PART I - THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A JOKE!
Commandant Xera entered the mess tent, to see that Master Trainer Thorn was already present, along with several of the other trainers and department heads. Presumably, the remaining would be arriving momentarily. Xera had been very happy with the skills of their staff and the results of the previous recruit class, and was equally pleased with the minimal turnover coming into this one. Losing the Bladedancer trainer at the last minute was a blow, but the Major’s willingness to step up, in addition to tending her normal duties, was yet another testament to her character.
This was the eleventh training group to form since Xera finally convinced the powers that advanced class training, combined with a Symbiote, would not only be well-worth the price, but could make the difference in the Demon War. After the success of the first two training groups, Xera had been finally offered a sizable budget and worked hard to assemble some of the best advanced class officers they could find to turn into instructors. Purchasing Symbiotes was always painful, but the funding was there at least. The only drawback to this whole arrangement was that it came with one requirement. Xera was not allowed to retire. This was her assignment to succeed or fail on.
This evening’s gathering of officers and trainers had become a tradition. A way to formally start off the term with reporting on the opening day events, impressions of the recruits and just a general way to get everyone in the right mindset. After this, these all trainer meetings would occur only if needed; probably only once or twice during the term. There would still be plenty of meetings, but with smaller groups and held in the conference room at the command building.
“Commandant,” Legate Galin said in greeting, walking into the tent through a different entrance, a warm smile on his face.
“Galin,” Xera said, acknowledging their old friend. “Good to see you. Everyone, please be seated,” Xera said, taking the podium.
All took a seat, the area having been set up with approximately twenty chairs facing forward. A few were still empty, waiting for the stragglers to arrive. Of particular absence was Major Celeste.
‘Where is the Major?” Xera asked the Legate.
“She is just dealing with the remnants of a brawl, and should be here shortly.”
Xera nodded. “We can get started then. Most of you I know; welcome back. For the few of you who are new and I have only met briefly, your references precede you and welcome. I thank you all for choosing to be here in the middle of nowhere for this recruit class. I strive to keep things relaxed, much to the Legate’s disappointment, so my door is always open should you need anything. Again, welcome.”
“Just to go on the record, I am once again only here because you still won’t let me retire,” the Warlock trainer, Terrin, said with a sly smile as the room joined in a chuckle.
“Thank you just the same,” Xera acknowledged, with a nod to their old friend. “So, Master Trainer Thorn, how does this group of recruits look? Give us the numbers.”
“Of course, Commandant,” Thorn said, standing and moving to the podium. Xera sat in one of the audience chairs, offering rapt attention.
“This group of recruits consists of sixty-seven souls in total, so nearly all the bunkhouses are full. We have two no-shows that we’ll look into. They are both Conscripted non-volunteers, so I’d expect them to show up somewhere soon. Unless their explanations are good, they’ll be sent for standard training.”
“Racial breakdown?”
“A fairly standard assortment. Seventeen Elves, Eleven Dwarves, Nine Fairies, Four Goblins, and one each of Ogre, Faun, Gnome and Pixie. There are also a total of twenty-two Beastkin in the usual varied assortment, although one of them is a Fire Salamander variant, of all things.”
“A Faun? We don’t see them here often. Where did they end up?” Xera asked. The little Fae tended to live much farther to the north-east, deep in the Fae Woods, and generally avoided civilized areas, so they weren’t a common sight.
“Healer Specialist; Combat Medic. I met her briefly. She’s a little shy, but I think she will do well. I suggested she sit down with Tasi, since they are the same class. Tasi probably can help boost her confidence a little bit with some insight.”
“And the Salamander?”
“I believe they may be a Ranger.”
Xera looked back to see if Trainer Reynard was present to get a confirmation, but he apparently hadn’t arrived yet. “And how many Dwarves have been ejected for being asses so far?”
Legate Galin took the podium from Thorn, since it was a non-training issue. “None that I am aware of, but likely some from the fight a short time ago. It was a fairly raucous brawl. I will defer that answer for Major Celeste when she arrives.”
“I thought I had that situation resolved?” Thorn said. “It was just brewing when I was in the area, and I stepped in to settle things. Both sides seemed willing to let it go and just return to their tents and wait for their trainers.”
