We were quickly pushed onto a track field and told to run, each time someone started to slow down they were yelled at by the drill sergeant until they were running at full speed again. I had no idea how many laps I ran before the ground decided to take a run at my face and steal all the air from my lungs, leaving me coughing and gasping before I lost consciousness. I woke up lying on a cot in a room with a dozen others. I slowly sat up, seeing the other people wearing the same black skin-tight suit talking and wandering around the room.

“Oh good, you are finally awake, we can start now, gather around everyone!” the drill sergeant called out from across the room.

I got to my feet and walked over, joining the other recruits in a sort of semicircle in front of the drill sergeant. Waiting to find out why we were all here and what was going to happen next.

“Alright, if you are in this barrack, that means you managed to run at least one lap on a five thousand metre track. The amount of laps you managed to complete will be displayed on your reward notice, along with how many credits you have earned for completing your first job as a recruit. But it won't be this easy from here on, you will train like your lives depend on it from zero eight hundred until sixteen hundred then you will go to the job board outside and select a job to complete before reporting either to training at zero eight hundred tomorrow or the barracks to sleep no sooner than twenty-one hundred if you enter the barracks before that time you will be fined. Got it! Good, now the rewards.”

She waved her hand in our direction as if she was virtually sending us something from her hud. She continued talking, “it is currently zero seven-fifty-five. That means I expect you to be outside after dressing yourself from the lockers by your beds. Once outside, you will move to your squad positions and stand at parade rest. I expect you to be there in five minutes. Dismissed!”

The semi transparent blue screen appeared, informing us all how many laps we had completed and what our rewards were.

Congratulations, you have completed six laps.

This is the most laps completed by a human recruit of this boot camp.

An extra reward has been awarded.

You have received ten thousand credits.

You have been appointed team leader.

You have been awarded one small perk.

I turned and rushed over to the bed I had come from. Finding a locker standing next to it. The other recruits were rushing around to get to their own lockers. I read the window as I reached my locker, causing me to falter as I read ‘team leader’ wondering what the hell was up with that and why I had become one. I pulled open the locker only for a window to appear inside it asking me if I wanted to equip my armour or my uniform. I mentally clicked the uniform. Something shot out of the locker, hitting me in the chest. I stumbled back a few steps, grunting in shock as I looked down to see myself wearing navy camo fatigues. I slowly turned away from the locker as I stared at the uniform I was wearing.

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“How the?” I mumbled as my mind slowly put it together. The skin suit changed colour like the recruiters, but that couldn't be right because the clothing actually looked like clothing instead of a skin suit. I slowly walked outside with the other recruits. I noticed my hud was displaying a silhouette of a body at a spot on the grass for me to stand, it even had a little arrow to show me which way to face. I went and stood on the spot facing the correct way and the silhouette vanished. Looking back down at my uniform as I reached up and tugged on it softly, making sure it was actually there. It was.

“Attention on deck!” the drill sergeant yelled as the silhouette appeared again, showing how to stand at attention. I moved to copy it, and it vanished once I was in position.

“Alright listen up you stains, the six people standing in front of all of you aren't fools standing in the wrong spot, they are there because they are your team leader. They are your team leader because they managed to outperform you in your first job in the Navy, and someone had to be the team leader, so why not the best runners. No need to cry if you are not the team leader because boot camp just started, and you will have four more chances to become the team leader. Cause in four weeks you all graduate. That means you, current team leaders, are going to have to continue proving you are the best. I know you will fail… except maybe one of you who is fit enough to be assigned to a carrier-class ship already, and if they don't tank the next four weeks then they will be. This is big, so you should all strive to gain this kind of advantage. Now, no team can be without their squad leader. That is why these three sergeants standing behind me are here today, they will be squad alpha, squad bravo and squad charlie. Two teams go into a squad. And I'm going to have a little fun by mixing and matching teams. Team Mackenzie you will be with team Silvertree in alpha squad. Team Amberleaf and team Hammerfist will be squad Bravo. That leaves team Steelanvil to go with team Jones in Charlie squad. Sergeant Ritz, take alpha squad and run them through flight simulators. I think they are fit enough for it.”

“Yes ma'am, you heard her stains, get your asses in gear and fall out! We are going to learn how to fly some toys!” Sergeant Ritz screamed as she walked over to stand in front of me. Her right arm had extended to point at a building In the distance to my left.

The silhouette reappeared and moved its right fist to its chest and stood For a second before dropping its arm and turning to face left For a second before turning left to face the squad. I quickly moved to follow its actions and once I was facing the squad, little words appeared in front of my left eye as if someone was typing them, so after Reading a few words I got the hint and started yelling them to the squad.

“Squad! We have our Orders. Let's get to them! Left face.” I then had to wait for everyone to turn left before the last word appeared, and I yelled, “March!” My silhouette then appeared and turned right, paused for a second and then started marching along next to the squad, causing me to imitate it quickly.

I had marched about halfway to the building when I had the idea to check my status page by thinking ‘status.’ I wanted to see if all this Navy stuff had done anything to it and if my credits were listed.

Name: Kenna Rowan Mackenzie

Clan: Mackenzie

Clan rank: P. Baron-Tak

Military Rank: Recruit

Military Position: (Unnamed Team) Team Leader, Alpha Squad

Galactic Credits: 10,000

Class: Void Pilot

Titles:

Survivors guiding light.

Scion of clan Mackenzie