Because there are so many fewer diversions on this station than on the previous one, Aegis takes to those that are offered with more of an open mind than she might have done before. For instance, she stays after personal combat sometimes, to watch Sue sparring with Howlett. Now and then she takes a turn herself. Today she's just supervising.
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i'm a goddess of vicious precision
Sue sparring with Howlett is a real education. It always looks like at least one of them will be leaving the room on a stretcher at any moment, but so far, nobody's sustained significant injury.
That is about to change.
Howlett attacks with the characteristically aggressive style of these after-hours sessions; Sue responds with equal force. They go back and forth for a while, a surprisingly even exchange considering the difference in skill level. Then Sue manages to grab Howlett's wrist, and he immediately spins, pulling the attached arm out straight and throwing his whole weight against the back of the elbow.
It makes a very nasty sound.
They don't even pause; Sue, laughing, presses the advantage, and Howlett defends, and despite his now-useless right arm he manages to hold Sue off for half a minute more.
That is about to change.
Howlett attacks with the characteristically aggressive style of these after-hours sessions; Sue responds with equal force. They go back and forth for a while, a surprisingly even exchange considering the difference in skill level. Then Sue manages to grab Howlett's wrist, and he immediately spins, pulling the attached arm out straight and throwing his whole weight against the back of the elbow.
It makes a very nasty sound.
They don't even pause; Sue, laughing, presses the advantage, and Howlett defends, and despite his now-useless right arm he manages to hold Sue off for half a minute more.
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
"You on thin tether for some other reason? As far as I can tell IF policy is mutant-neutral and practice is often pro-, 'cause we're useful. Like, I'm the only person in the military who can use certain military-grade hardware." She stretches her arms above her head.
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
The Tactical School routine is not as much fun as the playful childhood of Battle School, but it's got work enough for her once Aegis has loaded up on electives in not just personal combat but also xenobiology and engineering. She keeps busy. The months go by. She's twelve and a half and Sue's approaching fourteen. And he's been terribly moody.
"You've been a pill lately," she says, when she's between xenobio protein flashcards winking by in spaced repetition on her desk. She throws a rolled pair of socks at his back. "You okay? Has puberty eaten your personality, am I next?"
"You've been a pill lately," she says, when she's between xenobio protein flashcards winking by in spaced repetition on her desk. She throws a rolled pair of socks at his back. "You okay? Has puberty eaten your personality, am I next?"
Fine.
She's told him before that he's a multimedia presentation; what he shows her next is definitely in that vein. Sight, sound, physical sensation, emotional content - all muffled, at one extra remove, like he's shielding her from the full impact. For good reason.
It started a few weeks ago. One of the older kids, nearer graduation. They had a scuffle in the corridor, which is not all that unusual; what's unusual is that the other guy won. And he held Sue against the floor, and it felt wonderful and terrible and frightening in ways Sue didn't really understand.
Then the same boy found him again, another time. Again they fought. Again Sue lost. But this time, it did not end there.
He tried to push his suffering to make him back off, like he did with that gang back at Battle School, but this kid just mocked him for his conflicted feelings, for his shame, his fear, for the part of him that liked it.
He went to a teacher, after the second time. Not Howlett. He couldn't face Howlett with this. The teacher flatly told him it wasn't happening. Sue has never in his life been blown off with such absolute conviction. No help there.
Yesterday it happened again. He barely tried to fight back. His new best friend was very happy about that. Sue wanted to throw up, or maybe just gut himself. And, lest anybody doubt what a slut he is, he still got off on it.
When the narrative flood subsides, he's crying softly into his pillow.
She's told him before that he's a multimedia presentation; what he shows her next is definitely in that vein. Sight, sound, physical sensation, emotional content - all muffled, at one extra remove, like he's shielding her from the full impact. For good reason.
It started a few weeks ago. One of the older kids, nearer graduation. They had a scuffle in the corridor, which is not all that unusual; what's unusual is that the other guy won. And he held Sue against the floor, and it felt wonderful and terrible and frightening in ways Sue didn't really understand.
Then the same boy found him again, another time. Again they fought. Again Sue lost. But this time, it did not end there.
He tried to push his suffering to make him back off, like he did with that gang back at Battle School, but this kid just mocked him for his conflicted feelings, for his shame, his fear, for the part of him that liked it.
He went to a teacher, after the second time. Not Howlett. He couldn't face Howlett with this. The teacher flatly told him it wasn't happening. Sue has never in his life been blown off with such absolute conviction. No help there.
Yesterday it happened again. He barely tried to fight back. His new best friend was very happy about that. Sue wanted to throw up, or maybe just gut himself. And, lest anybody doubt what a slut he is, he still got off on it.
When the narrative flood subsides, he's crying softly into his pillow.
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
Hugs. This isn't something urgent to figure out on a scale of right now; the creep can't get into their room.
