51 M1 - Term: 1, Round: 5 (2/2)
Mace shot him a look. She knew that Daedo always supported Gaumont's position, even if it felt like he was pulling against the squad.
”Maybe he's getting a promotion,” she teased Barran. She was rewarded with a shocked look from Barran. Mace found a button and gave Barran a rare smile.
”Oh you,” he said accusingly. Her smile gave it away. He proceeded to mess her hair before copping a kick to the shin.
”Don't touch me,” she threatened menacingly.
Barran rushed to divert the angry munchkin's attention, ”what do you think is going on in there?” He whispered conspiratorily.
.
.
”Sit,” Master Nader ordered. The cadets stood when the others left, they couldn't sit again until ordered or granted due to the protocols of the Academy.
”Cadet's we will play the same logic game as before,” Master Nader began.
”Gaumont. Why is it that you did not fall into line immediately with the squad's direction and structure?”
”Ah,” Gaumont fumbled, the room felt suddenly awkward for all the cadets. If Master Nader was a surgeon, she would not use anaesthesia nor a small blade.
”I ah. I did not,” he flummoxed. Master Nader waited patiently.
”Take your time and form your answer properly,” she ordered.
Vannier considered sending him a sneaky text, but of all the people on the planet, she could not imagine getting away with it in front of Master Nader. Or behind.
”I did not agree with the direction or the structure,” Gaumont answered finally. Using the Master's own terminology to good effect.
Master Nader nodded. ”But why didn't you agree?”
She flawed Gaumont again.
He began coming up with reasons, excuses, examples and obfuscations. Master Nader waited patiently through it all.
After he concluded Master Nader asked, ”Daedo what is your analysis?”
He had not thought about it until she brought up the topic. But he had known it all along.
”Because we are alike,” he answered simply.
Master Nader nodded, ”but that is not the sum of it,” she corrected. Master Nader was telling the cadets that Daedo was partly right, but there was more to it.
”Gaumont. In order to succeed you need to know yourself better. You have demonstrated today that you do not know yourself. This is a problem. Fix it,” Master Nader ordered.
It would be nice if she gave him some tips Vannier thought. Then she realised her and Daedo were there for a reason. In her imagination, she slapped her forehead. Master Nader basically delegated to her to help Gaumont, but without saying a word. It was by inference because just like Gaumont, Master Nader understood her as well. Vannier liked to help people. Even when she wasn't invited.
”Because you are incapable. I will tell you. But be warned I expect you to become capable very quickly because I will not hand feed you in the future,” Master Nader prefaced.
She had given Vannier the very same speech on their first day at the Academy. Almost word for word.
”Cadet Gaumont,” she said his name, and it was like throwing a bucket of ice water, bringing him to attention.
”You are a leader. You are a born leader. You hate to follow.” She said simply as if to say 'there was that so hard?'
Even Daedo was surprised by this revelation. Gaumont was gobsmacked that Master Nader thought that of him. But if she said it, including in front of Daedo and Vannier, it must be true.
”I am informing you of changes occurring next term. These changes have been in my House plan before term one began. Your actions throughout the term have only confirmed my initial assessments.,” Master Nader apprised.
She continued after that statement sunk in, ”in term two you will be squad leader of Thoth Squad one. You will replicate what you have witnessed and learned in squad zero. I should not need to spell out what that is. You will spend the next few days gathering information and preparing for this role. Before you are dismissed do you have any questions?” Master Nader allowed. She didn't usually allow asking questions as an option.
”Ah, is this compulsory?” Gaumont asked.
”Affirmative,” Master Nader answered. Gaumont really had to get to know Master Nader better. Everything was compulsory unless she stated you had a choice to make.
”Right,” Gaumont said standing. ”I guess I better…” and before he could finish his sentence 'better get to it.'
”Cadet!” Master Nader boomed. ”You have not been dismissed, nor given leave to pontificate.”
The sound blasted Gaumont like a sonic shotgun back on to the bench seat. As soon as his ass hit the bench Master Nader spoke again.
”Dismissed,” she said as if nothing had happened.
Gaumont left without saying a word.
