Lena hadn't felt this much pain since... Well, since ever, really.
The first month of training was coming to a close and the girl's entire musculature felt like it was being burned with hot coal. The Sergeant-Major had drilled them continuously, both during the days and during the nights, forcing them to do miles-long marches in full equipment time and again, pushing them through the training course repeatedly until Lena had memorized each step and each face-plant she took whenever she attempted it in the first two weeks by heart.
She groaned, trying to lift her fork with one hand. On it, a chunk of baked potato sat. She gently utilized both trembling hands to bring the piece of food to her mouth, blowing on it to cool it, before shoving the still semi-hot piece of food into her mouth just as her hands gave way. She winced as the foodstuff burned her tongue slightly, chewing quickly and trying to cool it that way before swallowing it.
She bowed her head in defeat, murmuring, "My arms..."
"You, too?" Annette inquired from in front of her as she plopped herself onto her seat. Beside her, Dustin looked the most haggard out of the three of them, his eyes red as if he hadn't slept. Annette rubbed her eyes, then said, "I've never felt this kind of fatigue in my life and I spent entire nights trying to fix the damn Radars because of the UNSC's phantom bogey play..."
"Tell me about it," Lena sighed, feeling as the muscles in her arms, legs and torso pulsed with the pain of overworking. She winced as she rubbed her forearms, then said, "And we're barely a month in. ODST training's no joke..."
"And they're pushing us into another phase, now," Dustin murmured, "I'm scared..."
"Us, too, buddy..." Annette sighed, then slowly started to 'eat', or struggle to do so. The Sergeant-Major was a mean one, alright. She drilled the idea of perseverance into them time and again, to push them further and further along the training courses. Still, this hurt physically, a lot. It was supposed to be the training to drive home the point that they, too, will be soldiers fighting the enemy instead of just the people throwing orders around.
They would be commanding infantry units as well, now. As soon as the first Divisions rolled off Basic Training in the next months, they would be assigned Handlers and FOBs to operate out of. Even Shiden's boys and girls may become part of the newly-deployed assets. Rumors were that the ODSTs had also selected Shiden's squadron to be part of the new experimental ODST force that was being developed alongside the new Feldreẞes being designed by the UNSC and the Republics R&D Bureau, alongside the R&D Sectors of the other three Allied Nations, to provide them with a mobile, armored vehicle with decent armaments that could combat the Legion.
Annette had put the bases of the new Para-RAID integrated communication systems into the machines. The UNSC had begun designing and upgrading their magnetic weaponry to be fit onto the machines. Lena had caught a few loose reports of the 8cm Cannons being prepared to replace the 5,7cm guns on the current line-up of Juggernauts. It was more cost-effective to upgrade the current models and design a few new ones.
Still, they hadn't had much time to see what new vehicles the UNSC was putting out for the San Magnolians or their newly-discovered comrades from the Federacy, United Kingdom and Alliance of Wald. There were also rumors of a possible Large-Scale Offensive to come from the Legion's side circulating in the air in the last few days. Lena wanted to get through training as fast and well as possible, to help prepare.
As Lena worked on the next baked potato and a chunk of pork that sat on her tray, the alarm of the base rung. Without hesitation, despite their aching muscles, all the Alba soldiers within the place jumped to their feet and dashed out toward the Armory, the thunderclap of boots echoing in unison with the wail of the alarm. The Sergeant-Major's voice filtered through the PA, "EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT! Rifles and ammo only! Leave your bags! Haul ass, Maggots!"
Bursting into the armory of their barracks in a surprisingly organized way, Vladilena, Annette, Dustin and their compatriots packed their kit as ordered, strapping their vests, helmets and rifles and rushing out into the pouring rain that now blanketed the FOB. Combat boots hit the wet concrete, loudly plopping and spewing small waves of water high as they quick-marched and mustered on the tarmac, right in front of the Sergeant-Major.
She looked at her wristwatch as the alarms continued blaring, the microphone through which she'd transmitted the call to arms. She flashed a grin at the boys and girls as she pulled the waterproof hood off her head, revealing her ginger hair to the rain. She said, "I'll be fucking damned. You dumbasses actually came here, organized and hauling ass... Almost like a proper military unit. Still, your time could definitely be better than that... Alas, I called you idiots here for a reason! We're on for another march!"
Several faint groans escaped the mouths of the Officer Cadre undergoing the military training. The Sergeant-Major grinned menacingly, "Don't worry, you lazy fuckers. It's a short one. Command wants you all to have a bit of rest before we push you further. Next phase of training will get worse, though, but you get the weekend off for now. If you wanna go see parents and the likes, be our guests!"
The Alba troopers all perked up. All of them save for Lena and Annette, both of whom seemed uneasy. Dustin had noticed his commanders' reactions, but didn't know what to say in the matter. The young man had graduated earlier than intended from the academy, to be honest. They needed new officers to replace the current lack thereof thanks to the Coup, but that meant he and his class had gotten pushed ahead half a year.
He sighed, straightening his back as they began their march over to the PX of the base, where Marines and training cadre all sat at tables, greeting the trainees with raised beers and smiles on their faces. Rifles slung over their shoulders, the Alba trainees under the ODST Officer Preparedness Program entered the PX, with the Sergeant-Major stating, "Buy whatever you want as souvenirs, maggots. Y'all earned it!" as she wringed her hair dry, droplets of water plopping onto the military store's ceramic tile floor.
Lena, Annette and Dustin all went for the sweets section, with Annette murmuring, "A bit of free time before the next stage of the real shit begins, huh?" as she picked up a chocolate bar. Lena hummed in agreement, picking up a chocolate chip muffin and examining it, while Annette added, "I'm gonna bake us a whole tray of muffins once we're done with this... And I'm gonna lace half of them with laxatives just for you, Lena," before glaring at the friend who dragged their asses into this.
Lena chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck, then said, "Sorry..."
"It could be worse," Dustin shrugged.
Annette planted a palm on her face and murmured, "For the love of God... Dustin... Never say that. Marine rules say you just invoked Murphy."
"... O-Oh?" He raised a brow, the innocent little lad.
"... Murphy's Laws are a set of predetermined 'truths' the soldiers of the UNSC see as absolute," Lena explained as she pinched the bow of her nose, "One of them says that if you state something like 'It could be worse' or 'things can't get any worse', you basically asked for the 'worse' to come about. I'm not particularly gonna believe in them until it happens, but Annette seems to have taken them to heart."
