Chapter 29

Rod's POV

I stood dumbstruck. I've never been so happy to be yelled at. Yup that was her. The girl of my dreams. Uuuuuh. I think I know what it means to be in love at first sight.

"What are you staring at?"

I looked up to see a tall man standing dangerously over me.

"Oh… uh nothing, sorry," I apologized, walking passed him. I started skipping down the hall, ignoring all the weird looks I was getting. This is wonderful! Now I can tell Nicky I am staying! Haha! He'll be so pleased. I turned a corner and headed to the cafeteria. I wonder where he is. I continued searching for him, wanting to tell him the good news.

I entered the lunch room and glanced around. There were a few men here and there sitting at tables talking; some of them looking like they had just got done training. I looked around trying to spot Nicky. Unfortunately he was nowhere to be found. Huh… this is the only place I would think to look for him. I wonder where he's gone.

I continued walking aimlessly around with absolutely nothing to do. Ugh I hope everyday isn't like this. I moped about for a while longer, dragging my feet. After no more than ten minutes my thoughts began to wonder. I wonder what war is like. Am I going to be fighting Zerg or Protoss? What do the Protoss look like? Are they as scary as the Zerg? More questions entered my mind. Am I really going to be a marine? I heard it's the worse job.

Of course that was coming from Mark, but still. How would I even have the strength to lift up the suit? After several more minutes of wondering, people began to notice. I would walk in cycles around the cafeteria and then make my way up to the locker room, and then back down.

"Hey kid," I heard someone say as I passed by. I looked over at a table with two guys in military uniforms. "Yeah you, come 'ere."

I stared at him awkwardly and then did what he said. The one talking to me was bald, while the other had a very short buzz cut. They both looked like they were in their mid-thirties.

"Yeah?" I asked, uncomfortably.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I answered. "I'm not doing anything?"

"Exactly. You've been doing nothing for nearly two hours now," he said.

"Well you must not have been doing anything for two hours too, because how would you know unless you were sitting here watching me the whole time?" I asked, confused on what I had done wrong.

"Yeah, but I'm a corporal, and my squad is from Tusllizen," he answered. "We have a medivac coming to pick us up in an hour. We're being transferred to Jinksole."

"Well I'm a new recruit, and I start training tomorrow," I responded.

"Oooh, so your fresh out of the city huh?" The other guy said. "Have you started taking your shots yet?"

"No."

"Heh, well let me tell ya, that is definitely a strange experience for everyone," Buzzcut guy said. "Croze over here had to stay in training for nearly a month. Ha ha."

"Oh shut up, Steve," Croze said, slugging his shoulder.

"Alright well I guess I'll get back to… wondering the grounds," I said, turning away.

"Okay we'll see ya on the battlefield little man," Croze said, saluting.

"Oh yeah and if you want something to do, get those serving girls to let us eat. We're starving over here," Steve said, nodding toward the counter.

I smiled and walked off. Huh, so not everyone here in this stink whole is a jerk. I walked up the stairs and back to the bedrooms. And now to find Nicky. Stepping into the dormitories I saw Nicky lying down on his bed.

"Hey bro! I've been looking all over for you man," I said, sitting on the bed next to his.

"Eh," he said, not even raising an eyebrow. I sighed.

"Look, is this still about earlier. You're not really mad about that are you," I said, taking it off. "Here you can have it. Tenny said he wouldn't be calling for a while anyways."

"I don't want it Rod," Nicky said, no moving.

"Bro, I'm sorry I was a jerk, but… that really wasn't that big of a deal," I said, hoping he would understand. "I don't mean to be mean man, but can ya grow up a little? I mean, think about, we're fighting over a stupid transmitter like a couple of four year olds."

This got Nicky to smile. I laughed and lied on my mattress. Nicky started snickering, which made me laugh harder. We sat for about five minutes, giggling back and forth to each other.

"Okay now we're acting like four year olds," Nicky responded, still chuckling under his breath.

"Heh yeah, but changing the subject real fast I have some good news," I said, smiling.

