Charger Lanyn gave me a few curious looks and then eventually gestured me down. “Well, let’s have it, candidate! You’re hanging around like a horsefly on a pony’s ass! I gather you wouldn’t risk being late to mess unless you wanted something important.”
“Um. Yes, Charger.” I awkwardly made my way down the sloped ground towards him. My feet felt like lead, for I still had not decided entirely what I wanted to ask.
“Out with it.” The charger turned to one side so he could eye me. “Is it about your Tactics essay?” he guessed. For I had turned in an essay that was not up to my usual standard. I reckoned no one’s was—on the night we’d been given to write it, we had all also received double drill lessons as a punishment for being out of step. I don’t think anyone had put in more than an hour o
