Chapter Six - part one

                  Chapter Six

           Classes and Clashes

    Thursday morning James and Aadila were both released from the hospital. They were both still under restrictions, but they were cleared to return to their assigned units. Since they were both on restrictions that banned them from any training or strenuous exertion until released by the doctor. They had to wait for the squadrons' sergeant to arrive to pick them up. Sergeant Maxwell showed up in his own truck to get them. He didn't have a lot to say to either of them. Aadila was very nervous by the time they arrived back on the grounds and started walking towards the squadron location. The doctor had supplied her with some soft slippers and warned her to be very cautious about walking for the next few days. Her feet were still very tender. The sergeant had noticed that on the way out to his truck though. He walked noticeably slower across the grounds once they reached the Academy. As they walked, he seemed to loosen up just a bit. He informed them both that their things had been brought into the squadron area and that they had been assigned their rooms. They had wondered if they would be roommates, but the sergeant gave the impression they wouldn't be. Although he was talking to them, he declined to answer all but the most basic of questions. Each time he declined he would smile and shake his head as he referred them to the AOC, Air Officer Commanding, of Mach One. When they did arrive at the squadron they were taken directly to the AOC.  

    That was a very tense meeting to say the least. Major Samuel (Sam) H. Wilson wasn't a big man. He was a fighter pilot and that was where he would have preferred to be, flying. Once the initial introductions were done he asked the sergeant to step out for a moment so that he could speak to them alone. James wondered just how bad it was going to be for them in their new home. But once the sergeant had left, the major actually smiled a genuine smile before he spoke. "Take a seat. The last thing we need now is for one of you to collapse and end up back at the hospital. Try to relax a little bit too. The rest of the squadron is out for training exercises at the moment. I arranged for that to be the case so we would have some time to talk without interruptions or interference." He laughed as he watched them both looking at him with shock on their faces. "I see you were told about Mach One. Well, I am afraid that no matter how bad they said it was, you will likely find it to be worse. Part of that will be due to the culture inside this squadron, but the worst part of what you will face will be because of who you are, as well as what you both represent. That will be enough to cause you plenty of problems." He leaned back in his chair and studied them both for a moment after that.

   After that moment he got up and came around to take a seat on his desk right in front of them both. Smiling he spoke in a steady reassuring tone of voice. "I am sorry if I made it sound like you don't stand a chance here, but you needed to understand what you are going to be facing. Then you will stand a much better chance of surviving it. I spent some time talking to Colonel Roberts yesterday and again this morning. She has made it very clear that both Lt. General McBride and she expect me to see that you are able to get past this first year on the Hill." He laughed again. "I am hoping to be headed back to a cockpit before the next new class arrives, which she knows or I suspect she would have extended the time I am responsible for seeing that you remain securely in place as cadets. So you see, it isn't all bad, you do have people who want you to remain here. The problem is that in this squadron you will still have to be able to survive on your own most of the time. I am here a good portion of the time, but even if I were here around the clock I couldn't and I wouldn't try to be your guardian. If you truly deserve to graduate from this Academy and become officers in my Air Force, you will be able to figure out for yourselves what you must do."

    He turned his full attention to Aadila. "I understand you have more heart than brains, trying to run the Ironman in new boots that were two sizes too big. Considering your outstanding academic record and test scores that is saying a lot about you. Use some warm salt and vinegar water to soak your feet every night. It will burn like the blazes, but it will help the healing and it will toughen your feet up quickly." They heard him really laugh for the first time as he watched the look on her face before he explained. "I once was forced to march in my sock feet across the desert for miles after I was shot down. My feet were just bloody strips of hide when we made it to the road and were picked up. I was rescued two days later, but by then my feet were swollen and infected on top of being raw and bloody. One of the nurses made me soak my feet in that mixture every night for two weeks. I used to plot ways to get even with her, but I think I may owe my career to her. My feet healed and I think I could walk a few miles in my socks now before I started bleeding again."

    Next he turned to face James. Smiling he shook his head as he spoke. "As for you, 'Ironman', well I don't have a lot of advice to offer you, other than about that Bible of yours. Keep it in your room and out of sight when you can. I was raised in a Christian home, my grandmother still insists on me attending services with her when I am in the area. I understand what that Bible means to certain people. According to Colonel Roberts you are one of those people. I respect that, but not everyone will. You seem to have a very calm sort of nature. I didn't see any reaction from you when I told you to keep your Bible hidden." He paused and studied James for a minute. "I would bet a week's pay that you have no intention of hiding that Bible though. In fact, I would be willing to bet dinner at a good restaurant that you will keep it on your desk, in open sight to anyone in your room. Am I right?" James smiled and nodded as he spoke. "Yes sir."

    Major Wilson just grinned and walked back around to take his seat again. They spent the next hour getting to know each other. Major Wilson had a quick smile and liked to laugh. He told them a lot about the cadets they would soon be meeting. They already knew a few of the upper classmen in the squadron from BCT, basic cadet training. Many they had yet to meet though. There were just over one hundred cadets in each squadron. There were about twenty-five from each class, give or take a few, mostly depending on how long the class had been at the Academy. Cadets left or were put out of the Academy right up until they graduated. James and Aadila were told that by the end of the full four-year term they would have made a few friends that would last a lifetime. However, Major Wilson also told them it was very possible to make a few enemies that would last just as long too.  Mostly they just talked and got a feel for each other. He had also told them that they would need to learn how to do that with new people. As future officers they would always be in command of people and that meant they would need to get to know those people. It was much harder to command strangers than it was to command people you knew and who also knew you. The problem was that as a commander you had to know them well, but not be seen as a buddy. You were always the commander not a buddy. The training finally seemed to have ended as they heard the sounds of the cadets returning. Major Wilson took them out to meet their new family.

