“Follow me.” growled Tull. Who immediately turned around and marched off. Sam felt the rage inside her rise and ground her teeth, but followed the monosyllabic troll.

They walked for a couple of minutes down an instantly forgotten maze of corridors when Tull suddenly stopped and entered a sparse room that was not more than 12 ft by 12 ft it had a desk and two chairs in it. Sam looked around at the Spartan interior. What was this an interrogation room?

Tull sat down and gestured to Sam to sit in the only other available seat. she really didn't feel like sitting, she wanted to punch something but saw a glint in trolls eyes that meant standing wasn't an option.

“How's the hand?” Growled Tull.

Sam closed her eyes. so that's what this was all about, of course Reed had told him. thinking on it she should be surprised it had taken so long.

She opened her eyes and raised her hand to take a look at it and to show Tull the offending appendage. she nodded. “Yeah it's fine”

“Sergeant Tull.” Responded sergeant Tull gruffly

Sam grimaced in confusion her anger rising she looked at Tull. “What?”

“What? sergeant Tull.” Growled her superior menacingly.

“Oh for fucks sake!” Thought Sam. she gritted her teeth and growled. “My hand is fine sergeant Tull! better? Sergeant Tull!? Anything else sergeant Tull!?”

Sergeant Tull grinned and Sam felt her anger beginning to become a real issue. She needed to get out of here, to be free of this fucking idiot. she needed to punch some-

“It's rising right?” Growled sergeant Tull quietly. “You can feel the rage boiling underneath. You feel trapped. The desire to hit something, anything is becoming almost over powering. It follows you, effects everything you do, everything you say, it's all consuming.”

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Sam felt her rage falter as she looked sergeant Tull in the eyes. looked hard... she saw... rage. A deep and unflinching undeniable pent up rage, just waiting to boil over.

“You feel it too?”

“My whole adult life.” He growled. “Your fortunate it's not all you are, with me it's always been there and it's all I am. you? Not so much, but enough so it could destroy you if you don't harness it.”

Sam shook her head. “It started, really started when I got into that scuffle with Stevens. It's just seems not to have gone away, not even after..”she looked at her wrist and sergeant Tull nodded. “Pain doesn't always reign it in, a true berserker doesn't feel any pain at all while he- or she. rages”

Sam shook her head. a berserker? Her? Shit the bed.

“So that's what I've become? a berserker?”

Sergeant Tull shook his head. “Hmm.. no not quite, it's a potential. It will never not be a potential, so you'll need to learn how to control it, harness it, or it will control you. And I can tell you, you don't need that.” He shook his head and breathed in deep as if to shake a bad memory away.

“You will learn more about potentials later, other more learned tutors will explain it much better than me. This.” He clenched his fist tightly and looked at it. “This I know.”

Sam rubbed a hand over her face. At least she was getting answers even if what she was getting wasn't what she wanted to hear. she nodded. “ OK sergeant Tull how do I control it?”

sergeant Tull grimaced. “It's not easy, but I have found over the years that you need to keep calm. Keeping the simmering rage as low as possible. meditation really helps, when that isn't enough? focus it on something positive, like exercise. It will be of great benefit if you want to become stronger, fitter.”

Sam took a long hard look at sergeant Tull as he spoke to her. She couldn't imagine having to cope with this for the rest of her life, but sitting opposite her was the proof it could be done. But he oozed menace. This was not going to be easy.

“You're going to need an iron will and great discipline. If you can find the strength of will to control your rage it's benefits will far out way it's weaknesses.”

Sam nodded her thanks as they left the “interrogation room.” Troll had been of far greater help than she had thought he would, some of his advice was a bit vague, but knowing there was someone to turn to if it got too much was a huge relief.

They walked together to the main hall where the first year students were having their assembly. Sam nodded. “Thank you sergeant Tull, you have helped greatly. I'm not sure how long I could have held it together without your intervention.” Tull nodded and gave her a wan smile. “See me if it gets uncontrollable.” Sam nodded, then turned sharply her fists raised as she heard Rae squeal. She winced as Tull turned away, but not before she saw a feint grin on his face. she turned to see her cabin mate and... friend? Rushing towards her.