"Better that she does, Snow-White," The Sergeant-Major noted and the trio of Alba soldiers all almost jumped out of their skins, swiveling about and snapping crisp salutes at the woman. She chuckled, waved it off and said, "We're off-duty for the weekend. You kids got a sweet-tooth?" tilting her head toward the sweets section. All three of them nodded at her, surprised, to which she said, "Yeah, Volkov mentioned Von Penrose has a thing about baking..."
"How's the Major, ma'am?" Lena inquired.
"Looking forward to the day he gets to repay Captain Nouzen and his Squadron, from what he tells me," the woman noted, crossing her arms to her chest. She saw the trio look a bit dejected, to which she added, "Milizé. You were their CO, weren't you? Their 'Handler'. Volkov also mentioned you were the first to visit FOB Spearhead after they went AWOL."
"Yes, ma'am," She nodded.
"Think they're alright out there? Last I heard they lost a couple people a while back before they undertook the Recon Mission on their own," She offered.
"... They've got strength in numbers," Lena nodded, "And they're pretty much veteran Processors... I have no doubt they're alive," and yet, the Sergeant-Major almost couldn't believe it with the look the girl was giving. She hummed, nodded, then looked to the other two. Dustin Jaeger was pretty much a kid thrown in the middle of hell with little hope of a ticket back and Von Penrose was a girl bearing a lot of weight on her shoulders. Lena, however, seemed to bear a lot more.
"Then you'd best be ready for them to come back," The Sergeant-Major flashed a grin, figuring some encouraging words would get them to cooperate better. The trio seemed surprised, but the Sergeant-Major continued unabated, "I told you you have to earn those damn eagle pins, kid. Fuck me, I'm gonna make sure you do, or you drop dead... All of you are gonna earn your ranks and the kids will have one hell of an officer cadre commanding them, or I'm not Sergeant-Major Viktoria Ivanova Serebryakov of the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers Thirteenth Division."
Surprised by the words of kindness, the three took a moment. Each smiled at the woman, then saluted her proudly. She saluted back, then said quickly, "Alright, alright, you saps. Get back to buying your shit and get ready if you wanna head home for the weekend. Training only gets worse from here. Dismissed," and turned to leave. Lena watched the woman depart as she and her comrades marched over to the PX's counter and set their items down, waiting for them to be scanned.
The Sergeant-Major was something else entirely. Where Volkov was the calm and collected officer of the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, she was the rough, hardy Sergeant-Major with a lot of tough love to give to recruits and troopers, new and old. Understanding one's COs and NCOs was sign of a good army. If Lena somehow wound up commanding an ODST platoon, she was sure to take that into account.
She eyed the rest of the company as they bought their stuff, then paid for her own muffin as they marched out. She'd hang out in the barracks for the weekend. Maybe play a bit with TP if the Major was allowed to bring him to her. Annette and Dustin could both go home. She intended to tell them as much when they got back to the bunks. And she did, in fact, tell them.
Annette refused. Both of them pressured Dustin to go see his folks, seeing as he missed them a hell of a lot.
Not that Annette didn't miss her own...
... Lena, however, wondered about Shin and the others. How were they doing?
Federal Republic of Giad
A month earlier
The world around him was pure white at first. He felt blind as he looked around, seeing nothing but the wide expanse of light. Had he finally died? Was he finally able to lay himself to rest alongside his comrades? Whatever had struck them during that foggy last battle had certainly done enough of a number on him and everyone else, so he expected to actually be dead.
No... It wouldn't be that easy.
Something resolved to his immediate left. A giant machine, twisted and destroyed by the hammer of artillery and scarred by energy weapons. It was a Dinosauria-class superheavy War Machine of the Legion. Like the one they'd just recently faced off against. The wound on his neck started to pulse. He ran his finger around the scar, feeling the soft fabric of the scarf he got as a gift pressing against his hand.
He blinked, looking at the machine just as another figure resolved ahead of him. A human figure. He gasped as a single dash of scarlet hair appeared in the corner of his eyes. He swiveled about, only to be met by a familiar face. Bespectacled, with red hair and jet-black eyes and the face of a young man, he stood taller than Shin and was clad in the same desert camouflage uniform as him.
"Hey, Shin," The young man greeted him, "It's been a while..."
The young commander of Spearhead squadron stared, dumbfound, at his older brother as he sat there. Shourei Nouzen smiled at him, stating, "Cat got your tongue...? I guess it's a bit of a something to see me here again, but... Well, I figured I should give you one last talk, since I couldn't before I left for the front. Just listen, alright...?" and he paused for a moment, wiping a tear from his eye, "I'm sorry..."
Shin couldn't speak. For the first time in his life, Shinei Nouzen could not utter a single word. They got stuck in his throat. He swallowed, trying to unseal his own mouth, but failing. All he could do was listen to his brother as he spoke. And Shourei did speak, sadness in every word, "I shouldn't have blamed you for anything, honestly. I was just... Angry. Angry at myself for not being able to do anything, honestly. Still, seeing you now, all grown up. I'm..." He closed his eyes and narrowed his lips, then looked up at the boy, before giving him a small smile, "I'm proud of you, Shin."
The young man's heart almost stopped.
"Proud because, despite everything, you've overcome a lot... Losing mom and dad... And me..." Rei offered, then sighed, his voice shaky, "And then your squadron mates. Kaie and the others you had to put to rest. You've done one heck of a job, better than I ever could. You've also got your friends behind you, the whole lot of them, even if you may not see it. I know your job was and is to guide them. To guide us all beyond the gates."
"But you've got a new lease of life. One I, mom, dad and your friends couldn't get," He now looked upon his brother with a most stern gaze, "Don't waste it, Shin. Don't dwell on the past, on us, for too long. No matter what the other voices of the dead may tell you, you've got to live on. For your sake and the sake of the people around you, you've become more than their Reaper. You're their Guide."
He crossed his arms to his chest as the boy took two steps, trying to move forward. The distance between them, however, grew. Rei nodded, "I know you want us back. I'm sorry, kiddo. For everything that happened up to now. And for what I'm about to ask you. Please... Forget about us," He offered, then bumped a fist on his own head and said with a sad chuckle, "I'm stupid... No, don't forget about us. Remember us every once in a while, but move forward, stronger than before, and end this damn war before it takes any more of us."
Rei turned, not with his back toward Shin to walk away, but toward the collapsed Machine on their left. He smiled, then said, "And when your time is up, decades from now, we'll all be waiting for you up there. Take care, Shin..." and he began marching toward the machine. Shin finally managed to let out a word. A single word that echoed throughout the bright white of the place as he ran to try and catch Shourei before he fully merged with the dead Dinosauria.
