The Azophi Academy Complete Series Boxed Set: Unique Military Education

by TR Cameron

  “But I agreed, and I helped.”

  “Yeah, but no one needs to know that.”

  Cia shook her head. “That’s not how I work. I’ll admit to my part in it, but you do deserve more of the blame than me.” She forced a grin. “Ninety-ten, I’m thinking.”

  He laughed. “I’m thinking more sixty-five, thirty-five.”

  “I’ll do eighty-five, fifteen. Final offer.”

  “Sold. So, think we’ll get kicked out?”

  Now her grin was real. “Not me. With eighty-five percent of the blame on your head, if anyone goes down for this, it’ll be you.”

  Jax shook his head and smiled wide. “You know, you are surprisingly good at deal-making.” She didn’t respond, just pitched the nose down and plowed into the clouds separating them from the Earth below.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  They’d arrived in time for dinner, but the Professor hadn’t been in attendance. After their meal, Jax waved goodbye to Cia as she headed back to her room and wandered down to the Canteen, but his hopes of finding Juno were equally futile. He sat at the bar, had a drink to chill out, and went over everything that had happened since his arrival at the Academy in his mind.

  Somehow, it all seemed like some big test, but he couldn’t be sure what was being assessed. His ability to accomplish tasks? That was long-proven. Whether he was capable of working with Cia, a person who was very much non-military? Okay, he could see that, but it didn’t make a lot of sense. Nothing did, really.

  He passed some of the time composing a coded message to Stephenson requesting a secure call and sent it using one of the Academy’s outgoing connections. He figured they’d be monitoring it, but his worry was minimal since it was both encrypted and couched in innocuous terms. The nearest place he could be sure of connecting to the Special Forces’ private communication network was Edinburgh, and he didn’t want to leave until he’d met with Maarsen. This, at least, would start the ball rolling.

  The man he knew as Coach was tending bar, and he wandered toward Jax and said in his gruff voice, “I heard that sigh from across the room. Let me guess; you’ve just completed your first job for the Professor.”

  Jax smiled. “It’s that obvious, is it?”

  The big man nodded. “Yes, it is.” He pulled out a bar mop and wiped down the spotless surface. “There’s a look to you, as if you expected one thing, got another and aren’t sure what the hell just happened.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Yeah. That’s exactly what it’s like. You’re quite the study of human nature outside the ring as well, apparently.”

  He leaned on the counter and smoothed his mustache with his free hand. “It’s the same both places. Take it all in, process it, and see what comes out at the end. Instinctive. I’m guessing fighting is like that for you—you’re so practiced at it that knowledge springs into your brain fully formed.”

  He nodded. He’d had that experience time and time again. “True.”

  “Well, everyone’s got something like that. I’m not great at the actual combat, but I have a sense of what people think that comes through in how they act. At least, that’s how the Professor described it.”

  “So, were you a student?”

  The bartender lifted a hand and wiggled it. “Kind of. I was hired on, but I also had the opportunity to do student stuff because you know how he is.”

  Jax did indeed. “Everyone learns, everyone teaches.”

  “You’ve got it. The thing is, no matter how hokey it sounds, it works really well. I’ve seen people make huge improvements that would have been impossible before they came here, mainly because they didn’t understand how to get out of their own way.”

  He considered the idea. Is that my problem, the thing Stephenson saw? I’m causing my own trouble? Certainly not with the prosthetics. A glimmer of an idea hovered at the edge of his vision. Or is it that even though I knew my leg was an issue, I chose the most delicate part of the operation for myself? He didn’t like the direction his thoughts were heading, but he also didn’t believe in hiding from bad news, even if it was about himself. And did I do that because I can’t handle the idea that I’m not totally in control? He downed his Irish whiskey in a rush and held out the glass. “I seem to need another.”

  Coach nodded. “Had a thought, didn’t ya? It’s my expert opinion that you’re going to need a double this time.”

