Sorry for the delay people – just got back from the 1 week holiday I get a year….

The Sergeant looked him up and down while the others all gave him the eye as well.

“Hmmph.” Was all the Sergeant said before he turned back to the group of trainees.

“All right, Howsen, you’re up next.”

The rather plain-faced, flat-chested girl nodded and jogged down the range to where a man-sized figure stood about two hundred meters away. She took up a position next to the figure and then gave a little wave. Bang! The shot was fired from a blind almost next to them that Andrew hadn’t noticed, and Howsen flinched backward slightly. Sergeant Duncan must have noticed Andrew’s flinch, going on the smile that broke out on the veteran’s face. Bang! And then there was a third shot. Howsen waited a bit and then came trotting back up. With each shot, she’d been forced to take a step back and then step forward to be in position for the next shot.

“We have one of the sniper school instructors doing the shooting. For this exercise, you put up a physical shield covering both yourself and the target. You have to brace the shield well enough that the shots don’t knock you off your feet.”

He turned to the dark swarthy-looking guy. “Your turn Contos.”

While Howsen arrived with a grin on her face, Contos looked anything but enthusiastic as he headed off toward the target.

“He had to take two tries to get through the pistol section,” Reynolds said quietly, obviously for Andrew’s benefit.

“Ah. And if you don’t get through?”

“Hmm. We don’t know, but I suspect they’ll form a third group and do further shield coaching, probably adding the other guys from your group once Sanchez is happy with their shields. You must have sure impressed him.”

Andrew shrugged and watched Contos take up his position and wave his hand. Bang. The first shot rocked him back, but he got back in position again in time to be knocked off his feet by the second shot.

“Bad luck,” Reynolds said.

Contos came jogging slowly back to the group, a downcast expression clear on his face. Contos must have been the last to do the test, this time around, as Duncan looked over at Andrew.

“Think your shields are good enough?” He asked.

Andrew shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

He trotted down to the target and set up his shield, digging it into the ground as he had read in the journal. Having come into the test late, he had no idea how hard he needed to anchor his shield, so he did it as firmly as possible and then gave the little wave to signal he was ready. The bullet slammed into his shield, although not violently enough to actually make him move. Hmmm. The second shot followed and had a similar lack of effect. Right. He wouldn’t want to try that against such a high-powered rifle without his shields anchored, and he immediately realized why the others had struggled. He trotted back up to the others.

“How did you manage that on your first try?” Duncan asked, frowning at him.