Academy Days VII: 1st contact

01st January 2030

00:51

Training Grounds, New Eden

Sohel, Jacob, and Annabelle were gossiping among themselves while going back to their dorms. As they were passing through the shooting range they heard gunshots. They wondered who it would be that would practice this late on New Year's Eve. Being curious, they entered the range. They saw Naomi practicing. Jacob says to Sohel while still looking at Naomi, "She's pretty extreme. I've seen her breaking the bones of people with her bare hands. I've also heard she can't be hit by bullets. Somehow she dodges them all. On top of all that, that alluringly beautiful face. She's a whole package."

Sohel replies, "I know."

Sohel walks up beside her and looks at the target she was firing at. Sohel was shocked. Not because she was amazing. But he was shocked to see that the "Package was hitting like 3-4 shots for every 10-round magazine she was wasting."

He looked at her posture and saw that her posture was wrong. Sohel suddenly said,

"Loosen up your shoulder a bit more and open both your eyes."

The sudden voice from someone startles Naomi and she turns around and aims her gun towards Sohel. Sohel puts his both hands up. "What are you doing here this late?", asked Naomi.

Sohel replied, "We're just returning from the festival. What are you doing here this Late?"

"I don't have to answer you that." By then Jacob and Annabelle came and stood beside Sohel. Sohel slowly lowers his hand. He says, "We heard gunshots and came to look out of curiosity. Then I saw you missing shots and having the wrong posture. I just instinctively gave you some advice."

Naomi was irritated. She asked, "Who are you to advise me? Can you even shoot?"

That question seemed to hit Sohel's nerves. He snatches the Beretta 96A1 pistol from Naomi's hand, takes a magazine from the table, and loads the gun. He aims at a 75-meter target and shoots all 10 bullets. Naomi and Annabelle were shocked to see him hit all 10 bullets in the bull's eye.

Jacob smirked and said, "Miss, you seem to live in your own world. Do you remember the person who hit the bullseye on a 150-meter moving target with a 100-meter range pistol and became a specialist after just 1 year in the academy? Yeah, that person's standing in front of you."

Naomi was speechless for a moment but she snapped back and snatched the gun back from Sohel. She put the weapon back in the case and started leaving. Sohel called him, "Hey, listen."

Naomi looked back.

"We were recruited together, do you remember? I wanted to talk to you but you didn't care. Well, I thought we could be friends and have fun together, you know. You seemed kinda lonely back then. Heck even now."

Naomi seemed to waver a little from Sohel's talk but she held herself and said,

"I'm not lonely and I don't need friends. If you have that much time to make friends and have fun, you should focus on improving your hand-to-hand combat abilities. I heard Mr. Prodigy here just barely passed his martial arts tests. Making friends is just a waste of time and energy, and I can't make an effort to do that."

She turns and leaves. Sohel was speechless and dumbfounded. Jacob put a hand on Sohel's shoulder and said, "Not gonna lie, she got you good there. But don't be sad, let's go. She's happy in her own world, don't worry about her."

Sohel silently nodded and started walking.

Annabelle asked Jacob, "Hey, What you said there, about Sohel, was that true?"

"A 100% true."

Annabelle gasped, "I didn't know that. He's quite the man it seems."

"Can't argue with that."

The whole way back to the dorms from then Sohel didn't engage in Jacob and Annabelle's gossip. He just hmmed for everything he got asked. He was troubled, not from the words Naomi said, but from the sad and lonely face she was making while saying those words.

06th March 2031

00:58

Bravo Squad House, New Eden

Mitali says, "That was pretty rude of you, Naomi."

Naomi replied, "I know. I later apologized to them for that night. I was just irritated that day because I was failing my marksmanship classes."

Jacob adds, "That you would still do if asked to take the exam today."

Naomi clenches his fist and says, "Sohel is right. You do need some good punching one of these days."

Jacob gets up from his seat and hides behind Sohel, "Sohel, save me, buddy."

Sohel awkwardly laughs and says, "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do if she decides to punch you. Do you really think I can defeat her in hand-to-hand combat?"

Jacob acts like he is disappointed. Sohel asks Jacob to go back to his seat as he will start again.

13th January 2030

18:11

Chief TO's Cabin, Academy Building, New Eden

Gen. Rahat was sitting in his chair and Sohel was sitting in another chair on the opposite side of the table. They were chatting about their day while Gen. Ahmed suddenly asked, "So Sohel, what about your squad? Have you thought about it? As to who are the specialists you'll be asking to join? Remember they don't have to be the recruits graduating the same year as you. You can ask your seniors or juniors to join too if you deem them worthy enough."

Sohel replied, "Ehhhh. I don't think my seniors would like the idea of reporting to someone younger than them. Anyway for members I guess I have confirmation from Jacob and Annabelle they are both pretty good in their fields. And I'm also looking for a medic who can support us in active combat if needed. As for the last member....I don't have anyone in mind right now."

Gen. Ahmed's face lights up as he hears those last words. He says, "So, you have an empty slot. Good." He presses on the intercom button and says, "Let her in."

Sohel asks, "Let who in?"

He looks at the door at the sound of the door opening to see who's coming.

"Geh…" The only sound that came from his mouth as he saw Naomi coming in.