Everyone who graduated had their ranks replaced by an insignia representing their regiment. The symbols were simple and classic. A scroll for blue, the sun for yellow, a closed fist for red, and a judge's gavel for black.
Higher-performing students were assigned to patrolling squads, while less capable students were relegated to logistics. Naturally, the other three districts had a much larger pool of students to select from.
Their districts were better maintained as well. When Eliza and Richard joined their patrol squads, residents genuinely smiled and greeted them warmly. Younger boys ran up to Blaze, eager to hear tales about the adversities of training.
Uniforms were well maintained, their equipment polished. Logistics in these quadrants faced fewer problems, aside from the usual material shortages.
Noland's regiment, however, was the polar opposite. Poorly manned, barely maintained. The two remaining students outside of himself and Jade, were assigned to logistics. Accidents happened so they were in desperate need of logistics personnel.
Residents looked upon them with disdain before they even reached their headquarters. The layout of the city didn't help. The wealthiest were on the north side, the highest district of the city and where Richard was stationed.
As the districts descended, wealth and poverty worsened. Opinions in Richard's district, the north, mixed with elites, were skewed differently than the southernmost.
A heavy smog hung around the headquarters as the recruits approached, the air thick with grease and decay. It seemed to symbolize the problems here. Outside, a skinny man in ragged clothing stumbled aimlessly, muttering to himself and twitching erratically.
Jade and Noland exchanged glances and glanced back at the two recruits following nervously behind. They were twin brothers. Both had brown, dirty hair and anxious expressions, stiff as they took in the surroundings.
"New recruits?"
A deadpan voice snapped their attention forward. Two guards stood by the entrance, both with sunken eyes and slouched postures, staring with bored expressions.
It was evening by the time they arrived. The morning and afternoon were taken up by ceremonies and accolades being bestowed before they set off. It took at least another hour before they arrived, and dusk was approaching fast.
"Yes," Noland replied, showing his ID given by the academy. The others followed suit, and the guards barely reacted as they checked.
"Don't they look happy..." Jade muttered next to him after they stepped inside.
The iron gates groaned as they shut behind them, the sound echoing ominously.
It felt final. A declaration of the choices they'd made and the paths they now had to walk.
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The inside was more like a vehicle bay or an open warehouse than a proper headquarters. In front of them was scattered multiple workstations with gadgets, gears, sewing kits, and equipment carelessly strewn about.
Off to the left, rows of rooms lined up the wall, with grated metal stairs leading to a second floor walkway of the same design.
The noise was deafening as they glanced between each other uncertainly. There were at least sixty people chatting or laughing obnoxiously loud as they worked. Some were gearing up, adjusting their wrist guards. Others huddled over damaged equipment, discussing repairs.
Gradually, silence had started to fall as people started taking notice of the newcomers. Conversations faded until only the heavy pounding of metal in the bay area echoed through the space.
"Only four?" A mocking chuckle broke the silence.
"Looks like the academy's throwing us leftovers. Fucking assholes."
A series of loud bangs drew everyone's attention. A heavyset man stepped out from the nearest room, his fist resting on the metal frame he'd just pounded it.
Further inside, Noland noticed a shadowy figure but he couldn't make out any details.
The heavyset man's features weren't unusual, except that his gray eyes and bald head. Deep creases marked his face, stress and age etched into his skin, though the scars he bore made the reasons clear.
"Only four?" He raised an eyebrow, disdainfully looking between them. "Last year we received over a dozen. Why is the academy throwing us scraps?"
Silence gripped them. Jade glanced at Noland, who stiffened but replied, "The academy's training was tougher. They shortened the training period but raised the intensity."
"Ah, right," the man grumbled, scratching his bare chin. "They did mention something about that..." before pulling a flask from his waist and taking a swig, scowling. "Shame. We need more bodies, not skilled brats."
Noland frowned as the captain burped. He sighed with disappointment and a lack of enthusiasm toward Noland. "I'm Greg, your Captain."
Raising a finger from the hand holding the flask, Greg pointed to the second floor, his finger landing on a metal door above the office he'd exited.
"Dorm rooms for recruits. Closest is for male recruits; second is for females." His finger drifted to the far end, pointing to a nice wooden door with a polished brass handle. "As you rank up, you move up the line. That's my room at the end. Don't enter it for any reason, or I'll break your fucking necks. Ask around- I've done it before. Are we clear?"
"Yes, sir." They resounded. Greg sniffed, blinking multiple times as his weight shifted and his gaze swept across the bay. "Jack! Get over here!"
A lithe man with slicked-back brown hair approached, wearing a black uniform but oddly enough lacking scars.
"This is your squad's sergeant," Greg said, gesturing with an open hand but his gaze remained fixed on the recruits. "Which of you are Noland and J- ah, never mind, I can see who."
Greg sighed, shaking his head. The twins behind Jade and Noland were scared stiff, their eyes darting around nervously. Noland and Jade remained straight postured, but their heads moved more casually as they observed the Captain's gestures and the bay's activities.
The atmosphere was tense. The recruits were being sized up, and smirks and quiet snorts echoed what many of the veterans thought. This batch wasn't impressive.
"Any words you lot want to say?" Greg asked dismissively, his expression praying they wouldn't.
Feeling like it was appropriate, Noland stepped forward. "No. I'm ready to start."
Jade quickly glanced at Noland before quickly following up. "Likewise."
The twins stayed silent, clearly overwhelmed. They clearly wanted a bit of time. The Captain's gaze lingered on the twins before sighing, closing his eyes. "Well you have a bit of time. Get settled in and find your bunks. Jack will brief you from here."
With that, the Captain turned and strode back to his office, leaving the bay in a tense silence.
Jack, however, smiled- a sharp contrast to the hardened and more serious expressions of the others. He stepped forward, offering a handshake with a friendly tone.
"Noland and Jade, huh!" He beamed as they shook hands, his green eyes shifting to the twins. Stepping between them, he extended a hand. "And you two must be logistics- ah, Axel and Grease, right?"
"Yes."
"Yeah."
The two awkwardly responded and Jack chucked. "Right! Well, head upstairs and unpack your gear." His eyes flicked to the sacks strapped to their backs, each weighing at least fifty pounds.
"Food will be ready in an hour. Through the double doors," Jack said, briefly gesturing toward two large metal doors.
Noland's stomach complained and grumbled loudly as he nodded and smiled.
'Bug food and soggy vegetables. Can't complain!' Noland's thoughts chimed happily.