I turn a little, to face him directly. "I'm just trying to tell you what's what, man."
I look over the crowd. Tabitha's up in the stands already. Ashlee. That witch Ourania. Nadja - she's trying to catch my eye but I keep moving my head so it's like I'm looking for something and not ignoring her. Nadja looks hot. Like super hot. Maybe I will go over just for a second and-- no wait, I was doing something. Oh yeah, the camera pods. Whirring left and right. Adults watching the game remotely.
"Look, Coach Simms is your coach, right, but what else is he? Do you even know what he does the rest of the time? No, because you've never heard of him. He's just... some guy. Once you hit 18, he won't be able to help you. So think about who else is watching. Her for one" I mean Ourania. "She tells her mother everything she sees. Everything. And who else do you think is here on holo? Your pod chief, probably, who I remember giving a long drokking speech about sportsmanship and fair play."
The pod chief signs off on all medical screening results. I go silent. Let him mull that over for a while.
I stand still for a moment, exhale a puff of air and shake my head. Ourania... huh? I glance up the stands at Mi Sun, wondering if she noticed what just happened.
But then I notice Tabitha, out of the game and up in the stands. My face lights up as I see her.
I hurry over to Tabitha, crawling past a row of (surprisingly) mostly-filled seats, "awesome take down! Gen Yu didn't even see you coming! Was I right or what?" I have a childish excitement about the match, and about my involvement in it, however small it is.
But yeah, she is standing here isn't she, "it's total b.s. that you got dq'ed... come on really?" I look over towards the court and weakly shout, "is she not supposed to try? Ref?"
I want to do something, high-five her... hug her... something. But instead I just stand in a quivering state of over-excitement and grin.
Ashlee is so cute when she's animated like this. I smile back. She's like a puppy, just unable to figure out what to do with herself. I can't help but reach out to ruffle her hair.
"You were right. Do you have it recorded? I want to see where that DQ came from."
Gwen's family had a dog named Pickles. "Not that Coach will pull for me."
She's right. I feel a little cold knot in my stomach when she asked if I have it recorded. And she's looking at me in this weirdly nostalgic way that makes me fidget.
Ashlee, stupid, of course you should be recording!
I stutter briefly, then realize, "uhh... come on, look at this place? They gotta be recording team power's practice! We just gotta get on the feed... shouldn't be... too hard right?"
Ezekiel knows exactly who her is, and that intrigues him. He glances at your team, then his. Licks his lips for a moment, then makes a decision. "I can sit Kellek. He's new, and slow. It would be more fair with the shorter squads. But, hey, Ourania... I want you to set up a meeting. There's some stuff I want to talk to her about. Make that happen for me, alright?" It's a request, but he's expecting a trade here.
Ashlee,
Sounds like you'd like to splice in and get a look at the recordings, right?
When you try to circumvent the ship's systems, roll with Dark. On a hit, you get past them. On a 7-9, choose one: - You attract unwanted attention - Take a Condition for your hard work - You take 1-Harm in the effort - You're so thrilled or guilty by the success, you have to tell the first kid you see about it
I open my mouth to return the greeting when Ashlee hurries over and starts chattering. I close my mouth, nonplussed. Considering what I've just asked of her, and the way Tabitha ruffles her hair affectionately, I bite back an urge to snark something mean at her, even giving a small smile.
I just sit down by my roommate instead. You know what? I missed her.
"Hey," I break in when Ashlee's done. "You can come home after the game. I told the Commandant about Haliday and she investigated. He's been pulled and your sentence reduced to time served."
I glance back at the game, following the action vaguely.
"But don't get into any more trouble for a bit, okay? Or at least..." I look over again, edge of my mouth curling. "...don't get caught."
I nod encouragingly and take a step back, leaning with my butt (kinda painfully actually) against the corner of the nearest chair. I take ot my navi and try to connect to the local pod network... they must have a broadcast feed in this court. I mean. Just look at it!
I glance up as Ourania stalks over, surprised to hear the good news. If they look they catch me grinning as I work.
"OK, if you want," I say to Ezekiel, "but be careful what you wish for. She has claws." And I point to the scratch mark Ourania gave me, which you can just about make out now if you know where you're looking.
Big lunking Kellek is sent off to the benches. Power and the Hawks line up, each a player short. In moments the tone sounds and the speedball is in motion again. Gams is in front, using her big body to try and nail Zola when she heads for the ball, but Pax comes across to lock her down. Pax's form isn't strong, but her momentum is good enough to free up Zola. Zola starts heading for the hole.
Mark, your coach wanted you to lock them down, but Zola's pulling away, heading to score. What do you do?
I sit next to Ourania when Ashlee is engrossed in her Navi. I'm riveted by what she's saying, eyes wide, leaning in. The discomfort I felt with Ourania the last time we saw each other melts. "I'm done with Iso?!"
I throw an arm over Ourania's shoulder and give her a squeeze. It's the best news I've had all week, with furlough a close second! "Thank you! And no more Halladay. Hah!"
When the action heats up, I stand again, scream Zola's name. Power dropped a player. What's been going on down there?
Coach wants us to play defensive, and I can live with that. You don't need the ball to control the play. I drop off Ezekiel and coordinate my coverage with Rys to channel the play the right way, out to one side.
Don't press too hard. Don't over-commit. Just give him enough rope to think he's free when he gets the ball. He's not free. As he'll find out hard when he receives the ball.
(Aiming for Control Play first, Lock Down next time.)
Guess I don't get to smash Zekey just yet. On the plus side, the team put together a textbook counter-attack. My movement was a little off, maybe. Zeke had a second to see me coming. Fear in his eyes. He dumped the ball off in a panic - directly to Rys!
And Zola was still unmarked at the far end. Easy goal.
I still feel like smashing someone, though. The game needs more mayhem.
The Hawks make a series of moves, including a steal, and Zola scores. Zola throws her arms up as the crowd cheers. She points up to you, Tabitha, smiling and jumping up and down with excitement. Pax comes up to hug her fiercely, and even Rys moves over to clap her shoulder.
As the network connects I can't keep a stupid grin off my face. Back in the lab I wasn't provided my own navi, I always had to watch what they put up on my monitors, so when i reached school it was kind of an awakening. But I still haven't quite caught up to some of these kids who've grown up with these things.
Still. This is very satisfying.
I step over to where Tabitha and Ourania are chatting and lean over the arm of Tabitha's chair to hold the navi over her lap. The live feed from the match is on screen, we can scan back and forward to highlights... penalties and goals (automatically time-stamped by the system, of course.)
"Check it out! I told you I could do it! You wanna scan your dq, Tabitha?" I gesture with the navi for her to take it, realizing that Ourania is like, right here, too. I laugh nervously and my mouth feels a little dry.
I break into a full grin and a chuckle at Tabitha's affection and happiness. It nudges something warm. "You're welcome"
It kind of falls off when she screams for Zola, and I have to think about that situation. But she's not looking at me anyway.
I smirk at Ashlee but she must realize that if I want her to do something that she's safe from any rules infractions. Honestly, girl, think about it. Hell, at the moment she's safe from such things anyway.
I smile and gesture back to Zola as she points at me, tapping a fist over my heart. I think I've seen it in feeds. A team thing.
Ashley's excitement peaks again and I look down at what she's done.
"Yeah, I want to." I accept the navi and sweep through the feed highlights. It feels sort of great, I even missed navis while I was in Iso. In a week or two I might be back to sort of resenting them.
When I find my DQ I go over it carefully in slo-mo, trying to learn. I'm not some Speedball legend who knows by instinct, and Coach is too hands-off to tell me. "What does this look like? To you."
