by HR Ringer
“Security doesn’t know they’ve been hacked,” Sam replied smoothly. “Part of my skill set… part of my course work. Only way they’ll learn about it is if you report me.”
McKenzie sighed in exasperation, then motioned for Traynor to continue.
“Serviceman Joesiar, having seen how inept his companion was at attempting to grab me, apparently concluded he could take me on without any help. His theory was flawed.” The crowd of mostly women students, having grown in number to between thirty to thirty-five, laughed at Traynor’s description of Joesiar’s defective reasoning.
Traynor looked around her quickly, glanced at a grinning Xiùlán, then returned her gaze to Lieutenant McKenzie, who quietly inquired, “Don’t you think your reactions were a bit extreme, Serviceman? You severely injured two fellow recruits.”
Traynor could not contain her amazement. “What in ‘ell would you have me do, Ma’am? Let Hobe get his jollies by playing with my tits while Joesiar slapped me around, beat me senseless, hurt me, maybe rape me?”
The women standing around could be heard unhappily murmuring amongst themselves as they all looked at the lieutenant; McKenzie looked back at several of those closest to her before attempting to answer Samantha’s question. “No, of course not, Traynor, it’s just…”
“…just what, Ma’am? My instructor tells me I don’t need to have my ass handed to me, ever.” The students surrounding them murmured in agreement.
“And just so you know, Joesiar referred to my xùnliàn zhě [訓練者] – my Jing Quan Dao trainer, who just happens to be my dearest friend, as a ‘chink’.” Murmurs of disapproval could now be heard rippling through the students. “Joesiar picks on me… he picks on Yuán, on…” she looked about quickly and spotted the young woman she’d accompanied to the AG’s office in January, “…Gonzales.” Heather smiled as she looked at the lieutenant. “We’re all different, one way or another, Ma’am. What do we have to do to get Joesiar discharged from the Alliance? We’ve filed multiple complaints with the AG’s office all year with no results. The sonova drooling whore does not belong here!”
Lieutenant McKenzie didn’t like the tone of the conversations she could hear going on around her. “Ladies! Don’t you all have someplace you need to be?”
Turning her attention back to Sam, she said, “Serviceman Traynor! Have your hands treated in the infirmary, then get to your next class. I’ll talk to you later in private. Dismissed, all of you.” McKenzie stood her ground as a number of the women battered her shoulders walking by her. Sighing heavily, she looked at Xiùlán, then at Samantha, turned and headed for her office.
Samantha was absolutely livid. “Goddammit, Xiùlán. Do I haffta fuckin’ kill the miserable little pig-faced bastard?”
“Don’t you dare! I saw him first,” she grinned. “He’s all mine, míngbáile ma?” Xiùlán grabbed Sam’s shoulders. “I am so proud of you, Sà màn shā! We’ll get him kicked out. It’s past time, before we transfer out of this base. Now, let’s get you to the infirmary, get your hands checked out. Then… I’m going to buy a pair of sparring gloves for you. Nǐ zuò dé hěn hǎo, sēn měi!” [你做得很好，森美 – You have done well, Sammy]
*** 1752, that afternoon ***
Traynor arrived at Lieutenant Olivia McKenzie’s office, waved her hand past the door lock to activate the chime and waited. The door segments unlatched and hissed apart, sliding into their bulkhead receptacles as McKenzie absent-mindedly waved for Sam to enter.
As she took the six steps necessary to reach the lieutenant’s desk, she started her audio recorder, then came to attention in front of the lieutenant’s desk and saluted, holding it until McKenzie glanced up from the datapad she was studying.
“Stand easy, Traynor,” McKenzie said as she returned the salute. “I want to talk to you about what happened this afternoon.”
“Not sure what there is to talk about, Ma’am,” Traynor replied, eyes focused straight ahead. “I believe the audio and video records speak for themselves.”
“Well, Joesiar and Hobe’s accounts differ - they both insist you instigated the fight. Joesiar wants to press charges against you.” McKenzie leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers in front of her mouth. “As far as Joesiar is concerned, you attacked him for no reason.”
Traynor broke her gaze at the far wall to stare at McKenzie in shock and disbelief. “Even with the recorded evidence?”
