Author's Note: This is something I've been meaning to update for a while now. I'm going to be completely honest with you guys that have been reading this fic. As one reader may have already noted/figured out, I'm a civilian. Yeah, guilty I have no real knowledge of military life, but my dad, uncles and grandfather all served at one point. My dad was in Vietnam and I think my grandpa and uncle were in WWII. I'm in a rush due to my home computer being down so I'll keep it brief. Let me know what you think.
Iraq
Chapter 2
That evening Richard stared solemnly out his airplane window as they headed to their destination. The young recruit hadn't said anything since climbing onboard earlier in the day while others around him socialized crawling back and forth between seats and rows. Richard seemed lost in his own world as he watched the orange and violet hued clouds without blinking. A young woman with long white hair crawled into the seat beside him kneeling on its cushion.
"So what's your story?" she asked in a brash tone. Richard didn't answer and seemed unaware of her presence till she nudged him.
"Hey!" she said louder startling Richard and gave her a bewildered expression.
"Oh, sorry." he replied.
"I take it this is your first time. I'm Rose by the way." she said.
"Richard Grayson." he replied somewhat cautiously.
"So how old are you Richard?" Rose asked.
"I'm eighteen." he answered.
"I'm twenty-one, this will be my second tour of Iraq." she told him.
"Good for you." he replied.
"I get it your one of those poor slobs that's in here because of the draft." she surmised.
"What gave that away?" he asked with a little sarcasm.
"You don't seem like the kind of person that should be in this plane for starters. You look soft, but don't worry you'll be over that soon enough." she replied surely as she slammed her back into the chair and made herself comfortable.
"So what's it like?" he asked.
"It's hell kid, it ain't for everyone. Which is why I don't like them reinstatin' the draft." Rose answered.
"So then why are you here?" he asked.
"Cuz I volunteered for it. I wanted to serve my country as soon as possible. Dad was against it naturally, but I wanted to be there with my brother. Make sure he didn't die, once dad saw the determination I had. He let me go. And now I'm heading back." she responded looking at the seat back infront of her.
"You ever do anything like that?" she added looking back at him. Rich struggled to answer; truthfully he did the sort of thing every night as Robin. But couldn't tell her that, and only shook his head slightly and hesitantly at her.
"No...I haven't." he replied leaning back in his seat.
"This war ain't for pussies, you either adapt to it or die. Even the strongest minds can be broken by war Rich. I've seen it happen. So if you intend on flunking out you better do it quickly." she warned. The boy found himself speechless, whatever response he had suddenly fell flat. Richard shook his head and replied, the hell with pretenses.
"Actually, I fought for the rights of people every night. People that couldn't protect themselves, so..in a way I know where you're coming from. I know I may not seem like much but I'm a warrior Rose...just like you." he said looking back. A smirk formed on the young girl's face knowing she had a comrade.
"Welcome to the team kid." she replied.
The airliner landed at the Fort Hood Base in Texas that evening as soldiers filed down the staircase ramp and lined up on tarmac with their bags either slung on their shoulder or on the ground next to them. A few of them talked amongst themselves, while others remained silent. Their superior, a man in his fifties or early sixties strode up to them with his hands behind his back and called their attention.
"A-ten hut!" he ordered. The recruits immediately stood at attention as he walked by.
All the men and women stood rigid, with their eyes locked forward without blinking as he examined the newest recruits.
"Good evening and welcome to Fort Hood. I am staff sergeant David Hanner, and will be in charge of your training. I'm sure that for some of you this is your first time in the armed services because of the reinstated draft policy. Up till now those that served did it willingly. Unfortunately the politicians have screwed all that up, which means it's likely some of you aren't even fit to serve. All recruits will be subjected to a psychiatric evaluation to test their fortitude and see if they are in deed worthy of serving in the US Army. All recruits line up by the service tent to your right, dismissed." Sgt. Hanner said as they relaxed.
A heavy sigh of relief could be heard from the group as they started talking to each other once again before making their way to the service tent. A short time later Richard found himself halfway back in the long line that led into the counseling tent. And could only imagine the type of questions he'd have to endure from the psychologist once he got in there. An amount of time passed, as those infront of him were texting and surfing the net on their phones in an attempt to stave off utter boredom standing in line. It seemed as though the line had gone nowhere within the past half hour or so of waiting in line. Were they screening people or having full-blown sessions in there? Rich strained his neck as he looked down the line and still had a considerable ways to go. His feet feeling like weights, he crouched down and sat on the pavement while Rose joined him.
