All of the soldiers take off running for the ship, intent on getting there in time to avoid punishment. They didn’t need to panic nearly as much as they did though, because not a single unit is moving from their barracks yet, with many of them still being shouted at to wake up as they pass by.
“Fall in. Triple Time March.” Nico yells over the noise and confusion, causing the troops to fall into a line four ranks wide and get their running roughly in time with each other.
Max leads the unit up the ramp while Nico paces at the side and the other officers circle the back making sure they don’t have any stragglers falling behind. The training of their new soldiers was very thorough though, and these men and women were all chosen from the top of their classes at the various academies in this world. Simply keeping time for a forced jog across an open field is not a challenge to them, but it is taken as one by every Special Forces unit whose barracks they pass by.
Max brings them to a halt when they reach the scanners at the top of the ramp, moving to a single file so that they can get everyone checked in as a new crew member. This was the real reason that Max wanted to be first, the ramp is only wide enough for four units to be processed at a time, and the last of them will spend hours waiting outside in the middle of the night, carrying all their kit so that they can finish their paperwork..
“Good Morning Major. I see your troops are well rested and ready to face the day.” The crewman who is checking in their lane welcomes them at the top of the ramp.
“Yes, they simply had so much energy to burn that they couldn’t wait to start training this morning.” Max laughs, causing a wave of groans to pass through the ranks.
They will learn very soon, the option was never between training or not, the option was between hellish training and relatively pleasant training. The data on the pilots has the date that they first reached fifty points of bonus skills and triggered rapid puberty, but for most of them, there isn’t much more. This world doesn’t even keep a government counselor on staff to record details of their skills and do mental progression testing.
But the 42nd turned out well by the end of their tour, with every remaining man and woman doing the Kepler Empire proud, so there is no reason that the 43rd can’t do as well or better with the proper motivation.
With the check-in finished they march through the empty halls of the Abraham Kepler to section AE86, their new home, and pick out their bunks. With a full crew on board, there won’t be a lot of extra space in the ship, but as a Special Tactics unit, they do at least get less cramped quarters. The racks the infantry troopers will sleep on are only two deep instead of three, and the Corvette Class Pilots get semi-private rooms suitable to their status as officers. Two single bunks, one on either side of the same small room that the Crusader Clas Pilots call home is their fate, and they have already mostly settled in.
The last two are a pair named Breckenridge and Murphy. Breckenridge is a burly blonde man, built much like Max, right down the regulation flat top haircut, but only 175cm tall, while Murphy is a lithe 165cm with carrot-orange hair and a lithe figure that Max initially doesn’t realize is a female.
They are both standing in front of the last room, giving each other a death glare, while the other pilots sneak glances out their doors.
“Problem Pilots?” Nico asks, walking over.
“Can we request a change of roommate, Major?” Breckenridge asks hopefully.
“Who wants to swap rooms with Breckenridge?” Nico calls, and the sound of laughter echoes down the hallway.
“Looks like that’s a resounding NO, Lieutenant. Do you perhaps snore? There are sleep aids to prevent that available at the ship’s commissary.” Nico informs him.
“No Ma’am, my sleeping health is within parameters.” Breckenridge declares sadly, realizing that he won’t get a new roommate.
“That’s that then. Murphy, explain why you are giving your kind and loving roommate such a hostile look. You will be spending a lot of time together in the future, and squad morale is very important here in the Stalwart Special Tactics unit, so you need to sort your shit out and do it now.” Nico declares, turning to the other Pilot.
“We are siblings, Ma’am. Step Siblings to be exact.” Murphy informs her, then continues when she sees Nico doesn’t particularly see why that would cause issues sleeping near each other.
“We shared a room at home, we were one student number apart, so we shared a dorm at the academy, we are both Beta Ranked and competed for the top spot for our entire academic career.” She continues and Nico smiles.
“I understand. Major Max and I also shared a dorm and competed for the top spot during our youth. Rest assured, you are no longer competing for anything but survival. You know each other better than anyone else in this unit, and no amount of training can replace that. You are no longer competing siblings, you are Soldiers. Once we see combat you will earn a new bond, one of blood that no civilian life can replace.
I know you’re all listening in, so listen well. Put aside any rivalries you had in the past. Here you need to learn to be one single cohesive unit, or you WILL die. Enjoy the rest of your morning, the mess hall opens at 0530 and I will be collecting you for training at 0700.” Nico’s motivational speech isn’t too bad, and Max sends Paul to go do the same for the infantry, who settled into their bunks without much fuss.