  While the other man was getting the drink, Jax’s thoughts continued to tumble. They found neither purchase nor direction, and eventually, he gave up with a mental shrug. I’ll figure it out, or I won’t. Beating my brain into submission isn’t working. He accepted the glass and took a sip. Maybe at least this drink will give it a chance to relax. He smiled at the bartender. “So, Coach, what’s your story?”

  He passed the evening amiably learning about the other man’s past, which involved a stint in the military, another with a private security company, and a bunch of odd jobs before his meandering path had brought him to the Academy. He’d been referred as a potential head of security for the place but decided that wasn’t what he wanted. Despite his refusal to take the job, the Professor had invited him to stay, and he’d picked up a number of random tasks to make up his workday. According to Coach, it all worked out just fine and he was never bored, which was what he sought from life.

  A good night’s sleep put Jax in a more receptive mood than he’d been in the night before, and he wondered if the Professor had deliberately stayed away for that reason. Keep thinking along those lines, and you’ll be believing he’s a wizard who can see the future or something. He went through his morning ritual slowly, showering, shaving, and dressing in the black Academy uniform. Before they left the ship, he’d rigged a smaller protective case for the data stick than the one it had come in, and he tucked it into an inside pocket.

  He arrived in the dining hall at the same time as Cia. The pilot broke into a broad grin at the sight of him. “Hey, new guy. Good to be back, right? Let’s get some food. I’m starving.”

  He shook his head with a small laugh and followed her. They filled their plates and took a seat at an empty table. He asked, “Seen the Professor yet?”

  Cia chewed and swallowed like she was in a race for who could finish their meal first. “Nah. Just got up.”

  “So, how does this work? Do we go find him or something?”

  She shook her head. “Keep an eye on your comm. Eventually, he’ll beep us and we’ll go. In the meantime, if there’s nothing on your schedule, you’re a free agent. We usually get the day after a job for ourselves.”

  Jax had woken up that morning with a keen desire to get back to the Cronos, back to his team and the new person who had joined it. Stephenson had insisted he stay out of contact while at the Academy so he could give it his full effort, and while he agreed with the concept in practice, it was proving difficult. He wanted to know his team was coping with Kyle’s loss well. He felt like leading them was an important and vital part of his identity, and that portion of his being was truncated during his time away. A day off wasn’t something he required or craved. “Maybe I’ll kick around and see what kind of learning I can get into. Are there classes and such?”

  Cia nodded. “You’ve seen the rooms. Anyone is welcome, and although there are set times, it's fine if you’re late or leave early. The philosophy here is that you are the most effective judge of where your best learning might take place at any given moment. Of course, they were probably thinking of people smarter and more introspective than you when they came up with that policy.”

  He snorted. “That insult was low-hanging fruit. Maybe all you could reach from down there, though.” She grinned and opened her mouth to show him what she was chewing. He covered his eyes and shook his head. “You’re about as mature as you are tall.”

  “Heh. Good one. Keep practicing. Maybe one day, your insults will be effective, your jokes funny, and your flirting lines successful.” Her dry delivery was perfect.

  “I surrender.
I think I have to go find something for the nausea-inducing experience of being around you while you eat.” He stood with a grin. “Try to stay out of trouble. I don’t want you making me look bad by association.”

  “You look bad all on your own, buddy, you don’t need my help. You’re like a grandmaster. Hell, that’s probably why you’re here—to teach others how to look worse.”

  He escaped quickly, heading down the main hallway and then taking random turns until he discovered one of the classroom wings. He watched from a doorway as a tall woman spoke on the topic of chemical engineering to a foursome of students who ranged from early twenties to late fifties by his estimation, all of whom seemed to be paying rapt attention. The discussion was over his head, but he found the way she described it made it seem like clarity was just around the corner. He could see why the group in front of her was hanging on her words.

