39. Chockpaw 223
"What?! I don't - argh!"
"Something wrong, Cato?"
Avocato frowned at the screen open before him, and threw both hands up in frustration. "I've been killed. Again."
Looking up from the homework spread out across his desk, Nikos frowned in solidarity. "You mean Chockpaw? Again? That's what . . . " He did some quick calculations on his fingers. "The third time?"
"Yes!"
Nikos left his desk to lean over Avocato's shoulder, peering at the screen of the rec padd. "You complained about their troop deployment just two days ago. You weren't anywhere near the fighting, you said."
"I wasn't. According to my stats, my lieutenant stepped on a landmine and I was killed by the explosion."
"Convenient. And the last time was . . . ?"
"Friendly fire - oh, excuse me - the mortars misfired."
The war games club was a purely virtual club where aspiring leaders reenacted past battles both planetside and in space. It allowed the cadets to learn and apply strategic reasoning and problem solving in the field. Avocato had been in it since his first year at the academy. It was completely anonymous, everyone being given a code name each year and carefully avoiding personal information when they interacted. The connections were secure and untraceable, so no one could figure out who was who, which was good, since Avocato had managed to upstage the older students from the start. Everyone was assigned random ranks and positions for each scenario, and after each person entered their next action in the conflict, they found out what everyone had done, plus whatever variables like weather and terrain or new orders played on the situation. It was enjoyable, fast-paced, and Avocato had learned a lot. He had also, apparently, made enemies.
"Rather unprecedented, don't you think? Three times in a row before the main action starts?"
They both knew Avocato was a better soldier than to get killed
"Very, since I was the only officer killed in this action. And the first time I lead a forlorn hope that never should have happened."
"Has someone figured out Chockpaw 223 is you? Do you think this is deliberate? Targeted? Take you out early so you can't do what you did this first semester? Or last year, for that matter?"
"I doubt they could figure out my name for last year."
"What about this year?"
The names were changed each year to avoid anyone figuring who was who. Nikos was the only one who knew Avocato's code name then and now. It was inevitable when roommates were as close as they, and Avocato knew Nikos would never tell anyone. Not even Toshi or Felice knew who he was in the games, and Felice was in the club, too. Nikos had not joined, being too busy with numerous extracurricular activities and tutoring of his own, so he had no stake in this outside of having to listen to his best friend vent.
Early in the first semester, for the sake of the mission he commanded, Avocato had sacrificed 79% of his fleet to delay the Tryvuulians in a recreation of the Battle of Jor Prime. Historically, the battle had been part of a larger action where the commodore in Avocato's position had not strictly followed orders, had not sacrificed his fleet, and had not delayed the Tryvuulians, resulting in Ventrexia losing the battle. Unfettered by sentiment, Avocato had ruthlessly sent ship after ship to their doom, fulfilling the mission parameters, saving the overall battle, and earning the animosity of the other cadets in the war games club for disregarding the scenario and getting everyone killed without remorse. Many participants had speculated – insinuated, really - Chockpaw 223 had acted this way out of self-preservation, not duty, regardless of the fact Avocato had spearheaded the assault. In the hotwash that followed the end of the scenario, Major Inka had finally intervened to give them a history lesson before things got out of hand. After the real battle they learned, Commodore Nexi had tried to rejoin the main Ventrexian fleet, only to find it had been essentially wiped out. He had preserved his ships at the cost of three times that number, and had been court martialed and executed. It was a little-known battle and trial, the Ventrexian high command having many such examples in their thousand-year war with Tryvuul, but Avocato refused to let history repeat itself.
"I want to say no, but I'm far more inclined to say yes right now."
"Third time in a row. They're not exactly subtle. Who's in overall command of this scenario?"
He gestured helplessly, ignorant of details. "Toebee 9."
"Hmm. Whoever that is. Who's in charge of the war games club?"
"Major Inka."
"Maybe ask him if this is normal."
Avocato made a face. "What about me is ever normal?"
Nikos clapped him on the shoulder, pushing off as he rose. "Me. I am your normal, Avocato. Beyond that, you're on your own."
"Ventrexia help me," he grumbled.
"She has," Nikos said brightly. "She sent you me."
"Go away. Let me die in pieces."
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". . . not impossible to be killed so many times, of course, but it is unusual, especially given your location the last two scenarios." Major Inka crossed his arms thoughtfully, a frown not unlike the Avocato had worn creasing his brow. He handed Avocato's gaming padd back to him. "Without looking into the matter, I can't say if it's deliberate, or if they know it's you. Have you told anyone your handle?"
