Sino-Koreans. "Sir!"
"Not good enough. Drop and push 'em."
"Wooyah sir!" The student started his push-ups.
The instructor halted beside another man. "You. Why did you enlist?"
"I want to kick some ass in an ATLAS mech, sir!"
"Not good enough. Drop and push 'em."
He went to another student. "I've seen your face here before. What are you doing? Can't you see when something just isn't for you? Can't you look defeat in the face and realize you're a failure?"
"I'm going to make it this time, sir!"
"If you say so. Drop and push 'em."
The student obeyed.
Instructor Reed reached me. I stared straight ahead, at his knees, not daring to meet his eye, hoping he wouldn't say anything to me. I didn't want to stand out. I didn't want extra instructor attention.
"What's your reason, trainee?" Instructor Reed asked me.
I knew he'd mock me no matter what I said, but I decided to give him the most honest answer I could think of. "I want to be a man, sir!"
"You want to be a man ?" I thought there was a touch of cynicism in his voice.
"Yes sir! I want to see what I'm made of! A chance to be a part of something bigger than myself!"
"Well, that's the best reason I've heard today. But only half right. Drop and push 'em."
So much for not standing out and drawing extra instructor attention.
Instructor Reed returned to the front of the class while I was doing my pushups. "Did everyone hear what that trainee said? He wants to be a man. I find that interesting, do you know why? It's because we're not here to make you into men. Sure, at the end of Trial Week we'll know the difference between the men and the boys, but at that point, we haven't really done anything other than selective culling. After Trial Week, however, that's when the real forging begins. If you make it that far, you'll become something far more than any ordinary man. You'll become a MOTH."
" Wooyah! "
"Most of you are immigrants. Patriotism is a big part of what we do here. If you can't fight for your nation, die for it, then you don't belong here, do you understand me?"
" Wooyah sir! "
"Well, trainee?" Instructor Reed was addressing someone I couldn't see from where I did pushups on the deck. "Can you fight for your nation, die for it?"
"Yes, sir!" I heard Alejandro answer.
"Elaborate."
"The UC is my nation now," Alejandro said. "I'll fight for it. I have to."
"You don't sound too convinced. Drop and push 'em."
Alejandro joined me on the deck.
"You have to really love this country to do what MOTHs do. And you have to really love your teammates. Patriotism to your country is the furnace, and dedication to your team the hammer, that will forge your warrior spirit. Remember that."
" Wooyah! "
Instructor Reed paused, then said, "Recover."
Those of us who were doing pushups resumed a cross-legged seated position. I was relieved: My arms were just on fire.
Instructor Reed ran his gaze over us. "Some of you know me. Most of you don't. I'm Instructor Reed, and I'll be your Proctor while you're in training. Your go-to man. The interface between the other instructors and yourselves. If there's something you need, anything, come to me, and I'll make sure you don't get it." He grinned widely. I knew he was joking, but I didn't dare laugh. None of us did. "Obviously, if you come to me and ask for something that's in my power to grant, it's yours. A chit for some gear, medicine, or just a kick in the pants, come see me and I'll set you straight. Speaking of gear, you are to never, I repeat never steal from your fellow teammates. Your reputation starts right here, and if you become known as a buddy screwer , you're not going to get very far at all. None of the Teams want someone like that in their ranks. Would you? You learned about honor, courage and commitment in Basic. Well it's time to start applying those traits."
Instructor Reed slowly paced back and forth at the front of the class. "So. You all have your own reasons for being here. Most of them are wrong, of
"Not good enough. Drop and push 'em."
"Wooyah sir!" The student started his push-ups.
The instructor halted beside another man. "You. Why did you enlist?"
"I want to kick some ass in an ATLAS mech, sir!"
"Not good enough. Drop and push 'em."
He went to another student. "I've seen your face here before. What are you doing? Can't you see when something just isn't for you? Can't you look defeat in the face and realize you're a failure?"
"I'm going to make it this time, sir!"
"If you say so. Drop and push 'em."
The student obeyed.
Instructor Reed reached me. I stared straight ahead, at his knees, not daring to meet his eye, hoping he wouldn't say anything to me. I didn't want to stand out. I didn't want extra instructor attention.
"What's your reason, trainee?" Instructor Reed asked me.
I knew he'd mock me no matter what I said, but I decided to give him the most honest answer I could think of. "I want to be a man, sir!"
"You want to be a man ?" I thought there was a touch of cynicism in his voice.
"Yes sir! I want to see what I'm made of! A chance to be a part of something bigger than myself!"
"Well, that's the best reason I've heard today. But only half right. Drop and push 'em."
So much for not standing out and drawing extra instructor attention.
Instructor Reed returned to the front of the class while I was doing my pushups. "Did everyone hear what that trainee said? He wants to be a man. I find that interesting, do you know why? It's because we're not here to make you into men. Sure, at the end of Trial Week we'll know the difference between the men and the boys, but at that point, we haven't really done anything other than selective culling. After Trial Week, however, that's when the real forging begins. If you make it that far, you'll become something far more than any ordinary man. You'll become a MOTH."
" Wooyah! "
"Most of you are immigrants. Patriotism is a big part of what we do here. If you can't fight for your nation, die for it, then you don't belong here, do you understand me?"
" Wooyah sir! "
"Well, trainee?" Instructor Reed was addressing someone I couldn't see from where I did pushups on the deck. "Can you fight for your nation, die for it?"
"Yes, sir!" I heard Alejandro answer.
"Elaborate."
"The UC is my nation now," Alejandro said. "I'll fight for it. I have to."
"You don't sound too convinced. Drop and push 'em."
Alejandro joined me on the deck.
"You have to really love this country to do what MOTHs do. And you have to really love your teammates. Patriotism to your country is the furnace, and dedication to your team the hammer, that will forge your warrior spirit. Remember that."
" Wooyah! "
Instructor Reed paused, then said, "Recover."
Those of us who were doing pushups resumed a cross-legged seated position. I was relieved: My arms were just on fire.
Instructor Reed ran his gaze over us. "Some of you know me. Most of you don't. I'm Instructor Reed, and I'll be your Proctor while you're in training. Your go-to man. The interface between the other instructors and yourselves. If there's something you need, anything, come to me, and I'll make sure you don't get it." He grinned widely. I knew he was joking, but I didn't dare laugh. None of us did. "Obviously, if you come to me and ask for something that's in my power to grant, it's yours. A chit for some gear, medicine, or just a kick in the pants, come see me and I'll set you straight. Speaking of gear, you are to never, I repeat never steal from your fellow teammates. Your reputation starts right here, and if you become known as a buddy screwer , you're not going to get very far at all. None of the Teams want someone like that in their ranks. Would you? You learned about honor, courage and commitment in Basic. Well it's time to start applying those traits."
Instructor Reed slowly paced back and forth at the front of the class. "So. You all have your own reasons for being here. Most of them are wrong, of
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