Lena explained to Nee’la what had happened, telling her that she heard something mechanical move around. “And that is when Sah’mahn’th well, went into shock I guess. I knew Sha’la had helped her before, so I brought her here.” Lena sat down for a bit. “Well, hopefully she will be fine. Maybe this Pax drone didn’t mean any harm. Shiro is opened to everyone, one reason why I wanted to come here. I wanted to meet new people and learn about them and where they’re from.”
The pro-Ding student paid a visit to the Academy’s doctor to tend to his wounds.
Shiro Doctor: ‘What can I do for you, Wang? Oh goodness! You’re covered in red paint! Did you knock over a paint can by accident?’
Wang Li-Cheng: ‘Doctor, I’ve suffered a few injuries. And no, I did not knock over a paint can. Ryung beated the living crap out of me for the umpteenth time. He obviously disliked my affiliation with Conservative leader Stephen T. Ding and proceeded to twist my arm, tried to blind me and then throttle me in one goal…’
Shiro Doctor: ‘Did you tell the Principal of Shiro?’
Wang Li-Cheng: ‘I will when I’ve got my injuries treated. There was a witness to my ordeal. Li was his name and he saw the entire thing from a distance. Ryung didn’t dare challenge him at all and instead ran like a coward that he is.’
Shiro Doctor: You go report that incident to the Principal as soon as I have finished patching you up. Lets look at your arm.’
He examines his left arm.
Shiro Doctor: ‘Nasty stuff. You’re gonna need a brace for that to allow the arm to heal back to normal state for at least a fortnight. Now, time for an X-ray scan to see what kind of damage has been done to you.’
Wang Li-Cheng: ‘OK.’
“I see,” Nee’la murmured as she checked Sah’mahn’th for further injuries, “Well, from my own experience treating them, sometimes, even a small thing can trigger off a traumatic flashback, even something as small as the wind blowing a certain way. Maybe Sah’mahn’th heard the mechanical clanking and it reminded her of something else?”
Nee’la closed up her medical kit.
“In the meantime, an ambulance should show up soon. I’ll keep checking Sah’mahn’th until then.”[hr]“Ah! I apologise. You looked like a Pax Neko from first glance…but yeah, the tail gives it away,” Luh’ciia remarked, “Well, I’m sure you’ll make some new friends on campus.”
She offered her hand to the stranger.
“I didn’t catch your name, I’m Luh’ciia. And you are?”
Wang was given an X-ray scan on his entire body. The number of broken bones and the extent of his damage wasn’t total bad news.
Shiro Doctor: ‘Your left spinator and humeral trochea has only suffered minor fractures. As a result of your brutal attack, your left shoulder has been dislocated and a surgery is necessary to correct the shoulder to its normal position. Your testicles have suffered only superficial damage, just a few bruises. Nothing to worry about. Lets see the damage done to your eyes.’
The doctor stood a few feet away from Wang and held a cardboard paper with letters on it.
Shiro Doctor: ‘Read the letter from the top on work your way from the bottom.’
Wang Li-Cheng: ‘U W N A F…F U B T C H…C N T S L T…X G P T V R…L…A…I…O…U…D…’
Shiro Doctor: ‘Good. That is the standard reading distance if you want to drive in the future. You are not blind but you do need this eye drop to deal with the physical trauma done to your eye socket.’
Wang Li-Cheng: ‘Thank you, doc.’
He examines his left arm again.
Shiro Doctor: ‘For now, you’ve got to wear this sling before you are sent to the operating theatre. This is not a big job, son. But we gotta perform on that bad arm ASAP because there are other boys out there in the same boat as you are.’
Wang Li-Cheng: ‘Thank you again, doc.’
Shiro Doctor: ‘Take off all of the remaining uniform because it is covered in red paint. Get a fresh set and start your class as normal. Unless the bully broke your writing hand.’
Wang Li-Cheng: ‘No he didn’t. My right is the hand I use for daily tasks.’
After the doctor applied a sling on Wang before issuing him some pain killers.
Shiro Doctor: ‘Now, whatever you do. Don’t sleep facing to the right because you will crush your left arm in the process. Always face to the left and keep your injured arm steady and still. Take these pain killers 3 times a day until the operation in 3 days time.’
Wang Li-Cheng: ‘That is kind of you doctor.’
“Just call me Ola. My Hive designation doesn’t translate well…”
Her stomach began to growl.
“I haven’t eaten since yesterday… I forgot it seems… After I find my room, could you maybe show me to the ration house?”
The Pax charge for nothing in their territories, instead, drones go to ration houses to request what they need/want.*
Minutes after Wang left the clinic, a very familiar face turned up at the clinic. It was Ryung Song, the bully who hated anything to do with Ding. He brought a 5 strong (excluding himself so that would make it 6) reinforcements with him just in case Li Chan-Wook attempts to overpower him in some way. Ryung is using numbers rather than sheer strength to defeat his opponent.