"Pff when do you have good news," he snickered, looking over at me.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Heh, I'm just kidding Rod. Now tell me what it is."

"Well… I think I'm going to stay," I said, putting my hands behind my head.

"Nice, what made you change your mind?" Nicky asked.

"Eh, heh. Nothin'," I said, feeling embarrassed.

"Oh come on Rod, don't leave me hangin'," he said, reaching over and punching my arm.

"It's just, I thought about Tenny, and Jackson and everybody," I lied, not wanting to tell him my stupid reason for staying.

"Bull crap, tell me the real reason," he said, throwing a pillow at me.

"I don't kn—"

"Oh don't even, ya do to. Now spit it out."

"Aw screw there was this girl," I said, turning red. Nicky burst out laughing.

"Pff, heheheh," Nicky huffed. "Woooow. You and your girls."

"Aw shut up. You wanted to know so I told ya."

"You do know we're only going to be here for a couple weeks right?" Nicky asked.

"Hey now wait a sec, I talked to a guy who said that he was here for a month," I said, defensively. "That's definitely enough time to get to know someone."

"Yeah maybe, but most are here for two ta three weeks."

"And how do you know?" I asked.

"Same way you do," Nicky responded. "You're not the only one who has ears. I can hear what people say too."

"Yeah yeah, but that won't stop me from trying," I said, getting up and slapping his shoulder. "Come on let's go get ourselves into trouble."

"Trouble? Why would we—"

"Heh, it's just a saying Nicky," I said. Nicky got off the bed and followed me out the door. "Well it's six thirty, what do you wanna do."

"What is there to do?" he responded, shrugging.

"I don't know, go check out all of the vehicles outside," I replied, leading the way down the stairs. "There's tons of cool equipment they have. I passed by an armory outside. We could go look at some of that stuff."

"Yeah, but I don't want to go somewhere where we'll get into trouble."

"Oh please Nicky, you're the one who took us on a ride on the vultures. You thought we wouldn't get in trouble with that?" I asked, walking through the cafeteria and out into the airfield. "And plus I am pretty sure if they didn't want us go somewhere they'd tell us."

"True, but it's common sense not to wonder into places we shouldn't be," Nicky said, rubbing his hands together, nervously. "We might not even be allowed out here. I mean, what if a plane came flying down and didn't see us. What then?"

"Oh Nicky, stop worrying. I am pretty sure we could get out of the way," I said, searching around for the armory. "Think about it Nicky, no vehicles here are quiet. You can friggen hear them coming into the atmosphere."

"Eh, you have a point."

We walked around the airport in silence. I continued looking for the armory I had seen earlier. It had seemed pretty cool. After a good fifteen minutes I finally lost it. Everything in the base looked the same.

"Ugh this is completely useless," I said, throwing my hands in the air. "I haven't seen the stupid—"

"Rod, do you mean that building right there?" Nicky asked pointing. "We've passed it like three times, but I thought you knew what you were doing so I didn't say anything."

I looked in the direction he was pointing and low behold, there it was sitting right in front of my face. I rolled my eyes.

"It had a tank in front of it earlier, okay," I said in my own defense, approaching the large structure. Nicky followed, but seemed to lag behind. "We're not going to get in trouble Nicky"

"You can't confirm that," he wined, dragging his feet.

"Well you know you don't have to come bro," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Plus I've already explained this to you. They would tell us if we weren't allowed to wonder."

"What do you have to be compelled in all things," Nicky replied. I rolled my eyes, walking inside the building. There was armor plating hanging from the walls in all directions. Mechanical machines sat still covering the room.

"Huh, well this is interesting," I said, scanning the chamber. "Wonder what it's used for."

"It's for upgrading vehicle armor," someone said from the left. I jumped and turned toward the sound. A buff looking man in an auto mechanic type outfit stood against the wall. "Not that we use it at all. We have no need for it here."

"Heh, uh cool," I responded, not sure what to say.

