50. Her Lover's Bite
It was strange and more than a little disturbing to limp through ranks of still and silent cadets standing at ease, but Leoni kept everyone in place with a verbal dressing down until Cataloupe, Maredo, and Bron were well on their way to medical. Cataloupe hovered beside Kedi, Maredo helped Avocato, and Bron supported Nikos, whose tail now hung limp and still and broken.
Avocato cast swift glances at the faces they passed. Some of the cadets were furious, some suddenly shamefaced. Still others glared back with undisguised hatred. A few, like Zanbi, were weeping. He shook his head, unable to make any sense of reactions so extreme and so impulsive.
"In all my years serving as head of this academy," boomed Leoni over the speakers, her fury evident, "I have never seen a more shameful display of misconduct as I've had the gross misfortune to witness in the past twenty-five minutes. I am not speaking about Cadets Avocato, Kedi, and Nikos. What they did today, they did not only with permission, but on my order."
Maredo looked sharply at Avocato, who whispered, "She ordered us to win."
"Ah," said the commodore with a knowing smile. Avocato got the impression his cousin, whom he had never been very close to because of their age differences though they had always been on friendly terms, was secretly delighted to be witness to all this drama. It was far more exciting than simply being a guest speaker.
They reached the area of the track where many of the students had congregated by the fence to watch. Kemuri, with Biri and Choon close behind, flashed them a wide, proud smile and nod. Avocato grimaced at the amount of gravel that was strewn over the surface. Nikos must have sliced his hands to ribbons on the jagged rocks despite his gloves.
"Every student presently on the track who was not scheduled to race at this time is now on report pending disciplinary review," continued Leoni coldly, every inch the officer in command. "Those who were racing but saw fit to obstruct their fellow cadets by threatening, blocking, or interfering in any way, are on report pending disciplinary hearing. Those who physically assaulted their fellow cadets in any way are on report pending disciplinary hearing and possible prosecution or expulsion from this academy or both. The parents of everyone involved will be notified. Cadets on probation face possible expulsion or an extended probation. Cadets attending the academy on scholarships risk losing said scholarships. I do not care what your motivation might have been in this disgrace, there is never any acceptable excuse for attacking your peers."
They exited the sports ground and slowly made their way towards the paved pathway. The rain had slowed a little, and a thin fog started to wind its way over the landscape. They could still hear Leoni's voice echo across the campus as she issued orders and started the process of taking names. Her fury and disappointment came through with every word, and it was going to be a very long night for everyone.
"Cousin," Maredo said softly, initiating a conversation between family members and not military men, thus allowing for greater intimacy and freedom. He was positively beaming. "Whatever made you decide to do this . . . Commodore Leoni called it ice running?"
"We learned it last summer visiting the Far Reaches. It's so much faster than conventional running," Avocato replied, trying not to move his mouth too much. He was terribly thirsty and there was the lingering taste of medgel on his poor tongue. "We wanted to win, but we also wanted to remind the academy there's more than one way to do everything."
Maredo had been one of the many titled officers Avocato had introduced to his friends at Catomar's wedding, so he knew Kedi hailed from the extreme northern climes. Indeed, he had been one of the many guests engaging Kedi about hunting snow lizards at the luncheon the day before the ball.
"Ice running is almost as impressive as your daring and nerve, and that of your friends. If one of your goals was to stick in General Basmet's craw, you succeeded handsomely, my dear."
"We didn't know he would be here," Avocato said unhappily, wishing the general was long gone from his life. He knew intuitively that the old man would be incensed over this show. Basmet would probably take it personally, too.
"Leoni has him in hand and she won't let him go anytime soon. Don't worry. I can get to the Lords of the Military long before he can. "
Relieved, Avocato smiled as they maneuvered the stairs leading to the walkways. From there, it wasn't far to medical. Their pace was down to a crawl to match Nikos' increasingly slow steps as the pain of a broken tail hit him full force. Avocato wasn't sure he could have gone much faster.
By now visibly shivering, Nikos quietly asked, "What happened out there?"
They all understood his meaning. They had expected a reaction, but this violence was unprecedented.
"Culture shock," muttered Kedi.
"I have a theory," said Maredo, "and you're not far off the mark, Cadet Kedi. Have any of you ever studied opera?"
There was a pause, and even Bron, a hanger-on to this discussion, blinked in confusion. Finally, Cataloupe said diplomatically, "I have not had the pleasure, sir."
As if realizing this was not quite the audience for such a question, Maredo laughed. "Well, my mother is a musician, and all my sisters can sing, so I had no choice. Probably why I have such a good understanding of resonance. Anyway, a dozen centuries or so ago, not too long before space travel, an opera called Her Lover's Bite premiered in Alfitrix's Theater Grand."
"I've been there," murmured Avocato, recognizing the name.
"I'm sure. It's been rebuilt several times, but it's always been a theater." Maredo easily slipped into lecture mode. "The opera was unlike anything that had seen the stage before. The story was scandalous, the music was dissonant and did not adhere to the accepted standards or structures of the time, the lyrics glorified the main character's infidelity. Worst of all, the main character was a commoner. Up to that point, the opera had always been lavish celebrations of the royalty and nobility. This was a slap in the face of all decency," said Maredo with obvious relish. "To say that the audience reacted . . . mmm, badly is an understatement. Mind you, the only people who went to the opera then, the only ones who could afford to, were the nobility, mostly from Alfitrix and the surrounds. As the performance ended and our protagonist not only had the nerve to live but never regretted the love affair, the audience erupted. People were standing on their seats and screaming, fights broke out, they stormed the stage and tore the set to shreds. Needless to say, Her Lover's Bite was banned after just one performance, but the opera became an underground hit with the common folk, and the music became incredibly influential, even up to this day."
