Chapter 41: Malfunction.
"I'm next!" Alexander shouted hurriedly before the question could even leave Kate's lips.
He rose to his feet, stretching slightly in excitement.
It had been a while since he'd had the chance to practice in the simulation room again. He had been spending a copious amount of time training with Kaeru, after all, and had barely any time to practice with mindless bots.
The blue Mornan was never satisfied with their spars though, always asking him to offer him more of a challenge.
Alexander couldn't truly complain, considering how much real experience he gained from those battles. He'd relied far too much on other things for too long, not bothering to train his combat skills past the basics his brother had taught him.
Kearu was still not on speaking terms with him and Arbus, which meant their spars had come to a stop for the time being. It also made things uncomfortably awkward in their dorm.
He'd also recently begun his attempts to take down the imaginary boss of his final mission in the mental training room. Which turned out to be harder than he had expected using normal means.
He whirled back, giving Arbus a thumbs up.
"Well then, wish me luck."
Arbus didn't respond immediately, watching as Alexander strode off with a grin, heading down the stairs and into the simulation chamber under everyone's watchful gazes.
"...Good luck." Arbus muttered finally.
Alexander grabbed the two guns that had popped out from the floor as the podium returned into the ground. He checked them over for a few moments, then nodded to instructor Solis.
Kate studied him for a short while, wondering if she would see another spectacle similar to the one Jet had just put on.
The anomaly Kaeru who almost never bothered visiting the simulation room – considering it a waste of time – seemed to think Alexander was the only trainee in the base worth his time.
That made her feel like he had to be at least as strong as Jet.
"What level?" Solis asked.
Alexander gave the question some thought. Currently the highest he had attempted was the level 3 bots, just like Rin. He wondered if it was about time he logically went for level 4.
Then, a smile crossed his face as he decided to be a bit more daring.
"Let's go with Level 5"
Kate's curious expression instantly transformed into one of disappointment.
Jet barely managed to contain a chuckle.
Solis simply shook her head in pity, as she selected the level.
A moment later, the floor opened up again. 4 large humanoid bots emerged from it, ready to be activated. Unlike the previous models, these didn't resemble humans.. Instead they were modelled after the towering, crimson form of Tarokians.
Arbus sighed deeply.
'that idiot' He thought.
From what he had seen so far, Alexander was about as strong as an average White Mornan. Which meant he was hilariously outmatched by even a single Tarokian.
Alexander studied his opponents for several moments in silence.
Finally, a hesitant smile crossed his face as he stepped back. "Hmm, so, now that I'm looking at them... I don't think I thought this through."
Kate merely signaled to Solis.
"Begin."
The imposing bots activated simultaneously, just like last time, as their gazes locked onto Alexander.
They observed him for a few moments, watching as he swallowed hard and slowly moved backwards, trying to create as much distance as possible.
"Yeah, didn't think this through at all," he muttered.
Then, the bots moved as one, their velocity almost mind boggling considering their size and weight.
Alexander did the best he could in that instance, firing as many shots as he could while trying to maintain his distance advantage.
He knew how screwed he would be if they got too close.
Prince Jet sighed audibly as he watched the spectacle from above.
He tore his eyes from the scene for a moment as they landed on Arbus, who was watching his friends struggle with an exasperated expression.
A smile slowly formed on his lips as he decided to start.
"How fascinating. I've never seen a White Mornan this... incompetent. I suppose growing up in an orphanage would do that to you." Jet said, glancing back at Alexander.
The Blue Mornans clustered around him chuckled cautiously.
They were hesitant about openly mocking a White Mornan. Despite his background, Alexander would likely advance further than them in the Renegade hierarchy due to his genetic advantages. They didn't want to answer for their disrespect later.
Jet noticed his lackeys hesitation, but didn't comment on it.
'Cowards. Although that's not surprising, considering they're just lower Mornans.' He thought.
Arbus's expression hardened as his gaze fixed on Jet.
He scoffed loudly as he stood up.
"That's enough out of you, don't you think, 'your highness'? What is it with you and looking down on others and going after families? Do you get some kind of thrill or satisfaction from it?"
Jet turned his attention back to Arbus, meeting his intense stare.
"Oh, so are we on talking terms again? You didn't seem so keen on speaking with me last time when I tried to apologize."
A small smile crept onto Jet's face as he saw Arbus's expression grow darker.
"What are you going to do? attack me again? Please, we both know how that would end."
"Besides" He said, gesturing to Kate who didn't even bother glancing back to watch them bicker.
Her focus was entirely on Alexander who had somehow managed to avoid capture, while blasting a barrage of shots toward the Tarokian bots – who naturally didn't have the durability of the originals.
Rin meanwhile tore her attention from the fight below as she watched the altercation.
Arbus scowled.
"I'm not the one starting anything. I'm simply tired of your attics."
"You're still hung up on acting like a Prince despite where you are. Like Alexander said before, it's narcissistic and childish."