The call is close, the contact seems legit at one angle, then another shows Tabitha bringing a hand up near Gen Yu's throat. Ashlee, in a league, this would not be a DQ. Also, the call was delayed.
Ourania, Bea is sitting at the top of the bleachers, quietly watching you.
"It's not a real match. So it's off the record." So no one will get in the least trouble for a bad call. I watch the replay again. "Someone is putting me in my place." I look at the remote cameras.
"I did just come out of Iso. And on the other side. I've got more enemies than friends. Only so much mercy for a failure." I say it all neutrally. It's just true. My focus shifts from Ashlee and the navi to the game being played.
As you climb the bleachers up to where Bea's perched, she looks away, then over to Nadja. Of course Nadja's watching this with a smirk. Bea scoots slightly away when you sit next to her. She looks down at the crowd, anywhere but Nadja, her hands gripping the edge of the bleachers like she's trying to hold on. "You should maybe...go, Ourania. I don't want any trouble. For either of us." Her voice's strained like she pushed it past her teeth.
Bea looks back at you now, you hold her gaze. She swallows when you ask her a question, licks her lips, then laughs a small, nervous laugh. "I guess, uh, that's you? Should... should I be afraid of you, Ourania?" There's something in the question, you feel it. The way she's reacting to you, to Nadja, yes, you expect that, but there's a distance, a worry, a something in her posture, the angle of her body, how it isn't towards you directly. The hair on the back of her neck, you can practically see it.
The Power come up to the line, shifting positions and subbing Kellek back in for Gams. Ezekiel looks over to you, Mark, looking determined, a little angry. The ball pops into play.,
I hold off and let them get to the ball first. I watch the possibilities narrow to the actual and by the time Zeke has the ball in hand I'm already on my way to him, on the downward arc from the second grav pad. Leading with a knee.
There's a faint cold chuckle and I'm about to tell the voice in my head to knock it off when I realise it's me. I'm the one laughing.
Ezekiel sees you coming, and tries to juke on you. He didn't see your knee, though, and you have a bead on his torso, which he can't fake. Let's see how you Lock them Down, Mark.
I lean against the seat for a few moments, then after it seems that Ourania isn't coming back I slip into the seat Ourania just got out of. Seems like she's talking to Bea up there.
I glance at Tabitha, think about saying something but her attention is on the match, and that's cool with me. I get my attention back on the court and try to catch up with the action.
"They're a better team... but you can beat them," I finally say, just loud enough for us to hear over the noise of the court.
As soon as Ashlee says that the Hawks can beat Power, Mark clears Ezekiel hard, with a clean takedown. Zeke hits the deck, then floats for a moment on a grav pad. Zola tumbles over to snatch up the ball and throws it across the way to Rys.
The crow roars approval, eager for more action, stomping the bleachers and chanting Mark's name like he's some Greek deity. Rys heads for the hole, Pax on his wing. He's going to mow down Kellek, Mark, you see it clear as day.
Honestly? I think I'm just gonna watch Rys do his thing.
I move up just beyond the halfway line to cover for Rys - in case the Power are able to counter-attack on the break. With a man down, that's unlikely, but better safe than sorry.
Bea freezes like a rabbit (or how the VR showed you rabbits act) when you put your hand on her knee. "I..." Bea stammers, her voice reedy. The excited crowd drowns anything more she says for a few moments, and she isn't looking at you. Only her lips moving even tell you she's talking. She licks her lips, realizing you didn't hear her and flits a glance up to your eyes. Her brown eyes are watery. "Did... did you have, ah, something to do with Gwen? I mean... her death? Nadja... and Olivar said. I don't trust Nadja, ok. But Ollie showed me a video of..." She closes her eyes, squinting them shut. "Of you pushing her.. o-over the rail."
Oh, Nadja's watching this exchange, Ourania, grinning a sly grin. She gives you a little wave, looks like a mic drop from here.
When she says it, I rear back like I've been slapped while my insides go cold and start to ache and the world shifts strangely.
“ What?” I whisper it,
If Nadja had said it, I would probably have blown it off. But to have Bea say something like this after...
My stomach cramps. I see Nadja smirk and the cold goes to a blast furnace in a moment.
Louder now. Much louder. My voice arctic with rage. “ What? What the drokk did you just say to me?” I stand up, volume still rising.
“ And you just drokking believe that stomm huh? You believe them?. Use what little brain you drokking have, Bea, for drokk's sake. ” I choke on something. I can feel hot tears on my face. “ Do you drokking think the adults would let a drokking murderer stay in the pod? They'd get drokking spaced! I wasn't anywhere near Gwen when she fell! I wouldn't kill her I drokking loved her!” I stop... Too mixed up to speak again for a moment, something stabs like it did the day I found out Gwen had died. I shake my head, backing away. The inferno is still on top but there's a wicked undertow that I can feel pulling me down. I focus on the fire.
“You know what? Drokk you, Bea. You want to know why you believe them? It's the same reason you do that pathetic cutting stomm. You're drokking weak. You know the next time you do that stomm? You should go a little drokking deeper and stop wasting our drokking oxygen, because what the drokk use are you to anybody?”
My voice at the end is bitter and hard and I turn away from her, lasering in on Nadja. I point at her, voice gaining venom.
“And you. You'll regret this you drokking bitch, count on it.”
"I know we can. After today it'll be more than you and me. Who know." I feel confident there, watching Mark put Ezekiel down on the floor, Rys about to score..stomm, even if Rys doesn't score now people can see us. I can't wait to practice with our new lineup.
Ourania's voice rises over the noise, I hear swears and 'murderer' and 'Gwen' and pain, too. I turn around to look. What's going on?
Bea shrinks away from Ourania's assault, her shoulders narrow, her body drawn in protectively. Tears stream down her face and her nose turns a bright red as she sits there, not defending herself, miserably weeping and sniffling.
Awkward, yeah... I sit nervously with Tabitha, not wanting to stare, not wanting to get up and call attention to myself by getting up and leaving or whatever. I glance at Tabitha and try not to look up towards the argument.
Bea folding in on herself just makes me angrier, really. Drokk her. Like I said, I turn away, give my little promise to Nadja and storm for the door.
I don't care where I go. Just away. But I remember that Pris was asking for me. Maybe I'll head for med bay, after I get a grip. Right now I'm just trying not to hit things, or collapse into tears.
I get up and push my way to Bea. By the time I realize I could have excused myself to Ashlee I'm halfway there.
I don't really expect Bea to open up to me or anything but nobody here is going to help her get out of this space. Gwen would have done it but she can't now.
Rys lowers his shoulder and Kellek plants his feet. The crowd holds their collective breath in anticipation of the hit. Then, off to the side, Pax comes sliding in, sweeping Kellek's feet out from under him. He falls on his shoulder, hard, then Rys leaps over Kellek, continuing on to the goal which sits unguarded. Pax scrambles up to sit on the big lug, keeping him from doing anything, while Rys raises the ball up and walks a few steps to drop the ball into the goal.
As that play goes down, I jump up to my feet and pump a fist, go to say something to Tabitha... but she's not there.
In the excitement of the play I'd forgotten about Bea, forgotten about Ourania, even forgotten about the corporals who are after me... for that few moments it's just the players and the game.
But that burst of adrenaline drains as I realize where Tabitha has gone... and I feel suddenly selfish and guilty for not being the one to go up there. Sure, this would be a really bad time to go comfort Ourania's.... (enemy?) and it's not like Bea is my friend... but...
I really am a terrible person. I feel that empty space in the seat next to me and know I should go up there with Tabitha... I just can't.
You have to hop some bleachers and move between a pair of kids from another pod to reach her. It feels like everyone is watching Bea's meltdown. Aiden almost got up, too, but then he saw you and didn't, just watched. When you get up to her, Bea's wracking with sobs, her nose running and red, and she's scratching her thigh with her nails. You're not sure exactly what's itching her, since she's wearing a pair of ship-issue slacks.
