Tales from the Academy
Chapter 5
"Jer, I need to talk to you."
Jer Naddel looked quizzically at Anny. They were sitting across from each other in the mess hall and they had been talking, around bites of their breakfast. "What about?' he asked.
"Something happened last night. Are you about finished? We've got ten minutes until formation, could we go out and talk in private?" Jer nodded and they took their trays to the kitchen and then hurried outside. There were people everywhere, but none paying any particular attention to them. They found a spot on the side of the building which seemed like it would do.
"So what happened? Are you all right?"
"No damage to me, but someone trashed my room, ruined all my gear." Jer looked her up and down. "I had a second set," she said in explanation. "Jer, you said that you saw who took my tunic on the day of the Death March, who was it?"
"A little late to be pressing charges now, isn't it?"
"Please, Jer, I need to know."
He shrugged. "You probably won't be surprised to learn that it was Levey. I saw him grab it when you weren't looking. He couldn't break ranks without drawing attention, so he tossed it to Runna and he tossed it to Palen. After that I couldn't see who passed it along, but obviously it was sent hand-by-hand to someone near the edge of the field who dumped it in that trash can."
"Was Mederov one of them?"
Jer looked surprised. "The big guy? No, I don't think so. No, he couldn't have been: with his height he would have been up the line the other way. Why?"
"Has Mederov ever said anything nasty or threatening about me around the barracks? More than the others, I mean?"
"Not that I recall. In fact, I can't remember him saying much at all. He tends to be pretty quiet. Anny, what's going on?"
"I'm not sure. And until I am sure, I don't want to talk about it."
"You must think he's involved with the incident last night or you wouldn't be asking about him. Please credit me with a few brains."
"Well, all right. Yeah, I found a cap with his name on it in my quarters."
"That was pretty careless. In fact, it seems damn suspicious. I mean, how could he lose his cap without noticing?"
"He couldn't," said a voice from right behind them. They spun around…
"Alby! What are you doing there?"
"Why, eavesdropping, of course, what does it look like?"
"Alby, you shouldn't have been listening to this. It doesn't involve you," said Anny.
"Yeah," added Jer, "and it's not something you would want to get involved with, either."
"Hmm, it seems to me that only I can be the judge of that, Mr. Naddel. And as I find myself branded as one of your friends by our comrades, I will probably be involved whether I want to be or not."
Anny considered that and had to admit that Alby was probably right. "So how much did you hear?"
But before Alby could answer, the call to fall in rang across the parade ground and they had to go. "We'll talk later," said Alby and he trotted away. The rest of the morning was spent in close-order drill. Anny was still in the second sergeant's position and she was quickly absorbed in carrying out her duties. Under Sergeant Byrne's watchful and relentless eye, there was no chance to speak with Alby or Jer, but at least there was also no opportunity for anyone to give her much trouble.
They managed a few words during lunch, but Alby really had nothing to add except his conviction that the hat Anny had found was probably deliberately planted. She wasn't certain: it did seem too obvious, but who said that her tormenters were smart? They agreed to keep a closer eye on Mederov.
In the short time she had after lunch Anny performed her daily ritual of carrying two five-liter containers of water back to her quarters. She stopped in dismay when she found the door to her quarters standing open. Oh no! Not again! She slowly crept to the door and looked inside. She was surprised to see Sergeant Major Szytko standing there. He turned to face her when he heard her small gasp. He was holding one of her ruined tunics. He must have gotten it off the trash pile. The rest of her quarters were untouched.
"It looks as though you had an accident here, cadet," he said. "Is there anything you'd like to report?"
Anny hesitated. Should she tell him what had happened? What would that set in motion? Investigations? Arrests? Chaos? She would dearly love to see the perpetrators hauled up on charges, but would that really accomplish anything? There were dozens more ready to take their place. And she would be branded as a stool pigeon for ratting on her comrades. The Commodore had warned her to keep a low profile. There's nothing the bureaucracy hates more than to have its nice routine upset. The Commandant hadn't been happy to have her here in the first place. He'd be even less happy if she forced him to take official notice of what had happened.
