Freedom, Humanity, and Other Delusions (Death's Handmaiden Book 3) by Niall Teasdale (best summer reads txt) 📕

capacity. That is an area I wish to expand upon. Both the school and the ASF have agreed to my proposals, so we’ll be going ahead with them next term. As the vice principal put it, starting next term, the SSF will also be the Police Club, a place where students can learn law enforcement techniques through instruction and practical exercise.’

There was a rumble of sound from around the table. Most of it sounded surprised. Some of the surprise was noticeably positive, but not all of it. ‘We already learn tactics for breaching buildings and dealing with sieges,’ one of the men said. He was a fit, tanned, fairly big man with dark-blonde hair and brown-green eyes. His nose had been broken at some point and he had not bothered to get it fixed properly. It suggested he liked fighting and liked people knowing his preference.

‘And how often have you used those tactics while you’re here, Zayden?’ Courtney asked. ‘For real, not in a simulation room.’

‘Uh…’

‘Exactly.’

‘Most policing does not involve violent action,’ Nava said. ‘Even if you’re part of a Special Tactics Unit, you’ll likely discover that you aren’t involved in many military-style breaching operations. Sieges are normally hostage situations and are resolved by a psychologist, not a sniper rifle. In addition, the school doesn’t teach anything useful for forensic analysis and, as the loss of Don Ilbert has shown, the SSF needs that kind of skill.’

‘If the school doesn’t teach it,’ Zayden said, ‘where are you going to get instructors? Or anyone willing to learn it?’

‘The ASF. The programme is being put together now, in consultation with the school. As for who wants to learn it, I’ll be recruiting support students for that. The ASF has trouble recruiting support magicians due to competition from non-military organisations. Training people up in this kind of work is likely to incline them to move on to police work in the ASF.’

Zayden grinned. ‘How did you get the ASF to agree to something like that?’

‘Zayden, you should just close your mouth,’ Courtney said. ‘You’re making a fool of yourself. I thought everyone knew Nava was here on an ASF scholarship. She has contacts. Her liaison officer, First Lieutenant Fawn Tyrell Hamilton, took the initial enquiry and is handling the communications between us and the ASF.’

Nava noticed the smirk on the face of the most enthusiastic of Courtney’s staffers; it seemed to her that he knew Fawn from somewhere because the smirk developed right after Courtney said the lieutenant’s name. He was an attractive young man. Nava placed him no older than the third year, younger than Zayden. He was also tanned, but his skin was a little lighter than Zayden’s. He also lacked Zayden’s muscle, being more wiry than bulky. His features were almost pretty with a sensuous sort of mouth, a relatively small nose, and sparkling blue eyes. His red-brown hair was cut short, though hardly in a military style. If he knew Fawn, then maybe that somehow explained his enthusiasm; he was not happy to see the back of Courtney but genuinely happy to see Nava take the position.

‘In case you’re wondering,’ Nava went on, ‘the support students I’ll be recruiting will be in addition to the usual complement of patrol staff. The remit for the SSF allows for up to twenty members, plus the captain. It has rarely had that many. I intend to expand closer to that maximum. There will be more patrol staff and they will have more backup.’

‘Is this training for everyone?’ someone asked.

‘Everyone who wants it. I can’t make you attend extra classes. These will be in the evening and on holidays. Second Lieutenant Fawn Tyrell suggested that the ASF might be able to arrange some external courses for those interested and the opportunity for senior students to shadow working officers. All this is extra commitment. Extra work for those who wish to take the opportunity. Take it up and you’ll be in a far better position to move into policing work when you graduate, but you’ll be putting effort into this. It won’t be an easy ride, gentlemen.’ She looked around the table once and then added, ‘I think I’ll look into recruiting more women while I’m adding to our team.’

Courtney looked a little embarrassed. ‘It has been a bit of a boys’ club for a few years.’

It was also pretty heavily dominated by the combat stream, but that probably went without saying. ‘I’ll see what I can do about that,’ Nava said. ‘I think there are a few women around who can hold their own here.’

~~~

‘Are you thinking of asking Taryn Borchardt to join?’ Courtney asked as they walked back to the house.

‘No,’ Nava said flatly.

‘Just checking.’

‘Who was the auburn-haired boy with the blue eyes who seemed so enthusiastic about me taking your place?’

‘Six? Uh, Sixte Wescott Kinnari. He has everyone call him Six because his name’s French and everyone pronounces it wrong.’

‘Wescott Kinnari?’ Nava asked.

‘Uh-huh. You know someone from that family?’

‘Major Deveraux Wescott. He’s the second lieutenant’s superior. Head of the Intelligence Response Directorate.’

‘Huh. So, he’d be your superior too.’

‘Operationally, yes. I assume there’s some relationship between him and Six. That may explain his enthusiasm. Not that my name should have been mentioned in connection with the major.’

Courtney was silent for a second. ‘He’s a bright kid. I shouldn’t say “kid,” he’s a third year. If he knows anything much about the incident in Alliance City, he may have made a connection between you and the major. And Fawn, for that matter. I just said Fawn was your liaison officer, so that likely firmed up any suspicions he might have had.’

‘That’s not impossible.’ Still, Nava figured it might be an idea to mention Sixte to Fawn and see whether there might be an issue.

‘And the one who was all negativity is Zayden Hillam Beyer,’ Courtney supplied before Nava could ask.

‘Ah. Does he, by any chance, hold grudges?’

‘You did blow his cousin’s brains out last year. He was a little grumpy about it at