Olive Pit walked up into the headquarters headquarters building. His troop request had been filled. Instead of each reporting to him directly at the Squad Barracks, Olive Pit had received a call right after breakfast that they were all there and waiting for him. That was Nova’s doing. He had no idea that Nova had made that odd decision or why.

The receptionist immediately pointed him to the hallway. It was a short hallway that only lead into the large multipurpose room.

Olive Pit closed the door before surveying everything. There were 13 ponies in the room, all wearing their dress uniforms. He had only requested 7. They had snapped to attention when he entered. Each one was pristine and on point down to the tiniest detail.

“At ease,” Olive Pit order as he approached them.

“Welcome. Three of you know me. I am Second Lieutenant Olive Pit. I am the officer in charge of Aerial Combat Unit 0, the Combat Medics. I was not aware you were here until I was called a short while ago.”

Staff Sergeant Star Chaser spoke up.“Sir? Are we going to be sent to ACS for our silver wings?”

“Maybe,” Olive Pit said with a short nod. “An ACS is being planned and I want at least a full set of six to go to ACS. I will be attending the school on my own.”

“Olive Pit,” Ebony Bolt said concerned. “What if we can’t pass?”

“Sergeant Ebony Bolt, we are no longer in CMS. We will have to find a new balance for our friendship. There is a lot of change happening in Unit 0. I am the first officer they’ve had in years. Things have to be tight.”

“On ACS. I requested younger, fresher troops because you more recently went through the Aerial Combat segment in Basic and we can mold you to this role better. Go to the school and give it all you have. That is what I am asking.”

“If you do not pass, it is as it is. But as Combat Medics, we need to function and work with the Units. We have to be them as much as possible.”

“Here is the situation. We are dead until ACS or the next Basic. Our job is to be the medical team for the Squad Barracks and all 6 flight decks. When recruits do their Aerial Combat segment, we make sure to be ready and there to assist in case of emergency.”

“Outside of that, we tend the clinic in the Squad Barracks. There is a full medical unit here at headquarters that covers everywhere else. That means a lot of unproductive downtime for Unit 0. It has been running with, typically, only a single medic on duty unless something happens. I am working on finding a solution about how our time is spent. I am open to suggestions.”

Olive Pit smiled and walked over to Master Sergeant Sunset Fury. “Master Sergeant, I am thankful you were transferred here. I know you taught me in CMS, and that the instructors love their job. I only asked Colonel Nova to inquire about a transfer for you, it is wonderful to have you here.”

“I am proud to be here Lieutenant,” Master Sergeant Sunset Fury smiled. “You were a stellar soldier and officer through CMS. I was given the option to stay or come. I chose here to serve under you.”

Olive Pit smiled. “Humbling to hear. I look forward to having you under my command. I know you will do wonders here. Sergeant Major Willow needs some support. She and the rest of Unit 0 is waiting for us in the Clinic. I called for a staff meeting as soon as I received the news you were waiting for me.”

Olive Pit didn’t have to give them orders to follow him. Sunset Fury was a Master Sergeant and immediately had them moving out behind him. Olive Pit was planning on doing a large wing formation, but Sunset Fury and Star Chaser split them into two teams under their lead. Olive Pit was out front, alone.

The flight went smoothly. There was, oddly, nopony in the air or around the flight deck making for an easy landing. None of them had been to the Squad Barracks before. Olive Pit began to lead them to the clinic but was cleverly intercepted in the main hallway by Nova.

“Ah, they arrived,” Nova said, playing ignorant.

“Yes Sir, they did,” Olive Pit nodded. “Although, I only requested seven.”

Olive Pit looked at the others behind them. They were at attention and saluting.

“At ease,” Olive Pit ordered. “Colonel Nova doesn’t salute. You won’t have to salute any of the officers here so long as you show them the respect they deserve. The Squad Barracks, which also means all of the training units around it, house the ACUs. At least 80% of the ponies here are Officers.”

