Daedalus 85 M1: Term: 2, Round: 3

House Thoth, Squad Leader, Squad Zero

M1 Rank: 1/1275, Tier 3 M-Rank: Null

Term: 2, Round: 3

Daedalus Operating Capital: 160,000 bitcreds

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Each weeknight, at 20:15, M1 Thoth squad zero had their arena booking. Other then their weekend testing and training they did not bother with swapping or paying for extra arena time with other squads, they were simply too busy with research, academic and training activities.

Last term it may have been a priority, but this term they simply didn't have the time. There was a long list of squads who wanted to train with them. But Daedo kept his word and had one session with Thoth squad one every week.

"Gaumont, your squad, is coming along nicely," Vannier said after their session with Thoth squad one. He nodded and smiled, he seemed quite happy.

"How do you think you'll go in the tournament?" Barran asked.

Gaumont looked thoughtful, "If we win half our matches I'll be happy, and we need to perform well in all of them."

"Only half?" Axelzero asked. The entire squad zero stood around chatting with Gaumont while his own squad looked on from a distance. Squad zero intimidated them, especially after a training session when they were smashed from pillar to post.

"I want expectations low, and then we can over deliver," Gaumont said softly. There were only four squads in M1 with the two-point-six exos, and by the end of the term, the three-point-one version would be ready. It was likely Daedo would share it with Gaumont if he came through with his shield tech.

"How is your research progressing?" Daedo asked.

Gaumont looked a little nervous before taking a deep breath and replying, "At first we were investigating particle shields, similar to what s.p.a.ce ships use. But the power and equipment needs were too great. When the particle shield was. .h.i.tting a brick wall, Fafner came up with an inspired idea. She thought that we could create layers of nano-springs on your shield, between sheets of the composite. Her idea was using mechanical means rather than a particle option to capture the kinetic energy and turn it into elastic potential energy."

"That's a brilliant idea. Can you get it to work?" Daedo replied.

"We have heaps of issues, we will just have to work through them one at a time," Gaumont said.

"What are the main issues?" Kang asked.

Gaumont looked at his replacement, he didn't know her at all, and he couldn't help harbouring a few ill feelings towards her, although her replacing him was not her decision. "Oh just, the material composition of the spring; large energy losses due to elasticity, material breakdown, shape and structure of the spring and developing a release on command capability. That's all. Other than that we have it nailed."

"It's a great concept that's worth pursuing. It could have widespread uses," Mace chimed in.

"Like in armour?" Gaumont said, "There is a problem directing the released energy, at the moment it's unidirectional."

Vannier: Gaumont, Kang can probably a.s.sist with the material composition.

Gaumont: No thanks. We will work it out.

Vannier: Don't be like that. I will send you a few suggestions later for testing. And if you don't try them, I won't talk to you for the rest of the term.

Gaumont: ok. You don't have to be so harsh.

Vannier had been mentoring and advising Gaumont ever since he took over squad one. Whenever he had an issue, he came to her for advice rather than Master Nader unsurprisingly.

"We gotta get moving," Vannier said out loud. "Our tactics and performance review wait for no cadet."

The seven squad zero cadets left the arena foyer walking in three groups of two with Barran alone at the rear. Five of the cadets were now ranked in the top five of M1, and with the ranking showing on their bodysuit in bright white lettering, it was a sight to see. Most squads had ranges of numbers with two and usually three digits. Single digits were rare, and all in one squad, unheard of.

Only Kang and Axelzero did not possess single digits. Axelzero was ranked thirteen while Kang languished with three digits at one hundred and twenty. But she was gaining ranks rapidly.

Gaumont was ranked fifteen, and his squad looked up to him as one of the elite from squad zero, the fact that Kang was ranked so much lower showed it was the truth that he was brought in to lead them. Not that any would doubt Master Nader's word.

"Do we have to practice against them every week?" Fafner asked.

Gaumont smiled wryly, "Yes. How do you expect to improve if we only practice with easy beats?"

Fanfer grumbled, "I find it disheartening. Even their new squaddie is better than me."

"Daedo was impressed with your nano-spring idea," Gaumont said changing the subject.

Fafner looked at Gaumont to check if he was teasing, "You serious?"

"I never joke about squad zero. You should know that by now," Gaumont replied. "Let's move, we need to review our data before 2200."

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"What's been bugging you lately?" Mace asked Daedo.

Daedo thought carefully before answering, "Nothing to do with the Academy has me worried. It's all this pressure from Master Nader and the probable exodus."

"She makes it sound like its all up to you. It isn't. That's why you have us," she said pointing back to the other squad members. The squad had gone topside to study in the ancient library for a change of scenery. "And people like Colonel Martin," Mace stated trying to rea.s.sure him.