Shiro Doctor: ‘What do you need Mr Ryung?’
Having a nasty feeling about this, the doctor subtly retreated to his desk, preparing to slap the alarm button.
Ryung Song: ‘Where’s Wang? I’ve got to give him something. He’s dropped his bag in the communal area.’
Shiro Doctor: ‘That’s not what you came in here for. You actually want to inflict further damage to Mr Wang because you want to assert your political superiority over him. You’ve done this several times in Shiro and I was informed that you’ve actually attempted to murder him. That past bullying incidents of head in toilet only got you suspension, this full on assault and attempted murder will get you expelled from Shiro, young man. Get out of my office and head straight to your quarters this minute!’
Ryung Song: ‘F-you, doc!’
Without thinking of the repercussions, Ryung shoved the doctor firmly into his chair and began to spun it around with the doc still sitting on it. An extremely dizzy doctor stares at his interogator.
Ryung Song: ‘WHERE IS WANG?!’
Shiro Doctor: ‘Go away. I have nothing to offer you.’
Ryung rifled his own pocket to grab his trademark switchblade but realised that he left it in the Communal area. He used his fingers instead to display his threat.
Ryung Song: ‘SO BE IT!! I WILL FIND HIM MYSELF!’
The bully and his minions toppled over some glass bottles scattered throughout the clinic before leaving the premise.
Luh’ciia raised an eyebrow.
“Well…I’m Luh’ciia. I’m one of the few Dannistrians on campus. And well…Ration House?”
Luh’ciia thought for a moment before she realised what Ola was referring to.
“Oh! I see…well…food isn’t given out for free here. Not unless you are desperately poor or in trouble. I take it you do not have anything that could be considered a monetary unit used for trading goods, right? Well, I’m sure I can get you something for now and we’ll organise something for yourself for longer term use.”
Lena then asked her friends, “Say what’s this I hear about something about Bai Lung? Word is that one of their politicans, apparently a famous and well-liked one, is coming here to give a speech.”
OOC: Bai Lung, if you want you could have an anti-Ding protester walk by and yell at her, or something.
“Well, I do have some ration tubes in my luggage, if I can ever find my room that is. I do have this though…”
Ola went rummaging around a pocket.
“My overlord gave it to me. He said it is like a ration chit from back home, but should be good here. He did say not to show it around to anyone, but I have no idea how to use it…”
Ola produces the equivalent of an AmEx black card. The Hive is paying for the expenses on it. The hive is not very good at financial transactions, not having any currency of its own.*
OOC: OK, SC.
An anti-Ding protester eavsedropped on Lena. He slammed his placard angrily (with anti-Ding messages) on the floor and shouted right in her ear, speaking very bluntly to her.
Anti-Ding student: ‘WELL LIKED?!?! THIS DING TURD IS THE MOST WRETCHED HUMAN TOXIC THAT BAI LUNG HAS EVER CHURNED OUT! HE IS UNPOPULAR AND NOBODY LIKES HIM! I HATE HIM SO MUCH THAT I WISHED THAT HE NEVER WAS A BAI LUNGESE PERSON! HE COULD BE A KELSSEKIAN, A VULSHAIN, A DANNISTRIAN, THEY ARE FINE WITH ME! BUT WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE A BAI LUNGESE! HE IS CAPITALISTS BEST FRIEND, THE ANATHEMA OF BAI LUNGESE WAY OF LIFE AND I FOR ONE WILL NOT TAKE IT ANY MORE!!! THE ONLY GOOD DING IS A DEAD DING!!!’
Without giving Lena a chance to reply, he and 50 students continued parading down the Academy waving ‘DOWN WITH DING!’ and ‘DING DONG! THE WITCH IS DEAD!’
Sha’la did not appreciate the sudden intrusion.
“Oi! I don’t know if you guys noticed, but this is A GODAMNED SMALL OFFICE, NOT A PROTEST GROUND. BUZZ OFF BEFORE I SEND THE HEAVIES ON YOU!”
With little fanfare, Sha’la then proceeded to corral the entire group out of the office back into the corridor. She mouthed at some colleagues from the security team, indicating that the rowdy group was to be ejected from the premises. Satisfied, she returned to the office.
“Well, I heard something along those lines as well. Some Bai Lungese hotshot. I don’t know him. And frankly, I don’t care,” she smirked, “All politicians are the same. They say a lot of, frankly, crap, and then they never keep their promises the moment they get into power. They are one of the reasons major wars and revolutions break out. We have our own fair share of ‘popular’ political types and really they are nothing more but frauds and opportunists with too much money and free time on their hands.”
“So no good out of politics whatsoever?” Nee’la asked, surprised at her friends strong opinion.
“Very little. The only time you ever really get any good from politics is when well measured people are in charge. And we don’t have enough of those kinds of people. Frankly, this Bai Lungese Ding fella is nothing more than another example of why birth control amongst political families may be a very good idea.”[hr]Luh’ciia looked at the card in some surprise.