  He stepped away to break the spell before it captured him and turned to find himself face to face with Juno Cray. She wore a frown, the first he’d seen on her. “Something wrong, Doc?”

  She seemed to snap out of a reverie and smiled at him. “Oh, Jackson, no, no. Everything’s fine. I was just thinking. Sometimes I have to get out of the lab and walk in order to start my brain moving in the right direction.”

  “What’s on your mind?”

  She waved a hand. “Nothing worth discussing yet, but since you’re here, I should tell you we got some really good data from your implants overnight. The sensors we put on are working every bit as well as we’d hoped. My colleagues and I believe we’ll have answers for you before too long.”

  He asked, “Did my job for the Professor have anything to do with it?”

  His question clearly caught her by surprise, but she was savvy enough to cover her initial shock with a neutral expression. He thought he saw confirmation in there but couldn’t be sure. “I wouldn’t know. He doesn’t consult me or inform me about that end of things. He is fully read in on your records, though, as he is for all students, so anything is possible.” She smiled. “And on that note, I have to be running along.” She lifted the wrist with the comm on it. “Duty calls.”

  They exchanged goodbyes, but before he could decide what to do next, his comm vibrated. He looked down to see a summons to visit the Professor in his office. Finally. He headed off to find out what the hell was going on.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Cia and the Professor were in their normal chairs when he arrived. The latter said, “Close the door behind you, please,” and Jax obliged. He took a chair across from the older man and tried not to look as pissed off as he felt.

  Maarsen lifted an eyebrow, seeing what he was doing and acknowledging it. “I was sorry to hear that the pickup was so challenging, but well done to both of you for not giving up.”

  He nodded, and Cia grinned. “We’re crazy like that, apparently.”

  The Professor chuckled. “Crazy seems like the right word, based on your description of events.” He realized the pilot hadn’t simply shown up a moment before he did as he’d assumed, but that they’d likely had a private meeting before inviting him in. For no logical reason, the idea kicked his irritation level with each of them up a notch.

  Jax pushed the annoyance far enough down that it wouldn’t come out in his voice. It’s good that I’ve had so much practice pretending to be things I’m not. “We got the thing, which was the goal.” He retrieved the memory stick from his pocket and slid it across the desk but didn’t remove his hand from the device. “But I have to ask a question. Did I get the impression this was going to help me with my prosthetics from you, or did I make that up?”

  The Professor laughed and grinned. “It’s possible signals were sent that might have led to such a conclusion. However, I don’t believe those exact words were ever used.”

  The mirth in the other man’s voice broke through Jax’s glower, and he shook his head in surrender. “I said it before, and I’ll say it again: You’ve got a pretty strange place here, Maarsen.”

  The other man spread his hands wide. “Strange but awesome.” He drew them back in and busied himself pouring a measure of liquid from his decanter into three glasses. “So, I presume since you’re asking that question, you’ve already peeked inside the metaphorical box to see what I sent you for?”

  Jax nodded. “And it was hard to get into. I’ll ask the obvious follow-up: why did you send us after a component of an AI? Surely you have people among your, uh, alumni who could hook you up with one if you needed it?”

  “We do, of course, have access to experts in every field. But this particular AI is different from ordinary ones.” He let the sentence hang.

  Cia rolled her eyes and snarked, “Please, oh wise and mystical Professor, tell us why it is different, so we may bask in the glorious glory of your intellectual intellect.” Everyone laughed at that, and Maarsen slid glasses to the two of them and took the third for himself.

  “Let me tell you a story.” He leaned back in his chair. “Imagine for a second that instead of being at odds with one another, as we assume they are, the Confederacy has entered into treaties with several members of the alien coalition. Clandestinely, of course. To the universe at large, those two organizations must appear to be enemies.”

  Jax interrupted, “Do you mean the whole Confederacy, or are there factions within it?”

