“Agreed,” Catcher added enthusiastically. “Nice ditch. Totally badass.”
“Thanks,” Aria said brightly, tucking a strand of red hair that had escaped her bun behind one ear as she sat down on Rei’s right. “It was a bit of a gamble. I wasn’t sure I’d manage to wedge Hippolyta like that, but our teammates weren’t responding to coms and Foreman was pretty sure there was no way he’d be able to get up the cliff on his own. Apparently his Strength is actually pretty low for a Mauler…”
“Well you definitely figured it out,” Rei told her with a grin. “Not to repeat dumb and dumber over here—” he tossed a thumb at Catcher and Viv as they both sputtered out a protest “—but that was seriously amazing. Perfect victory, too. I don’t think we’ve seen one of those yet.”
Oddly, Aria made a face at this. “You could have fooled me, given Reese’s feedback. You would have thought my team had won by the skin of our teeth the way he told us off. I’m really not a fan of that guy.”
“Neither is Rei,” Catcher chimed in with a snort. “He got a personal chewing out, after his match.”
“Yeah, I saw that…” Aria frowned at Rei. “What was he on about? It looked like Jiang was trying to pick a fight.”
“She was,” Rei muttered. “She wasn’t happy with the fact that I couldn’t take down Dorne before Viv managed to hamstring me.”
“No way,” Aria said in disbelief. “Isn’t Dorne 4 or 5 ranks above you? And what the hell were you doing as defense anyway?”
“Exactly,” Rei answered simply. “Don’t try explaining that to her, though.”
“She was kind of a pain all summer, come to think of it. Not really good at taking criticism.”
“She’s been like that as long as I’ve known her, period,” Catcher added as the field below shifted into the stark white form of a flat Neutral Zone while the two teams faced off across the empty expanse of the rising projection. “If you guys were hoping to make nice with her, I’d recommend against it. She’s never been one for friends.”
“Huh,” Rei frowned and turned to the Saber. “I totally forgot you guys are from the same system. Didn’t you say you’d fought her before? On combat team in prep school?”
Catcher looked a little embarrassed. “Yeah. And lost. Repeatedly.”
“So we can agree she’s a pain in the ass, got it.” Aria was looking at Rei impatiently. “If anything I’m even more at a loss as to why you ended up getting an earful, given that?”
Rei gave a noncommittal shrug, waiting for the Arena to finish announcing the start of the Team Battle—another elimination bout—before answering. “The major just wanted to tell me how much he’s looking forward to seeing me grow.”
There was an empty pause as Aria stared at him blankly.
“I don’t believe you,” she said at last.
Rei snorted. “You shouldn’t. But what he actually said doesn’t matter. The guy’s a prick, and I ended up letting him know.”
This statement was followed by a very different kind of silence, and Rei saw both Catcher and Viv turning slowly in their seats to look at him.
“And…?” Viv asked pointedly. “How did that go?”
Rei hesitated, suddenly not wanting to say.
Under the blistering gazes of the other three, however, he finally caved.
“… Two days in the brig. Starting after class.”
“What?!”
Viv and Catcher yelled the question together, and he cowered away from them both as they leaned closer to him in unison.
“Two days?! But it’s the beginning of the week! He’s taking away two full days of combat training!”
“Rei, are you serious?! What the hell did you say to him?!”
Rei explained as best he could, and by the time he was done repeating the post-match conversation, the two of them were grimacing.
“Dude…” Catcher muttered. “Were you trying to pick a fight?”
“Don’t know. Maybe.” Rei shrugged and crossed his arms to lean back into his seat. “I’m just getting sick of it. It’s one thing for Grant and the others to give me a hard time—and we haven’t even heard jack from them in two weeks. Reese is supposed to be our instructor. If he didn’t want me at the school, he should have tried harder to keep me out in the first place, rather than this backhanded bullshit.”