"No, Sergeant Major. Nothing to report."
"I see. Well, I suggest you put in a request to get the lock on your door fixed."
"I have, Sergeant Major. And for the plumbing and for the electricity."
He looked around in distaste. "Captain Vorthalon is in charge of Physical Plant. I don't have much influence there, but I'll put in a word."
"I'd appreciate that, Sergeant Major."
He checked his chrono. "You have formation in ten minutes. You begin close combat instruction this afternoon?"
"Yes."
"Sergeant Jervis will be your instructor." Szytko took a step closer and his voice fell to a near-whisper:
"Watch out for him."
[Scene Break]
"All right, gentlemen, listen up and pay attention. I am Sergeant Jervis and for the rest of this afternoon, your asses belong to me! I am going to introduce you to the arcane mysteries of close-combat. If you learn your lessons, they might just save your lives someday! Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir!"
Anny studied their close-combat instructor. He wasn't a particularly big man, but he was trim and fit and obviously in fine physical condition. He had a rugged face with a hooked nose and his scalp was shaved bare. He didn't look as old as Byrne or Szytko, but he was clearly a veteran of long experience who knew his business. The Academy staff all tended to be the best the Imperium could find. C Company was in the huge gymnasium the Academy boasted. It was big enough for battalion drill, but today it was divided up into smaller areas for individual company exercises. Anny's company was standing in its PT gear around a large, padded floor mat. Sergeant Byrne had marched them here and turned them over to Jervis for instruction. She was interested, and a little worried, to see Sergeant Major Szytko watching from a distance. What was he expecting to happen?
"We are going to start you off with the simple stuff: take downs," continued Jervis. "Getting your opponent on the ground is a big advantage and puts you in position to finish him off. There are many different ways to accomplish this. I'll start off by demonstrating some of them. Let me see, I need a volunteer… You! Cadet… uh… Payne! Step forward!"
Anny froze. Was this what Szytko was warning her about? Jervis was staring right at her and a very unsettling smile was on his face. "Come on, cadet! Are you afraid?" There was nothing for it. Anny stepped forward. "Good! Just stand there and don't move. Now, as I was saying, there are many ways to take a man—or a girl—down. Observe." Without warning, he seized Anny and flipped her across his hip and flung her to the mat. She'd been expecting it, but not quite so soon. She landed heavily and slowly got to her feet. "Let me demonstrate that again." He threw her down again. She was prepared this time and broke her fall as Dru had taught her. She got back up. "Now here's another method." He grabbed her arm and tossed her over his shoulder in a classic throw. She rolled as she landed, so it didn't hurt much. He kept throwing her and she kept going down. Five, ten, a dozen times, until Sergeant Byrne interrupted.
"I think they get the idea, Jervis." Anny looked over to Byrne. The expression on his face was unreadable, but he didn't seem pleased. Jervis just smirked.
"Relax, Byrne, I'm not hurting your little pet." He looked out at the other cadets. "Of course, you have to realize that in actual service you'll face real opponents who are just a bit more dangerous than Cadet Payne." He laughed and moved in to throw her again.
Drou Koudelkas had taught Anny one move that she called the sucker throw. It was something you could use against an unsuspecting opponent. She used it now. As Jervis came at her, she grabbed him, fell backwards, and tossed him over her head. He landed on the mat with a very satisfying thud. Anny got up and stared down at him. Jervis twisted around with a look of astonishment on his face which quickly changed to raw anger. He slowly got up and Anny backed away. She saw Sergeant Major Szytko grimace and shake his head.
"Well! That was an interesting move!" exclaimed Jervis who seemed to have quickly gotten control of his anger. He smiled at her. A smile that wasn't the least bit friendly. "Yes, a very interesting move, indeed. However, it is a move that is quite easily countered. Cadet Payne, when I attack, you will try to do that again. The exact same move. Do you understand?"
