The two teachers took a moment to digest what the teen was implying, long enough that Maik had needed to drop the auric effect for fear that he would run too low on Chi. Boyd's next words made it clear to Maik that his gambit had paid off though.

  “Was it worth it ? You mentioned that the cost was higher than you expected. But have you actually seen an improvement in how many people we can take onto the fast track by training up Miss Koenig here ?"

  Of course it was. The benefits to our friends, not to mention the new insights into the workings of Chi can't be estimated so easily. Hes fishing for our motivation. Stick to the reasons relevant to training the new people. Don't so much as hint at anything else. Hint a little. Let him know we are onto him.

  While still in the meditative pose none of those internal thoughts were apparent on Maik's face and his voice was equally devoid of any such discord. “Objectively its hard to say what could have been verses what is. I can only compare progress before and after and I can say with certainty that with her help there is an ever so slight increase in the efficiency with which I am managing this task. Not significant enough that I would feel comfortable doing larger sessions, or doing them more frequently. More that I think I will actually make it through the day now. Although poor Stacy here may not.”

  The middle aged man went on to question what the Chi instructor meant about her not making it. Maik explained where his Chi control level was at and how he hadn't noticed do to filtering it. An explanation regarding how much less efficient her use of the skills were compared to him as a result and his theory about calories to Chi point ratio.

  Both of the teachers flatly demanded that Maik not overdo it again today so that he could attend the evening meetings after dinner, Boyd making sure to address the herms earlier jab regarding intel sharing. "We very much expect you to make it to this evenings meeting, as that's where everyone will be updated on the daily happenings. Even if we have to drag you there. So don't over do it."

  Before they left though, Maik still had one last thing to add. “By the way. Stacy, indeed I fear everyone who will be using Chi based skills extensively, is probably going to need extra rations to compensate for the extra energy used.” The teachers promised that the matter would be discussed after dinner, but that both Chi instructor and Chi healer would be afforded extra rations at the evening meal regardless.

  With that out of the way Maik checked with his friend to see how her Chi reserves were after two sessions. She groaned when she looked at the bar, a pitiful sound that only came from truly knowing just how far behind one is when compared to their peer. “The damn thing was full when we started but damn it. Its at 87 Chi. God I really don't want to get up off this floor.” A hint of a question enters her tone. “I don't wanna do anything really ?”

  The Chi instructor clarifies for her. “I believe this is a result of being low on Chi. I experienced the same thing yesterday. My... Motivation simply became weaker and weaker when my Chi reserves went below a certain point. By the end of the day my Chi was well below 10 percent and I just about curled up in a corner to sleep. Boyd and James had to carry me to bed.”

  Then a through struck Maik. "Wait. I only really started to feel drained after My Chi reserves fell well below 10%. But with your maximum total 87 is over 10% for you." She shrugged and Maik continued thoughtfully. "This will require more testing."

  The students were listening with rapped attention as word had started to spread that Maik was now also teaching higher skills and any little tidbits were prized. The teen ignored them and continued his conversation. "You should probably meditate and cycle your Chi while resting for this session. I can handle this one myself. But do tell me when you reach the point where you no longer feel run down, would you ?”

  With furrowed brows she voiced an interesting question. “I know your stats and skills are highers than mine. Way highers, but just what is your Chi recovery at ? I'm doing my best to cycle Chi over here and the bar is barely moving. I counted and It looks like I'm only getting 8 calories of Chi per minutes."

  Maik thought for a moment and answered honestly. “Last I counted, if I'm cultivating, then I regain about 49 calories of Chi per minute."

  Maik figured he needed to offer her some hope when he saw the slack jawed and wide eyed look she gave him. "But you don't have the cultivation skill yet and you'll see a pretty good bump in recovery speed when you get it. For now, focus on improving the basics and Chi recovery."

  Apparently question time was not over since there were multiple students clamoring to have their own questions answered but Maik quickly put a stop to that with a loud clap. "ENOUGH. None of you even have the Mind & body skill yet. Focus on learning that first and then building upon the basics. Fortunately that's exactly what we will be going over in this class."

  Stacy later informed Maik that it was right around 100 Chi where she felt the shift from being tired to feeling alright again. She also mentioned that when she filled her Chi bar with more than 500 calories of Chi that her hunger started to go down as well. "Yeah. and the higher I got over 500 the more my hunger went away. I don't know if I really need the extra food. I mean the meditation technique really helped take the edge off my hunger.”