"Few things work better to popularize a thing than to ban it," observed Cataloupe.
"Just so, Colonel. When my mother told me this story, I remember I asked her why people reacted this way since it was just an opera. She said society at that time was not prepared for such an extreme change in what they held dear. That never seemed like quite a complete answer to me, even when I was eleven. What I've come to understand since then is that as a whole the nobility fears anything that threatens to undermine its control. You've seen it, Avocato. You all have. What forces them out of their comfort zone or challenges their sense of superiority is to be ruthlessly quashed. Instantly and without consideration for consequences lest it catch on and become the new norm. So, I think, Lord Kedi, that what we saw today was the royal academy's version of Her Lover's Bite."
They were silent for a long moment, considering. It actually seemed a plausible explanation. Avocato especially had seen many of his peers unable to adapt to the unexpected, or unable to accept that they were not always the best. It was easier to lash out than to admit to mistakes or make a new plan. At least, for some people. He thought of Yanako, Kitner, Chausette. Even his oldest brother, Catomar. Yanako, at least, had managed to rethink her values and come around. He couldn't see the others doing anything like unless absolutely forced to.
"You may be right, Commodore," said Kedi. "We have certainly upset their balance."
"What was our time?" Avocato asked, burning to know.
"Ah! I had a word with Chief Binx while the colonel was scraping your Nikos off the ground," Maredo said brightly, as if he wasn't soaked through and hauling around a grimy, bloody, muddy mess of a student. "The official time hasn't been announced, but minus the five minutes and more Leoni let everyone enjoy the rainfall, I'd say just over twenty-three minutes. If there hadn't been any interference, I'd hazard you three could have broken the twenty-minute mark, or close to. Even including the delays, it's still a record. Isn't that so, Cataloupe?"
"Indeed. You boys did very well," said Cataloupe. "I'm very proud of you. And of those who stood up for you."
A wave of nausea made Avocato grimace. He looked at Maredo and said, "Cousin Tiggo will not be happy."
"His father even less so, if I know Tigger," admitted Maredo, echoing the grimace slightly. "Does your father know you did this?"
"I sent a letter that will arrive today. He will have read it by now. My parents knew I was running the Smilodon, and it's possible the family lawyers have already alerted them."
The commodore broke into a broad grin as he realized how thoroughly Avocato had planned this. "Catomar has taught you well, Avocato."
"Thank you, sir. He'll be pleased you said that."
Though that might be the only thing Grand Lord Catomar was pleased about, Avocato though wryly.
Poor Nikos' broken tail had him on the verge of being sick to his stomach by the time they reached medical. All too familiar with that particular injury, Avocato was content to wait to be treated. He sat in the corner with the officers and Kedi as student medics trailed after Dr. Chausie like a string of kits following their mother. Though medical was more crowded than Avocato had ever seen before, the injuries being treated were minor – scrapes and bumps and sprains and other ailments associated with running - and not nearly as thrilling as what Nikos had to offer. Bron determinedly elbowed in close beside the doctor, and a dozen scanners hummed a chorus over Avocato's waterlogged roommate lying limp on the bio-bed.
"I've seen fatter fish bones," observed Maredo, torn between horror and wonder as he stared at Nikos. "Does he eat?"
"Surprisingly, yes," said Kedi. "That's normal."
"Perhaps you should order him to eat more," muttered the commodore to Cataloupe, more than half-serious.
Stillness seemed to weigh Avocato down. The warm, calm setting settled in on him almost immediately, and Avocato was unaware of drowsing off until he woke with a start. Dr. Chausie, with her usual manic energy, stood before him.
"Well, Cadet Avocato, I understand you have a long list of ailments for us. Come along. Let's have a look at you."
Laying on an empty bio-bed, his head pounding and his stomach churning, Avocato was silent as Chausie consulted with Bron. The cadet was smug and happy as she approved his initial findings, pointing out a few more minor injuries his broader scan had missed. Avocato tuned them out, far more interested in trying to overhear Cataloupe and Maredo holding a close discussion with Major Miku and Colonel Tibbet. Inappropriate as eavesdropping may be, Avocato could tell their relay had stirred up a storm of reaction and he preferred not being blindsided by developments. The officers were speaking too quietly and the medbay was too noisy for him to hear anything, much to his disappointment. All he caught was Miku saying,
". . . not tonight. Keep them here."
Cataloupe nodded and looked to the commodore, asking, "Sir, if necessary, may I call on your aid tomorrow?"
Maredo glanced at his host, then said, "I'm not scheduled to speak until the day after tomorrow. I'll be at your disposal, Colonel."
Miku let out a sigh as he looked over to where Kedi was having long scratches on his sides treated and Avocato was being scanned for a concussion. "This is a mess, Cataloupe."
"They aren't the ones who chose violence."
"No," agreed Miku, sounding supremely weary,"they aren't. It is, nonetheless, a mess."