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It was past 1800 hours when Valerie arrived on base where she had been assigned in Rome, Italy for the Basic School. The Basic School was the officer training school that took place between commissioning and taking on an actual job in the Marines. Valerie had managed to gain entry into the program faster than many, attending the summer after graduation, rather than waiting months or years for her chance. She had decided to arrive on the last day before school started, and it was late enough now that she needed to check in on the computer at the front desk so the after-hours NCO could come and lead her to her barracks.
He arrived after a short wait, his nameplate and insignia identifying him as Sergeant Wilbury.
"Second Lieutenant Valerie Church," she introduced herself.
The sergeant looked through the system for a moment, then gestured for her to follow.
"Your quarters are in the second barracks," he said. "Apartment G."
"Thank you," she said, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder again.
He began to lead her there. "Been in Italy long?" he asked.
"I just arrived," she said.
"I think you're the last to arrive," he said. "You're lucky, though. They assigned you a good spot."
"Good," she said.
Soon enough they reached a building and he led her through the front door. "G is that way," he said, gesturing down a hallway.
"Thanks," she said, and proceeded to her apartment.
One of the beds was obviously already claimed, so she set her bag on the other. This was not the first time Valerie had flown somewhere, but it was the first occasion where jet lag was a possible outcome, so she had done some reading on how to avoid it. She had avoided sleeping on the plane and had used noise-canceling headphones, as the articles she had read advised. Tomorrow was the first day of the Basic School; she knew she had waited until the last possible moment and that most of her classmates had arrived days or weeks ago. Things had been going so well at home that she hadn't wanted to leave. It was crazy to think that, but it was true.
In any case, it was time to undress and try to sleep. She opened the bag, and pulled out some pajamas. It wouldn't do to unpack everything just this minute, but she reached in the bag and rifled around for something else—the holostill of the ROTC commissioning ceremony was in here somewhere, and she wanted to look at it. Graduation and the commissioning ceremony had taken place only a couple of weeks ago. Her diploma was a Bachelor of Arts in interplanetary relations and leadership, which was the major she had decided on her sophomore year. It suited her, she thought, and would sharpen her leadership skills as she learned more in the Basic School.
She turned the holostill on when she found it, projecting the picture of herself with her father and grandfather, who had had the honor of placing the second lieutenant rank pins on her epaulets. She placed it on the side table and changed into her pajamas, and after she had lain down, she picked the holostill projector up to hug it to her chest. She could remember the occasion well; her grandfather's gentle touch and her father patting her on the back afterwards. They stood next to her, each with an arm around her, to take the picture, and she had smiled. Everything was good now. For right now, at least.
Someone else came in the room, a tall black woman who turned on the light, leaving Valerie squinting against it. She turned off the holostill projector.
"Oh," she said, and turned it back off. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Valerie said. "I'm Valerie. Valerie Church."
"Laney de Mbanga," the woman replied. She changed and laid down. "Make it here okay? Seems like you might have had some trouble."
"Oh, no trouble," Valerie said. "Just waited until the last minute, is all."
"Oh, okay," Laney said. "I got here two weeks ago. Got a crash course in Italian, too. I can ask for the bathroom, at least."
"I got around by speaking Spanish," Valerie admitted. "They're close enough that people could work out what I meant."
Laney chuckled, hugging her pillow. "I took Japanese in school. That wouldn't help me much."
"Not much," Valerie agreed. "I took Spanish back in high school, so I'm a little rusty. But I managed."
"I'm glad," Laney said.
Eventually, the two fell asleep. The sound of the alarm came far too soon—they had talked for a while, and now it was 0500 hours.
Valerie rolled over and groaned, and something clattered to the floor. It was the stand with the holostill of her at her commissioning ceremony, she realized an instant later, and she sat up, reaching down blindly to find it.
The edge of one of the corners had broken off, but the projector still worked. She let out a sigh, blowing her bangs off her face. She couldn't believe she'd done that.
Well, either way, it was time to get up. She set the holostill projector on the nightstand and arose. She gathered a utility uniform out of her bag, as well as some boots, ending up with most of its contents strewn across the bed in the process. She tidied it up, repacking it into her closet.
Laney opened her eyes when the closet opened and groaned, rolling over. Valerie started to leave to go get her shower.
"So early," Laney muttered, but with good humor, a wry smirk on her lips. "You could have waited until 0530, you know."
"You can wait until then," Valerie said. "I like to get the first shower."
"Maybe one day they'll invent some kind of silent alarm so you don't wake me up too early," Laney said. "I like to get my beauty sleep."
"Why, do you need it?" Valerie teased back, and Laney whipped her pillow out from under her head to give Valerie a whack.