Nova was chuckling and the others were confused. Olive Pit sighed.

“Yes, he got to me,” Olive Pit stated. “Filly Fooler burned pony into my mind and I make mistakes every so often.”

“Like I was going to continue saying,” Olive Pit said with confidence. “When all of the ACUs and Wonderbolts are here, that means only 90% are officers.”

“Only, Sir?” Corporal Scarlet Heart asked. “You raised that from 80% to 90%.”

Olive Pit and Nova chuckled.

“Yes, the numbers go up. The ACUs require officers to lead them and encourage every member to be an officer. They take pride on their status as officers, even though most never continue past the rank of First Lieutenant.”

Razzleberry walked by and casually greeted Olive Pit and Nova. He stopped and backed up.

“Olive Pit, are they with you?”

“Yes,” Olive Pit chuckled. “They are the ones I requested transferred. Which is what I was about to ask the Colonel about. I asked for 7 and I was given 13.”

Nova smiled. “You wanted more, I looked at the numbers, and 7 still wasn’t enough. Unit 0 needs at minimum, 24. It may be expanded once we get the rest of the Units built and more ACUs trained. Unless, you don’t think you can handle 24.”

“I can handle it Sir,” Olive Pit nodded with a smile. “I just was not expecting another six. Where will they all be staying?”

Nova gave Olive Pit a folder. “In here are their temporary quarters.”

“The big building they are working on, that will be Unit 0. Unit 0 will be moved from the Squad Barracks and into it’s own building. Each member will have their own private room. You will have a training room, equipment room, some meeting and briefing rooms and such. Oh, and your office will be moved to there. Give them another week at most and it will be completely finished and furnished.”

“That will be amazing,” Olive Pit replied excited. “Us actually being in a Unit will make us like we are supposed to be, an ACU.”

“Yes. And on the subject of ACUs. All of Unit 0 will be attending ACS.”

Olive Pit took a second to think.

“Is that a direct order Sir?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No,” Olive Pit replied, shaking his head. “None of the original 0s are ready for ACS and none want to attend. They find going to ACS against being a medic. It would be too soldierly.”

Nova smiled warmly at Olive Pit. “Young one, you are an officer. A leader. The definition of what leadership is: The art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations. One must make them want to struggle not because of the leader, but because they see the value. Your goal is clear, now make them want to struggle for ACS and see it’s value.”

Razzleberry gave a sarcastic laugh. “Ha! I bet you 1,000 bits you can’t get them to all go to ACS, on time, on the first morning. You win only when at least 12 of them earn their Silver Wings.”

Olive Pit thought for a moment. “A 1,000 bits. That is a lot. But I think my bank account can handle this wager.”

Olive Pit looked Razzleberry in the eyes to seal the wager but Razzleberry called over Glitter who was passing by.

“Yes?” She smiled.

“Olive Pit has to have Unit 0 go to ACS. All of them. These are his new transfers. Even with them, it’s Unit 0. We are striking a wager. I do not think he can get all of them to assemble on time for day one and then have at least half pass for their Silver Wings.”

“Price?” Glitter asked grinning.

“1,000 Bits,” Razzleberry smirked.

“I’ll take that bet,” Glitter replied. “However, we need something more than bits from him now that there are two of us.”

They thought for a few minutes. It was Nova, who looked like he had checked out when the wager began, who came up with the cost.

“He has to dye his coat bright pink, mane a soft yellow and look like Scarlet Garland for three days.”

“Oh, I like that!” Glitter giggled. “I loved her in ‘A Star is Born.’”

Razzleberry chucked. “Yes, she is amazing. A great, legendary actress. But for our wager, three days is too little. I say a week.”

Olive Pit stood there for a bit. He finally quietly shrugged in agreement and walked past them. They were setting him up to succeed. The bet wasn’t about the bits or the dress up. It was being used to leverage Unit 0 into wanting to go to ACS and succeed, instead of dealing with the greater embarrassment; being unable to protect their Lieutenant from bearing their shame so publicly.