  Just in time, as it was 5:36 by the time they finished the final session. Practically dinner time. So they made their way to the mess hall where Sara and Harper were leading the effort to get dinner set up. School cafeteria Beefaroni never smelt so good and, as promised, they were afforded extra portions.

  Stacy seemed hesitant at first but Maik had thought over what she had said back at the class. “Your going to need to use these new abilities, probably sooner and more regularly than you would like. Think of it like your trying to put on muscle. Right now your probably burning your gains from the days efforts to fuel your body. I know I gained a few stat points over last night. So eat up and grow stronger.”

  She took the full extra helping and was thankful for it by how she started wolfing it down like a starving wolf after just the first bite. Maik couldn't help but comment. “Told ya.”

  Eugene was the first of their friends to join the table and had to chime in. “Is it really such a drain ? I thankfully didn't need to use the Body infusion more than a couple times so I didn't get very low.”

  Maik nodded and went on to explain his theories bout calories to Chi stat point ratio. He then elaborated on how much more efficiently he managed to use the points due to his high Chi manipulation skill vs what Stacy could pull off. There was longing in the super sized Mexicans voice when he spoke next. “Would be nice if more people had some Tier 4 skills we could be using out in the field.”

  It was at this point that James joined the group. "Hay guys. Hows the chow ?"

  Stacy stopped scarfing it down long enough to comment. "Ummmm MMmmmm." To which the jock laughed out loud.

  Elisha gave Stacy an odd look as she sat down. "What's up with her ?"

  Stacy quickly chewed her food and swallowed before answering. "Gasp. I've been pushing it. Ehem. My Chi. Its more draining that I thought it would be."

  Maik looked a little affronted. "What ? Did you think I was faking yesterday ?"

  The tall healer shook her head. "No, I had figured it was more due to you having chose a race change that changed you body so much."

  Stacy turned her attention back to Elisha. "I wasn't even all that hungry but once I started eating my body just screamed for more."

  She turned back to Maik with a worried expression. "This isn't permanent is it ?"

  Everyone looked on expectantly, all of Maik's friends having arrived at this point, even the new member of the social circle Zak. "Its better today. Though. Sigh. I cant tell why exactly. Is it because yesterday was the first day or is it because I'm a higher level now ? Or any one of the other half dozen things that have changed with me sense yesterday ?" Mai k shrugs.

  Jose snorted. "So many unknowns. However, given what you have told us I would say the 2... no 3 most likely reasons for the change are either your higher tier race, your highers Mind & body skill or that fact that your Chi skills stabilized over night."

  James chimed in. "Yeah. Whatever system this interface is, it seems to only... update us ? while we are sleeping."

  Jose laughs. "Hah Hah Hah. Were getting updates now."

  Everyone joined in the joke with light but nervous chuckles. Soon enough everyone started sharing their experiences about what happened during the day.

  Eugene went on to describe the real excitement of the day. “Lucky's what we were. He was a crazy man. Way crazy you know. Its good he couldn't shoot for shit. Missed all 4 times when he started shooting at a patrol, out on the perimeter. Its was good that he missed but still scary as hell. Our guys goaded him in close and took him down. Coach questioned him after. Teachers are all hush hush about the whole thing. Don't none of it sound good man. None of it.”

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  By the end the big Mexican was shaking his head. “People working the perimeter are spooked now. Nobody wants the job so their drawing straws. There is rumor they they may offer incentives. Those rumors started after Boyd and Davis came to see you too.”

  Maik was stone faced at hearing the news. That was very disturbing news indeed. The teen made his friends a promise that he would discuss the topic with the trilogy at the evening meeting and see what could be done. "It may have something to do with my explanation about training up higher tier skills and why I did it for Stacy."

  James glanced around and leaned in before whispering. "About that. Their rather unhappy that you didn't mention how you trained up several of us and their probably going to make an issue about it at the meetings. Just saying."

  Then he leaned back to speak at a regular volume. "Like I said, you should wrap things up. Its getting late and the evening meeting will start shortly. I am to escort you over as soon as your done eating."

  it took Maik a moment to understand that James was doing. Hes putting on a performance for anyone eves dropping on the conversation. Underhanded spies. It makes sense. Many would want to be in the trilogies favor. It is our favor they should seek. We'll have to make that clear at the meeting.

  Maik made a show of assenting that he was ready to leave and James behaved like a knight escorting a V.I.P.

