The Amazon of Rheinland

[Byron]

CHAPTER 3.2 - Still a few weeks later...

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After skimming the piece of paper another time for a few moments, Herr von Grobenhofen began to speak again. By now, Elena didn’t have a good feeling about this anymore. After all, the man didn’t sound convinced at all, quite the contrary, she could definitely hear the skepticism in his voice. Nervously, she wriggled about on her chair, afraid of what he would might say.

“Now, I’ve got to hand that one to you. I wouldn’t have expected … someone like you to apply to the Military, Miss Voigt”, the Officer said, obviously not without some scorn and derision, as he began to smile dismissively. “So, I’m wondering – why do you want to join us? You – eh – don’t have the looks of a soldier.”

Elena raised her eyebrow. “With all due respect, Kommandant. I don’t understand what you mean. I’m here because I want to serve my fatherland as much as I can. Shouldn’t that be pretty obvious?”

Herr von Grobenhofen scratched his head again with one hand, while beginning to gesture with the other. “Nothing. I mean, I don’t see people like you very often in this office.” He looked at the paper, going through it with his finger. “Also, your grades at school are pretty impressive, to be honest. I guess you could even go to University with those…”

“Please, Kommandant, just come to the point”, Elena interrupted him. “Just either say yes or no.”

The Officer looked at her, rather flabbergasted. “Well, it’s not that easy. At least you already seem to have the direct way of a Military Officer. That’s good”. For a short moment, something like a grin appeared on his face, but it quickly vanished again. “It’s a different story with the tests, though.”

Mentally, Elena sighed. She had known that would have to come at one point, though. As much as she had tried to succeed in the multiple tests she had had to do, in the end she knew for herself that she had failed pretty hard at them. But frankly, until now she had thought – or hoped – that it wouldn’t be such big of a deal in the end.

“So, let’s get to it in detail”, the Officer went on. “The precision test … well … let’s say it was a pretty big disappointment. And I think you know that as much as I do.” He bent over the desk and whispered, while gnashing his teeth. “Fifteen percent isn’t good. And god, the target was huge actually.”

She gulped, and she suddenly felt beads of sweat running down from her armpits, as her stress level rose again. Fifteen percent - she didn't expect to have sucked so badly. And the officer was right, the targets she had to shoot weren't the smallest ones she had ever seen. It had probably been due to the fact she had trembled quite a lot while doing the precision test.

Herr von Grobenhofen went on again, ignoring the fact Elena didn't really look good anymore, as she slowly got teary-eyed. "And the stamina test, hm, Miss Voigt, may it be true you got some problems regarding that? Becuase - yeah, well - the perfomance you showed us today was, friendly expressed, one of the worst I've ever seen in my career as Rekrutierungskommandant."

Already with a more fragile voice, she answered, having difficulty to not begin whining right away. "Yes, I ... occasionally got some problems with asthma, Sir. But I don't think that would compromise me in any ---", as the officer interrupted her.

"It would indeed compromise you, Miss Voigt", he said. "A pilot needs to be in a good shape to perform to his or her best potential. And not performing to one's best potential means instant death in space. Which is something we don't need." Herr von Grobenhofen already stood up from his chair, like as he thought the talk had been finished with these words. But these weren't Elena's attentions, even though somewhere deep in her brain she knew protest wouldn't be of any use. She stood up as well, moving between him and the door.

"Now, what does this mean?", she asked, as she felt a first tear running down her cheek. "You want to disregard the courage and the love for my country I have, just because I am not hundred percent fit?"

The officer grabbed the piece of paper which was Elena's outcome sheet and went to the dustbin, balling the paper up and throwing it into the can. "Miss, I'm doing this because I do kinda like you. You can do much better than this I believe, and your life isn't worth being thrown away in space. Think about it."

He took his towel, went past Elena and opened the door. "Good Luck", were the last words he said, before leaving the room and impulsively slamming the door behind him. What he left behind was a stunned woman, one that couldn't think straight anymore. Elena didn't know how long she was actually just standing there, but it felt like ages - without having a clue how to go on. This dream she has had for several years - it got completely smashed in just a few minutes. Finally, she gave in to her sadness, letting all the tears she had to shed run over her face. What a failure this whole story had been...

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