"BROTHER!" The young man had cried in anguish as his brother grew ever-more distant... And then, the world went dark...
Shin stirred.
His entire body hurt, like he had been impacted directly by an enemy's artillery shell. He shifted, feeling the warm, but hard bed beneath him, almost a slab of steel in how it felt to the touch. It was smooth, however, enough so that, as Shin caressed the material, he could only feel his hand getting hitched on the blanket. He blinked, then gasped, taking a massive gulp of air into his lungs and feeling his chest. What felt like strings tugged at his arms.
He opened his eyes suddenly as the buzz of a neon light filled his ears. Overhead, the brightness almost blinded him as he gazed straight into it. He blinked, groaned, then tried to push himself to his feet. His chest bumped into something hard, made of metal. Grunting and leaning against his elbows, the boy breathed rapidly, gazing around the room. A white, techno-futuristic room the size of a medium-sized prison cell opened around him, with the metal slab he was placed against being the centerpiece.
Opaque windows sat on his left and right and ahead of him, a semi-transparent window sat, darkness beyond it. He blinked, then groaned as pain shot up his side. Gazing down, the young man saw a series of bandages and intravenous drip tubes lined his arms, while his left hip was wrapped tightly in a fresh bandage that felt cold to the skin and was probably filled with antibiotics and disinfectants.
His legs and arms were fine, beside the IV tubes and a pair of bracelets, one colored red and another, blue, sat around his wrists. The IV bags with the saline solution were probably hidden away in the double frame that kept Shin on the bed. He leaned back into his pillow, breathing, then felt his ear and the back of his neck. The Para-RAID's connective systems had clearly been removed, with the right ear having a bandage placed over where the device should have been.
He winced, then breathed in and out. He still felt pain. Certainly levels of it he never thought he'd feel, but still, at least it meant he was alive. He blinked as his brother's words still rung in his ears, before looking down at the window again. Suddenly, figures seemed to stand behind it, clad in hazmat suits behind which only faint outlines of their faces were visible. He squinted, surprised.
The group of figures in HAZMAT Suits waved at him. Shin remained confused, however. Had they made it? Had they survived the onslaught? He remembered that soldiers had gotten them out of that hellfire alive, whatever had happened. One of the group waved to them, seemingly causing panic from among them. The door, a bulkhead sealed with several layers of air purification systems, locks and even armor built into it, was propped open with a series of mechanical whirrs. The person, clearly a man by the voice, that entered, said, "Give me a minute! I just want to talk to him."
He turned to greet him, still in the hazmat suit, as the door closed behind him, then said, "Hi! Hello! Nice to meet you! I'm sure you have many questions for us, but let me say, we're glad to see you're alive!"
Shin stared at the man in the hazmat suit for a moment, his mind interrogating his eyes to what he was seeing, if it was true and all that. Honestly, Shin had never felt so absolutely dumbfound by the strange situation he found himself in. The man hummed, then said, "Ah, right. How rude of me! See, the mean lady over there and her fellows made me wear this thing when coming in here, but it's not how one properly introduces themselves!"
He removed the suit, revealing an elderly man with salt-and-pepper hair and a mustache, glasses and a dark-blue suit. He smiled at Shin, then said, "Hello. I'm Ernst. What's your name?"
... Well, this was confusing. Shin hummed, then said, "Shinei Nouzen..."
"A pleasure!" Ernst nodded to him, smiling, "You must be thoroughly confused, so let me be the first to say to you, welcome to the Federacy of Giad!"
"... The Federacy..." Shin murmured, then breathed a sigh as the tension and apprehension left his body. They'd made it to their intended target. He looked to Ernst, asking, "Everyone else...?"
Ernst hummed, smiled, then looked over to the window and nodded. He then turned to Shin as the windows around them started depolarizing and stated, "We kept the windows opaque so you could sleep properly. You have been out for a little over five days at this point, after all. Doctors thought you wouldn't wake up at all until just recently..."
Shin looked past him, to see Lecca, Haruto, Raiden, Theo, Anju, Daiya, Myna and Kurena all lined up on the left, in separate rooms, with the others of his squadron on the right. All of them bore some sort of injury that needed to be bandaged, with Theo's left arm currently stuck in a sling, one of Kurena's eyes covered by a bandage, Anju's left leg in a cast, Daiya's right hand in a similar predicament and Raiden's neck caught in a brace. Haruto and Lecca seemed to have taken the least of the injuries, with various scrapes, bumps and bruises covered by bandages.
Ernst sighed, then smiled, "I'm certainly glad to see you beat out all odds, mister Nouzen... Considering the injuries you've sustained."
Shin hummed, "How bad...?"
"Pretty bad, if'n'ya don't mind me butting in, mister Ernst," Lecca noted, "Three broken ribs, close to internal bleeding, several organs damn near failed from the blast and you've got a concussion that would make an ODST blush. You were pretty much a walking corpse before the Feds pieced ya back together, Shin," and she looked over to everyone else. Ernst nodded his approval to Lecca, before turning to Shin.
"I'll take it you want to talk with them. We'll be out of your hairs now," He nodded to Shin, "And again... Let me welcome you to our country. I am president Ernst Zimmerman, of the provisional government of the Federacy of Giad... We'll explain everything you need to know once you and your friends are healthy enough to walk out of this place. Take care."
Shin nodded to him, then watched him depart through the bulkhead. He sighed, then looked to everyone and asked, "Are you all okay?"
"Decent enough," Lecca shrugged.
"You were at the epicenter of the blast though, Shin," Haruto quipped, grinning, "I kept telling'em it'd take more than a couple bumps to kill you."
A few chuckles escaped the rest of the squadron's mouths, though they were a bit bitter. Raiden was next to remark, "We were really cutting it close with that one..."
"It was an ambush..." Shin remarked bitterly, "I should've known..." He berated himself. He should have known something was wrong. The way those Legion units were fighting, everything about the engagement area, the missing Shepherd and that second voice. Whoever that had been, he wore his hatred clearly on his sleeve, enough so that Shin had felt his presence even from as far as he was.
"Don't beat yourself up over it," Lecca noted, "Least we're all alive."
"I'm with Lecca on this one... You got more luck in you than the rest of us do combined," Raiden remarked with a grin on his face.