“He hasn’t been made aware there is recorded evidence,” McKenzie replied. “You came damned close to killing him this afternoon, Traynor…thank you for not following through, by the way. As for Hobe…” the lieutenant grinned in spite of herself, “…he may very well be singing soprano for the next few weeks.” McKenzie paused, studied her datapad, then continued. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a three-punch combo landed with such precision. And the way you kicked Joesiar when he came at you?… that move is certainly not part of the core curriculum. In fact, nothing I saw in that footage is being taught on this base, Traynor. Where in hell did you learn lethal hand-to-hand combat training.”
“My personal trainer. She’s been schooling me in Jing Quan Dao, or Way of the Alert Fist. She’s also…”
“She, Serviceman?” McKenzie interrupted. “I wasn’t aware we had female combat instructors on staff.”
“She’s a student as well, Ma’am… teaches me how to fight, how to defend myself against personal attack. I instruct her in all things electronic… using her omni-tool for computer hacking, code breaking and the like. It’s a mutually beneficial partnership.”
“I see.” McKenzie picked up her datapad, scrolled though the information displayed. “Ah, SC1 Xiùlán. She’s your instructor?”
“Yes Ma’am, SC1 Yuán…Yuán Xiùlán,” Sam responded. “Xiùlán is her given name. Family name is listed before given name in China, Ma’am.”
“I think I understand how you learned to fight in such a vicious manner, Traynor. No one in this entire facility wants to be Yuán’s opponent. We can’t even bring opponents in from other races – the asari she fought is still having trouble breathing through her nose. I have it on good authority Yuán fights on ‘auto-pilot’… enters into some kind of detached state… never any wasted effort. Totally merciless.”
Traynor chuckled. “Not totally, Ma’am. She’s left all her opponents alive,” …‘including me’ Sam thought back to the powerful hand gripping her throat not so many weeks ago. “so far. She’s an… interesting… woman.” Traynor said this last in a soft, contemplative voice.
“Let’s get back to the problem at hand, Traynor. You and… Yuán… have been filing complaints about Joesiar since you arrived in January. How do you think it’s going to look to Alliance brass… you kicking this guy’s ass now, just before your class is due to transfer to your next training venue?”
“We don’t believe Joesiar should even be in the Alliance, Ma’am. If you’ve read the complaints we’ve been filing, then you are more than aware of the reasons.” Traynor fixed McKenzie with a steely glare as she continued, “Joesiar needs to be discharged before we transfer. The only reason he’s even in the Alliance at all is his uncle – Major General Bradley Joesiar.”
McKenzie sat back in her chair, a look of surprise on her face. “How do you know about Joesiar’s connection to the major general? That’s not common knowledge.
“Really, Ma’am? Of all the people in this program, none are here because of how well they happen to be connected, except Joesiar and his so called friends Hobe, Tatum and Rosemont. None of them would be able to pass the aptitude test Xiùlán or I or the rest of the women here took to gain admission… hell, I doubt the four of them working together would be able to comprehend the questions.” Samantha paused to gather her thoughts. “The last three pukes are simply followers, Ma’am, misogynistic bullies. Joesiar is the real problem… he’s an ill-bred, narrow-minded xenophobe. Can you imagine him working with turians… perhaps with F’lar’Jid?… she has a low enough opinion of hu
mans anyway. Meeting Joesiar would put the icing on our cake for her.”
“Okay, Traynor, you’ve made your point. How are we going to resolve this situation?”
“Convene a formal hearing, Ma’am. Request an adjudicator from Earth, someone unfamiliar with the situation here,” Traynor responded. “By the time it can all be arranged, Joesiar’s face shouldn’t be so black and blue. And we cannot allow him or his friends to learn of the video and audio we have – I want that to be a ‘shove it down your throat’ kind of surprise for him, a ‘nail in the coffin’ for his enlistment in the Systems Alliance.”
“Okay, Traynor. I’ll start the ball rolling,” McKenzie said. “Shouldn’t be too difficult to prove your case. By the way, how’re your hands?”
“They’ll be fine, Ma’am. Xiùlán treated them for me. She’ll work on them again this evening.”
McKenzie looked uncomfortable as she started to ask, “Traynor, forgive me for asking… are you and…”
“Xiùlán in a relationship?” Traynor finished for her.
