Tattoos & Rail Guns Chapter 8: The PT Field of Agony and Triumph

After a quick trip to the PX to obtain a PT outfit for Kev and given the others a chance for the others to get dressed appropriately, the squad all appeared at the PT field. Everyone but Lieutenant Sawyer and Rodriguez were in the basic PT outfit: gray T-shirt, gray shorts, and sneakers. Samuels looked intimidating in his muscle shirt while Lieutenant Prowse looked ready to go. Douglas and Walker were definitely ready for the experience while Kev was amused.

Kev pulled at his shirt. “I would never wear this much clothing to exercise.”

Lieutenant Sawyer remembered that Kev's culture was based on the ancient Greeks and smiled. “You would prefer doing this naked?”

Kev nodded. “It is the natural way, after all.” He looked at her. “It is unnatural to not have the sun bear down on you while exercising. It feels like cheating.”

While Douglas and Walker were obviously uncomfortable with the concept, Samuels smiled. “I could go for that kind of wardrobe.” A glare from Lieutenant Sawyer wiped the grin from his face. A sideways glance at Lieutenant Prowse stopped her next statement.

Rodriguez set up his laptop. “We're doing this to get baselines on you and Douglas. We're sort of curious what you two can do physically.” Walker put up his hand. “You other three are here because your next PT tests are coming up soon anyway; may as well take care of it.” A glare from Rodriguez and Walker's hand went down. “As I can't participate due to my cybernetics, I get to be the final referee.”

Samuels had a smug grin. “I needed a break from weapon maintenance anyway. This could be fun.”

Lieutenant Prowse nodded. “Yep. Especially after that office.” She shuddered.

Lieutenant Sawyer smiled, then brought out a whistle. “So here's the deal: You will have two minutes each to do as many push-ups as possible. Then you will pair up for sit-ups; I will hold Samuel's feet. Once one partner has done a set, they will switch positions. Then we will do a hopefully brief two-mile run.” She looked at the tense pair of Douglas and Walker and sighed. “Just do your best.” The two visibly relaxed.

They started warming up and a few minutes later Lieutenant Sawyer blew her whistle. “Okay, assume the position for push-ups.” They all fell into line and were ready for push-ups.

She blew the whistle and they went for it. Mostly. Douglas and Walker were obviously going for the bottom tier while Lieutenant Prowse was definitely holding her own and was on course to hit a 100-point score. Samuels wasn't settling for such a low score and was pumping them out like a well-oiled piston. Kev was the surprise as he was actually keeping up with Samuels. She blew her whistle and everyone stopped. Well, only Lieutenant Prowse stopped; Walker and Douglas collapsed while Samuels and Kev just slowed to a halt. They ended up glaring at each other and then smiling at each other.

She asked for the number of push-ups: Walker and Douglas gasped their respective 45 and 26. Lieutenant Prowse gave her 93 with authority, while Samuels and Kev barked their 132. Samuels held his hand for a high five; it took Kev to get the hint and he slapped Samuels’ hand.

After a few minutes to allow the weaker two to catch their breathes, Lieutenant Sawyer blew her whistle. Walker and Douglas paired as did Lieutenant Prowse and Kev. Walker grasped Douglas' feet as Lieutenant Prowse did Kev. As promised, Lieutenant Sawyers held Samuel's feet. She then blew again: Douglas had issues, serious issues, while Kev and Samuels pumped them out. After two minutes, she blew her whistle, Douglas held Walker's feet while Kev held Lieutenant Prowse's. She blew her whistle and waited two minutes before blowing again. She actually felt sorry for Walker while Lieutenant Prowse did exactly what she was supposed to do.

The number of sit-ups accomplished reflected that: Douglas did 38, Walker 57, Lieutenant Prowse 112, while Kev did 143 versus Samuels did 158. Samuels gloated a little while still accepting a slightly less hesitant high-five from Kev. She liked that Kev was pushing Samuels; he had actually just set some personal records. Kev's physical training, however, really impressed her.

She gave the group a few minutes before blowing her whistle. When she did, Lieutenant Prowse walked cheerfully to the starting line while Samuels and Kev walked to it like gladiators; they were enjoying this. Douglas and Walker walked to the line like they were being set up for a final walk. She and Rodriguez spared just enough of a glance to each other to see that they were both holding back laughter. She gave them a few minutes for last-minute stretching. “Okay, when I blow the whistle, you will have as long as it takes to make eight laps around this quarter-mile track.” She looked at Walker and Douglas. “Just don't take too long!” They sheepishly looked away. She then blew the whistle for the last time today.

Predictably, Kev and Samuels quickly disappeared, Lieutenant Prowse smiled as she quickly got to a comfortable pace to get a perfect score, while Douglas and Walker brought up the rear, barely moving compared to the others. Lieutenant Sawyer walked over to Rodriguez and the two looked at the data.