A shudder of fear went through her. The move would work against an unwitting opponent. But against someone expecting it, you were left wide open.
"I said: Do you understand, cadet?"
"Yes, Sergeant, I understand."
He came at her and she tried to throw him as she'd done before. She knew it wasn't going to work… He rammed his forearm and elbow into her chest at the level of her collarbone. The impact knocked her down and a cry of pain escaped her lips. "There, do you see? Stand up, cadet, I want to let them see that again." Gasping for breath, Anny struggled to her feet. He came at her again. She couldn't even attempt the sucker throw before he flattened her with another blow. Jervis stood over her and then faced the class.
"Watching is good, but there's no substitute for doing. I want each of you to try what I just showed you. Cadet Payne has kindly volunteered to continue to be our demonstrator, haven't you? Good girl. Let's get started. Uh… Palen, you're first." One of the cadets moved in front of her and then rushed forward. She braced herself and tried to use the sucker throw, but it was no use. He slammed into her like a Thugby player going for the ball and she was thrown to the mat with another stab of pain. "Good!" cried Jervis. "Exactly how you do it! Next!"
Anny got to her feet and was quickly knocked down again. She managed to twist a bit just before impact and take some of the blow on her shoulder instead of her chest, but it still hurt. The whole company? Seventy-five of them? Another cadet loomed up in front of her and down she went again. Stars danced in front of her eyes as she struggled back to her feet. She couldn't even brace herself before she was hit again.
"If you're getting tired, Cadet, just let me know," she heard Jervis say. "All you have to do is stay down and we'll move on to something else. Just stay down—where you belong."
Anny stood up.
"I'm fine, Sergeant." She stared him right in the eyes. He stared back at her for a few moments and then chuckled.
"Good. Next!"
It began again. Another cadet, another impact, another collision with the mat. More pain. One of them, accidentally or deliberately, hit her high, in the face. Her head was snapped back and when she dragged herself up this time, she was spitting blood.
"For God's sake, Anny! Stay down!" hissed someone. She thought it was Jer.
She got up again.
A half-dozen more impacts. She staggered to her feet. The next cadet merely nudged her, but she still fell.
"Oh no, that wasn't right!" called Jervis. "Cadet…uh…Naddel, you'll have to do that again. Do it again until you get it right." Strong hands hauled Anny to her feet and she was facing Jer. His face was twisted in anger.
"I'll do it to him, the bastard!" he whispered.
"No, Jer, no! Just get it done with. Hit me. He'll just have you do it again if you try to fake it."
"I'm sorry."
"It's all right." Jer was close to tears, but he backed off and rammed into her. Not nearly as hard as some of the others, but she didn't have to fake her groan of pain.
"Better! Next!"
Through the fog of agony that enveloped her, another cadet rushed forward. She had an instant to see that it was Levey. His arm slammed her square in the face and a bolt of white pain blasted her to the ground. She landed face-down and she could feel the blood leaking out of her nose. Stay down you idiot! What the hell are you trying to prove? But somehow, automatically, her arms started pushing her up. There was a roaring in her ears but through the noise she could hear a babble of voices. Some of them seemed to be telling her to stay down, but others were urging someone on.
"Hit her! Hit her! Come on, Mederov, hit her!"
Mederov! The red haze of pain floating before her eyes turned into a boiling sea of anger. The enemy! You… can't… beat… me! She surged to her feet to see the large man moving toward her. But this time she didn't just stand there and take it. As he neared her, she dodged to the side, pivoted, and drove out her foot with every ounce of strength she had left. She connected with the side of Mederov's knee and there was a crunch loud enough to be heard above the clamoring voices. Anny fell and so did Mederov. There was a howl of pain and for once it wasn't hers.
Silence. Except for the pounding in her ears and the groans of Mederov, there wasn't a sound for a long, long moment. But then a strong hand gripped her by the back of her T-shirt and yanked her to her feet. She found herself staring at a grinning Jervis from only a few centimeters distance.