Ashlee,
Hey, Ash, guess what? The class might have a more interesting target to tease. You already see a half dozen messages about the meltdown on your Navi. Nadja's started the rumor mill, with video footage. Ollie is egging it on, too, and it's spreading to other kids here not in your pod.
Mark,
Rys bro-hugs back, brings Pax in, giving her all the credit for a "massive takedown". Power team huddles and you hear Ezekiel yelling over the crowd to his team, trying to regroup.
A loud horn sounds, which is the same noise used for the end of a match, but this match is not over. Loudspeakers start urging students to return to their pods. Most of the crowd rises from their seats to start shuffling out, many of them laughing up at Bea or chatting about the game.
I'm too sleek in my speedball suit, while I move between her and as many people who want to laugh and gawk as I can, my usual loose stuff would be better to break line of sight. I glance at Aiden and hold back on a snort. He could help. Guess he doesn't like me.
"Bea, let's get back to Pod 16. Come on." I put a hand on her shoulder to gauge how much I can or need to touch her to get her moving. "I'll walk you there."
Bea scoots away, flinching at your touch. "No, no, I'm..." her voice trails off, she mumbles something lost in the din of the crowd. She rubs her left thigh again, sniffling. "I'm terrible, Tabitha. I'm an awful person. I wish I'd died instead of Gwen. Why did... why did Priscilla get sick? I should be sick." She scoots her butt back off the back of the bleacher and drops the few millimeters so she's sitting in the wedge between this seat and the row above her knees up as she sits at the odd angle.
Lucas is coming over towards you. He's trying to look casual, but you know he's headed down the bleachers right for you. He's going to try and talk to you, or something.
It sucks to get singled out and picked on. It sucks... I go back and forth from the butt of everyone's joke to the one nobody sees... I snap my Navi shut and put it away, sigh, maybe it's time for the latter again.
I sulk in my seat until that announcement comes on, then awkwardly look around as everyone starts slowly getting up and filtering out of the room. I wait a bit, make sure the corporals aren't closing in on me before I go.
Then Lucas. Oh just great... I glance up and see Tabitha urging Bea to go with her... I want to bolt, but... ok maybe it's best not to walk around this pod alone.
I stand and pretend not to see Lucas as he approaches, I'll let him have the first word. What the hell does he have to say to me anyway?
"Nobody deserves to get sick. Getting sick or not getting sick isn't. A moral thing." I squat down next to her. She wants to stay? But we're getting cleared out. What the drokk is going on?
"Gwen wouldn't have wanted you to wish yourself dead. Let's go and you can. Tell me about being awful." We're way up top, if we go now we can leave without getting snarled in a crowd. I keep my hands open to her, waiting for her to come around. Just pulling her out right now won't be easy or fun. "I've got experience, being awful."
Lucas comes up, stands on the bleacher by you, then steps down to the one below like maybe he was too high above you. His hands are stuffed into his dark gray hoodie, he's looking at your face, "Hey, uh, that was an awesome game, right?" His tone's upbeat, like he's trying to lead off with his best stuff. "I saw you. Uhm, I saw you cheering." He trails off, then, adds, "It was zeng to see you happy."
Someone yells an insult at Bea, calling her a name. What is it, Ash?
"Yeah!" It's hard not to show some enthusiasm for the scrimmage, though it really didn't count for anything, and that's a shame. Of course Lucas doesn't really get that.
He goes on, and manages to make me more self-conscious than usual, which is a lot, "were you like... watching me?" I didn't really notice, creepy, man... "Ooookay... uh...
Someone shouts, "Bea-atch, stop wasting our air, 'locks over there!"
I sigh loudly, glance up at Tabitha and Bea.... still feeling like I should go over there. None of us have many friends here. If Lucas has any empathy he can probably tell that I'm starting to get upset at the drokkers in this pod.
A glance at Lucas, "people suck..." I tighten a fist at my side and while I don't go up there, I put a foot on the next step, like I just need a little push.
Lucas' face falls when you ask if he was watching you, like he just now realized that was probably a bad thing, and only gets that from the tone of your voice. He doesn't react to the Bea-atch shout, but he follows your gaze up to the bleachers where Bea and Tabitha are. He reaches up to take your arm, "Hey, we should go. The, ah, the corps are going up there." He indicates with his chin over to where you see Eff headed up there.
What do you do?
Tabitha,
"Hey! Smith! Lesserman! What is your major malfunctions? The klaxon sounded and you need to CLEAR OUT!" Corporal Eff calls in a loud, clear voice. She stomps up the bleachers, taking them two at a time, reaching for her stun stick. "I think we should drag your worthless, sniveling carcasses out of here! If you can't fall in line, the line runs over you." She's not alone, by the way, there are a couple corps behind her, heading up.
I could pick a fight with three corps or I could haul on Bea. And it's 'what are your major malfunctions', dipstick. I'd love to kick her as she makes her last step, her weight all high and off balance on the bleachers. She'd drop beautifully into her backup. It would be a great start.
Or she could tap my leg with a stun stick. Stick me in Iso all over again. Bad bet.
I haul on Bea, trying to get her over my shoulder in a fireman carry, pulling her legs and arms at once. Ugh, why is Bea so drokking difficult?
Then, an option occurs to me, impossible but clear as day. Right underneath here is a locker room, I can see it in my mind, feel its dimensions. If the bleachers didn't exist, it's three feet down. I adjust my grip on Bea and swing downward, through the bleachers that are suddenly substantial as air and disappear.
"Come on!" Lucas says as he reaches for your hand, pulling you in the opposite direction of the corporals. Then Tabitha and Bea become translucent for a second, and fall out of the gym. Or something. "Stomm! I..." Lucas lets go of your hand. "They're.. they're like Gwen?" He gapes for a moment while Eff and the others stomp up to check the bleachers, Eff scanning with her eyes like Tabitha might have some cloak or something.
Do you leave Lucas or pull him along to the outside, Ashlee?
Nadja's at the railing looking down at you, smiling wide. She mouths the words "You were awesome!" Her hands are clutching the rail so she can lean down, but there's no way she could reach you.
I smile and wave up to her. I make a little walking motion with two fingers of my right hand and then point, like "I'll meet you back at the pod".
They're starting to turn the floor lights off in the court already, so I jog over to the changing room door, and I turn to look back at Nadja as I go through.
Nadja nods up at you, then hustles towards the door out of the stands. That's when you hear a collective gasp and some tumult from the bleachers on the other side where most of Pod Sixteen were. There are a few Corporals checking out some empty bleachers, Eff leading them. Rys pauses, looks up, then ducks into the locker room, probably to get to his comms, which he removes during matches (the one time he does).
Pax is waiting for you inside, Mark, while Zola's in the showers and Jace has already left.
I smile at Pax. "Good job." It's cooler in here, a lot cooler than the court. I strip down the top half of my speedsuit and let the sleeves drag on the floor. "I thought that went okay, how about you?"
"Yeah, definitely." Pax answers with uncharacteristic exuberance. She apes your movements, peeling off the top of her speedsuit. She has a tank on underneath, it's damp with sweat. "That was very fun. They cheated like crazy and we still kicked their ass!" Pax shifts her weight from foot to foot for a moment, her eyes scanning your chest. "You, uhm... you're a great team leader, Mark. I guess I always just thought of you as some lunkhead, never paid much attention to speedball and... stuff." She looks away, like she caught herself staring too much at you. "But you're kind of amazing. And you really helped me get it."
Why don't you roll to see if you Turned her On, Mark?