He was getting angry again, and found himself glaring at Dyrk Reese as the major oversaw the combat now ongoing below them. The man stood erect and stiff, dark eyes flitting from one fighter to the other, and Rei felt something that might have been a pang of jealousy cut across his chest.
He would bet anything the teams battling it out now—win or lose—would get more value out of their post-match conversation with the arbiter than Rei had out of half a month of training.
A light pressure came to rest atop his right arm, pulling Rei out of his dark musings to look around. Aria was watching him with a sad, crooked smile.
“He’s not worth getting worked up about,” she said gently. “Not to rub salt in the wound, but you can’t afford to be losing days of training like this right now.”
Rei stiffened, and was on the very edge of snapping back something about whether she’d heard what he’d just said, but Aria kept on before he could get a word out.
“I get it. I do. It’s frustrating, and I’m—we’re—” she gestured to Catcher and Viv on his other side with a dip of her head, not having taken her hand off his arm “—frustrated for you. But rising to Reese’s bait is only going to end up with you making his point for him, isn’t it?”
Rei’s mouth dropped open, the words like a knife in his gut.
And then, as though the hole there had punctured his anger, he deflated.
“Fine,” he admitted darkly, taking a depressed breath. “Sure. I can’t pretend I wasn’t already worried about falling behind as is. Losing two training days is gonna be a bitch. Any more would probably sink any chance I have of lasting more than two matches at the Intra-Schools.”
“Did he take your privileges?” Aria asked, finally drawing her hand away now that he’d calmed down.
The place where her fingers had touched his bare, scarred skin seemed to tingle even in their absence.
Rei blinked, recalling something Reese had said on that very subject.
“… No,” he answered after a moment. “But he said he’d do it next time. What does that mean? What privileges? I’ve never been brigged before.”
“Have any of us?” Catcher asked with a snort before answering more seriously. “Galens is pretty serious about keeping their students in top shape, so even if you’re being disciplined you’re allowed some training hours. I think two?”
“Three,” Viv corrected him. “It was basically the first thing I looked up when I got accepted.”
As one, the rest of them all blinked at her.
“What?” she huffed as below them someone screamed when a sword cut through one of their legs. “Let’s be real. Do any of you think I’m going to graduate this place with a perfect record?”
A picture of Logan Grant’s black eye from 2 weeks past flashed across Rei’s mind, and he almost laughed.
“Point made,” Catcher admitted. “Okay. Three hours of training a day. Plus feed access for coursework, I think.”
“That’s not so bad…” Rei muttered, more to himself than anything. It didn’t compare to the total additional conditioning and sparring they all did on top of their regular school training, but at least it wasn’t nothing.
“You think that, but unless you can get a partner for your assigned hours, you’re gonna be swinging at simulations for the next two days, brother.” Viv made a sour face. “And to get a partner…” She let his explanation trail, clearly not eager to continue. After several seconds in which Rei, Aria, and Catcher together all glared her down, however she finally gave in. “You need permission from the disciplining officer.”
Rei groaned, his eyes dr
ifting once more to the tall, stick-straight form of Major Reese hovering high above the chaos of the match.
“Can we talk about that murder plan, again?” he grumbled, and Catcher and Viv both smirked grimly from his left.
None of them, however, noticed Aria watching Rei, brow pinched together in consideration.
CHAPTER 34
“Two days for disrespecting an officer. Let’s see…” Sergeant Amelia Becker snorted at the small pad in her hand. “Major Reese? And in combat training, too? What made you think it was a good idea to piss off the guy who’s going to be overseeing your Intra-Schools, cadet?”
“Slip of the tongue, ma’am,” was all Rei could say to that, standing at attention with his eyes on the grey, polished concrete wall of the hall behind the woman, his bag over one shoulder.