Jet smile didn't falter even slightly, as if Arbus's words had no effect. He walked toward him with deliberate steps, stopping just above his sitting form.
"I don't care about your perception of me, Arbus. The reason I give you such a hard time should be obvious to you by now."
Jet's smile disappeared.
"You're a dangerous half-breed and a threat to the Renegades."
"So far, you've managed to get by, living as just another half-human. But then, you decided to join the most powerful organisation in the universe which sole purpose is hunting your kind."
"In my opinion, It's only a matter of time before your switch flips. Maybe not now, maybe not for twenty years. But one day, you'll get tired of this universe and its people. You'll come to a crossroads to choose between us or your true kind."
His voice dropped to a near whisper. "And just like the sword Saint, you'll choose them in the end. Because you're nothing but their spawn."
Arbus rose from his seat slowly, his eyes locked with Jet's intense stare.
He felt his hatred bubbling up inside of him again.
Not the hatred directed at Reincarnators, but the one reserved for people who judged him constantly because of how he was born.
He always did his best to avoid pushing back. He understood their rage and their pain. But most importantly, he stopped himself because he didn't want to prove them right.
The tension in the observation room became palpable enough for the other trainees to instinctively backed away.
Arbus clenched his teeth as he stepped back slightly.
Kate finally glanced towards them with an unreadable expression.
"That's enough, both of you!" She yelled, her authoritative tone cutting through the tension.
"This is neither the time nor the place. Save it for the sparring room if you must, but as for right now, take a seat or leave."
Jet smirked as he backed off, clearly satisfied with having provoked a reaction.
'that should be enough'
"Apologies, Head Instructor. It won't happen again."
Jet said as he strode over to the corner of the room and sat down gracefully.
Arbus clenched his teeth as he did what he always did to calm himself. He drew in a deep breath and reminded himself of what his father always said.
'It's not their fault.'
Down below, Alexander was sprawled on the floor, the bots frozen in place, moments away from stomping him into the smooth retractable floor.
"I did it!, I actually did it!"
He shouted with a laugh as he looked over at the Tarokian bot he had managed to shoot at the corner of the room.
It wasn't what he asked for, but one wasn't a bad number.
"Alexander, get up here. Now." Kate commanded.
Alexander gulped.
When he arrived in the observation room, breathing heavily and covered with several minor injuries from his impromptu game of tag with the bots, Kate fixed him with a stern look.
"Your overall trainee score has been reduced for that display of recklessness. It's not bravery to challenge something far beyond your capabilities, it's foolishness. A knight who overestimates himself ends up a dead knight." She said, echoing a similar sentiment to what Ty had explained to Arbus.
After the scolding, Alexander sat next to Arbus, still excited despite the setback.
"In all honesty, I did better than I thought I would. Your people are really something else." He said with a slight groan, resolving to visit the med bay soon.
"Yeah, I suppose they are." Arbus said, giving Alexander a small shoulder pay before heading off to the stairs himself.
He felt like punching something at the moment.
And unfortunately, the prince was off the table.
Jet's eyes followed Arbus as he descended the stairs leading to the simulation chamber. Then, he glanced to his side at the instructor standing at the control panel.
Solis immediately noticed his meaningful gaze as she gave a simple nod before frowning at Arbus.
Arbus decided to keep things simple, requesting for level three bots.
Unlike Jet and the other trainees, he had nothing to prove to anyone present. All he needed to really do now was the bare minimum. His assessment scores from the mental training room were already pretty good as it was.
And like always, he didn't want to stand out more than he already did.
"Weapon?" Instructor Solis asked, her voice laced with venom.
Arbus could tell she despised him the most out of any instructor in the base from the very first day they met.
"Long blade," Arbus answered.
A long sword slowly rose from the floor on a podium. Arbus grasped its hilt, getting reacquainted with the sharp blade just as the floor opened up again.
His eyes widened a second later as his heart skipped a beat.
Instead of the level 3 bots Arbus had requested, a single humanoid bot emerged from the floor, already fully activated.
Surprise gasps echoed through the observation deck a few moments later.
"Level 7! That's a level 7 right!?" One of the blue Mornans shouted to Kate.
Level 7 bots. Designed with the final level of the mental simulation in mind. These bots had the capacity to mimic certain Reincarnator powers to an extent. They were often used in the field as well during raids.
Most Knight training facilities had long since stopped using them for training, since the Council had ordered for them to only be used in special facilities, due to how dangerous they were.
Kate's expression was just as shocked as the trainees as she looked over at Solis, who seemed to be currently panicking.
"What are you doing?! Disable that thing now!" Kate shouted at the visibly distressed Red Mornan instructor.
Solis frantically tapped on the control panels as Sparks suddenly flew, forcing her back. "There's a malfunction in the system! I can't shut it down!"
The copy bots gaze slowly focused on Arbus, its head tilting at an unnatural angle.
Then in the next moment, it moved.