Freedom, Humanity, and Other Delusions (Death's Handmaiden Book 3) Page 11

  ‘I’m just visiting for a couple of days,’ Naomi said when it did not look like there would be a break in the smooching to give him a more obvious opening. ‘Just to see how everyone is doing. The school arranged for me to stay in one of the postgrad apartments, but I thought I’d stop off here first since Kyle was coming straight here.’

  ‘I’ll make some drinks,’ Nava said. ‘Kyle will probably need the fluids after Courtney finishes sucking all the ones he currently has out through his mouth.’

  That got through to Courtney. ‘I am not going to– You just said that to make me stop, didn’t you?’

  ‘Not entirely.’ Nava turned for the door to the kitchen. ‘You have been making noises about Kyle’s visit all week. I suppose we should be thankful he’s finally here. Should we just put food on trays outside your room for the next few days?’

  ‘No!’

  ‘It’s really difficult to tell if she’s being sarcastic,’ Naomi commented.

  ‘You just noticed?’ Mitsuko asked. ‘Don’t stand on ceremony, Naomi. Sit down. That bag looks heavy.’

  Naomi glanced over his shoulder at the kit bag he was lugging around. It almost looked like he had forgotten he was carrying it. ‘I suppose it is.’ Placing the bag on the carpet beside the door, he walked over to one of the sofas and took a seat: the seat beside Melissa, who looked more than a little surprised by that turn of events. ‘I heard you were re-elected, President. Congratulations. How are things going on the council?’

  ‘Well, no changes in the team. Yet. Courtney is stepping down at the end of this term, but we’ll deal with that when it happens.’

  ‘You persuaded Marie to stay on?’

  Mitsuko nodded a reply. ‘We cleared the admin early this week, since we’re sticking with the same council, so we’ve just got back from a couple of days at the mansion.’

  ‘I heard that a Firmin was running against you in the election.’

  ‘You heard right. In the end, she wasn’t much of a threat. I was more worried that the small amount of competition seemed to depress the voting numbers.’

  ‘Hm.’ The big man turned his head. ‘And you, Melissa? Are you still doing your usual impressive job as secretary?’

  ‘Oh! Me?’ Melissa was a little surprised at being addressed. Which she should not really have been. ‘Uh, it’s going fine. Same old, same old. I’m just glad I never had to use my resignation letter.’

  ‘The school would have lost a valuable asset.’

  ‘Th-thank you, Naomi.’ Melissa was not sure what to make of the compliments. It was not like she hated being complimented, or that Naomi was doing it. It was, however, a little unexpected…

  Nava returned from the kitchen with a tray holding several mugs and pots of both coffee and tea. Naomi seemed to realise he was confounding Melissa and quickly looked around at Nava. ‘And have you been keeping busy, Nava?’

  ‘Of course, Naomi,’ Nava replied. ‘I have schoolwork. I keep an eye on the MagiTag and Flight Clubs. And I have a new friend whose imaginary friend turned out to be a real Harbinger. So, you know, normal stuff.’

  ‘I think I need to hear that story.’

  ‘Just so long as it doesn’t get reported up the chain of command. This Harbinger turned out to be a nice Harbinger.’

  ‘I definitely need to hear that story.’

  236/3/9.

  Dinner was getting crowded. Carina did not always eat with them, but it was far from an infrequent occurrence. Tonight, they had Kyle at the table too. Since Hoshi and Rochester were there rather than at Hoshi’s apartment, there were eight people and they had required two tables to fit everyone together. The conversation was flying about, making eating something take second place to chatter.

  And Courtney had an announcement. ‘The administration informed me that Taryn Borchardt Firmin has applied for the position of SSF captain. They’re going to arrange an interview for her, so they’re taking it seriously.’

  ‘I see,’ Nava said. She figured that Courtney was mostly aiming the statement at her, though it was likely that Mitsuko and Melissa would be interested.

  ‘Courtney said she’d asked you to take on the job,’ Kyle said.

  It was a statement which seemed to warrant an answer. ‘She did,’ Nava said.

  ‘Your power surpasses even mine,’ Carina said in an overly dramatic tone. ‘You would make an excellent leader of the school’s guardians.’

