Susan 4

At coffee time, Lt Savard joins me uninvited, breezy smile, "no hard feelings eh?"
I laugh, "at first yeah. Soon disappeared once I saw everything; realized I got off easy."
Grin, "in real life, not this Army crap, I'm Renee."
"I'm Sue."
"So Sue, what do you make of all that?"
"I gathered at least half those people were boasting rather than trying to keep whatever secret, you included."
Roar of laughter, "guilty as charged, hard to fool an editor. What else do you make of it?"
"I have the strangest feeling you're about to tell me a story, that shows how much we really have in common."
"Ah, what was your first clue?" Leans forward, talks quietly, "the good General victimized me in the same fashion as you, and for the exact same reason."
"How so?"
"What do you know of Catholocism and the French Quebec experience Sue?"
"Well Renee, cities and towns mostly died out, some 98% atheists or so I'm told. Have to go back into the Eastern Townships, find farmers; or North Shore, find fishermen. Others in hazardous jobs, such as miners, are often true believers."
"Very good. Now, a true believer, a genuine dyed in the wool old fashioned sort, honors which tradition each and every Friday?"
"Fish of course, no meat."
"So, just guess Gen Strasser's involvement in all of this?"
In a flash it hits, "exemption of course. Up to now, the Army has been unwilling or unable to provide fish. Hence, they've let off the small number of people involved."
"Good so far, Sue, now how do I fit in?"
I groan, "like me, they intend to find some previously exempt followers for you."
Renee gives a wicked laugh, "I can assure you, hell itself will freeze solidly over before they ever find sufficient followers for either me or you. Total waste of our time."
"Still, I suppose it beats minus 40 degree temperatures out on the wind swept plains near Moose Jaw."
She laughs, gives me a mock punch on the arm, "now you watch, we'll soon figger who the other victims are and why. Wanna go boozing tonight?"
"Sorry, against my principles, nothing personal."
"So the strongest indulgence you do is coffee?"
"Oh yes."
"Good, we'll do it sometimes. I like you, smart enough to figger this all out. Honest too, not one Jew in a hundred woulda had enough jam to face the class and admit something like that."
"Well, it seemed fairly obvious to me."
"Maybe obvious to the rest too; they just refuse to admit it."
Back in class, Gen says, "all right, I noticed who you talked with. Let's test those communication skills."
Each pair includes a caller and a drawer. The caller (plus all others present) see the geometric design on a paper. The drawer doesn't, given a blank paper and pencil. Different diagrams for each pair.
It's wildly hilarious, as people try to convey geometry verbally, get hopelessly lost, produce nothing close.
Renee and I are last, she drawing, I calling, "now north is up and east is right. Place your pencil on the bottom left corner. Good. Now without drawing, move the pencil 3" east and 1" north. Good, now start, draw a line straight north for 3 1/2". Good. Now northeast 2". Good. Now west 1". Good. Now nother 2" northeast. Good. Now south 2". Good. That's it."
I see looks of envy all around.
Far away voice, Gen says, "never ever seen that before. Very good, Lt Nachtenstein."
As we file out, Renee says quietly, "you blew that bigtime."
"How so?
"Saw her look, very proprietorial. Show any further talent and you could find yourself a regular officer rather than Reservist."
"Thanks for the warning."
Back in class, Gen grins, "Lt Nachtenstein, please come up front. Poetry reading, starting at this page."
I shrug, surely the Army is beyond nuts. It's "Cremation of Sam McGee", chronicling Yukon Gold Rush days. I recall it from school, it has a nice rhythym, which I fall into.
After, I sit wondering what on earth all that was about?
As I watch everyone else argue the point before, during and after; I know I was had. Tricked into revealing another good officerial trait.
As we file out, I say quietly to Renee, "don't start on me; I realize I blew it."
She shrugs, "too late now, damage is done. Just in future, remember you are in Rome. Start acting like your fellow Romans."
Finally, my big chance to appear inept. Driver training in Jeeps; I'm the only one of us not possessing a civvy driver's licence. My satisfaction in this is diminished by knowing only a Sgt instructor is witnessing all this and not the Gen.
Even then, it misfires. Sgt is ever so helpful, ever so patient, ever so cheerful and finalizes with the verdict that I did quite well for a total beginner.
The Warrant Officer flashes an impish grin, which makes her look years younger and actually likeable, "today we test out certain traits. Sangfroid, following orders, your innate ability to cope or not with the chaos of civil disturbance, more colloquially known as riot."
Laughs.
"One of the most famous quotes of history is 'don't fire til you see the whites of their eyes." This may sound very inspiring, but it has a serious flaw, everyone's eyesight is different. To keep y'all equal, we've painted that yellow line. When your turn comes, you will face 30 rioters-holograms, coming one by one. You are not permitted to fire until at least one foot crosses the yellow line. Shoot early and it costs points. The computer will score you, based on how quickly you fire after the foot crosses and how accurately you hit.
"Careful aim is important. Use more than 30 bullets and it costs you points.
Pointing to me, the enternal first time victim, "take your position, tell when ready."
First few seconds, I feel freaked. Then an icy calm comes over me and I say quietly, "start."
It seems ludicrously easy, as I stack up 30 chest hits with 30 shots. After all, it's pointblank range.
As I watch the others, I realize it isn't so easy. Everyone else is penaltied for at least two early shots; some as many as a dozen.
Renee manages the job with 35 bullets, coming second. It goes downhill from there. Several blew away the whole 100 round clip and then were subsequently killed by simulation by these rioters.
WO asks me after, "so, did it not intimidate you, fact all those rioters were much bigger than you?"
"Why should it? Made a bigger target."
Roars with laughter, mock punch on my arm, "I see the Army screwed up bigtime, downchecking all them Jews. Gotta find more like you. How did it feel?"
"Awesome, like standing atop Everest or K2."
Sad look, "gotta learn a little more maturity yet. Can't afford those sorts of feeling when you are in charge of thirty homicidal maniacs."
I blush hotly.
Grin, "that's better, a good start."