Valerie laughed and went into the bathroom. After her shower, Valerie put on her uniform, and exited into the room again. Laney was up now, towering several inches over Valerie.
"So much for beauty sleep," Laney teased her. "You shower too loud."
"If I could change the volume of the water, I would, for you," Valerie said, laughing.
Laney slipped into the bathroom, and Valerie headed out to check in for class. The other new lieutenants filtered into the room over the next ten minutes or so. The SPC—the staff platoon commander—walked to the front and studied the datapad in his hands. His insignia and name patch identified him as Captain Markham.
"All right," he called out a few moments later. "Uniform inspection is first and will count as calling roll. Line up to the left here." He gestured, and Valerie arose and went to stand in the assigned place. The line shifted toward the front, little by little, until Valerie was at the front.
"Second Lieutenant Valerie Church," she said when it was her turn. Markham walked around her, checking her uniform. For a moment she felt unduly stressed about this one little thing. But the SPC nodded her along and she went and found her seat again.
Once everyone had been checked, Markham stood at the front again. He eyed them all sharply before speaking. "You've probably heard a lot about what this experience is going to be like," he said. "I'm here to tell you to listen to everything you've heard, but also keep an open mind. Things are going to be tough, but you're here because the Marine Corps has made the decision to believe you can handle this training. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," everyone responded.
"Good," he said. "Log into the terminal in front of you and we will go over the schedule for the next 6 months."
The introductory things took up the rest of the morning. Once that was done, they were sent to the chow hall for lunch. Valerie had not met anyone yet here but Laney, so when she saw Laney sitting by herself, Valerie joined her.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," Laney replied. "Get enough sleep?"
"Barely," Valerie said. "I just flew in, so I'm getting some jet lag."
"Why'd you wait so long, anyway?" Laney asked. "If you want to tell me, I mean."
"Oh, it's fine," Valerie replied. "I only graduated two weeks ago, and things have been going so well at home, I didn't want to leave right away. That's all."
"Oh, you got into a session quick," Laney said. "I waited almost 18 months."
"Yeah, I've heard a lot of stories like that," Valerie said. "I didn't have to wait, but I did get kind of squeezed in between there."
"I understand," Laney said. "I didn't want to leave my mother when I had to go. I hugged her for so long."
Valerie huffed out a rueful chuckle. She hadn't hugged her father like that before leaving, but had she had her mother available, she would have been the same way. "Yeah, I can understand that."
Soon enough chow time was over and it was time for their first hike. Valerie walked with Laney to the starting point, and the two continued to talk, mainly about their travels to arrive in Rome. This particular hike would not be a ruck march, where they'd be encumbered by packs or equipment, but Valerie knew from her reading that she'd soon be expected to be able to hike with 20 kilos of stuff on her back on a regular basis. She fell into line when everyone was commanded to begin, and marched. The captain leading them went on ahead, leaving them to be able to converse while they walked.
"What MOS are you going for?" Laney asked her, referring to the military specialties each person would be assigned upon graduation.
"Regional affairs officer," Valerie replied. "That or foreign area officer."
"Really?" Laney said. "That's ambitious. I'm going for manpower officer."
"That's pretty ambitious, too," Valerie said.
Laney laughed. "Hey, don't try to butter me up."
"Hey, I'm just calling it how I see it."
By the time the hike was over the two were ready to get back to barracks and rest. Valerie knew things were only going to get more intense from here, but she was still suffering from jet lag and needed to get some sleep. Laney just seemed to want to lie down. The two showered and changed for bed, lounging around and talking more. Valerie was glad to have an agreeable roommate once again.
The days began to blend into weeks, then months, as the Basic School continued. Everything was regimented in a way where the difficulty continually ramped up for them over time. Valerie studied a lot, and did her independent PT on an equally regimented schedule—PT was not a group activity here as it had been in the ROTC. She did her PT with Laney much of the time, and a small group of friends they began to gather: Gina, Sergey, Ian, and Holly.
"You know you're allowed to rest once in a while, right?" Sergey teased her. She was doing push-ups while he sat at the side, catching his breath from doing fifty of his own.
"No, really?" Valerie said, amused. She stopped doing push-ups to lean on one elbow and talk. "You know, if you're just going to be dead weight you might as well come sit here so I have something to lift."
Sergey laughed. "You shouldn't try to show off," he said.
"You don't know a thing about me," she said. "I never try."
He chuckled and came over to sit on her back. She wasted no time in rising in a push-up, and continued until she had performed ten of them.
"You see?" she said as he rose to his feet. He put out his hand and she took it to accept his help in getting up herself.