"I didn't think it'd take this long. They talking about how much they're parents effed them over or what?" Rose joked.
Rich chuckled a bit at the mildly entertaining aside and looked back at the seemingly endless line.
"I don't know what'll be worse? This line, talking to that shrink or going through basic training tomorrow?" Richard mused.
"Can't be any worse than having to talk about your feelings to some guy with a PhD." Rose replied sardonically earning another chuckle from Rich.
"I know right?" he smiled, and looked up and saw one of the recruits listening to his MP3 and appeared to be off in another world.
"Looks like he's got the right idea." Rich said.
"Yeah, you know I'm kind of surprised I hadn't thought of that." Rose said taking out her own.
"Wanna listen to something?" she asked offering him, her headphones.
"I think I have my iPod Shuffle in here somewhere." He said rummaging through his own bag.
"It's fine. You put in one, and I'll put in the other." She said still offering.
"What kind of music do you listen to?" she added.
"What do you have?" Rich asked.
"Mostly metal. I tend to like the more hardcore bands like Metallica. What about yourself?" she asked. Rich smiled as he answered.
"I tend to be a little more mainstream." He answered.
"Lame, I'm just kidding. Like how mainstream are we talking?" She chided.
"Nothing you'd listen to." He joked back as Rose playfully shoved him.
"Hey come on the line is moving!" one of the soldiers yelled behind them.
"Keep your panties on." Rose told him before shuffling across the pavement on her bottom. Rich chuckled a bit as he did the same and scooched further down to keep the line moving.
At the front of the line a larger girl with pink, spiky hair was admitted into the tent as the line continued to move. A few seconds later Richard heard Rose singing the chorus of Avril Lavigne's 'What the Hell?'. He raised an eyebrow in amusement watching her go on bobbing her head side to side as she sang.
"I thought you didn't like anything mainstream?" he joked. Rose just scoffed and answered.
"Bitch, you don't know what I like." She joked back shoving him once again. This time harder and nearly pushed him over.
"And just when I think I have you figured out." he grinned.
"Oh hey the line is moving again. Scooch up." she replied patting his leg.
Rich did as he was told while she got up and actually moved. Prompting him to stand up as others looked on. Rose then sat back down on the pavement Indian style and started listening to her music again. And were now closer to the tent than ever before.
"You know you're not like most girls I've met." Rich told her.
"I'll take that as a compliment. I can't stand those frilly, foo-foo girls. Stupid bitches, think there the center of the universe afraid of breaking a nail or anything." She replied.
"They can't be that bad." He said surely.
"Ah, you haven't been around girls that much." She replied smartly.
"You may have a point." He mused.
"Shit yeah I do!" she replied annoyed.
He had to admit he didn't really have anywhere else to go with this. He didn't know any girls that were exactly as she described them, but then again she was a girl. So there may be a little bit of truth in that. Just maybe.
"Hey I think we're up next." He said getting up as the person infront of them went in.
A moment later he too was admitted in and it wasn't what he expected. Inside the tent was a collection of female attendants standing behind upright wooden panels with four to each. Soldiers were asked confidential questions as to whether they've suffered from posttraumatic stress in the past. If this was there first time going to war and the like while a male and female psychologist analyzed some of the other prospects in a separate section of the tent. The process only took a few minutes at the booths, while the clinical psychologists spent a few minutes longer with their own clients. Dick seemed to luck out and was asked to one of the booths, with Rose followed closely behind him. And took to the next booth.
"Is this your first tour of duty?" a black middle-aged woman asked.
"No." Richard answered.
"Are you prepared for what may lie before you?" the woman asked.
"I guess I don't really have a choice do I?" he answered.
"You always have a choice." The woman replied.
"Then how can they justify having a draft?" he asked.
"I can't really answer that. If you would have a seat over there, our clinical psychologist will be with you in a minute." She said pointing behind him.
"All right." he replied and went to sit at the female psychologist's table.