Olive Pit pushed the door to the clinic open, leading the new transfers into the clinic. The original Unit 0 members were bored and lazily waiting for his arrival.

“There you are!” Sergeant Black Burn groaned. “You said you would be late, but this is late. I have better things to do.”

“HEY!” Sunset Fury barked. “Your commanding officer just walked into the room and you bitch and moan about the time? And don’t even stand? And you are on what should be a sterile bed!Relaxed rules about saluting is one this, this is downright disrespectful!”

“And who are you to be telling me what to do?”

“I, Sergeant who is missing his name tag, am Master Sergeant Sunset Fury. I didn’t make it to Master Sergeant sitting on my ass and bitching. Especially about my commanding officer to their face. That would get you a black mark on your record anywhere else.”

“I have a spotless record,” Black Burn shot back.

“Forget spotless records,” Bright Starr said. “Why, Lieutenant, the fuck are we getting replaced? And by specialists and corporals?”

Olive Pit almost responded, but decided he was going to let the storm ride and see how things settled down. It would give him a better understanding of each one’s personalities. They were going to clash at some point. It was best if it happened with him present and overseeing it.

Star Chaser was ready to defend her new commander. “We just got transferred here. But maybe we will be replacements with the way you speak to my commander. I don’t know how that attitude you have got you those stripes.”

“Hey pretty girl, I earned these. I have spent three years here at Unit 0. Who did you suck off to to get yours?”

“I sucked off two years in the 22nd, another two on the Overcast and then the last four in special trauma and emergency room duties at Mareland Joint Operations Base. Your little three years have seen nothing compared to special trauma cases.”

Star Chaser was not done. “Ever try and hold together a foal’s head after a chariot collision? You can’t. We lost her before we even arrived. And then we had to go deal with several more critical cases from the accident. Do you even have to deal with anything more that a clipped wing?”

Sergeant Major Willow was pissed off at that. “I’ve seen 12 years. The last 9 years here. We have handled multiple emergencies. Almost two years ago, Wonderbolts stationed here were on a routine training for an upcoming show when they collided while performing a Thunderhead. All members were hospitalized for weeks. The Captain was out cold until well past the transfer to the hospital.”

“So,” Ebony Bolt asked, drooling with sarcasm. “Once a year you have a big accident? Must be real hard to be a combat medic here.”

First Sergeant Morning Spark scoffed. “Are you saying we are not combat medics?”

“Yes,” Ebony Bolt nodded. “I am. What did you do to get stuck in this dead end?”

“Dead end!” Morning Spark gasped. “I did nothing wrong to get stationed here. None of us got sent here as punishments. And if this is a dead end, what got you send here?”

“To serve as real combat medics,” Sunset Fury stated calmly. “And to go to ACS, earn our Silver Wings and be a real ACU Combat Medic Unit. The other officers are already placing bets against Unit 0 getting it’s Silver Wings. He loses, he gets to go drag as Scarlet Garland for a week.

“Why do we care?” Willow asked, facing off the only other NCO in the room with any total time served near hers. “ACS is for them. Not us. It isn’t our job. We don’t have to go.”

Sunset Fury grinned. “Colonel Nova intercepted us in the hallway. We all have to go.”

“ENOUGH!” Olive Pit ordered. “Fall in facing each other.”

The original Unit 0 scrambled from all over the room to get in a straight line. Sunset Fury’s team from the flight were right by him, organized, and able to cleanly fall in. The same for Star Chaser’s team. They gave Olive Pit plenty of room in the middle to walk down if he chose to.

Olive Pit stood at the end, looking down the rows. Unit 0 was disorganized and their uniforms sloppy. The transfers had flown in their dress uniforms but they still were very presentable. They also were organized by rank in their two teams.

“Unit 0,” Olive Pit said, using his wing to signal he was calling them that.

