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Issue in the Showers

 

“Why if he thinks me a mischievous fellow, he is only returning a compliment”

 –Mr. Farebrother—Middle March

—George Elliot

 

 

 

The morning bell pulsed in the hall, ringing loudly for every Surface Patrol cadet to rise for morning service. Zormna Clendar rubbed her eyes as she rolled off her bench onto the floor as her roommates did the same. Her fiery blond curls were twisted this way and that like a tangled bush, some of it sticking to her sweaty face as she kneeled to express her thankfulness to the Creator—but in half-empty effort in meditation as it was more habitual than genuine. Murmurs of devotion filled the room. She groggily wondered if the Creator was real, and if so, did He really listen.

She was always kept away from the priests at the weekly services when they arrived all solemn and chanting, she thought as she prayed. The Kevin said it was for her safety. But Zormna had thought about that a great deal, wondering why the seer class would care to harm her. She prayed they wouldn't. And yet she could have sworn her father saying the seers were friends of the Tarrns, and her secret that she was a Tarrn being exposed was the only thing she had to fear. A seer would not betray that if they figured it out. But the Kevin said they were taking no chances.

When finished with her morning meditation with a solemn word of closing, Zormna stood up and marched out of her shared quarters to the shower room for her issue attire as everyone else did. Lines stretched in wait for the stalls, the wet tile glistening as the warm fog of steam filled the ceiling, sucked up into the vents so the water would not be wasted. As they collected their daily issue, each female cadet carried her set of clothes and boots in her arms, staring at the ceiling in boredom. More close friends chatted amongst themselves, taking more time than they ought as Zormna steadily slipped behind a sixteen-year-old Aver that was just promoted a month ago. Zormna stared in envy at the official green uniform the girl was carrying, wishing for one for herself. She so wanted to be promoted. Now that she was an official adult, all she needed was someone to recommend her for advancement. After all, all her training was complete. There wasn’t anything else they could teach her in the cadet training school.

The line continued slowly, but orderly. When Zormna reached a stall, she went in, latched it tight, undressed and hung her clothes on the hook to begin the process. The procedure was easier than the night before since she was no longer covered in lubrication gel, and she rapidly dressed into the dispensed undersuit once the job was complete, making sure her medallion was securely tucked in. She wrapped her towel around her neck to hide the clips.

Cadet Mezra Clendar pushed her way into the stall as soon as Zormna opened the door, shoving Zormna out. “Hurry up, lazy.”

Zormna staggered barefoot over the tile with a blink, then looked back as the door shut. Several of the girls gasped, looking from Zormna to the stall where Mezra had already started to undress. Setting her hands on her hips, Zormna smirked then turned to go as if she didn’t care for an argument. The shower clicked on, starting the process again for the other Clendar, spraying the mist of water thoroughly. Yet Zormna had not gone far when she took three long steps back to the stall door, plucking a clip from off her undersuit, her eyes glinting deviously

She wasn’t as stealthy as she wished to be. The other girls watched as she jammed the piece into the hinge then peered over the top at Cadet Mezra as Mezra obliviously washed, however none in the company would tell on her in this case. They continued their chats and whispers watching Zormna move quickly to the main shower valve adjuster. They watched her pry open the panel where detach a few select connections. Many smirked. When Zormna snapped the panel cover closed and pressed a small button at the bottom with a slight force of vengeance, they all resumed their positions to see what would happen next.

At once Mezra’s water shut off and the chemical valve kept spraying soap, and spraying it, and spraying it. The cold slime coated the girl’s back and shoulders as she waited for it to stop, but no relieving mist of water came. Mezra irritably punched the process button again to restart it, supposing it to be a glitch, but only more chemical lather came. Panicking, she pressed the button again. The soap oozed over her eyes, dripping down into the drain. She screamed.

Several girls giggled.

Shoving against the door, it didn’t budge. They laughed a little louder. Mezra shoved harder with her shoulder, her heart pounding hard with panic. It didn’t move at all. She pounded on the door, even as the crowd outside it busted up even harder. Standing on her tiptoes to look over it as the soap continued to spray on her back, she saw that everyone was still standing in their lines, though at her stall she did not see anyone lined up for their turn. That was when it hit her—and she slipped.

Crashing down, Mezra cursed. “Aaaaagh! Zormna Clendar! You biting flea! You miserable roach!”

