Rise of a Valkyrie

Part 50

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An automated car drove Kayla and Thandi, along with their bags, for several hours into the southern highlands of Tyr. While she acted confident, Kayla spent most of the trip on edge. She had gotten so used to the idea that nobody thought she was worth talking to, it was difficult to imagine anything else.

Boot camp and Ranger school had been easier to handle, because everyone was starting out from zero, and in any case had a lot more to worry about. Now she would be a loser again, amongst women she genuinely respected, who were far more experienced, and capable than she was. In Madam Georgia's the difference had been cultural. Now, she really did belong on the bottom of the totem pole. What if her new squad mates hated her too? What if her unit commanders rejected her personality?

Thandi, on the other hand, seemed excited, full of speculation about their new home. But she had spent her life making friends, not enemies.

The vehicle dropped them outside the main office of the Mountain Ranger Battalion's Camp Serrowood. Flanked by a range of intimidating peaks, the headquarters consisted of tall, stylish buildings with open glass lobbies that looked out at the dramatic landscape. In front of the main entrance stood a gleaming bronze statue. A group of Rangers were depicted in motion as they mounted a large boulder, lifting and pulling each other up, with grim determination carved into their faces. Kayla shivered with excitement, wondering how long it would be until she could climb the stony giants that rose above their heads.

Once they had finished gawping at the environment, she and Thandi picked up their luggage and walked inside. A bored-looking Ranger behind the front desk took their identification cards without comment, and began typing at her computer.

Kayla turned to look at the far wall of the lobby. It was covered from top to bottom in framed portraits of smiling, uniformed women. After a year in the organization, she had no doubts what a mounted photograph meant—someone killed in action. She nudged Thandi, who turned, raised her eyebrows, but said nothing.

"Bonne," the Ranger at the desk said. "Okay, mademoiselles, you're both assigned to second platoon, Bravo Company. I'll run you over. I'm Lance-Corporal Eliane Michel. Do either of you speak French?"

They shook their heads, and Eliane rolled her eyes. "Bien sur, I must continue to endure life without being able to speak la plus belle langue du monde. Barbarians, all of you."

She led them through the main building until they exited on the other side. A wide, luscious garden was flanked by several large apartments and offices.

The Bravo company building was quiet, the hallways empty. Over the main entrance hung a blue and gold banner depicting a snake with immense fangs, frozen in mid-strike. The title read 'Mountain Bravo – The Venomous Vipers. Strike Swiftly!'

"The whole battalion's out on an exercise," explained Eliane as she pushed open the front door. "Not me though. I have to stay and watch the front desk." She turned to Kayla with a severe look. "Somebody could try to steal it."

They toured the bottom floor of the building, which included a briefing room complete with large wall-mounted televisions, and a holographic projector. Further in they passed a well-equipped gym, a bar, and small cinema. Once they got up to their platoon's floor, they were shown their squad's apartment, which consisted of private rooms, a shared kitchen and a lounge. Kayla felt her stomach churn as she came closer to the moment of truth.

"It's almost too nice," Thandi said as she and Kayla dropped their bags off to one side.

"Yeah, it's not that bad," Eliane acknowledged as she flopped down into a sofa.