The Major sat with one leg over the other, the village of Standing Iron was a historic and strategically important asset under Atlas rule. One of the few privileges of his rank was the drink, and the ability to be honest without repercussions.
“You know I graduated from the academy 3 years late.” the Major said to his Corporal. He fidgeted with his radio pack. “Sir?”
“Yeah, I didn’t win any scholarships in primary school, and received no extra military training. I had to pick in between enlisting or commissioning, and at every turn there was always someone far above me.
There was one woman at the academy that was clearly preferred by high command. She got all the promotions, fake ones of course, they were “Cadet ranks,” but they got to her head. She had a massive ego by the time graduation came around. All these years later she works as a manager for the Schnee dust company. All those medals and ribbons mean nothing.”
The corporal spoke, “So you think she was chosen because she’s a woman?”, the Major responded, “Maybe, but the reason I wasn’t chosen above her or the other men is simply because there are too many people to sort through, their value is not dissimilar to cattle. If you put yourself in competition with the current selection pool, there's no way to be competitive, your drowned out in a sea of irrelevance.
I didn’t even receive a letter of rejection, it’s not because I’m not strong enough, or maybe it is, I’ll never know because the position is overflowed with resumes of others, and mine most likely ended up in the in the trash, courtesy of a clerk that wanted save time.”
“You don’t take pride in being assigned this task?”
“Task? I was sent on orders of an man who is older then the invention of the gun, in a war started by a dead man, to kill a kid who hasn’t even fucked, and in doing so high command has thrown out our standing by trading with mercs. Centuries of tradition and uncompromising honor, and its all been sacked by leaders who believed it was being saved up for them to spend. Like a irresponsible parent spending all of their kids inheritance. So they can reap the rewards and die out, leaving the next generations with nothing. Of course if you step out of line, if you simply ask why they hold us to a standard that they willfully and happily abandon, you get the whip.”
“So you don’t agree with the Generals, is that why they sent you here?”
“I was ‘awarded’ the task simply because I was the best by default. I was in competition for the other prestigious ranks positions with opponents that had already beaten me before either of us could walk. After every summer I would come back to, “oh you haven't gone to officer training yet, ah you’ll get there.”, “Oh you don’t have the shit fuck scholarship.” and of course, “We call this company the kidney club, becu-”
“Good evening Sir, we have a report of another merc platoon that got hit, no survivors,” A Sergeant had entered the room, the Major took another long swig from the flask. “Was it her?”
“Were not sure Sir, the ammo casings found at the scene were a mix of ours and a single intermediate type, probably from a foreign manufacturer. Command says they want you to investigate.” The Major was caught off guard, the situation was strange and abnormal, “Get a truck ready and send the driver over, you're dismissed.”
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“Yes Sir, good evening Sir.”
Renka drank from a cup of white liquor as she spoke to Charmaine. Ruby was in the main office talking with the general, and he was tasked with reporting any updates on the matter to the other Captain. “You know I wore those same ear protection when I was a foot soldier?” Renka said after taking another drink. Charmaine was at parade rest, “No ma’am,” “Yeah,” she continued, her feet were crossed on top of her desk, boasting the hobnail pattern on the bottoms of her ammunition boots, “You know I’ve never seen a knife eared fox in a combat role, it was always other snow leopards, you guys were always manning the radio’s and jammers, not to mention the paperpushers.”
Charmaine knew exactly where this was going, “we are known for our hearing and size, Ma’am,” She took a large swig of her drink finishing it, “Your hearing? right?” She refilled her glass, and led him outside, Charmaine caught the concerned faces of the other workers as they moved. They got to an isolated snowy trail, nobody else was around.
“You know how those ear pro cut out anything above 140 decibels?” She said as she took her first sip of her new drink. “Yeah I saw a fox hole with 4 men get hit with a mortar. It cut out the explosion. All I heard was the sound of their flesh being ripped apart, and their meat hitting the ground. You know what sound that makes?” Charmaine was shaking, only partially because of the cold, he knew the reputation snow leopards had, they were a sadistic and cruel people. He stuttered as he spoke, “no Ma’am,” she opened her assault pack, pulling out a specialized headset made for faunus with non-human ears, “good thing I was recording.”
Charmaine felt the same feeling when first getting off the bus. Like every organ in his body just disappeared. She spoke again, “take of your blouse.” Charmaine’s stomach sunk, he felt no different then during basic training when cadre members wanted to further test him, but he was still a soldier. He once held a full sized rifle in a rifle salute from lights until PT in the morning, for 7 hours. Still though, he had never met a snow leopard, and part of him wondered at what lay ahead.
She spoke “Ok, here’s the deal, 8 miles, if you remain in front, your good, but if you fall behind me, the tape starts. You understand?”
“Yes Ma’am,” but she repeated this time closer to him, “You understand!?” he stuttered, “Y-yes Ma’am.”
He heard a click, and the tape started. The volume was cranked to max, and the run had begun. At first he struggled all he could hear was the echo and action cycle on machine guns and shouting in a foreign language. He pressed to get in front of her, eventually he did, but it seemed as if it was only because she let him. The cold was enough to distract him from everything, he felt what he assumed to be the tendons in his wrist pull from the inside, as if they would have them snap any second. Eventually the boy pulled himself together, and he was back in basic, "Goddamnit boy, what have you got yourself involved in now?" He though to himself. It was just like so many things about the war, a good story, in a few months.