"Cadet Payne, you have disobeyed a direct order and deliberately caused serious injury to another cadet. This is a very serious infraction and I'm going to see you brought up on charges—after we complete this exercise!"
"The exercise is over, Jervis." The hand released her and Anny fell to her knees. Sergeant Major Szytko was standing a few meters away.
"I'm in charge of this detail, Sergeant Major," said Jervis, but all the mockery and confidence was gone from his voice. "You have no business interfering."
"I'm making it my business." Anny stared at Szytko. His face was as expressionless as ever, but his hands were twitching at his sides. She had never seen a more lethal-looking man in her life. He stepped right up to Jervis and said in a whisper that only she and Jervis could hear: "And if you want to leave this building alive, you'll leave right now."
Jervis stepped back, his face twisting in a quick series of emotions. He stared at Szytko for a few moments longer. Then he turned and snarled: "Byrne! The company's yours!" Then he stalked off, walking just a bit too fast.
"Jon," said Szytko, "Call a medic and then get the rest of them out of here."
"Already on the way," replied Byrne. "C Company! Fall in!" Anny tried to stand up. But Szytko put out his hand.
"Not you. We need the medic to have a look at you, too. Then, unfortunately, we'll have to go and see the Commandant."
"The C-commandant? Why?"
"Because you're up on charges, cadet."
[Scene Break]
"Your nose is broken," said the doctor. "You have a greenstick fracture of your… uh breastbone. And your whole upper torso is a mass of bruises and contusions. Just what the hell were you doing?"
"I'm sure you'll hear the story, sir," replied Anny awkwardly. Her lips were swollen, too. They had taken her and Mederov back to the Infirmary for evaluation. This had caused a bit of commotion. The staff was entirely male and they weren't quite sure how to go about handling her. Finally, they had summoned an older, married doctor and he had taken over. The scans showed that she was hurt more seriously than she'd guessed.
"Well, I've reset your nose and I'll tape up your chest. The synergine I gave you will help with the bruises and swelling. How do you feel? Are the painkillers helping?"
"Yes, sir. Quite a lot, thank you." In truth, she felt like she'd been run over by a ground car. A big heavy one like the Vorkosigans had. There wasn't a part of her that didn't hurt, but at least in most places it was just a dull ache now, instead of a red-hot pain.
"Good. Well, you just rest here a bit. I'll be back in a while to see how you're doing." The doctor left the small exam room where she was sitting and closed the door. She leaned back and shut her eyes. This had not been a good day. Charges! God, what have I gotten myself into? As the drugs and the fatigue took effect, she sank into misery and then finally into sleep.
She woke with a start and a groan of pain and was amazed to see the morning sunshine streaming through the window of a room she had no memory of. She was in a bed, wearing a hospital gown. She'd slept a whole night away? Apparently so, an orderly brought her breakfast on a tray. After a while she decided that she felt well enough to move. She still hurt, but it wasn't too bad. There was an attached bathroom and she took a gloriously hot shower and attended to other necessities. She was shocked to see herself in the mirror. Both of her eyes were as black as road tar. A white bandage covered her nose. She looked like hell.
When she came out, she could find no trace of her uniform. But while she was looking, there was a knock on the door. She pulled the gown around her and retreated to the bed. "Come in." She was delighted to see Jer and Alby.
"Good morning!" said Alby. "Cripes, you look like hell, Anny!"
"Thanks, I know."
"They had us bring you a fresh uniform," said Jer. "Took us a while to find it: you have your stuff hidden pretty well."
"They are actually making you live in that dump?' asked Alby.
"Yeah. And I guess I didn't hide it well enough."
"Anny, I'm so sorry I hit you yesterday."
"You didn't have any choice. Don't worry about it. So, what's happening?"
"The company is in an uproar. Hell, probably the whole battalion."
"The whole Academy from what I've observed," said Alby.
"Why? You mean because of what happened?"
"Yeah. Seems like you've split things right down the middle."
