same colored uniform. Brent had only noticed in passing that Humphrey’s uniform was green and orange, but now that he was standing in the mess hall, it was apparent the colors indicated what division a trooper belonged to. The colors were totally segregated. The troopers at each table wore the same colors without exception. Brent noticed Hiroko scanning the room with wide eyes.
“After today that will be us. I wonder which divisions are the most prestigious,” Hiroko said more than asked.
“Who knows? I just hope I don’t get asked to join that one,” Owen said pointing at a table of troopers in pink and white.
Some of the male recruits burst into laughter. As the recruits made their way to the assigned table, Brent noticed a growing number of troopers looking at them. By the time they sat down, it was apparent that almost every division was looking them over.
“Is it just me, or are we being watched?” Brent asked, turning to Dante.
“From my understanding,” Dante said with a small smile, “we are the equivalent of fresh chum being waved in front of a pack a starving sharks, sir.”
“That’s right!” Owen said as surveyed those observing them. “We are entering the academy right before a trial, aren’t we?”
“It’s always that way,” Hiroko said in an all-knowing tone of voice. “As troopers graduate into field positions, new recruits are brought in to replace them.”
“The divisions are desperate to recoup their losses for the upcoming trials,” Erin grinned at Hiroko. “Diminishes the chance of a recruit being assigned to a division. That way even someone like you has a chance of joining a division.”
The cease-fire was over.
“Trials?” Brent asked before the two girls could start up again.
“You mean to tell me the star recruit doesn’t know about the trials?” An unfamiliar voice shouted toward Brent.
Brent found the voice belonged to a recruit sitting at the far end of the table. All twenty of his group barely took up a fifth of the table. He realized that all the recruits would be sitting at the same table. Three groups were already at the table and evidently eavesdropping. The owner of the voice got up from her seat and approached Brent.
“The squad leader that’s been guiding us around this place has been going on and on about your amazing performance,” she moaned. “You mean to tell me that you honestly don’t know about the trials?”
“Apparently knowing about them hasn’t improved your performance any,” Dante said without acknowledging the girl.
“You want to say that to my face?” The girl was fuming.
“Why don’t you let it drop for now?” a tall young man said, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Wouldn’t be wise to start a fight before you are in a division, now would it?”
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” The girl forcefully removed the man’s hand.
Brent noticed Hiroko’s jaw had dropped. Leaning forward Brent whispered.
“Know him?” Brent asked, while motioning for her to close her mouth.
“See the emblem on his shoulder?” Hiroko hastily started to dust off her uniform.
On the man’s right shoulder was a small crest. Brent couldn’t make it out from his sitting position, but it was a gold color.
“Yeah, and it means?” Brent asked.
“He’s a division leader!” Hiroko whispered forcefully.
At once the girl fighting with the division leader froze. Apparently she heard Hiroko, and the fact she was bickering with a division leader was dawning on her for the first time. Brent had been so focused on the girl he hadn’t noticed the other division leader’s approach. There were now several division leaders crowding around their table. A few division leaders had intercepted the last recruit groups before they even reached the table. A group of men in solid gray muscled their way through the division leaders. Without a word, they placed trays
“After today that will be us. I wonder which divisions are the most prestigious,” Hiroko said more than asked.
“Who knows? I just hope I don’t get asked to join that one,” Owen said pointing at a table of troopers in pink and white.
Some of the male recruits burst into laughter. As the recruits made their way to the assigned table, Brent noticed a growing number of troopers looking at them. By the time they sat down, it was apparent that almost every division was looking them over.
“Is it just me, or are we being watched?” Brent asked, turning to Dante.
“From my understanding,” Dante said with a small smile, “we are the equivalent of fresh chum being waved in front of a pack a starving sharks, sir.”
“That’s right!” Owen said as surveyed those observing them. “We are entering the academy right before a trial, aren’t we?”
“It’s always that way,” Hiroko said in an all-knowing tone of voice. “As troopers graduate into field positions, new recruits are brought in to replace them.”
“The divisions are desperate to recoup their losses for the upcoming trials,” Erin grinned at Hiroko. “Diminishes the chance of a recruit being assigned to a division. That way even someone like you has a chance of joining a division.”
The cease-fire was over.
“Trials?” Brent asked before the two girls could start up again.
“You mean to tell me the star recruit doesn’t know about the trials?” An unfamiliar voice shouted toward Brent.
Brent found the voice belonged to a recruit sitting at the far end of the table. All twenty of his group barely took up a fifth of the table. He realized that all the recruits would be sitting at the same table. Three groups were already at the table and evidently eavesdropping. The owner of the voice got up from her seat and approached Brent.
“The squad leader that’s been guiding us around this place has been going on and on about your amazing performance,” she moaned. “You mean to tell me that you honestly don’t know about the trials?”
“Apparently knowing about them hasn’t improved your performance any,” Dante said without acknowledging the girl.
“You want to say that to my face?” The girl was fuming.
“Why don’t you let it drop for now?” a tall young man said, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Wouldn’t be wise to start a fight before you are in a division, now would it?”
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” The girl forcefully removed the man’s hand.
Brent noticed Hiroko’s jaw had dropped. Leaning forward Brent whispered.
“Know him?” Brent asked, while motioning for her to close her mouth.
“See the emblem on his shoulder?” Hiroko hastily started to dust off her uniform.
On the man’s right shoulder was a small crest. Brent couldn’t make it out from his sitting position, but it was a gold color.
“Yeah, and it means?” Brent asked.
“He’s a division leader!” Hiroko whispered forcefully.
At once the girl fighting with the division leader froze. Apparently she heard Hiroko, and the fact she was bickering with a division leader was dawning on her for the first time. Brent had been so focused on the girl he hadn’t noticed the other division leader’s approach. There were now several division leaders crowding around their table. A few division leaders had intercepted the last recruit groups before they even reached the table. A group of men in solid gray muscled their way through the division leaders. Without a word, they placed trays
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