Issue with Breakfast

 

Zormna rarely stuck around to watch her handiwork. Besides the fact that Cadet Mezra Clendar would be sure to tell a supervising Alea as soon as she could get out of the stall, her hunger called to her and it did not pay to get all ruffled over the remarks of rude cadets.

She entered the packed eating hall that was mostly filled with ranked officers at the tables, heading to the distribution lines that were nearly all cadets. Generally the officers in the Alpha District came in early before going on duty. The cadet rush came only ten minutes after most of the officers sat down. Zormna took her place at the end of the long line that ran along the east wall. There was an equally long one on the west side.

Taking out her identicard, Zormna held it in her palm, turning it over as she waited. The food dispenser was serving an indescribable egg mixture similar to quiche with a mulch cake on the side. Warm spiced juice was being served also. As soon as she reached the front of the line, Zormna slid her card through the slot.

<<ACCESS DENIED>> Blinked on the screen in luminescent green. 

Blinking at it, Zormna ran her card through the slot again.

<<ACCESS DENIED>>

The people behind her started to nudge her back.

“Hurry up, Zormna,” she heard them hiss at her.

Zormna ran her card through the slot one more time. It denied her again. Not one to give up, Zormna dug into her other pocket an pulled out a thin pronged data card that she had rigged so she could attach to any computer interface. The cadets shoved once more from behind as she felt over the computer access panel in a crouch, complaining louder for her to hurry.

Casting a dirty look over her shoulder, Zormna hissed. “Go to the other computer.” There were two available for that line.

Most of them growled at her, but the wiser ones followed the advice.

Prying open a narrow slot just below the access panel cover meant for diagnostic access, she set it aside and inserted the prongs of the hacking card into the opening, tilting it carefully. Then she began to punch in codes on the minute grid. She went through a round of fifteen before one allowed her to receive food. The machine whirred with acceptance and produced a trayful. Delighted, Zormna hopped up to grab the tray.

But a shadow suddenly dropped over her and silence, like a bubble, descended around her. Zormna glanced up at the cause of the unexpected quiet and saw that cadets had vacated the area, hopping to the other computer as if Zormna was about to be struck by lightening. She looked over her shoulder where she saw Alea Sholda.

She swallowed.

“Zormna, what do you think you are doing?” he said.

Zormna closed her eyes and took a half breath.

“Getting breakfast,” she quickly said, pulling her wired card out of the lower access hole. She snatched her tray, and performed a four-step maneuver around him.

Alea Sholda chased after her, grabbing the card from her hand.

She stopped, setting the tray of food onto the nearest table. “That’s mine. Give it back.” But her hands were shaking,

The head of flight training for cadets held up the hacking gizmo to the light just out of her reach, eying it carefully. He took an especial long time at, as he had an exceptional dislike for this particular cadet. “This is quite a piece of machinery.” He then glanced down at her as her lips went ash white. “You do know, however, that breaking into government computers is illegal. And as an adult, since you so wonderfully passed that test, you are answerable for all the crimes you commit.”

Huffing, Zormna jumped up to get the gizmo, but the Alea held it out of her reach, his mouth curling with his own private mirth. He was a good foot taller than she was.

“It was just a food dispenser,” Zormna said in a minor whine, “hardly a security interest.” Zormna then stood with her hands on her hips. “Alea Sholda, give it back.”

The Alea’s smile turned dark. With a frown so condescendingly upon the cadet, he folded his arms across his chest, leaning his head back. “I should take you before the council for this, but I don’t think they convene this early. I think it would be better if the Kevin saw you in your shame. Come with me.”

Zormna huffed, lifting one eyebrow at him as if to tell him off, but even that evened and her brow crinkled somewhat with apprehension. What would the Kevin say? Would he be ashamed of her? Zormna straightened up—the audacity of the idea. Why should he feel shame? She was just getting breakfast. 

Kicking the ground in a stomp, Zormna followed Alea Sholda as he urged her out of the hall, leaving her food upon the table to be eaten by others.

She knew the route to the Kevin’s office by heart. Zormna practically walked there with her eyes closed, sulking somewhat as she tried to think of what to say to the venerated military head. They only stopped when they reached the door. Alea Sholda glared down at her as a final judgment before pressing the call button.

<<State your business,>> echoed the Kevin’s voice from the com.

Alea Sholda spoke with one eye on Zormna who was rocking on her heels and sucking in her cheeks as she went over the best way to ease the Kevin towards her side. Her dimples became more pronounced with each face she made.  Sholda shook his head, sickened at the idea that she had passed the Adult