Interlude I

“All the video surveillance agrees that the Lt. Colonel cast a fire burst spell, or at least attempted to do so. This much is witnessed, as the student in question, someone who appears to be a peak expert level Mage Breaker grabbed his spell for all to see. Then The student in question diverted the spell so it would explode harmlessly overhead, inadvertently setting off the fire alarm systems.” The lead JAG investigator said, as a real military liaison had to come in to investigate the incident as apparently there were multiple displays of potential violence on a civilian. The JAG officer then turns her attention from the Lt. Colonel who looked more than worse for wear and turned her attention towards the Investigations officer.

It was clear that the student was a Mage Breaker, thus sending a mental specialist to corral the student in question made sense. While Mage Breakers could stop magic, they had next to no results against mental attacks. Yet, once again the student in question seemed to amaze everyone present as he not only resisted the compulsion. Compulsion that other students who were witness to the events also filed charges against as they felt the compulsions and even now were lingering around the investigation officer as he commanded them to follow him not once but twice.

“Then we get a recording from multiple students who all saw a mid-peak level investigator actively use their command voice on a victim of a crime. Then to make matters worse that investigator failed not once but twice, then resulted in physical violence. At which point the student once again defended himself, this time with Telekinesis of all things. A level of Telekinesis that requires not only a great deal of power, but also control as he managed to hold you perfectly still against the ceiling while walking away. Do you have any idea the level of control needed for such an event?” The JAG officer asked. With a sigh the investigation officer broke eye contact and shook his head at the ground.

“Tier seven control and power, that is what we are talking about. Tier 7, the highest level of control and power possible to a psychic and you assaulted him, three different times. Worse you were so blatant about your assaults that four other children are now filing assault charges against you and the department for excessive use of force.” The JAG officer said.

“Tier 7? That’s impossible, he’s just a kid.” The investigation officer shot back. Such an event should have been impossible, Tier 7 took not only power, which the kid clearly had in spades. But it also took time, time to master the nuances needed for near perfect mastery of the craft.

“Do you know when you were finally released from your hold Inspector Simmons?” The JAG officer demanded.

“No. I know it was sometime later, I figured the kid finally got tired.”

“You were released after the kid left the front doors to the temple and was already on his way. Even then we have camera angles that show him smirk at the exact second, he released you.” She said, calling forth two different three-dimensional renderings, one showing the inspector splayed out on the ceiling of the holding room and a second of the boy taking a step out from the police compound. Then the Inspector gets dropped at the next second a smile appears on the boy’s powerful face.

“Now I don’t know what type of monster you tried to poke at with your power, but know he is believed to be scary powerful. We also have reason to believe that he has somehow received not one but two blessings during his trials. The first one likely came on an earlier floor as his eyes were already purple upon exiting the trials. While the silver hair seems to have been something he picked up on the final leg of his journey.” The JAG officer says, while pulling forth another three-dimensional recording of the boy that showed his hair changing from dirty blond to silver in a matter of minutes. A sign that whatever happened was extremely powerful.

The two being questioned and several staff all looked on. Even the receptionist was present in the room.

“So far we are lucky that he has only filed for a separation from a proposed military commission.”

“Well, that’s good, right?” Lt. Col Mills asked.

“No, we need someone that powerful to be always under supervision. Also, you of all people should want him to join the military.” The JAG officer said, her fingers pointing in an accusatory tone to the Lt. Colonel.

“Me, why me?” Mills asked.

The JAG officer turned to the receptionist and directed a question at her. “Ms. June, would you be so kind as to tell us the reason listed for why a promising candidate that was both a peak level Mage Breaker and a top tier Psionic.” She made special emphasis to point out that the boy was not just a mind magic user, but also a Psionic, one of the military classes that are vital in space battles. It is well known that mages rule a planet, while mental users are king in space, and chief among those in space are the Psionic fighters. Even if the psionic is a halfway decent fighter pilot they would be a force multiplier in space battles.

“Hostile work environment.” Ms. June responded.

“I’m sorry what?” The JAG officer asked again, knowing full well what was said, only having it restated for awareness.

“Hostile work environment was the reason given by former officer candidate Kyle Goldman on why he would want to tender his resignation for being a military officer.” Ms. June replied.

“So, he claimed to feel frightened by possible superiors who were not only higher in ranking wielding their military rank, but also personal power against him?” The JAG officer demanded.

“I, I don’t know?” Ms. June answered a questioning tremble in her voice.