(Unless he can, unless he can fool the palm scanner, but then they'll have to go with trying to beat him up anyway and any elaborate plan will be moot.)
(Unless he can, unless he can fool the palm scanner, but then they'll have to go with trying to beat him up anyway and any elaborate plan will be moot.)
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
There's a scratching sound and a series of beeps at their door.
Aegis sits up.
The door slides open.
It's a familiar face. Hello, Sue's new best friend.
"Hiding in your room? What, forever, Tommy?" asks Sue's new best friend. "Not very sociable of you."
(Sue's name is, alas, not hard to find. The teachers will use a nickname simply because that's the only way for them to get him to respond, but "Thomas Chester Sanderson" goes on being stamped into every official record.)
Aegis stands in one fluid motion.
Aegis sits up.
The door slides open.
It's a familiar face. Hello, Sue's new best friend.
"Hiding in your room? What, forever, Tommy?" asks Sue's new best friend. "Not very sociable of you."
(Sue's name is, alas, not hard to find. The teachers will use a nickname simply because that's the only way for them to get him to respond, but "Thomas Chester Sanderson" goes on being stamped into every official record.)
Aegis stands in one fluid motion.
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
Sue - Sue, if he can take you by himself, I don't know if I can take him alone -
Sue's new friend moves fast.
Sue's old friend moves faster, but she is not as strong, she is not a speed-mutant but only an efficient user of her limbs, and either this guy knows how her exo works or he's lucky, because after a lot of dodging has gone on and she's gotten one admittedly solid hit to his gut, he clips her across the ear and sends her head careening into the edge of her bunk and her motor cortex goes screwy; it's like she seizes, twitching all her muscles at independent random, and then she falls to the floor like a rag doll. Like a twelve-year-old girl.
"I like how you're all cooperative," says Sue's new best friend, nudging Aegis with his foot and getting a half-conscious groan in response. "She thought she was being helpful, maybe but you know you don't mind if I come in to visit you whenever I like."
Sue's new friend moves fast.
Sue's old friend moves faster, but she is not as strong, she is not a speed-mutant but only an efficient user of her limbs, and either this guy knows how her exo works or he's lucky, because after a lot of dodging has gone on and she's gotten one admittedly solid hit to his gut, he clips her across the ear and sends her head careening into the edge of her bunk and her motor cortex goes screwy; it's like she seizes, twitching all her muscles at independent random, and then she falls to the floor like a rag doll. Like a twelve-year-old girl.
"I like how you're all cooperative," says Sue's new best friend, nudging Aegis with his foot and getting a half-conscious groan in response. "She thought she was being helpful, maybe but you know you don't mind if I come in to visit you whenever I like."
It's a nightmare, a living nightmare, all of the worst things that could possibly happen, worse than dying, almost worse than going home.
But—how'd he forget this so fast?—he used to live a nightmare as bad as this one.
Sue chooses to stop caring that he is afraid.
He uncoils from his tense stillness and launches himself into the older boy, fast enough that the force of impact slams him against the door.
But—how'd he forget this so fast?—he used to live a nightmare as bad as this one.
Sue chooses to stop caring that he is afraid.
He uncoils from his tense stillness and launches himself into the older boy, fast enough that the force of impact slams him against the door.
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
Sue's determination doesn't give him reach, or mass; his reflections don't change the fact that his opponent isn't aiming for injury himself, just an inability to do more than squirm, so at first this doesn't change much.
But damage accumulates, and Sue's new best friend starts to realize that he's not playing at resistance or about to roll over like before, and he starts talking. He's not an idiot. They don't let idiots into Tactical.
"C'mon, don't you want to get her to the infirmary, it'll be over sooner if you just - she's probably got brain damage, you know," says Sue's new best friend. "Maybe it's helpful brain damage, maybe you can reach in with your mutie linky thing and pick her up like a puppet, maybe she can play a little more, hm?"
But damage accumulates, and Sue's new best friend starts to realize that he's not playing at resistance or about to roll over like before, and he starts talking. He's not an idiot. They don't let idiots into Tactical.
"C'mon, don't you want to get her to the infirmary, it'll be over sooner if you just - she's probably got brain damage, you know," says Sue's new best friend. "Maybe it's helpful brain damage, maybe you can reach in with your mutie linky thing and pick her up like a puppet, maybe she can play a little more, hm?"
Maybe she is, but this guy's word isn't worth a chunk of puke.
Sue doesn't do anything different, here in his room. He still fights like a cornered rat. But he also reaches out to the infirmary - he knows it well enough to find the minds that belong there - and he touches one, and sends a pure-informational message: Aegis hit her head on her bunk and she's not moving and they should send someone to check her out.
Sue doesn't do anything different, here in his room. He still fights like a cornered rat. But he also reaches out to the infirmary - he knows it well enough to find the minds that belong there - and he touches one, and sends a pure-informational message: Aegis hit her head on her bunk and she's not moving and they should send someone to check her out.
