28. Too Fast By Far
Standing on the gallery behind Cataloupe's office, Avocato made no attempt to mask either his frown or his confusion as heard Cataloupe out. While the idea of leading a team was immensely appealing, the reason why left him more than a little annoyed.
"With all due respect, Colonel, this is only because I'm a Blue Imperial, isn't it?"
Cataloupe's sympathy for Avocato's position was genuine. "I'm sorry to admit, that yes, that is exactly why. High Command and the Lords of the Military are aware of your presence here and have taken a very keen interest in your performance."
"And is that what I'm expected to do?" he snapped, not caring if he was out of line. "Perform?"
"I understand your anger, Avocato. You're being asked to do more than anyone else in your class, and before you're ready to do it. It's not fair, but it is an opportunity. My arrangement with General Basmet is conditional on your agreement. I can tell you, Avocato, that if Basmet doesn't get what he wants, he or others will be back until they do, and you may not get the concessions I bargained for. Win or lose, get this done tomorrow and they'll leave you alone, at least for the time being."
Avocato resisted the urge to curse. "What concessions, sir?"
"The third-years can't alter their team from the next group scheduled, and you can choose an equal number of your classmates for your team. Anyone from your class you like. Further, I pick the scenario you'll face, and there is to be no interference from any observers."
He folded his arms, his posture rigid as he looked away from Cataloupe and at the activity in the quad below, frustrated beyond measure. Cataloupe's pitched his voice so only Avocato could hear.
"Like me, Commodore Leoni has served under General Basmet. She knows him, and in agreeing to this, she reserved the right to appoint the observers. I believe she'll be one of them. She's also stipulated since this is not something you've had training in yet, you and everyone on your team will be awarded full credit for your final scenario regardless of the outcome and the opinions of any observers."
Avocato was silent and fuming. Cataloupe tried a new tack.
"In the scenario where you were taken as a POW, do you remember what you told Cadet Lin when he asked what you would have done differently?"
"Everything," Avocato replied shortly.
"Precisely. Look at this as your chance to do just that."
"Am I going to have to do this all the time, Colonel? Am I going to be expected to put on a show for every command rank who decides because of my color I owe them . . . ? What? If I bungle this scenario and get my whole team captured or killed, will I be left alone, or will they assume I did it on purpose to throw them off? If I succeed, they'll just expect more next time. I can't win, Colonel."
Cataloupe regarded him. "Even if you can't, that doesn't mean you have to let anyone else win, Avocato. Use this anger. Facing another live team in the field might be beyond your experience now, but you've faced plenty of live opponents in thimbles and martial arts. You know how to fight on your own terms. Tell me - who would you rather face in an ust match - someone who's never held the weapon before but has seen it used in action vids, or a member of the Royal Guard?"
"Royal Guard," Avocato said without hesitation.
"Why?"
"They have experience and control."
"And our enthusiastic vid-watcher?"
"Too unpredictable and random to be trusted with anything sharp."
Cataloupe smiled. "Following that thread, would you agree that a person with a little bit of knowledge can be a very dangerous thing?"
He understood Cataloupe's meaning. "Yes, sir."
"And rules can shackle innovation?"
Avocato's eyes narrowed. Ideas were already forming. "Yes, sir, they can."
"Since you've never done this before, you can't possibly know the rules. So . . . do you have any questions, Cadet Avocato?"
A long pause followed as Avocato stared off at nothing as he considered, until finally he demanded,
"How many people do I need?"
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They were a team of twelve.
He had himself, Kedi, and Nikos to start, of course. Mochi and Muser were recruited because they would follow orders first and ask questions later and were better hunters than Felice or Toshi, who freely admitted their incompetence. FannFee was brought in not just for being a social butterfly, but because one of the third-years in the scenario had an immense crush on her which she was more than happy to exploit. Avocato had tasked Kedi and Nikos with filling five slots with the best hunters in Class 984, confident Kedi would know exactly who they were. His friend had not disappointed. Thus, Cadets Belle, Menti, Tier, Kattebak, and Sokkie joined with the understanding they would not say a word to anyone, and they would do exactly as told. They were all sufficiently intrigued by the scenario and offended for Avocato's sake to sign on eagerly.
