Straf looked at the sky. "It's pretty late now, I'm sure we'll have another close quarter drill in the morning. I say we grab some chow and turn in. We've all had a pretty long day." He was pretty tired now, but he also still didn't want to be punished by straying from his squad. However, he's quickly reaching the point where he will take the punishment instead of running around the academy on a wild goose chase.
"Yea sounds good." He followed along still lost in his own thoughts about the cryptic parting words from the Inquisitor. He could tell Straf was annoyed by all the running around. "Atleast we only have a few days left."
At the response, Straf turned and promptly headed towards the nearest mess hall. Fortunately it was still open for duty, the kitchen staff either eating or serving up the leftovers for the day. Being so late, the hall was relatively empty, so Straf grab a bit of everything and sat down at one of the tables with his tray. He started eating the food, not really tasting anything since he was lost in thoughts at the day's events and his own reaction to them.
Valpine followed the others as they heading into the mess hall she herself got her usual rations and began to eat listening to the others she stayed silent her face though betrayed she was thinking deep on something. Possibly the events of today and possibly what would happen to there headmaster.
Frosty air whipped across the Academy grounds during the night coating almost every material in a fine layer of ice and soft snow giving an appearance of purity to the surreal landscape. Foot traffic was lower than normal as dawn approached. Students went about their business as patrols continued their loops. Nothing tragic seemed to have occurred since the events of the previous evening. The simulator rooms still remained on lockdown as forensic agents and armed guards continued to work inside but no sign or talk of the holocron was whispered when no one was looking or rumors spread when in the company of like-minded individuals. It was almost as if the events that had transpired had been suppressed and no one willing to mention it for fear of what may happen. Instead, instructors gave out a variety of physical tasks to the recruits as they marshaled for the morning practice. Each Battalion would be pitted against each other in a day of physical exertion known as a Triathlon. Firstly, each Battalion would break into three man fire-teams and attempt to work their way through a firing range in training armour while under attack by training grenades and blasters from an opposing team. Their objective would be to carry one of their squad mates through the range to the other side without dropping them. Should a person be hit in their armour, they would lose the ability to move that limb. In the event the squad was unable to get all three members to the other side of the 100 meter range, all members would be subjugated to a 20 mile run to the hive city and back in less than an hour....or be forced to repeat it. Following the first trials, the same team would then have to move through an obstacle course to retrieve another teams flag and then escort that the flag back to their appropriate barracks. Upon grabbing a flag, any other team, even from their own Battalion would be able to take it from them by force in order to either secure victory for themselves or prevent the targeted team from winning. With only four flags for each Battalion (20 in total), that would mean out of the one hundred three-man teams in each Battalion, many would be subjected to the punishment afterwards....a 20 mile run to the hive-city....... GM Note: MORE HELLISH TRIALS TO CONTINUE! Essentially for this process, you guys are of course in the same group and most elect one of yourselves to be man-handled to the other end of the first challenge across an OPEN firing range under the assault of enemy teams using training grenades and blasters, leaning more towards grenades. Similar to the simulation room, the armour will shock and lock you. To make it "fair" use your Str and AG stats as a guideline. This challenge require an AG of 20 or more to come out unscathed and for every 5 Str your character has, that is a "free" AG point added when carrying your teammate. The most logical idea is that your weakest in both Str and AG skill be the one being carried. The next challenge unless I deem it you failed the first one, will be to try and traverse the obstacle course I will create and then the less than "loyal" teammates from the other squads and enemy squads to get back to your barracks! This is totally not impossible or designed to torture your characters. GLHF
After receiving their marching orders for the new challenge the 3 squad mates gathered to discuss a strategy. "Well what are ya'll thinking? You two are a better shot than me. So I'll offer to carry one of you while the other shoots." He sat down and adjusted his armor and drank some water while the others considered what he had said. They really needed to pull this off. He didn't feel like a 20 mile run if they failed any of these tasks. The thoughts still swirled through his head about the strange events from the previous day. But he needed to focus on the current task.
Straf looked at the large woman next to him, then stepped forward. "I think I might be the better candidate to be carried, no offense." He nodded at Valpine. "But we can probably complete the task faster since I think I'm the lightest out of all of us." He really didn't mind the 20 mile run, it's just the thoughts of jeering by those who beat them that really ticked Straf off.
"I can Think I can do the 20 mile if needed May not be the best at moving but I can easily carry one of you if We have possibly training blaster pistols I can also give support fire." she said. "Don't think I could do well being carried though." she said looking to her team.
"Good to go, I'm ready when you guys are," Straf waited for the first trial to start, about to make himself limp so that one of the squad can began carrying him.