“Heh,” she snored, “I’d say that was more than a ration chit. That kind of card signifies a very large amount of financial resources. Put plainly, you can purchase anything you want with it. So I’m guessing money is not an issue…oh, I’ll teach you how to use it later. It shouldn’t be too hard. In the meantime, shall we get you to your room?”
Lena’s ears were ringing and her tail was between her legs. “What…What…What just happened?” She was scared out of her mind. “Did…I…I do something…wrong?” Her claws were pressing into the wall, they were definitely going to leave marks.
Another Bai Lungese student who wanted to speak to the head of security who happens to be Sha’la, noticed Lena to placate her after getting an earful.
Bai Lungese student: ‘Don’t worry my dear. These people are just arrogant ideologues. They know nothing about the misfortune that many of my people had suffered during the Chen Jong Sun era. We had no food, despite the constant positive touting of Chen’s free ration policies. We had no free and fair elections, it was one name on the ballot and a red pen next to the voting booth but we weren’t allowed to use it or we couldn’t vote ever again.’
“I wonder why everyone doesn’t have this then… It sounds like it is just like the Pax ration house then! Could the world hate us so much that they would cast of anything that was Pax related?”
Ola’s ears slumped at the suggestion.
“Enough of that though, I would be delighted to find my room. Truth be told, I am very nervous to be here.”
Luh’ciia was about to try to correct Ola about her misconception regarding her unlimited funds, but she decided it would be better to mention it another time.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you will make plenty of friends. I was nervous the first time I arrived here as well but I managed to adapt.”
The two made their way to the main reception. There, the main administrator raised an eyebrow at the sight of Ola.
“Hmm…wait a moment. I’ll need to find your records,” he said as he disappeared into the office behind him. As their waited, Luh’ciia asked, “So, what brings you to Shiro anyway?”[hr]Sha’la sighed again.
“Does no one knock these days? I know I can be rude but come on! This is not a politics class! Now, is there something you want sir or will I need to ask you to leave?” Sha’la sighed at the latest Bai Lungese student.
Bai Lungese student: 'Excuse me, but I am here to report a missing jade necklace. I think some idiot stole it from me. I strongly suspect that Ryong S.O.B. He keeps mugging and intimidating people whom he doesn’t like! ’
“I was told to come. Noi went here herself, long ago, and the Pax have always had strained relations with others. The overlord of the city decided that I would be the best to send out of the country! I was happy. Most of us never get to see the world, unless we go to war that is.”
Ola Frowned
“I miss hearing the Hive in the background. It is so quite out here in the world. I often wonder how others survive so alone… I guess that is what I am here to figure out for myself, and the rest of the Hive.”
Ola smiled.
“And shoes. I love the shoes out here. I go barefoot everywhere back home, but I would totally love to decorate my feet!”
Sha’la rolled her eyes.
“Muggings on campus?! Seems the Shiro campus is slowly descending into anarchy. I recall a time when we didn’t worry about this nonsense!” Sha’la complained as she grabbed a form from a comically large stack of papers and started filling it in.
“You’ll have to wait sir as I’m dealing with a casualty at the moment. But I’ll start taking down some basic details to speed things up. You say you are missing a Jade necklace? What is you name and student number please?”[hr]Luh’ciia couldn’t help but smile at the last comment.
“Well, outside the Hive, shoes are more of a necessity than a decoration. But I see your point. Wish I could afford some of the more fancier shoes out there. As for loneliness. Well, we aren’t alone. Just not linked into each others minds. We might not be able to trade thoughts but we can easily cope with just talking to each other, like what we are doing now.”
The administrator returned from the back office.
“Well, Ms. Ola, I found your records. You are assigned room 509 on the fifth floor. Here are you keys. Please do not do anything silly. Last Pax student we had tried to build some psyonic equipment that made all canines and canine-like sentient species go mad within a 10 mile radius. Good day.”
The administrator disappeared into the office again before Luh’ciia and Ola could reply.
“Well…she was a big rude,” Luh’ciia murmured, “Anyway, I think room 509 is right next to my room, so I can show you where you need to go. Shall we head there now?”
“I would appreciate that very much. I wouldn’t worry about the administrator too much. I was warned that a lot of people would find offense with me, and the Hive, in general. Although, the overlord also told me not to build any psyonic transmitters too… How strange…”
Ola looked confused as she headed to her room.
“The fifth floor is UP?! That explains it! I am seriously retarded today.”
Bai Lungese student: ‘My name is Roland Wei and my student number is 323495. This is what the necklace looked like.’
He produces a photo of himself wearing the necklace.
Bai Lungese student: ‘It is circular in shape with a square hole right in the middle. I have last seen it in the changing rooms near the swimming facilities but I briefly left the changing rooms to pick up a few equipment, only to notice that my piece of jewellery has gone missing.’