Legacy Earth by Ross Buzzell

Author:Ross Buzzell [Buzzell, Ross]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Archimedes Books
Published: 2021-09-15T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Four

Divide and Educate

The next morning started like any other: Foltur pretty much kicking in the door, everyone scrambling to get their bunks made, Lance bouncing the coin off his, getting into their fatigues, and standing at attention. Their drill instructor marched up and down the half-filled barrack.

“Now that you made it through the worst day of basic, you ingrates get to receive your non-fatigue uniforms,” Foltur said before stopping in front of Dexter.

He looked up at the young man who stood nearly a head taller than himself. Lance glanced over to see his fellow cadet standing at attention.

“Listen here, you walking lamppost, I give you a uniform today, I expect you to graduate. Is that understood?” Foltur asked.

“YES DRILL SERGEANT!” Dexter replied.

“GOOD!” Foltur replied. “And I owe you an apology. I don’t think I’ve given you a nickname yet. You’re tall, like a tree. Would you say you’re tall like a tree, cadet?”

“YES DRILL SERGEANT!” Dexter said without flinching.

“How ‘bout the rest of you?” Foltur asked. “Would you say he’s tall like a tree?”

“YES DRILL SERGEANT!” everyone shouted at once.

“Good, since everyone’s in agreement, I think Ent is a good name for you,” Foltur said as he looked Dexter up and down. “Would you agree, Ent-boy?”

“YES DRILL SERGEANT!” the cadet replied.

“That’s what I thought,” Foltur mused before turning his attention to Amy. “You, I have to admit in all my years doing this, I’ve never seen a dark-skinned redhead before. I think you look like a match stick. What do you think?”

“I think I look like a burned-down match stick that somehow is still on fire, sir!” Amy replied without a twitch.

Lance held down a snicker at the nickname. Foltur approached Stephanie. He glared at the cadet for several seconds before turning his attention to his next victim.

“I think I’m going to call you Sparky,” he muttered before moving on.

Each subsequent nickname was slightly more insulting than the last as he moved his way through the cadets he hadn’t named yet. As he taunted the remaining classmates, Jackson entered, followed by another drill instructor.

Lance noticed that the other DI was a bright eyes as well, sporting bright baby blues around a face that’d seen years of experience. He still held on to his dark hair aside from a single grey strip on the top of his head.

“Those that are specializing in electronic engineering and communications go with Chief Master Sergeant Jackson,” Foltur instructed. A third of the class walked out, following their commanding officer. “Those of you looking to be pilots, I’d like to introduce you to a Naval Aviator that was SO good at his job, Sec. Def. pulled him from his Terran-based posting to teach you numpties how to fly. Captain Robert Buzzell, call sign Buzz.”

Lance glanced at Buzz, who looked over the class with a critical eye. His uniform was even more squared away than Foltur’s.

“Follow me,” Buzz said as he flicked his thumbs before turning and leaving the room.

Justin, Curtis, Amy, and several other cadets followed the captain out of the barracks.

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