- Wolverfrog
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- Fabled Legendary Member
Part 30: Insubordination
"Right recruits, under the net now! Move it, move it, move it!" Blade shouted at the cursing Insurrectionist recruits, not a bead of sweat running down his old, worn face. He was confident and in control.
We were both dressed in Drill Officer attire, our Sergeant Lapels gleaming on our chests. Today, Mains had kindly asked us over breakfast to oversee the newly enlisted recruits training. I'd enthusiastically agreed, Blade has muttered something about not really wanting to train a new generation of "Innies." Luckily, Mains, or Scott I suppose he had asked me to call him, didn't hear.
"Right lad, I'm gonna go get a drink. Think you can handle it?" Blade asked me, already walking towards the mess hall.
"Sure thing."
I walked over to the other end of the net, and attempted to encourage the men to carry on.
"Right, come on, only a little more!" I shouted in my most commanding voice, however, all I received from the man emerging from under the net was a cold stare. The rest of them did likewise, leaving me to stand there as they simply walked away from the obstacle course, towards the changing rooms.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing recruits? Get back here!" I ordered, sensing trouble.
Slowly, the tallest one, who looked to be around 6"3", turned towards me, a sneer on his face. The rest of the recruits, bar one who seemed to not to be involved, followed suit, clustering around the tall one. I groaned inwardly, they'd formed a gang.
I was only 5"10", which, although the same size as some of men there, didn't come close to the "ringleader."
"What was that kid?" The tall one asked menacingly, drawing in on me. He towered over my figure, his grotesque face pushed firmly against mine. I was a little intimidated, but didn't flinch. Instead, I drew away from him and pulled out the small firearm at my side, an M6C SOCOM, complete with an optical scope and silencer; fully automatic, of course.
"You heard me tough guy, get back on the course!" I growled in a Blade - esque impression.
That got some laughs, but at me, not with me. I groaned inwardly, when was Blade getting back? No, I told myself firmly, if I couldn't sort this one tiny crisis, how would I cope in the future?
"Look at you, you're barely out of diapers kid! And to think you're a Sergeant." The same tall recruit jeered. I'd had it up to there with him by now.
"Right, that's it recruits! Get to the course now, or I start shooting!" I threatened, raising the pistol. The men guffawed.
"You're bluffing kid, you wouldn't shoot us..."
How wrong he was, I thought. If I was with my squad and Blade gave the order, I'd have filled him with bullets, no hesitation. In fact, I was pretty sure it was in my UNSC contract to kill any Insurrection I saw. However, to a certain extent he was right. I was under cover, and something told me that shooting a recruit on my first day as Sergeant would be a bit of a give away. Instead, all I said was.
"Don't try me big shot. I'm the Sergeant here, and I order you to get back to training! You signed a contract with us, you'll keep to it's terms."
"Ha-ha, right kid, if you want to be treated like a big boy, then fine. You're in for a world of hurt..." He said, pounding his fist as he drew in on me.
Without warning, he swung a heavy fist at me, aimed for my head. Instinctively, I ducked, and heard a surge as the fist pass harmlessly over the head. I had a feeling that would have knocked me out.
Wasting no time, I rested my finger on the SOCOM, prepared to shoot him in the leg. Before I could pull though, another fist flew threw the air and knocked it out of my hand. As the recruit reached down to pick it up, I kicked it away and kicked him in the head for good measure, sending him sprawling into the dust.
The others had formed a circle around us by now, cheering him, and booing me. One of them tossed the recruit I was fighting an empty bottle of beer, which was quickly smashed, the sharp remnants of it aimed at my chest. I stepped back warily, this guy was obviously prepared to go all the way.
He lunged at me with the bottle, and quickly I dived out the way. This was getting serious now, I could lose my life.
I scrambled up, and attempted to barge past the circle of cheering recruits. I was quickly pushed back towards my aggressor.
I heard air distort as the broken bottle once again flew through the air, aimed at my beating heart. Reacting quickly, I grabbed his grubby, hairy arms and attempted to push him back. He grunted with surprise as he met resistance, the bottle mere inches from my chest. He pushed hard, and slowly I began to feel my arms buckle. Suddenly, I felt my feet fall from beneath me as he dealt a swift kick below, and I tumbled to the ground, winded.
He towered over me, bottle raised madness in his eyes. By God, he was actually going to kill me! I braced myself, thinking this was the end. How ironic, to survive countless attacks by Covenant only to be killed by a Insurrectionist recruit with an attitude problem.
Before the final blow could be made however, an angry, confused voice shouted from outside the circle.
"What's going on here? Why aren't you on the training course? And what's with the circle of people, move out of my way!"
Hope filled my heart as I realised who it was Blade!
A few startled people jumped out of the way as Blade pushed past, revealing to him the bizarre scene before him. With a look of alarm, he saw the broken bottle, poised to stab me.
"Put the bottle down son...now." He spoke calmly, trying to placate the tall recruit. Blade was a little smaller than him.
Rather than listen to the command though, the recruit swung crazily through the air towards Blade with his left arm out stretched, the one which held the bottle. He was going all the way, planning to stab Blade too.
With lightning reactions, Blade grabbed the attacker by the arm, stopping his whole body in his tracks. With a flick of Blade's wrist, the attacker was thrown to the ground, and the shattered bottle flew in the air, completely smashing as it landed on the recruits' arm. A horrible scream rang through the air as broken glass penetrated, red, crimson blood oozing from the multiple wounds.
There was no sympathy in Blade's gaze as he placed a strong foot on the recruits' chest, pinning him down.
There was no sympathy in Blade's gaze as he drew a M6D Magnum from it's holster, pointing it at the recruit's head.
There was no sympathy in his gaze as he fired either.
"There's no place in the world for people like him. Other than a cemetery." Blade reflected solemnly, holstering the smoking pistol. "Now get back on that course men, or else!"
They ran, practically leaving apparations of themselves in the air where they stood, they went so fast. Blade sighed, and rolled the corpse at his feet over, so it was face down in the dirt.
"Wow Blade...You killed him." I uttered, shocked. Blade scowled.
"Of course I did, he was committing insubordination and assaulted a superior officer. You should have shot him long before I came."
I hadn't looked at it like that. Mains would be annoyed, no doubt, but he'd understand.
"Yeah, yeah I guess." I sighed, looking at the floor, my face flushed red. "Maybe I'm not cut out for this whole Sergeant thing after all..."
Blade frowned instantly.
"Don't you go feeling sorry for yourself. You'll do fine, you just need some confidence. Tell you what, meet me in the hall at 1am, no one will be around. We can do some unarmed combat there, and I'll also lecture you on how to command troops. You need to learn it." He rebuked.
I brightened considerably.
"That'd be great Blade. Thanks."