Master Haddad? I knew he was a senior assassin, and very good at his craft. But for Huzand to call him legendary . . . that was something else.
The Commandant fixed me with what was obviously meant to be a penetrating gaze. I guess I was supposed to crack at this point and confess everything he wanted to know, like for example that I was secretly being sponsored by Prince Achmir and House Vethethezk, they’d set me up with Haddad, and that was why I wouldn’t join House Jerrazis.
He took a couple of steps toward me—not too many, because that would mean leaving his nifty ramp and standing on the same level—and intensified his stare at my ooze-stained face.
‘You resemble someone,’ he said. ‘I can’t quite place it. . . ’
I felt him query the Imperial Mind, I guess doing a visual match. I caught my identifier in the transmission but nothing else. This was interesting on its own account, as it was the first indication I had (other than Haddad telling me it was possible) that mindspeech could be overheard or listened in to.
Huzand frowned a moment later, but I couldn’t tell whether it was a frown of annoyance at not finding out what he wanted or a frown because he’d found out something he didn’t like.
‘You are aware that body sculpting is forbidden to Princes?’
‘Yes, sir,’ I replied. I didn’t know much about body sculpting, apart from the fact that it was forbidden to Princes and that it typically took at least a few weeks, depending on what was being done. ‘Uh, I’ve only just come out of my candidate temple, sir.’
‘Yes, you wouldn’t have had time. Nor opportunity, if you did indeed take ship from Thorongir Three straight here. I wonder . . .’
‘What do you wonder, sir?’ I asked, trying to be pleasant. For some reason, Huzand didn’t appear to realise that I was being nice to him.
‘None of your insolence, Cadet! You are to join Class 2645, Section Seven, immediately. My aide will give you all the details. Dismissed.’
He waved his hand at me. Since I didn’t know any drill at that point, I waved my hand back at him. As it turned out, he wasn’t saluting; it was more of a ‘get out of my sight’ dismissal, and he didn’t appreciate me returning the gesture.
‘Go!’ bellowed Huzand, pointing at the door.
I got the message and left. The Bitek hound followed me till I half turned and sent a focused Psitek domination command that made it sit back on its haunches as if pulled by a spring, confirming that my earlier education hadn’t been a total waste of time. I might be ignorant about many things, but at least I could stop an engineered dog-beast in its tracks.
Prince Lucisk was waiting in the outer office. As soon as I saw her, she mind-sent a mass of detail about this Class 2645, Section Seven I was joining, including the unwelcome fact that I was to immediately report to Cadet Duty Barracks Thanruz and would not have time to set up my own accommodations in the off-duty section of the base.
Lucisk had also sent my initial schedule. I had one hour to settle into my barracks, then my first lesson was Naval Drill and Etiquette. There were many lessons on that topic in the schedule ahead, mixed in with a few more interesting subjects like Basic Singleship Operation and Introductory Insystem Tactics, but the first month or so was clearly mostly about ritual, ceremony, and drill. Even worse, most of the drill and the boring stuff wasn’t even rapid-learning downloads, but actual practice. I cursed when I saw that, though it is true that you never learn anything quite as well from the downloads as when you actually do it.
‘You have your schedule, Cadet. Welcome to the Academy,’ said Lucisk. ‘Master Haddad, you will need to see Uncle Gerekuz to have Prince Khemri’s off-duty accommodations assigned.’
‘I have already communicated with Gerekuz and have obtained suitable accommodations, thank you, Highness,’ replied Haddad. ‘Though I believe that as my
The Commandant fixed me with what was obviously meant to be a penetrating gaze. I guess I was supposed to crack at this point and confess everything he wanted to know, like for example that I was secretly being sponsored by Prince Achmir and House Vethethezk, they’d set me up with Haddad, and that was why I wouldn’t join House Jerrazis.
He took a couple of steps toward me—not too many, because that would mean leaving his nifty ramp and standing on the same level—and intensified his stare at my ooze-stained face.
‘You resemble someone,’ he said. ‘I can’t quite place it. . . ’
I felt him query the Imperial Mind, I guess doing a visual match. I caught my identifier in the transmission but nothing else. This was interesting on its own account, as it was the first indication I had (other than Haddad telling me it was possible) that mindspeech could be overheard or listened in to.
Huzand frowned a moment later, but I couldn’t tell whether it was a frown of annoyance at not finding out what he wanted or a frown because he’d found out something he didn’t like.
‘You are aware that body sculpting is forbidden to Princes?’
‘Yes, sir,’ I replied. I didn’t know much about body sculpting, apart from the fact that it was forbidden to Princes and that it typically took at least a few weeks, depending on what was being done. ‘Uh, I’ve only just come out of my candidate temple, sir.’
‘Yes, you wouldn’t have had time. Nor opportunity, if you did indeed take ship from Thorongir Three straight here. I wonder . . .’
‘What do you wonder, sir?’ I asked, trying to be pleasant. For some reason, Huzand didn’t appear to realise that I was being nice to him.
‘None of your insolence, Cadet! You are to join Class 2645, Section Seven, immediately. My aide will give you all the details. Dismissed.’
He waved his hand at me. Since I didn’t know any drill at that point, I waved my hand back at him. As it turned out, he wasn’t saluting; it was more of a ‘get out of my sight’ dismissal, and he didn’t appreciate me returning the gesture.
‘Go!’ bellowed Huzand, pointing at the door.
I got the message and left. The Bitek hound followed me till I half turned and sent a focused Psitek domination command that made it sit back on its haunches as if pulled by a spring, confirming that my earlier education hadn’t been a total waste of time. I might be ignorant about many things, but at least I could stop an engineered dog-beast in its tracks.
Prince Lucisk was waiting in the outer office. As soon as I saw her, she mind-sent a mass of detail about this Class 2645, Section Seven I was joining, including the unwelcome fact that I was to immediately report to Cadet Duty Barracks Thanruz and would not have time to set up my own accommodations in the off-duty section of the base.
Lucisk had also sent my initial schedule. I had one hour to settle into my barracks, then my first lesson was Naval Drill and Etiquette. There were many lessons on that topic in the schedule ahead, mixed in with a few more interesting subjects like Basic Singleship Operation and Introductory Insystem Tactics, but the first month or so was clearly mostly about ritual, ceremony, and drill. Even worse, most of the drill and the boring stuff wasn’t even rapid-learning downloads, but actual practice. I cursed when I saw that, though it is true that you never learn anything quite as well from the downloads as when you actually do it.
‘You have your schedule, Cadet. Welcome to the Academy,’ said Lucisk. ‘Master Haddad, you will need to see Uncle Gerekuz to have Prince Khemri’s off-duty accommodations assigned.’
‘I have already communicated with Gerekuz and have obtained suitable accommodations, thank you, Highness,’ replied Haddad. ‘Though I believe that as my
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