Ignition Broker: Chapter 39 Proditionem Praeveni Proditione

Chapter 39
Proditionem Praeveni Proditione

“Betray others, especially after they have first tried to betray you. But don’t go for pain, pain is light, fleeting, and often doesn’t stick. Once bones heal and scars fade, people forget, that’s why you make sure it hurt, deep. We are talking psychological pain that scars so deeply that it changes a person on a fundamental level.” -Marcon on dealing with betrayal

After landing, the teams went about efficiently setting up a campsite based on all their training. By now the process of taking out and assembling the tents and needed devices were so ingrained that the process flew by.

Arla even made sure to send Lisom and a few others to the east, towards the free water supply. While they had their own supplies, foraging and living off the land was part of the process. Also, they had the ability to treat the water, which depending on its condition might take anywhere from a day to multiple weeks.

“Could you help me fix this? For whatever reason it’s not working?” Rayalta asked. By now any doubts that the team might have had about Arla’s technical and mechanical capabilities were over. In fact, many members of the team had begun taking nearly perfect devices towards Arla, in the hopes that she would make them better, which often happened.

Arla took the item in question, and despite seeing that it was in near perfect issuing quality, that is the item was nearly perfect from how it was first handed to their team, Arla still worked on the device. Pulling out a handyman, a few odd and end wires that were in her pockets, and tape she went about working and repairing the item.

To her Tinkerer’s eyes, she found that the device had layers and levels to its complexity. There was the beginning layer, or rather what was there currently, which showed that everything was mostly operable. Only a few things needed to be improved upon to obtain basic functionality of the device. A better way would be to help the device reach its true basic capabilities. Then there was a second set, one where wires were highlighted, misaligned gears and cogs were highlighted in different ways. This was the second layer of her new class. One that she had already known from years of having to work and re-work the gear that Marcon found for her.

As she worked, a lingering memory crept into her mind, one that reminded her of that very past. Along the way he would first show her how to fix something, then leave her alone to figure out the more complex mechanisms on her own. It wasn’t until later that she realized he had set her up to repair items that were outside of his capabilities. She was nine when she found that out, but by then it was just her way of proving that she belonged, that she could contribute to the team. That’s what motivated her to do more, that want to be needed.

Now she realized she didn’t need to be needed, not anymore. Now she knew she could make it on her own. If someone like Marcon could go and skirt the law for so long with a kid, then she knew her abilities would make it so she could blend in anywhere. Well, anywhere that didn’t ask too many questions. This made Arla’s next thoughts on what to do after this exercise was over, all the easier to accept.

Before she knew it, the gears that had glowed blue, indicating a slightly tougher challenge to fix and correct were taken care of. Once the blue ones were aligned properly, the green ones fell in line as well. Then it was a matter of adding a bit of wiring to make the connections more secure, allowing for more optimal flow of energy in the device and viola, fixed pamphlet.

“Here you go,” Arla said after snapping the pieces of the device back together.

Rayalta just looked at Arla in confusion for a moment, but then finally muttered, “th, thank you?”

At that, Arla just smiled a coy knowing smile then said what she hoped would be the tagline for their entire operation, “don’t thank me, thank Cadet Goldbridger.”

With that Arla gestured to the still bound and now gagged maintenance member of the team. The boy’s uniform was well dented in places, and showed signs of dried blood. Even the boy’s normally symmetrical face showed signs of wear and tear.

Arla noted those as signs of heat abuse, for the cadet not following military protocol and applying sunscreen at proper intervals, despite being warned by Arla multiple times. In the report up, this came across as part of “Destruction of Academy Property,” a joke but one that would be noted and logged to hopefully explain some of the bruises. This way when the others returned, they would have a record to fall back on that explains how Cadet Goldbridger had changed so much. While there was nothing Cadet Goldbridger could do about his current skin condition, especially as his arms and legs were bound, it was a slow manner of torture that the team knew would hopefully break the conceited cadet’s pride.

“Oh right,” Rayalta said perking up, then turning to the bound Cadet Goldbridger, she spoke, “thank you Cadet Goldbridger, I will mark this as another device you fixed for the team.”

“Yes, we need to be thorough, despite his constant disregard for applying sunscreen, he has helped out immensely with maintaining all our mechanical and electronic devices.” Arla noted, keeping up the charade.

With this admission Rayalta smiled. At first, the team felt angered by the fact that Cadet Goldbridger had so devastatingly tried to sabotage their mission before it even started. Only after the intervention of Arla, and seeing how nothing but praise was put upon the mechanic did everyone see the way he squirmed under the recognition. Only then did the team realize that whoever ordered Cadet Goldbridger to end their exercise before it began had something over the lowly cadet.

In the end, it was determined that the best way to deal with a liar was to make it seem like he was the best member of the team. That was why all praises for maintenance went to him.

For his part Goldbridger still squirmed under their intense stare and scrutiny, a sign that he hadn’t quite been broken. This was another act that Arla learned from Marcon, right now, the fact that he squirmed showed that he cared. When you broke him, and he would break, the first sign would be apathy.

Once they both had their fill, Rayalta beckoned for Arla to follow her, out of Goldbridger’s earshot. Once they were a safe way away from the restrained captive, and from the camp, that’s when Rayalta asked the question that had been plaguing her.

“Question, won’t all these accolades and false accomplishments only help empower Goldbridger’s future?”

