74 M1 - Term: 2, Round: 2 (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: 1 to 2
Daedalus Operating Capital: 140,000 bitcreds
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It was the middle of the night, and Daedo was asleep on his bunk in the Academy. The door slid open, and a dark figure crept into his room. After a few moments adjusting for the dark, the figure lay down beside Daedo and stretched an arm over his shoulder. He was sleeping peacefully on his side, with his back to the stranger.
The motion lifted Daedo from stage four deep sleep to stage two, he became aware of the stranger on some level. The stranger's arm pressed against Daedo and he could feel the stranger pushing into his back.
”You're so cute when you're asleep,” the stranger whispered into his ear.
The words registered with Daedo at some level, they floated and eventually found their way into his conscious. The strangers blew on his cheek before its lips caressed him with a soft kiss. Daedo began to panic as the stranger's hand slid down his stomach.
He suddenly woke, sitting bolt upright, leaving stage two sleep for one hundred per cent wide awake. Daedo looked around, panicking, he wasn't in the Academy, it was the weekend he was in a bunk in the same room with his Father and Barran. There was no one in his bed other than himself. It was a dream. Or a nightmare, depending on your mental disposition on the subject.
”Damn,” he breathed and lay back down. His fast beating heart sounded loudly in his ears.
*Daedo: Myrmidon can you investigate monitoring hormone levels?*
After slight pause Myrmidon answered
*Myrmidon: a quick search indicates that a precise and practical method is blood analysis. With the installation of an additional medical sensor, we can monitor everything from sugar and cholesterol levels to a wide range of hormones.*
*Daedo: I'm going back to sleep and don't use the word installation when you are talking about inserting something into my body.*
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It was Sunday morning, round two of term two was about to start, and the weather was getting incrementally warmer at this time of year. At 0600 predawn natural light was almost at a level where the cadets could run with helmets off, and by the end of the run, they had them strapped to their backs.
Vannier pulled Daedo aside during their morning run. ”I've been studying work methods in Strategy with a crossover subject in Human studies. It's not part of the coursework but something I have been investigating for the squad and Daedalus.”
”More efficient methods?” Daedo asked between breaths. He was almost as fast as Vannier, but his improvement had tapered the closer he got to her. Not to mention she improved as well.
”Long-term sustainability they call it,” Vannier replied.
”Oh,” Daedo thought as he ran, ”I'm not sure about the physical side, but I could do the academic part indefinitely. I enjoy most of it.”
”I am not worried about you. We could lock you in a room and ask you to solve FTL travel. Then open the door six months later, and you would shout, 'close the door I am almost there.” Vannier said, and they laughed at her analogy.
Daedo ran and waited for Vannier to explain, there was no point in playing guessing games.
”I am worried about Mace especially, but everyone including Axelzero and even Kang,” Vannier stated. ”Barran is immune especially since he doesn't have a tech project to weigh him down.”
”Okay,” Daedo said, ”I see why you separated us from the squad. What is the main issue and what is your solution?”
Vannier took a sharp corner following the lead pack and waited for Daedo to catch up and run alongside her again. ”Burnout is the main concern,” Vannier said. ”The effort Mace has been putting in shows in her stress levels, and when she finishes one project, she is given an even harder one. She has lowered her sleeping hours, I am concerned that the physical activities and meals are not enough of a break. Especially when she is thinking about chem eng the whole time.”
”I see,” Daedo said, ”So the issue is not this week, but if this continues she will burn out. And this same problem will occur for Axelzero, Kang, Picard and even yourself.” They ran for another fifty metres in silence before Daedo asked, ”And the solution?”
”It's not certain, we will have to try different methods and continue to assess,” Vannier said. ”One of the methods is to break up the week with another activity, one which we enforce a break from project focus. Otherwise, it won't work.”
”Like when we played red rover in the exos? Or drone wars with Axelzero?” Daedo thought through activities which reduced stress.
