89 M1: Term: 2, Round: 4 (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
Daedalus Operating Capital: 200,000 bitcreds
”I just cancelled arena practice with Shu,” Daedo announced when he sat down at the cafeteria. Dinner was almost over, but he managed to catch the squad before they left.
”What happened?” Vannier asked.
”Crazy Fortescue stuff, that's why I am putting everything from tonight's schedule on hold. We have a lot to discuss,” Daedo was talking at a rapid pace.
”We should head to the workshop,” Mace suggested, and she received nods of agreement from many cadets. They could talk in private at the workshop, and they felt safe there.
”Should we pack-up the new exos?” Barran asked. They had only unpacked the new three-point-two model an hour earlier.
”I don't think we can be overcautious at this stage, so yes, we take everything of value with us and leave immediately,” Daedo replied.
”What about the rentals?” Axelzero asked.
”They are two-point-six, even if someone breaks the rental contract they don't have all the new innovations which take the exo to the next level,” Vannier replied.
”I'm confused, is this to do with the news on Saturday and the memo today?” Kang asked.
”Yes,” Daedo answered succinctly.
”Let's move,” Vannier said standing.
The cadets packed all the exos they had just unpacked and headed to the workshop, leaving the Fortescue Military Academy campus. The only person they notified was Master Nader.
When they arrived at the workshop, Mace noticed something was off.
”Do you see that?” She asked pointing up into the air.
”Delivery drones?” Barran asked.
”That looks like a full spectrum spy drone, and delivery drones do not circle,” she replied.
”We have guns, let's shoot them down,” Barran said as he pushed his exo into the loading dock designated pickup area where the bots would take over.
”Don't be stupid,” Vannier said.
”They are flying legally in drone designated airspace,” Mace stated.
”They would love it if you shot them down,” Daedo stated. ”It would give them leverage on us.”
”So we can't shoot them down, what can we do?” Barran asked.
”Check your Faraday defence,” Mace said. ”The one Master Nader had you set up.”
Barran nodded and brought up his controls from his bodysuit popup screen situated on his forearm.
”Looks good, I'll run a test to make sure,” Barran said.
”What if they got a malfunction?” Kang asked. ”Don't shoot them, but, what if a loose electronic pulse accidentally fried their nav?”
”Oh, that's good,” Barran said. ”Can you do that?”
”Not me, maybe Daedo, Mace or Cisse,” Kang replied.
”If they can't spy on us, there is no need to take a risk to deactivate them,” Daedo stipulated.
”Barran keep an eye on them but do nothing,” Vannier requested.
The cadets collected on the lower one test range, which was underground, taking a cautious approach.
”Enough waiting! Spill the beans!” Several cadets peppered Daedo.
”Get comfortable,” he said, ”This could take awhile.” The cadets pulled pieces of exercise equipment from all corners and sat in a circle using the equipment as ad-hoc furniture.
”A few weeks ago, as you know, I had that meeting with Karine Fortescue, and we thought it went well. It was about the same time we began renting the exos. We came to an understanding, a pact, and I assured her we would do our best to not only ensure the Academy was not relegated, and if possible, promoted.”
”As you are all aware, all we are interested in is building up Daedalus and our skills. We are not trying to bring anyone down,” Daedo summarised.
”Unlike other jerks,” Picard said under her breath.
”Then last week, we were all there, the meeting with Fortescue and some of the leading cadets took place. She wasn't directly attacking us, but if she stopped us being selected for the Inter-Academy first team, it would be breaking our agreement. She would have prevented us from competing if we didn't agree to gene therapy.”
”Any gene therapy she was proposing was unlikely to be safe. I don't trust her or the company's ethics or competency,” Vannier added.
”That brings us to today,” Daedo stated.
”No one should speak about what happened last Thursday in the library, Master Nader has it under control. If you are approached by anyone, say nothing, you saw and heard nothing,” Daedo said seriously.
”What is Master Nader doing? How does she have it under control?” Picard asked.
”She has the match-fixing recording and it using it to keep Fortescue inline,” Daedo said.
”We were going to use that!” Barran said concerned.
”It's best this way. I was at the meeting, and you should have seen the admin office, there were Fortescue lackeys everywhere. If I trust anyone to outmaneuver them its Master Nader,” Daedo said.
”How do we know she is on our side,” Kang asked, and Picard agreed.
”They were intimidated by her, and they were certainly unhappy to see her with me,” Daedo said. ”Every time we have needed protection she has provided it, whether its break-ins or political shenanigans from the Academy admin.”
”We can trust her,” Vannier said, and Mace agreed. It was enough for the squad that the three lead cadets believed in Master Nader.
”That brings us up to our current predicament,” Daedo said. ”We're attending an Academy where we're not treated fairly, and it's likely it's only going to get worse. If it was only Siderus and the other House Captains we had to deal with, we would have the weekly training matches and a chance to participate in the Inter-Academy should they fail.”
”And even if we did, and we stopped them getting demoted, why would we want to help these asshats?” Barran asked.
”That's a very good question,” Vannier agreed.
”If we could stop worrying about Fortescue we could focus on our goals,” Picard added.
”Which is to make bitcreds, improve our tech, academics and training,” Axelzero said. ”Do we need Fortescue for any of that?”
”I like that line of thinking. Let's look at what we need for our goals,” Daedo added.
Vannier brought up the short to medium term goals for Daedalus with descriptions of how they were going to achieve them.
”We need an Academy for the Academics and Training, the Inter-Academy is integral. It not only gives us the best practice partners,” Vannier stated reading off the chart.
”It showcases our tech which feeds into our business goals,” Axelzero added for her.
”Can we change Academies?” Kang asked.
”I can't I have a scholarship,” Picard said.
”We can't without our parent's permission,” Axelzero added.
”Both of these obstacles can be overcome if Daedalus takes over payments for all of our squad, and it shouldn't be hard to gain permission if we make our case,” Daedo said.
”Why don't we charge Fortescue to save them from demotion?” Barran asked. ”Do you know who much it's worth? It would cost them a fortune in brand and lost sales.”
”That was a part of the first meeting with Fortescue, weren't you watching?” Vannier asked.
Barran shrugged.
”She wouldn't pay,” Axelzero said.
”Then we kick it up higher, and we make it a bet,” Barran said. ”Assuming we stay.”
”What do we lose if we move?” Mace asked.
The cadets thought about the question and made a list. Which included the closeness of the workshop, unless they went to Renault it could be hours away from a new Academy. What tier was the Academy they would be accepted into? Lost fees which were prepaid for M1. What would happen to the exo rentals at FMA? And last but not least, they would lose Master Nader.