“Transfers,” Olive Pit said, using his other wing to denote them.

“There are a lot of changes in the works. Not just in here, but in all of the ACUs. There is a big expansion happening. Unit 0, you are not combat medics. Medical staff, but not combat medics. Watching you in the combat exercises I had you do made that evident.”

“You said we did good!” Bright Starr whined.

“Good,” Olive Pit nodded. “Good for coming from nothing. Lieutenant Razzleberry had to teach you a lot of stuff from Basic Training that you forgot and lost. When you can’t jump, a jump to any height is good.”

“Unit 0, the hard truth is that, while you have mostly clean records...”

“Sorry,” First Sergeant Morning Spark murmured.

“Except for Sergeant Major Willow, You were transferred here to be in a dead end. Yes, I read through all of your records. And yes, none of you were sent here as punishment. That you can be proud of. You were sent here to get you out of the way. Somepony wanted you out of their way for advancement, or they just didn’t like you. So they sent you to the only place that has open spots for an easy, unexplained transfer.”

“No, you are not ready for ACS. You need to do a lot of work on your conditioning alone. But, you Transfers are not either. Your conditioning is much closer, but all of you need wing conditioning.”

Olive Pit began to walk between them.

“Each of you has had your own, unique and valuable service experiences. There is no need to rate them. You will be expected to uphold the duties of your rank. Unit 0, I hope you surprise me because from the records, your ranks past sergeant are purely on service years. Service years doesn’t mean experience and as you can see, we have a lot of specialists and corporals joining you. They will require proper leadership.”

“Shortly, the big building that they are working on will be labeled as Unit 0 and we will all move in there. Colonel Nova has designed it to fit our every need. The clinic will stay here, but we will have an actual Unit to stay in like a real ACU. Each of us will have our own room in it, contrary to the other Unit’s barrack design.”

“In 8 days we will have recruits hitting the flight decks. I will have those assignments posted on our board here in the clinic by 0900. I will also have a PT schedule posted soon about who is getting to do PT with me at that time. Finally, the typical daily schedule will be ready for you to see for the next month.”

“I would post them now, but I had only planned on 7 transferring in. I put in my requests, and Colonel Nova surprised me with 6 more. He had them held down at headquarters until they all arrived. That was the reason for the sudden staff meeting and that is the reason why I was late. I did not know any of them were here.”

“The typical daily schedule is designed off a rotation for nursing staff. I dug it up from records from multiple hospitals, emergency rooms, and clinics around the Enclave. It serves them well; it will serve us well.”

“You will be assigned twelve hour shifts. 0700 to 1900 and then 1900 to 0700. You will work in two or three day block shifts. There will always be at least two medics present at all times. Even for the night shift. Night shift will be rotated. None of you will get stuck on night shift.”

“You will keep this place visually clean and neat. You will keep it medically sterile and ready to be used. You will keep yourself and your uniform clean.”

“Sergeant Major Willow, when we met, you said you could use the backup. Master Sergeant Sunset Fury is your backup. He is transferring in from Combat Medic School where he was an instructor. He taught me. The two of you will be assigned to day shifts in the clinic. Simple eight hour ones for administrative duties and such. You will alternate who is on call for the week when it comes to after hours.”

“Now, an opportunity is available to you. If you want, I will watch the clinic while the Master Sergeant provides you with further conditioning to prepare for ACS.”

“Sir?” Summer Bolt asked.

“Yes Staff Sergeant?”

“We all have to go to ACS, Sir?”

“Yes Staff Sergeant. Colonel Nova’s orders. I am happy that he is forcing us all to comply to the standards.”

“This is Aerial Combat Unit 0. About 30 years ago the Aerial Combat Units underwent a massive reorganization that brought them all back to Fort Wind as their primary station. Which is why each Unit maintains their small, separate building here. The members bunk here when recalled for training and such.”

