i command armies

[autokinetic]

Sue graduates from Tactical School a year early, he's barely fifteen. He's toned down the flirting - he treats Aegis completely platonically, in particular - and has cut down on the unhealthy amount of sleeping-with-everything-that-wants. And he's apparently, via his independent study, gotten far enough through the curriculum that they're nudging him along to Command.

They've given Sue a strange old man for a tutor, who appeared in his room and started a physical confrontation, which Sue won; Sue related this story to her with something between amusement and irritation.

And a quicker-than-average flurry of notes has been piling up in the psych data since about that time, according to the timestamps.

Aegis knows before they tell her that they're going to send her to Command early too. She's just barely fifteen herself when she gets another update of the psych files and sees that Sue's had - well, the files aren't terribly clear, some of the communication is happening via in-person conversation and memos that don't get stored in these folders, but Sue's had some kind of breakdown and the only things they can think of to get him out of it, get him back into shape to train and fight, are her friendship and Howlett. They have mixed feelings about both - Howlett's insubordination problem; their bewilderment that Aegis and Sue can be so close when "she's the one person he can't link!" - but they're desperate.

Bird? They don't talk as often over the long distance, just as there was a lull when he went to Tactical ahead of her; their schedules have nothing in common and their contexts less. But he knows her, and he can reach this far if he tries. And she wants to know what's wrong.

Comments

[autokinetic]

They haven't for the last few years. Or if they have they haven't let on. It looks like it's just pushing backups, probably easy to miss if they're not monitoring my desk access too closely.

[pythbox]

You're awesome, have I told you that recently?

[autokinetic]

Not in the last few minutes, so no, says Aegis.

[pythbox]

Well. He sends a smile. You are.

[autokinetic]

I miss you, she says. Having you physically around, I mean. It's been a long time.

[pythbox]

No shit, he snorts.

And after a moment:

Me too.

[autokinetic]

Are you holding up okay?

[pythbox]

...Not really, he admits.

[autokinetic]

Can you think of anything else for me to do?

[pythbox]

Not really. I mean, even if you could break into my room and give me a hug...

[autokinetic]

She digs down for the nearest facsimile she can send, squeezing her eyes shut against tears.

[pythbox]

He pushes back gratitude and affection and friendship.

[autokinetic]

I'm glad I can let you in, no matter how freaked I was to start.

[pythbox]

I'm glad too, says Sue. I'm glad I'm your bird.

[autokinetic]

Good.

She checks her desk messages; she's expecting a clarification on her astrophysics homework.

[pythbox]

She has one new message, and it is not about astrophysics.

It invites her to report to someone's office—directions are provided—in half an hour.

[autokinetic]

She shares this with Sue. Sounds you-related to me.

[pythbox]

What isn't?

[autokinetic]

My astrophysics homework. Which I'm going to be late with if the teacher doesn't tell me what the heck this unconventional symbol is supposed to mean. But this, this is about you I bet.

She shows up when and where she's directed.

[pythbox]

The office is occupied by a grumpy bureaucrat. He doesn't seem to want to speak first.

[autokinetic]

"Hello, sir," says Aegis obligingly. "I was asked to report here at this time."

[pythbox]

"I bet you can guess why," he says shortly.

[autokinetic]

"I guess it has something to do with Sue, sir? No one will tell me where he is, or why they won't tell me."

[pythbox]

"And there we have it."

He sighs.

"Your friend 'Sue' is a problem."

[autokinetic]

"What kind of problem, sir?"