Rise of a Valkyrie

Part 30

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Kayla wiped away tears as she returned to the canteen for dinner. Would she be made to sit alone, like Rose? She queued up without speaking to the other recruits. Once she had her tray filled, she noticed Rose, eating alone, and looking miserable. Hadn't she been kicked out? Kayla felt a lurch of dread. She hadn't been assigned a new buddy either, which could only mean one thing.

Steeling herself, she went to join her rival and sat down without saying a word. Both ate in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry I left you up there," Kayla said eventually.

"I'm sorry I'm a useless buddy," Rose muttered. "The instructors said I could try again tomorrow, but that's my last chance."

Kayla was surprised by the response. Had Rose called herself useless? She ate in silence, unsure what to say, until Thandi and Christie slapped their trays down at the table.

"So, Christie," Thandi said through a nasty grin, "if you would please describe the taxonomy of these two specimens."

"Gladly, Thandi," Christie replied, her own expression cheerful. "Here we have a pair of the lesser known, large-headed girl-toads. A rare species, they are usually seen in pairs making obnoxious loud noises, meant to irritate passersby. You'll note the width of the cranium far exceeds the typical size."

"Fascinating, and their mating habits?" Thandi asked.

"Non-existent, given their off-putting demeanor," Christie said.

"What are you two so happy about?" said Kayla miserably.

"Well, we aced the assault course together," Thandi said, "which was a lot of fun. Then there is your situation, which the whole class finds deeply entertaining. Great job from both of you."

"Yeah, well, you won't be getting much more of it," Kayla said. "They'll probably kick both of us out tomorrow."

Thandi laughed. "You are such a drama queen, you know that?"

"It's true," Rose said quietly. "I can't deal with heights."

Kayla stabbed morosely at her food. "Susaki told me there are instructors looking for any excuse to get rid of me, too. It turns out that I am a real asshole."

"I see," Thandi said. "And both of you are pushovers who let difficult things hold you back?"

"You're both in a bad place, obviously," Christie interjected. "But once you collect yourselves, you'll figure it out."

Kayla glared at her, then looked away.

They ate in silence until Thandi spoke. "Hey, Christie, how come you're still here? I didn't peg you for this kind of life."

Christie chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. "Well, I do sort of enjoy it. There's nothing like the joy of watching another girl drop out, proving that you are, in fact, a superior human being."

Thandi cackled. "But seriously, with all your smarts, wouldn't you rather be, I don't know, a famous intellectual or something?"

Christie snorted. "Good grief! You think just because I'm a Helvet I would have that kind of choice?"

"All you have to do is work for it, right?"

Christie sighed and traced circles on the table with her finger. "The Stirling family was not the most prestigious on Earth but was well-placed. My father had a working relationship with one of the Adjudicate Cardinals."