“Yes. You don’t have to answer that, Traynor, and I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable… no judgment, okay?” McKenzie explained. “I just think that, if the two of you are… well…,” McKenzie didn’t her finish her thought, but Sam could guess where this was going.
“If Xiùlán and I are in a relationship, it could hurt our chances of getting Joesiar kicked out of the Alliance?”
“Something like that,” McKenzie looked down at her desk, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.
“Let’s just say I’m not ashamed of my life choices, Ma’am, and leave it there for now,” Traynor replied with a smile. “I’ll be happy to talk to you further when we’re ready to ship out, okay?”
“Okay, Serviceman. I’ll keep you in the loop regarding a hearing date. Dismissed.”
* * *
Chapter 7: The Hearing
*** BASE DINING HALL — 2179/10/01, 1835 ***
Xiùlán carried her tray to the table, set it down and took a seat next to Traynor after setting her shoulder bag on the bench beside her. “How you doing, sēn měi. What happened in McKenzie’s office?” She unwrapped and separated the included disposable chop sticks and began eating as she used her left hand to hold her bowl under her chin.
“She’s going to call for a hearing… ask for an adjudicator from Earth so we have a chance to get Joesiar kicked out of the program, maybe Hobe too,” Sam responded before sipping her iced tea. “What do you have on your tray? Smells kinda spicy.”
“Just some Shanghainese stir-fried vegetables,” Xiùlán replied between bites. “It’s really good, and my stomach thinks my throat’s been cut.” She took a couple more bites before continuing, “I think you’re smelling the ginger and garlic – maybe the red onion. You ought to try it… it’s really nicely done, considering it came out of an institutional kitchen.” She paused to drink some of her own iced tea before continuing, “Does McKenzie think we even have a chance?”
Sam ignored her friend’s question. “Just so you know,” Traynor complained, “any time you have food cooked with garlic, I get to experience it as well. You do know you sweat the stuff, right?”
“Okay, Sam, just so I know for my own information, are we having a disagreement here?” Xiùlán asked. “Because if we are, I need to know if that means our honeymoon is over.”
“What!? No! Where in ‘ell did that come from!? I was just making an observation, and I…” Traynor paused as she saw the suppressed grin and the twinkle in Xiùlán’s eyes.
“Got you!” Xiùlán triumphed. “I swear, sometimes you are just so damned easy! I mean, well, you’re ‘easy’ every night of the week, but that’s another thing altogether; right now, it’s like…”
“Dammit, Xiùlán, you are going to be really sorry when I have a seizure or a stroke or a heart attack from all your jokin’ around,” Traynor said in mock exasperation. “I never know when to take you seriously anymore.”
Xiùlán took another bite of her veggies and said in a solemn voice, “I am being serious right now, Samantha – I… love… you. Don’t ever think for a moment that that will ever change.” Xiùlán wanted to kiss her, but couldn’t do so here. “Now, what about McKenzie?”
Samantha fixed Xiùlán with a cold stare that quickly warmed. “Dammit, Xiùlán. You are so impossible sometimes.” Traynor chuckled. “I love you, too. And McKenzie believes we do have a good chance of getting the results we want.” Sam paused before continuing, “She did start to ask me about us. She thinks if it becomes known you and I are in a relationship, it could lessen our chances of getting Joesiar kicked out of the Alliance.”
“Hhhhmmm…,” Xiùlán made a sound around her chop sticks as she took another mouthful of veggies. “Just how did you take them down, wǒ de ài?” she asked. “I didn’t receive a copy of the video you purloined from security.”
“I’m so sorry… here.” Traynor activated her omni-tool and sent a copy of the audio and video to Yuán’s omni. “McKenzie said she’d never seen any moves like what I used to take those two idiots down today. She did thank me for not killing Joesiar, by the way.” Traynor chuckled as Xiùlán took a look at the footage without the audio. “Not sure that was an intentional error on my part, of if Joesiar’s concrete skull saved him.” She paused as she examined her hands. “I’m going to need some more first-aid on these knuckles, in any event.”