“Apparently it started back up again,” Galin said. “I know Trainer Reynard was assisting, as were a few of the Major’s people.”
Xera shook their head. The Dwarves were always so much work for at least the first week, but when they finally were brought under control and focused, they were such great assets. Stubborn to a fault, but fierce fighters and casters. Unfortunately, every training group seemed to have a few that somehow made it through screening, and ultimately needed to be sent back down to standard training. Either they were not cut out for advanced training, or they ended up not having the right attitude once around the other races.
Galin cleared his throat. “You should also know, there was an incident with one of the Dwarves at the intake line, but it was resolved … creatively.”
“How so?”
“Remember that Ogre you promoted to Corporal?”
The Commandant thought back, and then recalled the light-hearted comment about using the Ogre for punishing those that got out of line.
“I remember the Ogre and the joke I made about him being the one to punish people.”
Galin winced. “Your attempt at humor may have been misconstrued, Commandant. The Ogre actually took you quite seriously, and both the recruits as well as some of the staff are actually addressing him as Corporal now.”
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Taken aback, Xera quickly demanded, “What happened?”
“A Dwarf standing in the line pushed the one Pixie recruit, and she tripped, falling on her wing and snapping it. I think she was just too startled to take flight in time, unfortunately.”
Xera winced in sympathetic pain, instinctively touching their own wing. “Oooooo! That would be an agonizing injury! How is the Pixie? The healers were close, so I would hope …”
Thorn interrupted to wave Xera off before they could get too upset. “Master Healer Tasi tells me the Pixie should be fine, although in residual pain for a time. She was released to join the recruits and return to training, with some temporary restrictions.”
“And what does all this have to do with the Ogre?”
A new voice came from the entry to the tent. “Have you ever seen a really pissed off Ogre stomping towards you?” Major Celeste said, having just walked in.
Xera turned, and smiled, seeing the camp’s head of security. “Major! Welcome. I’ve seen Ogre Berserkers in action on the battlefield, but I can’t say I ever had one coming for me.”
“It’s probably in the top three most-terrifying things I’ve ever seen,” she said with a shake of her head. “But believe it or not, he wasn’t in a Berserker rage, just really really really pissed that someone had hurt that Pixie. The Ogre, by the way, you apparently promoted to Corporal and assigned punishment responsibilities.”
“That was supposed to be a joke!” Xera cried.
“Not to him! As far as that Ogre is concerned, he is now a Corporal, with all the privileges that come with that rank. I don’t recommend telling him otherwise.”
“Hell!” Xera spat. “Please tell me the Dwarf is in one piece.”
Galin let out a short laugh, and a few of the audience in the know chuckled as well. He gestured to Celeste to allow her to tell the rest of the story, and she moved up to the podium.
“Once I ascertained that the Ogre was still in control, I received his word that he wouldn’t kill the Dwarf. Only … ‘mangle’ him a little. At that point, I felt using him as a disciplinary tool could serve as a good warning to the crowd of remaining recruits. I also felt that trying to stop him might be unwise, quite honestly.”
“What did he do? Limbs are all attached, right?”
“He ordered me to slice off the Dwarf’s beard.”
“Ordered?” Xera said in disbelief.
“Yes, Commandant,” Celeste said, straightening, “He didn’t have a Command Aura, but pushed out some other kind of … something. Very hard to explain. It overrode my own authority in that moment and felt… I think the only word I can think of is ‘primal’. It’s definitely some form of leadership aura.”
“That’s interesting,” Xera said. “I’ve never heard of something like that from an Ogre. Galin? Thorn?”
Both indicated no. “I guess we keep an eye on that; or better yet, have a Scryer look into it. What happened?”
“This Ogre, who is now calling himself ‘Corporal Punishment’, the name you gave him I remind you, ordered me to remove the Dwarf’s beard, and to hang it next to the courtyard signal bell as a warning to all.”
Xera snorted with suppressed laughter. “What? Hang it as a warning?”
Celeste gave an exaggerated nod. “Oh yes! My people have erected a post, upon which they have nailed that beard. Then the Ogre proceeded to literally scare the piss out of the Dwarf, roughed him up a bit, and finally shouted a warning to all the recruits that they are to behave, or face his wrath.”