”Yes, activities which are fun are perfect. There are many benefits, not just stress relief, and the brain continues to work subconsciously on problems while we play,” Vannier said. Daedo was always so serious she had prepared a list of benefits to ensure he did not view it as slacking off.
”It's basically what Barran does naturally,” Daedo responded.
Vannier nodded, ”I think he has had his fair share of stressful situations with his family. It's my deduction based on our last meeting with his sister. Oh!” Vannier suddenly exclaimed.
”When is she coming out to do reports on us?” Vannier asked.
”Master Nader hasn't mentioned it since that meeting,” Daedo replied.
”Don't bring it up then,” Vannier said.
Daedo laughed, ”That won't help. Master Nader would not forget.”
”I wasn't thinking that. I was thinking things through,” Vannier beamed. ”If you bring it up Master Nader may take that as a sign you are worrying about or looking forward to the reports. If you act like it does not concern you in the slightest, it may change her view on whether it's needed.”
Daedo nodded. He would not mention that he could probably tell Master Nader that he preferred Colonel Martin to do reports on them and she would acquiesce. He decided tojust do it and tell Vannier the good news afterwards.
”Back to the topic at hand, what activities did you have in mind? Can fun activities be structured?” Daedo asked. Part of which made those activities special was the organic way they just happened.
”Even red rover, or drone wars could become tedious, competitive, and lose their beneficial effect, if they became repetitive,” Vannier said. ”What I am thinking is we do something different every Sunday, and it should last for half the day. Whether its tour the Military Base with Col. Martin and have an exo scrimmage with the soldiers. Or visit Marais Industries and drive an armoured vehicle around their test track. Or simply go and see a pro league match like we did in Munich. I am sure Axelzero and Barran could come up with several suggestions.”
”Barran was suggesting a food fight last week,” Daedo said.
”He is a natural at this,” Vannier replied with a small chuckle.
”I approve, it will be easy to set up a few activities like the ones you mentioned, and we only need four more for the rest of the term. We will have a problem next term though,” Daedo said.
Vannier nodded, ”Assuming we are selected in the Academy squad.”
The Inter-Academy home and away season was conducted each weekend on Saturday. It was possible to travel half-way around the world, have an arena battle or gauntlet run and then travel back. This could take an entire Saturday. The home matches would not be as bad, it would only be a few hours.
”It may be a problem or an opportunity,” Vannier responded smiling.
”I don't know what I would do without you,” Daedo said happily.
”I will contact Colonel Martin and Mr Marais today and see what we can schedule,” Vannier said. ”Then I'll grab ideas from the squad to fill out the rest of the term. Do you have any?”
Daedo thought for a moment before responding, ”I do. I have a few designs for Mechs and its too expensive to build six-metre versions to test, even with our recycling capability. And then there's the space required. I had an idea to build 600mm versions, there would be some compromises but they would be the same for each Mech, and I am testing the overall structural design, not those components.”
He ran for a while without speaking to get his breath back. Vannier slowed slightly and said, ”I get it. It will be like drone wars, but with tiny mechs.”
Daedo nodded, ”We can build seven competing designs, and everyone could pick one.The control mechanism will be identical, except you won't be in the Mech but standing nearby or behind.”
”Won't that ruin your baseline?” Vannier asked. The cadets had varying melee combat skill levels.
Daedo shook his head, ”It won't be the only method of testing, and I can assess how well a Mech performs for the controller based on input and outcome comparisons.”
”They're getting further ahead, do you want to pick up the pace?” Vannier asked smiling cheekily.
Daedo harrumphed. ”Okay.” Was all he said before increasing his speed to three and a half minutes per kilometre.
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On Sunday evening the first round rankings were up, and they contained no surprises. Last term Thoth squad zero dominated with three cadets in the top ten ranks and usually two in the top three.
Since round five in term one, they must be causing other squads nightmares and even started chatter such as Lazard was rank one when you removed TS0.
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