RP: Fort Ready Graduation

"Probably."
With that, Krasus stepped past Kumiko, heading for where they would normally form-up.

The neko giggled and nodded.
"Well good thing none of us have any aspirations to be spies or intelligence gatherers... We'd be horrible for the job, eh Kai-kun?"
Yuril giggled again and started to walk out of the barracks.

Kumiko shrugged slightly at Krasus's brusqueness, and followed him, straightening out her uniform as she went.

Noboru was caught slightly off guard by this. 'Uhh... Probably go around and get drunk so I can forget the hangar fight.' He felt that wouldn't really solve anything, but he wouldn't be driving so it couldn't do much harm; could it?

Kai snickered a bit at Yuril's joke "This is very true, Yuril-Chan" he answered exiting the barracks and making sure to hold the door for his Neko friend to pass through.

After formation, the recruits sauntered off towards the commissary for breakfast. The adrenaline from the morning "attack" had escaped many of the recruits, causing some of them to eat lazily and almost fall asleep. One of the recruits slipped and got a face-full of oatmeal. To make sure everyone was awake for graduation, the recruits ran a few laps around the building. Nothing they weren't used to by now anyway.

***

The sun had risen in the sky and the recruits had lined up outside, in front of a podium. It was a moderately warm day, with a few clouds passing overhead. The head instructor walked up onto the stage and started into a speech that lost the attention of many. After said speech, the recruits of Class One were called up one at a time.

...
"Nakamura Kai"
"Mizuno Yoroko"
"Tsukade Yuril"
"Kimura Kiyoshi"
"Yamaguchi Yasuo"
...

When they got up on stage, they were awarded...


The Santô Hei rank, the first official rank in the Star Army of Yamatai.


Training Award:
Awarded for the completion of the Star Army Accelerated Training Program.

"Congratulations."

The rest of the day really felt more or less the same. Yuril just went about her usual routine... She ate and she ran without complaining of course. Nothing special at all.

***

The neko didn't exactly have stage fright, and it wasn't like a giant audience was watching their every move, but she still managed to feel nervous just standing there as the instructor rattle off names. Still, Yuril managed to not do anything stupid as she recieved her award.

Well, guess a journey of my life has just come to an end as another one is already about to start...

Of course, she made sure to bow as she recieved her reward and looked as impassive as possible.

Yoroko sat down and ate her breakfast, pondering over Noboru's remarks. He is......interesting. Is he even serious at all, or is this some kind of joke to him? Yoroko thought as she pursed her lips in between bites. I guess time will be the decider of all things.

------------------

Yoroko stood up on the stage, the sun warming her back. Well, I guess that this is a start. Where to next I wonder... she thought as her name was called. When she recieved her rank pin Yoroko smiled warmly as she bowed deeply at the officer who presented it to her. Now one step closer to my own freedom. Yoroko thought as she returned.

Being used to the whole routine by now, Kai didn't really care all that much about running or the like. he simply did as ordered, even though it wasn't his mistake; he knew he'd brought worse on the class before, and had earned any torture the instructors gave him.

***

When his name was called, Kai walked up to the stage and took his diploma, shaking hands with the instructor and giving him a smile, glad to have finally finished training, the first step towards becoming something greater. Finally, An actual Rank! the excited Yamataian thought.

Once the members of Class One had come up and received their basic awards, the head instructor began calling up the Second Class.

...
"Akio Noboru"
"Doga, Devonus"
"Fenrir, Krasus"
"Endoh, Kumiko"

When they got up on stage, they were also awarded...


The Santô Hei rank, the first official rank in the Star Army of Yamatai.


Training Award:
Awarded for the completion of the Star Army Accelerated Training Program.

"Congratulations."

Kumiko was among those tired recruits, trying her best to stay awake, and barely succeeding. The run following lunch managed to wake her up to the point where she was almost fully awake, and would get there quite soon.

~~~

Kumiko went through the steps of the graduation, trying not to show her inner glee. Finally, done with this basic training. Now i get to actually do something. She allowed herself a small grin when she shook hands with the instructor, then bowed in response to the Taisho's congratulations.

Noboru went through his exercises without complaint (what else could he do?) and ate breakfast like a man posessed.

~~~

When his name was called, Noboru took the stage with a slight slump in his shoulders and his head pointed towards the ground. He bowed respectfully upon recieving the rank pin and graduation pin, and vacated the stage as fast as his legs would carry him.

Do I really deserve this...?

Krasus walked up the stage, noticing Noboru's posture, but saying nothing.
He took his rank and graduation pins, and then, smiling he went off stage, relieved that he had passed.

Class One and Two had passed across the stage, each with a new rank and award. Before the closing, the head instructor had one more thing to say.

"Even during a training exercise, the unexpected can happen. I would like to recognize a few soldiers who, when confronted by the enemy, fought valiantly and saved the life of our armor instructor, Kail Tarrim. Would the following soldiers of Class One and Two come up." One of the instructors, the one who always threw the grenades and caused chaos in the morning, carried up a box containing a number of awards.

"Nakamura Kai"
"Mizuno Yoroko"
"Tsukade Yuril"
"Kimura Kiyoshi"
"Akio Noboru"
"Doga, Devonus"
"Fenrir, Krasus"
"Endoh, Kumiko"

Combat Lifesaver
This soldier saved the life of a fellow soldier or civilian during a combat action.

The instructors each shook their hand as they passed on their way to their award.

"Thank you, sir." Noboru did not want to go to the stage again, but hey- an award's an award. And he hadn't realized that it was an instructor at the time, so he thanked got that he hadn't said his thoughts out loud; only, well, thought them.

Kumiko came back to the stage, slightly surprised. She hadn't been aware that was an instructor, but that didn't change anything. As she came back, she bowed again to the instructor, saying "Thank you, sir." Then she departed the stage for the second time, and most likely the last time.

The ceremony concluded and the recruits were sent back to the barracks to pack up their belongings. They either had the choice of leaving on the ships to their new stations, or to stay at the barracks awhile longer while waiting for an assignment.

The commissary staff cooked a marvelous meal as a parting gift, consisting of plenty of desserts and wines. It was a happy and solemn moment, since some of the recruits would never see each other again. Some of them would be stationed on the same ships. It all depended on the luck of the draw.

Noboru headed straight to the food, following his nose. Waiting for him was veal, leg of lamb, beef, crab, lobster, mollusks and shellfish, and a fine cabernet of Elysian wine. The decorated Santo Hei could barely keep himself from drooling. He commandeered some leg of lamb and beef, two lobster tails and a snifter of Elysian wine.