“I am not quite sure what to say,” Xera said. “Galin? Your thoughts?”
“The Dwarf suffered some minor injuries,” Galin responded dismissively, “but was able to be easily healed and returned to training quickly. I’m not going to fault the Major for her actions at that moment in the face of this strange aura from the Ogre, and I actually believe it will be interesting for discipline to have a recruit peer being part of the … I guess I’d call it the chain of command. I also believe the Ogre’s response was innovative, although a little excessive. Thankfully, no permanent damage done.”
“I get the sense he is incredibly protective of the small races, and that the violent response was uncharacteristic of him, based on what happened just before I arrived here,” Celeste added.
“This is the outcome of that brawl?” Xera asked.
Celeste cleared her throat and nodded. “I wanted to get some further sense of the Ogre; try to understand his personality a little better outside of a heated moment. There was a large fight a short time ago. The usual, Berserkers versus the Barbarians. Some damage to equipment, but surprisingly minimal injuries outside of some bruises and scrapes. I finally settled it down and brought the eight primary people involved to the Ogre to see what his response might be. His answer was not what I expected.”
“Oh?” both Xera and Galin asked at the same time.
“The first thing he asked, in confidence, was whether I felt any were worth keeping. I suggested that it would be better to let those that weren’t advanced training material go back to standard, rather than get a worm, despite it being a last-minute choice. He had an unusual way of judging who was worth keeping.”
Everyone looked on in eager anticipation of what happened.
“He then asked me, out loud, if Healers could grow back limbs, which I confirmed was possible but a long and painful experience. At that point, he offered the eight recruits a choice. Return to standard training, getting no worm. Or stay and face an unknown punishment tomorrow in front of the entire camp. Three chose to go, and three chose to stay. Tazrok, that is the Ogre’s name, decided for the remaining two, keeping one and sending the other down.”
“Interesting,” Legate Galin said. “By letting the recruits make the choice themselves, it became a test of character.”
“Exactly, Sir,” Celeste said. “It was quite insightful as to Tazrok’s character as well.”
“What is he going to do? Is he truly suggesting removing their limbs? We can’t have that,” Terrin said.
“That was actually only to scare them before offering them the choice.”
“What’s he wanting to do?” Xera asked with concern, echoing Terrin.
Celeste smiled. “Commandant Xera, Legate Galin, either of you could order me to tell you, but I believe his punishment will be worth the surprise. I have already approved it, should you have any concerns. Your natural responses might help reinforce the message, quite honestly.”
Xera and Galin looked at each other, and then Galin shrugged. “I am willing to see how this plays out, if you’re sure it’s appropriate.”
“Why not,” Xera added.
“Excellent. We shall muster the recruits one hour before the feast tomorrow evening.”
“Major Celeste, are you sure you can keep the Ogre under control? I worry about the power going to his head,” the Legate asked . “Especially if there’s some aura he’s able to invoke.”
A small voice came from a seat in the back row. “He is one of mine,” Trainer Rowani said, standing from her seat and leaning on the back of a chair. “I will be watchful and inform the Major if I see any cause for concern. But now knowing of this aura, I am beginning to think there may be more to this Ogre than we would expect.”
“Wait, he’s one of yours?” Xera asked. “Seriously? A Druid? Another anomaly?”
“He is. I checked him myself,” Rowani confirmed. “Mistress Juniper even deemed to make an appearance, as well, and verified it was so.”
“Juniper? She came into the camp?” Legate Galin snarled. “She didn’t get in the way, did she? That’s an important part of our agreement with her.”
Rowani waved her paw in a calming motion. “Everything was fine. She was simply curious about the Ogre, and was attempting to explain to him what a Druid actually is. She continues to be inquisitive, but not interrupting of our work here.”
“Good,” Xera said with a nod. “So any other thoughts on the Ogre and this aura of his?”
“One of his bunkhouse mates is also in my training group.” Celeste said, “I could ask her to be watchful as well. As for the aura, I’m at a loss as to its full effects, so I suggest we just wait and see.”
Legate Galin shrugged. “I’m interested to see what happens, too. Major, just be prepared to step in if needed, or reach out to myself. I don’t want things getting out of hand.”
“Of course, Sir,” the Major confirmed.