Episode 11 – Suddenly A Vacation.
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June-SY102


In the half-end of the month there will be exam period. After that will be holiday season.

Though it’s called exam, it’s actually more apt for it to be called test period. Since most of the students are only tested to measure how far they go compared to their peers.

Though some students, mostly those in the older class, do take an exam called ‘graduation exam’.

Like I said before, it’s an exam that determines whether you can graduate yet. The materials examines whether you have knowledge of typical high school graduate.

Many students take it so that they can graduate properly, with ‘complete’ diploma, equivalent to high school diploma, instead of ‘incomplete’ diploma, equivalent to middle school diploma only.

Though some other students take it so that they can gain exam graduate perks.

Those perks include, optional exclusion from hour 10-12 class period, that is typical hour 9-12 period minus the homeroom class. So you have more free time.

It’s said that homeroom class is the most important class since it builds the foundation of living in society, that’s why homeroom is never made optional but compulsory for the whole student body.

Another perk is you can take college-level course from affiliated university. Quite many students who take the graduation exam early aim for this perk.

One of those students is me. So here I am studying for the exam.

Students may pick several group of exam that they will focus on. I picked science group exam, so I’m studying for those. Inside are exams for core subjects consists of chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics as well as 2 auxiliary elective subjects.

Ms. Greta, knowing me intend to take graduation exam, arrange for me meetings with instructors of my exam subjects in the afternoon.

One of those instructors happens to be...

“Oh, Boy. So you are graduating now?”

“No, not yet. Mom won’t allow me to even if I want to. I just want more free time and maybe taking some college-level courses.”

You need guardian’s consent to graduate. So if Mom doesn’t approve it, I won’t be graduating until at least my 15th birthday.

“Is that so? So do you need me to tutor you? You know my time is expensive.”

“Professor Sunitha, just to remind you that helping students is part of teacher’s responsibility.” says Ms. Greta

“What? I’m not helping someone who is not serious.”

While Ms. Greta and Professor are glaring at each other, somehow I see sparks colliding coming from both of them. Are they also electromasters…?

“Now now… Professor, you don’t have to tutor me, I can study by myself. Maybe just give me homework that can help me prepare for the exam.”

“Is that so? Well come back tomorrow for that. I don’t have anything with me right now.”

Like that I mostly get homeworks from the instructors since I can get by studying by myself.

“Anyway how far is your training, Boy?”

“Oh that. I already can project images reliably, Professor.”

“That’s good. Can you already move it around?”

“Yes, I can already project a dynamic image I can control.”

“Then next is operational training. I will help you with that. Should we start now?”

“Su--” “What start now?! Sena, don’t you need to start studying now..?”

“E-eh? Y-yes, Ma’am.”

“What a fussy woman.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. I’m just saying that a fussy woman is unpopular.”

“W-what did you say…?!”

Again I see sparks coming from both of them colliding against each other. Maybe they are electromasters after all…

“Now now… Professor, I guess I’m focusing on the exam after all. Once I pass it, I will have more time for training.”

“Suit yourself.”

It seems the Professor and Ms. Greta have really bad compatibility against each other. So we quickly leave the Professor's room to go back to the classroom since there will be a homecooking afterclass later.

In the classroom are students, mostly chatting with each other, though at a lonely corner I see someone studying.

“Welcome back, Sena, Teach~”

“Welcome back~”

“We are back, Vivi, Reo.” Ms. Greta pats both Vivi’s and Reo’s hair.

I still look at the corner where someone is still studying.

“Ah, Mari suddenly start studying. ‘It’s for graduation exam.’ She says. Now she looks like Sena who is only glued to studying too.” Says Vivi.

“Huh? Graduation exam? Is Mari taking one too, Ms. Greta?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you before, Sena? She will also taking the exam too. It’s her second time.”

“Ehh?? It’s second time, Teach?” Reo asked.

“Yes. Mari you see. She wants to be a doctor.”

“Ah, so she wants to quickly learn how to be a doctor.”

“It’s something like that, Reo. Reo and Vivi too, do you have something you want to do in the future?”

“Unnn… nope~”

“nope~”

“Well... Vivi, Reo, and everyone are still so young after all. You all still have some times to decide your future. Though please don’t forget it and try to decide from time to time, okay?”

“Yeeess~~” reply both Reo and Vivi cheerfully.

