Psion Delta (10 page)

“What
would you think about training with me? You know, like you did with Al?” As
Sammy thought about the question a pain shot up his leg. He grabbed it and
winced. Brickert saw his face. “If you don’t want to, it’s not a big deal.”

“No,
I want to,” Sammy rushed to say, “but I’m not sure I can anymore. My—my
anomaly, you know—”

“Just
because your anomaly doesn’t work right now doesn’t mean you can’t fight or
teach. It wasn’t working during those battles you fought—the ones you told me
about. You still won those fights, right?”

“No,
I lost one of them,” Sammy reminded his roommate. “I got someone killed because
I messed up. Maybe saying I can’t train you isn’t the right word. I mean,” now
it was Sammy’s turn to have his face grow hot from embarrassment, “I don’t know
if it’ll do you any good because I’m—I’m not as good at this stuff as I used to
be.”

Brickert’s
face told Sammy he didn’t believe him. “Think about it. I’ll ask again once you
see how much butt you kick around in the sims . . . and in the Game on
Saturday.”

Their
conversation wound down and Brickert soon fell asleep, leaving Sammy alone and
restless as he wondered when his Anomaly Eleven would come back and whether
he’d ever get that kiss from Jeffie. Tuesday was as bad as Monday. Sammy’s
struggles continued in both sims and instructions. Then something happened on
Wednesday that only added to his woes.

Byron
sent a message to all the Betas announcing that everyone was to attend an
important meeting in sim room 1 after dinner on Friday. The message’s effect
was immediate. All the older Betas knew that something like this had never
happened before. Hypotheses flew around headquarters like paper balls in a
school classroom. Only Sammy knew exactly what the meeting was about, and once
he had a moment in private, he told Jeffie, Brickert, Natalia, and Kawai.

“
What?
”
Natalia shouted.

“You’re
joking!” Brickert responded, while Jeffie and Kawai sat stunned.

Sammy
wished he was joking, but assured his friends he wasn’t.

“Do
you know this Toohili guy?” Natalia asked.

“No,”
Sammy told her, “but I’ve never seen Byron as angry as he was that day.”

“Maybe
he doesn’t like Taw . . . the new guy,” Brickert offered.

“Or
he wants to keep his job,” Kawai suggested. “Can’t say I blame him. He’s the
first Psion. He’s been here since the whole thing started. You know how many
times he worked with me in the sims to help me beat two Thirteens?”

“I
sucked at combat until Byron gave me some pointers, too,” Natalia said. “He sat
down with me for like a whole afternoon when my mom found out she had cancer.
Remember that?”

Jeffie
and Kawai nodded, though Sammy had no idea what Natalia was talking about. He
had never received personal training from Byron like many of the other Betas.
But Byron had changed the course of Sammy’s entire life. He’d offered needed
guidance at critical points in time. Sammy had never talked about these moments
with the other Betas, and they had never shared these moments with him. He’d
always thought that for everyone else, Byron was just a distant babysitter or a
school principal.

“He
helped Kobe, too,” Jeffie whispered. “After Rio, Byron visited him two or three
times a week in the hospital. Kept checking on him after he got back. Ate
dinner with him and Kaden sometimes.”

By
the time Friday evening came, all the Betas knew what the upcoming meeting was
about. Sammy confronted Natalia on the way to the meeting and asked her whom
she’d told.

“Asaki,
but that’s it!” Natalia responded. Before Sammy could say anything, she added,
“I tell her everything, Sammy!”

“She
prides herself on knowing and dispensing gossip.”

“And
she’s one of my best friends.”

Sammy
swore as he rolled his eyes and moved past her to sit by Brickert in the sim
room. Most of the Betas were already there. Soon after everyone had taken their
seats, Commander Byron entered with a second man whom Sammy could only assume
was Major Tawhiri.

