Extracurricular Activities

**Extracurricular Activities** is a short story set in the Machineries of Empire universe, relating a mission undertaken by Shuos Jedao. It was published on Tor.com (2017), illustrated by Micah Epstein and edited by Jonathan Strahan, and dedicated to Sonya Taaffe. It reappears in Hexarchate Stories.

## Blurbs

*Space adventure and comedy about cultural misunderstandings, spy hijinks, and the tactical applications of industrial-grade lubricant. Takes place in the Machineries of Empire setting and features a younger Shuos Jedao, who previously appeared in “The Battle of Candle Arc.”*

*A space opera adventure set in a distant future where an undercover agent has to go behind enemy lines to recover a lost ship and a possible traitor.*

## Summary

Upon arrival at a classified location, Shuos Jedao receives a parcel of goose fat from his mother, along with congratulations on a promotion he hadn't known was coming. The following day, Jedao is assigned by Brigadier General Kel Essier to retrieve a heptarchate spy, Shuos Meng, from the Gwa Reality. Commander Churioi Haval and the Carp merchant troop are assigned to assist him and they arrange to transport variable-coefficient lubricant as a trade cargo.

On the way out of the heptarchate, Jedao fends off cheerful advances by Rhi Teshet, orders the contents of all the troop's shuttles dumped, studies his cover story and destination, and reminisces on his first meeting with Meng at Shuos Academy. The two had remained friends after Meng joined a group family, and Jedao had frequently sent presents for their children.

On approach, the Carp troops are unsuccessfully attacked by Gwa-an special forces disguised as pirates. Jedao disguises himself as one of the "pirates" and is turned in to the authorities, thus infiltrating Du Station. Eventually, despite an accidental Gwa-an duel, he forced a high priest to take him to Meng, and discovered that far from having been captured, Meng had been a Gwa-an spy since before Shuos Academy and was a traitor to the heptarchate. With the deaths of Meng's heptarchate-loyal crew to be redressed, Jedao could not let Meng escape, but convinced them to return to the heptarchate and be executed in exchange for their family, whom they had come to love, never learning about their disgrace. As prearranged, the Carp shuttles gummed up the station's defenses with lubricant, allowing Jedao to escape with Meng.

On the way home, after recovering from the Gwa-an duel virus, Jedao finally accepted Teshet's enticements, but stipulated use of the goose fat instead of the lubricant.

## Trivia

* The story's beta readers and cheerleaders are listed on the author's website: Peter Berman, Joseph Betzwieser, Cyphomandra, the dragon, Yune Kyung Lee, Laura Shapiro, Sonya Taaffe, Telophase, Thistleingrey, and Storme Winfield. This is the first story which the dragon, the author's daughter, proofread for him.
* The title, *Extracurricular Activities*, is mentioned in the text in reference to Shuos Meng's treason.
* The first draft featured "a secret weapon and Jedao challenging a Kel to a duel."
* A tactic used by Jedao in this story was used again by Ajewen Cheris in *Revenant Gun*.

## Links

* Description on author's website
* Full story at Tor.com

## References

1. ↑ *Extracurricular Activities* at Tor.com
2. ↑ "Extracurricular Activities" entry on author's website
3. ↑ *Extracurricular Activities* at Tor.com
4. ↑ "Extracurricular Activities" entry on author's website
5. ↑ Hexarchate Stories: Extracurricular Activities (Author's Note)
6. ↑ Revenant Gun, Chapter 33