Book 2: Chapter 15 - A Leader of Men and Also Guy
Our lancers are more than ‘trained’.
They aren’t simply a group of random strangers
we shove together because of their callings.
Their leaders aren’t chosen on the fly.
Every fireteam at Chromatic Academy is a family.
And all of those families know each other better than they know themselves.Their leaders are chosen only after intense
scrutiny and months of evaluation.
This way only our best and brightest are responsible
For the lives of their comrades.
And we would never.
Never.
Send any of our students into the mist.
Not before they were thoroughly trained and certified.
Never.
—Abel Bouvier, Police Interview
“I’ll be pairing your fireteams together, for now,” Mr. Clay said. “Asher, Turner, Clarke, and Mulberry. I’d usually want a more experienced leader on your team. But I’ve been doing this long enough to know trust is twice as valuable as experience. Your team has already weathered an expedition of sorts. It would be a waste to split you now. Your party composition is already passable, as well. Once you’ve all hit orange, we may re-evaluate. In the meantime, you’ll work with the class president, so I can be certain you are safe.”
Violet and her friends stood clustered around Clay on one of the practice fields. Kassie joined them. Ajia and the two boys on Kassie’s team, whom Violet hadn’t properly met, were stretching a little ways away. It was Violet’s first day of practical training, and a few basic explanations were being repeated for her sake.
“I didn’t mention this yesterday, because half of your team wasn’t available. However, every team must choose a leader. Four independent lancers with no direction will always die. A team working in unison with a leader directing them, however? Well. They still die all the goddamn time. So you should all quit. But if you don’t, choose a leader. I highly recommend Ms. Mulberry for the role, but it is up to you to decide,” Clay continued.
“Yeah, I think I’d rather gargle Guy’s sweat, truth be told,” Kiera answered. “Why me?”
“Oh! ‘Cause you’re the support, and you have an offensive talent. You’ll be in the best position to keep an eye on everyone, direct them, and back them up when they need it,” Kassie answered. Mr. Clay nodded in affirmation.
“You’ll be watching the entire team anyway as you fulfill your current role. But that is, of course, as a red. That may change as you advance,” Clay said.
“Yes, but what you are overlooking, sir, is that I would be absolutely ass at leading. I couldn’t direct a line of ants to a sugar cube. I don’t think I’m the right pick,” Kiera replied.
“Well, I won’t do it either,” Guy cut in. “Frankly, I think I’d rather gargle Guy’s sweat.” Aubrey silently smacked the back of his head, and Mr. Clay groaned.
“That’s alright, buddy. I wouldn’t worry about it,” Violet replied.
Mr. Clay wasn’t interested in banter, and simply pushed forward. “Ms. Asher, then. You have the second most fluid position in the fireteam. You would need someone to handle decisions while you are scouting. And to replace you if you don’t come back. Which, I would like to remind you all, she might not. If lancers are particularly good at anything, it’s dying young. Just in case you all want to give this up and leave now,” he said.
That was starting to annoy Violet. Clay knew that many of them had been drafted. Even those who hadn’t been couldn’t simply leave. She understood he was venting. But she was beginning to wonder if the high fatality rate didn’t have something to do with the discouraging sad sack in charge of training. Of course, the students could no more complain about this advice than they could follow it. Violet wouldn’t leave even if she could, of course. Still, it felt like an attempt to manipulate her and her classmates. Combined with whatever talent the man used to encourage compliance with his orders, Violet was certain the man had control issues.
“Oh, I’m not sure about that,” Violet responded. She tilted her head and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.
“No need to be modest,” Kassie cut in. “Kiera and Guy said you totally saved everyone’s butts before. Like, you were already the leader, basically. You should take the role!”
“I’m good with that. Violet has top energy, for sure,” Guy agreed.
Aubrey smacked the back of his head again. “This moron aside, we do owe our lives to your leadership,” she said.
“The most dangerous thing that happened was because we ignored your advice,” Kiera added.
Kassie tilted her head. “Really? I missed that part. What advice was that?” she asked.
“Oh, well. Before we went to the nest, Violet wanted to burn—” Kiera started, but Violet interrupted her.
“That’s a bit of a touchy subject for some parties present, Kiera,” Violet said. She only spared a split second to scrape Aubrey with her gaze, but it was enough. “I get what you are all saying, in any case. If it’s temporary, I don’t mind taking the job for now. But I think Aubrey will be the best choice eventually. Once she’s… worked through everything.”
