Razors Edge: Sci Fi Progression

Day 34

"You asked to see me?" I approached Professor Zhal carefully. "It's a little unusual meeting out of office quarters." I waved around the deck she stood looking over. Covent Gardens. They were of course beautiful to see from up here.

"I thought you'd appreciate it more, seeing something else of the station.

She wasn't wrong. The walk here had been enlightening. Though the stations' observation deck felt particularly quiet today, barely a sound echoing around us.

"Can you tell me what this is about?"

She held out her datapad for me to see. I read over my stat sheet:-

Active Traits

Recursive Debugger
Effect: Logic Trace +5%
Triggered through sustained systems troubleshooting under high-stress engineering conditions. Enhances fault identification, code traversal, and recursive patching of AI logic faults. Key to stabilizing Doli-1 and Doli-2 during live code iterations.

Spatial Systems Intuition
Effect: Navigation Aptitude +5%
Developed during dynamic threat evasion and internal mapping episodes (e.g., Hangar 31, zero-G training). Enables HUD route predictions, structural familiarity during movement under duress.

Adaptive Problem Solver
Effect: Non-linear Systems Logic
Demonstrated in hybrid scenario resolution and abstract logic applications. Bypasses conventional problem structures. Includes systems synthesis between real-world tools and digital overlays (e.g., Doli-2 optimization).

Situational Strategist
Effect: Strategic Foresight +5%
Unlocked via high-stakes field-level inference. Provides macro-outcome anticipation and planning overlays during cascading failure conditions. Recently reinforced through intelligence analysis of Macks threat window.

Empathic Synchronization
Effect: AI Emotional Convergence
Fully activated following affective blend and unsolicited comfort responses from Doli. Enables AI-human co-interpretive bonding. Active in stress de-escalation and emotional logic hybrid behavior.

Pattern Intrusion Response
Effect: Threat Signature Parsing
Activated via confirmed sabotage pattern matching and signal triangulation. Enables system-wide anomaly detection, threat actor vectoring, and breach architecture modeling.

Watchlist Traits (Seeded)

Distributed Core Anchoring
Status: Seeded

Function: Prepares Doli for partial physical autonomy via integration into external hardware. Supports AI mobility outside Academy constraints.
Triggers: Long-range sync degradation, need for persistent proximity to Piotr, projected future decoupling.

I stood silently, staring at the datapad in Professor Zhal's hands. My reflection wavered slightly in the sleek glass window, stars stretching endlessly before me.

Professor Zhal adjusted her glasses, also clearly scanning through my latest results.

She brought up my health stat sheet for us to see between us.

"Are you feeling well?"

"Tired," I admitted. "This weeks been a lot of work."

Zhal nodded. "That's understandable. I want a full medical check when you return to Earth."

I nodded, looking over the medical results. Something was indeed off.

<Your cortisol levels are more than double baseline,>> Doli observed. <<And those infection markers shouldn't be elevated at all. The neural stability drop is particularly troubling. We should speak with Kerry about this.>>

"Your growth metrics have improved remarkably," she said, a rare smile curving her lips. "Your cognitive aptitude is now 9.7, Dexterity has risen to 6 from 2, and your teamwork index is among the highest in your class. Frankly, it's extraordinary."

My cheeks warmed slightly. I cleared my throat. "Thank you, Professor."

She glanced up, her eyes softened by the quiet light. "You're surpassing every expectation we had for you. But there's something else—" Her voice grew thoughtful. "You've become a leader. Your team relies on you."

"I don't feel like a leader," I admitted, eyes dropping to the reflective floor. "I'm just doing what I can."

"That humility is precisely why you're effective," Zhal replied gently. "But tell me, what do you want out of this? Where do you see yourself once this chapter closes?"

I hesitated, my thoughts immediately turning to Rob, Kerry, and Sylvk. The thought of leaving them tightened my chest in a way I hadn't expected. "I don't know," I said honestly. "Initially, it was about getting away, fixing something broken—my life, maybe. But now…" I trailed off, turning again to the stars outside. "Now I'm not sure leaving is what I want."

Zhal studied me carefully, her gaze deeper than usual, almost maternal. "Sometimes, the best plans are those we never expected to make."

Something tugged at me, and I risked. "Professor, may I ask you something?"

"Of course," she replied.