"My roommate knows it. Cadet Nikos."
"That's not unusual. It's hard to keep secrets in rooms so small."
"I asked him not to mention it, and I trust him completely. He'd never talk."
Inka shrugged, unconcerned. He knew Nikos well enough to agree. "I'll check the conversation logs for anything out of the ordinary. This scenario should be wrapping up next week. I'll make sure you end up in a safe location for the upcoming game. We'll see what happens next."
"Yes, sir."
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"I don't believe this!"
"What? Not dead again?" Nikos poked his head out of the refresher and caught sight of Avocato's expression. "Oh. Very dead again."
"This is not a coincidence."
"Someone wants to kill you. Imagine that."
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"We're scrambling some of the names, Cadet Avocato, and reassigning them. What happens next will tell us if it's the name they're targeting, or the computer."
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"So, there's a new Chockpaw 223?"
"Yes. Major Inka."
"Oh, this will be interesting."
"Let's hope."
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Nikos sighed as his roommate let out a howl of frustration.
"Sounds like I'm going to another funeral."
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"The padd you were using for club activities has been hacked, Cadet Avocato, and your account for the club has been accessed. I allowed it to go on for so long to give us time to trace the party responsible, and collect proof of their conduct."
Avocato took a moment before replying, getting his indignation under control. That his padd had been hacked was obvious. It would have been nice to know something was being done every time he was being virtually killed off. He sat in Major Inka's cluttered office, Colonel Catalopue in the chair beside him, in an unexpected, late-night meeting. Cataloupe had been waiting to intercept him outside the library as he finished up tutoring, and brought him here to be updated on the investigation.
"Is it someone in the third year?" he asked when no additional information was offered.
"No," Inka replied. "It's one of the first-years."
A sinking feeling struck hard at his chest, and he glanced at Cataloupe. "How did they know I was in the war games club?"
"It was probably logical deduction. Almost all the command track students are in this club. I had your academic records checked, but they remain sealed."
Cataloupe stirred. He made no attempt to hide that he was supremely displeased with the situation and the fact that his student was targeted. "The cadet in question is Borber, who is the roommate of Cadet Lord Novenk, whom you disciplined along with Cadet Lords Apritom, Spence, and Zuzul their first day here."
Avocato let out a breath that was as much sigh as growl. "I'm not at all familiar with Cadet Borber."
"His computer skills are impressive, according to his academic records," allowed Cataloupe. "His choice of companions less so."
"At the risk of sounding grossly classist, Major, may I ask if Cadet Borber is of noble birth?"
"No," said Inka. "He's not. Why?"
"He's being used," Avocato said simply. Apritom – and by extension, his cronies – was the sort who would not associate with commoners unless he had a use for them. Anyone of higher social status was a threat and to be envied, anyone of lower status was disposable. It was an attitude Avocato had encountered too often with petty nobles. Both officers understood his meaning.
"Perhaps, Avocato," Inka continued, "but his actions are a clear violation of the academy's code of conduct. Cheating and interfering with another cadet's performance are addressed directly. That this is a club and not part of the curriculum is immaterial. Borber signed the form saying he had read and understood the code of conduct, and even if he's being coerced, he still did this."
"Yes, sir." He agreed with the major's assessment, even though he felt a pang of sympathy for Borber. Perhaps he was intimidated by Novenk, or had been swayed by promises. Or, who knew? He might even be complicit, not put up to it at all, but eager to show off his hacking skills. "What happens now?"
"I'll be speaking to Cadet Borber in the morning and listening to what he has to say. Further action will be dependent upon his statement and examination of his rec padd." Major Inka picked up a padd from his desk. "Take this for the club. I'll need the rec padd you're using now as evidence. Bring it to me first thing in the morning. I must also tell you to avoid any and all contact with Cadet Borber."
Given Avocato didn't even know what Borber looked like, that was an easy order to follow.
"Yes, sir." He hesitated.
"Yes?" pressed Inka.
"Speak freely, Avocato," ordered Cataloupe. "This is an investigation. If you have any insights or opinions, we want to hear them."
"Yes, sir. Sir, I can't help but think this is retaliation on Apritom's behalf."
"Then you're in good company, cadet," said Cataloupe, smiling behind his mustache.