Stripping out of the suit was harder than it looked. <> Kerry said, and she had my helmet off in a flash, then her own.
“You did well in there,” Rob said, handing me a bottle of water. “There’s no way you’re a first timer, right?”
Should I be honest with them? I sucked in a breath.
<
<
<
She was right, it did. I hated that. I drank the water quickly. “You know the old arcade out by Dennison?”
“Heard of it,” he said. “Why?”
“I used to help the owner fix the old machines. In return I got to go in after hours and play whatever I wanted.”
“So there’s a Zero-G unit in there?” Sylvk asked, already re-dressed.
“Not exactly, but they have a vertical wind tunnel.”
“I’ll be damned,” Rob said. “Really?”
“Nothing more fun than playing in all the simulations after hours.”
“Huh,” Kerry added. “So… flight simulation? Mazes? All kinds of games?”
“Military tactics?” Sylvk asked.
I nodded. “Every single one this century and the last.” I confirmed, taking a long swig. “I still almost puked, lost my sense of direction, and slowed everyone down.”
“Not that much, I didn’t think we’d get anywhere near as close.” Rob smirked, leaning back on his hands. “You made the right calls and you trusted that when you couldn’t, I would.”
“You’ll get there,” Kerry joined us, slapping me on the back. “We all sucked at first.”
“Speak for yourself,” Sylvk added, grinning as he tossed his helmet into a cleaning bin.
The camaraderie helped, but the lingering doubt wouldn’t fade. My churning stomach lurched more, “I feel sick,” I said.
“Bathroom,” she pointed.
My legs couldn’t run fast enough, and I was heaving over the first toilet bowl I could find.
A moment later, I felt a hand on my back, soft nails through my hair. “You really do need a haircut,” Kerry said. “Feeling better?”
I looked up at her and nodded.
“You did well to hold out,” she said, and pulled a small wad of toilet paper for me to wipe my mouth. “Buuut everyone pukes.”
“Thanks, that was insane.”
“You were insane,” Sylvk’s voice came through. “He okay?”
“I’m okay,” I called back and with a little help I stood. “Think I digested any of my lunch?”
Kerry shook her head and flushed the toilet for me. “Doubt it. But there’s plenty more of it for later.”
“I dread to think what’s next.”
“Boring, Resource management,” she said. “I think you’ll be okay with that one.”
I frowned but nodded.
<
<>
<
<
<
When we returned to Rob, he handed us bottles of water, and I stripped out of the suit. Looking at my old clothes. “Be glad to get something new,” I said. “These are well past it.”
“One more class,” Rob said.
“Debrief?” I asked opening my water to take a full long drag.
“If we hadn’t needed the time to orientate you,” Sylvk said. “We would have beaten Alpha271’s team.”
Rob was looking across the changing room to the team sat huddled together. “Yeah, and that will be exactly what they’re discussing, not what they did or didn’t do wrong.”
“You did really good in there,” Kerry said again and sat.
I sat next to her. “You saw the same patterns I did, even if I hadn’t, you’d have nailed it.”
“We would,” Rob sat next to me. “But we’re a team. I wanted to see how your mind worked compared to Kerry’s.”
She put a hand on his leg and leaned on him. “You know me so well boss,” she said affectionately. I wondered for a moment if they had something else going on, but Rob batted her hand away.
“I do. That’s my job, and you’re a creep.”
Sergeant Major Cotah moved to Alpha271. And stood talking to them for a while, there were a couple of glances our way, and he was nodding his head now and then.
I found myself wanting Sergeant Major Cotah’s approval, which was strange - I’d never cared what authority figures thought before. But this was different somehow. These people weren’t just barking orders; they were offering me a place to belong.
“Who are they?” I asked.
“Alpha271?”
I nodded, watching their lead report to the Sergeant Major.
“Lead is Andri Boutack, his second in command—” Kerry growled at his words, and I cast her a glance. “She is Devin Reed.”
“Jealous?”
“No,” Kerry shot back at me. “She’s a hundred percent bitch.”
“That bad?” I looked to Sylvk.
“She is,” he replied.
“The others in his team?”
“Isma, Seif, Vandit, and Ryan.”
“How come there’s so many compared to us?” I asked.
“One lead, four main, one in reserve.” Rob said.
“You’ve only four and no reserves?”
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Kerry shook her head. “We were lucky there were four of us till—”
“Sorry,” I apologized. “I’m trying to learn the dynamic here.”
“We understand,” Rob said. “It’s good you’re asking questions.”
Sergeant Major Cotah eventually made his way over to us.
The big man stood towering over me. “Eyes forward,” he said as I was about to crane my neck and look at him.
“Sir,” Rob said.
