By the end of the day she had been debriefed by a couple of people who were obviously not cops; but were working to find all the kids who might be runaways or hiding from the authorities.
One of the adults, who was a counselor discussed with her in private about what happened at the shelter. At first Mitch didn’t want to discuss what happen. When the counselor said okay, letting Mitch know that if she needed someone to talk to someone about what happen, just ask to see her. When Mitch saw that the woman knew what had happened to her; but wasn’t going to press her about it, she opened up about what happen and her fear of it repeating. An hour later Mitch felt better about the incident, realized that it most likely would not happen again.
The counselor turned her over to another adult who took her to get out fitted. Unlike on the boat, she didn’t have to get anything adjusted to fit her. It all fit her.
After Sshhe went through Sergeant Green’s supply room, the same adult briefed her on her duties.
and had been introduced to her squad. One of the adults wearing a militia uniform had given her a briefing on what was expected of her as the barracks/dormitory Cadet NCO. It wasn’t too much different than being a berthing space leader back on the Aadventure. It wasn’t until the after diner muster that she was introduced to her dorm’s residents. There was one young man who was not happy about losing his squad leadership job. But the kid was only fourteen twelve years old. Jill and Lady Hawthorne had put him charge until they found someone else. Until she showed up he was the oldest cadet in this dorm.
“Gene,” Mitch said coming into the kid’s room. As barracks boss he had one of the two private rooms in the barracks. “I can’t run this place by myself. Will you help me?”
The kid was sullen. Mitch didn’t get upset, she just said, “Okay Gene. Have it your way. We’ll talk in the morning. Have a good night.”
Mitch left the kid’s room to find Jill waiting for her in the hall.
“How you settling in,” She asked.
“I have been so busy, that I haven’t a chance to settle in.” Mitch said, “Looks like Gene’s going to be a problem.”
“He’ll come around.” Jill said, “I heard what you said, it’s the right thing.”
“I hope so,” Mitch returned. Then she saw what Jill was carrying. A guitar, “do you play?”
“No. It would be first degree assault and battery if I tried to play it.” Jill smiled, “One of the companions brought it over today. He said it might belong to you!”
“Oh,” Mitch said trying not to reach out for it, “It’s not mine. I lost mine a few nights ago. One of the people sharing my squat stole itI had to barter it for some food.”
“Well until we find the real owner it’s yours!” Jill said handing her the instrument.
“Thank you,” Mitch took the guitar to that Jill offered her.
““There’s a meeting for all dorm NCOs at lunch, most days. Your assistant can take the kids to lunch,” Jill continued.
“I’ll be there captain,” Mitch addressed the young woman wearing the eagles like the captain of the of the Adventure of Learning worewear.
“It’s Colonel,” Jill reminded the girl,sponded suppressing a yawn, “Okay time for me to get to bed, I have an early morning. Try not to play too late into the evening Sarge.”
“Thank you cColonel,” Mitch saluted the young woman before her. That evening the barracks was filled with her soft soprano and the quiet strands of the acoustic guitars tones.
As Jill went over to the teacher’s quarters where she slept when she stayed at the academy, ther detail didn’t want her sleeping in a dormbarrackss, t(they were not sure the barracks were safe enough for her,)wanted her safe, she ran into Millie Green. She had been down only for a day or so getting the supply rooms organized. It seemed like something that should have been delegated to someone besides a Master Gunnery Sergeant.
“Good evening Colonel,” the sergeant said. She was seated on one of the many benches that dotted the grounds. She had her journal open on the bench beside her.
“Good evening Sergeant,” Jill asked, “mind if I sit a bit?”
“Not at all,” The sergeant said. She looked up and saw the woman who was always within eyesight of the girl. She had not seen much of Jill the last couple of days. She had been very busy in the supply center. She had met with Deloris Hawthorne a couple of times, and had found out that the young woman had never been in the military, but had a good heart and wasn’t afraid to ask questions. She suspected that Lady Hawthorne was no slouch when it came to brains, “How’s it going?”
“Sometimes I think I am out of my league,” Jill said to older woman. “I am doing this by what feels right!”
“Has it been right?” Millie Green asked.
“Yes,” Jill said, “I think I did the right thing most of the time.”
“Then it most likely was,” the fortyish sergeant commented.
Jill thought about what she had done so far and nodded. Even though she wasn’t certain she had done the right thing with Mitch, she felt that eventually it would prove to be the right thing. Sergeant Green’s voice broke into her thoughts.
“Starting tomorrow you can start cycling all your cadets through the supply room so they can get outfitted.” Green said.
“I thought you were already open?” Jill asked.
“Yes and no,” the sergeant replied, “I let a couple of the cadet NCOs in to get them outfitted. Tomorrow we can do the entire school.”
“Thank you sergeant. I’ll leave you to your journal.” Jill said getting up, “It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”
“They are all long days colonel,” Millie said, “And they won’t get shorter.”
Jill nodded as Millie picked up her journal. Millie wrote in her journal, “Finished getting the cadets’ supply room set up today. I have been working with a combination of older children, and adults. None of them know anything about the military. Well that’s not true a couple of them do. But I liked working with them. The cadet commander has got her head on! I think! I talked with Sergeant Lucas the other morning, and he seems to think she is the best hope for these kids. So is Lady Hawthorne. Somehow, though we have to help make her into a commandant. BShe is young for the job, maybe thirty. Most commandants are in their sixties. Usually on their last duty post before retirement. Lady Hawthorne is much too young for that. I wonder where this is all going to end.”
She ended the entry and went on to the quarters where she sleeping.
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