They were practicing with their combat knives with the scabbards on. You could still get a nasty bruise if you got hit, but nothing dangerous. Samuel was trying to see into the young lady's window and ward off Linda R's attacks at the same time. When he finally DID get a look in the window, he saw the bed wasn't made up. The patient was obviously gone. He felt a sudden sting in his side, and looked back to his adversary.
"Star!" Linda R snapped, "Will you stop looking for your kooky girlfriend and pay attention to what you're doing? If that had been for real, I'd have gotten you REAL good!"
Samuel looked down at her knife. The scabbard was gone, and a good half of it was red with blood! He looked down at his own side which by now was covered with a good deal of blood, and more was rapidly appearing.
"It appears," he commented very casually, "that you DID!"
"Oh, my God!" Linda R shrieked, "Oh my God! Instructor! Instructor! We need a medic! We have an injury! We need a medic NOW!"
"Calm down!" the instructor cried, running over. "Oh, Lords!" he gasped when he saw Samuel, "Medic!" he cried. "This isn't a drill! Medic!"
The medic was quickly applying a bandage. "This isn't good!" he snapped, "Got a lot of bleeding here!"
Samuel was rushed through the Academy to the infirmary and was soon on the operating table. It took the skilled doctors only a few minutes to repair the damage, but it was several days before they'd even THINK of letting him leave.
Finally he was taken in a wheelchair to the Commandant's office. Linda R also arrived. The Commandant stared at the two of them questioningly. "I have read both your statements," he finally remarked. "Each of you takes primary blame for the incident, saying that you were not paying close enough attention. But still, the prime responsibility when someone is injured with a weapon goes to the individual who was holding that weapon. Therefore, Linda R is ordered to perform extra duty and as Cadet Star is going to need someone to assist him awhile, as he recovers from his injuries, I can think of no more appropriate duty. A cot will be put in his quarters. You will remain there to render him whatever assistance is needed until he is capable of fending for himself. You will see that he gets to classes on time, and that he performs all duties he is capable of. Do I make myself clear cadet?"
"Yes, sir!" the cadet answered, "VERY clear, sir!"
"Good!" the Commandant snapped. "now, get out of here, BOTH of you! I've got work to do."
Linda R performed her duties without complaint until Samuel was back on his feet. She hinted that she was willing to make amends other ways if Samuel wanted to.
"Not for those reasons," Samuel told her. "Maybe some day, but not because you feel obligated!"
They never became lovers, but they became pretty good friends. Samuel quickly recovered, and the incident was quickly overshadowed by other things, but every once and a while someone would bring it up and ask some questions that would make Linda R blush, but it was all in fun. No one ever got carried away.
The first year went so swiftly Samuel couldn't believe it when graduation came and many of his friends headed off to their new lives and others headed off for summer vacation. As Samuel had no place to go several of his friends invited him to spend time with their families. But he just didn't feel like intruding, so he just stayed at the Academy and concentrated on his studies. He was very glad when the students started trickling back, and the rhythm of Academy life began to pick up again.
They went out in groups to guard area farms, as there was a problem with big city thieves coming up and stealing whole produce fields in the middle of the night. Most of this activity had ended when Roger came to Samuel's room one night.
"Hey, Star!" he asked, "We're forming a pot patrol, going up to check a paper company's land this weekend. Nice way to pick up a little spending money. The paper companies pay us standard wages. We don't usually take second year people, but the Commandant says you can go if you want to. We've got a real nasty bunch around here, that's been attacking hikers and woods crews if they get too near their fields. We think we've got a line on them Want to come?"
"Well, I'm not that much against pot," Samuel objected, "but these guys really attack people?"
"There's a deputy sheriff missing," Roger told him, "that went looking for them a few months ago These aren't backyard farmers growing their own stash. These are major dealers growing a cash crop. But no problem. If you're uncomfortable I can find somebody else!"
He started to leave and Samuel called out "Oh, what to hell? We probably won't even find anything, anyway! I'll come along. It's beautiful weather for a walk in the woods. The weekend is supposed to be great!"
"Good! Good!" Roger cried. "That will make a full team. Better get to bed. We roll out at four in the morning!"
"FOUR?" Samuel moaned, turning off his t.v. "Yeah! I'd better get to bed. Four in the morning!"
Roger laughed as he headed down the hall. Samuel was glad for the training they'd been given to go to sleep when they wanted to. He sat his alarm clock, but he very rarely needed it. And as usual, he woke up before it even went off!

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