  Courtney rolled her eyes, but Nava responded in her usual flat tone. ‘So I’m told.’

  ‘Probably better than this Taryn Borchardt Firmin,’ Kyle said. He took a forkful of pasta and began chewing it thoughtfully.

  ‘If there are no more applicants, Taryn’s likely to get it,’ Courtney said.

  ‘I may need that letter of resignation after all,’ Melissa said mournfully. Nava gave her a look.

  ‘The Firmins are good fighters,’ Kyle said. ‘Can’t deny it. They’re some of the best mercenaries in the Alliance. Not many of them in the ASF, however. And I’m not really sure a fighter is what we need at the top of the SSF.’

  ‘Then I–’ Nava began.

  ‘I think it’d be interesting to see what you did with it, Nava. Yes, you’re an excellent fighter, but you’re on the support stream for a reason. You see magic as more than just a weapon. You want to use it for more than just killing. And you’re not a typical clan-educated girl, so you’ll likely have some interesting ideas about where you could take the SSF. That’s my opinion anyway. Take it or leave it.’

  Nava looked across the table at him for a second. ‘I’ll take it under consideration, Kyle.’

  ‘Well, that’s all I can ask, really.’

  236/3/13.

  ‘He’s only been gone a day, Courtney.’ Mitsuko had some sympathy for the current SSF captain, but Courtney was moping a lot.

  ‘I probably won’t see him again for four months, Suki,’ Courtney replied. She was on a sofa, curled up around a pillow. It was that bad. ‘Tell me how you’d feel if you had to be away from Nava for four months.’

  ‘She does have a valid point,’ Nava said. ‘You would be unhappy. You weren’t happy with a couple of weeks over the winter holiday.’

  ‘Yes, but– I suppose you’re right. It’s going to be quieter around here without Kyle around.’

  ‘Especially at night,’ Nava said, entirely deadpan.

  ‘You aren’t sleeping right across the hall from it,’ Melissa said. Her scowl had a smirk in it.

  ‘Is that why you’ve been spending most of the week in Suki’s bed?’

  ‘That’s not the only reason…’

  ‘Hey!’ Courtney exclaimed, finally noticing what they were saying. ‘Are you saying me and Kyle are loud?’

  ‘Yes,’ Nava said flatly. ‘You’re loud. When you’re living together, buy an apartment with very good soundproofing.’

  ‘We are not that–’

  ‘Maybe we should move the bed in that room for Kyle’s next visit,’ Mitsuko suggested.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Away from the wall.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan,’ Melissa said.

  ‘I concur,’ Nava added.

  ‘You three are really mean,’ Courtney replied.

  ‘Suki and I are mean,’ Nava said. ‘Melissa is just sleep-deprived.’

  ‘Really mean. I’m going to sulk now.’

  ‘At least you’re not moping.’

  236/3/18.

  ‘She’s good,’ Francis said. ‘Almost as good as you, Nava.’

  ‘Mm,’ Nava responded. She was watching the screen where Taryn could be seen demolishing her opposition in a battle royal MagiTag game.

  ‘She’s good,’ Sara Janvier said, ‘but she’s maybe a little too vicious for us to rely on her in competitions.’ Sara had taken over from Francis as captain of the MagiTag Club after Francis became the chair of the EAC. She was a Sonkei, a third year in the combat stream, and she suffered from Francis butting in at a lot of club sessions. It was, perhaps, to
be expected that Francis would take particular interest in the club he had run, but he did tend to undermine Sara’s authority a little.

  ‘Really?’ Nava asked.

  ‘She doesn’t like losing. She never cheats, but she bends the rules as far as they’ll go to make sure she has the advantage. I mean, she is one of the best we have, so she shouldn’t need to push things as much as she does.’

  ‘Yet she does.’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘She’s competitive,’ Francis said. ‘Competitive is what we need in the summer games.’

  ‘You might be right, Chairman,’ Sara said.

  ‘What about as captain of the SSF?’ Nava asked.

  ‘She’s applied for that? I didn’t even know Courtney Martell was stepping down.’

