9 M1 - Term: 1, Round: 1 (2/2)
She watched and listened carefully to the key interaction, the rest were recorded, and while she could skim threads of ten at once, she wanted to help twenty-seven with growth as well as their group. ”Good, except you, did not anticipate the third response, remember what you have been taught, examine all probable outcomes, and that one was within calculations.”
The more adept her mentor cadets became, the less micromanagement she would need to conduct. Her estimation was she was missing ninety percent of critical interactions which required her intervention at this point in time. This indicator would reduce as time passed and her mentors increased their proficiency. Within the year she wanted this KPI under one percent.
She flicked back to quickscan of nine situations plus group zero.
The first day ended with a tour of the academy. Cadets were shown the many underground arenas which made up various battlegrounds for their training. They were programmable and adaptable into infinite different configurations. Some were set up as bodysuit obstacle courses, and others were four-meter mech augmented reality arenas.
One of the requirements of the bodysuit or suit's specifications was a helmet capable of full immersion augmented reality known as AR. This was significantly different to virtual reality. In an augmented reality training exercise the environment would physically exist, the walls, floors and ceilings could be opaque and unadorned, and the program would add colour and texture to the surroundings. Programmable construction foam was used on top of the arena grid to add shapes other than squares to the environment. From rock walls to rubble from a fallen building they could all be constructed with the foam which would harden and when released turned back to liquid for removal.
This allowed varied environments to be constructed quickly from the library of thousands on hand. It even allowed cadets, chiefs or masters to design and construct their own environment.
Another feature of an augmented reality battleground or obstacle course was they were able to add any number of holographic citizens, animals or threats. Destructive traps could be added, ones which affected the suited cadet in the simulation, but did nothing in reality.
The same went for weapons. Cadets could carry real railguns, ion pistols, flamethrowers and pilot mechs with particle cannons where the size and weights were all correct, but no live ammo was fired.
What would be fired was handled by the augmented reality as well as the fake damage that was done as a result. Augmented reality had one significant difference over virtual reality training. It's immersion allowed for physical and spatial growth far superior to virtual combat. A mechs movements, breakdowns and limitations were not programmed they were real. Tuning and building of superior mechs had a real impact and variability that VR could not replicate.
The only drawback compared to live ammo were the results of weapon fire were programmed, and therefore the armour value and weapon tuning only possessed computed results. And no matter how sophisticated the application, reality always threw in curveballs which did not exist in the program.
Daedo: these look amazing, apart from the fact we will have to physically run, jump and climb everywhere ourselves. Next, the mech bays, looking forward to it?
Myrmidon: of course. It will be fun to drive a real mech rather than a pretend one in VR. I am looking at the most common AR software now to ensure our trajectory and damage calculations are perfect. Do you think we will be able to access the actual application source code?
Daedo: if we are given a chance to program an arena ourselves it may get us close enough. See if you can find out which open source code Fortescue used to write any of its own AR apps. That would be most likely what is used here.
Myrmidon: The version says DV6414, that would mean it is a DaVinci application being used.
Daedo: ah it's probably standard across all Academies, either that or DaVinci is the best.
The group of seven were surrounded by other members of Thoth and every now and then they ran across another House. Cadets who were friends yesterday glared at each other today.
Daedo had no friends, he was an observer in this scenario a scenario where the affable Vannier, who was a pro at making friends, had old acquaintances looking daggers at her, especially since she was in group zero of an enemy house. It was most likely to be group zero involved in the upcoming inter-house battles.
”Don't they realise that you are the same person, that these are fictitious lines segregating you from previous allies?” Daedo asked Vannier.
”It is fine,” she said through clenched teeth, Vannier liked to be liked, and conversely did not like it when former friends started to act like enemies, ”I would not have time for them anyway. I have you and our team to worry about as well as class.”
”You need not worry about me,” Daedo said truthfully.
She laughed easily, and was about to say she didn't mean worry about him like a mother, but as someone to spend time with but caught herself. She would not mention the word mother in front of Daedo.
”And that attitude is exactly why I will worry about you,” she replied. After a few calculations on what was the best response. It would most likely provoke protestations about how he was independent and capable, which she would affirm. But he merely smiled, nodding. Accepting her stance. Daedo was not normal. At which she laughed at herself, of course, he wasn't normal, he was in group zero, number one ranked in the house and at a popular game. She would need to improve her read of him.
”Daedo,” she said starting a new topic, ”I've been thinking about your directive, about how you can help each member in group zero with something.”
He looked intrigued, open to the thought.
”You are obviously talented, far more than I can imagine, so I suggest you do not rush the assistance, wait for the opportunity to do something really special,” she advised.
He nodded, ”that is good advice.”
”There is one more thing,” she added, ”I do not think one of us should train you physically,” she said this loudly enough for all to hear. ”It is something you expressed and probably need given the age gap, your current condition and physique. I think we should all train you. Even Gaumont.” She turned around to look at Gaumont, he was similar to Daedo in many ways, the poor boy was like an inferior copy, and he didn't know it yet. ”You first trainer will be Gaumont if we all agree, and your task will be to have superior records in the obstacle course level one, two and three. He won't be your usual trainer, he will be your hare.”
Vannier calculated this would push both of them, Gaumont would strive to stay ahead, while Daedo, with his competitive streak, would do his utmost to catch and surpass Gaumont. And the day this happened would not be a bad day for Gaumont, as it would have been if she had not set the challenge with him as the trainer, it would result in him succeeding in elevating Daedo to a higher level.
It would be bittersweet for Gaumont. Vannier calculated that Daedo would surpass him in every subject except for physical and when that happened Gaumont would truly feel like a second-string Daedo. There was no direct evidence that Daedo would surpass Gaumont in Math and Physics other than his ranking, which indicated he did.
All their rankings were revealed earlier in the day and as expected the members of group zero were ranked one to seven. Gaumont was rank seven, while she was rank two. Ameline Mace with the pure white hair was rank three, Barran was astoundingly rank four. Axelzero was rank five while Picard with the military upbringing was rank six.
”Hey sis,” Jules Axel broke into the ranks of group zero. He had a bright white number one on his shoulder.
”Are you group one? Axelzero asked surprised.
He moved his hand and laughed, ”no I am group eleven.”
She pushed him, ”yeah I thought that was way too high given how much effort you put into studying.”
”Are they calling you Axelzero?” he asked.
”Yes, why?” she replied back with a question.
”It seems kinda stupid if next year you get dropped to group two or three will your name change?” he conjectured.
”You are right, the chances of you dropping are high, you should go by Axeljay, or Axelthirty, just in case,” she joked back.
”I better get back,” he said, ”my team are lost without me.”
”It's a squad, and I am sure they are not lost without you,” Axelzero retorted.
The group arrived at the Mech bays. Usually, they would catch a rail elevator or travelator as they ran horizontally as well as vertically, but they were all locked down forcing the cadets to walk.
The Mech bay was massive and broken up into three sections. This mech bay was for house Thoth, which meant there would be four more just like it. It was no wonder the underground complex ran for kilometres in all directions as well as hundreds of meters down. The size of the structures was on a grand scale.