[1st XF] Site clearing

The response was sharp and immediate — the Director smacked her across the cheek with a firm backhand clenched into a fist. "Talk like that to me again and you'll never leave basic, Hei. Now ignore what I told you and THINK, you mindless machine. What else could you have done!"

The neko's head jerked with the smack, but immediately returned to its spot, even as her cheek reddened in the outline of the director's hand. "I could have negotiated with them. I could have captured the documents in the warehouse. I could have driven the truck away. I could have found out what, exactly, was going on. I could have captured the power armor pilot."

"And why did you do none of those things?" the Director sharply inquired, his hand still where it had ended after hit Tsuya.

"I was following my orders, Director. I was unaware that this was a simulation to test the extent to which I can think outside of the box, because I was not given the slightest inkling on that subject." By now, Tsuya was practically glaring daggers at the smaller man.

The Director, despite how tightly his skin stretched over his skull, suffered no lacerations from Tsuya's bladed gaze.

"Inkling." The Director put his hands back behind his back, and he sighed. "Unbelievable. That you machines so willingly obey orders, even when your supposedly superior intellects allow you to out-think us Yamataians. No wonder we control you."

He turned away and bid her to follow her with a sharp movement of his head. He did not even look at Kaida, who was watching with some disbelief, but kept her calm and did not speak. "Don't worry; I'll be back for you later," the Director said as he walked out of the room.

The corridor was long and wide, with other Neko in various levels of uniform walking along it. They all gave The Director — who was technically just another level of teacher — a wide berth.

"You realize that you're still at EF1 because you haven't been chosen for assignment. How do you feel about that?" the Director asked as they walked.

The neko ground her teeth as she followed the director, stiffly walking at attention. "I do not feel anything, director. I am sure that as soon as there is an opportunity for me to be chosen, I will be. After all, I am not a weak, unoptimized Yamataian."

"No, you're not," the Director grumbled. "You've got a smart mouth. Your commanders will love that!" He laughed at that though, as other Neko students frowned at him from their safe distances.

"You know what your problem is, Yamada? You don't know your damn place." The Director did not even look at her as he walked, perhaps expecting her to hear his voice reflecting along the walls with her sensitive ears. "The great Nekos of history aren't mouthy or headstrong. Yui was a merciless commander, but she wasn't a damn fool; Chiharu is a damn saint! But what are you? War grease. You should learn to act like it."

Tsuya's ears flicked a few times. The irritation on her face was definitely increasing. "I never said I wanted to be great. I only wish to serve the Empire." She paused, sending a query to Ichiban's IES. Shortly afterward, the director's name appeared above his head. "...and you are being extremely impolite, Tanaka."

A visible twitch deformed the Director's posture for a split second, but he returned and laughed even louder, his feet carrying him onward. "You see, there! Perfect example. Your place is to say, 'Yes sir,' not resemble some disgruntled secretary. That mouth will get you killed someday, Yamada! And I'll just laugh at your demise, rest assured!"

He laughed again as they approached a bend in the corridor. "If anyone will have deserved it, it'll be you!"

"Deserved vhat, Tanaka-san?"

The Director's body ground to a halt. Before him was a much bigger man, a Nepleslian most likely, with some kind of accent Tsuya could not place. He had a shock of white-blond hair atop his b-shaped head, peering brown eyes above high, olive-colored cheeks, and a surprisingly long beard — perhaps 15 cm long — hanging from just his chin. It was also white-blond.

"A-Administrator! How are you today?"

"Fine," the Administrator replied. He was nearly 30 centimeters taller than the Director. "How is young Yamada-san?"

"So much to learn, but she is progressing steadily! I have high hopes she will be chosen soon." The Director bowed before the Administrator, who moved around him on thick legs to stand before Tsuya.

"That is your assessment as well, Yamada-san?"

Tsuya looked like she was about to choke the director as they rounded the corner, but snapped back to attention as she caught sight of the administrator. She bowed deeply to him as he cowed the small Yamataian man, a smile she tried to stifle tugging at her lips.

"Thank you for your kindness, Administrator. That is my assessment, but I highly doubt that it is his..." She gestured to the swiftly-fading mark on her cheek.

The Administrator looked at the mark. His scowl seemed to crack the serene, if barely sour, expression he carried. He seemed to turn like some great turbine toward the Director, who now seemed as if he would be caught up merely in that simple motion.

"You've been told, Tanaka-san, to not abuse the recruits. Time and again. This will be reported. Do not let me see it again, Tanaka-san."

"But she talks bac — "

"NOT. AGAIN. TANAKA." The boom in the Administrator's voice made his throat bulge out.

"Y-y-yes, Administrator. As instructed."

The Administrator looked back at Tsuya. "Mind your tongue, young one," he said in a surprisingly soothing tone. "Not all commanders are understanding. I will assign you to a new director in the morning. Consider the day complete. Go and rest." With that, the Administrator kept walking the way he'd been going, steps too light for a man his size.

If Tsuya bothered to look at the Director, she'd see the veins in his neck and head grossly bloated with blood, much of which seemed to be in his face.

"I told you you were being very rude, Director." Tsuya spoke quietly enough so only the man could hear her. She bowed - barely a decline of her head - to him. "Goodnight, and good luck with your future recruits."