Avocato had wanted Pawlette to come along, mostly because he trusted her and she was so agile and fast - not to mention the smallest one in the class - that she was almost impossible to catch, but once she heard what he had planned, she withdrew herself from the scenario. Pawlette was all too aware of her own limitations.
"Cato, I'm the worst liar on the planet. I'd never pull it off. If you need someone who can act, ask Yanako. She's small and fast, and besides, she owes you for helping her test out of Galactic Standard. Just do one thing for me."
"What's that?" he asked.
"Bury that old man so deep, it'll take archaeologists a thousand years to find him."
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Cadet Lord Elengi was in no way pleased to learn his final scenario was to be used to showcase the non-existent skill set of the academy's resident Blue Imperial. He was even less pleased to find out the scenario was nothing more than a glorified round of capture the colors, a game so basic his seven-year-old sister could have handled it, when he should have been given a situation that would fully challenge his leadership. It wasn't fair to him or his team, nor, he had to admit, to Avocato. Elengi had interacted with Avocato on several occasions, and found the second-year cadet engaging, intelligent, and all too aware of the distinction his coloring gave him.
That didn't mean Elengi was going to be lax. Ridiculously easy as the scenario was, Elengi had no intention of allowing a pack of second-year cadets to get past him. He knew Avocato was first in his class last year and most likely would retain that ranking this year, but knowledge and experience were on Elengi's side.
So not quite thirty minutes into the scenario, he was astonished to see Avocato – that height and color were unmistakable – two female members of his team, and two of the four scouts Elengi had set patrolling the perimeter of their base walking, talking, and all of them apparently snacking on some sort of jerky.
He looked at his acting sergeant, Almaz, who had been charged with holding the colors and had simply shoved the short flagpole down between his back and backpack to keep his hands free. They exchanged a wide-eyed look of disbelief, because it was obvious their opponents were not prisoners. Their body language was far too casual and their hands held only jerky. They didn't even have their weapons issued for the scenario.
"What is going on?" Elengi demanded sharply when the scouts brought them to the center of the base. His teammates snapped to, trying to hide the jerky and keep their mouths still, but Avocato, handing the food to one of the females, came to attention.
"Cadet Elengi," Avocato said. "Sir, I take you word hasn't reached you?"
"What word?" he demanded, jabbing an elbow into Almaz's ribs when one of the girls flashed him a quick smile.
"Your scouts found us about ten minutes ago, and they hadn't been informed, either. The start time for this scenario has been pushed back an hour fifteen."
"What?" Elengi frowned. Delays weren't entirely unheard of, though rare. He resisted the impulse to ask Captain Lulah, the observer for his team, for input. Experience told him that she would only give him a blank look in return. "Why?"
Avocato shifted uncomfortably, pulling a wry expression before reluctantly admitting, "General Basmet wanted to be imbedded with the observers so he could evaluate . . . things first hand." By his tone, they knew by things, Avocato meant himself. "About ten minutes after we deployed, he got a call from High Command that he couldn't ignore. Commodore Leoni agreed to delay the start time until noon."
"The Commodore?" echoed Elengi.
The Blue Imperial forced a very fake smile and said through gritted teeth, "She's here. She's observing this scenario. With my team. She said she'd send word out but I guess her message hasn't reached you yet?"
He ended on a question, looking completely uncertain.
"Why didn't she comm us?" asked Elengi.
Avocato raised both hands as if to remind them he was a second-year cadet and closer to the bottom of the heap than Elengi, so it was not within the scope of his authority to second-guess such lofty ranks. "She's back with my team. You can ask her if you like."
