"What do you mean we're having a parade review?!"Lem sighed and shook his head, rereading the notice sent to all commanders. The quad common room was crowded with his soldiers; some leaning in doorways, some sprawled on the floor in groups, others milling around; all were discussing amongst themselves in loud voices just what they thought of this newest request from the headmaster. The random curses and exclamations made for a noisy mess, and he brushed Fin aside, whistling loudly for attention.
"Listen up, everyone! You heard right. There's a new headmaster, and we're supposed to report for a snap inspection parade review tomorrow afternoon. Now--" He was interrupted by groans and a few boos from about the group, but frowned and continued. "Now, do we have everyone here? We need to go over what's going to happen, although I gotta admit I'm not quite sure myself."
Fin piped up. "Everyone but Dante, sir!" That warranted a glare from Nicolai, but Fin just glared right back and nudged Lem. "Dante? Why isn't she here?"
The entire room turned to stare at Nicolai for a moment before averting their gazes and returning their attention elsewhere, and Nicolai flushed red, angry and embarassed. Lem caught the glances and crossed his arms over his chest, nodding to the boy. "Well, Nicolai? Seems you're in the middle of this. Don't tell me it has to do with your little dispute I interrupted the other day."
Nicolai remained silent until Bali pushed forward and spoke. "She's stayin' with Roxy an' Swede, Lem, in Griffin. Fin an' I been bringin' her stuff over there for her. Want me to go try an' find her?" Lem closed his eyes and sighed, then shook his head again as he gave Nicolai his own version of a dark glance and replied. "No, one of you can fill her in later. I just want to get this over with."
"Hey Lem, do we really gotta wear our dress uniforms? I don't think half of us have even taken those things out for more than a year! We're all gonna be wearin' shorts!" Some of the older soldiers laughed at Smitty's lament, and Lem smiled unwillingly. In all his years at Command School, he'd only been made to wear the dress uniform once or twice. This parade review was a new concept for them all, and one he didn't particularly look forward to. Someone shouted, "That's probably cause you're a lardass now, Smitty, your ass be too fat for your pants, neh?"
"Like you can talk, Teej. They be makin' special simpods for whales like you now." There was instant uproar at this, and Lem groaned to himself. Getting all his soldiers together in one room was difficult enough. Getting the top ten quads into one room; that was going to be chaos. His patience was rapidly growing thin as he pounded his fist against the wall and shouted.
"Enough! Everyone shut the fuck up and listen now, you hear me? I don't know who the hell this new Headmaster is, but if he's calling for a parade review, then we are going to give him a parade review! If you need a new dress uniform, head over to resupply and get one. I want everyone dressed and ready at least a half hour before we go, and we will go as a quad. This ain't going to be fun, but we're the top quad in the sims, and I want to see you all spit-shined and happy-faced when we go, understood?"
A multitude of complaints, and another soldier called out. "C'mon guys, y'all know that ol' Jack's gonna have his babies lookin' so fine, not to mention Ty an' Arcen, just to try an' beat us. They all be jealous that we be spankin' everyone so damn hard in the sims. I say we show 'em that we be the best and the finest group o' bitches an' bastards this school ever seen!"
"Lem, that's gonna mean you gotta comb your hair, commander fro!" Lem gave them all a mock angry glare, trying to straighten his unruly tangle of curls in response to the wild crows of laughter that erupted. "Better can it, Jay, before I give you some fro-demerit points for that one."
Everyone started talking and moving about again, so with a shrug Lem motioned for Fin and Bali to follow him back to his quarters, and dismissed his soldiers. "Get out of here, you hooligans, but don't forget about this review tomorrow. Fin, Bali, come with me. The rest of you, scram!"
"I want to hear about this situation between Dante and Nicolai..." Together the three strolled into his private room, and Lem closed the door just as Fin began to explain.