"I don't understand."
"What you did yesterday, I mean the way you kept getting back up when you could have stayed down. That… that was the bravest thing I've ever seen. And it really got to a lot of us. Even some of the ones who hit you at first were ashamed of themselves, You could see it in their eyes later. They were trying to get you to stay down and end it. But you wouldn't."
"You said there was a split. I assume that means that not everyone feels that way?"
"No. Unfortunately not. The twits were crowing and strutting and bragging about how badly they pasted you. That seriously pissed off the rest of us. We had half a dozen fist-fights in the barracks last night."
"Good God! Serious?" Anny looked more closely at Jer and realized he had a bruise on one cheek.
"Not really. Nothing that needed the Guard to put down or anything. Byrne had to come and break things up a couple of times." Jer looked uncomfortable. "Oh, and I'm afraid we were wrong about Mederov."
"What do you mean?"
"He isn't one of the twits. I'm sure his hat was planted in your quarters. You were too stunned to see, but he really didn't want to hit you yesterday. He tried to refuse. Tried to hold back, but Jervis was threatening him with punishment if he disobeyed a direct order. Finally, he went ahead."
"Just at the moment I decided to fight back," said Anny bitterly. "Damn! How bad did I hurt him?"
"You smashed his knee pretty good. He'll probably be a week in here."
"Hell."
"Anny?" said Alby. For some reason he was blushing.
"Yeah?"
"Anny, I want to apologize."
"What? What for?"
"I… I, uh haven't been honest with you."
"About what?"
"When I was acting like your friend earlier. I… wasn't really."
"I don't understand."
"I was only doing it because it seemed to tick off the other Vor so much. Bunch of stuck-up jerks. They don't dare touch me because of the connections my parents have. I was just rubbing their noses in it." His blush was deepening and he wouldn't meet her eyes. "But… but after yesterday that all changed. I am your friend now. Really. I'll do anything I can to help you. Anything."
She was moved. She reached out to touch his arm. "Thank you Alby. I really, really appreciate that."
There was an awkward silence for a moment and then Jer held out the bundle of clothing. "Here, you better get dressed. You have to report to the Commandant's office in less than an hour."
[Scene Break]
Sergeant Major Szytko escorted her from the Infirmary to the Commandant's Office. Her company was on the parade ground drilling and she desperately wished she was out there with them. "What's going to happen?" she asked.
"The charges against you will be reviewed by the Commandant. What happens then will…depend."
"Depend on what?"
"Do you know why you are up on charges, cadet?"
"Uh, because I disobeyed Sergeant Jervis' order and because I injured Cadet Mederov."
"You are up on charges because Sergeant Jervis said you were up on charges in front of a whole company of witnesses. We have a certain way of doing things here, cadet, and I'd advise you to remember that."
"Yes, sir."
"You made two mistakes yesterday. Twice, you let your anger get the best of you and you did something stupid. Don't let it happen a third time. Keep your head, say as little as possible, and you might just come through this."
"Yes, sir."
They walked on in silence for a time and then Anny said: "Sergeant Major?"
"Yes?"
"Would you really have killed him yesterday?"
Szytko didn't answer.
They reached the building where the Commandant had his office and passed the sentries. A few moments later they were ushered into the Commandant's office. Colonel Sylvanus was seated at his desk, just as he was the last time Anny had been here. The Sergeant Major took up his position of parade rest just as he had before.
"Cadet Payne, reporting as ordered, sir." She saluted, even though she could barely raise her arm above her waist, and the Colonel returned it.
"Yes. Stand at ease, cadet," said Sylvanus. He looked her over and his frown deepened. He shuffled some papers around on his desk and then cleared his throat. "Cadet Payne, charges have been made against you. There are two ways we can deal with this. You can elect to have an Administrative Review which means that I will look over the evidence, make a decision, and decide on any punishment. You will not be permitted legal counsel and any decisions I make cannot be appealed. Do you understand?"