Pax keeps smiling as you talk to her, her eyes meeting yours, seems like she's captivated by you right now. "It was. Really nice. I love drokking with their plans." A soft laugh, then she steps a little closer, "Hey... so how serious are you and Nadja, anyways? Is that a thing... or just fun?" Her right hand moves up to your chest, resting there lightly.
Over your sub-dermal comm link, you hear "the voice", "Cressida Redmond, aka Pax, is a wanted cyber-criminal and member of the Red Five." Red Five popped up on the feeds soon after the ship was split in two and all the children were moved into the aft section of the ship. They're known for data-steals and alterations to ship systems for pranks. The Corps call them terrorists.
"A thing is a thing, you know," I say to her. "Anyway. Shower time. We have to get back to the pod."
I go towards the boys' locker room so that I'm moving away from Pax's hand without having to actively brush her off.
I give her an embarrassed smile. "I dunno who I think I am, talking all big about messing with the powers that be. All pretty small-time to you, I guess. I'd be interested in talking about it more with you. Or the other four. But here's not the place."
Pax huffs a little laugh at your evasive answer on Nadja, doesn't seem upset. Her lips curls into a smile, "Co-ed showers. Should be a thing." On the bit about the four others, she narrows her eyes, the smile fading. She glances right at one of the cams, then nods, agreeing "this isn't the place".
I get into the shower fast. I just want to get out of here. Shame the rich kids get separate rooms for the two teams, or there could have been some shameless gloating going on right now.
I am curious about why the game got cut short, though. I'm pretty sure my roomie will have some ideas.
Did I really just see that? I mean, I was watching, but not really... maybe it's the confusion... but Lucas saw too, didn't he?
That's not something I could do... if it's real then it's something else.
I slowly come around, after nearly making eye contact with Eff, "let's... Lucas!" I half-shout his name to get him to pay attention. "It's time to go!"
Yeah, I urge him to follow... it's not like we're together but yeah, he's kind of a creep but I don't want him to end up in iso for nothing. I'm not a monster.
Rys is in the shower, finishing up. He makes some jokes about how bad you guys beat Power, pays some compliments, but he's in a hurry to check out what had the Corps moving. You shower up and head back, Jace walks with you, but he's not chatty.
Lucas jumps when you sort of yell at him, and follows you down the bleachers, out of the gym. Across the corridor, you see Corporal Tek is coming your way. "Stomm, Ashlee!" Lucas says as he grabs for your hand. Looks like he's going to try and run away.
"Ashlee Rai!" Corporal Tek calls in a clear voice, walking directly towards you, picking up into a jog. Lucas turns to step in front of you, starts to say something to him, but all he gets out is an "urk" as Tek zaps him with his stun stick. Ashlee, it's fast, the flick of a wrist and Lucas is on the ground twitching. Tek meets your eyes, then drops his voice into a low, controlled tone, "Tell me what happened between you and Eff. Tell me the truth, or you get a day in iso."
I gasp for air as Lucas suddenly collapses, Tek isn't a corporal I've seen up close before. He's disgustingly handsome, (why are they always attractive?) but quick and seems like someone you don't drokk with.
It's hard to stand still, I try to keep calm, remind myself to hold it together... he doesn't know anything. He doesn't know.
"Uh..." it's hard to suddenly think if a story, I glance at the stun-stick and back to his face, "C...corporal Eff asked why I was watching team Power in practice... uh..." I swallow, my mouth feels dry. "They say I need to work on my... t.. teamwork. Empathy... that sports would help me... I... I had permission... and... I just love the game..."
I watch him, tight-lipped, nodding ever so slightly. He's too good looking to be so cold. Why does it have to be like this?
Trying to sound genuine I chirp, "and... and Team Power is epic!"
I try not to smirk as I think to myself, 'even if we kicked their ass today.'
Corporal Tek stands close, Ashlee, invading your personal space. His stun stick is still charged, giving off that weird ozone smell He nods, once, confirming your story, then urges, "And then what happened, Ashlee Rai?" He brings the stick up to wave it in front of your eyes, the threat very present. "Out with it. All of it."
I breathe quickly through my teeth as I track the electric tip of his baton with my eyes.
"Then..." He knows... I can see it in his face. He's challenging me to lie. He wants me to lie... he knows something happened, but he can't know what happened. he can't understand. It's worth anything to keep the truth from him.
"The corporal must have..." I shrug and try to look confused, "had a s...sudden migraine... or something. She didn't look well... I know I should have called the infirmary but I... I panicked..."
I do my best to look guilty, he probably just wants to put me in my place... what he thinks is my place.
"If something like that happened again," a loaded pause as I glance up at his pretty face, "I'd do the right thing."
Corporal Tek nods slowly, listening intently as if he'd pick apart every word. His gray-green eyes peel away layers and the hum of his stun stick continues with its unnerving hum. When you end with the statement that you'd do the right thing, he responds slowly, deliberately, "Something like that shouldn't happen again, Ashlee Rai. Ever again. Some people. Might consider that a dangerous occurrence. It would be wise for you to do the right thing and avoid that trouble. In the first place." He clicks off his stun stick, then bends down to pull Lucas by his right arm and lifts your classmate up and over his shoulder, then looks back at you. "You may return to Pod Sixteen, Ashlee Rai."
He doesn't have to tell me twice, though. I forget to say anything as I just nod slightly and nervoulsy fast-walk until I pass the first corner, then break into a somewhat panicked run back to pod sixteen. I pretty much want to get out of the halls and back to... well... safety? If you call anywhere in this drokking place safe.
I don't know what happened to Mi Sun, Lucas isn't an option (never was really) and Tabitha... something...
You tear down the hall, passing Aiden as he waits for the speedball team to get out of the showers. When you come around the corner past your classroom to turn up the last hall, you see Mi Sun standing by your room. She's waiting for you.
"Hey, Ashlee." Mi Sun says with worry in her voice. "Are you alright? What happened with Tabitha and...?" She opens her door and beckons you inside, "Come in here, ok? The corps might look for you in your room." She heads inside.
She moves behind you, urging you inside, "Yeah, I'm sure." She answers. Then adds, "Totally sure. You don't need their stomm. You're like my best friend." She closes the door behind you both, locks it, then dims the lights.
"What was happening with the corps and Ourania and stuff?" Mi Sun asks before walking over to sit on her bed. She pats a space beside her.
I smile softly as she assures me, then freeze there just inside the door as she calls me her 'best friend.' I'm stunned. I stand there, panting softly as the adrenaline of the run settles down, but my heart races still. Does she mean it? How?
I barely hear her question.
"Uh..." I see her pat the bed and just take a step, too nervous to go further right now, "I don't know... Ourania was so pissed! Something to do with uh... Bea." I squint and glance away as I remember what I thought I saw happen to Tabitha and Bea, "Then... everything went razors and the place blew up with corps' everywhere... you uh... got out okay right?"
You're already Hopeful right now, but I'm still triggering Futile Hope with Mi sun. You get a string on her, she gets one on you.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Rania's been on a tear for a few days. I'm still super pissed at her about Jace. She won't even apologize to him, it's stupid. I don't get her, like, at all." She notices you haven't sat by her, nods towards the desk and chair, "Sit if you want, though you look pretty keyed up. That was a really great game, right? Jace... kind of sucked, though. He's still afraid of getting hurt. He won't say it, but I can tell, you know?"
I walk over to nervously sit near her. Pretty sure she means it but this feels like a set up for a joke, like someone's going to burst out of the closet any second laughing at me the second I say anything personal.
I decide not to comment about Ourania... and she's suddenly reminded me about my little arrangement with her. Mental note... do that Ashlee.