"Didn't stop Kurena from bawling her eyes out when we were waiting for news," Theo remarked, grinning, while the girl quickly turned defensive, her cheeks flushing red. Theo hummed next, then stated, "That was too close, though. What the hell fired on us? It almost felt like an earthquake just suddenly struck the ruins we were fighting in. That ain't normal."
"Some sort of new weapon," Shin noted, "Commanded by a Shepherd... I heard him." and the entire Squadron gasped.
Anju hummed, "Another thing to report to the UNSC when we're allowed to see them."
"I'll talk to the President when we're all able to walk out of here..." Shin remarked, leaning his head back into his pillow. He looked at both sides of the room, looking his soldiers in the eyes, before sighing. He stated bluntly, "For what it's worth... I'm happy you're all alive, if not in the best of shapes right now..." and he saw several of them crack smiles. He shrugged, looking at Raiden.
But before the steel-haired boy could say anything, Kurena leaned against her window and started bawling, "We were so worried... I was so worried..."
"Yep," Theo nodded, grinning, "Now, let's let the bossman get some sleep. We've got a long waiting period ahead of us..."
A month later...
Theo wasn't wrong. Another month's worth of waiting for some clearance had kept them stuck in the medical bay of the place. Thankfully, though, the kids were allowed to reunite in a single common room almost a week after Shin woke up, so that was nice. The place was lined with various toys and other such things. They were also provided with nutritious and actually good-tasting foods.
"So! Hi!" Ernst spoke from above them, from another window. Several figures stood behind him, shaded, as he spoke jovially, "I have good news for you, kids! You're officially considered citizens of the Federation now!"
All dozen of them looked up from their beds, confused. Ernst, however, seemed even more-so. He raised a brow, to which Theo stated, "You've been gone for a literal month and the first thing you say to us is 'So, hi'...? Not very good PR for the Federacy, my guy," to which the rest of the squadron let out a series of laughs. All except Shin, as usual, though the boy cracked an almost imperceptible smile.
"Fair..." Ernst sighed, "But I figured I should be the one to come and give you the good news! Y'know, what with everything."
"We have a home, too," Shin stated, looking up at him, "The Republic."
"Of course," Ernst nodded, "I'm well aware, which is why a double citizenship was approved by our side. We're waiting for some paperwork to go through so the Republic gets the info as well... Alongside our dear allies in the United Nations Space Command."
Shin hummed, then said, "I need to speak to the commander of the UNSC troops located in your territory."
"At a later date, mister Nouzen. Right now, you kids need to rest properly," He offered, then motioned for the staff to bring them suit-like outfits. As they donned them, a squadron of soldiers came to escort them to Ernst, then out of the building itself. Ernst, however, had left ahead of them. After the last few bits and pieces of detailing were done and dusted, the kids were to go to Sankt Glykine AFB.
Ernst was already there, discussing matters with his Chiefs of Staff...
"I'm honestly partial to not letting the UNSC know about their presence here just yet, sir," One of the officers left of Grethe noted, much to her surprise. He explained, "Think about it for a moment. How can we trust the UNSC so easily? They've started a coup in one of the nations bordering us... Who's to say they will not do the same to us? Or to the other nations? If they don't like our governments-"
"Pardon the interruption, General, sir, but they cooperated openly with us and are aiding us in upgrading our Feldreẞ programs, including the thorough upgrades of the XM2 prototypes based on the Republic's designs," Grethe rebutted, glaring at the officer, "Distrusting them at this point is the most stupid decision we could make, with all due respect," And she turned to Ernst, "They need to know. If not now, as soon as possible, sir. These kids were part of some crack Republic unit that fought side-by-side with the UNSC's troops in securing their borders. They'll want to know if they survived..."
"While the Lieutenant-Colonel is a little out of line," An elderly man with an eyepatch and black, slicked-back hair noted, arranging the cuffs of his general's uniform, "I concur. Keeping details like this hidden from our supposed interstellar allies could serve to freeze our relationships... Hell, we could be facing the same situation my fellow General denoted. A possible coup. They already have troops in our borders..."
"I understand all of your concerns, ladies and gentlemen," Ernst sighed, "But right now, I intend to let them rest. To see the world and our country. They've fought enough," and he looked to Grethe, "We will let the UNSC know in due time, but they are children. They need to experience what life has to offer beyond the field of battle. Do you understand me?"
"I do, sir," Grethe nodded, "Though, in the Psych checkups we gave them, each of them says they want to go back to fighting."
"Because that's all they've ever known," Ernst noted, "I intend to open their eyes to the benefits of a normal life... If they decide to go back to fighting after this period, then so be it."
Grethe sighed, then smiled, "Understood, sir... I only ask one thing. The Juggernauts they brought with them. We need them to help the UNSC in the XM2 program."
"Granted, though the Dinosauria model we found a few miles from where we discovered them will be sent to the UNSC for further studies. It was an older model, after all..." He offered with a nod, "If that's all, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to go greet the children. Take them home," before standing up and dismissing his Chiefs of Staff with a salute. He departed from the room, turning to find the exit.
Grethe, however, caught up with him, saluted him and said, "Sorry, sir, but I have to report the finding to the UNSC within a month at most..."
"I understand, Lieutenant-Colonel Wenzel. Just let me know when you've told Colonel Rovinești so I know to be ready for her visit," The man smiled. Grethe nodded approvingly and departed with a quick salute and dismissal from the man. Ernst then descended down the stairwell, toward where his newly-adopted children were. He smiled at all of the sharply-dressed teenagers, then said, "Follow me."
They'd had to request a relatively larger limousine to fit the entire dozen of the kids of the squadron. While they were in separate compartments, Ernst sat with the officers. Shin, Kurena, Anju, Theo, Raiden and Daiya, all sat with the man in the rearmost section of the vehicle. From farther in the front, the laughter of their comrades echoed as they drove out.
"So," Ernst noted, "I figured I should ask, how do you all feel? You've had pretty nasty bumps and bruises when we first recovered you."
Theo scratched at his arm, but stated, "Considering it all, Prez? We could be way worse off for wear."
"I feel just fine," Anju noted, leaning with her back against the comfortable leather seat. She looked over to her left, to see Daiya smiling at her. He still had a bandage on his cheek that had to be replaced, but that was because of a small chunk of shrapnel that had perforated the skin of his cheek. Turned out that area was supremely more sensitive than anything else.
"Good," Ernst offered a nod, "It means the doctors did their jobs properly."
"Sure did," Kurena remarked, leaning forward, "So... What's the word on the UNSC force here, mister President? What're they doing?"