"You sound like Vannier," Daedo said. He could not reveal the real reason he was stressed, but this was close enough and would have been his main source of stress if it wasn't for the mystery box and revelations from Master Nader. Master Nader was an alien. Sort of.

"It's logical. Everyone in Daedalus is behind you, and you are not alone," Mace said emphasising the word not.

Daedo sighed. "You're right." He would have to hide or deal with his worries, showing stress just brought unwanted questioning.

"Other than saving the planet? What are you working on?" Mace asked jokingly.

"Propulsion. We are still using off the shelf jets," Daedo said.

"So you are taking over propulsion as well?" Mace asked.

"It goes hand in hand with Physics," Daedo stated. He did not mention the alien mystery box full of physics answers, which cut down his workload significantly.

"I guess its all about firing particles off at high speed once you move away from burning chemicals," Mace replied.

Daedo was reading up on s.p.a.ceship propulsion methods and concepts.

"We might need to add a thermal fusion reactor, and use the heat to burn something off," Daedo said.

"That's a major design change. Does it bring in overheating issues?" Mace asked.

Daedo nodded and said, "It does. We probably don't have the room in an exo for this type of system." He said after closing his screen and standing up. He t.i.tled his head side to side as if working off a stiff neck.

"I'm going to go for a walk," he announced suddenly.

"Do you want company?" Mace asked she was still worried about him.

Daedo looked over at Picard, Axelzero and Barran; they were engrossed with their work. Vannier and Kang were discussing a subject in a virtual room, which made the ancient library venue superfluous. He finally nodded.

"Ok, I'll send a message to everyone to wait here, we'll be back in thirty," Daedo stated.

Daedo and Mace walked into the hall of the usually deserted ancient library. They had never used it until the Fortescue meeting, and since then it was a simple matter of getting a pa.s.s from Master Nader, which may be hard for some, but in Daedo's case, it usually took a few minutes.

They heard voices, it was Fortescue and a couple of other cadets. Mace pulled Daedo back into their study room.

"What are you doing? We are allowed to be here," Daedo said.

*Mace: Shh. I want to see what they are up to. They'll be expecting this place to be empty, won't they?*

*Daedo: Yes. Ok. I will tell everyone to be quiet and stay put.*

Mace closed the ancient wooden door to their study room very slowly, leaving it open only a crack.

*Daedo: Fortescue just arrived. Don't make any noise Mace wants to see what they are doing. They don't know we are here.*

*Barran: Oh nice. Mace you are such a spy.*

*Mace: shh I am trying to listen.*

All the cadets stopped what they were doing and turned up the audio sensors to full.

"Okay, in here, this should do," it was obviously Fortescue. However, as soon as she closed the door, even the excellent Axel body suits had trouble picking up what was being said.

"Turn off recording….Matthias….Siderus….."

*Daedo: was that the M3 House Captains with her? I didn't see anything.*

*Mace: I'll check. I have a recording…Yes. It was them. Hang on.*

Mace pulled out a tiny spider drone from a compartment on her body suit. It was so small it fit underneath the wooden door, it was a quarter of the size of her smallest fingernail.

*Daedo: when did you get that?*

*Mace: I've always had it. Watch, I'll patch you in on the feed.*

Daedo looked at Vannier who shrugged and sent him a private message.

*Vannier: do you know what her parents do?*

*Daedo: no. I just know they travel a lot. They never said what sort of business they do.*

*Vannier: So they don't manufacture tiny drones?*

*Daedo: no idea.*

The vision and audio started to come through from Mace's sneaky spider drone.

"My research shows that we could rank as high as third in Middle, but it's more likely we will finish mid-table. The main issue is Upper Academy will struggle and may even come last. There is a distinct chance we could be relegated unless action is taken now," Fortescue said.

Not only were Matthias and Siderus sitting in the meeting with her but there were three cadets from the Upper Academy. All of them were House Captains.

"Thanks for the research," the Osiris House captain said, "I want to make it clear we aren't taking orders from you."

"Oh, you're not. You are taking them from the LG who is taking orders from my Mother. Stop interrupting, we have a lot to get through." Karine Fortescue said.

"Why should we believe you?" the Osiris House captain asked.

"Don't," Fortescue said emphatically. "All you need to do is ask your Commander for confirmation, or you can message the LG directly. I don't care. When it comes down to it, the Commanders finalise the Inter-Academy teams, not you. And these same Commanders will do anything Fortescue tells them to. If you don't want to listen, leave now. Go on." Fortescue was either calling their bluff or bluffing herself. Daedo wasn't sure.

*Barran: oh man this is juicy. We need to come here to study every day!*

"Get on with it Fortescue," Matthias said. No one seemed willing to call her bluff.