“Regardless, I can’t blame him. The first two officers he meets immediately after a trying experience. One where he clearly achieved amazing successes at, he comes back to get a killing fire attack cast at him. Along with mental control being used blatantly against him. If this is how this station is always run, then I think the problems here are far deeper than one lone student. Given your brazen disregard for power abuse, and your seeming complacence in covering up the misdeeds, we can’t trust a single thing you two say.” The JAG officer said, as she first pointed at the now trembling Lt. Colonel and the shocked Investigations officer.

“What? What do you mean?”

“I mean we might have to conduct a clean sweep of all records processed by this office. We might have to do a comb over to find any and all promising candidates who might have been unjustly dealt with and summarily dismissed from the military. For now we will send this up as is, but there is no clue who high this will get before it is done.”

***

On the other side of the planet, a very different conversation was happening in the private office of General Lemotov, the general in charge of Military Acquisitions.

"Sir, as you know, there is an internal audit of all candidates who do not make it through screening."

"Yes, I am aware. The Tulley Act, where everyone gets a second look to make sure they have a fair shake. What of it?" General Lemotov answered.

"Well sir, when we went through the applicants that didn't make the cut one candidate was flagged."

"Flagged? What does that mean exactly?"

"That means that two independent conditions were met for their confidentiality to be compromised. First, they were not selected as an officer. And second, they scored exceptionally high on the tests that they would have easily beaten any number of candidates. Or at the very least, an exception waiver could be acquired to create an extra candidate seat."

"Yes, the Lyman Waiver, again I am aware. So, what is the issue?" The general said, noting the two different policies that were often the bane of his existence was harrowing. While he hated having these speeches, he did ask his secretary to flag any potential case that triggered either case. In this case, the candidate seemingly might have been flagged on both warning conditions.

"Well, it seems that this particular student renounced their officer candidacy."

"That is a shame, but there is nothing we can do if they renounce their candidacy."

"Sir, you need to see their scores." She said, flashing over a read out of the findings from the otherwise confidential trials that would normally be deleted upon accepting an officer candidacy.

"Pp...perfect marks? But how?"

"I don't know. It seems that the candidate in question showed skills and abilities that are well beyond that of an average candidate. I'd dare say, according to the readings, that they would be ranked higher than most instructors."

"So, what is the problem? Why did they turn down the candidacy? Don't they understand how this could change their entire lives?"

"I believe they do, sir, at least they signed the consent form for full dismissal from ever becoming an officer candidate. I am still waiting to confirm details about the wording used on the resignation form." Ms. Allbright said.

“What was his reason for leaving?”

“Hostile work environment. Though there seems to be an ongoing investigation. It appears the child in question might have either been attacked or attacked the officers in question.” Ms. Allbright answered.

With that the General sat and pondered for a moment, reading over the test scores of the noted individual. An individual who was throwing away their future. Worse, the military could use such a talented candidate. This candidate showed aptitude with both Magic and Psionics, though their magical abilities were limited to that of a Spell Breaker with minor elemental affinities. Their Psionic aptitudes were beyond compare, if the notes from the trials were anything to go off of. Worse according to this reading the candidate received a full mark of all fifty Attribute points, meaning they would be critical to improving the military.

For a candidate who only received one or two Attributes the potential loss in value was negligible. But for a candidate to achieve all fifty, a perfect score, something only spoken about in general platitudes as extreme use cases, that is a different thing entirely.

No, they needed this candidate, despite a potential backlash for his likely already having made a few enemies within the military. Ms. Allbright was right to bringing this to his attention. Now, if he only had something he could do about this.

He closed his eyes and saw the email he was composing to his wife about dinner plans for that evening. Apparently, he had paused so long that the email had saved a copy [Draft Saved] shown on his screen. Those two words sparked a light in his mind, as he realized how he could turn this all around.

"One question, they registered for the draft right?" The general asked.

Ms. Allbright paused for a moment, but then nodded, not quite certain where this was going.

"Good. Someone like this is too valuable to let go. Also, we have a need for exemplary recruits to join the forces." The General said. Even if there was a criminal record against the recruit, they could still get him in. He paused for a moment, while he also wondered about the possible pending charges being placed against him.

“Also get me JAG. Let’s see if we can get a plea deal made to get him in as an officer regardless. Or better, pressure him to join.”

“Sir, I don’t think that is how this will play out…”

“Just do it already.”

“Yes sir.” With that Ms. Allbright turned to try to reach out to the JAG officers who were conducting this investigation. While she knew how the initial report read, there might be more to this, something that can be leveraged at least in the court of public appeals. Though the fall out could be terrible if this went completely sideways. Still, that was not her call to make.