It was his first time in the Security Center, having never had reason—or the desire, rather, given the hospital visit from Hadish Barnes—to frequent it before. As opposed to most of the other structures on Galens’ grounds, the place was more stone than steel or glass, apparently designed to fit the aesthetic of the Institute’s grand encircling walls. It was one of the larger buildings on campus, broad and four stories tall, and from the outside had the appearance of a modern fortress, complete with heavy steel doors that reminded Rei of the school gates. Inside had been less imposing, at least in the lobby area, where a gleaming granite floor had reflected several soft solar lights set in the high, arched ceiling, complimented by a few thick windows in the east and west walls.
After he’d presented himself for discipline to the staffing officer at the front desk, however, Rei had been directed to follow Sergeant Becker into the building’s back halls, which proved to be much more in line with the prison-like environment he’d envisioned as he’d made the dreary walk across campus after training had wrapped for the day.
The brig, it transpired, took up the second floor of the Security Center, and consisted of some forty modest cells split along two halls. The walls and floor on this higher level were concrete that had been sanded and polished to a sheen, the only variation in their medium being the heavy, 3-foot thick panels of glass that made up the doors of the lockups themselves. Rei was now standing in front of one such room—unit 026, according to a plate set in the ceiling above them—at attention before Sergeant Becker while the woman read off his docket.
“Well, at least you’ve got balls,” she said, eyeing his uniform as she tucked her pad into the pocket of her own black-and-gold slacks. “Your release is set for 1800 on Thursday, meaning you’ll miss two days of classes. Was someone assigned to send you your coursework?”
“No, ma’am, but I expect my friends will be happy to do so. Am I allowed to contact them?”
The sergeant nodded. “You weren’t stripped of privileges, so you’ll have partial NOED access. It will be monitored, but that includes communications. Keep it to school discussion, and we won’t have any issues.” She reached out to tap the door with a knuckle. “The inside layer is smart-glass. It’s meant for use in school work only, but we’re lenient about SCT feeds and the like so long as you don’t give us trouble. There’s a half-dozen of you in here right now, though, so your training hours will be limited to early morning and late evenings, since you’re a first year. I can waive them for you, of course.” She eyed him critically, then, obviously intent on gauging his reaction to this suggestion.
“No thank you, ma’am,” Rei said at once, still looking above the woman’s shoulder. “I appreciate any and all field time I can get. Could you tell me the exact hours I’ll be allowed?”
He might have imagined it, but he thought the sergeant looked rather pleased with his response. “0600 to 0730, and 2030 to 2200. Someone will come fetch you a quarter-hour before your times, and escort you upstairs. Did you bring your combat suit?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Rei patted his bag with one hand, having been smart enough to pack it after training.
Becker nodded. “Then make sure you’re changed before you’re called on. If any of us see more of you than we want to when we come to fetch your ass, losing privileges will be the least of your problems. Any other questions?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Good.” With a flash of her NOED there was a hiss of releasing pressure, and the heavy glass of the door to Rei’s right began to retract silently downward, into the floor. “Then in you go. Meals are delivered at 0800, 1300, and 1900.” She pointed to the back wall, where a steel toilet, a sink, and simple ion shower took up each corner. “The shower can be used for cleaning and drying clothes and bedding. If you require assistance, there is a function in the menu of your wall for that. I don’t recommend crying wolf, though.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Rei turned as the door lowered until the top of it was even with the hallway floor, creating a flat, 3-foot wide threshold into the cell. He marveled at the thickness of the glass as he passed, but supposed it made sense. The best of Galens’s third years graduated in the high A-rankings or above. In case imprisonment was ever seriously needed, it wasn’t like ordinary walls would do much to restrain someone with a Strength spec approaching—or encroaching—S-level.
Once he was inside, the sergeant must have input another NOED command, because the glass began to rise again behind him. Rei didn’t turn around until the sound of a vacuum seal being applied to the door announced that it had finished closing, and when he did he found himself staring at a projection of a wall the exact same color and texture as the cement around him.