This
new Alpha looked nothing like Byron, shorter and rounder with very tan skin and
dark black hair. He wore a much softer expression than Byron and a big smile
seemed to fill his entire face, showing off bright white teeth and crater-like
dimples. The lines around his eyes and mouth told Sammy that the smile was not
an unusual occurrence. Such a bright personality caught him off-guard. He’d
been expecting a forbidding tyrant to replace his commander, not someone so
instantly likeable.

Byron
stepped up to the podium in front of all the Betas and spoke. “The reason I
have called this meeting is because Psion Command has decided to change the
leadership at Beta headquarters. Today is my last day.” The commander paused,
but there was no murmuring or chattering to fill the silence. “It seems you
already knew this news was coming.” He glanced briefly at Sammy, who could see
how hard the commander worked to conceal his emotions. “Fortunately, you will
be left in good hands. Major Kimo Tawhiri has spent countless hours here,
unbeknownst to you all, watching over headquarters in my many absences. He
knows the place very well; he knows how it runs and will implement his own
style in managing your training and education. I hope you will all support him
as you have supported me. I will let him speak to you for a few minutes, after
which I will say my goodbyes to you all individually.”

Major
Tawhiri stepped forward and pushed a button to make the podium disappear.
Again, he smiled so widely that it looked like his face might crack open. “I am
so very glad to be with you! The more time I’ve spent here over the years,
supervising the headquarters, the more I’ve envied Commander Byron. To receive
his position is a great honor, and something I’ve wished for a long time. I
have been a Psion for many years. I have a wonderful wife and three
children—two that live with me. They won’t be living here, but in a nearby
neighborhood. Only my youngest is a Psion, but he doesn’t know it yet—and won’t
until he turns twelve—but I’m very excited for him to join you someday!

“I’m
sure some of you have concerns about Commander Byron leaving. Let me first say
that I understand. He’s a good man. He gave you all your space and showed great
trust in you. For many, he’s like a second father. I hope you and I can develop
the same relationship that you have with him. I also know some may dislike the
changes I may make. Others may appreciate them. Please be patient with me and
let me make a few mistakes. I promise to listen to your concerns and questions,
and in return, I ask that you show me the same respect you’ve shown Commander
Byron. If we both do those things, we’ll be fine, I have no doubts.”

After
the meeting ended, Byron met with each of the Betas in an adjacent sim room one
at a time. Sammy wanted to go last, so he and Brickert lined up at the end of
the queue. Byron took his time saying his farewells, and Sammy waited over an
hour for his turn. As they waited in line, Sammy, Brickert, and their friends
expressed their frustration with the changes and their uncertainty that they’d
like the new guy as much as Byron. After Kobe came out of the sim room
clutching his stomach and wiping his eyes, it was Brickert’s turn. Sammy sat
alone in the hall pondering what this change would ultimately mean. Then, like
many of the other Betas, Brickert came out of the sim room having suddenly
developed a bad sniff.

Sammy
went inside and saw Commander Byron sitting on a chair with an empty one across
from him. “Hello, Samuel. Please sit.” The anger Sammy had heard in the
commander’s voice the last time they talked had vanished. “How have your last
few days been?”

Sammy
shrugged. “Okay, I guess. You?”

Commander
Byron nodded as he rested his left ankle on his right knee. “I am well, thank
you. I noticed this week that you have been sluggish in your studies and
training. Why is that?” For a moment, he looked far away in thought, then he
was back. “Feeling down about Gefjon?”

“Huh?”

“This
may come as a surprise to you, but I am usually caught up on the latest gossip
in headquarters. Is she the reason your performance has been subpar?”

“It’s
been hard to get back into it—the grind—and all that. My body isn’t in shape.
My mind isn’t focused. I think I’ll be fine once I have another week or two.”

“I
bet you will. Keep your head up and try not to worry so much about girls.
Remember what I told you after I put you in solitary?”

Sammy
remembered. “Be a friend and let her sort out her own feelings.”