"I do now," he said.
The sessions of PT and the ruck marches began to run together in her mind; she was always moving, always busy. Almost too busy to socialize, and although she had read that making friends in the Basic School was as important as the leadership skills she'd be gaining, she barely did much more than her PT sessions with them. Command drills became more and more frequent, and more important. Valerie had thought it would be fun to go to the clubs on the weekends there in Rome, but it ended up being a much lower priority because of homework and studying—and resting.
Impressing Captain Markham became a priority, as well. She knew she had his good opinion to count on for getting good marks at these exercises and in her studies. She had always been good at impressing teachers, and she took advantage of that skill as the weeks drew on.
The final month of the Basic School consisted almost entirely of command drills. Valerie's first turn to command a company came a week into the drills. She marched at the head of the group, leading the vanguard, feeling suddenly like a fish out of water. She had been learning to lead, but she didn't feel it came naturally to her.
But then they reached their assigned position, and she ordered them to a halt. She turned around and caught sight of their faces as they stood at attention—proud soldiers, every one. Ready to take orders. To take orders from her. She just needed to rise to the occasion.
"Our orders today are to capture the flag from B company," she said, as if this were any different from any other one of these drills. "B company is well-armed and well-fortified in a bunker two klicks west of here." This was the moment—she needed to come up with a plan of her own.
"I want files one and two to attempt to infiltrate the bunker; I want the other four files to try to lead members of company B into the forest. The more worried they are about you and what you're doing, the less they're concerned about the flag. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," the company responded.
"All right," she said. "Fall out and stagger your positions as you make your way west."
The company followed her commands, staggering out at the fanned further west. Those she had commanded to concentrate on capturing the flag held back a bit while the others led the way.
"A bold strategy," said a soldier who fell in beside her for the march. She glanced over; it was her friend, Sergey.
"I wanted to try a little misdirection," she said.
"Well, here's to hope it works out for you," he said. "If it does, I'll buy you a drink."
Ordinarily, she'd roll her eyes, but she just glanced over at him. She needed to act like a commander. "Don't bet against me, Lieutenant."
"Ooh, okay," he said. "I get it, I get it." He gave her a little mock salute, like a Boy Scout. "Anyway, I'm on Team Pretend To Storm The Castle so I'd better be on my way."
"Lieutenant," she said. "Address me that way again and you'll be on the ground."
Sergey grinned but didn't say anything more, moving off to the north of where she was marching.
Soon enough the sounds of mock combat could be heard—voices shouting, people running, paintballs being fired. Valerie hung back now, checking her visor's HUD for updates on her company. Soon enough people were heading back her way, their armor marked with paint.
"Report," she commanded one of the first to come by.
"Our faction is drawing B company out into the woods," he replied. "I think it's going to work."
Soon enough there was a cacophony of voices as Valerie drew nearer. Cheering. Paintball guns going off.
"We did it!" Sergey reported to her over the radio. "We captured the flag!"
Valerie smiled but did not join the celebration. It was one exercise out of many she would have to take part in before graduation. She was glad she had succeeded, but it was just one success.
It was late at night before Valerie allowed herself to return to her room. She had done extra PT as a sort of celebration. Laney was fast asleep; Valerie sneaked into the room and took off her boots. She was about to continue undressing when there came a knock at the door.
Valerie returned to it and opened it slightly. There was Sergey with a bottle of whiskey.
"Got you that drink," he said.
"Ah," she said. "I guess, uh, come in, but be quiet. Laney's asleep."
Sergey came in and Valerie sat down on her bed. He closed the door behind him and sat down with her.
"You didn't have to, you know," she said.
"Sure I did," he said. "You won, fair and square."
She grinned at that and took a drink. "You don't have to get on my good side, you know," she said.
"I like being on your good side, though," he said.
"And why's that?" she said.
"Because we're friends?" he said. "Come on."
"Mm, okay," she teased back. "I'll give you that."
"You'd better," he said.
In the ensuing weeks before the Basic School ended, Valerie had 3 more successful incursions as team leader. Now it was time to celebrate.
She was the one who suggested it. They had some free time, as it was the weekend, and she still hadn't seen much of Rome. "Let's go to a club," she said.
"A club?" Sergey said. "That's never really been my scene. Or, that is to say…I've never gone to one."
"Oh, it's so much fun," Valerie said. "I'll help you, don't worry."
"Well…if you say so," Sergey said.
The group was prepared that Saturday. Valerie chose a white crop top and black spangled shorts to wear. Everyone else was dressed similarly—except for Sergey, who was wearing a blue suit.
Valerie laughed when he appeared at their meeting place. "Are you sure you want to wear that?" she asked. "You're going to be hot."