“Too depressing,” he muttered to himself, reaching up to tap at the smart-glass. At once a familiar menu popped up—with the addition of the “Assistance” command Becker had mentioned, and after a few seconds Rei had pulled up a few recordings of old S-Ranked SCTs and swiped them here and there over the surface of the wall if only to give it a bit more life.
Then, feeling a little better, he looked around to face the cell again.
Aside from the shower, sink, and toilet, only two objects took up most of the minimal space. On the right side of the room a narrow bed that appeared hardly long enough to accommodate Rei—much less a monster like Logan Grant or the like—had clean sheets, a blanket, and a pillow neatly folded atop it. Opposite this, a small, desk—barely more than a 2-by-3 table—took up the left wall, with a chair tucked underneath it. It might have seemed a quaint, even comfortable little space, were it not for the fact that everything—down to the stitching in the mattress—was the same slate grey monotone as the cement all around him.
“Seriously too depressing,” Rei said, a bit more loudly this time, and he didn’t like in the least the way his voice felt flat in the small chamber, like the walls were designed to absorb all sound.
All of 15 seconds into his stay, and even with NOED and feed access Rei could already understand why this was called punishment.
At the thought, he tossed his bag on the desk and pulled up his frame while he moved to the bed, intending to make it. As he pulled apart the bedding and flattened out the sheets, he sent out a quick group message, keeping to the point.
Communication allowed as long as it’s related to school. Would one of you guys be able to send me any assignments we get between now and Thursday night? Class notes would be cool, too…
Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t long in waiting for a reply, having barely folded down the corners of the fabric before Viv answered briefly, absent her usual animations and pics, clearly getting the hint.
I’ll cover you.
Rei had to admit it to himself: he was the slightest bit disappointed it had been her who’d gotten back to him first. Feeling that pressure in his chest again, there was no use in pretending he hadn’t been hoping someone else might have taken up the opportunity before her.
Another pinged message, and Rei felt his heart jump a little before realizing it was from Catcher.
How’s the slammer? Remember: find the biggest, baddest mother in there, and take them out first. Only way
to survive.
Despite a wince of trepidation at the thought of a staff monitor frowning at this message in some office downstairs, Rei had to laugh.
Will do. Keep it to school stuff only, though. I don’t want to be stuck in here longer than I have to.
Given the radio silence that followed this, Rei thought Catcher had understood this time—or more likely been made to understand by Viv. He felt a little lonely, all of a sudden, registering the quiet of the room and the absolute solitude of it. Taking solace in activity, he finished making the bed, peeled himself out of his jacket and hat to toss them on the back of the chair, then flopped down on the freshly-tucked blanket with a bored huff. Finding himself staring at the ceiling—and its single light that he hoped wouldn’t be kept on all night—he stared at the pattern in the cement for a time, contemplating the events of the afternoon.
And his own stupidity.
He wanted to kick himself for having almost bitten Aria’s head off for calling him on it. He was out of time. In less than 2 weeks the Intra-Schools would start, and he was behind in his growth. And yet, despite that, he’d managed to get himself locked up for 2 days, and in exchange for a single moment’s satisfaction.
“Moron,” Rei muttered to the emptiness.
Friday and Saturday, all of Sunday, then the following week, one afternoon training of which he was pretty sure would be set aside from parameter testing. With any luck he wouldn’t be matched with an opponent early, but given Reese was in charge of the whole event Rei couldn’t escape the feeling that not only would he definitely be fighting, but he’d be presented with a hurdle he wouldn’t like.
He was out of time…
What could he do? Was there something he hadn’t thought of? Something he hadn’t considered. Shido’s improvement had been as steady as ever over the last couple of weeks, but there had to be some way to take advantage of his S-Ranked Growth that he hadn’t thought of, right? Rei wracked his brain, trying to think of anything, deciding that if he was going to be stuck alone in a grey hole for 2 days he might as well try to do something productive with his downtime.
Iron Prince: A Progression Sci-Fi Epic (Warformed: Stormweaver Book 1) Page 55