Kassie looked like she wanted to ask more, but Mr. Clay didn’t give her the opportunity. “It may become permanent more quickly than you think, actually. Once you all get your first orange talent, I will submit your team composition to Mr. Bouvier. At that point, it takes a bit more work to change. And, well. Our headmaster has high hopes for you, Ms. Asher. While each degree requires considerably more clarity than the one before it, he is still expecting you to reach orange within three months. Which means he is expecting me to push you hard enough to achieve that impossible task. I hope you are prepared,” he said.
Violet froze for a brief moment, then offered an awkward chuckle. “I’ll… I’ll try my best. Rapid advancement is something of a statistical anomaly for me, though. Just a heads up.”
“Not with how hard you’ll be working, it isn’t,” Clay dismissed. “If you accidentally made it most of the way through red on two trips into the mist, well. You will absolutely be meeting the deadline with time to spare.”
“Um, Mr. Clay…” Kassie interjected. “If I understand correctly, people died on both of those trips. Every time she advanced so quickly. I don’t know if it’s, like, safe to push harder than she already has?”
“She didn’t have me, and she didn’t have you, Miss Lockwood. This is why your fireteams will be working together,” he replied.
Kassie crossed her arms as her usual amiable demeanor descended into something far colder. “Sir. I appreciate that expectations for us are high in the spectrum class. I understand the mist has been… changing. But we are still just students. I will do my best to protect everyone, as always. But please, don’t rely on me to that extent. Literally reaching orange in six months will be just as impressive as three. But also, like, doable,” she challenged.
“Take it up with the headmaster, Miss Lockwood. It is entirely out of my hands now. I will do as I have been instructed, and you will do the same. Learn your drills. I will be watching, and we’ll discuss what you need to work on when you are finished. After that, we will train with talents and get everyone used to each other’s calling. That is how the day is going to go, and that is all I am interested in discussing,” he answered. There was a bitter taste to his words that didn’t actually seem directed as Kassie.
“I’d really prefer no one else get hurt because of me,” Violet chimed in. She didn’t love the way Kassie had framed her track record for advancement. It was far too close to reality. She needed to distance people from the connection between death and her advancing. Without refuting it directly, at least. It was probably not an uncommon correlation with lancers. It was only the mild matter of the eleven years with no advancement that made Violet’s case suspicious, if anyone looked too closely. Still, she preferred no one draw the line at all. It was her fault they were, in a way. A lack of patience. But she wouldn’t make that mistake again.
“Like I said. Take it up with the headmaster. Or drop out. As far as I’m concerned, you’ll either get strong enough to survive while I’m protecting you, or you’ll all be dead within a year of graduation anyway,” Clay insisted. He turned as he was speaking, and waved them off while walking away. By the time he was done dismissing them, it was obvious the conversation was over.
Kassie stuck her tongue out at the teacher’s back, then let her arms fall and turned to face Violet. “Sorry about him. It won’t be as bad as he makes it sound. Probably. He’s totally just a grumpy old man. He’s right about one thing, though,” she said.
“Is it that people would rather die than stay in his class?” Aubrey grumbled. Considering Clay’s degree, he almost certainly heard her. But he didn’t react as he continued walking away. It was a small favor, Violet decided. He would use some kind of control talent on his students. He would taunt them and remind them that they were all going to die. But at least he didn’t throw a tantrum when his students met his unprofessional energy.
“Not quite,” Kassie answered. “No, he’s right that I’ll take care of you. I may not look like much, but I’m a pretty good lancer! I was the one Bouvier was obsessed with before Violet showed up. While you’re with me, you’re safe! I promise!”
“I appreciate that, although I wasn’t too worried,” Kiera said. “I trust my team. We’ll be alright.”
“Speak for yourself. Kassie. Please protect me at all times, day and night,” Guy said.
“Isn’t protecting people literally your job, Guy? You’re our tank,” Aubrey asked.
“I like to be both spoons, sometimes,” Guy replied.
“I’m sure you do, buddy. But let’s not harass the other team leader just yet,” Violet said.
“I don’t mind,” Kassie laughed. “I’m totally into the pretty type. Yeah, I’ll keep you as safe as you’d like, Guy.”
