Chapter Seven

It was a Saturday morning. Yes, it's been couple of weeks and I and Yuvonne are getting comfortable with the people around us. But I can tell you, I am not yet comfortable with the environment.

Mercury is doing well with the Vikings language learning and I have been patiently waiting for her to get there.

On the walls of all the berets camp is the Viking's language, the reception not left out. Like every other day, we woke up, went for morning exercise, I could see myself growing muscles and getting light  by the day. Our orientation classes ended few days ago and we have learnt a lot.

After the morning exercise, we went in to shower and dress up for the day, I am still getting used to a uniform everyday.

We went to the refectory for our breakfast. I also happened to make another girlfriend from my camp, Asher, she had a social spirit, driven and intelligent and was very good with handling guns and weapons. Mercury came out of the dorm very late, which is strange because she rises even before Yuvonne. So she was in a hurry to meet up with us, she hurriedly went to the counter to get her food, as she was making her way out of the counter, she mistakenly crashed with Lord George Sky who was parading in the refectory as usual feeling like the queen of prom. Mercury's food poured on her, and unfortunately, it was soup morning. She screamed and everybody's attention was drawn to them. Sky became very flushed with rage as she slapped off Mercury's eyes aid who had been apologizing the whole time.

I flew from my sit to where they were standing. Of course I had to stand up for my friend.

"It's okay now Lord, George. She has actually said sorry."

I picked up Mercury's eyes aid and when I stood up, Sky was about to give me a slap on my face. I acted fast as I averted it by wedging her hand with my left hand, and repulsively giving her a sounding slap. The crowd went wild with surprise.

She tried to fight me back but I held her by the neck and said to her with a clenched teeth;

"If you try as much as raising your filthy hands on me, you will tell the whole berets what you've been doing with Alpha Washington. Nightcrawler."

She went stiff the moment I mentioned Alpha Washington. I took Mercury to the table as Sky angrily left the refectory.

"Girl, you've got balls like a man, damn"

Asher said with her cowgirl accent as she punched me by the shoulder.

I was hyperventilating because everything that happened was so fast and I never knew I could pull what I did there.

"We might as well be in trouble. God, why did I slap her?"

I said looking at my hands.

"Well, you've tamed a wild animal for the time being, How are you feeling Mercury?"

Asher said as she turned to Mercury.

"I am fine, but I will be needing a new pair of specs" Mercury replied looking at her broken eyes aid.

"Don't worry, you will be fine, let's thank God the bitch didn't pull out your eye."

Asher said passing her food to Mercury to eat.

While waiting for Mercury to eat up, we saw Bull, Julius coming towards us. I knew I was in danger.

"Oh no, this is actually gonna get ugly."

Asher said as she caught sight of him too.

I was just looking at him straight up as he was approaching. I was trying my best to be calm.

When he came to our table. We all stood up. He looked at my badge and looked me straight in the eyes, but I was looking back, not even blinking. He smirked.

"You, Mary has got a lot nerves to slap a Lord and a functionary. Not to talk of confronting her? You must have to know, If you single out yourself in a negative way, you are packing so many inside enemies which is not supposed. You and Waters are summoned by the Commander, now.

And when you are done with her, report back to me immediately, clear?".

Yes Lord!

We answered as we left the refectory for the Commander's office.

"I knew today was going to be a bad day when I woke up late."

Mercury complained.

"Listen, you tell her, you apologized and I will take up from there, okay?"

She nodded to me as we reached the Commander's office.

We went in and saluted as we stood at attention.

She looked at us through her eyes aid, not relieving us of our salute stance, and said as she continued tapping away on her desktop;

"Just three weeks of being a Null in the Marshalls and you are going against the rules already, bringing out your wild form. What then happens when you are sworn in as a full fledged Marshall with no white berets? Kill me?"

"Ma. I am.." I tried to explain but she cuts in.

"And who asked this rabbit to talk when I am speaking?" She said removing her eyes aid.

"Do you know why you are called Nulls?"

She asked. More like a rhetorical question.

"Because you are for two months, under trial and you my dear is nothing, until you remove that white beret on your head and replace it with a colourful one. I can send you home now, because I own this place and I own you too. The next time your names get to me for causing nuisance in this institution, I will make sure you perish.

Meet the Head Bull for your punishments.

And Mary, don't expect your punishment to 

be the same with Waters' because unlike you, who tried to fight a functionary and a Lord, she only tripped.

Get out of my office, now."

"Thank you ma!"

We both said as we brought down our hands that has been on salute the whole time and left her office.

" Bro, she didn't even allow us to say something. What type of judgement is that, it was just a pure reaction"

Mercury said as she adjusted her one handed eyes aid on her face.

"Hmm, why am I not surprised. She would definitely side her precious Lord and Functionary. Let's go meet with Arms"

We met with Arms and after our punishment wish was I, to pack the stones at the building site alone and Mercury to mop the annex multi purpose hall. We went in for our training classes. Let me introduce you proper to the six berets;

The Vantas that is the Black berets are the gun and weapon handlers. The Alphas, that is the red berets are the explosive handlers. The green berets which are the Bulls are the underwater or marine fighters.

The yellow berets which are the Crones are the air Force soldiers. The only berets with six stars.

The blue berets which are the Lords are the

Sword swingers and field fighters. The only beret with five stars and one anchor.

Then, the last and obviously the least are the white berets. The colourful berets aspirants.

 

After our training, I went outside to enjoy the breeze. I took my water flask with me, drinking from it, I heard footsteps approaching, it was from two different people, by their gaits I could tell, it was Mercury and Asher. They came and sat beside me.

" I heard the Shalomes are waging war against Claudia, because of territory and pipe line ownership." Asher said taking my flask from me to drink water.

"Really, I thought it's only rumor because the Commander hasn't bothered to mention it, no wonder the berets has being training more than us lately. Mercury chipped in.

"They have been waiting for this day, most of them will be getting their last stars after this war" I said, stretching my legs.

"Those who make it back alive." Asher said.

"That, my sister is the irony " Mercury said.

" Let's just say, they are waging war against each other. The Shalomes has a bigger population of soldiers you know, what chance do we even stand?" Asher asked.

"It is not about the size, it's about the strength"

Mercury told Asher.

"Oh spare me that, Mercury, this is not about playing smart, it is about playing hard. And I hate to break it to you but the Shalomes are three times bigger than us. Before you ask how I knew, I heard the deputy commander saying it yesterday."

"We will see how it turns out. For now, we haven't been informed. It is still flying around." I told them.

"Oh, I am having a bad headache." Mercury said holding her head."

"Earlier today, you received the hardest slap of your life. Girl you must have seen the stars. C'mon let's take you to the infirmary." Asher said as she stretched her hand to help Mercury up.

We all left for the infirmary.

I haven't seen Yuvonne the whole day. I have been so busy with the punishment and all.

I came in to the dorm very spent. 

I laid down and I dozed off.