"What are you two doing here anyway?" the man asked, not appearing to be upset.

"Oh, uh nothing. We don't really have much to do," I said, telling the truth.

"Nothing to do? In a training camp? Heh that's laughable, does Groff know about this?" he asked, amused.

"Groff who's that?" Nicky asked, stepping forward.

"Uh Nicky, don't you remember? He's the one Baker said would train us after the Selethicks," I reminded him.

"Oooh," Nicky said, in realization.

"Heh, so you guys haven't even met 'im yet eh?"

"No, not necessarily," I said, feeling queasy.

"Well here, let me give you some advice," the man said. I leaned forward, interested. "There is no getting on his good side. In fact he doesn't have a good side. Your main goal with Groff is to first, never avoid eye contact, and Secondly do exactly what he says, and when he says it. Then you may have the hopes of getting a low level on his hated list."

"Why does he hate everyone so much?" Nicky asked, curious.

"Well, huh I'm not supposed to say anything, but sense you two haven't trained with him yet, I'll tell ya," the man said leaning forward. "Groff was never a trainer. In fact he never wanted to be a trainer. Groff despises recruits. Always has. The only people he has any respect for are those of higher ranks."

"Then why is he working here?" I asked.

"Well that's what I'm not supposed to tell. A couple years back Seargent Groff made a "bad"order which ended up getting Colonel Hezov killed," he said. "Plank de-ranked him to a Seargent and he was put as a physical instructor.

"Now that's fact. Everything I just said is true… But I, along with a lot of others, think that Groff wanted to be a Colonel and Hezov was in his way. I think that Groff purposely made the bad order in order to kill Hezov so it would be easier for him to rank up. As you can tell, it wasn't a very good decision."

"Well Mr. Plank must've known. It's obvious. Why didn't Plank have him killed?" I asked, shocked.

"Huh that's where everyone's beliefs differ. Some say Plank liked Groff too much to kill him. Others think Plank was intimidated."

"Is that what you think?" Nicky asked.

"No, not necessarily," he said, shrugging.

"Well what do you believe?" I questioned.

"Hmm. That's an interesting question," the man said, leaning back on the wall. "You guys seem like you're looking to my reason as the right one."

We were quiet for a minute, until I broke the silence.

"No, I'm just curious."

"Eh, I've already told you a lot, so might as well," he said, pulling out a cigarette. "I think Plank didn't know at all. I believe that all these years Groff is planning his attack. He sees what the Orange Terran do every day. Think of all the power! Groff wants revenge. And I think that one day," the man said, lighting the cigarette. "He's going to get it."

I stood, horrified. Wait what? Did I just hear that right? We have to warn him! I thought, looking over at Nicky who had the same scared face.

"Oh please! Don't listen to this pig head's stories," I heard a voice say from behind. I turned to see a taller man, mid-thirties, with the same dirty mechanic clothes.

"Aw shut up Reg," the first man said, waving his cigarette around. "What I said is true."

"Don't tell me to shut up, you're the one telling a bunch of ridiculous bed time stories," Reg said, picking up a piece of metal off the floor.

"Okay… well, thanks," I said, turning to leave. Nicky followed as we headed toward the door.

"Hey," the guy said, calling out to us. I turned to face him. "Just watch your back around that old fool okay? Ya never know what's coming."

I nodded in return and headed out the door.

"What do you think that was all about?" Nicky asked.

"I don't know?" I said, shaking my head. What if what he said was true? What if this Seargent Groff guy was dangerous?! What would happen to the Orange Terran? Heck what would happen to me?! "Just pretend it didn't happen okay. If we can get through training Groff is someone else's problem. We'll be out in the battle and probably almost dead before anything happens."

Hello again. And yes, thou eyes doth not desievest thee. This is yet... the third chapter in two days. It's funny that I say this in this context because you are probably reading this after you read the story. BUT IT DOTH NOT MATTER. I have potentially made a new record!

I am quite pleased if I do say so myself. So yeah... HAVE A NICE DAY! :D:D:D