Glimmer in the Sun
Part 1: The Arrival
"Well, that's about it, all of your identification papers check out. Welcome to Nairobi, Cadet Raj."
"Thanks, uh can you tell where my bunk is?"
"Certainly according to your registration file your bunk is on level three, room number 32, which is the second door on your left from the staircase.
"Thanks again"
Oh, wait just one more second Cadet Raj about your roommates...
"Don't bother, I'll meet them when I reach my room, see ya"
"Okay, goodbye and good luck"
"Oh, wow" New cadet Derik Raj thought to himself as he walked away from the registration booth. "I'm so excited that I was accepted, I never thought I would make it!" Derik had just arrived to the military base in Kenya, only a few hours beforehand and did not have a chance to even look around let alone get settled in anywhere.
Derik began walking toward the barracks stairs, hefting his heavy duffel bag over his shoulder with a quick groan. "I guess I'd better go and introduce myself to my new roommates and get settled into my new home." The Nairobi base is relatively large and happens to be located very close to the infamous Lake Victoria base although it paled in prestige, mostly because the Victoria base gave rise to one of the most celebrated pilots in the Specials history: Zechs Merquies, a man whom Derik greatly respected. Reaching the top of the stairs Derik stared down the well-lit hall taking notice of two uniformed cadets at the far end of the hall. "Hmm" he thought, I'll try to introduce myself after I unpack, but, first things first, 31, 32, ah here it is. Knocking on the heavy wooden door, he waited until he heard a feminine voice issue forth from behind the door.
"Come in." Slowly opening the door and peering in the room Derik instantly saw the young girl sitting on one of the four beds unpacking a duffel bag similar to his own. The girl stood up and walked toward Derik.
"Hi my name is Faith Inan, you must be one of my new roomates.... uh what's your name I didn't quite catch it"
"Hello, I'm Derik Raj, it's a pleasure to meet you Faith" Derik said clasping his roomates extended hand. " Uh, you said roomates, right, you wouldn't happen to know if the other two have arrived yet? Faith paused and ran a hand through her shoulder length brown hair. "Actually, yes one has already been here and left, a kid named Kibitz I think, he went down to the mess hall, to get some lunch."
"Thanks Faith, I'm going to go meet him, I'll see you later Cadet Inan" Derik said jokingly as he turned and walked out the door.
"Bye, see ya later" Faith called after him before he disappeared down the stairs.
"Wow." Derik said aloud to himself "Thank god for coed bunks, ha, ha, ha." Derik stepped out into the light, temporarily blinded by the bright sunlight. Shading his eyes with his hand he stood stared out across the base, suddenly realizing that he had no idea what so ever where the mess hall was or for that matter how to get there. Squinting he noticed two uniformed officers in the distance, chatting near a closed up MS hangar, they must know where the mess he reasoned. He began to jog towards the pair, slowing down to a walk as he neared them.
"Excuse me, sir?" Derik began nervously hoping he didn't sound like he was rude. "Can you please tell me where the mess hall is, I just arrived here about an hour ago." One of the officers turned around inspecting Derik. The man was about two or maybe even three times as old as Derik was and showed it too.
"The eatery is that way cadet...
"Raj, sir Derik Raj"
.... Raj, about a hundred yards or so, the white-haired officer said pointing towards the north portion of the base "humph, don't you think you should have found information such as this before you arrived here, cadet?" he continued with a small yet noticeable hint of disdain in his voice.
"Sorry, sir I'll hurry up my orientation."
"Good, dismissed". As soon as Derik heard this he bolted in the direction the older man had pointed happy to just get away from him. Running down along the concrete road he came across a large apparently well-worn building clearly marked "Mess Hall". Upon opening the large door Derik, suddenly realized why the base had seemed so empty when he arrived earlier, the whole hall was filled.
"Holy shit" Derik exclaimed nearly falling over. "There must be at least a thousand people here". (To be exact there were two hundred fifty-six). "How am I gonna find anyone here?"
To Be Continued…
