The Ninth (7 page)

“Listen, I know you did what you thought was best, but
never
trust a spacer.  You take your friend to the Silver Dragon too.  Tell them he needs a decent ident card, and show them this joke the Commonwealth made for him,” the burly man whispered as he handed the forged card to Brent.  “I hope his family gets well soon so the two of you can get off that death trap

“Thanks for your help,” Brent said sincerely.

“We’ve got to stick together; can’t let the spacers get everything they want.”  The burly man smiled.

With that, Brent headed toward the elevator.  As the doors closed, Brent let out a tremendous sigh of relief.  They had made it.

The last of the great monitors went dark.  The troopers cheered and jeered.  The observation room was twice as large as the mess hall and several times more popular.  Troopers filled it to capacity, shouting over the victories and defeats they’d just witnessed.  The first exam was over, and it had been unusual to say the least.

“I don’t know about you, Jack, but I didn’t see that coming,” Nathan said still laughing.

“Tripping and accidentally pulling the entire group off the platform right after they exit the drop ship,” Jack said, shaking his head

“She just
had
to check out the edge.  Valiant effort by the group to save her, though.  Too bad they all ended up being pulled over the edge.”

“I suppose it’s safe to say group E didn’t pass the exam.”

“Pass?”  Nathan started laughing again.  “I’m not even sure if they technically started it.”

Getting up from his chair, Nathan made his way to the bookies that were busy calculating the payouts.  Spotting the boy he had placed his bet with, Nathan quickly approached and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hello there, my boy,” Nathan said as non-threateningly as he could.  “I’m sure you remember me from earlier.”

Just as before, the boy sheepishly nodded.

“I was wondering if you could put up the results from the exams on the monitors?”  Nathan asked plainly.

For a moment the boy froze then exchanged glances with the other bookies.

“Sir, we can’t do that,” the boy replied slowly.  “The information is confidential.”

“Nonsense, that’s never stopped you before.  I know you’ve already got the results and are using that information to figure out what you owe and what you are owed.  Just put up what you’ve got on the screens.”

“Sir, even if I wanted to, I can’t.  We don’t have access.  We’d have to go through maintenance to get permission, and they’d
never
allow it.”

“It never ceases to amaze me how many people on this station have more authority than I do.”  Nathan sighed and shook his head in dismay.  “Now look here, take my pad.  Use my authorization codes and put the information up there.  If anyone gives you any trouble, you tell them that the Administer
ordered
you to do it.”

The boy again exchanged glances with the other bookies but in the end nodded and took the pad.  After a few moments the monitors started to shift to life.  As the boy handed back the pad, Nathan snatched it and sprinted back to Jack.  Nathan didn’t want to risk missing the reaction.

“What was all that about?”  Jack asked suspiciously.

“You’ll see,” Nathan said, nodding toward the main monitors.

The monitors started replaying the key moments of the groups.  It started with group E, showing the disastrous plummet from the platform and the surprised look on the recruits’ faces as they landed on a nearly invisible net only a short drop below the platform.  A second monitor displayed statistics and other data on group E’s performance that were meaningless to Nathan.  What was important, at least financially, was that they had done the worst and were in last place as far as betting was concerned.  Nathan shuddered at the thought of all the lost bets.

Next was group A.  They actually made it safely to the guards and the elevator.  When the last recruit inserted his ident card, the alarm buzzed.  At once the recruits panicked and charged the armed guards, pushing one guard off the edge and stealing the weapon of the other.  They forced their way into the elevator, guns blazing.  When the elevator reached the ground floor, two armed squads awaited them.  Needless to say, they failed, but they managed to do better than group E.  Being captured was still better than plummeting to your death moments after landing.

Next was Group D.  Again, the last recruit set off the alarm.  Those in the elevator snuck up on the armed guards and managed to get their weapons away before they could react.  Forcing the three guards on the platform into the drop ship, they managed to enter the city.  However, it would only be a matter of time before someone noticed the missing guards, and their cover was blown.  They managed to take third place.

Next was group B.  Like the rest, the last recruit set off the alarm.  They stood silent in the elevator as the guards searched the poor boy.  What followed chilled Nathan to the bone.  From the safety of the elevator the group took the pretense that they had been betrayed and started shouting at the last recruit.  However, the guard operating the ident scanner did not buy the act.  He handed his side arm to the leader of the group and demanded the spy be dealt with.  Without hesitation the leader then turned and fired on the recruit.  Thankfully, it was only an exam, so the recruit was only stunned rather than killed.  Group B passed the exam, but at a heavy cost.

The reactions of the division leaders reminded Nathan that more was at stake than a few credits.  The exams not only tested a recruit’s abilities, they showed them off.  Whether a recruit was invited to a division or not was based more on their performance than the skills they possessed.  After all, even the most talented trooper was useless if they couldn’t function with the rest of a squad or follow orders.  Despite their unconventional methods, group B’s score was impressive, securing them second place.  Finally, the replay featured group C.  The replay met with thunderous cheering and applause.

“Good picks,” Nathan said with a grin.  “I can almost taste the creds we are going to make.”

“Are you implying I put them all together for your financial gain?” Jack said irritably.

“I’m not implying anything.  What’s got you, Jack?  I thought you’d be happy Brent did so well.”

“I am, Nathan.  I just expected more from the group.”

“More?”

“You said it yourself.  I hand picked each recruit in the group.  I took recruits that have been training for this all their lives and ones completely unprepared, recruits from rim worlds and core worlds.  I wanted an approximation of the population of the Commonwealth, complete with the friction.”

