Compounding Traumas (Artemis University Book 6), стр. 47
Mostly because it wasn’t about culture, but a caste exchange. The course work was comparable between the colleges in the supe world, so it wasn’t about one being so much more challenging or getting the culture of a higher level. Sure, it was framed as going to a college in a different area or country, but really it was about money. It always came back to money.
And power. It was to show how the elites and rich lived, and that those from the lower schools couldn’t compare, and to learn early to stay in their lanes. Every student was to switch one class a semester with a student in the same class at another university, so it was seamless and didn’t upset their graduation path. It was every other year and would allow them to experience most of the universities by the time they graduated.
Except the program had been shut down about fifteen years ago. Why?
I bit back the need to roll my eyes again when they explained it became nothing but excessive bullying without the fairies to keep people in check.
“It truly is a shame that no supe is able to act anything but a fucking immature child without fairies around to be the parent and constantly tell them how to behave and what their morality should be,” I commented, my tone laced with thick sarcasm. “It’s a miracle the world hasn’t completely imploded since everyone is completely incapable of wiping their asses without them, and it’s all the fairies’ fault they can’t.”
Several people snorted. Mrs. Diaz, who knew I was a fairy, looked ready to burst out laughing, while Mrs. Von Thann gave me a shocked look. It was Mrs. Gui who responded and didn’t know what I actually was. “Yes, well, you know people won’t take responsibility or the blame, so they pass it off and miss how often they make themselves look like idiot incompetents by doing so.”
“So why bring the program back?” I muttered, moving the conversation along before they focused on my outburst.
“It was the tradeoff for your continuing education program,” Mrs. Vogel answered. “The councils would support it, but they wanted the program back.” She thanked one of the aides who showed up with trays of drinks someone had ordered from Portal Chow while we waited for the meeting to end.
“Nothing is that simple with them. There’s more to this.”
“Of course,” she agreed, studying me. “They’d look horrid if they didn’t support it, as they preach about second chances all the time as opposed to pushing people to the outskirts and Underground. They’d seem like even more of hypocrites if you gave them another way, but then shut it down.”
“So they did it to show they were in control?” Mrs. Von Thann surmised. “They could ask for it, and they wanted this program back. They weren’t fans when it was shut down.”
“Smart,” I agreed, thinking there was more to it though
“They probably thought it would be a way to get you off the turf of Artemis and near someone who might be on their side,” Mrs. Diaz added, giving me an amused look. “They didn’t think Edelman would immediately shut down your leaving and being a part of the exchange. His reasoning was solid that you had enough real-world experience and culture, and what you needed was stability here.”
I sighed. Heavily. “I can’t even argue that, and I’m glad he got me out of it, but again, that was a conversation to have with me before deciding this shit for me.”
“My understanding is that it was done on the fly, and it was throw at him, so he couldn’t have something ready or discussed with you,” Mrs. Von Thann defended.
Fair enough. I nodded I heard her and let it go, filing it away to thank him later. It was nice he went to bat for me then. We mulled it over and enjoyed our drinks in the lovely late summer morning.
And then the answer hit me. I threw back my head and laughed, holding my stomach as it built and built.
“Those fuckers.” I fanned my face and got myself under control so I could explain. “This isn’t about the continuing education, but the new addendum. They want the bullying to continue because when Blake or one of their assholes gets kicked out of here—”
“Who would want to take the spot at Artemis full time after seeing it was full of such elite little shits?” Mrs. Diaz said with a growl.
I smirked at her. “Exactly. They’re priming the rumor mill and setting the stage that people won’t want to take the spots and start the shit. They can’t fight against the new rules when all the colleges agreed, as most of it is for integrity and holding people to higher standards. But if the spots are still there, the colleges will need the money and income to survive, which is how things have gone all this time.”
“Which means they have all been speaking with each other since you caught their spies, but still found out what the meeting was about,” Mrs. Vogel mused. “It took them a bit to come up with this response, as it was a scramble to get it into place and scheduled. Everything was in place for the pilot run of the continuing education classes starting next month when they demanded this two weeks ago.”
“Clever foxes,” I chuckled. “It’s harder to shut them down last minute. They looked nice and amiable, willing to play ball, and the schools would seem like jerks if they wouldn’t give such