Placement Tests -- Quark

[MBCE]

"There is no passing nor failing invovled in these tests," came Stephanie's voice. "They are simply a way to standardize your abilities and help us understand what your potenial is." Now, relax. It's going to tkae a while before we are able to set up the next stage."

Workers again bring in refreshments and a chair for Darian to use.

[MBCE]

It isn't long before the lights flicker and Stephanie's voice comes over the speakers once again.

"Darian, we would like to test your resolve, reflexes, and stamina now. You've shown yourself to be highly intelligent, but lacking in the basic physical strengths a young man your age should have. Good Luck."

[Sandman XI]

When he hears that the next test will involve of his physical strengths, he immediately thinks back to a project he has been working on on and off again. It is experimental, but it did improve the areas he lacks in. "Load Test Setting 5X1A6L7E1C8I0." The clockwork gauntlets melt back into the quicksilver-like material that covers his whole body. The room itself changes into four obstacle courses.

Darian slowly sizes up the first obstacle course. The first challenge looks like a field of mist. The next challenge is a swinging bridge. The one after a giant spiral staircase that looks like it has no end. He approaches the mist field to find out that it is no mist, but gas! He quickly runs through the field before any of the gas affects him. When he reaches the swinging bridge, he tests it out to see how shaky it is. It sways lightly, but he cautiously does it anyway. The steep stairway meets him directly at the end of the bridge. For a solid minute he climbs them. Near the top it starts to get shaky and more narrow. Darian surmises that this is his test of resolve, seeing as he is several feet in the air and there is a chance of falling.When he finally reaches the top there is an elevator down to the round. On the way down several spears fly at him! He dries to dodge them, but eventually he can't avoid them. Not that it matters, they are flimsy and cause no harm to him because of his protection. When he reaches the ground, the room's computer chimes in, "Phase one: complete."

[Sandman XI]

The second phase is a little bit shorter. Without warning Darian is launched into the air at high gravitational speed. He can feel his stomach sinking, but he manages to not lose his lunch or freak out. Nearing the apex of the fling, he sees three bars floating in midair. He misses the first one, but latches on to the second one. looking down he calculates he's is about 50 feet up. Just about that time the bar disappears and he plummets towards the ground and landing hard on the ground. "Phase two: complete," the computer reminds him.

[Sandman XI]

The lights go out at the beginning of phase three. Darian is treated to the smell of gas and the hum of lazers again. He holds his breath and dodges the bits of light in the dark. When the lights come up, Darian finds out what was making both the gas and the lazers. A Chimera roars at him in frustration. This does not scare Darian in the least. In fact he wonders where they got it from. He does not have time to think as all three head come after him at once. The pain is too much, Darian passes out.

[Sandman XI]

The final test isn't all that hard. In fact it's downright child's play compared to the rest of the tests Darian has endured. While under the effects of sodium thiopental, he must keep the bit of information he is given away from the interrogator before he passes out. He keeps his mind sharp and the interrogator confused by reciting A Brief History Of Time, switching languages every other paragraph. It takes Darian about an hour to pass out, but the interrogator does not know that "The school lunch today is mystery meat".

[MBCE]

The lights wen tup and Darian was given time to regain his strength. As he rested, workers cleared the room for the last and final test that he would face today.

"Okay, Darian. It's time for your last group of tests. We're going to test your ability avoid being hit. Normally we don't do these tests with students like yourself, but I think we're going to need to see how you can avoid trouble. Simply avoid having the drones touch you, without destroying them. You wouldn'T believe how many drones we lost when the student thought a strong offense was what was needed to pass this test! Good luck."

[Sandman XI]

A girl enters the room. "This is Samantha Capote," the computer says. Darian greets her with a nod and a smile, she returns the same. "She is going to try to tag you," the computer continues, "you are going to try to dodge her. This will go in four rounds. If she tags you the round continues you have three chances to dodge her in a round. If you dodge her the next round will automatically start. We will begin now. Round one." Samantha begins to jog around the room slowly getting faster and faster until the girlis a blur. Darian watches her every move trying to use his insane probability skills to predict where she would strike. He stand on edge for a few seconds. Wait for it, he thinks, Wait for it. A few tense seconds pass and he hear a WOOSH go by him. "Round one complete," the computer drones, "Begin round two." Samantha begins to speed a little bit faster. This time she's a little bit faster, but still using the same pattern as before. WOOSH! Darian dodges the speedster again. "Round two, complete," the computers drones, "Begin round three." Samantha switched her pattern quickly as she sped up for a third time. Before he can acclimate to her new pattern, she taps him on the shoulder. The round will contine. Speeding off, she tries her luck again wioth the same pattern, only to miss. "Round three complete," the computer drones, "Begin round four." Going a full speed, Darian has a hard time keeping up with the 500 miles per hour girl. This time when she tags him it stings a little bit, but it's not meant as harmful. The sting puts him on edge as he tries to anticipate where she will strike next. a few seconds later, his calculations are correct and another WOOSH goes by. "Round four complete," the computer drones, "test over." Samantha stops infront of Darian, they shake hands before the girls zooms off.

[MBCE]

The lights cleared and Stephanie stepped out with a smile on her face. "Not bad. It's good to see that you ahve the ability to avoid attacks. You even seem to have some skill as well. We'll be giving you a very physical training schedule to help develop that area. It seems you've been neglecting it for a little too long!"

Stephanie placed a hand on Darian's shoulder. "Now that we've got that done, I can put you to work. There's been an influx of students recently and I'm going to need that brain of yours to help put them through their paces."

[Sandman XI]

Darian smiles, "Thank you, Miss Harcourt. I will try to do my best." Thinking about the tests he had to endure, he makes mental notes of what tests would be like on the student influctuation. Surely they can all be the same type.