"This meeting wasn't about me, was it, it's about Major Kuba—Ashley. She mentioned once her mother worked at the academy. But never said anything more."

Zhal smiled, setting the datapad down carefully. "Her mother did indeed work there. In fact, she still does."

Surprise rippled through me, realization dawning slowly. "You mean…"

"Yes," Zhal said gently, a deep warmth in her eyes. "And you've caught my attention in more ways than one. I've watched how you've impacted Ashley, how you've awakened something in her she hasn't felt in years."

I swallowed. "I never meant to…"

"I know," Zhal said softly, stepping closer. "But it matters. You matter. Not to her, but to your team, to Doli. Remember that."

I hesitated, my concern suddenly overwhelming my caution. "Professor, I'm worried about her. Ashley, I mean. She seems... stretched thin. Like she's carrying too much."

Zhal's expression softened further. "She's always been that way—taking on more than her share. Doli, this mission weighs heavily on her."

"What is Doli for?" I asked.

"You don't know?"

I shook my head. "I never really asked, I could see she needed fixing."

Zhal cast her eyes to the ceiling. "Out there are many dangers, some of our finest people are at war. We need better tech, better AI to help. Those that understand the difference between right and wrong, saving people and killing the ones that mean more harm, we need them to be able to judge what sacrifice to make when they really need to make it."

<<She's talking about sacrificing some of those people for the greater good.>> Doli confirmed for me. <<Sending in soldiers knowing they're going to die.>>

<Like Sylvk?>>

<<Yes,>> she replied.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

Zhal studied me for a long moment, her eyes searching. "What exactly are your intentions toward my daughter, Piotr?"

The directness of her question caught me off guard. "I—" I faltered, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "I care about her. More than I expected to."

"Be careful," she warned, her voice gentle but serious. "This isn't about you and Ashley. The Admiral watches closely—perhaps too closely. He has... expectations for her career. Distractions aren't welcome."

"The Admiral? Her father?"

Zhal's mouth tightened slightly. "Be careful. For both your sakes."

<<She's concerned,>> Doli observed. <<Her pulse elevated when mentioning the Admiral. There's history there.>>

Pattern Intrusion Response: Background monitoring engaged

Signal deviation detected: elevated bioresponse during critical disclosure.

"I will," I said.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked Doli.

<<It was not my place to, especially after you chiding me against telling you about her brother.>>

I stayed behind, the quiet of the deck almost overwhelming. "But did you hear all of that, Doli?" I asked softly.

<<I did, Captain,>> Doli's voice came warmly in my mind. <<And she's telling the truth.>>

I sighed, leaning against the cold glass. "It's not supposed to be this difficult, is it? Leaving?"

<<It's hard precisely because it matters,>> Doli said gently. <<But you've always known you must leave.>>

"Why does it feel wrong now?" I whispered, almost to myself. "I never thought I'd find somewhere I wanted to stay."

<<You found your place. But your path is greater. There are things only you can do, journeys only you can take.>>

I closed my eyes, drawing a deep, steadying breath. "Will it always hurt this much? Choosing to move forward, knowing what I'm leaving behind?"

<<Yes,>> Doli said simply. <Because you love them.>>

Empathic Synchronization – Stable.

Affect-aligned behavior maintained. AI emotional reflection continuous.

I opened my eyes slowly, the starlight washing over me. "Then I guess I'll have to live with it," I whispered, more determined than ever. "No matter how much it hurts."

<<And we'll be with you,>> Doli promised quietly. <<Come though, you have time to do some learning, and I'd be letting you down by not informing you of it.>>

Distributed Core Anchoring – Progress: 24%

Trigger: Remote delay escalation. Quantum housing fabrication initialized. Core mobility imperative flagged.

"Slave driver," I teased.

Back in my quarters, I lay on the bunk, immersing myself in what was to come.

<<You're much better at absorbing information now,>> Doli said. <<Are you sure you want to do this course, right now?>>

"I'm sure, hit me," I replied. "Besides, this is something I know we'll all benefit from in the near future. I need to get up to the same speed as the team, and they're not just cadets. They've years of training beyond this here."

<<Understood,>> she replied. <<Loading now. Settle back. It might take a while.>>

"Loading times still an issue?"

<<Till you are closer, yes.>>

Watchlist Trait Seeded: Distributed Core Anchoring

Trigger: Long-range sync degradation + contextual learning dependency acknowledged.

