Chapter 15: 15 Chapter 15

Being so far ahead of the curve left the teachers assigned to Cadets Nico and Max in turmoil. If they kept pushing themselves, they might quicky surpass even the average third year students, which would be a nightmare for the placement exams and training schedules. But if they held them back there would be hell to pay with their superiors for stunting the children’s growth.

They had a few months to make their final decision still while the two Cadets suffered through the progression and their bodies adapted, but after that something would need to be decided.

What they eventually came up with, at Major Payne’s insistence, was to allow them full use of the line Mecha training programs in their off time, as well as special dispensation to go home for the fall break.

First Year students had never earned the privilege before, but there’s a first time for everything, and these two had earned it. That also gave them an extra week to plan their transition from the basics of First Year classes into someting more suitable for their skill levels.

In these newly grown bodies, they didn’t look much different than the older students, and they were roughly the same size, allowing them to fit right in if they were transferred.

There was some talk of moving them to a different academy, to avoid the upset that would be caused among students in the year three class at the special treatment, but that was put to a sudden stop when they received the notice of a new trainer coming..

The man was a living legend on Kepler Terminus, pilot of a Phalanx Class Mecha that specialized in point defense. Alone he could hold a small city against an attack by light Mecha and conventional vehicles.

He intended to recruit the two Cadets for Classified Special Forces training, testing their worthiness here before moving them should they prove successful.

That bought them the time they needed to let the Cadets adjust to their new sizes and muscle density. Puberty in a week didn’t come without a cost, and the initial pain was only part of it. The awkwardness was very real, and many Cadets basically had to learn to walk again.

The day before fall break finally came, Major Payne delivered the news of permission to return home for the early break to the Cadets, who were training on the resistance machine at the lower than usual balanced growth setting so they didn’t strain anything, then returned to the main class, who were writing exams at the moment.

“You know what my parents are like, why don’t you come to my house?” Nico asks and Max sighs.

“My parents might be really terrible people, but they will get mad if I snub them for your family, and I don’t want to make things difficult for you.” Max sighed at Nico when the news came in that they could go home early for a visit.

“What made things so awkward between them and you anyhow? You’re pretty well behaved for a first year” Nico asked, putting on her best adult voice then breaking into giggles at the mental image of him beside the other First Years.

“I couldn’t always control my gift, but I didn’t realize it was subconsciously activating right away. I didn’t know that some things weren’t things I should know, so I spilled secrets and ruined surprises all through my early childhood until a friend helped me out. It made things really awkward with my parents and even worse with their relatives, who completely stopped visiting.” Max decided to skip over the bit where his mother still insists he’s her daughter not her son. That’s embarrassing enough just knowing, much less telling anyone else.

“I’ll fix this. Come with me.” Nico instructs. As expected, Major Payne is found in front of the array of monitors in her office when Nico knocks at the door.

“Yes Cadets, how might I help you?” she asks.

“We’ve a bit of a conundrum Major. Cadet Max doesn’t wish to go home, but for the sake of his mental health it is best he takes the holidays away from school. Might there be a way for him to be officially reprimanded to the campus, but still free to see my family for the holidays?” Nico asks.

The Major is, of course, well aware of the Max family’s issues, she’s read all of the medical and observation records for her students, and knew that Max unwittingly told the recruitment officer of his father’s alcoholism and his mother’s affairs and drug abuse during a routine checkup at age 3.

He would not be allowed by the Academy to return to that house anyhow, so a note that he is not permitted to return home should be simple enough.

“Will your parents agree? They should have four young boys now, correct?”

“If all is well, yes, they should have two sets of twins. Fortunately, we are capable of entertaining ourselves, and the interaction should prove beneficial to Cadet Max.” Nico smiles.

“There will be cake.”

Major Payne can’t help but laugh at that. The pair of overly mature Cadets suddenly reminded her of proper twelve year olds there for a moment.

“Go on, I’ll settle it for you. See you in two weeks.”

With that they were off, an academy car delivering them directly to the Tarith family doorstep.

“My baby, you’re back! And so grown. I read the permission letter from the school, you even brought me another girl! You’re too kind, you don’t know what it’s like being around so many boys all day.” Mary Tarith all but cries in her daughter’s arms.

“Your mom is just a much fun as you remembered” Max chuckles. “Hi, I’m Max. Unfortunately I’m not the girl my parents wished me to be, but feel free to call me Sam or Sammy. Everyone just uses last names in the academy, so I haven’t heard it in a while.”

“Whichever you prefer dear. It’s all the same to me.”

“Then Max it is.” Max declared and gave an impish smile to the overwhelmed woman.

The Tarith family wasn’t a particularly rich family, at least not all of them, but they were a close knit and very old and influential one. Over the course of the first week dozens of relatives came to see the Cadets in their Academy Uniforms, have dinner with the parents or even just watch a large group of the extended family’s kids for a few hours to give everyone else a break.

The last day of their vacation was a predictably teary-eyed affair, with Mary finding every excuse to delay their departure until Nico was sure the escort driver was going to simply throw them in the car and flee.

“Is she always like that, Cadet?” He asked as they finally drove away.

“No sir. She’s got two sets of twin boys at home though and misses having a girl around.”

The driver laughs “That I can understand. I’ve got five younger sisters. My father finds any excuse to come visit.”