I pull the chair out and turn it around to sit facing Mi Sun, "yeah... great game! Though... yeah too bad it ended all... weird... but Jace... he needs to trust himself, and the team. Speedball is drokking fast, right? You can't hesitate on the play... you've already lost if you don't go for it... maybe he'll figure that out, right?"
Mi Sun scoots to the edge of the bed, closing a few millimeters closer to you, sitting so her knees are facing you. "He should. Go for it? Like, just go for the thing he wants?" There's a look that seems heavy, like Mi Sun's asking more than she's asking. Maybe. She holds your eyes in hers, and you feel a weird tickle at the base of your neck.
Comments
I turn a little, to face him directly.
"I'm just trying to tell you what's what, man."
I look over the crowd. Tabitha's up in the stands already. Ashlee. That witch Ourania. Nadja - she's trying to catch my eye but I keep moving my head so it's like I'm looking for something and not ignoring her. Nadja looks hot. Like super hot. Maybe I will go over just for a second and-- no wait, I was doing something. Oh yeah, the camera pods. Whirring left and right. Adults watching the game remotely.
"Look, Coach Simms is your coach, right, but what else is he? Do you even know what he does the rest of the time? No, because you've never heard of him. He's just... some guy. Once you hit 18, he won't be able to help you. So think about who else is watching. Her for one" I mean Ourania. "She tells her mother everything she sees. Everything. And who else do you think is here on holo? Your pod chief, probably, who I remember giving a long drokking speech about sportsmanship and fair play."
The pod chief signs off on all medical screening results. I go silent. Let him mull that over for a while.
I stand still for a moment, exhale a puff of air and shake my head. Ourania... huh? I glance up the stands at Mi Sun, wondering if she noticed what just happened.
But then I notice Tabitha, out of the game and up in the stands. My face lights up as I see her.
I hurry over to Tabitha, crawling past a row of (surprisingly) mostly-filled seats, "awesome take down! Gen Yu didn't even see you coming! Was I right or what?" I have a childish excitement about the match, and about my involvement in it, however small it is.
But yeah, she is standing here isn't she, "it's total b.s. that you got dq'ed... come on really?" I look over towards the court and weakly shout, "is she not supposed to try? Ref?"
I want to do something, high-five her... hug her... something. But instead I just stand in a quivering state of over-excitement and grin.
Mark,
Let's see a Manipulate here. I'm curious how this pans out.
Ashlee is so cute when she's animated like this. I smile back. She's like a puppy, just unable to figure out what to do with herself. I can't help but reach out to ruffle her hair.
"You were right. Do you have it recorded? I want to see where that DQ came from."
Gwen's family had a dog named Pickles. "Not that Coach will pull for me."
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 1, 6. Total: 8)
(Marking xp: 5)
She's right. I feel a little cold knot in my stomach when she asked if I have it recorded. And she's looking at me in this weirdly nostalgic way that makes me fidget.
Ashlee, stupid, of course you should be recording!
I stutter briefly, then realize, "uhh... come on, look at this place? They gotta be recording team power's practice! We just gotta get on the feed... shouldn't be... too hard right?"
I have no idea how to do that.
I try to look helpful, "I'll see what I can do."
Mark,
Ashlee,
Sounds like you'd like to splice in and get a look at the recordings, right?
When you try to circumvent the ship's systems, roll with Dark. On a hit, you get past them. On a 7-9, choose one:
- You attract unwanted attention
- Take a Condition for your hard work
- You take 1-Harm in the effort
- You're so thrilled or guilty by the success, you have to tell the first kid you see about it
I open my mouth to return the greeting when Ashlee hurries over and starts chattering. I close my mouth, nonplussed. Considering what I've just asked of her, and the way Tabitha ruffles her hair affectionately, I bite back an urge to snark something mean at her, even giving a small smile.
I just sit down by my roommate instead. You know what? I missed her.
"Hey," I break in when Ashlee's done. "You can come home after the game. I told the Commandant about Haliday and she investigated. He's been pulled and your sentence reduced to time served."
I glance back at the game, following the action vaguely.
"But don't get into any more trouble for a bit, okay? Or at least..." I look over again, edge of my mouth curling. "...don't get caught."
I nod encouragingly and take a step back, leaning with my butt (kinda painfully actually) against the corner of the nearest chair. I take ot my navi and try to connect to the local pod network... they must have a broadcast feed in this court. I mean. Just look at it!
I glance up as Ourania stalks over, surprised to hear the good news. If they look they catch me grinning as I work.
Patching into the local pod feed to download the game video. +dark(1)
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 1, 5. Total: 7)
"OK, if you want," I say to Ezekiel, "but be careful what you wish for. She has claws." And I point to the scratch mark Ourania gave me, which you can just about make out now if you know where you're looking.
All,
Big lunking Kellek is sent off to the benches. Power and the Hawks line up, each a player short. In moments the tone sounds and the speedball is in motion again. Gams is in front, using her big body to try and nail Zola when she heads for the ball, but Pax comes across to lock her down. Pax's form isn't strong, but her momentum is good enough to free up Zola. Zola starts heading for the hole.
Mark, your coach wanted you to lock them down, but Zola's pulling away, heading to score. What do you do?
I sit next to Ourania when Ashlee is engrossed in her Navi. I'm riveted by what she's saying, eyes wide, leaning in. The discomfort I felt with Ourania the last time we saw each other melts. "I'm done with Iso?!"
I throw an arm over Ourania's shoulder and give her a squeeze. It's the best news I've had all week, with furlough a close second! "Thank you! And no more Halladay. Hah!"
When the action heats up, I stand again, scream Zola's name. Power dropped a player. What's been going on down there?
Coach wants us to play defensive, and I can live with that. You don't need the ball to control the play. I drop off Ezekiel and coordinate my coverage with Rys to channel the play the right way, out to one side.
Don't press too hard. Don't over-commit. Just give him enough rope to think he's free when he gets the ball. He's not free. As he'll find out hard when he receives the ball.
(Aiming for Control Play first, Lock Down next time.)
Mark,
Pellit peels back, seeing the hard press, while Ezekiel buys into your deke. Go ahead and try to Control the Play here.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 3, 4. Total: 10)
Mark,
How do the Hawks take the lead away from the Power?
Guess I don't get to smash Zekey just yet. On the plus side, the team put together a textbook counter-attack.
My movement was a little off, maybe. Zeke had a second to see me coming. Fear in his eyes. He dumped the ball off in a panic - directly to Rys!
And Zola was still unmarked at the far end. Easy goal.
I still feel like smashing someone, though. The game needs more mayhem.
All,
The Hawks make a series of moves, including a steal, and Zola scores. Zola throws her arms up as the crowd cheers. She points up to you, Tabitha, smiling and jumping up and down with excitement. Pax comes up to hug her fiercely, and even Rys moves over to clap her shoulder.
All,
As the network connects I can't keep a stupid grin off my face.
Back in the lab I wasn't provided my own navi, I always had to watch what they put up on my monitors, so when i reached school it was kind of an awakening. But I still haven't quite caught up to some of these kids who've grown up with these things.
Still. This is very satisfying.
I step over to where Tabitha and Ourania are chatting and lean over the arm of Tabitha's chair to hold the navi over her lap. The live feed from the match is on screen, we can scan back and forward to highlights... penalties and goals (automatically time-stamped by the system, of course.)
"Check it out! I told you I could do it! You wanna scan your dq, Tabitha?" I gesture with the navi for her to take it, realizing that Ourania is like, right here, too. I laugh nervously and my mouth feels a little dry.
I break into a full grin and a chuckle at Tabitha's affection and happiness. It nudges something warm. "You're welcome"
It kind of falls off when she screams for Zola, and I have to think about that situation. But she's not looking at me anyway.