    That was also a very tense few minutes for everyone. They were introduced to everyone and had a good idea by the time the introductions were done of who their enemies were at least. Friends were another matter. Nobody showed any interest in being friends, but they had expected that. It still didn't make things any easier for them. After a few minutes they were shown to their rooms, by their new roommates. That was one good thing in Mach One. At least it was a good thing to James. They put the guys in one section and the gals in another. A lot of the squadrons not only had them all mixed together, some even had guys and gals as roommates. Maybe that was acceptable in the military now, but to James it still wasn't right. Sharing rooms like that made any privacy or modesty all but impossible. It was hard enough to have any privacy in the military as it was, without forcing men and women to share quarters. The showers and bathrooms were still an issue, even in Mach One they were completely co-ed and had no restrictions. That was something that James would have to work out as best he could. It was part of the accepted way of life in the military now, even if it was uncomfortable for some people.

    Each morning while the rest of the squadron was training, James and Aadila were driven back to the hospital for a check-up. James was regaining his strength rapidly, but his weight was slower about coming back. He had to tighten his belt to keep his pants in place. At least most of the soreness was gone now. The doctor still wouldn't release him for full duty yet though. James did manage to get him to agree to allow him to start running, it was limited runs, but at least it was a start. Aadila had told him that she wanted to pull Major Wilson's hair out the first night she put her feet in that salt and vinegar bath. Her roommates hadn't been too pleased with the smell either. She did think it was helping though. Her feet weren't as tender and she could walk further each day. The doctor told them that he should be able to release both of them to full duty by the end of their first week of classes. That would make the first week a little rough for Aadila, but at least it was only for a week.

    Monday morning finally did arrive and with it new challenges for them to face. James faced one of the biggest in his first class. It was his math class. He was the only four degree cadet, a cadet in their first year, in the class. Most of the class was three degree cadets, second year at the Academy, with a few seconds, third year cadets, and even a lone firstee, a senior about to graduate from the Academy. It hadn't helped when James was the only one who could work all of the five problems the professor had given them to see how much they really knew. Still it wasn't all bad. The lone firstee had come up to him after class and asked if James would be willing to help him out if he had problems in the class. He had to pass it in order to graduate. James had told him he would be glad to help him, if he could. The firstee had even offered to pay, but James had politely refused his money. Most of his remaining classes were filled with other four degrees. He knew some of them and some he didn't know at all. It was his last class that held the biggest surprise of the day though. He found himself in class with both Shanna and Sabella. It was one of the required military history classes. All in all, the first day hadn't been too bad.

    When he returned to the squadron he and Aadila had to go for their daily check-up while the rest of the new cadets did training. On the way they had a chance to talk. Sergeant Maxwell helped them along, by asking all kinds of questions. He had taken a much more active interest in them after that first ride back from the hospital. Aadila hadn't had too good of a day herself. She had refused to use the crutches she had been given, she was determined to stand on her own two feet. She had caught more than a little flak over wearing the light slip on shoes the doctor had ordered for her. They were meant to provide extra cushioning and padding to prevent her feet from getting sores again. That didn't stop the upper classmen, those who didn't know that she was following orders, from asking what she was doing out of uniform.   She had done a lot of explaining between classes today. Her classes were all good though. She was looking forward to them. Sergeant Maxwell told them both it would get easier for them as time passed. The main thing was for them to remember that once they were released to full duty they would have to earn back the respect of the cadets in their squadron, even though they had done nothing that should have lost them that respect. Aadila also mentioned that her old boots had showed up in her room. That had caused a long moment of silence. It was very likely that the one who took them was in Mach One. Aadila already had a new pair and she was planning on gradually breaking those in and then just keeping the others as a reminder.

   Each day things got a little smoother. James was actually able to go back to full duty by Saturday. That worked out well for him. He wanted some free time before the start of the new week to see just how much he could handle. The cuts on his leg and back were healing rapidly, and the stitches had been removed. They were itching like mad, but that was a sign of healing. He went to the morning session of training for the first time Saturday. That had gone better than expected. They welcomed him and he managed to keep up. He was getting sore before it was over though. Still, it felt good to be back in training and part of the normal routine again. He had also received a note from Mr. Blake inviting him to join them Sunday for services. James had politely declined the invitation, much to the surprise of the cadets at the desk who listened to him talking on the phone. Unlike almost all cadets James didn't carry a cell phone. He had one, but he had left it with the Blake's. He had called his folks before reporting to the Academy and had told them he wouldn't be calling unless he was off the grounds. His mom hadn't liked that, but there wasn't much she could do. At least not until she got within reach of him again! He was just grateful that for some reason the Academy had failed to notify them about his hospital stay. They would be furious when they found out, but better furious than worried sick over him.