… …

… … …

Since, I’m going to study for the exam, I try to stay in the academy after school during the day. Since if it’s at home, I will start to get too comfortable and start playing instead of studying and doing practice problems.

“Sena, are you going to start studying now?” Asks Reo, after the class finished and the teacher left.

“Un”

“Then I’m going to the club now, okay~? Please tell when you are going back home. Let’s go home together~”

“Un”

“Then. Later~ Vivi, let’s go~”

“Un. Later, Mari.”

“Later, Vivi. Reo too.”

Apparently Reo entered into some kind of martial arts club, while Vivi happened to be already a club member inviting her.

“Seeing Sena working hard makes me want to work hard too!” she said when I approached her in MECHA clubroom before. So off she go.

I asked whether it’s dangerous, since they are still so young. Apparently the club advisor also acts as instructor to keep everything safe, first, and have fun, second. So it should be pretty safe.

Well since it’s safe, it should be fine. I should worry more about my impending exam instead.

“Sena. Do you know how to solve this?”

Mari also taking the science group exam since affiliated medical school require that for her to enroll in their courses. Though obviously you need science knowledge to practice medicine.

“Sure. You substitute the x for a sin theta. Then you can turn it to cosine.”

“Oh, it’s like that. Thank you.”

“Un”

“Sena is really smart, aren’t you? Anything, can do.”

“Not really. It’s just practice and discipline.”

“Really? Then did Sena study a lot?”

“Un. I did.” In the past life, that is.

“I see. I guess I should try a bit harder then.”

“Un. Do your best.”

“Okay~ Thank you.”

Like that we continue doing problem sets given to us by our instructors.

“It’s almost 14. Should we have lunch, Sena?”

“Un”

“Sena~ Mari~”

“Ah, Reo. Welcome back~”

“Welcome back.”

“I’m back too. *Sigh* Reo, please don’t run when inside.”

“I’m not running, Vivi. It’s called walking quickly~”

“What’s the differences? Really. Reo is as always. Anyway, you two, how it goes?”

“I’m finished with my homeworks. Though I’m checking on them.”

“Really? Sena is really smart. I’m not even done yet.”

“It seems you are close to though.”

“Ahaha… only because I asked you the parts I did not know, Sena.”

“Should we go home now? It’s already 16, the academy will be closed soon.” reminds Vivi.

After that we four walk back home together.

… …

… … …

Some weeks later.

This is the last week of June also the last week of this term. Next week will be the start of a month long holiday. The class then will start again at the beginning of August.

Right now I am, together with the whole class, are going to check the graduation exam result announcement.

It was only Mari and I taking the graduation exam from our class, so it became something like a class event.

 

  1. Sena Rayfield | Pass | 997

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.

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“Whoa… Sena is the first. He is even smarter than the seniors…” Said Ben who went ahead and checked the exam announcement first.

Looking at the announcement from my [ID Card], though it was expected, I’m glad I safely passed the exam. Though that bit about being first rank surprised me a bit. I did study quite a bit though, so it seems to be fair.

 

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  1. Marielle Anna Crawford | Pass | 798

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.

 

“...”

“It seems you passed too, Mari.”

“Yes..”

“What’s wrong, Mari? You don’t seem too well?”

*shake shake* “Unnn~ I’m just a bit too happy.”

“Ah, you failed the first time after all. Isn’t it great now you passed, Mari?”

“Un”

*pat pat* “Good job~”

“Thank you, Vivi.”

Like that, after telling Ms. Greta about the exam result, she organized for us a celebration after class. It was a lavish lunch cooked mostly by Ms. Greta herself.

A day later during homeroom, we each are handed recommendation letter to attend college-level courses from Ms. Greta.

After the homeroom class ended, Ms. Greta also accompany us to visit the colleges we are going to attend.

Both of the colleges are actually quite close to the academy. It’s only about 5 minutes from the academy using robotaxi.

… …

… … …

“I see that you are interested mainly in MECHA, Mr Rayfield. Then tell me, how much you know about MECHA especially from its electro-mechanical system constructions.”

I’m being interviewed by a Professor in my intended college.

“MECHA functional emphasize has always been on versatile multipurpose operation. Hence many of them generically are designed with modular humanoid form factor in mind. Modular for obvious reason. Humanoid because, though still debated, it has been shown to be the most practical versatile form.

The construction itself is best described as hierarchical multi-level architecture of complex system. With each level having their own processing cores.

