Chapter 12: Class is in Session

~ They say that experience is the best teacher. That may be true, but sometimes it hurts like hell. ~

"Alright everybody! Time to get started!"

When we got new blood, it was always my favorite time. This was mostly due to me being able to teach a new team, but I did take some enjoyment from messing with them until they got used to the compound. I started again, this time banging some pans I found in the kitchen.

"Let's go! Time waits for nobody, and neither do I!"

"I'm up, I'm up." The scrawny one, I think he was Liam, opened his door, barely looking like he knew where he was, let alone that he was up. I smacked the pans together in front of him for good measure.

"Good morning sleeping beauty! Nice to have you with us. Get dressed in gym clothes, they should be in the top drawer, and get ready! Small meal, water and meet me in the sparring area that Dr. Hawkins showed you earlier this week. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good, now get everybody else up and let them know the same thing. It's time to show you guys what my classes are all about."

Liam, dazed but aware, closed his door and I could hear him scrambling to get ready. I slammed my pans a few more times, grinning as I thought about the fun that was about to happen. I put the pans on a counter as I passed the kitchen and waited in the sparring room as I waited for the new blood to meet me. After a little bit, they all slowly started trickling into the center, all looking slightly more or less awake.

"The pans seemed a bit much, don't you think? I door knock would have been just fine." The one I believe was named Akira snapped as they walked in.

"Well Miss Akira, t – "

"It's not Miss."

"I'm sorry?"

"It's not Miss. Just call me Akira."

"My apologies, Akira. But regardless, that wouldn't have been nearly as fun for me now, would it?"

They shot me a look that could kill if looks could.

"Anyway, now that you are all here, time to explain what's going to be happening for the coming weeks. As I said before, my name is Qamar, but you can also call me Q if you feel so inclined. I will be teaching you combat basics, field medic training, as well as some general classes that would transfer to the field, such as geography and languages. Dr. Hawkins will oversee most of your "regular" classes, as well as developing, strengthening, and furthering your understanding of your Heirloom. Today we will be going over combat basics. I teach a form of combative and self-defense system known as Krav Maga. Does this ring a bell for anyone?"

The tall one, Thomas raised his hand. "Isn't that the martial arts that the Israeli Military is taught?"

"I'm impressed. That is almost correct. I am of the party that disagrees with it being called an 'art', I called it a system for a reason. Krav Maga is only meant to help you survive, there are no niceties, no frills, it is practical self-defense first and foremost. Now because I will be teaching you this, we will be taking a few different routes. Some of them will include real sparring lessons, but others will be using sparring dummies, especially when teaching certain strikes that could injure you guys. Even with real sparring, we will be taking the necessary precautions and you will wear protection. Before we get into all that fun stuff though, I need to find out where all of you stand regarding general fitness, so we are doing something you should all be familiar with today. We will be running the President's physical fitness test."

"Seriously, we haven't done that since grade school, how do you expect us to do well?"

"Good question, Akira, although please raise your hand before just speaking. I don't have many rules, but I do ask for a semblance of order. So, I'll let you all know what will be done, and we will be measuring your results against a few different points. One will be a pool of past participants that were teams of the past, as well as my own results. Once we get that, I'll give you each a specific workout routine for each of you to help with that. That will be all regarding the physical portion for today, but afterwards, once you shower and eat, we will hop into some geography and languages. So, is everyone ready?"

They all grumbled, but after a few more glances from me they all got in a line. I let them stretch. Unbeknownst to them, that was the first test. You could tell a lot by how somebody warms up, and I could already tell I was going to have my work cut out for me. Thomas and Akira seemed to be athletic, but in different ways. Thinking back to the information I was given on all of them, it made sense. Thomas was a track star, somehow doing both 100-meter sprints, while also doing cross country in the past. Akira didn't do any sports in school, but they seemed to have skated a lot in the past. Both were going to have plenty of endurance, and with their build, I don't think the strength baseline was going to be an issue either. The other three were going to be an issue though. They stretched with randomness, not realizing what was going to be used for the tests, and with the background I have on them, I didn't expect amazing things from any of the other ones. Hopefully the fitness test would at least show some potential.

"Alright, is everybody ready?"

Just before I started the test, I had an idea. It was mean, but nothing like some threats to bring out the most.

"Oh, and heads up, if at least one of the tests doesn't meet or beat my results in the same test, your first sparring session is going to be with me."

They all turned and looked at me, a mixture of surprise, disbelief, and a bit of fear, at least from some.

"Go." And I blew the whistle for their first test.