章 38: Patrol Cycle license

"How is Cadet Demonbane's training going? You two getting along Biggs?"

"About that I was just coming to as you first before taking it up with Commissioner V. Cadet Demonbane wants to challenge the cycle license exam."

"The civilization one or.."

"If it was just the basic one would I be asking for your approval Sr. Instructor Westnight?"

"You think he is ready?"

"We even have a small bet on if he can be a first time go. One that I can't really lose, but will owe him a bottle of the good stuff after I get a promotion. You want in on it?"

"I would hate to take a kids money."

"He is not exactly broke like your standard academy kid. He even gives those two girls an allowance so they don't even have to spend their own money on snacks and pretty clothes. He can afford to buy a few rounds. Regardless lunch is on him today."

"He invited me already, but I have a date with the range at that time. But what the hell a thousand credits says he face plants like everyone else that takes the test during the first run."

"So I take it as you approve of useing the test to fill the last hour of his training time for today."

"I want a copy of the video of him eating the dirt of turn six."

"Ask the AI for a copy of his first attempt at a double hair pin in the simulator."

*Knock knock*

"Enter."

"Biggs unless he shot you just let Westnight handle it."

"I came to ask for your approval to let him take the Patrol Cycle license exam Sir. Already cleaned it with the Sr. Instructor."

"It would teach him some valuable lessons. I will authorize it."

"Want in on the wager for a 1st time go?"

"Trying to get back and him for racking up a big tab as sticking it to you?"

"Maybe a little bit he already offered to buy me a big steak for getting him good enough to give his bunny a thrill on the way to meet the LDPD chief Xerxa to give back the cycle her stations AI loned him. The kid is not exactly hurting for credits so I don't mind teaching him about how we NEO's love to make little bets."

"Alright I'm in for the biggest stake Sal will grill and Tom's best bottle of imported rum. Arrange for the live feed from the course to be steamed in both the main training room and the academy dining room. Should show the recruits and cadets what it takes to qualify for the cycle unit."

*Alright rookie, get ready for the most shocking experience of your life. The test center is about ten miles outside of the city and it is going to be one wild ride."

"The test or the undesirable consequences of using telapods?"

"Both."

Zeph was not thrilled to find out that Officer Biggs was not exaggerating it being the most shocking experience in his life. Long distance teleportation made the little trip up and down from ES001 feel like a pleasant tingling sensation by comparison, and the test track was far from what he had imagined.

Had the designer of the test center been the recipient of a newly transferred angel too, because it looked like a twisted version of motocross track and a bmx course. He could feel his heart pounding with excitement just thinking about how much fun it was going to be to pilot a patrol cycle through.

It was as far as far from the urban themed obstacle course full of quick reaction obstacles and sharp turns down alleyways he was expecting cold get.

"You sure that this is the right place, Officer Biggs? It looks more like a practice course for an X sports team."

"What are X sports? This way Cadet, lets go introduce you to the test coordinator and the dirt."

A tall blonde haired lady in her mid thirties that looked like she was poured into the skintight black leather jacket and pants she had on screamed put me on the back of a Harley daddy. Officer Biggs certainly could not take his eyes off her headlights.

"NEO's you here to pester those wrench weasels we hired that have a few extra fingers, or is one of you going to be eating dirt for lunch?"

"Any of them got bounties on em?"

"Hell if I know, I just look pretty and conduct the license exam for wanna-be rocket jockeys with badges. You riding, old man or is it the kid with milk still on his breath?"

"The rookie. Be nice Beck, he is special, and it is only his second day in the academy?"

"A special kind of crazy maybe, or your new XO just using him to make an example of what is expected?"

"Look at his chest, if you can see past your own."

"Damn kid that is one fancy badge, it is as black as my nipples, and heart. Does it mean anything I should be concerned about, or is all of that just smoke whispers?"

"I am an administrator."

"Okay, cycles over there, you don't eat any dirt and I will let you see if they really are black like that badge of yours. Call it administrator privilege."

Zeph tried to not let the obvious distractions get to him and focused on what he needed to do as he went through the mental checklist of things that Officer Biggs had shown him to look over when getting on an unfamiliar cycle for the first time.

Signs of previous impacts, but overall in good condition at least for the operational parts, the seat looked like it had just been replaced in the last few days as the paint was covered in scratches. Power bank was full and the hydrogen was at 99%.

Putting on the helmet Zeph could tell that it was certainly different than the one that belonged to LDPD 003. It was twice as heavy an the outside of it was covered in sensors and cameras. He bet it had super accurate GPS tracking markers installed inside of it too.

*Dong*

Welcome to Los Diablos Patrol Cycle License Exam Testing Center all VGPIINN signals are blocked by this helmet. The helmet will relay all necessary diagnostic data to the testers chip via proximity connection. When you are ready to begin your licensing examination start the test cycle and proceed to the start line indicated on the HUD.

Good Luck examinee.

Facility Record for first time pass % 0.01

*Dong*

*Click*

The testing hover cycle pur to life and Zeph felt the hum that had become familiar to him because the VR simulator somehow managed to replicate it perfectly, or as perfect as his lack of experience could tell, and an arrow appeared on the Heads Up Display of the helmet or what the helmet generated by sending the data to his chip.

Gently revving the throttle to test its responsiveness Zeph moved on to testing the braking system and handling of the testing cycle, before finally moving towards the direction of the indicated start line. Both the cycles on board AI and Beck if that was her real name recorded everything from the moment he had put the helmet on.

*Dong*

When the light turns green, Begin.

*Dong*

Soon as the light went solid green Zeph Demonbane pulled back on the throttle control all the way making full use of the initial straight away to test the test cycle's top speed before having to throttle down and deploy the braking system partially as he leaned into the first turn that was nothing more than a curve to the right that was no different than what one would make with making a right handled turn on a city street.

Slightly bit of acceleration when coming out of it to smooth out the turn and prepare for the next series of turns that came one after another in a double S. Next came a double jump that probably caught many testers by surprise if they did not have experience on the test course. Zeph just enjoyed the thrill of leaving the ground for a while.

It felt like he was really flying for the few seconds it lasted before gravity reminded him he lacked wings and that it was a hover cycle not a jet fighter he was piloting. Then came a double left hairpin followed by an immediate clockwise spiral down a ramp that let him cross under the hair pins and up a steep incline that had a sudden turn that could be made to either the left or right to avoid an obstacle in the middle of the track.

"No flow ken way! Did Mother Lilith herself let him borrow her wings."

Officer Biggs barely avoided cussing remembering that he was in uniform, technically on disciplinary probation and that he might be visible on the live stream that the XO had requested.

"That sudden avoidance turn on the incline ramp that was a stand in for an on ramp to the Intercity Express Linkway despite its appearance always had ppl eating dirt for the first few attempts right Beck?"

"First perfect run I ever witnessed managed to jump the damn obstacle I spent so much time making in the same way that rookie of your did. You think he knows how to ride something with even more dangerous curves.?"

"Ask his pink eared bunny, if you are implying what I think you are."

Zeph was in the zone and just enjoying the rush of adrenaline, totally oblivious to all the jaws he was dropping as he cleaned the final jump and set a new record speed on the last major obstacle that required a split second decision on whether or not to attempt a hard stop on a downhill slope or attempt to "thread the needle" and risk hitting hitting the two barrier rails that popped up out of nowhere.

*Dong*

Course completed.

Please wait while final assessment is made by the Test cycle's onboard AI and the test coordinator.

*Dong*

As the dust around him settled Zeph could vaguely make out the outline of a curvaceous silhouette that was approaching swinging something that resembled a leather jacket.