“You did extremely well in there,” he said and put a hand on my shoulder. Then gave me a light pat. “Considering all the obstacles stacked your way.”
“Thank you, Sir.” I said.
“Alpha271 are worried,” he admitted. “Keep that up through the next few weeks. There might be some changes around here.”
I listened and drank more while Rob gave the Sergeant Major the rest of the run-down of our test. He had such command of himself, I wanted to be much more like him. Kerry caught me staring and I blushed and had to look away, instead my eyes focusing on Sylvk.
When the Sergeant Major had gone, we watched the next several sets of people do their maze run, and then it was time to move on.
While Kerry likely found the next class boring, I did not. I wanted to and needed to absorb everything.
I also watched the dynamics of the others in the class. Andri had my full attention, and I wanted to learn more about him and his team. Maybe I could ask Ashley?
My HUD went part way through the class—incoming message.
I accepted it.
Ashley - Will pick you up after you’ve had your hair chopped.
And I replied quickly with.
Me - Okay, looking forward to it, had a good day so far.
Ashley - Good? Then I look forward to hearing all about it. See you then.
The buzzer went and everyone started packing. Andri glanced my way, then looked to Rob as he was already packed.
“Med bay?” Kerry asked.
“Yep,” I said. “You don’t have to come; you know I can find it.”
She threw a glance to Rob who was making a fast beeline out the door with Sylvk. “They both have to work. Me, I’m the rich kid with nothing to do, remember?”
“Okay, I have someone meeting me later though.”
“Oh?”
“Extra studies,” I said.
“Boring.” She rolled her eyes and laughed.
We walked through the base, following my HUD’s instructions, stopping only for food in the mess hall.
The mess hall was loud, the air thick with the smell of hot food and chatter. I kept my head down, focusing on my plate, until Kerry nudged me.
“Alpha271’s looking this way,” she muttered.
I glanced up, my heart sinking as Andri Boutack locked eyes with me. His expression was neutral, but there was something calculating in the way he sized me up.
“Don’t let him intimidate you,” Kerry said, shoveling a forkful of food into her mouth.
“Easier said than done,” I muttered, keeping my gaze on my tray.
They’re watching you, the thought nagged at me. Judging you. Waiting for you to fail.
Andri leaned over to whisper something to Devin, and they both laughed. I clenched my fists under the table, determined not to give them the satisfaction of seeing me flinch.
Food was over fast, thankfully. Kerry was sweet to talk to, she didn’t ask too many questions, and kept the conversation easy and light.
We took our trays to the recycling unit.
Andri Boutack blocked my path, flanked by his ever-present shadow, Devin.
“Heard you barely survived Zero-G training,” Andri said, his tone dripping with mockery.
I stopped, meeting his gaze without flinching. “Heard your team barely beat us.”
Kerry, standing behind me, stifled a laugh. Andri’s smirk faltered for a split second before he recovered.
“Talk big all you want,” he said, stepping closer. “But you’re an engineer playing at being a cadet.”
I felt a familiar flicker of doubt, but it was quickly drowned out by a surge of determination. “And yet, here I am,” I said, stepping past him to deposit my tray. “Funny how that works.”
Devin muttered something under her breath, but I didn’t look back. Let them talk. I’ll prove them wrong.
“Don’t let them get to you,” Kerry said as she finished clearing up then we left.
“I won’t,” I lied, knowing he was already getting to me.
Eventually we made our way to the medical units. “You wanted to come here, because—”
“I want to be the best in my field,” she said.
“And what better way to get a look inside the medical units than with a newb like me?”
“Bingo,” she said and to my surprise linked my arm with hers.
I pulled up Ashley’s message to me and thought of a quick message in reply.
Me - I have to hit the gym too, sorry, under orders. See you after then?
The reply was instant.
Ashley - Okay, eight it is.
“Cadet Hinada, good to see you again.” The young doctor at the front desk said.
“Here with new recruit Piotr Argassa,” she replied.
“Ahh, good we’ve been waiting on him. Come on through.” He indicated the doors, and we made our way into the building, and then through several corridors before we hit a room. “Doctor Delawar will be with you shortly. Take a seat.”
I moved to sit at one of the chairs in front of a large silver desk, but Kerry stalked around the room, nosing at everything. “They’ll see everything in here from your DNA to your tech. It’s cool, isn’t it?”
“Sure is, but not 100% sure you should see everything I am.”
“Not worried over a little extra weight are you?” When she looked my way, she was the one that blushed this time. “Oh, sorry.” She moved to stand in front of me. “You’re not used to the whole—bare your ass to the wind and swing em yet. I get it. I want to learn as much as you do. Think of me as another doctor.”
“I think I can do that,” I said. “Do I undress?”
“No,” she replied. “They’ll see everything through your clothes, highest tech level going. Another reason I want to be here.
