Heart & Soul - An Avatar Fanfiction

↞ All grown up ↠

"What the bloody fuck do you want?"

"And that is why the Australian Army needs you all, you the next generation, to help protect Australia from the wars and threats that this ever changing world brings on. I know you all much rather try study and apply to get a position on those rockets to Pandora, but we still need some of you guys to stay here and fight. Fight for our freedom. Our resources. Fight to protect those who can't protect themselves. The Australian Army's calling, won't you come?" the woman said, delivering her finishing line to the rather rousing speech she just gave, "Any questions?"

Rune Chapman was now twenty-four years old, donning her khaki green army dress uniform and slouch hat, delivering the same speech she said every year to her patron university to a bunch of rather interested university students and high schoolers. For once, she had her out of control, blonde bleached mullet, pulled tightly back into a messy bun, and her piercings out, per army regulation. She stood in attention, keeping up an air of formality, yet friendliness throughout her tall figure.
Many of the students in the auditorium stuck their hands up, eager to share their inquiries with the young woman.

"You in the back." Rune pointed to a young teen with red hair and a freckled face.

"How mu- doe- the... pay?"

Rune could barely hear what the youth was asking, her hearing aid not being able to pick up much of the sentence and her other ear struggling to hear without the support of it's second. Everything sounded a bit tinny, and it didn't help that the girl was far away, it would be easier to hear if they were face to face. 

Adjusting the piece in her ear, which earnt some short lasting yet painful screeches, Rune was finally able to hear at a distance, "I'm sorry, could you speak up. I'm a bit hard of hearing."

She heard some chuckles from the older students who were already aware of her predicament.

"Oh, yeah, um. How much does the job pay?" the teen repeated.

"Ah, always one of those questions." Rune laughed, "Well in terms of pay, it depends what position you're in, what job you do, what part of the Australian army you're in and how long you've been there. But pay isn't usually what's talked about in an interview, keep that in mind. Next question, chap at the front with the black hair."

The young man swept his hair back, "How long have you been in the services?"

"Six years, eight if you count the two years I spent in cadets," she answered, earning some whispers of approval from her audience, "Next."

She pointed to a few other students.

"What services can I be in?"

To which she answered, "Army, Navy or Air Force. However, there are different Corps."

"What's the latest war you fought in?"

"Not a war, I ran support services and extraction over in Venezuela. The skirmishes there are still going on. Next."

"How can I do my part?"

"You can enrol in cadets or become a reservist later in life."

"Do I have to join the army?" one concerned teen asked.

Rune's face softened, "No, you don't. Now I want everyone here today to remember what I'm about to say. You should never feel pressured or let yourself get persuaded into joining the army, it's honourable to do so, but it's also hard and not everyone here is cut out for it. Being a scientist or a lawyer is still a good job and a helpful contribution to society, we need people like that. Um, next."

"Can I pursue degrees and courses whilst in the army?" 

"That is a great question. Yeah, absolutely. I did, I'm a guest speaker here for the anthropology unit, so you can 100% pursue a degree whilst in the army. The army will also pay for said degree if it's within a price range."