Rodriguez pointed to the date. “Okay, Walker needs to get away from the books and to a gym, but we already knew that. He's doing the minimum to get by.” She nodded. “Samuels broke his own records. Yet another reason the guy is scary.” She smiled. “Lieutenant Prowse is doing predictably fine; if she's actually enjoying this.”

She nodded her head. “Well, the state of our office did cause her stress.”

Rodriguez allowed himself to be a little scared. “If this is how she handles stress, we do not get between her and any goal she's set.”

She smiled. “Yeah, but that's how she's always been.”

He turned back to the data. “Douglas is definitely a sub-par physical specimen; if not for his magic, he would have made something a snack, a soft snack, a long time ago.”

She lost the smile. “I've been asked to recruit him into the squad.” She looked at him. “Opinions?”

He thought for a moment. “He would definitely add some needed firepower to our team, as well as his knowledge of the occult. And his knowledge of the area around us backing Samuel's stealth would give us a definite advantage.” He looked to his data before looking back at her. “However, while I'm sure he could quickly master the weapons we have, strictly as a back-up, his physical attributes need some help.” He looked at the diminishing figure. “He depends on his magic just a little too much, obviously, or he'd be a little tougher.”

She looked at the figure herself. “Granted.”

He looked back at her. “That said, he would definitely be able to pick things up a bit, and may even motivate Walker to get into some sort of shape.”

She nodded her head a little. “Okay, so that's a 'yes'?”

He gave her a thumbs up. He turned back to the screen. “But Kev is just plain scary. I don't know what they feed him back where he comes from, but he's matching Samuels no problem.” He looked at her. “He's the one you should be recruiting.”

She grinned. “We technically already have. As long as I wear this ring he's part of the squad.” She twisted it. “But the data we're getting on him is interesting. Should be interesting to see how well he does for the run.”

“Yep.”

Lieutenant Sawyer noticed that there were no drones. “I sort of wish you had brought a drone or two. It would be nice to catalogue Kev's tattoos.”

Rodriguez smiled. “So ask him to strip and photograph the tats with your eye camera. He seems like he would have no problems with that.”

“True. I may have to do that at some point.”

A few minutes later, Samuels and Kev ran across the line for the eighth time, Kev beating him by a good five heartbeats. Both were barely winded; they looked like they could go again, probably for a better time. The two smiled at each other. Samuels walked over to him. “Excellent run.”

Kev put out his hand. “Definitely.” Samuels accepted it. They walked over to Rodriguez.

Rodriguez. “Excellent time, guys. 7:38, 7:41 respectively.” They nodded. “Yes, Samuels; that's a new record.”

Samuels smiled in triumph. “I can live with that.” He walked to the water fountain.

Lieutenant Sawyer threw a water bottle at Kev. “I get the feeling that this is lightweight compared to what you're used to at home.”

He opened the bottle and took a swig. “Somewhat. I am actually considered wanting there. I was put into the voyager program in hopes that the enhancements from the tattoos I would receive would get me up to normal.” He took another swig. “As it turned out, they did. Under the influence of mana I can actually throw a small car with no problem.” She paled a little. “As it is, I am actually strangely feeling winded. Normally, I can go for days at this speed.”

Rodriguez tried to focus on his screen. “Well, if you're a runt, I'd hate to see a heroic specimen.”

Kev looked at him like a predator would a good piece of meat. “That is likely.”

Lieutenant Sawyer punched his shoulder. He flinched and looked at her. “I was asked to punch you. For science.” He took a step away from her. “Interesting that you felt that.”

He shrugged. “We’re away from the ley lines. Normally, I wouldn’t.”

She walked over to Samuels and they discussed something. He gave her a thumbs up while smiling. She walked back to Rodriguez. “He's all for it. Even volunteered to help get him into shape.”

Rodriguez smiled. “We would never see the kid again.” She returned the smile.

A few minutes Lieutenant Prowse rounded the bend and crossed the line. Rodriguez noted her time of 11:12 and gave her a thumbs up. She returned the gesture and walked to the fountain. She held the same conversation with her that she had had with Samuels. The two giggled, but Lieutenant Prowse gave her the okay.

At around 15:58 Walker crossed the line and collapsed soon after. A half-minute later, at 16:37, Douglas joined him. Douglas looked at Walker. "You guys do this on a regular basis?" Walker nodded, weakly. "Fun."

Lieutenant Sawyer smiled as she walked over with a bottle of water for both of them, coincidentally checking them for heatstroke. Satisfied when they opened up their bottles of water, she walked over to Rodriguez. She gave him the signal to close up shop.

“And with that, the PT test is over. The showers await, people.” She and Rodriguez walked off. Soon the field was bereft of Killers, even if some of them had to be carried off the field of battle.

[The last chapter is here. The next chapter is here.]