Coral opened her eyes, and smothered her groan. Her muscles protested any movement, but Talia was already up and out of her bunk. She stretched in various poses, meant to elongate the muscles she worked the day before, and gave Coral a significant look.
This is what you should do.
Coral pushed herself out of bed, and forced her body to obey, though it was a struggle. The stretches felt unnatural, though she had to remind herself that she had been forced to endure things that were far more unnatural then just some exercises.
"Listen up!" She called out. "In twenty minutes, the bell will sound for chow. Eat quickly, but before you get excited about food, all the work you did yesterday will not agree with it. Watch Cadet Coral, and stretch as she is doing! Get your body warmed up, and do some pushups so that you can wake your body up forcefully! You will thank her for it!" She lowered herself down for a full pushup and counted off fifty, but did not extend her arms fully, or lower herself until she touched the ground. She didn't want her body weight to be taken off the muscles the exercise was intended to work.
Coral hit the ground twice, her muscles giving out each time, but she refused to give up. She had counted out Talia's pushups, then forced her own body to obey her enough to push the same number out. She had to rest a few times, and when her arms gave out, Talia squatted down beside her.
"Don't give in. Your body will lie to you. You've endured worse. This is so that you will never have to endure that again." Coral listened, and hardened herself to push her body even more. When she finished her last pushup, she forced one last one out, and stood up. "Now, stretch your muscles that you just worked. Each morning, do this, and you'll get stronger." Her words were low, and meant only for Coral.
"Thank you, sir." She looked her in the eyes, but gave her no smile. Talia didn't require one, but she knew that Coral admired her. Maybe even felt more. It wasn't her job to play up those emotions though. It was to make Coral harder, and make her a better squadmate.
She didn't ask for help, but there was something in her eyes that begged Talia to help her, and in spite of her own agenda, Talia couldn't help but respond to that silent plea.
"Cadet Talia, what do you recommend for training today?" The sergeant asked. She cocked her head only slightly.
"I will take the squad on a ten kilometer run after chow, sir. After lunch, I believe you will have some skill tests for us to do, correct?" He frowned.
"How do you know all this?" His tone sounded a bit frustrated. He didn't like it that she was already several steps ahead of everyone, including himself.
"I lived in the complex with the progenitor. I frequently got to pick the brains of the engineer, and her plans." He nodded. "As well, we're going into space, so long range hikes, and military maneuvers will not be standard fare. The ship is huge, but not meant for hikes." He smiled, but had no idea that his next statement was untrue. Talia helped to design the Fenix, and she knew every angle intimately.
"Agreed. We don't even know what the shape, or size of it will be. Alright, take your squad on a hike." He stepped closer. "Expect Alpha to pay a visit. I've heard some rumors." She nodded.
"I expected as much sooner or later. Having that name can go to a person's head."
"Alright, Beta Squad! Form up! Today's hike is to show who are the ones willing to put in that extra needed to make it up there! Alpha is a term for a fully fleshed unit, with all the bugs worked out! Beta is for the unit that is raw, fresh off the planning board, and it needs some tweaks! These training periods are all Beta! We will set the standard, and raise the bar so high, only someone worthy of being an Alpha will be able to match it!" The squad started to smile widely. Their squad leader was worthy of her role.
"There is no quit in Beta! If its broken, we fix it, and run it again! There will be Alpha Squad 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B! There will be no more Beta! We are the only Beta models! That's why we make the standard! Because there is no one like a Beta unit!" She turned to Cadet Coral with a firm look. "Cadet Coral will set the pace, and everyone else will fall into line behind her! If she flags, hold her up, and help her along! She is your squadmate! If anyone falls, pick them up, and remind them that they are a Beta squad member! If one falls, and we let them stay down, we all fall!"
"Sir!"
"Cadet, set the pace!"
"Lieutenant Ayers, I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you would be going over the plan for the skills training." She smiled.
"I had to see for myself. She's quite an engine, don't you think?" He nodded.
"True. I've already felt her horsepower once, and now her whole squad is set to feel it!" She chuckled. "I deserved it, but do these kids deserve it? She's a brutal leader!"
"Its what we need up there, Sergeant. Space is not a cake walk. They will have a lot of things to do on the way to Mars from the Lunar launch facility. If they don't have it together down here, they sure as hell won't have it together up there, when they need each other the most." The sergeant grunted.
"Shit, Alpha squad is determined to rake some muck up!" He watched as a seemingly organized and disciplined squad in formation, followed the same trail that Beta squad just took, and at a faster pace.
"Time to see who has what it takes."
Coral gritted her teeth.
"Keep your pace, Cadet!" Talia said at her shoulder. "Don't let them get to you, or let them effect your pace! You need the stamina to keep going!" She nodded and slowed her pace back to the one she set at the beginning.
"Understood!" She firmed her lip up.
"And don't get too stuck in details. The squad is following your lead right now, and if you push too hard, you won't have enough left in the tank to complete the run. Let Alpha use it all up. You'll smile soon enough." She frowned, but decided to follow her squad leader's advice. Easy pace, don't harden to iron, and focus. If she focused on the pace and the route, not Alpha squad, then she would make Talia proud of her.
She smiled a bit. That felt good. To have someone proud of her.
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