Mindguard by Andrei Cherascu

in a lightning-fast movement. She
followed it up with two more hooks, both missing their mark.
    “Still faster,”
he teased. It was a game they always played. In truth, they were equally fast
but they had gotten so used to each other’s reactions that one could always
anticipate the other’s attack.
    “If you children
are done playing I would appreciate if Ms. Faber would grace me with her
company.” The holosense image of their commander was standing right beside them
in full size.
    “Well, sir, I’m
doing impromptu psychological therapy just to prepare her for her meeting with
you. You have a way of bringing that out in people.” As usual, Commander
Anderson had no reaction to Villo’s humor, though he had admirable patience
with it. He didn’t even look at the instructor, but continued to stare at
Tamisa. His blue eyes always seemed sad. Somehow, that didn’t make him any less
intimidating.  
    “I’ll be right
there sir,” she said and his holosense image disappeared into thin air without
answering.
    Tamisa gave
Villo a look that said ‘Ouch, I really screwed up this time’ but he just winked
and, with a sign of the head, told her to get going. 
     
    ●
     
    The commander’s
office was almost empty. It was furnished only with a desk and two chairs,
proof of the little time he spent in it. A very active man, he preferred the
confines of the training rooms and he very much enjoyed the company of his men.
Whenever he did use his office it was always for private conversations
with one of his men. These conversations were always brief and to the point.
Thus, he was in no need of additional furniture or decorations. Tamisa wished
there were at least a vase or a painting on the wall, anything to lessen the
anxiety she was feeling standing in front of her leader, waiting for him to
speak.
    “I’m glad you
finally made it, Ms Faber,“ he said coldly.
    “I am sorry for
the delay, sir. It won’t happen again!”
    “That’s fine, cadet,”
he said, his voice gentle all of a sudden. “You were wise to compose yourself
before coming to talk to me. I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t.”
    He sounded like
he knew exactly how angry and frustrated she had been before Villo helped her overcome
that barrier. How could he know? she thought, but then immediately
answered her own question: Because in spite of appearances the man is
centuries old and has probably been in a similar situation hundreds of times
before . She wondered how often he might have called a woman to this office
to tell her to pack her bags. That thought made her knees get weak and she
almost fell down right in front of him. When he smiled, like a loving
grandfather, she nearly let out a sigh of relief. She was glad she didn’t. It
would have been very embarrassing.
    “See, that’s
what I meant,” he said, pointing to a rebellious strand of hair which had
fallen on her face during her play fight with Villo. “Your hair is lovely, it
was stupid of you to cut it off.”
    “Yes, sir,” she
said, only to please him.
    “All right,” he
said abruptly. “As of right now you are on active duty, congratulations!” He
shook her hand and his handshake fit his personality: firm but gentle.
    “Thank you,
sir!” she said, still in awe of the very informal nature of the entire meeting. A handshake, and you’re off to the trenches , she thought. She wouldn’t
have wanted it any other way.  
    “I will assign
you to a team and a first mission. Meet me in two hours in the debriefing
room.”
    “Yes, sir!”
    “That will be all,”
he said, but his posture and his attitude suggested he was expecting her to say
something. It was like he knew that she was still trying to work up the courage
to ask him one single question.
     “Sir?”
    “Mm hmm…”
    “I was wondering
if I might ask you something.”
    “The reason I
grounded you for six months is simple,” he said, anticipating her question.
“You are not a man, you are a woman. You