As we entered the classroom the next day, I couldn't help but notice the glares and whispers directed at Malfeasony from the other cadets. It was clear that his secret had spread like wildfire, and we were now under siege from all sides.

Sergeant Wong stood at the front of the room, her steely gaze sweeping over the assembled cadets. She wasted no time in getting straight to the point.

"I am aware of the recent incident involving Cadet Malfeasony," she began, her voice firm and unwavering. "While his actions may have been in violation of protocol, it is not our place to pass judgment. Our focus remains on our training and study. We will spend the first period with debriefing you on your pathetic excuse for tactics during this paintball exercise, then we will spend the next two days discussing real starship boarding tactics."

There was a tense silence as her words sank in, the weight of her implication hanging heavily in the air. It was clear that she expected us to put aside our differences and work together as a team.

But as the debriefing continued, it became apparent that not everyone was willing to set aside their grievances. The other cadets seemed determined to make life difficult for Malfeasony and me, their hostility simmering just below the surface.

As we left the classroom for lunchbreak, I could feel the weight of their animosity pressing down on us like a suffocating blanket. But despite the mounting pressure, Malfeasony remained surprisingly composed, his resolve unwavering in the face of adversity. It was clear that our situation had become more precarious than ever, and we needed to come up with a plan if we hoped to survive the onslaught.

"We can't let them get to us," Malfeasony said, his voice steady despite the turmoil swirling around us. "We need to stay focused on our training and prove that we belong here."

I nodded in agreement, a sense of determination coursing through my veins. We may have been under siege, but we refused to back down without a fight.

I saw him trembling slightly as we returned to the classroom. Whiteboard filled with graphics and texts and information on which page of our study ebook would be relevant for this lesson.

As I sat in the classroom beside Malfeasony, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that hung heavy in the air. The instructor's voice droned on about boarding tactics, but my attention was elsewhere, focused entirely on my teammate beside me.

Malfeasony's discomfort was palpable, his nervous energy practically vibrating in the air. I could see the strain in his eyes as he struggled to keep up with the lesson, his dyslexia making it difficult for him to follow along with the complex maneuvers being taught.

Desperate to help him without drawing attention to his condition, I discreetly passed him a set of audio recordings of the texts, hoping to provide him with some assistance. He nodded gratefully, slipping the earbuds in and listening intently to the audio.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

But even with the recordings, Malfeasony seemed to be struggling. His anxiety only seemed to grow as the instructor moved on to a demonstration of boarding tactics using a holographic display. Fumbling with his notes, he looked to me for support, his eyes silently pleading for help.

I knew I had to step in. Whispering words of encouragement, I offered to help him navigate the intricacies of the lesson. Together, we worked to decipher the holographic display, with me providing guidance and reassurance every step of the way.

Despite the challenges we faced, Malfeasony refused to give up. With my support, he began to gain confidence, slowly but surely finding his footing in the lesson. And as the class drew to a close, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in how far he had come.

As we gathered our belongings and prepared to leave the classroom, Malfeasony offered me a small smile, a silent acknowledgment of the bond we shared and the strength we found in each other.

Delfi and Savanna clearly noticed something was amiss, but a few whispered words from Malfeasony stopped them from openly noting on it.

After a short break, we changed the focus of our lesson as well as the textbook. This time Sergeant Wong sent out the relevant passages from a textbook we didn’t already have stored directly to our tablets. It was too sudden to get the audio files or convert it with text to speech software. This time, Malfeasony was on his own.

As the lesson on boarding tactics progressed, I couldn't shake the feeling that the teacher, Sergeant Wong, was starting to grow suspicious of Malfeasony's dyslexia. We were seated in a cramped classroom aboard the space marine training facility, the hum of the ship's engines providing a constant backdrop to our studies.

Sergeant Wong paced back and forth at the front of the room, her eyes darting from one cadet to another as she explained the intricacies of boarding operations. Malfeasony sat beside me, his brow furrowed in concentration as he listened intently to the sergeant's words.

I watched as Malfeasony struggled to keep up with the lesson, his gaze flickering between the textbook in front of him and the holographic display projected onto the classroom's main screen. Despite his best efforts, I could tell that he was having difficulty processing the information.

Sergeant Wong seemed to notice Malfeasony's struggles as well. Her brow furrowed in suspicion as she observed my friend, her eyes narrowing with each passing moment. It was only a matter of time before she confronted Malfeasony about his dyslexia.

As the lesson drew to a close, Sergeant Wong approached Malfeasony's desk, her expression stern. "Cadet Malfeasony, may I have a word with you?"

Malfeasony looked up, his face pale with apprehension. "Of course, Sergeant."

I watched anxiously as the sergeant leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I couldn't help but notice that you were struggling to keep up with the lesson today. Is everything alright?"

Malfeasony hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting nervously around the room. "Yes, Sergeant. I'm just...having a bit of trouble focusing today."

Sergeant Wong narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced by Malfeasony's explanation. "Is there something else going on, Cadet? You know you can talk to me if you're having any difficulties. If it’s some interference from your deactivated implant, I can have a MedTech technician have a look at it."

Malfeasony swallowed hard, his hands trembling slightly. "No, Sergeant. Everything's fine. I'll make sure to study harder for the next lesson."

Sergeant Wong studied Malfeasony for a moment longer before nodding curtly. "Very well, Cadet. Just remember, if you ever need any help, don't hesitate to ask."

With that, the sergeant turned on her heel and strode back to the front of the room, leaving Malfeasony and me alone once more. I could see the relief wash over Malfeasony's face as he let out a shaky breath.

But as the lesson continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that Sergeant Wong's suspicions had only been temporarily allayed. It was only a matter of time before she uncovered the truth about Malfeasony's dyslexia, and when she did, we would need to be prepared to face the consequences.