Captain Harmon Rabb Jr.:We knew for a fact that there was going to be a culling of the bunker group. We had estimated that Alpha and Bravo platoons were going to end up at seven individuals a piece including the platoon sergeant. There was no way our resources could hold out if we had everyone in the group of candidates remain. The rest would be apportioned off to other bunkers for manpower or if the candidate decided to drop on request, they could rejoin the rest of the civilian population in the city and take their chances.
Animal did something that I didn't think that he would. He promoted Jared Frio to Cadet Platoon Sergeant of Bravo Platoon. And evidently Jared Frio stepped up to the challenge of commanding a platoon, because whether through fear or intimidation, he managed to cow every swinging fifth wing of them into a sense of military bearing. And to think that all I thought he'd be capable of doing was being a mess cook. Animal was perceptive and he thought that Jared had some command potential - evidently Animal was right. The other Cadet Platoon Sergeant was River McIrish who had a much tougher task considering her group of candidates was twice the size of Cadet Sergeant Frio's but she took to it like a fish to water.
It was with an air of pride that both new sergeants took to wearing their golden berets like badges of honor.
Of course Twyla Summers just would not take the position of attention and looked around...that drew Meg's ire...and she strode over to the cadet and planted herself square in Cadet Summer's face, calling over Cadet SGT McIrish over. "Come here, Sergeant...you have a cadet to correct."
"AYE MA'AM!!!" barked River and strode over to the Navy Captain.
All within audible hearshot, Meg's words cracked like a whip. "I want her in military bearing or she is to be made to drop on request (DOR), do you understand me, Sergeant. We have no time for a ne'er-do-well."
"Either you get with the program, or you take your chances with the Bomb. Do you understand me, Cadet Summers."
Meg's piercing blue eyes pinned Cadet Summer's head to the wall.
Then...it was SGT McIrish's turn. "You just planted yourself on my plum-list, Cadet. And I'm going to do every thing I can think of to make you Drop On Request. All you need to do to make life more comfortable for yourself is to DOR."
"That goes for EVERY SINGLE ONE of you."
And YOU...Cadet Summers, if you so much as step out of line one fraction of an inch...I'm going to pin your ears back and pop your eyes out of your skull!!!"
I chose that moment to whisper to my friend, Meg, "Your apprentice learned well..." Meg was not amused.
Meanwhile Sergeant Psychopath...continued eyeballing Cadet Summers. "You're going to be begging me to DOR...why not save me the trouble? Cadet..."
"Surely the Bomb couldn't be worse than I am..."
"Ring the bell, Cadet, Ring THE BELL!!!" River tightened the gears on Cadet Summers
I commented out the side of my mouth, "Hey, Meg...She's ALIVE...it LIVES..." alluding to Frankenstein's monster, created when River received the Golden Beret. Meg still wasn't amused.
"You guys screw up just this much..." Cadet Sergeant Jared Frio roared at his cowed platoon. "You ain't going to last as long as Cadet Summers. Your fuzzy pink peaches will be grass...because I'll plant your plums!!!!"
Well...we had created two non-coms that were proving to be quite the quick learners with regards to making life miserable for recruits.
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