“So what’s wrong?  Some got along, others fought.  Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Yes, but they all gave into Brent too easily.  It hasn’t been an hour and Brent is already the unquestioned commander of his group.  I don’t like the greater implications for the whole of the Commonwealth.”

“That’s a bit extreme. His group was the only one to have problems
before
landing.  I’m sure the only reason they followed his lead was because he read the briefing.  Basically, he took the place of an authority figure when they needed one the most.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“All right, Jack, I know that tone of voice.  What is
really
bothering you.”

“The other recruits I understand, but not the guard.  Zimmer is a master of Sims.  Some of his work responds so naturally I can almost forget it isn’t a real person.  So why create a guard that was so accommodating to Brent?”

“Accommodating?  You mean Brent didn’t use any Weaver abilities to manipulate the guard?”

“None.  I was observing him closely, not that I expected him to.  It seems that, along with his other memories from six years ago, Brent has forgotten all about his abilities.”

“Could Zimmer’s guards have been responding to Brent as if he were manipulating them?”

“Not possible.  The room is equipped with special sensors and observed by trained Weavers.  They’d know if anyone was or wasn’t using Weaver abilities.”

“All right, but couldn’t it be dumb luck?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, as I understand it, when you get past the fancy details all a Sim boils down to are sets of if/then statements.  What looks like a guard talking to recruits is a specter responding to the actions of the recruits with predetermined responses.”

“More or less.  Your point?”

“Is it possible that Brent just happened to pick the course of action that would get the best reaction out of the guard?”

“I hadn’t thought of that.”  Jack scratched his chin in thought.  “Zimmer prides himself on what he calls “complete” Sims.”

“So he caught you and monologued over how amazing his work is, I take it?” Nathan asked with a grin.

“I wouldn’t say caught.  I had a couple suggestions for his exam and he took the opportunity to explain his process,
in detail
.  According to him, his Sims are loaded with unique responses for every possible situation.  It is
possible
for Brent to have simply stumbled over the right one.  Improbable but not impossible.”

“Good enough for me, and it looks like the groups have reached their next exams.”

“So they have.  There won’t be any Sims this time.  I wonder how Brent will fare against a flesh and blood opponent.”

“I certainly hope he passes – I’ve got a lot riding on the boy.”

Zimmer had not been happy to see them.  His congratulations had been halfhearted.  As the recruits left him for their next exam, Brent could hear Zimmer muttering angrily to himself.  Waiting for them in the hallway was Humphrey, with a smile that didn’t quite belong on the otherwise glowering face.  Humphrey didn’t say a word as he led them down the corridors of the station to the next examination.  Brent paid careful attention, noting every indentation in the walls that was really a doorway.  Brent wondered if the other groups were behind those doorways, already taking the next exam as they wandered the halls.

“Here we are.”  Humphrey’s mumble almost sounded encouraging.  “This time they will test your stealth skills.  Keep up the good work.”

Entering the room, the recruits found it empty.  There was no waiting instructor, no laid out instructions, just an empty room.  The recruits spread out, investigating the room.

“Pretty smooth talking back there,” Hiroko said with a proud smile.  “Guess you’re not a lost cause after all.  And certainly not a mute,” she added, sticking her tongue out at Erin.

“You
really
saved my hide.”  Owen was emphatic as he shook Brent’s hand.  “If there is ever
anything
I can do for you, just say so and it’s yours.”

“You should have let him fail,” Erin said matter-of-factly.  “The exams are to test a person’s ability.  Intervening and saving someone from failing could put us all at risk later.”

“I see,” Hiroko snapped at Erin.  “So, silently following Brent and slipping your card effortlessly through the scanner without incident was a fair test of
your
abilities?  Good to know we’ve got a master of “do nothing” on our side.  If we are ever faced by an army of ravenous card scanners, we’ll leave it to you.”

The recruits in earshot chuckled to themselves.

“You are one to talk!” Erin shouted in frustration and embarrassment.  “Your performance was no greater than mine was!  I’ve spent years training for this.  I studied the
standard
exams in detail.  It shouldn’t be like this!”

“Maybe so, but I didn’t attack Owen for having bad luck!” Hiroko shouted back.  “Besides Owen and Brent none of us were really tested!”

“You both have a point.”  Dante interrupted the shouting.  “These exams don’t seem to be designed to test our individual abilities.  Why do you think that is, sir?”

It took Brent a moment to realize the question was directed at him.  No one else seemed to share Brent’s confusion as they stared at him, awaiting his answer.

“Maybe they are testing us for something else,” Brent answered.

“Something else?” Erin asked in exasperation.  “What else could you want from new recruits than to know their abilities,
or lack thereof
?” Erin stared at Hiroko as she finished her statement.

“Maybe they want to know if any of us are stuck’ up core worlders who are best seen and not heard!”  Hiroko shouted back.

“What about how we respond as a group?”  Owen ventured a guess.

“I doubt that, Owen.”  Dante’s voice had an analytical edge to it.  “If they wanted to see a group reaction, why single out the first and last recruits to pass through the scanner?  As Miss Taguchi stated, only the two of you had major roles to play.  If they wanted a group reaction they’d need something that would impact us all equally.”

“Miss?  Erin asked calming down a bit.  “I wouldn’t bother being formal in regards to
her
.  Besides, it’s a moot point.  After the exams we’ll all be invited or assigned to
different
divisions.  Why would anyone even
care
how well we functioned as a group?”