I smirk at Ashlee but she must realize that if I want her to do something that she's safe from any rules infractions. Honestly, girl, think about it. Hell, at the moment she's safe from such things anyway.
I smile and gesture back to Zola as she points at me, tapping a fist over my heart. I think I've seen it in feeds. A team thing.
Ashley's excitement peaks again and I look down at what she's done.
"Yeah, I want to." I accept the navi and sweep through the feed highlights. It feels sort of great, I even missed navis while I was in Iso. In a week or two I might be back to sort of resenting them.
When I find my DQ I go over it carefully in slo-mo, trying to learn. I'm not some Speedball legend who knows by instinct, and Coach is too hands-off to tell me. "What does this look like? To you."
Ashlee, Ourania, and Tabitha,
The call is close, the contact seems legit at one angle, then another shows Tabitha bringing a hand up near Gen Yu's throat. Ashlee, in a league, this would not be a DQ. Also, the call was delayed.
Ourania, Bea is sitting at the top of the bleachers, quietly watching you.
I never did understand the particulars of speedball, so what is legal or illegal isn’t something I know right off the bat. I shrug.
I sigh internally when I take notice of Bea. I suppose with earlier today I should go see if she’s okay.
I stand. “I’ll be back.” I say to Tabitha and Ashlee. And then make my way up to Bea, sit down next to her.
“Hey.”
”You didn't even touch her!" I call out when we see it, "that call was stomm, Tabitha, no way that stands up under match review!"
I look towards the ongoing match on the court, "and this isn't even on the record, what's the point? Does someone want you out of the game? Or what?"
I look at Tabitha to see if she has any ideas.
"It's not a real match. So it's off the record." So no one will get in the least trouble for a bad call. I watch the replay again. "Someone is putting me in my place." I look at the remote cameras.
"I did just come out of Iso. And on the other side. I've got more enemies than friends. Only so much mercy for a failure." I say it all neutrally. It's just true. My focus shifts from Ashlee and the navi to the game being played.
Ourania,
What do you do?
I glare daggers at Nadja.
"Oh there's going to be trouble." I say with an edge. "No stopping that now. Nadja will regret drokking with me, with us, believe me."
I look at Bea, my voice softens.
"What's the matter, are you afraid of her? You know, if there's anyone to be afraid of in our pod... it isn't her."
Ourania,
"No, Bea. You shouldn't be afraid of me. Not you. Hey..."
I cock my head, studying her, lay my hand lightly on her knee, the scars on my arm perfectly visible.
"What's the matter, huh?"
All,
The Power come up to the line, shifting positions and subbing Kellek back in for Gams. Ezekiel looks over to you, Mark, looking determined, a little angry. The ball pops into play.,
I hold off and let them get to the ball first.
I watch the possibilities narrow to the actual and by the time Zeke has the ball in hand I'm already on my way to him, on the downward arc from the second grav pad. Leading with a knee.
There's a faint cold chuckle and I'm about to tell the voice in my head to knock it off when I realise it's me. I'm the one laughing.
(Lock Down)
Mark,
Ezekiel sees you coming, and tries to juke on you. He didn't see your knee, though, and you have a bead on his torso, which he can't fake. Let's see how you Lock them Down, Mark.
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 6, 2. Total: 10)
I lean against the seat for a few moments, then after it seems that Ourania isn't coming back I slip into the seat Ourania just got out of. Seems like she's talking to Bea up there.
I glance at Tabitha, think about saying something but her attention is on the match, and that's cool with me. I get my attention back on the court and try to catch up with the action.
"They're a better team... but you can beat them," I finally say, just loud enough for us to hear over the noise of the court.
All,
As soon as Ashlee says that the Hawks can beat Power, Mark clears Ezekiel hard, with a clean takedown. Zeke hits the deck, then floats for a moment on a grav pad. Zola tumbles over to snatch up the ball and throws it across the way to Rys.
The crow roars approval, eager for more action, stomping the bleachers and chanting Mark's name like he's some Greek deity. Rys heads for the hole, Pax on his wing. He's going to mow down Kellek, Mark, you see it clear as day.
What do you do?
Honestly? I think I'm just gonna watch Rys do his thing.
I move up just beyond the halfway line to cover for Rys - in case the Power are able to counter-attack on the break. With a man down, that's unlikely, but better safe than sorry.
Ourania,
She licks her lips, realizing you didn't hear her and flits a glance up to your eyes. Her brown eyes are watery. "Did... did you have, ah, something to do with Gwen? I mean... her death? Nadja... and Olivar said. I don't trust Nadja, ok. But Ollie showed me a video of..." She closes her eyes, squinting them shut. "Of you pushing her.. o-over the rail."
Oh, Nadja's watching this exchange, Ourania, grinning a sly grin. She gives you a little wave, looks like a mic drop from here.
What do you do?
When she says it, I rear back like I've been slapped while my insides go cold and start to ache and the world shifts strangely.
“ What?” I whisper it,
If Nadja had said it, I would probably have blown it off. But to have Bea say something like this after...
My stomach cramps. I see Nadja smirk and the cold goes to a blast furnace in a moment.
Louder now. Much louder. My voice arctic with rage. “ What? What the drokk did you just say to me?” I stand up, volume still rising.
“ And you just drokking believe that stomm huh? You believe them?. Use what little brain you drokking have, Bea, for drokk's sake. ” I choke on something. I can feel hot tears on my face. “ Do you drokking think the adults would let a drokking murderer stay in the pod? They'd get drokking spaced! I wasn't anywhere near Gwen when she fell! I wouldn't kill her I drokking loved her!” I stop... Too mixed up to speak again for a moment, something stabs like it did the day I found out Gwen had died. I shake my head, backing away. The inferno is still on top but there's a wicked undertow that I can feel pulling me down. I focus on the fire.
“You know what? Drokk you, Bea. You want to know why you believe them? It's the same reason you do that pathetic cutting stomm. You're drokking weak. You know the next time you do that stomm? You should go a little drokking deeper and stop wasting our drokking oxygen, because what the drokk use are you to anybody?”
My voice at the end is bitter and hard and I turn away from her, lasering in on Nadja. I point at her, voice gaining venom.
“And you. You'll regret this you drokking bitch, count on it.”
I turn to storm out. Drokk all these people.
Ourania,
Take a +1 Forward and Shut Bea Down, please.
"I know we can. After today it'll be more than you and me. Who know." I feel confident there, watching Mark put Ezekiel down on the floor, Rys about to score..stomm, even if Rys doesn't score now people can see us. I can't wait to practice with our new lineup.
Ourania's voice rises over the noise, I hear swears and 'murderer' and 'Gwen' and pain, too. I turn around to look. What's going on?
Ashlee, Ourania, and Tabitha,
Bea shrinks away from Ourania's assault, her shoulders narrow, her body drawn in protectively. Tears stream down her face and her nose turns a bright red as she sits there, not defending herself, miserably weeping and sniffling.
Ourania, take a string on Bea.
What do you do?
Awkward, yeah... I sit nervously with Tabitha, not wanting to stare, not wanting to get up and call attention to myself by getting up and leaving or whatever. I glance at Tabitha and try not to look up towards the argument.
Bea folding in on herself just makes me angrier, really. Drokk her. Like I said, I turn away, give my little promise to Nadja and storm for the door.
I don't care where I go. Just away. But I remember that Pris was asking for me. Maybe I'll head for med bay, after I get a grip. Right now I'm just trying not to hit things, or collapse into tears.
I get up and push my way to Bea. By the time I realize I could have excused myself to Ashlee I'm halfway there.
I don't really expect Bea to open up to me or anything but nobody here is going to help her get out of this space. Gwen would have done it but she can't now.
At least nobody's arm got broken.