“You assume that it is this version of Goldbridger that we will bring back with us.” Arla began, before continuing. “That said you are correct, if we were to head back today, then he would recover. Likely even holding us in contempt and lording his still remaining power and influence over us. The trick is that he won’t be the same when we get back.”

Hearing that Rayalta froze, and stared at Arla, as if truly taking in the sight of the monster that was before her all along. A monster wearing the same uniform as everyone else, which only helped her to blend in, for now.

“He won’t?”

“No, heat, and lack of resources do a lot to a healthy mind. Poor Goldbridger here will go missing shortly, no doubt looking for resources in all the wrong places. We will look for him, but we will be close to giving up hope. Then at the last minute, he will make his daring escape from that clutches of the natives and make it back to us, just in time for us to perform any last-minute maintenance of our vessel. At which point the team will be able to heal him of any outward damages, showing him off to be the stalwart reflection of excellence that the Academy has to offer.”

The more Arla spoke, the more Rayalta began to tense back in fear. Almost as if she had never known her commander to have such ruthless depths.

Locking gazes with the commander, Rayalta felt the question come to her lips before she had time to truly think about what she was asking.

“Isn’t that a bit much?” Rayalta asked.

Arla just stared at the girl for a moment, her mind seeming to wonder just how mentally strong she was, and what she could or couldn’t hear without her losing the parts of herself that made her such a great team leader.

“He tried to kill us, or at the very least ensure we all failed out of the Academy. My plan is much simpler, we will ensure he can’t sabotage us again, all while giving him praise. Who knows, if he has a strong enough will, then what we do won’t matter and we will be punished by him and his family regardless of what happens.”

Shiver.

Arla watched as Rayalta shivered under her intense gaze. With that shiver Arla felt that she had almost stripped off a layer of vulnerability from her. One that when peeled back showed just how dangerous the universe truly was, and how little she could do to stop it all.

Crackle.

At that moment the communicator crackled on Arla’s shoulder.

“This is Lisom checking in,” Lisom stated, his voice sounding exhausted, “we have the barrels of water. Commencing decontamination processes now.”

“Very good, be sure to offer an untreated bottle of water to Cadet Goldbridger, both to stay hydrated and as an example to the others of why we treat the local water.” Arla stated coldly.

There was a pause, before Lisom responded back, “affirmative.”

“Keep the healer on standby,” Arla stated, making sure it was known that death was off the table, but it was clear that Goldbridger would not enjoy his time here. Then looking at Rayalta, Arla continued speaking, “know that Rayalta and I are going to go on a scouting mission, and will try to make contact with the native inhabitants of this planet.”

“Affirmative, what should we do?”

“Finish setting up the base, with a perimeter. Set up a rotation and let the others rest.” Arla ordered decisively.

“Roger.”

And with that, the conversation was over. Arla just stared at the girl, who a moment ago was content to poke, prod, and jeer at the captive, thinking that such a punishment would be enough to quench her thirst for violence.

Now, she felt that she had both gone too far, and would not be able to hold back the tidal wave of retribution that was about to descend on their bound captive. In a way, she understood the effect, the process, as he had tried to kill them all, not just by the vehicle itself, but by getting them all kicked out of the military, and for what, showing a sense of accomplishment? No, for now she would trust her commander, even if she didn’t agree with the methods, so far Commander Proma had been amazing with her approach. Even when she failed to see the bigger picture, the Commander had never failed, nor wavered in her conviction, which was why she found herself trusting the odd woman now. Feeling a wave of resolve wash over her, Rayalta felt her body stiffen as she went to attention and then addressed her commander.

“What next commander?”

Aral paused for only a second, before responding, “follow me.”

With that, without waiting a second for recognition or confirmation, Arla began striding forward. Rayalta paused for just a moment, before feeling the tension in her body lessen as she sprinted forward to catch up to the long paces taken by the walking Commander.

Only a second later, after leaving, did Rayalta feel for the strap on her side, where her blaster rested. With the weapon securely in place, she felt her mind ease up, as she followed the commander. Who seemed to somehow know the terrain like it was the back of her hand.

Within three turns, the path behind was completely cut off and they were separated by twisting mountain passes and tress from being able to see their rather large landing spot and campsite.  If she focused, Rayalta felt that she could find the direction of camp, but not the path to take on how to get there.

Yet, for some reason, Commander Proma was relentless with her pace and path.

For a moment Rayalta thought about starting up a conversation with the odd woman, but ultimately dismissed the attempt, referring back to past attempts that all failed.

Who her Commander was, her likes, hobbies, or interests were all missing. The crew had a tally going of things she liked, and didn’t like. So far, they found that training, mechanical engineering, and leading were her three good qualities. By comparison the only negative trait that the others managed to find was a distinct hate for traitors, which given where they were and how they all now depended on each other, it made sense.

With Cadet Goldbridger as the living example, everyone knew what would happen to them, should they choose to betray the Commander. Not that anyone would. By now, they had all boughten into the Commander and her odd quirks.

Finally, after about two hours of hiking, Rayalta noticed that they were finally beginning to descend down one face of the mountain.

Then just when Rayalta found her resolve about to break enough for her to ask how much longer they would be, the commander spoke.

“We are here.”

Hearing those words, Rayalta finally looked up from her path of having to carefully place her feet in the exact spots that the Commander did. Only now that the Commander stopped, did she look up, and that’s when she saw a glimpse of what life was like outside the empire.