Your haircut proceeds without any real drama, aside from the constant squirming you can’t help because your butt is aching so much from Grisham’s spanking. She stands in the corner of the room, chatting with the woman clipping your hair into a short, tidy bob and both of them do you the favor of pretending they don’t notice how you wince and wriggle.

“Very good,” Grisham says when you’re done. “You’re capable of behaving yourself for five minutes.” She looks pleased with you, which makes you feel pleased in spite of yourself. You could have kicked up more of a fuss, but you don’t doubt she’d have strapped your butt and then strapped you into the chair if she had to. Grisham doesn’t really seem to have limits when it comes to ensuring obedience, but your bottom has limits to what it can take.

“I can do ten sometimes,” you smirk. You don’t mind the haircut. It’s kind of neat. And it’s not as harsh as you were worried about. You still look like you.

“Smart ass,” she says. “I have some things to attend to, so I’m going to give you the survival field manual. I want you to study it and I want you to memorize it.”

“The survival field manual, but…”

“No buts,” she says, cutting you off.

What you were going to say, before she stopped you from speaking, was that you already know that field manual forwards and backwards. You might not look the part of a soldier, but you have the brain of a person who has read all the books a soldier should.

Grisham parks you in her quarters with your new haircut and the book you’ve read about a hundred times before. Then she leaves, but not before telling you that she’s going to quiz you on the first six chapters when she gets back.

You find yourself alone for the first time in a while. It’s a weird feeling, to be so far away from the academy, which had started to feel like home, and Terra, who had started to feel like… well, you don’t know exactly how to put words to that.

Sarah and Grisham’s words are running around in your head, warnings against getting too attached to Terra. There’s a lot you don’t know about the woman who was once your instructor, but there’s a lot you do know too. You can’t help but miss her, and wonder what’s going on with Sarah. There’s so much mystery surrounding your situation, it’s kind of nice to have something solid to rely on. Right now, that feels like Grisham.

You pick the book up and look at it. You could read it, it wouldn’t hurt to refresh your memory, and it would probably impress Grisham. You like the idea of that, though you’re not sure why. Or you could just curl up on the couch and take a nap. It’s been a big couple of days and you’re still not caught up on sleep. You could also go and check out the base. You’re kind of curious as to what it all looks like. Or… you could see if you replicate Sarah’s trick and grab one of those helichopters off the base. You probably can’t steal one, but you could maybe stow away…

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