Rose finished hers up and after answering it was her second tour of Iraq was asked to see the male psychologist next to him. And sat behind Richard. The two exchanged glances and were then called up to seem them a moment later. The pair was then given a more through evaluation, asking them how they might react in a given situation. If they've suffered any past significant traumas, such as the loss of a friend or close loved one.
He thought about dodging that question entirely, and answer no. Instead he relented and answered yes.
"How did you lose your parents?" she asked.
"Well, they were trapeze artists in a circus and, their lines were sabotaged. I was forced to watch them fall to their deaths." He muttered unapologetically. The woman quirked an eyebrow and clicked her pen.
"I see, and have ever been able to move past your parents deaths?" she asked.
"Sort of, yeah. But not entirely." He answered.
"I see and how old were you when this happened?" the woman asked.
"About eight." He replied.
"Do you have any surviving family? Who took you in after their demise?" she asked.
"I have a few spare relatives around. But I was taken in by a man named Bruce Wayne." He answered.
"The billionaire philanthropist?" the woman asked.
"Yes mamn." He replied. The psychologist could have prodded further, but continued with the interview.
"Are you here of your own free will, or because of the draft?" the woman added.
"The draft." He replied.
"How do you think you will adapt should you find yourself on the field of battle?" she asked.
"I'm hoping I'll adapt well to it." he answered.
"Have you been witness to other acts of violence? Or a violet crime other than your parents deaths?" the woman asked.
"I live in Gotham City mamn. That's like the crime capital of the world." he replied. The woman looked up at him from her clipboard for a moment before continuing.
"If you find yourself in a life or death situation. Would you have the resolve to take another man's life to save your own or those of your comrades?" she asked. Rich paused as he pondered the implications of it.
"Traditionally I wouldn't, but in time of war. I'm not sure." He said before looking back at her.
"But I would do everything in my power to save myself and others." He answered.
"This is a serious question Dick. Would you take a life if given no other choice?" she asked. He paused for another second before answering.
"I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there." he replied.
"All right, now the flip side. Would you be willing to give up your life to save others? Or to die in service to your country and the ideals it upholds?" she asked.
It was a question that made him pause, in all his years as a superhero. He never thought about the possibility of having to die for his country. He knew that when he went out every night as Robin, he put his life on the line. That every night, he might not live to see the morning, every rooftop he leaped off of might be his last. He'd seen his share of violence, untold nights of being shot at by every criminal and supervillain he'd ever come across. Being held over vats of acid by the Joker, and getting the absolute shit beat out of him when the Batman wasn't there. Nights of being threatened within an inch of his life, and yet he always persevered and held his own even when it seemed hopeless.
Times when his grappling line snapped and found himself falling with no one else to save him. Nights of having to face maniacs like Joker and Two-Face alone. And now he found himself in a new and unfamiliar situation, he won't have his utility belt, acrobats, martial arts training or even Batman to fall back on should things get hairy. The only thing preserving his life will be a cold steel gun and military training.
"Richard?" the woman asked. Breaking out of his thoughts he looked up at the woman who noted the long silence between them.
But he wouldn't be alone; he'd have his brothers and sisters in arms to back him up. Because they'd protect his life too, and he theirs. He narrowed his eyes as he looked back at the woman and answered.
"Yes. I would." he replied with certainty. The woman noted his resolve and scrawled her findings.
"All right, you passed the test. Welcome to the army Richard." she told him.
"Thank you." he replied standing up and shook her hand.
"Best of luck to you." she said as he left.
Author's Note: Well that's it for now. I still have plenty of ideas for this story but I'm pressed for time. Again I have no real knowledge of military life so kind of playing this by ear. I really hope Anon doesnt go on about his usual bull or I'm going to strangle a reviewer. Nothing political I just get tired of his usual bullshit regarding villains he likes to fanwank about. But he had a point in his last review about how the military works better when it's voluntary rather than forced. Which is why I'm hoping they never reinstate the draft. But this is not about that. As I said earlier I've wanted to do an Iraq War fic for the longest time. Usually my thoughts would be a little more organized but I'm in a rush so I dont mean to offend anyone. I really dont. Also I imagine the language will be more graphic given the circumstaces, ala Rose and possibly even other chararcters. Let me know what you think. I know this isnt much to go on but I hope guys like it. I'm out.
Please review,
Green Gallant.