Sang the Stray (Completed)

46. Seven Swans a'Sinking

Training had been especially brutal, but Victor promised to take me somewhere that would help with my sore and aching muscles.  I stretched carefully this morning, needing to be ready for an informal meeting and then testing with a new squad. Actually, I had briefly met some of them before, Seventh Squad.  I was fighting back the nervousness.  Seventh Squad had a mix of girls and guys.  I had thought the girls I met were nice, but I just didn't know what to expect.  The members I hadn't met were Derrick, Wil, Avery and....I couldn't remember the last squad-member's name...something that started with an F, I think.  Victor was going to be with me during the session.  He must have sensed my nervousness because he squeezed my hand and flashed a reassuring smile.

"Sang, Princess, you will do fine," he said. "Besides, you love to swim."

Seventh Squad was assigned to several rotations with one or more flooded spaces.  They would need to test enhancement and practice combat manoeuvres underwater.  We agreed to meet at the pool.  We were nearing the Aquatics Training Room when a commotion erupted behind us. 

A falsetto voice rang out, "Avery Baby, hurry.  We are running late to the party!"

I glanced back to see several levitating trays of drinks and food followed by two people hustling down the hall. Well, a guy with trimmed brown hair was being dragged by his mocha-skinned female(?) companion.  They both wore the Setari nanosuit swimwear, but hers was programmed to be a bright yellow with a sheer blue overlay. Her wrists were bedecked with bangles that clacked as she swung her arms. 

As they approached, Victor mumbled, "Oh boy, wonder what her name is this kaone."

I leaned further into Victor. The two Setari slowed as Victor greeted them.  "Hello Avery and For..."

"Oh no, Vic.  That name is so over.  Now, I am..." she gave some strange Taren term that I couldn't begin to pronounce, but the Interface definition was something like Flair or Fancy.  Whichever, it certainly matched her personality. "So this is Sang that Kay-Bay told me about."

"Yes, this is Tsen Sang Sorenson," Victor said. Victor introduced Avery and we entered the pool area.

Inside waited the rest of Seventh Squad.  Tsee Karen Newman stood, hands going to her hips as we entered with all the trays floating in behind.

"Tset Felps (or maybe that would be Phelps), I told you this was not a party. We don't need all this food. I am not even getting started on your nanosuit, just reset it to standard when we start the official testing session," Karen huffed, resigned, but I think also a bit secretly amused by her squadmate.

"Sorry, I couldn't deter her," Avery apologized. 

"I know," Karen shrugged. "She's an unstoppable force."

"And the best at what I do," Fancy/Flair added.

Karen smiled saying, "Agreed. Well, we might as well partake since you brought all this stuff down here."

I appreciated Karen's friendly but professional manner as she made sure I and Victor spent time with each of the squad members.  Not once did the jealous urge to smack her or any of the girls arise. I felt fairly comfortable with this group and we moved on to testing the enhancement on their abilities in the shallow area.  Their skills set was very heavily weighted with water-effective talents, like Raven's cryokinesis and Silas' hydrokinesis. The enhancement effects were all fine and similar to all that has happened before.  My reactions to the touching for enhancement were a different story.

I didn't have any problems when the guys touched me to enhance.  Likewise, when it was Lake and Fancy/Flair's turns, which kinda confirmed my suspicions about those two.  I only cringed a bit when Karen enhanced, like with Kayli. However, Carly's brief touch to my shoulder turned my stomach and black spots danced in my vision.  Victor, noticing the change immediately, pulled me out of the water. 

"I sent a message for Ista Green to come join us," Victor whispered in my ear as I sat cradled in his lap.  Hot tears burned treks down my cheeks, and I tucked my face into Victor's shoulder.  I didn't want to see Carly's expression, be it disgust or pity.

Sean arrived so quickly, I thought he might have been waiting for something like this to happen.  Sean called an end to the session so Seventh Squad transitioned to the deep obstacles, throwing back concerned looks before diving. The three of us left, me supported by Sean's arm around my waist and Victor's shoulder under my arm on the other side.

"Let's get you dried up, Pookie," Sean said.  He led us to the Fourth Squad section of the residential hall, but to an apartment further down that I hadn't been to: His and Tsee Blackbourne's. 

"Take her into the bath, Victor," Sean instructed as we entered the main room.  Even in my distracted state, the space appeared pristine with scents of citrus and spring soap.  Sean moved ahead to open the bathroom door and....wow, looks like being a Squad Captain, and rooming with one, or being a doctor, made for a serious bathroom upgrade.  There was plenty of room for Sean to move about, running the water and grabbing things I might need in the tub, an actual bathtub. Meanwhile, Victor stood in the center still supporting me.  After helping me in, Victor also sunk down into the warm water across from me so our legs interlocked.  If I wasn't so upset I might've started to have bathroom envy.  There was still room for Sean to squeeze in with us.  He sat on the toilet instead.

"Sang, do you feel like you can answer some questions now?" He asked. I nodded. "I reviewed the recordings of the testing session, including your medical monitor.  You had a slight adrenaline response to Karen's enhancing.  Then a spike when Carly tried. Does that sound accurate to you?"

"Yes," I replied, then described what I had felt.

"Does this happen when you enhance with anyone else, even a little?" Sean asked next.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.  "Yes, with Kayli, but only a little," I admitted.

Sean and Victor exchanged glances.  I knew they had to be discussing this over the Interface, perhaps with someone else or multiple someones.  I buried my face in my hands.  This was so embarrassing.  I was so broken.

Victor's hand rubbed gently up my arm and tugged my hands away.  I blinked these new tears back.  "Princess," his voice mournful, "Back on your world, did the people... did the other women..." He seemed to struggle to ask something.

Sean cleared his throat and very matter-of-factly said, "I am going to list some things.  Just nod if any of these happened to you."

And he did. 

And I did. 

There were many things he listed that I did not nod to, but it felt like every nod was another weight pressing me down, down, down.

Finally, Sean stopped, falling silent. We all were silent, just sitting until I noticed the water was cool. That's when I dared look up into Victor's tear-stained face that hovered somewhere between anger and sorrow. And suddenly, I was able to throw off all that invisible weight because I couldn't stand Victor's lightning eyes to be stricken. I couldn't keep this pain and cause him pain. I threw myself forward into his arms, splashing the water. He clutched me closer, and I felt Sean place his hand on my head.

"That was very brave of you to tell us," Sean said. I started to understand that courage wasn't just fighting back against the monsters, but moving forward after you've been broken, in spite of your brokenness. And that a family, a real family shares each other's burdens and has the courage to move forward together.