All,
Rys lowers his shoulder and Kellek plants his feet. The crowd holds their collective breath in anticipation of the hit. Then, off to the side, Pax comes sliding in, sweeping Kellek's feet out from under him. He falls on his shoulder, hard, then Rys leaps over Kellek, continuing on to the goal which sits unguarded. Pax scrambles up to sit on the big lug, keeping him from doing anything, while Rys raises the ball up and walks a few steps to drop the ball into the goal.
Oh stomm, man. A-maz-ing. I hurtle over to where Rys is standing cool as ice and give him a big, delighted bro-hug. High fives all round.
"You're a legend, Rys! A drokkin legend!"
As that play goes down, I jump up to my feet and pump a fist, go to say something to Tabitha... but she's not there.
In the excitement of the play I'd forgotten about Bea, forgotten about Ourania, even forgotten about the corporals who are after me... for that few moments it's just the players and the game.
But that burst of adrenaline drains as I realize where Tabitha has gone... and I feel suddenly selfish and guilty for not being the one to go up there. Sure, this would be a really bad time to go comfort Ourania's.... (enemy?) and it's not like Bea is my friend... but...
I really am a terrible person. I feel that empty space in the seat next to me and know I should go up there with Tabitha... I just can't.
Tabitha,
You have to hop some bleachers and move between a pair of kids from another pod to reach her. It feels like everyone is watching Bea's meltdown. Aiden almost got up, too, but then he saw you and didn't, just watched. When you get up to her, Bea's wracking with sobs, her nose running and red, and she's scratching her thigh with her nails. You're not sure exactly what's itching her, since she's wearing a pair of ship-issue slacks.
Ashlee,
Hey, Ash, guess what? The class might have a more interesting target to tease. You already see a half dozen messages about the meltdown on your Navi. Nadja's started the rumor mill, with video footage. Ollie is egging it on, too, and it's spreading to other kids here not in your pod.
Mark,
Rys bro-hugs back, brings Pax in, giving her all the credit for a "massive takedown". Power team huddles and you hear Ezekiel yelling over the crowd to his team, trying to regroup.
Ourania,
Please go here.
All,
A loud horn sounds, which is the same noise used for the end of a match, but this match is not over. Loudspeakers start urging students to return to their pods. Most of the crowd rises from their seats to start shuffling out, many of them laughing up at Bea or chatting about the game.
I'm too sleek in my speedball suit, while I move between her and as many people who want to laugh and gawk as I can, my usual loose stuff would be better to break line of sight. I glance at Aiden and hold back on a snort. He could help. Guess he doesn't like me.
"Bea, let's get back to Pod 16. Come on." I put a hand on her shoulder to gauge how much I can or need to touch her to get her moving. "I'll walk you there."
Tabitha,
What do you do?
Ashlee,
Lucas is coming over towards you. He's trying to look casual, but you know he's headed down the bleachers right for you. He's going to try and talk to you, or something.
What do you do?
It sucks to get singled out and picked on. It sucks... I go back and forth from the butt of everyone's joke to the one nobody sees... I snap my Navi shut and put it away, sigh, maybe it's time for the latter again.
I sulk in my seat until that announcement comes on, then awkwardly look around as everyone starts slowly getting up and filtering out of the room. I wait a bit, make sure the corporals aren't closing in on me before I go.
Then Lucas. Oh just great... I glance up and see Tabitha urging Bea to go with her... I want to bolt, but... ok maybe it's best not to walk around this pod alone.
I stand and pretend not to see Lucas as he approaches, I'll let him have the first word. What the hell does he have to say to me anyway?
"Nobody deserves to get sick. Getting sick or not getting sick isn't. A moral thing." I squat down next to her. She wants to stay? But we're getting cleared out. What the drokk is going on?
"Gwen wouldn't have wanted you to wish yourself dead. Let's go and you can. Tell me about being awful." We're way up top, if we go now we can leave without getting snarled in a crowd. I keep my hands open to her, waiting for her to come around. Just pulling her out right now won't be easy or fun. "I've got experience, being awful."
Ashlee,
Someone yells an insult at Bea, calling her a name. What is it, Ash?
Tabitha,
There are Corporals coming in, they'll be coming by soon. Eff's one of them. Let's see if you can Manipulate Bea to leave.
Manipulating; (Rolled: 2d6-1. Rolls: 2, 3. Total: 4)
"Yeah!" It's hard not to show some enthusiasm for the scrimmage, though it really didn't count for anything, and that's a shame. Of course Lucas doesn't really get that.
He goes on, and manages to make me more self-conscious than usual, which is a lot, "were you like... watching me?" I didn't really notice, creepy, man... "Ooookay... uh...
Someone shouts, "Bea-atch, stop wasting our air, 'locks over there!"
I sigh loudly, glance up at Tabitha and Bea.... still feeling like I should go over there. None of us have many friends here. If Lucas has any empathy he can probably tell that I'm starting to get upset at the drokkers in this pod.
A glance at Lucas, "people suck..." I tighten a fist at my side and while I don't go up there, I put a foot on the next step, like I just need a little push.
Ashlee,
What do you do?
Tabitha,
What do you do?
I could pick a fight with three corps or I could haul on Bea. And it's 'what are your major malfunctions', dipstick. I'd love to kick her as she makes her last step, her weight all high and off balance on the bleachers. She'd drop beautifully into her backup. It would be a great start.
Or she could tap my leg with a stun stick. Stick me in Iso all over again. Bad bet.
I haul on Bea, trying to get her over my shoulder in a fireman carry, pulling her legs and arms at once. Ugh, why is Bea so drokking difficult?
Then, an option occurs to me, impossible but clear as day. Right underneath here is a locker room, I can see it in my mind, feel its dimensions. If the bleachers didn't exist, it's three feet down. I adjust my grip on Bea and swing downward, through the bleachers that are suddenly substantial as air and disappear.
Spending my use of Dissipate. Eff can suck it.
Lucas sort of startles me back to reality, I turn to him, "yeah... yeah let's go..." and I glance back up at Tabitha and Bea.
But they're gone?
I look around in confusion, see the corporals and hear their threats... sickening...
But where did they go?
I turn back to Lucas, and ignoring my distaste for him I nod a couple quick times and head for the doors.
I stand and watch the unfolding havoc from the centre circle. That'll be me soon. They actually want me strolling about with a stun stick. Idiots.
Ashlee,
Then Tabitha and Bea become translucent for a second, and fall out of the gym. Or something. "Stomm! I..." Lucas lets go of your hand. "They're.. they're like Gwen?" He gapes for a moment while Eff and the others stomp up to check the bleachers, Eff scanning with her eyes like Tabitha might have some cloak or something.
Do you leave Lucas or pull him along to the outside, Ashlee?
Tabitha, please go here.
Mark,
Rys, Pax and Zola all start to head for the showers. Team Power's getting off the field, too. The game's over even if it isn't "over". What do you do?
Time to make a sharp exit, I guess.
I head for the showers, trying to catch a glimpse of Nadja through the barriers as I leave the court.
Mark,
Nadja's at the railing looking down at you, smiling wide. She mouths the words "You were awesome!" Her hands are clutching the rail so she can lean down, but there's no way she could reach you.
I smile and wave up to her. I make a little walking motion with two fingers of my right hand and then point, like "I'll meet you back at the pod".
They're starting to turn the floor lights off in the court already, so I jog over to the changing room door, and I turn to look back at Nadja as I go through.
Mark,
Nadja nods up at you, then hustles towards the door out of the stands. That's when you hear a collective gasp and some tumult from the bleachers on the other side where most of Pod Sixteen were. There are a few Corporals checking out some empty bleachers, Eff leading them. Rys pauses, looks up, then ducks into the locker room, probably to get to his comms, which he removes during matches (the one time he does).