“Let me see them…” Yuán set her bowl on the table and gently took Traynor’s hands, looking intently at the injured knuckles on each. “Looks like those on the left are in worse shape than those on the right… understandable, since you hit ‘im in the mouth with your left. We’ll treat them again tonight… should heal without any problems. Keep flexing your fingers so they don’t stiffen up.” Xiùlán returned her attention to Sam’s story as she picked up her bowl to finish eating. “You tell her who your trainer is?”
“She asked, since she’s sure nothing she saw me do is part of the ‘official’ core curriculum taught here. She said she understands how I learned to fight so viciously… said no one wants to go toe-to-toe with you.” Traynor paused for a moment to finish her tea. “That asari you tossed around? She’s still having trouble breathing through her nose. McKenzie says you fight on ‘auto-pilot’… that you enter into some sort of detached state, a trance, like you’re outside your body. ‘Totally merciless’, she called you.” Sam paused, then added, “I told her you hadn’t actually killed anyone…”
Xiùlán looked thoughtful. “There may be a bit of truth to what she said, Sēn měi.” She finished off her meal, using a bit of bread to sop up the last bit of soy sauce. “Looking at this video? It appears to me you’re learning to fight as I do… look at this.”
Xiùlán brought her arm around in front of Sam and replayed the video from the point where Sam had put Hobe on the deck. “Watch your face and body as you jump straight up… you’re focused… form nearly perfect… no distractions. The kick occurs at the perfect time to have the maximum effect on Joesiar.” Xiùlán ‘stepped’ through the video footage a frame at a time. “When Joesiar came at you, your reaction was automatic, wasn’t it? You didn’t have to think about it, didn’t have to analyze it, did you? I haven’t had a chance to see you in action against a live opponent… but… see here? You look to be in a trance-like state, and you’ve developed some real speed! All your punches ‘snapped’, just like you’ve been instructed; the second and third punch each connect with such precision!” Pointing to several frames of video after Joesiar was down, Xiùlán gloated, “See this? Look! Fists together in front of your chest, a deep breath, then lowering your arms? That’s you breaking out of your trance, Shānmǔ!”
“That cannot be taught, by me, by anyone! It’s something you have to be born with!”
Traynor blushed furiously and looked down at the table. To be the recipient of such praise from this woman meant more to her than she could say, particularly after all the slights and put-downs she’d end
ured from other people in the recent past.
Xiùlán studied her protégée closely. “You keep improving your skills and gaining strength like you have these past months, you’ll never be the one leaving a fight injured, of that I’m sure! You have a natural ability, Chǒng'ér! Zuò dé hǎo!” […, 宠儿！ 做得好！- Darling! Well done!]
“Thanks, Xiùlán. Means a lot to hear you say that. Don’t know what I’d have done today without your training,” she said modestly.
Xiùlán’s smile turned grim. “I expect it would have been you being taught a lesson, just like Joesiar wanted.” Shutting down her omni-tool, she continued, “Come on, let’s shove off. Need to get back to our quarters… generate a list of complainants for the hearing.”
* * *
*** 2187/10/05 ***
Yuán Xiùlán had been learning the intricacies of communication at the quantum level, a science still in its infancy among humans. The asari and turians were somewhat further along in manufacturing parts and building the equipment needed to transmit and receive messages in this nascent technology, but humankind was rapidly gaining ground after several significant breakthroughs. Installations of all new quantum entanglement communicators (QEC’s) at the military headquarters of each Alliance colony were being completed as rapidly as possible; Alliance Navy flagships were being retrofitted as well, and new hulls would have QEC’s as standard equipment. All the installed pairs would be located at a central facility within Arcturus Station; during an attack, a facility or fleet would signal Arcturus to transmit its information to every other fleet and colony. Unfortunately, destruction of the comm center at Arcturus would collapse the entire network.
Yuán’s introduction to this technology would have been extremely difficult without the extra tutoring she received each evening from Samantha Traynor. As for Sam, she had three fingertips – one on her right hand, two on her left – healing from a procedure to implant sub-miniature cybernetic accelerometers; not knowing how fast she’d heal from the procedures, she had chosen to have only three fingers implanted. Once all her fingertips were so augmented, she’d no longer need to wear the special gloves otherwise needed to interact with Haptic interfaces. Xiùlán’s comments about this had been generally positive, since Sam would no longer need to swap sparring gloves for ‘Haptic’ gloves in order to operate an interface.