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The last ray of sunlight disappeared from the horizon. As planned, all the boys entered the hold of the ship. They began to unpin their badges and prepared to call it a day. Alex, however, did not follow them in just as yet. He stood facing the mountains and the waterfall that poured into the Arenfjord. He looked perturbed but admired the natural beauty before him nevertheless.
Alex was worried about Corporal Radcliffe and his impossible antics. He decided to talk to him about his behavior; tell him what was expected of him as a boy in the Corps.
Alex opened two big doors that led into the boys’ deck. Hardly anyone noticed the sergeant, as there was a considerable hubbub when the boys were settling down. Alex walked to Radcliffe and started in the friendliest of ways,
“Hey there, Radcliffe! I need to have a word with you about your behavior. Do you recall the three girls in the town?”
Radcliffe replied in the same incorrigible and annoying tone, “Yeah, what about them?”
Alex responded, trying to keep calm, “I would like to speak to you about it in person, please.”
Radcliffe went on, “Whatever happened, they deserved it. There’s nothing more to it.”
Alex tried to persuade, “Trust me; there is Radcliffe, and that is why--”
“Shut up, sergeant! I’m not here to play foolish games with you!”
This caught the attention of a few cadets, and so the hustle and commotion quietened a bit. Alex could tolerate anything—anything but a cupcake of disobedience iced with backtalk. He didn’t say a word and walked out, closing the doors gently.
He stood by the door, concealing his anger as his face turned red. He then gathered the energy and took a breath. He paced toward the door. With all his might, he kicked the two big doors open, which created an enormous racket. All the commotion in the deck died out, and there was absolute silence. Some of the more experienced cadets began to place their kits on their beds and stand at attention.
“AT ATTENTION!” commanded Sergeant Alex in a voice that one could hardly believe came from the boy. Most of them clicked their heels and came to attention, while others began to wear their unpinned badges. “PRESENT YOUR KITS!” demanded the sergeant as he walked down the stairs.
By now, almost all cadets had presented their kits, save one distraught boy. Alex marched up to him and asked, “Cadet Josh, WHERE is your DAY KIT?”
Josh was helplessly rummaging for it in his cupboard. “I… I am unable to f-f-find it, sergeant.” stammered a terrified Josh.
“Well, then FIND it already! I DON’T have all day!!” required the sergeant. Josh continued to frantically search and replied with a, “Yes, sergeant!”
Alex then advanced to Corporal Radcliffe. He was standing at attention and avoiding eye contact with the sergeant like a cadet was supposed to. “Well, corporal,” began the sergeant with an inflection to his voice. “I order you to follow me to the main deck immediately!”
Radcliffe answered cautiously, “The corporal in the ranks is unwilling to do that, sergeant.”
Alex briefly softened his voice and replied, “Well, it’s your call then, corporal.”
Alex turned and began to speak out loudly, “Today, all of us witnessed CORPORAL Radcliffe’s unacceptable behavior at the plaza!”
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There was absolute silence on the deck as he said so. Alex went on, “Set that aside, but there was one more outrageous thing Corporal Radcliffe and his ‘friends’ did.”
The sergeant called out to the other two boys, “Cadet Robert, Lance Corporal Filip! Form up beside Corporal Radcliffe THIS INSTANT!”
“Yes, sergeant.” concurred both the boys as they ran and stood beside Radcliffe.
“Well, cadets, I’m sure you want to know what the three of them did, right?!” asked the sergeant, who posed the question less like asking and more like telling.
“After his poor show at the plaza, Corporal Radcliffe and party happen upon three wonderful young ladies,” Alex remarked with passionate anger.
“The first girl was considerate enough to give her name, even after being called a ‘girly’.”
An enraged Sergeant Alex inquired, “Really, corporal? Is that how you learned to address young ladies in training? A GIRLY??!”
Radcliffe was astounded. However, he stood expressionless.
“The second girl seemed so interested to learn about the Exploration Corps! Seeing the boys in uniform, she excitedly tried to introduce herself. But that is EXACTLY when Corporal Radcliffe stopped her , saying she was too ‘ugly’ to have her name HEARD!”
Alex then continued in a humorous tone, “Looks like Miss Bell failed to meet Corporal Radcliffe’s beauty standards, eh?”
Assuming back his severe demeanor and staring at Radcliffe, he told,
“Corporal Radcliffe, let me make one thing crystal clear—BEAUTY is NOT something you can tell from looking somebody in the face or by the clothes that they wear. BEAUTY is the magic within oneself, and one has to engage in the other person to UNDERSTAND it!”
The sergeant then went up closer to him and asked, “Understand me, corporal?”
Radcliffe was blown away. He replied, “Yes, sergeant.”
Alex now set his sights on the other two boys and began, “But the greatest mistake is YOURS! Both of you knew Corporal Radcliffe was doing WRONG, didn’t you? And what did you do? NOTHING! What kind of ‘friends’ are you?!”
The two boys were quaking in their boots. Lance Corporal Filip spoke up, “We were worried as to what the corporal would say, sergeant.”
Alex replied sarcastically, “Yeah, yeah! Corporal Radcliffe would have EATEN you both for correcting him, right?”
The sergeant then added, “If you lasses are so scared, then either report to me or our lieutenant! You understand me?!”
“Yes, sergeant!” the boys complied.
When Alex said ‘lasses’, a few boys snickered, holding back muffled laughter. But, as he glared at the assembly, even that laughter died out. He then paced toward Cadet Josh, who was still rummaging for his day kit.
“Cadet Josh!” cried the sergeant. Josh quivered as he came to attention.
“Y-y-yes, sergeant?” he stuttered.
Alex now cooled his temper and spoke to him with tenderness, “It seems you have lost your day kit. Don’t worry, go to the officers’ mess and procure a new one.”
Cadet Josh was greatly relieved. “Thank you, sergeant!”
Sergeant Alex walked to the door and commanded, “At ease, cadets!” before walking out.
Outside on the main deck, he breathed a huge sigh of relief—he had finally done the right thing. A few minutes passed as he cherished the scenery. Soon, Quarter Master Sergeant Romov came over to him.
“Sergeant Alex.” Pronounced Romov in a no-nonsense tone.
Alex turned back and came to attention, “Good evening, quartermaster sarge!”
Romov began, “Good evening! Well, sergeant, why did you lecture my cousin today?”
Alex replied, “He misbehaved with the people of Arendelle and put the reputation of the Exploration Corps at stake, sarge! Set that aside, he resorted to calling a young lady a ‘girly’!” The quartermaster was taken aback, while Alex continued, “All I wanted to tell him was that what he did was wrong.”
The quartermaster went on indifferently, “Sergeant, you must apologize to my cousin.”
Alex demanded, “But quartermaster! What is the reason for that? What wrong did I do, and why must I apologize?”
Romov had nothing to say. To protect his cousin, he firmly directed,
“I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. Just apologize to him. That is an order!” Alex grew worried. But that is just when the lieutenant arrived at the scene.
“Attention on deck!” the quartermaster directed. Both the boys turned and saluted smartly.
“Good evening, lieutenant!” they wished together. Saluting back, the lieutenant spoke, “Good evening. What is going on here, Romov?”
The quartermaster didn’t utter a word and became nervous. The lieutenant confessed, “I heard you. Trying to protect your little cousin again, aren’t you?”
The lieutenant then turned over to Alex, “Whatever you did was right; you are dismissed, sergeant.”
Alex stepped back and saluted.
“Thank you, sir.” He replied before marching back to the boys’ deck.