Alan led Marcus through the training facility. There was a massive obstacle course, a dirt circle with racks filled with wooden weapons, a vast array of training dummies, a large room with equipment Marcus didn't recognize, a cafeteria, and various other rooms with a chalkboard on the far wall. At the end of the training facility was two barracks, one labeled A were the boys stay, and another labeled B were the girls stay. Walking into the 'A' barracks, Marcus sees lines of bed's on either side of the room with footlockers at the end of them. Most beds either have people, or are clearly assigned to someone with a green mark on the footlocker. Alan leads Marcus to a bed with the number 84 on the footlocker.
"Alright Marcus this is your new bed there are four sets of clothes in a box under your bed that should fit you. Everything you brought must be stored in your footlocker, if it can't fit you'll have to sell it or otherwise get rid of it. Through the door at the end of the barracks is the showers, and lights out at sunset. Ah, almost forgot!"
Alan hand Marcus a small plastic card.
"This is your new bank card."
"What's a bank card?"
"A bank card is tied to an account you can deposit your credits into. So instead of lugging around a large bag of credits, you just use that card instead. You can deposit your credits in the building labled 'Bank' past the marketplace. All the city states in the Drylands will except your bank card, but obviously most traveling merchants, and small settlements won't."
"Got it."
"One last thing before I take off. You will now be addressed as New Blood 'A-84' until you graduate, or drop out of training. Your clothes will also have your number on them, so you will get a new set of clothes every month. Training starts in two days. You showed up just in time. If you were scouted halfway through training, you would've had to play catch up. Now, anymore questions ?"
"Yea, got any tips for me since I don't have a long time to adjust?"
Alan looks around to see if anyone is listening in then speaks in a muffled voice.
"Look, your from a small settlement yes? New Bloods recruited from the three big cities will have a major advantage than you. Training won't just be how to fight, and how to survive in the wasteland. You will first need to learn how to read and write, and you must reach a competent level in math then science. All of these skills are taught to the general public in the major cities, so they won't have to spend as much time focusing on those classes. My advice? Get to classes 30 minutes early. You'll get the attention of the trainers, and you will be able to ask them questions one on one."
"All right, thanks for the advice Alan."
"Sure thing. Goodluck with your training A-84."
Marcus sets his stuff on the bed and opens his locker. Inside was a map of the training facility, a watch, a few notebooks, pencils, and a instruction manual. Marcus exchanges what's in his satchel with the thing in the locker. He than takes a shower, and changes into the green fatigues from the box under his bed, which strangely fit perfectly.
Marcus then sits down on the bed and starts reading through the manuel. The manuel describes how the training will go and how they will be graded, there will be a major test every six months, that if you don't get a passing grade, you will be kicked out of the training regimine. The test's were simply labeled 'Basic', 'Intermediate', 'Expert', and 'Final'.
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Marcus puts away the manuel and takes out the schedule. What he realized is that there are multiple classes that take place at the same time, and that he could only attend one.
Monday thru Friday:
Morning Classes: 7:00am-11:00am
1. Ranged Combat 2. Physical Fitness 3. Team Drills 4. Melee Combat
Afternoon Classes: 1:00pm-4:00pm
1. Wildlife Studies 2. Geography 3. Survival Techniques 4. Social Skills
Night Classes: 6:00pm-9:00pm
1. Tactics/Wargames 2. Maths/Economics 3. Science/Mechanics 4. Language/Writing
Saturday and Sunday: Free Study
After reading the schedule through a few times Marcus stops and thinks about the name of the tests every six months. Marcus realizes that what he should be focusing on are the core skills needed to survive first, then take more complex classes. The basics as they were. Thinking back on Alan's advise he takes out a notepad and writes down his game plan.
Morning: Physical Fitness Afternoon: Survival Techniques Night: Language/Writing
Note: Arrive early. Ask about secondary languages to learn.
As Marcus was finishing his notes he looks up to find a young man in front of him fidgeting. He looks to be around the same as a Marcus. He has a heftier build, curly light brown hair, and a pudgy face.
"Exc-excuse me? I couldn't help but notice that you look like you know how to reads and know your numbers yea?"
"I do yes, did you need something from me?"
The pudgy boy beams.
"Yea! I was wondering if you could tell me about the manuels and stuff. I was told that was what these pages were about, but I can't understand them, and nobody else will tell me."
"Sure I can tell you about them, by the way I'm Marcus A-84"
"Thanks a bunch Marcus, your a real lifesaver! I'm Porter or A-63 I guess."
Marcus then reads through the manuel and schedule for Porter then mentions he should focus on basic things he might not be great at. Porter's eyes glaze over hearing all the different classes and times and simply states he will follow Marcus to the classes he goes to.
Marcus shrugs.
Over the next two days Marcus walked around Devil Maw familiarizing himself with the area, and ran some errands. He deposited his 100 credits in his account and sells his old cloths for 3 credits. In this time he also happens to learn how to stand at attention, salute, and other 'basic etiquette' when Marcus and Porter got in the way of an old off duty Red Scarf. While a annoying Marcus felt it was better to get chewed out by that guy than pissing off a trainer and possibly failing a test.
On the first day of training all the New Bloods were gathered in the center of the facility at six in the morning. As they stand around chatting with one another, the main doors slam open with all 12 trainers walking in.
"ATTENTION! COMMANDER ON SCENE!"
The shout startles the New Bloods into silence. Hearing the shout Marcus moves to stand at attention, and salutes. The other quickly fall in around him. Once the the Trainers enter, they stand at attention against the wall on both sides of the entrance, making way for the Commander. The Commander walks through the door, flanked by two Red Scarfs, and stands before the New Bloods with her hands behind her back.
The Commander is dressed similarly to the normal Red Scarf uniform, but starkly different. The trim on her uniform was gold instead of brass, Instead of a scarf, she had a red shoulder cape draped over her right shoulder. Finally instead of a beret she wore a gold facemask, shaped like a demon. The only physical feature Marcus can see is her wavy silver hair, and piercing blue eyes staring at the crowd from behind the mask.
Until this day, Marcus thought Captain Wolf was the most intimidating person in the world. He could tell right away the Commander is on a whole other level by comparison. It wasn't the extravagant cloths or demon mask that is terrifying Marcus, it's the aura of power, and pure authority, emanating from the Commander.
When the Commander finally spoke their voice was calm, radiant, and filled with hardness.
"Three hundred and fourteen, young men and woman stand before me. Each one recommended by various families, towns, and organizations we work with. Some even recommended by Red Scarf Captains directly. All show such promise, and yet in every two year training regimen before, roughly ten percent actually reach the end."
"Prove to me all of you will do better."
With that the Commander walked out the door flanked by the Red Scarfs.
And two hellish years of training began.