Rotemdol walks with Banjo, Oluna, Lulmyra and Thard. They watch the legionnaires performing the drills, while Rotemdol explains to Lulmyra what is going on. He asks her to tell him who she thinks is doing well, who is doing badly and why. Lulmyra considers the soldiers. "They're just marching up and down", she says, "And their flamelances aren't even real; they're just wooden sticks!". "That's because flamelances are rare and expensive", Thard says, "They use most of the real ones in the war. Not for drill exercises!". "The front group are better at marching", she says, "The back group; some of them are shuffling, and they're all out of time with each other!". Boots the drill sergeant barks at the second group; he's displeased with them as well. Rotemdol asks her what she thinks of Boots' behaviour. "He's very cruel to them", she says, "Why is being able to march in formation so important?". Boots dismisses the first, better group, who wander off to the side of the practice arena, while he tries to batter the newer recruits into some sort of shape. Eventually they get it right to Boots' satisfaction. Rotemdol walks up to him. "Hi Boots", Rotemdol says, "I'm checking Lulmyra out, thinking about taking her as my apprentice. Can I take over the training for a bit? I want to see how she does compared to the recruits. I promise not to damage any of them to much". "Hmm", says Boots, "It might knock some sense into them if a *girl* is better than them. They've got wooden practice swords at the moment; don't trust this rabble with metal ones just yet; might cut their own legs off!". Rotemdol walks with Lulmyra toward the recruits. "The name is Rotemdol and I will be taking over your training for the next session. I give advance courses in unarmed and armed combat. Your sergeant asked that most of you will be alive when we are done. I want you all to try hard, anyone who Boots thinks did better then these little girl here, will have a show and drinks on me in the Dragon. Those who slack will help me with the demonstrations. Are we clear?". There is some murmuring in the ranks. "He said 'Are we clear'", barks Boots, "Are you deaf already?" "We're clear", they shout in unison. "We are going to start with a warm-up. Try to do as I do", Rotemdol shouts, placing Lulmyra in the front and moving into his normal daily warm-up routine without any further talking. Although the routine is more difficult than legion recruits are used to, at least some of them manage to keep up and do a passable imitation of Rotemdol's moves. As does Lulmyra. "Now that we are warm, lets get the blood moving" Rotemdol says as they move to a Hundredth of strength exercises. Again these exercises area bit outside the ordinary in requiring some coordination but not too difficult. Neither the recruits not Lulmyra are quite so good at this, although Lulmyra's performance is passable. So far, none of the recruits have ruptured themselves. "Okay, lets have a Two-Hundreth break. Make sure that you drink. We are going to do some unarmed exercise next!". The recruits troop over to the tables at the side where legion catering have large mugs of what Rotemdol hopes is water. During the break Rotemdol chats with Boots "They don't make them like they use to", Rotemdol says. "Every drill sergeant has said that since the beginning of time", Boots says, "I *will* make these men into soldiers; they'll have to do a tour at the front in the mountains, and I want most of them to come back from it. Trouble is the command want them before they're ready, they don't give the likes of me the time! Do they want another Roysta Canyon?". Rotemdol remembers that infamous battle against the Zughru a few years back. He didn't fight in it himself, but knew men that did, and didn't come back. Or came back crippled. After collecting the recruits Rotemdol starts again. "Combat is all about timing. We are going to work today on subduing moves. Be careful! I want you with all your limbs intact. You!" He points at someone who has been slacking. Rotemdol chooses moves in which the defender has to move at the last moment for the defence to work, which he thinks Lulmyra could perform even though she is small. Rotemdol's chosen target is better than he though, but still doesn't get his timing right to avoid being struck. Meanwhile Banjo is arranging the equipment they brought; balls, knives, ropes, targets, and suchlike. -- Tim Hall, http://www.kalyr.com Read my blog! http://www.kalyr.com/weblog