  ‘At the end of the term,’ Francis replied. ‘She didn’t mention that Taryn Borchardt had applied though.’

  ‘Taryn has applied,’ Nava said. ‘I expect Courtney didn’t wish to bother the majority of the council until the administration needs a decision.’

  ‘But she told you.’

  ‘She had a reason.’ Nava’s gaze never left the screen. ‘And I think she’s won this one.’

  ‘Huh?’ Francis asked, frowning.

  ‘Don’t worry about it, Francis. You’ll have far more to worry about if her plan actually comes to fruition.’

  ~~~

  ‘All right, Courtney,’ Nava said as the housemates settled down in the lounge after dinner, ‘you get your way. You can put my name forward as your recommendation for SSF captain.’

  ‘Okay,’ Courtney said, halfway onto her seat. She more or less fell the rest of the way. ‘Thanks. You won’t regret this.’

  ‘I agree, but you might.’

  ‘Huh. I’ll tell the principal tomorrow morning. Uh, what made you change your mind?’

  Nava considered her answer for a second. ‘I didn’t. I still think I’ll be a poor choice for captain. I did, however, come to the conclusion that I would be a better choice than Taryn Borchardt. She’s a woman who believes the ends justify the means. She can’t be given the job you’ve been doing.’

  ‘I think you’ll be great at it,’ Melissa said. ‘And, obviously, if you get the job, I won’t have to resign.’

  ‘A distinct advantage,’ Mitsuko said. ‘I’m wondering what sort of thing you have planned, Nava. As Kyle said, you’re not from the Clan Worlds, originally. Perhaps you have a different take on the way the SSF should operate.’

  ‘I think it operates quite well,’ Nava replied. ‘Though I have a few ideas which may make it more effective in the long term. I need to talk to some people, so I hope I’ll get a few days before the administration wants to interview me.’

  236/3/22.

  The principal of SAS2 was wearing powder blue today. Well, his suit was white, but his waistcoat was a pale blue which Nava could have sworn was glowing. She sat opposite him in a seating area in his office, wondering whether she should have brought tinted glasses. Behind Auberon Ewart, his VP stood like a bodyguard, one hand resting on the back of his chair. Joslyn Harris was in the school’s staff uniform and looked just as strict as she usually did. She was noted as a stickler for the rules and Nava was not sure how the VP’s judgement would fall when it came to Nava versus Taryn. With Auberon being a difficult man to read, Nava was faced with a tough audience.

  ‘As you know, Nava,’ Auberon said, ‘Courtney has given her personal recommendation regarding her replacement, and you are the person she has recommended.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Nava replied. ‘She asked me whether I would accept her endorsement around three weeks ago. I accepted on Saturday.’

  ‘Why the delay?’ Joslyn asked.

  ‘I had concerns regarding my suitability for the role.’

  ‘The same concerns which caused you to turn down a position in the SSF last year?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘What changed?’

  Nava made a show of considering the question. That probably worked for these two who were not so used to dealing with her. Her friends had largely worked out it was just for show. ‘Several things. I have more experience of Clan Worlds society. I believe I can do the job without causing a scandal and hurting my fellow students. My reputation in the school is now such that I don’t believe members of the combat stream will be inclined to test me. Also, the position of captain offers opportunities which I cannot deny interest me.’

  ‘You don’t think you’ll kill anyone now?’ Joslyn asked flatly.

  ‘That is correct. Or, if I do, it will be because there was no other way to handle the situation.’

  ‘Hm.’ The VP did not seem entirely convinced.

  The principal, however, latched onto something else. ‘The position offers opportunities you find interesting, Nava?’ The man was not much into formalities; he had instructed Nava to call him Auberon as soon as they were in his office. She was, largely, ignoring him. She could reduce the formality if she got the job and got to know him better.