"No hotter than you," he said, quirking an eyebrow.
Valerie laughed. "Ian," she said, addressing Sergey's roommate, "didn't you tell him to wear something lighter?"
"I did, but this is what he's seen in movies, so…" Ian shrugged.
Everyone laughed and began walking off base. They flagged down a couple of taxis, and arrived at the club fifteen minutes later.
The music was pounding through the front doors. Valerie looked at the front of the place and smiled, remembering how she used to go to clubs in Texas using a fake ID.
"You're happy," Sergey remarked. Valerie looked at him. He looked very unsure. She smiled and took his hand.
"You'll love it," she assured him. She led him to get in line to have their IDs checked by the bouncers. They had to use their passports since they were all from overseas, but they all were let in, so that worked fine. Valerie tucked her passport back in her purse and faced Sergey, taking both his hands. "Drinks first, or dancing?"
"Oh," he said. "You're not going to get me to dance without some alcohol."
Valerie led him to the bar, where she ordered them each a Manhattan. They went to a table and sipped them and talked. Sergey had seemed a bit uncomfortable with the environment at first but quickly warmed up to it with a drink under his belt. He even ended up leading her to the dance floor, where the two traded partners among their friends—after dancing with Sergey, Valerie danced with Laney and Holly, Ian and Gina, before ending back up partnered with Sergey.
"Getting more used to it?" Valerie asked him.
"Yeah," he said. "I learned how to grind."
Valerie laughed and began to dance that way with him, grinding her hips against his. He smiled and returned the move, arms encircling her. She reached up and tweaked his nose. "I like you," she remarked.
He grinned. "Good thing; we're friends, after all."
"Yeah, good thing," she said.
Eventually the night had to come to an end, and everyone piled into taxis again to get back to base. Sergey walked her to her quarters, and she let him in after they'd reached the door.
"A nightcap?" she offered, pulling out the bottle of whiskey he'd brought her after her first victory. "I still have half of this left."
"Sure," he said, and they sat on the bed and drank.
"It'll be goodbye soon," Sergey remarked as she finished the last drink out of the bottle.
"Nah," she said.
"What do you mean, 'nah'?" he said. "You think we'll be assigned to the same unit or something?"
"No, I just don't say goodbye to people I care about," she said. "My mom always said that if you don't say goodbye you're not really gone."
Sergey laughed. "That's ridiculous."
Valerie rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm not saying it."
Graduation came soon enough after that. She hadn't invited her father and grandfather—it'd be a long trip for them just to witness a short ceremony, after all. She realized as the ceremony went on that had been a mistake, however; there was no one to share her energy and joy with. No one but the short-term friends she had made here.
At the reception afterwards, she and Laney were standing at one of the high tables, drinking punch. Laney nibbled on a biscotti while Valerie chattered on about her family and home life; she wasn't one to share as much as she was doing now normally, but she and Laney had been roommates for months now, and she missed them.
"My dad is one of those guys who's always too busy until he realizes it...which takes way too long...but once he realizes it, he'll find some time for you. Maybe too little, too late, sometimes, but...at least he tries now and then."
Valerie looked down at the tableLaney had placed a hand on Valerie's, which had formed into a fist.
"It's okay," Laney said quietly. "I understand about your family not being here, Val."
"I wasn't trying to…" Valerie stopped and gave a sheepish smile. "This time was my fault."
Laney nodded and pulled her hand back. "My own family is going to expect me to join them shortly, so I should go soon."
"Yeah," Valerie said.
Sergey approached Valerie then, hands extended, and he placed them on her shoulders. "I'm going to miss you," he said.
"Yeah, same here," she said with a smile, placing one hand on his side. "I suppose we'll have to find a way to keep in touch."
"That way we're not really saying goodbye; yeah, I get it."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't tease."
He smiled one more time. "I have to go, but…here." He bent in and kissed her, one time on each cheek.
In her surprise she didn't return the gesture. "Sergey…"
"It's a friendship kiss," he said. "Don't read anything into it."
"Okay," she said with a firm nod. "And I'll write you."
"Same here," he said, releasing her. "Farewell."
She laughed. "That's still a goodbye. See you later," she replied.
"Yeah, see you later, Val," he said. "Goodbye, Laney." He gave Laney kisses on each cheek as well, and waved as he walked off.
"I have to go, too," Laney said. "It's been good to know you."
"Yeah, same here," Valerie said, glad Laney knew not to try to say goodbye after that exchange.
Laney walked away. And then Valerie was left there, alone. She was smiling slightly to herself, and she decided not to allow herself to become sad that day.