Function: Enables Doli's core intelligence to anchor across hardware nodes.

I was okay with taking my time, while my mind worked, my body rested, and so we dived right in at the deep end, this was something I needed to keep up with my team.

Psychological Warfare and Influence

This advanced course explores the art of persuasion, manipulation, and destabilization in high-stakes environments. Cadets will learn to influence adversaries and allies alike, emphasizing both psychological insight and strategic finesse.

Lesson Outline:

Week 1: Foundations of Influence

Introduction to psychological principles of persuasion and manipulation.

Analyzing historical examples of psychological warfare.

Exercise: Identifying key vulnerabilities in a mock negotiation.

Week 2-4: Techniques of Psychological Warfare

Methods of undermining morale and cohesion in enemy ranks.

Propaganda creation and deployment strategies.

Group Project: Designing a psychological operations campaign for a simulated scenario.

Week 5-6: Defensive Strategies

Recognizing and countering manipulation tactics.

Strengthening group cohesion to resist psychological attacks.

Simulation: A crisis scenario requiring cadets to maintain morale under pressure.

Week 7-8: Practical Application

Role-playing exercises where cadets attempt to sway or destabilize opponents.

Multi-layered simulations incorporating persuasion, deception, and analysis.

Final Assessment: Conducting a psychological operation during a complex scenario.

Core Activities:

Role-playing to practice negotiation and persuasion tactics.

Creating propaganda campaigns to influence simulated populations.

Analyzing real-world case studies of psychological warfare.

Key Lesson:

"Winning a war without firing a shot is the ultimate victory."

The chime of my comm startled me from my course. <<Noting where you've stopped.>> Doli said. <<Week 4.>>

***

Day 37

The next few days blurred into an intense rhythm of preparation. Mornings were physical drills—running obstacle courses, pushing our bodies to their limits until muscles ached and breaths came ragged. I felt every year of my age, even if I wasn't old, during these sessions, my body protesting what my mind demanded, but I pushed through, determined to never be the one who faltered first. Afternoons were technical, filled with endless simulations and practical exercises that tested not just our individual skills but our cohesion as a unit.

I guided Kerry through Zero-G rescues, impressed by how she adapted to my instructions, confidence grew with every successful attempt. But it was her instincts that were remarkable, an intuitive understanding of momentum and physics that couldn't be taught. She moved with fluid grace in the chamber, making adjustments that anticipated problems before they arose. When it came to medical issues, she then instructed all of us. If she were incapacitated one day, we'd need to understand most basics. That's when our HUDs also helped, overlaying medical instructions she helped explain. It was all fascinating.

Mostly though she watched me between exercises, eyes serious. "You've really stepped up," she said quietly. "It suits you."

The simple observation struck deeper than expected, warming something long cold within me. I nodded, not trusting my voice, wondering if she could see how much her approval meant, how it validated choices that had felt like leaps of faith.

Rob tackled shuttle piloting under increasingly difficult conditions, sweat beading on his forehead as he maneuvered through scenarios designed to push his reflexes and nerves to breaking points. His fingers were so fast across the controls even I had a hard time keeping up. His decisions were becoming more instinctive, rather than just calculated. As he joked frequently to mask his anxiety, his humor became a reassuring constant in our high-pressure environment. "At least this is less likely to kill me," he quipped during a particularly close call, though his smile didn't fully hide the tension in his eyes. I recognized the defense mechanism all too well, humor as armor against fear—but chose not to call attention to it. Sometimes such shields were necessary.

Sylvk immersed himself in emergency shuttle repairs, each scenario for him also more demanding than his last. Watching him work was like witnessing a form of meditation—He didn't take to things like I would have. But his quiet competence shone through clearly, his respect increasingly evident in subtle gestures and approving nods. After one particularly challenging repair scenario, where he'd managed to restore life support systems with seconds to spare, he caught my gaze and gave a rare, sincere nod.

"Good leadership makes all the difference, knowing you're the one behind the wheel…" he acknowledged quietly. "I feel like I could fix anything."

My chest tightened at the unexpected praise. Coming from Sylvk, who measured words as carefully as he measured up opponents, it carried weight few compliments could match. I'd earned his respect—perhaps the hardest to gain of all my team members. The realization settled like a cornerstone in the foundation we were building.