  The Professor pointed a finger at him. “Excellent question, and at this moment in time, we don’t have a solid answer. But it doesn’t change the broad strokes of the situation.” He sipped from his glass and sighed in pleasure. Jax did the same and discovered it was the finest quality Scotch whisky he’d ever tasted. He immediately regretted having turned it down during their first meeting. Maarsen continued, “Now, also imagine the efforts of these concealed allies are not territorial, but scientific instead. What sorts of inventions or innovations might human minds and alien ones come up with together rather than in isolation?”

  He frowned. “I’m sure the UCCA military is on the lookout for things like that.”

  “On the lookout, yes. But according to Major Stephenson, they have no record of it.”

  Jax blinked as thoughts smashed into one another in his head. Anika is sharing secrets? Who’s she loyal to? But if the Academy is investigating, and that benefits the SF, it makes sense. Is that why I’m here? To help with the investigation? He stammered, “She, uh, didn’t mention anything about that to me.”

  “So, you’ll have to trust me, or you could ask her, but I’m not sure she’d appreciate the question. Deniability is an important thing, as you are no doubt well aware.”

  Cia frowned. “Sounds shady, Professor.”

  He lifted the glass toward her. “It does because it is. While we would all like the universe to trend in the direction of greater transparency, we can only work with what we’re given. In this situation, for whatever reason, the UCCA has chosen not to put resources behind this possibility. Perhaps those in charge disbelieve, which isn’t unreasonable, or it might be there’s a political angle blocking the effort. In any case, the major and I share the opinion that it’s worth investigating.”

  Jax said, “But you’re doing it for a different reason, aren’t you?”

  Maarsen chuckled. “Of course we, meaning the Academy, are. Our goals are not the same as the military’s, but for a while at least, the two are on a common path. And before you spend too much time wondering about it, Jackson, Anika sent you here for other valid reasons. My use of you on this particular project was merely putting the most appropriate pieces in the most appropriate places.” He grinned widely. “But to return to the original question, at the end of all this, I believe we will have found a way to solve the impediment affecting your prosthetics.”

  He thought back to his earlier image of the Professor as the spider in the center of the web and decided it was even more apt than when he’d come up with it. “So, what’s next?”

  “Something you’re going to hate. Waiting.”

 
Cia laughed. “You’ve got that right. My man here is not the type to take enforced downtime well. Between you and me, I think it has something to do with not being the one in charge.”

  The older man raised an eyebrow. “Really? You think so?”

  Jax lifted his hands in defeat. “I can see the odds are against me, so it’s time to beat a hasty retreat. Is there anything else you need from me?”

  Maarsen nodded. “Yes, actually. I’ll be asking you to join one of our more formal class sessions tomorrow. The appointment will be in your comm. Also, I must give you this.” He reached down and to his right, and the sound of a drawer sliding open was followed by the minuscule beeps of a code being entered into something. Then his hand reappeared holding a device about the size of a deck of playing cards, which he extended to Jax. “It’s a secure SF comm unit that’s powerful enough to reach the network access in Edinburgh. Anika left it behind. Before you ask, yes, I have her explicit permission to pass it on to you for the rest of your stay with us.”

  He chuckled because he’d been about to inquire about that very thing. He accepted it with a smile. “Thank you.”

  The older man nodded, but his expression turned serious. “Remember what I said about deniability. Secure doesn’t mean private. There’s no telling who might be authorized to be on that line, and no way to know if they’re the sort of people you want to trust with everything.”

  “I read you, Professor, and I appreciate the note of caution.”

  “Then I believe it’s time for you both to head out. I’m guessing Coach will be expecting you in the gymnasium.”

  As Jax stood, he thought, A little hand-to-hand combat sounds like just what I need.

  After the session, during which he’d been impressed to see how well Cia had incorporated his feedback on her fighting style as she took on Gregori again, Jax went back to his room to shower and rest. A message from Stephenson arrived with a time, and he had almost an hour to wait until the appointment.