Kiera’s tail flicked in irritation at that, but Violet was the only one to notice. She could see problems arising if a romantic rivalry started to build between the three. Which is why she ignored it. The thought was kind of funny. Although, she did wonder what both girls found so interesting about the ridiculous boy. At worst, Violet was jealous of his eyelashes.
“I stand corrected,” Violet responded. “Feel free to harass the other team leader. In the meantime, Kassie, I’d love to properly meet the rest of your team. So far, I’ve only met Ajia, and it was a brief exchange. Basically just her implying I wanted to sleep with Aubrey.”
Kassie sighed. “Sounds like her. She thinks everyone wants to sleep with everyone. Which is, like, true. We are teenagers, after all. But that’s seriously not the point, you know?”
“Well, that’s offensive. I’ll have you know I am chaste and reserved,” Guy protested.
“No, I get it,” Violet responded, ignoring Guy entirely. “We’re pretty people.”
“Damn right we are,” Kiera agreed. “And yeah, Ajia is a riot. Guy and I have already gotten to know the new team, actually. And Aubrey lives with Ajia, so.”
“Either way, let’s get started,” Violet said. “Apparently, I have to break into orange less than a year after I made red. Which is a totally normal expectation.”
“Yeah, that’s why there are so many category orange six-year-olds running around Prism City. Everyone knows that,” Kiera agreed.
“Oh, you guys are totally gonna get along with my team,” Kassie said.
“Oh, no,” Aubrey whispered.
“Come on!” Kassie continued. At that, the group finally followed the chipper blonde over to the rest of her team.
Violet retreated into her thoughts as they walked the short distance. The harder she was pushed to reach orange, the more she’d have to do to maintain the illusion. She didn’t know how to actually measure clarity gain, but there were thresholds for each degree, and they were consistent. They could, and likely had, done the math on how much she had earned while she was in the mist. And they would expect her to replicate that. There were lies she could think of to explain it, if she didn’t. But the more she lied, the more she’d need to remember. It would be easier to stay ahead of their expectations.
Which meant she needed to kill. Gemma hadn’t helped her advance much, as far as she could tell. Which meant such easy targets wouldn’t work. Fortunately, she had Shepard’s files. These mentioned students, people the students knew, teachers, and even quite a few private clients. Shepard had met with a lot of people over the years. And he had a lot of… interesting things to say about them. It wasn’t a pretty way to think about people. But she had a way to advance, and quite a few names that wouldn’t leave her feeling terribly guilty.
“As you all know, this is Ajia!” Kassie said, interrupting Violet’s train of thought. Violet looked up, and Kassie was holding one hand out to the girl in question, like she was presenting her at an awards show.
“I also go by AJ,” she said. “Depending on the day. You’ll be able to tell when you see me.”
“Ajia’s has the Shapeshifter calling. She’s quite good at it! You get used to the way she changes from day to day.”
“I already have,” Aubrey commented.
“Right. And this is Zach! He has the Volatile calling. It’s… complicated. Callings that use an adjective as a noun usually are,” Kassie continued.
“It’s not that complicated. Nice to meet you, though,” Zach intoned. His expression didn’t change at all, and he simply continued to stretch.
“And finally, Dustin! He has the Muse calling. He’s our primary support member,” Kassie said, gesturing at the short boy who was failing to do proper stretches. He was small and slight. Instead of answering, he blushed and looked at his feet. He was fairly shy for someone with a calling designed to inspire others, but Violet figured it would make sense when she saw him in a fight.
“Nice to meet you all!” Violet greeted. “I’m Violet. I’ll try not to get anyone here killed. I’m a scout.”
“Aubrey,” the banshee said from behind Violet. “I’m loud.”
“Great! Now that everyone knows each other, let’s get started with, like, the most important part of all this,” Kassie announced.
“What? Combat drills?” Aubrey asked.
“What?” Kassie responded. “No, we need to make plans for after class! No team can go into the mist together if they haven’t done group karaoke first!”
Violet shook her head before anyone could answer. “Sorry, I have something I need to do tonight,” she said. Kassie’s suggestion actually sounded fun. But Violet didn’t have much time before Mr. Clay was expecting to see her moving through the degrees. She needed a lot more clarity. And she planned on getting it as soon as possible.