"Very well," she said with her superior tone. "We have made arrangements with Renault, from tier two, to loan us their best mech which is available at the beginning of the season. They will not upgrade it for us as the season progresses because all they want us to do is to stop Templars from winning Tier 3 and promoting. As you know we have them in the second round. And if it comes down to the wire, we have to let KAIST take maximum points off us in the second last round. This is the agreement with Renault, which must be fulfilled."

"Including Middle Academy?" Siderus asked incredulously.

"Yes, including Middle. You will give KAIST maximum points if they are behind Templars by round ten," Fortescue stated.

"You are devious. You do know if we get caught we will be automatically relegated," Matthias observed.

"That is why all your recording devices are blocked," Fortescue said. "This meeting never happened. Oh, and Romulus, you can confirm this fact when the Renault Mechs arrive."

"This brings us to Middle Academy," Fortescue stated. "I will be selecting the team. You can forget your little House Captain roundtable."

"Bulls.h.i.t," Matthias blasted, and Siderus put a hand on his shoulder to quiet him. They were normally rivals, it looked like a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

"Whatever you think and do, in the end, it will mean nothing. Commander Mallet has the final say on the first team whether you come to an agreement or not. And Commander Mallet will do whatever I tell him," Fortescue said.

"We just want to win," Siderus said diplomatically. "Surely we are all on the same side."

"Not all of us row in the same direction," Fortescue said.

*Vannier: she means us doesn't she.*

*Axelzero: I never knew someone could be so evil and manipulative. I thought the VR dramas were unrealistic.*

"Ok, miss high and mighty, what are we supposed to do to win your favour?" Matthias asked.

"For starters, I will attend your House Captains meeting. I will replace St Claire as the Horus representative," Fortescue replied.

"Oh, he's going to love that, but no loss. Go on.," Matthias said his words dripping with cynicism.

"Anyone who wants to be on the first team will submit to the gene therapy program," Fortescue stated.

"Hang on," Matthias interrupted, "Upper isn't doing gene therapy. Why do we have to do this? And who's program? What are the risks, and is this approved?" The hard-nosed cadet was panicking.

"This would have to be vetted by our parents at a minimum," Siderus stated. "We aren't in U1. We can't do this without permission." What he actually meant is she couldn't force them without their parent's permission.

"Oh, but you can," Fortescue stated. "If your House Master approves. Technically they're your legal guardian while you are in term."

Matthias snorted with derision. "That may be so, but if something goes wrong, there would be h.e.l.l to pay. My family aren't some chumps you can sweep under the rug when things go pear-shaped."

"No one has to undergo the gene therapy. No one is being forced to. But if you want to be selected in the first team you will begin the treatments next week," Fortescue stated.

Siderus looked at Matthias. Neither looked happy.

"Send the details. I want to a.s.sess the risks properly before agreeing," Siderus said.

"Why are we even considering this?" Matthias asked.

"Because the M first team needs to beat Templars and we need to raise your chances of finishing mid-table to high on the table. You may not know this, but all the Tier one academies put their first four strings through gene therapy from M2. The increased agility, speed and strength are all reflected in the exo team's performance."

"Why is that not in the news?" Siderus asked.

"Because they keep it secret," Fortescue answered.

"How do you know?" Matthias asked.

"I'm a Fortescue. We may not have the best R and D, but we do have a world cla.s.s information gathering operation," Fortescue said, and they looked like they believed her.

"I'm beginning to wish I'd never come to this meeting," Matthias said. "Oh, I said that out loud." He added and laughed ironically.

"Is that it?" Romulus the Osiris Upper House captain asked.

"No," Fortescue said in a direct manner. "Other than your Commander you are to speak to no one about the details of this meeting. The same information gathering operation that procured all this data will monitor you and can be put to other uses."

"Holy s.h.i.t," Matthias said. "Did you just threaten us?" He looked at Siderus. "She just threatened us!"

Daedo knew Matthias was smarter than he was leading on.

*Vannier: is he always this dumb?*

Daedo: No he is actually very cunning. My guess is he is voicing it to ensure everyone understands and it's out in the open. He only acts dumb.

*Mace: He is cunning then. Because I totally believed he was stupid.*

"Dismissed cadets," Fortescue said.

The five M3 and U3 cadets stood and filed out. None of them looked happy, and they all looked powerless.

*Vannier: no wonder we frustrate her. She has never been able to intimidate us like this.*

*Barran: you mean Daedo. She's never been able to control him because she has no leverage on him.*

*Daedo: Master Nader has been helping I'm sure. She has hinted on occasion she has stopped the academy's politics from affecting us.*

*Vannier: for once I am thankful that we have the scariest Master in the Academy.*

Daedo wondered how scared of Master Nader Vannier would be if she knew the truth.