"An infantry division is currently settled within one of our FOBs, while a Research and Development unit is assisting us in enhancing our Feldreẞ force to better survive and combat the Legion's forces," He replied calmly, "As far as I understand, they're also upgrading our artillery and equipment to magnetic coil weaponry, similar to what they have mounted on their combat vessels."
"What, like... Coilguns and MACs?" Raiden inquired.
"As far as we know, yeah. The most important upgrades are the undertaken ones upon the M4 Vánagandr forces. Our current units still operate the M4A3 variant with standard-issue firearms... UNSC wants to change the main cannon out for a 120mm Coil gun," Ernst explained. Shin was impressed. The man was definitely well-versed and aware of what his Military and their allies were doing.
Theo whistled, "Those are sure as hell gonna be useful. Penetrating any armor the Legion can bring to bear's gonna be a nice old boon for the tankers."
"They're also receiving Armor upgrades to ensure crew survivability," Ernst nodded.
"Good," Shin remarked, then hummed. In his ears, the distant cries of the Legion still echoed. That wasn't what stirred him, however. He pushed aside the curtain covering the blackened window of the car, poking his head through alongside his comrades. The streets of the Federacy's Capital, Sankt Jeder, were alive and brimming. Apartment and office buildings rose high into the sky, stores bristled with goods and clothes and food, people walked to and fro, families with children of all races, Colorata, Alba or otherwise...
For a moment, Shin thought of home. Of how it would change soon, back to this. Hopefully.
He only considered it Home because that was where another one of their own was, training, fighting, commanding fellow Eighty-Six into battle. The Major, or perhaps she got promoted? Whatever... She was still there, doing what she did best. Shin was sure of it. He hummed, then leaned back from the window to let the others see, before noticing UNSC Marines on shore leave, clad in either old fatigues or their Dress Uniforms. Some were chatting up local women, others enjoyed giving autographs to the locals. He hummed.
"Looks like the boys and girls in green are right at home here," Raiden remarked with a smile.
"The UNSC was welcomed with open arms into the Federacy's borders. The moment our fellow citizens learned that we weren't alone and, much more, that an extra-terrestrial force of Humans was helping us fight the war? They greeted them as heroes as their troops and transports came to land, bringing their men and women to shore leave," Ernst explained, smiling, "Some of them are a bit... Out there, though."
"Hah, you're telling us," Theo snorted, grinning ear-to-ear, "We've worked with the bastards for a couple months before coming here."
"Best damn people to talk to," Kurena smiled, "Seriously. And they kick ass, too."
"I'm sure they do," Ernst nodded approvingly. As the vehicle pulled down another street and took a left, they entered a rather distinctly rich residential district. Stopping in front of a house, the group and Ernst disembarked and the man stepped up in front of them, a smile on his face. He then stated, "This is my house... I want you to think of it as your home for the duration of your stay here."
He turned around, smiling, then said, "Welcome to the Zimmerman residence!" and opened his arms widely, as if trying for a hug.
"They're here!" A young girl's shrill, muffled voice came from the door, "Hurry, Theresa! Push that desk into place-AAAA" And a scream echoed as whatever was being moved crashed with said girl. Ernst's shoulders sagged as he propped open the door. Inside, lit by a light and standing atop a rounded desk or table, a young girl clad in the clothes you'd expect a nine-year-old to wear, greeted them. Brown hair and scarlet eyes stared at the dozen Eighty-Six.
She grinned, despite some of the dirt and scrapes on her face and clothes as she spoke, "Greetings, ye, survivors of the wilds beyond the great Federacy's walls! I welcome you to our humble abode with kindness and joy in my heart, ye downtrodden children of the Republic! Welcome to Giad!" all grandiose and the likes. All of the members of the force narrowed their eyes at her.
Raiden remarked, "This your daughter?" toward an embarrassed Ernst, "Because, don't mind me saying, you have to discipline her better..."
"It's a long story," Ernst chuckled awkwardly, while the girl seemed to be throwing a fit.
"Are you listening to me!? I'm pouring my heart out here for you! Do you know who I am!? I am-" The girl started, but Ernst stopped her.
He said sternly, "Frederica Rosenfort... She's not my daughter per se, but some things happened and she's staying with us now..." before he turned to Theresa and said, "Miss Theresa, would you mind?" before he took them inside, to the living room area, where a fire crackled as the cold of the Autumn night started coming. The kids were all sat down on the couches and various other chairs in the place, while Theresa brought over some snacks.
Though few, there were words exchanged between the members of Spearhead, in terms of what they'd do when they went back to work and all. Ahead of them, plates of cookies and several glasses of lemonade sat, untouched as the ice inside began to melt. The kids looked around at the place. A TV sat in the corner, a fireplace straight ahead of them, various fancy sets of furniture...
Raiden was first to break the ice, "Fancy place..."
"Thank you," Ernst smiled.
"Not to sound ungrateful, sir, but why are we here?" Haruto asked as he picked up his glass of lemonade and a cookie. Lecca followed suit, while Raiden, Shin and the rest of the command platoon hesitated a little. Shin sighed, then took the lead. If he was asked to live by everyone around him, it was the least he could do... He was supposed to be their Guide, after all, not just their Reaper.
He plucked a pair of cookies from the plate in front of them and a glass of lemonade, then leaned back into the couch and looked around. While Frederica devoured the food on her plate, Ernst looked to them and smiled, then stated, "I'm glad to see you're open to receiving gifts, mister Nouzen... I'd have thought you to be the most reticent when it came to that, considering what your compatriots told us..."
"... I've had a bit of an epiphany," Shin remarked in a murmur and cast sideways glances at the now-awkward Squadron. He bit into one of the cookies and feeling the sweet taste overwhelm his tastebuds. He narrowed his lips, feeling a welling pain and melancholy in his chest that combined with the joy the sweetness brought, then chewed on it and downed it with a swig of the sour, chilled lemonade. He breathed out, then looked to Ernst and said, "So... Federacy?"
"Ah, yeah!" Ernst smiled, "You see, we had a revolution immediately after the war started. We overthrew the Empire that commanded the Legion and established the Federacy as a democratic Republic of sorts... Although, that left us to fight the Legion now, seeing as they don't answer to us anymore..." He then sighed, "We're all in the same war. The UNSC knows this, so that's why they provided us with help."
"I see," Shin nodded.
"That's definitely interesting," Raiden murmured, "Take it you guys weren't too fond of your leadership starting a war, either, huh?"