As if any of them would have the temerity to question the head of their academy. Elengi blinked, not sure of what to make of this. He had never heard of Leoni acting as an observer, but in this situation, with a general in the field, it made sense. He had seen General Basmet around the campus, knew he was high up in the command chain, and was close enough with his great-nephew, Jin, to know the general was here for anything but a visit with his relation. Someone that highly ranked scouting out Avocato made sense in the most annoying way possible. By now, almost all the rest of the third-year cadets had broken the scenario and drawn closer, as surprised and skeptical as Elengi. The acting officer looked at his scouts, who gestured helplessly (having bolted their jerky as they waited).
"They were sitting on a rock out in the open, eating and talking when we found them. We weren't sure what to make of it, so we brought them in."
The whole situation was so unprecedented, starting with second-years going against third-years and spiraling out from there. Elengi frowned and looked to Almaz, who shrugged, having no answers or opinions for his acting leader.
"Fann?" Avocato said, looking to the taller of the two girls with him.
"Oh!"
At the sound of her name she started and dropped the package of jerky on the ground between the two parties. Almaz saw his chance for gallantry and leaned over to retrieve it for her before she could move. In that instant, Avocato lunged in, seizing the colors from Almaz's back and yanking it high and free.
"Thank you," Avocato said, ever polite. Holding the flag overhead, he bellowed, "Kotek!"
A shout went up from the surrounding woods, and suddenly the remaining nine members of Avocato's team emerged with guns at the ready, surrounding the third-years. Everything happened so quickly and neatly that the third-years had no time to process what had happened. Mouth agape, Elengi whirled on Avocato, fury and disbelief plain on his face.
"I'm sorry," Avocato said softly, meaning it.
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"He cheated!"
Amused as he was by the results of the scenario, Cataloupe frowned at the accusation from General Basmet. He suspected the old man disliked having his name bandied about during a scenario, but it was certainly no less than he deserved.
"I was with his team the whole time, General Basmet. He did no such thing," Leoni said calmly before Cataloupe could rush to his student's defense. "Cadet Avocato found an innovative way through the scenario."
"It was underhanded!" fumed Basmet, who had been anticipating a pitched battle and was sorely disappointed not a shot had been fired. His tail lashed so hard it smacked Major Inka, and his whiskers were bristling.
"It was effective," Leoni countered.
Captain Lulah spoke up. "With all due respect, General Basmet, not even Cadet Elengi feels that way. Once he calmed down, Elengi agreed that Avocato carried the day, and this is a lesson he'll never forget."
"Which is the point," the commodore concluded in clear satisfaction, ignoring Basmet's irritation. "So, Cadet Avocato and his team will be given full credit. Major Inka, given the circumstances, I'm inclined to give your cadets another opportunity to take a final scenario. Opinion?"
"I agree, Commodore, and I'm sure they'll be grateful," Inka replied.
"Very well. See to it, Major. If there are no other issues, I would like a word with Colonel Cataloupe."
It was a dismissal, something Basmet was not used to receiving, especially from someone who had once been his subordinate. But this was her school, her ship, and she gave the orders here. Stiffly, the old general inclined his head towards Leoni in farewell.
"Commodore," he said crisply. Turning, he faced Cataloupe, his bland mask taking on a glare as he snapped, "Colonel."
"General," Cataloupe said pleasantly. "Enjoy the rest of your leave, sir."
Basmet didn't bother to answer, but strode out in silence. Cataloupe closed the door behind Lulah before facing the commodore again.
"Ma'am?"
Without a word, Leoni reached over and opened a drawer in her desk, producing a bottle of alcohol and two glasses. Pouring two quick shots, she handed one to Cataloupe, then lifted her own in salute.
"To your Blue Imperial, Colonel," she said, finally giving way and smiling. "The Lords of the Military are not ready for that boy."
Cataloupe grinned, tapping his glass to hers. "The universe isn't ready for Avocato."