Chapter 7
Headstrong
Two weeks later...
I threw my dulled combat knife down causing it to stick in the earth. "Argh! This is pointless!" I shouted irritated. "We've been training for months. When are we gonna see some action?!" I groaned. "Blaze! You find my training pointless, do you?" barked Keith. "With all due respect sir, I think we've trained enough, sir." I boldly objected. "Prove it." he said. "Sir?" I questioned. He picked up another dulled blade. "Prove it. I want you to take me on. Pick up your knife." he told me. "Sir?" I repeated stunned. "That was a direct order!" he barked. I did as he ordered and retrieved my blade. "Just so you know, I'm not going easy on you." he stated. I nodded. "Alright, come at me with all you got." he ordered.
I rushed him. "Too slow." he said easily evading my attack and countering it. He flipped me on my back. "Ouch. That's gotta hurt." I heard Matt say. I groaned as I picked myself up. I looked at the grinning SSG. Man, I can't wait to wipe that smirk off your face. I tasted blood in my spittle. I must've bit my tongue when he flipped me. I spat it out and wiped my mouth. "Want to continue?" he laughed. "Yes, sir." I answered. He stopped laughing. "Very well then." he simply said.
"You can do it, Blaze!" I heard Emma cheer. Keith came at me. I dodged him, Emma's right. I evaded another attack. I can do this. And another. All I need… I sidestepped left as the knife closed in, barely missing my side. Is just one opening. The burly man lunged again. There! With cat-like reflexes I spun around him. I kneeled and brought him down hard with a low roundhouse-kick to the back of his heels. Then I quickly pinned him before he could recover by bringing my knife to his jugular. The man looked at me, clearly horrified. "Want to continue…sir?" I huffed repeating his own words. SSG Keith chuckled. "I yield." he shook his head smiling.
The next day Matt, Emma, and I were summoned to the Commandant's office. We knocked on the door. "Enter," came a voice from behind the door. We opened the door and entered. A decorated man sat behind a desk. He had scar over his one of his eyes. "Privates Blaze Hamilton, Matt Soma, and Emma Datura reporting, sir." I announced as we saluted him. He looked up. "At ease." he told us. "Do you know why I summoned you?" he asked us. "Sir, if this is about the fight yesterday I..." I began apologizing. "Your SSG came to me. He told that I should have you and your teammates transferred." he said.
He turned around, placed his hands behind his back, and looked out his window. "Now I've known Keith for 20 years and he's never been one to make rash decisions." he said. "Sir?" I said. "He recommended you three graduate early from this academy and be transferred to our military's elite squadron at Controrado Base." he informed us. "Sir?" I repeated awestruck.
He turned around to face us. "Congratulations, as of today you are graduates of this academy. Also, Blaze, I'm promoting you to Sergeant First Class. Privates Matt and Emma, I'm promoting you to Corporals. " he informed us. "Th-thank you, sir!" I stuttered.
"Permission to speak, sir." went Matt. The officer raised an eyebrow. "Granted." said the commandant. "I'd like to request that Private Izumi Curtis be transferred along with us." he boldly asked. Emma and I stared at him. The commandant chuckled. "You got guts kid, I like that. Very well, corporal, I'll have her transferred with you." he replied. "Thank you, sir." said Matt. "Dismissed." he stated. "Sir!" we saluted him.