Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 408: Ruthless and Smart

Chapter 408: Ruthless and Smart
Captain Tyler sighed as he entered the simulation. The second he did he was welcomed to the sound of confusion. He looked around until he saw the sign up on the podium that Major Jace was standing on last time.
He began reading it and sighed. "A day off?"
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"Sir if your efforts are intending to intimidate me. You are completely failing." The principal declared after swallowing. If he was not intimidated, he was failing to show that. Instead Jace figured the man was about a second away from shitting his pants.
In the room, just as Cho had said there would be several people. There was the principal, several teachers, and even a teacher who had several casts covering. Then there was also a man in a military police uniform. Then there was a young man with a black eye, a broken nose, and some missing teeth. Sitting next to the young man was a middle aged woman with black hair and bronze skin tone who was looking Jace up and down.
"I was not trying to be intimidating. But I am just the way I am. I do not plan to change that just for a bunch of wannabe educators." Jace answered with a scoff. He was dressed in black camo cargo jeans, black boots, a tight fitting short sleeve black shirt, and he also had a hat and a pair of communication aviators. But those were tucked away at the moment.
The principal seemed like he wanted to counter. But then the woman spoke up. "Are you going to tell me why I am here now? Or am I going to have to continue to wonder why my kid’s nose is broken and teeth are missing?"
The Principal sucked in his breath and looked over at the woman, "No, Miss Linta-"
"Miss Pallie, my husband and I divorced over a year ago." The woman pointed out with a growl that even caused her son to flinch. "Now cut the crap. I know my son was lying when he said he was punched for no reason. Now tell me the actual reason."
The principal sighed as he leaned back and mumbled under his breath, "this would be going better if the boy’s father showed up instead of this lawyer."
"I have a feeling that it would not be going as well as you think." Jace spoke aloud, getting confused looks from the people in the room aside from the MP in the back. He was still standing upright and staring forward, almost like he was trying to vanish into the wall. He was clearly aware of who Jace was, but he did not inform the principal or anyone else. Jace explained after a moment, "the principal said this would be going better if your ex-husband showed up instead of you."
"Makes sense, my husband is friends with a number of scum on the station. This principal was just a standard city official who is probably on a power trip now." Miss Pallie explained with a shake of her head.
"Enough about me." The principal was now occasionally glancing back at the MP who was doing absolutely nothing. He would likely continue to do nothing unless Jace ordered otherwise. "We are here about your children... Jace." The man frowned and then looked at Jace. "No last name?"
"I am an orphan." Jace pointed out. "I doubt this is the first time you are encountering an adult orphan."
The principal went to respond with some snide response. But Miss Pallie beat him to it. "He wants to use that to pressure you now. But I can already tell that tactic will not work on you. Can you get to the explanation of what happened?"
The principal frowned then after a moment he nodded at her son. "Your son was talking with the girls when... Jordan." He seemed to think of her name for a moment, "yeah that’s her name. Jordan punched him in the face several times. Then when..." He nodded at the teacher in casts. "Mister Monfree went to break up the fight, Cho punched him through a wall. Now Mister Jace I wonder how you will compensate-"
"Are you trying them without reason or without hearing the girl’s side of the story?" Miss Pallie asked, interrupting the principal. Causing even Jace to raise an eyebrow. He was really starting to like this woman.
The principal looked flabbergasted for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "Okay." He then looked and glared at the two girls. Cho blinked innocently while Jordan gripped his pant leg a bit harder. Jace rubbed her head in response. "Jordan and Cho, explain what you did?"
Cho jumped up but Jace grabbed her and pulled her back into the seat. "Jordan will explain first. I will translate. Then you can jump in with your flamboyant explanation from your view." Jace told her. Cho nodded her head in excitement. She was clearly having way too much fun with this.
Jordan stood up and began making hand motions as she did, he started to translate. "Cho and I were staying away from the others as usual since they like bullying us and calling us names. When Charlie walked up and called me a freak of nature that should have died in the womb." Jordan was already crying and her hands were shaking as she finished her sentence.
Thwack!
Jace and everyone else in the room looked to see Miss Pallie slapping her son, Charlie, on the back of the head. "That type of racist shit is the reason I divorced your father in the first place!"
"Ow! I am sorry mom!" Charlie screamed while bringing up his hands to cover his head.
She grabbed him by the back of his head and shook it. "I doubt it. As for those words, I remember hearing your father say the same thing about the High Priestess." Okay, Jace was really starting to like this woman.
"Oh! Can I go now!" Cho asked in excitement. Then took Jace’s sigh as an approval. "Yeah! Okay, after Jordan punched Charlie a few times the big mean teacher walked up and called us hybrid trash and grabbed Jordan’s arm. He then went to hit her so I punched him first. Sending him flying right through that wall!"
The other teachers in the room moved nervously and looked at the injured teacher in confusion. The principal smiled and shook his head. "Do not lie Cho-"
"She did not lie." Jace interrupted the principal. "Cho does not have the capacity to lie. She is honest to an unhealthy level. So try a different lie. Like how you are not being paid on the sly to bolster some of the children’s grades or to falsify records. Or how about the anti-Victorium organization you and several of your teachers are a part of."
"You- how!? What?" The Principal shook his head in confusion.
Jace looked at the MP and he stepped forward and pulled out a set of cuffs. "You are under arrest for the organized effort to help destabilize civilized society and the economy." He then turned and saluted Jace, "it was a pleasure seeing you work Major Jace. The rest will be rounded up in a few minutes. Some temporary teachers were sent to take over."
The MP dragged him out of the room. The principal was still stunned.
"What just..." Miss Pallie seemed confused before her eyes lit up, "I understand. Oh that is mean." She looked over at Jace and smiled brightly. "You heard your kids were being bullied and told them to cause problems but also decided to dig up dirt on the school just in case. But when you turned up something that could not be ignored you turned it over to the military police."
"Oh yeah." Jace nodded. "On one hand I taught the girls to be ruthless and that strength can open doors. On the other..."
Jordan made several hand motions in excitement. "You showed us to always have something in backup and reserve when strength does not work."
"That is right." Jace answered as he stood up. "Now girls... I took the whole day off for this little charade. Do you want to go home and play some game?" Jace asked in excitement as he patted their heads.
Jordan nodded her head quickly with a bright smile on her face. While Cho squeaked and hugged his leg. "Let’s go play some more games!"
"You are not taking your kids back to the classes?" Miss Pallie asked as she stood up and held out her hand for him to shake.
Jace shook her hand. "They still did demonstrate violence in an environment where learning and peace should occur." He stepped towards the door as the girls dragged him away. "So they are by all rights suspended for a week. During said week I will treat them to the best food and let them do whatever they want."
"Teaching your kids lessons about violence for the right reasons and to defend themselves. Where were you when I was young and stupid?" Miss Pallie passed him a card. "Call me if you ever have... a need." She left him chuckling in understanding.