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
The doctor he alerts is going to send someone along at once.
Pity they're on the opposite side of the station.
"I'll tell them it was her and you fighting, and I heard you and that's when I came in, and you hurt her, and even if she wakes up she's got a head injury, who'll she believe?"
But he's slowing down now, just a little, favoring one shoulder.
Pity they're on the opposite side of the station.
"I'll tell them it was her and you fighting, and I heard you and that's when I came in, and you hurt her, and even if she wakes up she's got a head injury, who'll she believe?"
But he's slowing down now, just a little, favoring one shoulder.
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
Sue's new best friend has a little problem with his jaw now, but as long as they're linking -
Oh, you think so, but you're always gonna think about it, gonna wish you'd let me one last time - kill me now and who'll ever want you? It'll get around, he killed the last guy who so much as touched him, not even desperate guys gone space-gay will look twice at you unless they want to get with your little friend when she grows tits - you'll die alone, little friend when she grows tits'll have her pick and there's no way she'd want a freak like you -
Oh, you think so, but you're always gonna think about it, gonna wish you'd let me one last time - kill me now and who'll ever want you? It'll get around, he killed the last guy who so much as touched him, not even desperate guys gone space-gay will look twice at you unless they want to get with your little friend when she grows tits - you'll die alone, little friend when she grows tits'll have her pick and there's no way she'd want a freak like you -
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
The medics arrive, and they split up to check each of the three bodies in the room, and declare Sue's new best friend to be Sue's dead best friend, and they load Aegis onto a stretcher and carry her away.
"You need the infirmary too," says one of the medics, looking Sue over. "Can you walk?"
"You need the infirmary too," says one of the medics, looking Sue over. "Can you walk?"
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
They're adjacent to each other in the infirmary. The other guy is in the makeshift morgue; he's not the first person to die on the station, although they don't have enough population to have a permanent setup for it.
They're treated for their injuries.
Aegis regains the ability to bird again after about an hour. you okay?
They're treated for their injuries.
Aegis regains the ability to bird again after about an hour. you okay?
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
They're released from the infirmary at about the same time.
They aren't called to any meetings, no one reacts beyond giving her missed lesson plans and homework assignments when Aegis goes back to class, Sue is not ordered to report to a shuttle to Earth.
It's like nothing happened.
They're hanging out in their room again when Aegis says, "So have you actually been to a million disciplinary hearings already when I haven't been looking and you just haven't mentioned or - are they doing exactly nothing?"
They aren't called to any meetings, no one reacts beyond giving her missed lesson plans and homework assignments when Aegis goes back to class, Sue is not ordered to report to a shuttle to Earth.
It's like nothing happened.
They're hanging out in their room again when Aegis says, "So have you actually been to a million disciplinary hearings already when I haven't been looking and you just haven't mentioned or - are they doing exactly nothing?"
Isabella Marie Swan ᗜ "Aegis"
autokinetic
"That's weird," says Aegis.
And she pulls out her desk. Her old hack should work - pretty please can she have another backup of the files she's lost, look, she has this earlier save -
Sue's file is bigger now.
She reads.
It's a raging brawl, insofar as text can be. Sue's patron-champion-careerbooster is livid that -
that the higher-ups ordered that the teachers ignore what was happening so they could see what Sue would do. They didn't sic the older kid on him, but they did stand by; they did know what was going on all along - they did give him a chance to see a teacher using the master door-opening passcode.
You said we hadn't seen him under enough pressure, says one of said higher-ups. He doesn't respond to academic inducements, so we engineered a test he could not ignore.
This wasn't the right kind of pressure. You may well have destroyed our best chance in the name of testing, to say nothing of the moral atrocity! You will never make a soldier out of this child. You might, if you're lucky, still make him the commander that saves humanity. But you'd best hope to God he never finds out what you did.
"Sue," says Aegis quietly.
And she pulls out her desk. Her old hack should work - pretty please can she have another backup of the files she's lost, look, she has this earlier save -
Sue's file is bigger now.
She reads.
It's a raging brawl, insofar as text can be. Sue's patron-champion-careerbooster is livid that -
that the higher-ups ordered that the teachers ignore what was happening so they could see what Sue would do. They didn't sic the older kid on him, but they did stand by; they did know what was going on all along - they did give him a chance to see a teacher using the master door-opening passcode.
You said we hadn't seen him under enough pressure, says one of said higher-ups. He doesn't respond to academic inducements, so we engineered a test he could not ignore.
This wasn't the right kind of pressure. You may well have destroyed our best chance in the name of testing, to say nothing of the moral atrocity! You will never make a soldier out of this child. You might, if you're lucky, still make him the commander that saves humanity. But you'd best hope to God he never finds out what you did.
"Sue," says Aegis quietly.