A minute later, a grey-haired man stepped inside. Kerry jumped. “Doctor Francine.”
“The man at the front said Delaware,” I stated.
The man moved to stand before me, giving me the once over. “No, Delaware isn’t on your case. You have me assigned. I’m senior Doctor, Bernard Francine.”
Kerry seemed frozen in place, and she’d paled. I caught her subtle step backward, a reaction that struck me as odd. She’d been so confident seconds ago, but something about this doctor had changed that.
We shook hands, and he moved to sit at the desk and held out his hand for my wrist. I gave it to him and a moment later he was looking through several screens on his HUD. There was a flash of red, and he glanced at Kerry. “Cadet Hinada you’ll have to step out of the room I’m afraid. No extra lessons for you today.”
“Doctor?” she asked, confusion across her brow.
“This examination requires level seven clearance, Cadet,” he said, his tone softening slightly. “Your credentials only extend to level four. Academy protocol.”
Kerry’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. She looked at me, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity, before nodding. “Of course, Doctor Francine.”
But on his wave to the door, she did step out, giving me a shy once over.
The door sealed with a soft hiss. Dr. Francine’s demeanour changed instantly—his clinical detachment replaced by intense focus.
“Now then, Piotr Argassa, on the outside you look like a normal young man.” He tapped something on his console, and the room’s ambient lighting dimmed as security protocols activated. “But you and I both know that’s not entirely accurate.”
He stood and moved to the back of my chair. “However,” with a sweep of his hand he had my neck port revealed and his fingers gently touching either side of it. “You have tech that you shouldn’t, correct?”
“Yes, doctor.”
“This isn’t standard hardware,” he said, his voice dropping. “Military-grade neural interfaces like this are restricted. Level nine clearance, minimum.” He paused, studying my reaction. “You also have a very high security clearance level. Hence, I am here in the first place, but you know that.”
“I do,” I said. “Major Kuba?”
“Correct, she’s put a lot on the line for you, but you also know that too.” His expression hardened. “What you may not realize is the extent of scrutiny this brings. Delaware was reassigned from your case the moment your initial scans registered. The academy has... protocols for situations like yours.”
A chill ran down my spine. “Protocols?”
Dr. Francine’s gaze met mine. “People with your level of clearance and... enhancements... don’t typically walk through our doors as new cadets, Mr. Argassa. They come through official channels with documentation and oversight committees.”
He slid a drop of blood into a port at the side of his desk, and then studied it as several reports started spinning off.
“Your Cognitive Aptitude Rating is impressive,” he remarked, studying one of the screens. “A 9.5 on the academy’s scale is rare, especially for someone without formal training.”
“Scale?” I asked.
“The Academy Assessment Scale,” he explained. “One to ten, measuring not just raw processing power, but adaptive thinking, pattern recognition, and cognitive resilience under stress. Most cadets score between 7 and 8.5.”
I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of how precarious my position might be.
“Please, stand.” Following his instruction I did so, then with a little gentle pushing and manoeuvring he had me over a circle in the flooring. “This will do a full body scan. Far more thorough than our standard intake procedures.”
Something was wrong. My stomach churned.
“What is it?” I asked.
“You have a fever, are you feeling unwell at all?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” I replied.
He rubbed his chin, and moved from one screen to another. “You have some elevated levels, showing signs of infection.” He scanned my files some yet even more.
“No previous health care? Insurance?”
“No, Sir. Sorry,” and asked. <
<
<
“Vaccinations, only at birth, then at five in the orphanage?”
I nodded.
“Okay, I’ll run a few more tests on this and we’ll keep an eye on you, it could just be a regular cold.”
“Thanks,” I said and really hoped it was, that it wasn’t a side effect of Doli.
<
I thought back, and nodded. <
“I’m in a new place with lots of people I haven’t met before, I’m going to catch anything that’s going around.”
“Indeed,” Doctor Fransince agreed. “Everything else looks good, you’ll have a training schedule sent to your HUD along with a food plan.”
“Thanks,” I said. “It’s all a bit overwhelming at the moment. I’ve never eaten so much food.”
“Nutrition is paramount to the amount of work you’ll be doing, both physical and mental.”
“Or the number of times I throw up.” I mumbled.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing,” my face flushed. “Thanks for looking out for me, doctor.”
“You have people in high places doing that, I’m not the only one. You understand that though too, don’t you?”
“I do,” I said. When he was about to dismiss me, I asked. “What should I tell miss curious out there?”
“Nothing will have gotten her attention more than me chasing her out of the room. What you tell her is entirely up to you.”
“As long as it’s not the truth?”
“Exactly,” he smiled. “I’ll be in touch, Cadet Argassa.”
“Thanks,” I said again and left.