The man shrugged. Shin hummed, then looked around the room at his comrades while they ate. They were in what was former enemy territory, now allied by the circumstance of their former leaders creating the mess they were all in. One would thing the Eighty-Six would've gone ballistic, that they would've been angry at the idea that they were in the country that pretty much lead to their whole ordeal.
Nope. They were all as calm as could be. Even with the very truth laid out, bare, in front of them, all dozen kids within the home were relaxed as could be. Lecca even remarked, "Well, it's nice to know we aren't the only people who disliked their government. Shame it took ET dropping from the sky to save us in our case," as she picked up her own glass of lemonade. Several of the Colorata in the group chuckled at the response, as did Ernst.
"Oh, yes..." Ernst remembered, "I put you all under my name, so you're technically family now... You can call me Dad if you wish!" And he smiled. The stares of the people inside the room told him his joke landed flat, including Theresa's and Frederica's. He sighed, shoulders sagging, before noting, "Frederica was also adopted by me on paper due to the aforementioned certain events. So, she'll be your little sister... In a sense."
"Little sister, huh?" Raiden looked at the kid as she finished up the last of her food. She stepped up in front of them and grinned proudly, some bits of food still stuck between the teeth.
She spoke proudly, "I am the little sister bestowed upon you by the mighty Federacy, to heal and soothe your wary souls! PAMPER ME!" and approached Shin. The boy grabbed her by the head and started ruffling her hair roughly, causing the girl to suddenly whine. When Shin was done literally ruffling the feathers of the little girl, she dashed off to cry in Theresa's arms.
"I think we'll head to sleep..." Raiden yawned, stretching.
"I agree," Shin nodded, standing to his feet, "How... Are we going to bunk?"
"You have bunk beds," The man smiled, "You get to pick your roommates... But boys with boys and girls with girls."
Daiya and Anju looked to one-another, disappointed, while Shin, Raiden, Lecca, Haruto and the others looked to them, with Lecca and Haruto grinning. Sighing, the children marched out of the room, leaving Ernst, Theresa and a saddened Frederica in the room alone. Ernst looked at the two in the room, then sighed and stood up, excusing himself to the eating area.
There was a lot of work to be done with those kids...
Another month later
San Magnolia
Lena pivoted, hefting the heavy rifle with her as she displaced. Around her, gunfire echoed through the field. She bounded forth, toward the next point from where she could shoot. The distant ring of steel being struck by lead came to her just as she dropped onto her stomach, shouldered the firearm, aimed and squeezed. The rifle bucked in her arm and a 7,62mm round left the barrel, speeding off and impacting the target in the distance half a second later.
She fired three more shots, stood to her feet and ran forward diagonally again, with Annette following close behind and doing the same thing she did. The girl fired all four rounds and scrambled to her feet, following close behind Lena. Their gear rattled on them as they quick-marched forth, with Lena noting, "Least my feet ain't killing me as bad as they could be!"
"I'd like to think we're getting used to being in the shit," Annette remarked, "Good shooting back there."
"Thanks. How's Dustin doing?" She asked, then looked back to see the young man was keeping pace with them just as well as anyone else. The rest of their class also trailed behind, though some were already losing the ability to properly breathe thanks to the exercise. The Sergeant-Major had spent the past month drilling them in the use of their rifle. The FAL, or the Light Automatic Rifle in translation from French, was a heavy weapon, firing a 7,62 millimeter bullet out of the muzzle at high velocity. It was meant to take a chunk out of the enemy and kill'em like that.
The UNSC's rifles utilized the same ammunition type, though they were apparently lighter due to the Bullpup configuration and the polymer frame itself. The FAL had been upgraded with polymer stocks and grips, but still weighed enough to give several of the smaller Alba pause when having to haul it into combat. Lena dropped onto her stomach at the next target, eyed it through the sight and squeezed off three shots in quick succession, adjusting as she went. One shot went wide to the left, the next hit and skimmed off the thing's shoulder and the last two pinged dead center.
As the girls stood to their feet and finished up the next target, the Sergeant-Major yelled from beside them, "You gotta kill like you mean it if you expect to make it as one of ours, especially as an officer! Eyes down the sight, fingers on the trigger and your hearts, cold as ice! Keep moving!" and she motioned toward the finish line. Lena and the others pushed forth, now firing on the move for the second part of their course.
Narrow misses and glancing hits were the name of the game here, with each shot either hitting the dirt or pinging off the metal silhouette. They pushed forth to the finish line after blasting the last target with the last ammo in their mags. Four targets and it'd taken them twenty seconds to clear the place out in a bounding assault. Two more to go through the finish line.
Twenty-two seconds total and the kids were sweating from head to toe. The Sergeant-Major offered a nod to the platoon, then said, "You shitheels are definitely getting better as you go! I'll be fucking damned, I'm good!" She grinned, "Haul ass! Get to the wash and grab dinner! We've got a hell of a lot of work ahead of us, still!" before stepping off. Lena bowed her head, breathed a sigh and wiped the sweat off her face with her sleeve.
"It's ten degrees Celsius," Annette noted, undoing the top buttons of her jacket, "And we're sweating."
"Welcome to the military, I guess," Dustin noted, hefting his rifle onto his shoulder by the strap after setting it on safe.
Lena breathed in and out, then said, "It doesn't matter... We gotta keep going..." before stepping off. Annette and Dustin watched her walk toward the bunks with the rest of the squad, then looked to one-another, concerned. Lena had gotten harsher the past month. She'd been drilling herself. Every time she woke up early, she'd do a series of pushups then go back to bed just before the early morning bell rang. She'd go extra-hard during training hours.
She was really trying...
Sankt Jeder.
Shin sighed.
His team had found themselves busy now. Haruto and Lecca had undertaken a job as bartender and waitress, respectively, at some local bar, Anju and Daiya went into a cooking class, Kurena had found herself shopping, Myna and a bunch of squadron-mates had started work in various parts of town as well, Raiden had gone on to work a job as a moving agency worker and Theo was out drawing the sights in the massive capital.
The wide-spanning Imperial Library within the capital had the greatest selection of literature the young man had ever become privy to. Certainly, having your own books to read at home was nice, but the place just provided much more of an open experience. Grey carpets lit by the dim sun of a clouded sky, tall bookshelves twice the height of humans on both levels of the place and every type of literature one could want.
The young man marched down the stairs. To his right, women whispered about him. He could hear them even through the faint and distant calls of the Legion. Turning his gaze to meet them, he saw the two who were speaking were also staring at him. They smiled awkwardly and waved, one of them wrangling what Shin assumed to be either her son or her younger brother.
