Read Online Star Force: Divergent (SF74) by Aer-ki Jyr - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Aer-ki Jyr
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That’s pure speculation, but it’s been
echoed by a few others that have come before me.”
“I thought everything could be trained, eventually?
That’s why even the Archon tests can be taken an infinite number of times.”
“And yet those that do keep taking it over and over
again don’t seem to ever make it.”
“I have no idea. Where did you hear that?”
“San. I asked him why we were chosen rather than
tested, and he said they had an eye for talent that precluded the need for
public testing…which would also defeat the purpose of keeping us a
pseudo-secret. He said those who became Archons usually passed the test the
first time, then mentioned something about ingenuity being difficult to
measure, and if you can’t measure it you can’t train for it.”
“So why do they allow the extra testing?”
“I asked him that too. He said it was in case they
were wrong and missed someone the first time.”
“That could apply here as well.”
“We didn’t come here untrained. Archons typically go
in raw.”
“Some don’t.”
“And for some reason those late comers don’t end up
setting records.”
“San tell you that?”
“No. I did some checking of my own.”
“You have access to Archon records?”
Jyra winked at him as she turned to the right and
knelt down to pick up her water bottle. She stood up, took a long swig of it, then looked back at Kevin. “If you want some advice, I’d say
stop worrying about prepping for anything specific and just try to be as well
rounded in your skills as possible. They’re not going to tell you what’s
coming, so there’s no point in running the possibilities through your head
nonstop. Took me a while to learn that. Best to keep your mind empty until you
have something current to chew on.”
Kevin frowned. “Weren’t we trained as Commandos to
think ahead?”
“If you have something to work with. If you’re going
in blind the mental games are just a waste of time.”
“And they keep us blind this entire program?”
“As far as I’ve come, yes.”
“Why?”
“I know now…and you will too, at the end.”
“That’s not helpful, but it is enticing.”
“While you’re here, could I entice you into some
sparring?” Jyra asked, letting go her mediation and choosing to move on.
“Fair enough since I interrupted you.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Well if you put it
that way, never mind.”
“No, no…you misunderstand. I’m the rookie here,
obviously, and I’d like to help out the experienced ones if I can rather than
being a drag. San said I should ask for help and advice, but I’d prefer more of
a two way street.”
“We all do, so don’t sweat it. I usually end up
sparring with bots because everyone else is busy, so if you’ve got some time I
could use an opponent that can think.”
“Happy to. How hard do you want?”
“Don’t hold back,” she said, gesturing to an open ring
nearby and walking towards it.
“Um, don’t mean to brag, but my Commando ranking is 18
levels above yours.”
“I know.”
“So you want to get beat up?”
“If you want to help me, give me a challenge.”
“As you wish,” Kevin said, stepping into the ring and
flexing his shoulders a bit. “How do you want to do this?”
“I need some arm work.”
“Alright,” he said, mentally disconnecting most of his
movement options and leg attacks/defenses and prepping himself to go at it with
his upper body only in a series of drills that were competitive, but designed
to test and train reflexes more than determine a winner. “Ready when you are.”
Two weeks later Jyra met San at a door in the training
facility that she’d never seen the other side of and hadn’t been able to use
her codes to bypass. She’d spent several hours sneaking around trying to find
out what was behind all the locked doors and this was one of the few that she
could never access…but to her dismay it opened for San simply as he walked up
to it and
echoed by a few others that have come before me.”
“I thought everything could be trained, eventually?
That’s why even the Archon tests can be taken an infinite number of times.”
“And yet those that do keep taking it over and over
again don’t seem to ever make it.”
“I have no idea. Where did you hear that?”
“San. I asked him why we were chosen rather than
tested, and he said they had an eye for talent that precluded the need for
public testing…which would also defeat the purpose of keeping us a
pseudo-secret. He said those who became Archons usually passed the test the
first time, then mentioned something about ingenuity being difficult to
measure, and if you can’t measure it you can’t train for it.”
“So why do they allow the extra testing?”
“I asked him that too. He said it was in case they
were wrong and missed someone the first time.”
“That could apply here as well.”
“We didn’t come here untrained. Archons typically go
in raw.”
“Some don’t.”
“And for some reason those late comers don’t end up
setting records.”
“San tell you that?”
“No. I did some checking of my own.”
“You have access to Archon records?”
Jyra winked at him as she turned to the right and
knelt down to pick up her water bottle. She stood up, took a long swig of it, then looked back at Kevin. “If you want some advice, I’d say
stop worrying about prepping for anything specific and just try to be as well
rounded in your skills as possible. They’re not going to tell you what’s
coming, so there’s no point in running the possibilities through your head
nonstop. Took me a while to learn that. Best to keep your mind empty until you
have something current to chew on.”
Kevin frowned. “Weren’t we trained as Commandos to
think ahead?”
“If you have something to work with. If you’re going
in blind the mental games are just a waste of time.”
“And they keep us blind this entire program?”
“As far as I’ve come, yes.”
“Why?”
“I know now…and you will too, at the end.”
“That’s not helpful, but it is enticing.”
“While you’re here, could I entice you into some
sparring?” Jyra asked, letting go her mediation and choosing to move on.
“Fair enough since I interrupted you.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Well if you put it
that way, never mind.”
“No, no…you misunderstand. I’m the rookie here,
obviously, and I’d like to help out the experienced ones if I can rather than
being a drag. San said I should ask for help and advice, but I’d prefer more of
a two way street.”
“We all do, so don’t sweat it. I usually end up
sparring with bots because everyone else is busy, so if you’ve got some time I
could use an opponent that can think.”
“Happy to. How hard do you want?”
“Don’t hold back,” she said, gesturing to an open ring
nearby and walking towards it.
“Um, don’t mean to brag, but my Commando ranking is 18
levels above yours.”
“I know.”
“So you want to get beat up?”
“If you want to help me, give me a challenge.”
“As you wish,” Kevin said, stepping into the ring and
flexing his shoulders a bit. “How do you want to do this?”
“I need some arm work.”
“Alright,” he said, mentally disconnecting most of his
movement options and leg attacks/defenses and prepping himself to go at it with
his upper body only in a series of drills that were competitive, but designed
to test and train reflexes more than determine a winner. “Ready when you are.”
Two weeks later Jyra met San at a door in the training
facility that she’d never seen the other side of and hadn’t been able to use
her codes to bypass. She’d spent several hours sneaking around trying to find
out what was behind all the locked doors and this was one of the few that she
could never access…but to her dismay it opened for San simply as he walked up
to it and
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