Life With Ares

Turmag Days

PART II

The hot sun of Turmag sat on the horizon as it rose up, shining light out over the jungle planet. I stretched with Sage, DeKalb, and Yamato as we prepared for our morning run. It had been an exciting past month as we waited on Turmag for Dr. Befa to finish her project. My life had changed a considerable amount in this short time, I was a military man now. I was officially Private Mars Monroe of the United Planets Interstellar Navy. I felt proud, very proud, to wear the four pointed blue star of UPIN. I also made history as the first Psionic to enlist in UPIAF. I didn't want any special training, but Admiral Keers was pretty stern on wanting me ready, meaning that Lt. Sage, Lt. DeKalb, and Operator Yamato would oversee my basic training, they knew everything I needed to know. We finished our ten mile run and morning exercises with ease on the beach, then was breakfast, then was more physical training, then was hand-to-hand, then was firearms training, and all before 12PM UPIAF time.

"Pvt. Monroe, it's almost like you were made for this, damn. You look like you didn't break a sweat." DeKalb told me as we were eating lunch in the Headley Memorial Hospital cafeteria.

"I definitely feel it when I lay in bed at night, L-T." I smirked and wiped sweat from my forehead. For some reason that even had me confused, I was able to hop into the training routine like it was nothing. I wasn't the fastest, or the strongest, or the best shot, but they were all amazed that I was doing as good as the average recruit in only a month, I was pretty amazed too.

"It begins." Lt. Sage interrupted grimly, he was looking off towards the entrance of the cafeteria. A man in a white t-shirt and khaki pants, with a camera around his neck, and a notepad in his hand was standing there at the entrance, he started toward the table I was sitting at.

"What's the problem, Lt. Sage?" I asked, eating a spoonful of my chicken noodle soup. As he got closer I noticed something akin to a work badge was clipped to his shirt, and his gaze was fixated on me.

"I knew this shit would happen." Sage muttered with a smirk.

"Pvt. Monroe?" He called to me as he finally arrived.

"Yes?" I said, confused.

"My name is Dicky Taylor and I'm with the Interstellar News Network, INN. Could I ask you a few questions?"

"Uhm... Sure? But what for?" I tried to ask but was ripped aside by Yamato.

"Just a minite Dicky." Yamato waved him away, "I'm sure you already know, but I'm going to tell you: Nothing on Lost Night. Nothing at all. Smile. Say you love it. Then tell him to fuck off." Yamato whispered.

"Right." I nodded and got up from the table, approaching the reporter.

"Pvt. Monroe, I just wanted to know if I could get an interview with the first Psionic UPIAF recruit."

"Uhm. I'll have to cut it short, we have to train." I shrugged.

"Of course. First, how did you get invovled with UPIAF?" He asked eagerly.

"Well, I worked on Operator Yamato's ship and he was asked to come back, so I didn't have anything better to do, so I enlisted. Sorry if it's not very exciting." I laughed nervously.

"It's okay." He laughed, "Normalcy is something I'm sure you want, right?"

"You could say that." I shrugged.

"Are you undergoing any special training here on Turmag?"

"No, I'm simply training with Operator Yamato and Lts. DeKalb and Sage out of convenience, since I'm already here."