Anny gulped and nodded. She wished the Commodore had spent more time on military legal matters. "Yes, sir, I understand."
"The other option is for you to demand a general court-martial. In such a case all the usual legal procedures will apply. Which do you prefer?"
Anny's stomach seemed to fall away into a dark hole. Court-martial! She hadn't realized that this was so serious! The Commodore had told her not to upset the bureaucracy and she could think of few things more upsetting than a court-martial. But if she gave up that right, her fate would be entirely in Sylvanus' hands. He could throw her out of the Academy with a word—and no one would be likely to challenge it. Could she trust him? She looked at Szytko, but he was staring past her again. Don't make that third mistake! But which was the mistake? You let your anger get the best of you. With a court-martial she would be able to testify, give her side of the story, level counteraccusations against her tormentors—in other words, give vent to her anger! Was he warning her not to do that?
"Cadet?" Sylvanus was waiting for her answer.
"Sir, I request an Administrative Review."
There was a palpable lessening of the tension in the room. Sylvanus leaned back a little in his chair and even Szytko seemed more relaxed. "Very well," said Sylvanus. "Let me review the charges. Cadet Payne, did Sergeant Jervis order you to use only that one specific close-combat move against the cadets sent to attack you?"
"Yes, sir."
"And did you willfully disobey that order and use another, completely different move, against Cadet Mederov?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did your move result in serious injury to Cadet Mederov?"
"Yes, sir."
Sylvanus leaned farther back in his chair and stared at her for a long time. What was he thinking? Had she made the wrong choice after all? Finally, he leaned forward again. "Cadet, your actions could easily be considered a dismissable offense." She caught her breath. "However," Sylvanus' hand went briefly to his nose and then dropped back to the desk. "Having heard testimony from Sergeant Major Szytko, Sergeant Byrne, and several other witnesses, I have to conclude that there are a number of mitigating circumstances that must be taken into consideration. Therefore," he paused and let out a long breath, "you will remain here at the Academy, and there will be no permanent record of this incident in your files. You will, however, be required to serve a certain number of rounds of administrative punishment, the specifics of which shall be determined later."
Anny gasped in relief. "That… that's it?"
"That's it, cadet. You're dismissed."
"Thank you, sir!" She saluted. It hurt.
He returned it and added: "I trust I won't be seeing you again anytime soon, cadet. Now get back to your company."
She didn't waste a moment. She faced about and was out of the office in two seconds. Szytko was right beside her. As they marched down the hallway they heard the Commandant bellow to his aide:
"Scoggins! Tell Sergeant Jervis to get his ass over here! And I mean right now!"
[Scene Break]
"I'm here to see Cadet Mederov," said Anny to the clerk at the Infirmary desk. The man looked at her in surprise. She wasn't sure if it was because of her sex or because of her black eyes and bandages.
"Uh, room twelve."
"Thank you."
She went down the corridor and found the correct room. She hesitated outside the door and peered abound the frame. Mederov was sitting up in a bed with some large contraption encasing his left knee. Anny softly rapped on the door frame. Mederov looked over and his eyes got very wide when he saw her. "Can I come in?" she asked.
"Uh, sure! Come on in." He tried to sit up a little straighter. She walked over next to the bed.
"Mr. Mederov, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry I hurt you the way I did."
"I… Uh, that's okay. If I'd been in a fix like you were I probably would have done the same. And I'm real sorry about trying to hit you, Miss Payne. I didn't want to."
"I know. How's the knee?"
"Oh, it's getting better fast. I've had worse working back on the farm."
"Really? I'm from a farm, too. Where are you from?"
"South Continent. You?"
"Vorkosigan District. The Dendarii Mountains."
"I've heard of those. I'd like to see them sometime. It's flatter'n the parade ground where I live. Uh… how are you, Miss Payne? It made me mad to see them hurting you that way."
"I'm all right. And please call me Anny."
"Fine, Anny. If you'll call me Patric."
"Okay." She held out her hand and smiled. After a moment he took it.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Patric.