Through each challenge, our bonds strengthened, and I wanted to leave them less and less. I couldn't bear to think about it.

We were more than a team—we were becoming a unit that thought and moved as one, anticipating each other's needs without words. We were ready.

That evening, we headed to the mess hall, exhausted but buoyed by our progress. My body ached from the day's exertions, muscles protesting every movement, but it was a satisfying kind of pain, evidence of work well done.

As we entered, the rich aroma of garlic, simmering broth, and caramelized onions hit me with such familiar intensity that I stopped in my tracks. I blinked at the sign above the serving counter: "Alisee Noodles — Special Station Edition." My heart skipped a beat.

"You alright?" Kerry asked, pausing beside me.

"Alisee," I murmured, unable to hide my surprise. "It's the best noodle joint back home. Been going there since I was a kid."

Rob's eyebrows shot up. "No way! What are the odds?"

"Small galaxy after all," Kerry quipped, but she squeezed my arm gently, understanding this meant more than just familiar food.

We filled our bowls with steaming noodles swimming in a fragrant broth, topped with thinly sliced vegetables and protein that actually resembled real meat rather than the usual synthesized station fare. The first bite transported me instantly—the subtle heat of pepper dancing on my tongue, the umami depth of the broth, the perfect chewiness of the noodles. It tasted like memories, like the street two blocks from my childhood home, like simpler times.

There was no metallic aftertaste now, only perfection.

"This," I said between appreciative mouthfuls, "is exactly what I needed today."

The mood at our table was light, filled with laughter and easy banter, the savory steam rising from our bowls creating a cocoon of warmth around us. Rob was in the middle of an elaborate story involving his first solo mishap-lesson on redundant safeties, his noodles cooling forgotten as he gestured with his chopsticks.

Then Andri and Devin entered, and the conversation stopped dead. I expected him to say something, but he blanked me instead and walked past straight to the bar.

No one else spoke then, my team return to their meal, conversation gradually resuming.

I took another spoonful of the rich broth, letting the familiar taste of Alisee ground me. It was strange how something as simple as a bowl of noodles could feel like an anchor in a storm. The coincidence of finding my childhood favorite here, now, seemed almost like an omen, a reminder of where I'd come from and how far I'd traveled. The spicy warm broth spread through my chest as I swallowed, giving me a moment's clarity.

Looking at my team now, Rob still gesturing animatedly, Kerry laughing while dabbing broth from the corner of her mouth, even Sylvk methodically working through his bowl with precise movements, I felt a surge of fierce protectiveness. The steam from our meals curled upward, creating a small, shared world that felt impenetrable to outside threats.

Whatever challenges awaited us, whatever dangers the mission held, I would not let this be broken. Not by Andri, not by the rigors of what lay ahead. This team, my team, deserved better than the failures of my past. I made a silent promise as I rejoined their conversation: this time would be different. This time, I would not give up when they needed me most.

Eventually, I stepped away from the bustling hall. There I slipped into a quiet alcove near engineering. "Doli?" I asked softly, leaning back against the cool metal wall.

<<I'm here, Captain. Your biometric indicators suggest elevated stress. Would you like to discuss it?>>

"Andri gets under my skin," I admitted quietly. "Boutacks' needling undermines cohesion metrics."

<<Andri Boutacks performance statistics indicate superior individual scores,>> Doli said evenly, <<but your team's cohesion scores, and adaptability metrics are substantially higher. Statistically, your leadership style yields better mission success probabilities in uncertain scenarios.>>

I breathed out slowly, letting her words steady me. "What about our training? Are we on track with the curriculum?"

<<You've completed the Zero-G orientation, emergency shuttle repair, and intermediate piloting benchmarks,>> she replied promptly. <<You are currently surpassing expected improvement rates by approximately 18%. Upcoming modules will include advanced navigational planning and tactical decision-making under pressure.>>

"Feels like there's still a mountain ahead."

<<Statistically, you've climbed more than halfway,>> she countered, a hint of warmth creeping into her usually clinical tone. <<Major Kuba chose you because you see solutions others overlook. It is your greatest asset. Trust it.>>

I smiled slightly, shaking my head. "You always know what to say."

<<Input acknowledged,>> Doli replied simply. <<But in this case, it also happens to be true.>>