
Barran made the oh movements with his mouth without saying anything, and then he looked at Daedo, ”You haven't chosen a side. What do you think?”
Daedo began to wonder why they were at this Academy.
They had the creds and ability to go elsewhere. Somewhere far superior. He had no allegiance to Fortescue, on the contrary, his Father would have preferred he go somewhere else, they just couldn't afford it at the time. And then once things were set in motion, they never considered changing.
Daedo only knew Fortescue from the daughter, but everything she said, and did, was in character with actions from the inept company. They had no forward thinking, nor investment in terms of research, they owned space on the spiral, but other than that they seemed to make no preparations, no investment to combat the supposed future invasion. He wondered if their strategy was to just up and run when the time came.
Although he would condone any strategy that won, because there was no such thing as cheating in war. All Fortescue, the company and the family, did was manipulate and use others. They not only did not contribute to the greater effort in the slightest. Of all the large companies, they actually hindered progress. And that was something he would not forgive.
”Fuck Fortescue,” Daedo said.
”Yes. Insightful as always great leader, but do you mean the Academy, the company or the girl in M1?,” Barran asked with a hint of humour.
”Or all of the above?” Vannier asked, and Daedo nodded sadly before sitting down. He tried to go back to work on his propulsion research.
”Hey, we're having a conversation here?” Barran asked. ”We need to decide what we are going to do?”
Daedo stopped for a moment. ”I am going back to work, and I won't tell Picard, Axelzero or Vannier not to intervene if they think its wrong.”
”But we have an opportunity here,” Barran said speaking for Kang, himself and Mace.
”An opportunity to do what?” Daedo asked. ”What could Fortescue possibly do for us?”
Barran shrugged.
”I have a compromise,” Vannier said. ”Why don't we give the information regarding the gene therapy to Master Nader to take further and we hold and hide the information on the match-fixing?”
Barran grinned, ”Deal! That works for me.” With that statement, Mace nodded, and Kang shrugged.
”I don't really care that much,” Kang said.
”Daedo, there is something else we need to discuss. How are we going to get on the Inter-Academy team or is it even important at all?” Vannier asked.
Daedo sighed, ”You are right. Let's discuss this now.”
”And by 'discuss' you mean you tell us what we are doing right?” Barran asked genuinely.
”I can extrapolate what we know, and then we can decide what we want,” Daedo began.
”We know Fortescue is a dysfunctional organisation, there is plenty of evidence to validate this. We could have helped, but their actions continually show we will not be allowed to. Not at first,” Daedo qualified.
”If we continue to progress our exo tech and they perform well in it, this will help Daedalus, but we will not be getting the practical experience from Inter-Academy matches. We will, however, get practice sessions with the first, second and third string teams during the week if we choose. If they try to deny us even this, we will pull the exo, as we will make it part of the deal.” Daedo stated.
”It is possible a few of us will be allowed to participate in the Gauntlet. As you know, you can't be in the first team and compete the Gauntlet event. So if we are ranking in the top ten in M3, we will have a good opportunity to complete in the Inter-Academy Gauntlet.” Daedo said.
Vannier interrupted, ”But that's not practical experience, we may as well stay at the workshop.”
Daedo nodded, ”But it is still exposure for our exo. We need bitcreds and a lot more of them.”
”I am all for getting as many bitcreds as we can, but you haven't exactly told us why,” Barran said.
”I know some details, but I think Barran is right, I think its time to share the plan so we can all work towards it together,” Vannier said calmly and pleadingly.
”I haven't shared plans because I don't have any firm plans. Just ideas,” Daedo said.
”What are the ideas?” Mace asked curiously.
”A launchpad from the spiral, growing our manufacturing base and preparing for the invasion,” Daedo said.
”If we are staying to defend against the invasion, why do we need a launchpad on the spiral. Isn't that for the ultra-rich and their companies to escape the planet?” Axelzero asked.
”None of your families have space on the spiral do they?” Daedo asked.
Everyone shook their head.
”My parents don't even believe there is an invasion coming they are like Mace's they think its paranoia or a conspiracy for tax credits,” Axelzero said.
Vannier agreed, ”Mine are the same.”
”Mine are so tightfisted and shortsighted they will wait to see the alien ships and then spend everything they have to escape,” Barran said.
”As you know my Father only cares about pro league,” Kang said.
Picard shrugged, ”Mine don't talk about anything like that.”
”Don't or won't?” Barran asked.
Picard shrugged again, ”Take your pick.”
”The reason I want space on the spiral is so we can build an off-world mining and manufacturing base before the invasion,” Daedo stated calmly.
”Holy fucking what?” Barran bawled.”I thought you would stop surprising me with this shit, but, crap. That is some out there thinking.”
”Hence the need for a billion bitcreds. You weren't joking,” Axelzero said.
”It's just an idea at this stage,” Daedo said. ”But if the enemy has us boxed in here, we need a plan B.”
”And they probably know all about us. Where we know nothing about them,” Vannier said sharing her thoughts out loud.
Daedo was quiet. He did know a little. But he couldn't share. Not yet.
”The main goals for this year are to continue our research and to make bitcreds? Correct?” Mace asked. She was astute as always.
Daedo nodded. ”We can't do much without a fortune. And the best way to make a fortune while improving our capability is with advanced tech. While our skills are important, they are secondary to these two goals.”