  Ohh how every formal. We should totally poke fun at James. about what a good soldier hes turning into. Have you forgotten about the madman who wandered onto campus and started shooting at people already ? His behavior probably stems from a need to display orderly structure. It not for the masses peace of mind then maybe even his own. Serious business. Sorry. Ohh, I know. Ask James to send Elisha in with some presentation stuff and note paper so that we can make some notes. Brilliant. Good idea.

  As he got up though, the Chi instructor motioned for Stacy to join them. “I'm going to be presenting my finding on our interactions and your input might be useful, so you should probably come along. Lets also grab some note pads. I would appreciate it if you could compile a set of notes while I dictate to the trilogy” She grimaced but acquiesced.

  The meeting was just as sober a gathering as you would expect given the events of the day. The principle was there and some, but not all, of the deans. Of course the Trilogy, along with the head coach presided over the proceedings, but more teachers Maik had yet to meet and a few other seniors like himself were also in attendance.

  The late teen set about greeting people and shaking hands as that just seemed the most congenial thing to do, but also activated pheromones while doing so. He stared with the Boyd, half for the familiarity and half because the no longer so middle aged man had come up to him with the same idea. “Boyd. Good to see you again. I apologize for my lack of attendance last night.”

  The teacher brushed it off with a very focused expression. “You were pretty warn out at the time and we didn't yet understand the greater effects of using a lot of Chi but I'm hoping you'll be able to shed some light on that subject ?”

  The Chi instructor nodded and moved on to making greetings with everyone else in the room, being especially diplomatic with the principle. “Principle Waber. Its good to see you here. I know we got off to a rough start yesterday but I understand you were very busy at the time.” The old woman's demeanor brightened a little at the late teens respectful and understanding tone though she winced a little at his use of her title.”

  Seating arrangements were dictated and or selected by the assembled members. The meeting was under way. Its started with those who had already been helped by the Chi instructor directly, their vitality an inspiration to all that the trilogy had a good handle on things.

  Leavery gave reports on encounters at the perimeter. “So in summery, the crazy gunman was the worst encounter but only one of 5. Him the woman with the bloody kitchen knife and the 3 dog attacks. There were no injuries needing medical attention due to sports padding having been provided to the patrols before hand and the sloppy accuracy of the gunman."

  He lowers his notes to address the assembled group more formally. The problem now is that the students are shaken and volunteers for the perimeter patrol are getting sparse. The gratitude for helping them get back up and feeling normal is wearing thin and we either need incentives or to start instituting some form of conscription."

  Now he turned his main attention directly on Maik. "But the worst part is the reasons the gunman gave for attacking. He literally claims that killing other people makes you stronger by allowing you to gain, Get this, levels.” With everyone's focused attention on Maik the herm was nervous and swallowed before offering his evaluation.

  While I can't speak for whether or not killing people helps, I can confirm that gaining new Chi skills and advancing existing Chi skill enough times will advance ones level. Each level will also provide more alteration points to be used as one sees fit." This cause a bit of a stir but order was called for and the meeting continued.

  Next came a Miss Foster, the head teacher for Botany who presented a report on their prospects for agriculture and food production. “It will take some time but we have a decent amount of land within and around the track to grow crops. We could be supplementing those freeze dried goods with fresh produce in about 4-6 months. Ff the student work force gets other their current afflictions that is. The longer that takes the longer it will take to get production scaled up to what were going to need.”

  Her glance went Maik's way a couple times, her implications clear that she wanted more students with the 'Mind & body' skill helping her department.

  After that was the tailor teacher, who offered to make actual armor for the students. All they would need provided is the Kevlar and the armor plates. That of course was on top of the demand for clothing that she assured was being managed with much greater speed now that they had a work force unhindered by Chi sickness.

  The work shop and engineering teachers came next, updating the group about what they would need in order to provide the tailors with what they were requesting. Apparently you could make some damn good body armor out of the right kinds of epoxy and sheets of fiberglass. Just a quick trip to the hardware store and they could start churning out level 2 and 3 ballistic armor plating, though the level 3 stuff was kinda thick.

  The tech Teachers informed us that the public broadcast hadn't changed. There were even more conspiracy theories floating around but now there were 2 locations out there claiming to be safe havens that welcomed all that were willing to be a part of their community, both of them churches and both of them warning that they were armed and that there would be an initiation test before you any would be allowed to join.

  One of the deans was up next and with her was a healthy looking student whom Maik hadn't helped. This peeked the teens curiosity. “As you have heard these churches seem to be doing as well if not better with the current situation as we are. Mister Smalls here has shown strong progress in dealing with the present situations and has, like the trilogies own Maik, Been helping students to achieve greater enlightenment.”

