"...I have, of course, received the signed contracts from President Loire and, in accordance with standard SeeD payment policies, he has transferred the necessary deposits into the appropriate SeeD accounts.  The contracts allow us absolute discretion, that is, license to take any measures available to us to fulfill the obligations stated on lines 23 through 50 of the contract.  Should we fail in the mission, or at anytime deem the expenditures of mission completion to outweigh the financial penalties, we will return the deposit amount, along with a penalty in the amount of 40% of the deposit amount..."

As the meeting wore on, Squall grew restless.  He had a mental list of all the things he needed to do before the exam, and Headmaster Cid's insistence on reviewing the terms of the contract eroded precious minutes away from his schedule.

"Next, I'd like to show you some statistics, incorporating the projected results of today's exam.  As you can see, the income from this assignment will more than cover the initial commissions of up to four cadets without seriously eroding our profit margin..."

Squall pursed his lips, admiring the wood grain on the table until he heard his name mentioned.

"...Which brings us to our report from Commander Leonhart."

Squall stood up and glanced around the room.

"If you'll look at your panels, you'll see the cadets I've picked for this mission, as well as the SeeDs who'll be overseeing them."  With that, he sat back down.  Squall found his mandatory presence at this meeting almost insulting, considering how much else he had to do.

"Are you certain about these cadets, Squall?"  Cid asked.

"Positive."

"Well, it seems that you've made some... unorthodox choices."

"Yes, sir.  They're the best choices, and we'll find four SeeDs among them."

*          *

"...As per usual," Xu said, continuing her instructions to the SeeD candidates, "this mission will consist of 4 teams of three candidates each.  The grading committee will select as many as, but not more than, four candidates to join SeeD.  Each team will have one squad leader who will report to a SeeD officer, who will be accountable to Field Commander Leonhart.  If Commander Leonhart feels the mission is in jeopardy, he will give the order to abort, which your squad leader will relay to you.  At this point, you will comply at once, and the SeeD officers will relieve you of your duty and complete the mission with all due haste..."

The tall blond in the back let the words wash over him -- at this point, he'd participated in enough field exams to recite the speech himself.  This time mattered more than its predecessors, though, as it marked his last chance as a cadet.  He'd failed every exam he'd ever taken, because the hidebound and dogmatic Garden faculty, showed more interest in preserving "team spirit."  Now, though, he had to pass.  Failure meant he would never join SeeD, something he couldn't bear to let happen.

Over the intercom, Cid began his speech, a lengthy recitation of platitudes about the honor of Balamb Garden.    After a few minutes, Xu, patience exhausted, entered a few commands into her handlink, the device allowing her mobile access to most of Garden's facilities, and the intercom stopped broadcasting.  Seifer envisioned Cid in his office, talking into a dead microphone.

With an air of cool detachment, Xu unsealed the envelopes containing squad assignments.  She had a startling aura of command, despite the fact that she was no older than most of the other SeeDs at Garden.  Seifer knew this, though, to be her "game face."  Xu proved herself at home exercising her brilliant logistical mind or playing cards in the Quad.  When she was off duty, she dropped her authority and looked pretty.  Her deep brown eyes always seemed to sparkle as though she knew the punch line to some private joke.  At that moment, though, she focused on her job, and her voice betrayed no emotion as it rang through Garden's lobby.

"Cadet Almasy, Seifer: Squad A leader."

Seifer sliced open the packet Xu handed him, and began barking out the names of the cadets under his command, trying to brush thoughts of previous field exams from his mind.