Pax is waiting for you inside, Mark, while Zola's in the showers and Jace has already left.
I smile at Pax. "Good job."
It's cooler in here, a lot cooler than the court. I strip down the top half of my speedsuit and let the sleeves drag on the floor.
"I thought that went okay, how about you?"
Mark,
Why don't you roll to see if you Turned her On, Mark?
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 5, 1. Total: 8)
"Well. Don't rush to judgement on how amazing I am until all the facts are in."
I always used to get annoyed by everyone assuming I was stupid just because I was good at sports. I mean, I get good grades. I get really good grades.
But I also managed to get myself dumped by Priscilla, so I have to admit that the lunkhead side of the argument may have a point.
"But yeah. That was fun. The adults have plans for us, even for trivial stuff like speedball teams. It's nice to break those plans."
Granting a string to activate Uncanny Whispers
Mark,
Over your sub-dermal comm link, you hear "the voice", "Cressida Redmond, aka Pax, is a wanted cyber-criminal and member of the Red Five."
Red Five popped up on the feeds soon after the ship was split in two and all the children were moved into the aft section of the ship. They're known for data-steals and alterations to ship systems for pranks. The Corps call them terrorists.
"A thing is a thing, you know," I say to her. "Anyway. Shower time. We have to get back to the pod."
I go towards the boys' locker room so that I'm moving away from Pax's hand without having to actively brush her off.
I give her an embarrassed smile.
"I dunno who I think I am, talking all big about messing with the powers that be. All pretty small-time to you, I guess. I'd be interested in talking about it more with you. Or the other four. But here's not the place."
Mark,
On the bit about the four others, she narrows her eyes, the smile fading. She glances right at one of the cams, then nods, agreeing "this isn't the place".
I get into the shower fast. I just want to get out of here. Shame the rich kids get separate rooms for the two teams, or there could have been some shameless gloating going on right now.
I am curious about why the game got cut short, though. I'm pretty sure my roomie will have some ideas.
Did I really just see that? I mean, I was watching, but not really... maybe it's the confusion... but Lucas saw too, didn't he?
That's not something I could do... if it's real then it's something else.
I slowly come around, after nearly making eye contact with Eff, "let's... Lucas!" I half-shout his name to get him to pay attention. "It's time to go!"
Yeah, I urge him to follow... it's not like we're together but yeah, he's kind of a creep but I don't want him to end up in iso for nothing. I'm not a monster.
Mark,
Rys is in the shower, finishing up. He makes some jokes about how bad you guys beat Power, pays some compliments, but he's in a hurry to check out what had the Corps moving. You shower up and head back, Jace walks with you, but he's not chatty.
Mark,
Please go here.
Ashlee,
Do you follow him?
Nod a big fan of the hand grabbing, but yeah, all for running away. Let's get home!
Ashlee,
Let's see how you Run Away, then!
Running away (Volatile+2)
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 1, 2. Total: 5)
xp(?)
Ashlee,
Tek meets your eyes, then drops his voice into a low, controlled tone, "Tell me what happened between you and Eff. Tell me the truth, or you get a day in iso."
What do you do?
I gasp for air as Lucas suddenly collapses, Tek isn't a corporal I've seen up close before. He's disgustingly handsome, (why are they always attractive?) but quick and seems like someone you don't drokk with.
It's hard to stand still, I try to keep calm, remind myself to hold it together... he doesn't know anything. He doesn't know.
"Uh..." it's hard to suddenly think if a story, I glance at the stun-stick and back to his face, "C...corporal Eff asked why I was watching team Power in practice... uh..." I swallow, my mouth feels dry. "They say I need to work on my... t.. teamwork. Empathy... that sports would help me... I... I had permission... and... I just love the game..."
I watch him, tight-lipped, nodding ever so slightly. He's too good looking to be so cold. Why does it have to be like this?
Trying to sound genuine I chirp, "and... and Team Power is epic!"
I try not to smirk as I think to myself, 'even if we kicked their ass today.'
Ashlee,
Let's see well you Hold Steady here. Oh, and what's the worst thing that could happen right now?
Holding steady (cold-1)
(Rolled: 2d6-1. Rolls: 6, 4. Total: 9)
Worst thing that could happen is that he hits me with that stun stick. I'm likely to have an 'uncontrollable response' as my monitors used to call it.
On a 7-9 I choose to ask a question:
"Does Tek know that I did something to harm corporal Eff in the hall earlier?"
Ashlee,
He knows.
I breathe quickly through my teeth as I track the electric tip of his baton with my eyes.
"Then..." He knows... I can see it in his face. He's challenging me to lie. He wants me to lie... he knows something happened, but he can't know what happened. he can't understand. It's worth anything to keep the truth from him.
"The corporal must have..." I shrug and try to look confused, "had a s...sudden migraine... or something. She didn't look well... I know I should have called the infirmary but I... I panicked..."
I do my best to look guilty, he probably just wants to put me in my place... what he thinks is my place.
"If something like that happened again," a loaded pause as I glance up at his pretty face, "I'd do the right thing."
Ashlee,
He clicks off his stun stick, then bends down to pull Lucas by his right arm and lifts your classmate up and over his shoulder, then looks back at you. "You may return to Pod Sixteen, Ashlee Rai."
What do you do?
He's taking Lucas?
He doesn't have to tell me twice, though. I forget to say anything as I just nod slightly and nervoulsy fast-walk until I pass the first corner, then break into a somewhat panicked run back to pod sixteen. I pretty much want to get out of the halls and back to... well... safety? If you call anywhere in this drokking place safe.
I don't know what happened to Mi Sun, Lucas isn't an option (never was really) and Tabitha... something...
Back to my room. Sleep actually sounds good.
Ashlee,
You tear down the hall, passing Aiden as he waits for the speedball team to get out of the showers. When you come around the corner past your classroom to turn up the last hall, you see Mi Sun standing by your room. She's waiting for you.
What do you do?
Panting, I slow to a trot then a walk. I hold my side and take several deep breaths before answering her.
"I'm..." "all right..." "Mi Sun... yeah." I glance up and down the hall at her warning. And nod. "Ok... I'll crash with you a while... ok?"
I step over to the door and pause a moment with a hand on the door frame, "you might bring some'a this stomm down on yourself though... you sure?"
Ashlee,
"What was happening with the corps and Ourania and stuff?" Mi Sun asks before walking over to sit on her bed. She pats a space beside her.
What do you do?
I smile softly as she assures me, then freeze there just inside the door as she calls me her 'best friend.' I'm stunned. I stand there, panting softly as the adrenaline of the run settles down, but my heart races still. Does she mean it? How?
I barely hear her question.
"Uh..." I see her pat the bed and just take a step, too nervous to go further right now, "I don't know... Ourania was so pissed! Something to do with uh... Bea." I squint and glance away as I remember what I thought I saw happen to Tabitha and Bea, "Then... everything went razors and the place blew up with corps' everywhere... you uh... got out okay right?"
She looks fine... makes one of us.
Ashlee,
You're already Hopeful right now, but I'm still triggering Futile Hope with Mi sun. You get a string on her, she gets one on you.
I walk over to nervously sit near her. Pretty sure she means it but this feels like a set up for a joke, like someone's going to burst out of the closet any second laughing at me the second I say anything personal.
I decide not to comment about Ourania... and she's suddenly reminded me about my little arrangement with her. Mental note... do that Ashlee.
I pull the chair out and turn it around to sit facing Mi Sun, "yeah... great game! Though... yeah too bad it ended all... weird... but Jace... he needs to trust himself, and the team. Speedball is drokking fast, right? You can't hesitate on the play... you've already lost if you don't go for it... maybe he'll figure that out, right?"
What do you do?