  The Chi instructor didn't think the statement was any form of challenge to his way of doing things but the way that everyone in the room looked at the late teen in that moment sure made if feel that way. Maik was taken aback for a heart beat but cleared his throat as a way to give him time to recover before addressing the statement with his own contribution.

  “In spirit science, it is believed that all sentient being, those made in the divine creators image, are endowed with a spark of the divine creators power. It further teacher that all sentient being have a direct link to the divine, thought which they may find inspiration on how to progress their understanding of the universe. The Tao, as it is called. This connection dose not outright give answers mind you. At least not as I understand it, but the connection will, for those who cultivate an ear to listen, provide guidance on the path one seeks.”

  The young man beside the dean nods along before speaking in the picture perfect tone of a monk. “You speak from a different point of view but of the same guiding light.”

  The Chi instructor nods but adds. “I am a firm believer in the promise that the divine will meet me half way...”

  The teen pauses for a moment to collect and then structure how to phrase this next part. “...Its just that... In spirit science, there is a plateau all on the path of enlightenment reach. The point where they first touch the divine. The first point where the two meet half way. But that is not the end of the journey. Only proof that one has finally taken but the first of many steps.”

  Again the young man nodded but this time with a more contemplative look on his face. “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.”

  The meeting moved on to the former principle publicly relinquishing command of the school to the trilogy, and over view of current supply stores, with projected time lines for how long said stores would last, proposals on how to supplement those supplies when they ran out and then finally the attention of the room shifted back to Maik.

  The Chi instructor stood and began his haphazard presentation, Stacy promptly prepared to take down notes on what was about to explained. The Chi instructor started with a brief explanation on how levels worked. He went into the mechanics of how several of the Chi skill he had developed worked and the relationship between foundational skills and effect skills.

  "So the most important foundation Chi skills, thus far, are Chi manipulation and Mind & body connection. The higher Chi manipulation is the more effect you get out of every point of Chi you use. though the increase seems to be additive rather than multiplicative. Using Minor healing as the example, if we say that gaining the skill at the beginner stage give you the ability to heal 1 units worth on an injury. Then for every level of Chi manipulation you have, then you would add .5 to that total. Thus With Stacy's chi manipulation skill at Capable she can perform 2 units of healing per 6 Chi used. Where as I, with a Chi manipulation skill of distinguished, can perform 4.5 units of healing per 6 Chi used.

  Seeing that his audience was fallowing along the herm moved onto the next point. "Mind & body connection is as all around boost. Chi flows faster. I think Chi skills are learned or at least developed easier and it provides a flat boost to all attributes each time it levels. Ohh and that boost gets progressively higher the higher you raise the level of that skill.

  Next came the theory on how much energy was in the Chi bar by elaborating on his deductions for calculating calories to Chi stat points by using Stacy as a comparison point. She, of course chimed in when prompted to explain her part. Her explanation on the effects of low Chi levels vs high Chi levels were a nice touch which Maik backed up with more context.

  "We are, as yet, uncertain as to whether the hunger issue is a one time thing, a result of acquiring new Chi skills for the first time or what has contributed to the initial increase in apatite but getting one Chi reserves above a certain point seems to greatly help with the issue."

  The teens estimation on how many Calories were being used up for the different tiers of Chi skills was touched upon and he further elaborated on the subject based on his Chi control skill vs that of others at the lower levels of mastery. Again using his observations with Stacy as a frame cross comparison. That segued into Maik's description of how he was able to impart the tier 4 skill unto his fried and how much energy it cost him to do so.

  Maik then began to lay out prospective ways to use this information, first by describing the Chi body infusion skill and what it could do for the patrols, not to mention the Minor healing skill for any medically inclined personnel. Of course that brought up the Chi instructors findings regarding Chi recovery rates.

  "So it turns out that Chi manipulation also determines how much ones passive Chi regeneration is, while resting. Chi does not seem to recover while actively using it. It seems that one regains 0.5 Chi every minute per level of Chi manipulation. This can then be boosted by performing Chi circulation Techniques. Better still the increase is multiplicative. Then, on top of that, the Cultivation skill into the mix seems to multiply it even further."

  Maik concluded his presentation with an insistence for time in the day where he could try new things. He had a lot left which he hadn't experimented with, much of it even more advanced than what he was presently using. The herm took the extra step to spread and auric effect over the assembled group to encourage them to agree.