He hummed, then marched down toward a series of smaller bookshelves which contained children's books. He stopped in front of one, which had a moon and several silhouettes on the back of its cover. He lifted it, then hummed as he examined the hardback, before hearing a whimper from his right. He looked to see a young girl, maybe ten years old, staring up at him with a pair of silver eyes behind half-rimmed glasses. An Alba. Celena subtype if he recalled correctly.
She seemed scared, staring up at him with her eyes wide. Shin hummed, then sighed. He had been noted to scowl quite often. Loosening his expression, he looked to the girl again and saw her calm down. He extended the book to her. She took it, bowed quickly and turned around, quickly running away. Shin nodded to himself, then turned to browse the books again, before hearing someone speak.
"Nina. That's not how we do things. Now, what do we say to the nice man that helped us?" A young man berated the girl. Shin turned to see who it was and he was met by a similarly-bespectacled young man with shorter silver hair. Both of them gasped when the girl shied away and ran. He met Shin's gaze and smiled apologetically, "Sorry. She's very shy... Honestly, I don't know where she gets it from, but it causes a heck of a lot of trouble."
"It's fine... Being an older brother must be tough," Shin remarked calmly.
"It's not so bad... Anyways, I've seen you around here quite often. You must like reading a lot," The boy remarked, crossing his arms to his chest and still wearing the smile. He asked, "Don't you have school or something?" while seemingly giving Shin a once-over, "Heck, I saw you were reading military manuals and documents that were made available to the public, so what's up with that?"
"What about you?" Shin deflected and raised a brow, "If you see me here often, it means you must be here a lot as well..."
"Well," He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck, "Fair enough... We're a bit tight on money, so I'm not able to go to school."
Shin understood that a bit, "Fair..." He noted.
The boy sighed, then tapped his chin with his index and remembered, "Oh, right. Where are my manners. I'm Eugene Rantz. I'm a citizen of the Federacy, just like you," and he extended his hand to Shin in a friendly manner. The young man looked at Eugene's hand for a moment, then hummed and gripped, shaking it firmly. There would probably be no problem in introducing oneself to such a seemingly welcoming young man.
"Shinei Nouzen," He nodded.
"Frederica Rosenfort!" The annoying brat spoke from their right.
"Nina Rantz!" Eugene's sister smiled.
Shin narrowed his eyes at Frederica and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I've got orders to come get you," She grinned, then looked to Nina and said, "I'll read the rest next time we meet!"
"Your sister?" Eugene smirked as Nina nodded happily to Frederica.
"... No way..." Shin replied, crossing his arms to his chest. He sighed, then said, "I presume we'll meet again..." before turning to Frederica and stating, "Let's go," as he marched forth. Bidding a quick goodbye to Nina, Frederica then led the way over to the car that was waiting for them. A single UNSC Marine waited beside the car, his rifle slung on his back. He brought his hand up in a salute, wearing a smile on his face.
"Captain," He spoke.
"Corporal," Shin replied, saluting back, "What are you doing here?"
"Orders from Colonel Rovinești to bring you to the Zimmerman residence in one piece. She's the ambassador to the Federacy," The man explained. Shin nodded, then looked to a grinning Frederica. Seemed like she knew the Colonel, which would honestly be no surprise. Clambering into the vehicle with the Marine escort, Shin and the girl returned home. Entering the living room, the two were met by the blonde-haired officer and her escort of ODSTs. She saw Shin, paused, then grinned.
Standing to her feet and saluting while still holding onto what looked to be a porcelain cup, the woman said, "Welcome home, Captain... I'm Colonel Maria Rovinești, the ambassador of the UNSC to the Federacy," And she gazed over toward Ernst, "The President was not the most earnest in telling us of your presence, but, luckily, I have a few friends in the military... Apologies if the visit is on short notice."
"It's fine, ma'am," Shin replied, saluting back snappily, "Should I call everyone else home?"
"That'd be much obliged... We have a lot to talk about in regards to everything. That is, if you kids are still willing to return to active service," She spoke, then saw Shin gasp. Of course, he'd be up for it. Same for the other kids. She quipped, "We're still giving you a week off to finish off everything you need to, seeing as its the eve of the Holy Birth festival and all soon, but otherwise, we'd like for you and your gang to rejoin the ranks ASAP... Command has a few things they need your input to work on, but they want you to take courses at the Officer School here, alongside UNSC officers."
"We understand, ma'am. Give me a bit," Shin replied, then lifted up his phone and started the calls.
"Good to see you, Colonel," Frederica smiled, though a hint sad.
"Same here, Fred," She smirked, then stepped up to her and patted her on the head, "Don't worry. Y'all can still have your fun during the Festival. Admiral just wants to know they're alive is all. I'll be sending a report to her ASAP."
"I understand," She nodded.
"Good kid," She replied. Indeed, the UNSC would be happy to hear from them, but Maria knew there was yet another bunch of souls waiting to hear about Shin. They were currently in training and, if rumors were true, they were undergoing the worst of it now, almost halfway through the specialized officer/ODST training they were undertaking. She intended to let Vladilena know about it, too.
Training Course 02, "Hell's Pit"
Training bases of San Magnolia
The course's name fit almost too perfectly. Even as the festival of the Holy Birth was underway, Lena, Annette and Dustin, as well as the rest of their squad, trudged on through half-frozen mud at the bottom of a wide trench. They were on their bellies, their heads barely a foot above the mud, with all their kit on them, rifle included. They had to keep the rifle over the mud so it didn't jam up.
The cold, liquefied dirt got into Lena's pockets, weighing her down a bit as she pushed through, every fiber in her body pushing to get her the hell out of the chill as fast as possible. Above them, ODST officers and troopers screamed at them, "MOVE! MOVE, YOU SNOWBALL PIECES OF SHIT!" and other various assorted angry callouts like that. Bullets zipped by them as Magnum SOCOM pistols were fired into the dirt.
Lena grit her teeth, crawling forth as rounds splashed mud on her face, narrowly missing her head. She pushed, stood to her feet as they reached the end, turned to help Annette and Dustin by picking them up, then hauled ass forward while they were helping the rest of the squad. Atop the ramp was another shooting range. A single target, sat out in cover behind a 'trench' of sandbags, only its head being exposed.