  ‘Yes, sir. If I am given the opportunity, I’d like to change some of the focus of the SSF.’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘The SSF has always been something of a training ground for students intending to join the ASF in a policing capacity. The ASF or a Clan security force. I would like to expand upon that. I’ve made some enquiries through my contact in the ASF regarding their willingness to provide external lecturers on police procedure, forensics, and other aspects of the ASF’s law enforcement role. It’s all been quite vague so far since I obviously can’t commit to anything. You would need to agree and they would need to find people willing to take on the extra work. It would also depend on SSF members being willing to put in time after lessons and in addition to their normal duties. It’s a big ask. I believe that’s the correct idiomatic phrase. However, the initial feedback from my contact is positive and my conversations with Courtney suggest that her people would be interested. Essentially, both they and the SSF would see it as a leg-up in becoming a useful member of ASF policing.’

  ‘Forensics. So, your thinking is that the SSF needs more support students in the ranks?’

  ‘Yes, sir. Courtney will tell you that the loss of Donovan Ilbert has left a significant hole in her ability to process crime scenes.’

  ‘He was an exceptionally useful member of the team,’ Joslyn agreed.

  ‘Indeed,’ Auberon said. ‘Essentially then, you’re proposing a system to provide more training for those going into the ASF’s support operations.’

  ‘That would be part of it. I don’t wish to leave out the combat stream students. The tactics used in policing vary slightly from those used in military operations. There are nuances which should be taken into consideration. And there are currently no courses at SAS-squared in police procedure which would apply to everyone.’

  ‘It sounds like you’re turning the SSF into Police Club,’ Joslyn said. ‘There is a very specific reason the SSF exists.’

  ‘And I think my ideas could only improve how its duties are handled, Vice Principal. The school gets a more effective, student-driven security force. The ASF gets new recruits more capable of handling the work and may get more support students applying for positions. I’m sure you’re aware they have difficulty recruiting support magicians since there’s more competition for their talents.’

  ‘That’s true… It sounds like you’d be taking on more work than the captain typically has.’

  ‘Perhaps, but I intend to do less of the basic policing work than previous captains have engaged in. First, I think it’s the captain’s job to direct the troops, so to speak, and be there when really difficult situations arise. Second, decreasing my patrol work also decreases the chance that any overenthusiastic students decide to test me. I’d be primarily in charge of administration, but I’d also be the big gun they break out when the situation calls for it.’

  ‘You’re very confident in your abilities, aren’t you?’

  It was Auberon who answer
ed, before Nava could open her mouth. ‘Joslyn, we’ve both seen Nava in action. Aren’t you confident in her abilities?’

  Joslyn paused, looking thoughtful. She was probably remembering what she had seen in an auditorium in Alliance City where Nava had wiped out an entire contingent of terrorists, without any civilian casualties, on her own. ‘Well, yes, I suppose I am.’

  236/3/26.

  When Nava spotted Taryn climbing up toward her, into the cool but clear Sunday afternoon sky, she thought briefly about taking off at high speed and ditching her rival for the captaincy. That, however, seemed like a show of weakness. If she was going to try another seduction attempt…

  ‘I heard you applied for the SSF captain position,’ Taryn said without preamble. Not a seduction then.

  ‘You heard correctly,’ Nava replied. ‘To be more precise, however, Courtney Martell more or less forced me into applying.’

  Taryn grinned. It was not an especially nice grin. ‘You should back out now then. It’s better than a humiliating defeat.’

  ‘You’re that confident?’

  ‘Oh yeah. They’re not going to pick a support stream student to be the captain of the school’s security force. No way. You have to know that.’

  ‘Both the principal and vice principal have seen me in “police action” of sorts. They’re quite well aware of my ability to enforce the rules if I have to. Actually, most of the school is aware of my capabilities by this point. I’m a little surprised you aren’t.’

  There was a flicker of annoyance in Taryn’s eyes: maybe she was not as confident as she claimed to be. ‘I think you should quit while you’re ahead, but it’s not like I don’t want the competition. May the best woman win.’ She dropped back toward the ground before she could hear Nava’s answer.

  ‘No,’ Nava said to the now empty air, ‘she’s not that confident at all.’

  236/4/3.

  Homeroom was quiet. Luca Newton had few notices to give out and the session had shifted to individual students with concerns going up to talk to her. There were few of those. Nava had decided that it was a good opportunity to make notes on her plans for the SSF should she get the captaincy.