Chapter 6 - What Command Came to Evaluate
Harrison asked Maya to remain at the edge of the mat while military police and command staff escorted Bennett away for formal questioning.
The crowd had grown quiet.
Maya expected the tournament to end.
Instead, Harrison addressed the soldiers.
“This command did not come here to evaluate who could hit hardest.”
He looked toward Maya.
“We came to evaluate who maintained judgment while being provoked, mocked, and physically pressured.”
Bennett’s supporters shifted uneasily.
Harrison continued.
“Sergeant Chen had multiple opportunities to cause injury. She used only the force necessary to regain control.”
He raised the restricted file.
“She is being considered for a position developing advanced defensive training for soldiers operating in close-contact environments.”
The announcement stunned Maya too.
She knew she had been nominated for an instructor evaluation.
She did not know the scale of the program.
Harrison walked onto the mat.
“You will still complete the remaining assessment.”
Maya nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
“This incident will not decide the outcome in your favor.”
“I understand.”
His expression softened by a fraction.
“That answer is one reason you are here.”
The referee offered Maya the championship by disqualification.
She declined.
“I didn’t enter for a title awarded after someone broke the rules.”
She requested that the tournament continue with the next qualified competitor.
That decision spread through the formation faster than Bennett’s fall.
May you like
Maya did not want his humiliation.
She wanted the standard to survive him.