The pair sat quietly waiting for the Master to dismiss them or bring on the next world exploding directive.
Master Nader made them wait. One minute turned into five.
Vannier looked at Daedo who merely sat thinking about strategies that involved keeping everyone alive first and winning second in arena matches.
”Cadet Daedo,” Master Nader said finally, ”you will prepare a list of specialties and skills needed to continue to develop ordnance and mecha. Then you will assign squad members, excluding Gaumont to this list. You will then submit a report to me with assignments and prioritise areas of deficiency.”
”Until now you have conducted this with a haphazard approach and my efforts to direct you have been circumvented. Due to your immunity to manipulation, current and future interactions will now consist of open direction, information and guidance.”
Daedo almost fell off his seat. Master Nader just said she would speak plainly with him from now on because he saw through all her puppetry strings.
”Does that include asking questions?” Daedo ventured. Risk taking was part of battle strategy.
Master Nader nodded. ”Granted, but do not interrupt or…you know the or.”
Vannier was about to inquire if it included her. Master Nader must have sensed it, and she swivelled to her head to face Vannier, ”No. You have not earned that privilege yet. You display the opposite to immunity from manipulation.”
Daedo could not help himself, there was a burning question above all the unanswered questions he had.
”Are aliens on their way to invade Earth?” he asked.
Vannier turned to look at Daedo. That was the last thing she expected out of his lips. But she had not been with Chief Albert and Nader when they both let slip something about defending the planet. She had not been part of his conversations with Mace about the spiral and its intent.
”Cadet Daedo. You disappoint me,” Master Nader would be smiling if she could. It was as if she had been dying to tell him that for a long time.
”The evidence surrounds you. If you cannot assess the evidence and come to a conclusion when it is this obvious I cannot help you,” Master Nader did not answer his question.
So much for open guidance, Daedo thought. But then he began to think about the Academies, the buildup of military forces. These had always been part of his life, but it was not always so. Men used to fight wars against himself. There had been no wars for over thirty years. None. The preceding two hundred years or more were littered with wars.
The world's foremost education facilities were all now Military Academies. Some of these used to be places of higher learning with no Military aspect. Harvard, Oxford, Berkley, Cambridge just to name a few.
Even without the few dropped words from Master Nader and Chief Albert, it was obvious. Master Nader was right. The buildup was not explained by mech fervour and xenophobia.
”When?” he asked.
”Soon. Get ready,” Master Nader answered.
”What happened to open guidance?” Daedo provoked.
”You know more than any cadet in the Academy, and you are still not satisfied?” Master Nader asked rhetorically. ”The open direction, guidance and information policy only applies to what you need to know. It's not an open invitation to all my secrets.”
”The exact timeframe is unknown. There are estimates that place it at five years and others ten. What I do know is that you need to prepare. Prepare for five, like your life and the life of most of the people on this planet depends on it.”
”Why bother with the games?” Daedo began to panic.
”Cadet. The games train you, your squad and the squads you compete against. They are competitive training. Nothing other than real battles will give you better experience. Fight like your life depends on it. That is all you need to do,” Master Nader stated calmly.
”Dismissed or I will have to suffer questions all night,” Master Nader finished.
Daedo and Vannier left Master Naders office.
The list of revelations was dramatic. Don't die in competitions, okay, that's a pain. Gaumont is leaving, no word of replacement other than making a list. And, yeah. Aliens are invading in five to ten.
Dismissed.
Mace noticed the look on Daedo's face first. Vannier looked paler than usual, which was probably not possible.
*Mace: what happened?*
*Daedo: you don't want to know.*
*Mace: I can help.*
*Daedo: yes. Please. We need to make a list of skills and specialities required to fully build and innovate mechs. Weapons and the mech itself.*
*Mace: not exos?*
*Daedo: if we can do a mech we can do an exo. We need to prepare for the future.*
*Mace: so what happened really?*
*Daedo: Master Nader has a new policy since I keep seeing through her machinations. Brutal honesty.*
*Mace: how brutal.*
*Daedo: look at Vanniers face brutal.*
*Mace: oh shit. I only noticed you. She is catatonic.*