Level 1 is low level control, component level feedback, feedforward, and stabilization.

Level 2 is module level overall integration and self-correctional system.

Level 3 is operation level system integration, standing, moving, or any routine procedure works at this level.

Level 4 is supervision level, with autokinetic code working at this level. Here is also where complex routine code works.

Level 5 is general management level, which is basically the human operator.”

“Okay, okay. I get it that you know your theory. So far what have you done that involves MECHA?”

“Um, I’m appointed as chief engineer for my academy MECHA club.”

“What club? Ah, certainly there was this dark horse team in the last ‘Pacific Mechanical Cup’ final who won 3rd place in general division. If I remember correctly they represented St. Raziel Academy. Was that your team?”

“Ah. Yes, Sir.”

“You are their chief engineer?”

“Well it’s something like that. That part about winning 3d place was mainly because our main pilot’s piloting skill though.”

“If I remember correctly your team had not enter the general division final for several years until that last one.”

“That was because the lack of proper engineer, Sir. Our club budget itself actually competes with general division teams. Our MS too, while not exactly superior, is not too much inferior to those of general division team. We were also lucky that we have a highly talented pilot.”

“So you are saying, you are a proper engineer?”

“E-eh? N-no. I’m not exactly saying that. I don’t even have formal education yet, Sir. All I had just done was using prototyping kit and virtual design desktop.”

“Hmm? You are doing prototyping? Have you made something?”

“I have not made much of anything, since a lot of the components are expensive. Though I did built a sequential ion drive.”

“Hooo. So you made a sequential type ion drive?”

“It’s a shabby one since I used cheapest of parts, but yes I think I made one. Though it might be subpar to standard market manufactured one.”

“Do you mind if I see the design blueprints?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Hmm. So it’s like this. This is also. Hmm. It’s like that. You are a meticulous one if you are building it this way. It’s also not exactly the most economical way.”

“Ah, that one. Somehow there was an out of stock for ALZ702. So I made a hack in that part, Sir.”

“A clever hack.”

“Well, people are strangely creative in constrained condition, Sir.”

...

“Well, by the way, you said your team has a highly talented pilot. I remember that one MS movement in the freerunning event. Its movement was really fluid. I think it was also from your school team.”

“Ah you are probably talking about our team main pilot. She scored highest in that event, even when counted among general division pilots.”

“Yes, her skill was so notable in that one event. A promising mechathlete indeed. But more importantly I checked previous years footages. Her movement was markedly improved in that last competition. Did you do something?”

“Maybe that’s because of refactored autokinetic system code, Sir. She had been using a generic code in previous years.”

“Hmm, so you refactored it?”

“It’s something like that, Sir.”

“I see. Hmm. Let me drink my coffee a bit, Mr Rayfield. I have became a bit thirsty. You too, if you feel thirsty please feel free to drink. Do you want juice? Milk? I can order it for you.”

“Ah, yes, Sir. Then… can I have milk?”

“Sure.”

“By the way, Mr Rayfield, are you interested in working at my research group?”

“Huh? Are you sure, Sir?”

“Well, I happened to have an empty slot for research assistant. There was a talented one who just left my lab to work in better place, you see.”

“Are you okay with me, Sir?”

“Well at least you seem better than most of those undergrads, but also more diligent than those lazy grad students.”

“Sir?”

“Well, anyway how about it?”

“If you don’t mind with me then. Yes, Sir.”

Like that I got a chance to work on the state-of-the-art of MECHA. As a side bonus it gives me a little bit more allowance.

… …

… … …

“Sena, Dad is going to Earth for a business trip. Do you want to meet Dad?”

Asks Dad during our dinner time.

“Un”

It’s not like I really miss Dad, but he probably will be genuinely sad if I say no.

“Then, since next month is your holiday, should we have vacation together as family? Let’s go to Japan. It’s the country of mecha. Aren’t you excited?”

“Vacation? Is it okay to have vacation on a business trip…?”

“Hahaha, you are still small yet thinking whether it’s okay or not. You don’t have to think about that. Just leave it to Dad.”

“But, can Mom go too?” Since she is entering her 8th month of pregnancy.

“Honey?”

“If it’s not too long, it should be fine. How long will the trip be?”

“It should last until July third week.”

“Hmm, it seems fine. As long as we are back by the last week of July for precaution. things should be fine, Dear.”

“Great. I will be there by next week.”

Like that, we would have family vacation.

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