“Close
enough.” Byron rested a hand on Sammy’s shoulder. “I hope you know how much you
mean to me, Samuel. I—I have come to—to love you like a second son.” Byron
chased something out of the corner of his eye, looking embarrassed as he did
it. “If you ever need me, I am not too far away.” He stood up and shook Sammy’s
hand firmly, then pulled him into a hug. “Take care of yourself. Remember what
you have learned.”

“Yes,
sir.”

Commander
Byron walked Sammy to the door and then he and Major Tawhiri disappeared from
sight. Sammy headed downstairs by himself to the rec room where the rest of the
Betas were discussing their impressions of the new Major. He peeked inside the
room and saw Jeffie and Kobe sitting next to each other, holding hands. She
looked up when he stuck his head in the door and smiled at him. He waved weakly
and went to bed.

Saturday
began early. Sammy awoke to the alarm, which meant only one thing on a
Saturday: a Game. He glanced at his clock. 0600. It wasn’t the earliest he’d
ever had to get up for a Game, but it felt like it.

“Seriously,
Tawlooli?” Brickert grumbled. “You’re doing this to us on your first day?” He
rolled off the bed and rubbed his face. “Some people, I’ll tell you.”

A
new noblack jumpsuit hung in Sammy’s closet, waiting for him. He put it on and
went to the cafeteria where other Betas slowly filed in. Antonio and Hefani
were already there along with Rosa, Miguel, and Parley. It being his first Game
back, Sammy eagerly checked the panel on the wall to see his team. Rosa,
Miguel, and Parley, who were deep in discussion, looked over at him as he
passed, but said nothing.

Team
1: 5th floor

Berhane,
Samuel

Ivanovich,
Natalia

Nujola,
Kawai

Plack,
Brickert

Tvedt,
Gefjon(*)

Team
2: 5th floor

Alanazi,
Cala

Covas,
Miguel

Covas,
Rosa

Enova,
Levu

Reynolds,
Kaden

Reynolds,
Kobe

Yoshiharu,
Asaki(*)

Team
3: 5th floor

Morel,
Brillianté

Ndumi,
Hefani

Otravelli,
Antonio

Petrov,
Ludwig

Plack,
Strawberry

von
Pratt, Parley

Zheng,
Li Cheng(*)

Victory:
2 wins

Maximum
Game Length: 60 minutes

Start
time: 0630

Sammy
didn’t believe what he saw. He’d never seen the teams intentionally unbalanced.
Byron had never done that. With two wins required at sixty minutes apiece, the
three teams could potentially play the Game for four hours. He looked back at
the table of older Betas who were watching to see his reaction.

“Is
this for real?” he asked them.

Parley
shrugged his shoulders.

“New
guy,” Miguel commented. Rosa nodded her agreement.

At
least I’m not honcho my first week back,
he thought. Instead,
he’d be taking orders from Jeffie. The thought of being on her team picked him
up. Perhaps impressing her in the Game and helping her get a win was all she
needed to see she’d made the wrong choice in dating Kobe. Once his friends
showed up, it didn’t take long for a discussion to begin about Tawhiri’s choice
in the format of the teams.

“Putting
Kobe and Kaden on the same team,” Kawai complained, “with none of the newest
recruits? That gives them a clear advantage. What’s this guy trying to pull?”

“No
team without Sammy has a clear advantage,” Natalia said, smiling at him.

“Maybe
Calamari wants to see what you’re capable of,” Brickert told Sammy.

“You
know how to say his name correctly,” Jeffie scolded Brickert.

Brickert
only grinned. “I’m on Team Byron through and through.”

“Come
on, Natalia, that’s a laugh,” Sammy said. “I told you guys, my Anomaly Eleven
is gone. I don’t know when it’ll be back. I’m no better on a team than the next
guy.”

“I
hope that’s not true,” Jeffie said as she sipped at her protein drink, staring
down at her napkin. “I haven’t gotten a win as a honcho yet, and I’m hoping
today will be my first. It’s kinda cool that you four are on my team.” She
looked at everyone but Sammy as she said this.