Survival of the Meeting

Posted on Wed Feb 8th, 2023 @ 11:06pm by Duke Drake & Kranny Shtorm

1,025 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: 1. Year One
Location: Dr. Duke's Office
Timeline: Friday August 28, 1992

Dr. Drake looked over Shtorm's file once more to refresh his memory, before calling the man into his office. He had just finished his first meeting that morning and was ready for the next. He opened his office door and spoke, "Mr. Shtorm please."

Shtorm will stop leaning on the wall outside the office and at the call of his name he will refocus and pick up his burlap sake and turn to the now open door.

He will give a warm smile as he puts out his large hand to shake the doctors hand. "Just Shtorm is fine." he says with a small chuckle.

Dr. Drake shook the man's hand and entered his office, "Please have a seat, Shtorm," he said as he sat in his brown high leather back office desk chair. "Tell me a little about yourself please, something that isn't on the paperwork you submitted already."

Shtorm goes to the chair and takes a seat placing his bag next to him. "Hmmmm, I try to be up front in all my dealings. I'm not the kind of man to lie. See back in the army, lies between comrades got each other killed. So, I think I included more or less everything there...even if I might have over shared a bit." He stops and thinks for a moment. " The only thing I can think of is I'm still catching up to all that has happened since my.....hibernation. So, when it comes to a lot of current history or general knowledge of the last about 40 years, I might need help with. I'm also new to the idea of mutants as our group. It looked like as a kid when I was trained, I was unique as I never met another with abilities till more recently." Shtorm says kinda embarrassed at this notion.

"There are alot more kids out there now with abilities than when we were both kids. What makes you want to help kids, Shtorm?" Duke asked as he folded his hands in his lap.

Shtorm leans back in the chair, "Honestly the first thing that brought me to this manor was the security of it. The world I went to sleep in is so different from this one. I was told it was a safe place for people like us. " He rubs his hair back a bit and scratches at his beard. "When I was told I could help children though, kids who could still have a childhood and normal life, well how could I turn that down." Shtorm says with a wide smile. "I see it as our job as adults to leave the world in better hands then how we received it, at least that what I taught my children."

Duke nodded in agreement, "I believe the same Shtorm, it's why we've built this place. This is a safe place for people like us and I will do whatever is necessary to keep it that way." He looked at his notes before continuing, "You said here your skillet was survival training, can you elaborate on that a bit?"

Shtorm leans forward in the chair his hands on his knees. "Well I was trained to survive in all different kinds of environments. They apparently had plans for me ranging from the plains of France to the desserts of the Sharara before I....left. I was trained with the idea of a fully self-sufficient battalion once they were able to....make more of me. " Shtorm looks down remembering the time when he was nothing more than a weapon. " After that I lived in the woods with my family. Between the training and my natural instincts, I was able to live off the land and even teach myself a few skills like wood caving."

"I'd like you to focus on teaching the kids survival and evasion, to start with. If anything ever happens I want them to be able to take care of themselves. I have a small budget available in case you need knives or other tools. Just fill out the requisition form in your class and we will get you squared away," Dr. Drake replied.

"Understood, I'll make sure to do that If anything I'll start with location finding ie star charts, running water, natural plants that can and can not be eaten. The knife part of survival will come a little later" Shtorm replied.

"I like that plan, it sounds like a good place to start, we have an old boy scouts manual and an army survival manual from world War 2. I enjoy collecting old books. If you can use them let me know," Drake explained.

"Definitely, I'll need star charts to work through. I hope the night sky hasn't change too much in the last 40 years." Shtorm says with a large grin. "And most of my drills and lessons were almost literally drilled into my head, but I would love to look through them. If anything, a few books on the local ecosystem, animals and plants and a day or two in the woods and I'm sure I'll have everything I need for the beginning of classes." Shtorm said with confidence.

"Absolutely, they're over here," the Doctor said after walking to an old oak bookcase with even older books on it. He picked up a pair of worn books, "Here ya go, I keep these ones in here, no sense in keeping these in the library upstairs where the kids might damage them. We can pick up a star chart when we make a run into town tomorrow for supplies."

Shtorm picks up the books gently to not ruin the only old books. " Thank you. And ya besides those few things I think I'll be set. And if I have any questions on teaching in general I'll make sure to come to you, this will be my first time training and working with children. All new territory from here on out."

"I'll be here to assist however I can, Shtorm," the doctor said before shaking Shtorm's hand. It was a signal of the end of the meeting but the beginning of a future partnership.

#The End

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