Lena dropped on her ass and skid to a halt in front of the shooting platform, clambering onto it and eyeing down the sight as the Sergeant-Major herself overlooked them. She squeezed off a shot and the bullet struck, ringing the plate quite loudly. Without even waiting for the plate to settle as Annette came in behind her, Lena jumped to her feet and pushed forth, toward the next section of the course.
Setting the rifle on safe and swinging it onto her back via the sling, the girl jumped, grabbing onto the top of the wall ahead before turning around and offering a hand to Annette. The girl jumped, grasped in and clambered to the top, followed by both of them lifting the heavier Dustin together. Breathing raggedly, all three members of the Officer Class descended from the wall onto the other side, landing on their feet and bounding.
They jumped over high fences utilizing one hand to push themselves, then moved fast together for the next section, with Lena leading from the front. Not a word needed to be spoken between the three of them, nor the rest of the class as it followed behind. They pushed through, jumping over all of the ten fences before reaching the next obstacle. To keep one's balance between the poles they had to move around, they needed to know how to move their feet.
Lena had drilled it into herself to know how to stay balanced as she slalomed between them. From left, to right, to left, to right, the girl narrowly avoided making contact with the wooden poles that she moved to dodge in serpentines. She was well aware that the 'serpentine' thing wouldn't work in a real life firefight, but this wasn't about that. It was teaching them how to balance forty kilograms of equipment aside from their own weight.
She pushed through, spared a glance to Annette and Dustin as she finished the run, then gave an approving nod as she pushed forth again. The Sergeant-Major barked at them now, "Into the mud pit again, Dickheads! This is your last obstacle!" to which Lena immediately belly-flopped inside, splattering mud all over her face and hair. She crawled forth as Annette and the others joined, making way, with Annette taking her side.
Above them, Machine Guns stuck in nests off to the left and right opened fire. Rounds zipped over their heads, just above the barbed wire keeping them pinned on the mud, closer than before even. Fifty-Cal rounds snapped and popped above them, their gunners unrelenting. There were three such positions they needed to crawl through, each of them a break in the roof of barbed wire over the course's last little obstacle.
Beside them, bullets started ringing and striking the mud. The ODST trainers were still following them around, firing round after round into the pit as the recruits crawled, tooth and nail, trying to dodge both fifty caliber types now. Lena pushed forth, almost burying her face in the mud as she crawled along. The rounds zipped over her head and by it as she pushed forth, kicking up waves of mud that washed over the barbed wire and her face. She could barely breathe, but she needed to push forth. They weren't even halfway through the course.
She knew who she was pushing herself this hard for. Gritting her teeth, she pushed forth, sallying through the mud and dirt as fast as possible and dragging Annette and Dustin with her. She heard a round zip far too close for comfort and felt the speckles of mud land on her cheek, but continued nonetheless. Even as they passed under a pair of MG nests, the girl pushed on, making it to halfway in record time under the gaze of the Sergeant-Major and her soldiers.
Another round snapped by Lena's ear and she ducked. That one was far too close. She glared at the shooter, who seemed a bit surprised, then continued pushing forth through the mud. Her face sank below it at one moment, forcing her to pounce up and gulp down fresh air, before diving again. Another round snapped and, this time, Lena's ears rung loudly.
She bit down on her own teeth, pulling her helmet off her head as the left-side strap buckled and broke. She shook her head, trying to clear the blur in her eyes, before looking at the helmet. Either because of adrenaline, or because she was too focused, she only gave a passing glance to the hole left in the brim. She slammed the helmet back on her head while the ring in her ears continued and pushed forth.
She heard the muffled voices of the officers and the pistol-wielding troopers calling out to them, but continued, pushing through the faint stinging pain that she felt picking at the side of her forehead. Even through her blurred vision, she could see the end of the course. Pushing through, the girl crawled as fast as possible to the end, before pouncing to her feet and wobbling. She shook off the concussion, whatever it was, before surging forward to the Finish Line, her friends behind her.
Finishing up the course, the girl stopped just in front of the podium and fell to her knees, basically swallowing the air she breathed as she ripped her damaged helmet off her head. She wiped the sweat budding at her brow and looked at her muddy hand, only to see a trickle of scarlet in the brown. She blinked, her blur fading just enough for her to see that it was, in fact, blood in the mud on her hand.
She felt her temple and brow, caressing it gently with her fingers. Pulling back as it stung, the girl looked at the tips of her fingers and gasped.
"Colonel!" The Sergeant-Major rushed up to her, "Get us a fucking medic! NOW! Pulowski, police that fucking weapon! WHO THE FUCK FED A LIVE ROUND INSTEAD OF A STUN ONE INTO THAT MAG?!"
The Sergeant-Major dropped on her knees in front of Lena and said, "Kid, you with me?"
Lena nodded, surprised. She still stared at the blood on her hands. Her own blood. She looked up to the Sergeant-Major and asked, "Did... Did we... Do it?"
Shock glowed across the Sergeant-Major's face. She then flashed a grin to the girl and stated, "You sure as hell fuckin' did..."
"Lena!" Annette also hollered from behind her, stopping in front of the girl, "Holy shit... That looks like a nasty scrape... Lena, you alright?"
The girl nodded as the ringing in her ears grew benign.
Annette looked to Dustin and said, "Well... There's Murphy for ya..." To which the guy let out a short, shy laugh.
The Sergeant-Major lifted a lock of Lena's hair from the left. One that was still thankfully attached to her head. All three women and Dustin looked at it, seeing that it'd been recolored scarlet by the blood. Annette hummed, then said to her friend, "Huh. Red streak suits ya more than I thought it would..." before she received an elbow in her chest from the Sergeant-Major.
The Medic joined the group and started looking over Lena's wounds, while the girl herself was focused on the red lock of hair. She looked up at the Sergeant-Major, who grinned and said, "Well... Just a couple more months of training, but considering what Bloody Reina here just did, I'm sure you bastards will breeze right the fuck through it..." before locking eyes with Lena. She clapped a hand on the girl's shoulder and said "Hope your squadron appreciates you taking a bullet for'em."
She watched the Sergeant-Major depart, awed, before feeling Annette and the Medic picking her up. Annette said, "Alright, c'mon, Bloody Reina. Gotta get you to medbay so you can heal that nasty head bump," as the rest of the class came to see them off. Lena would recover within the next few days with little damage to her cognitive function. The bullet had just barely scraped her forehead, so that was good news to everyone who knew the good Colonel. Still, Lena had driven through the concussion and forward into battle with little care for the wound. She surprised even herself.
Bloody Reina, though?
She liked that. A lot.