“It was at this time that Unit 0 was brought together and formed. A decent amount of Combat Medics had earned their wings and flew in Units. They removed them and placed them all into Unit 0, the goal being to deploy a combat medic with that Unit or Units when deployments came. As support personnel, not combatants. It made each ACU stronger.”

“With little to do, Unit 0 took over the medical duties of the Squad Barracks and the new recruit flight decks. But it wasn’t long before a new breed of Combat Medics were brought in and standards dropped. They never earned their wings and then lost their officer. Unit 0 was forgotten about. Still, we have a clear set of standards that we have to meet that were set down when Unit 0 was formed.”

“Sir?” Summer Bolt asked.

“Yes Staff Sergeant?”

“Sir, what is this bet that is happening?”

Olive Pit grinned. “Simple. Lieutenant Razzleberry and Lieutenant Glitter bet me 1,000 bits each that Unit 0 would not have all 24 enlisted members start ACS on time. And that if they did, that less than half would pass and get their Silver Wings. They don’t think you are even capable of following out the orders to start ACS on time.”

“If I lose, and you don’t meet the requirements of the bet, then I have to have my coat died and mane done up right so that for a whole week, I look like the beautiful Scarlet Garland.”

“I’ll do it no problem. You have your orders. You know the expectations. You are the ones who dictate how Unit 0 does in ACS, not me. One way or the other, I bare the results from the wager. What color my coat is will tell everypony here who won the bet.”

“Like I said, I will watch the Clinic so the Master Sergeant can train you up. I will be conducting basic PT as well. There are plenty of others here who you can talk to and use as resources to do better at ACS. My originals, you saw just how many gladly came out to help you during the combat training we put you through.”

“Two last things. First off, by the time ACS starts, you will be organized into teams of six. I have no idea when ACS will start, but they don’t give much warning. If they pick you, you get summoned and immediately have to come. A few days notice, tops.”

“The second is that from this point on, all of you are Unit 0. No transfers, no originals, you are all Unit 0, together as one.”

“Staff Sergeant Star Chaser, here is the temporary quarters for those of you who just transferred in. I have no ideas which ones Colonel Nova chose, but they may house existing Units. I trust you can all respect their privacy and affects while using their quarters temporarily.”

“You are dismissed to continue with your scheduled duties.”

Olive Pit immediately left the clinic and headed to his office in the Pen. He was not going to stay around and let them ask questions they knew the answer to. He had to look at the personnel files for his surprises and tweak their duty schedule.

Unit 0 started with:

Sergeant Bright Starr Sergeant Black Burn Sergeant Gemmed Fortune Sergeant Flawless Topaz Sergeant Star Hooves Staff Sergeant Summer Bolt Staff Sergeant Spring Moon Staff Sergeant Morning Thunder First Sergeant Moonlit Charge First Sergeant Morning Spark Sergeant Major Willow

Olive Pit had requested:

Specialist Winter Fire Specialist Lavender Star Specialist Ebony Bolt Corporal Lightning Measure Corporal Scarlet Heart Staff Sergeant Star Chaser Master Sergeant Sunset Fury

His surprises were:

Specialist Diamond Clash Specialist Orchid Twilight Specialist Bright Storm Corporal Defiant Day Corporal Dark Pyre Corporal Rare Bloom

They were almost half the size of a normal platoon a second lieutenant would be assigned to lead. 6 Specialists, 5 Corporals, 5 Sergeants, 4 Staff Sergeants, 2 First Sergeant, 1 Master Sergeant and then 1 Sergeant Major. His soldiers above the rank of Sergeant were the same amount a whole company would have. Unit 0 was extremely top heavy in it’s ranks.

Nova had chosen six good soldiers for this job. Each had scored well in Basic Training’s aerial combat section, just like Olive Pit was looking for. How Nova got the six of them to be transferred to him was a mystery. They all were well praised by their commanding officers and would be going places. Letting them go had to have come from high above.

Unit 0 could pull this off. Olive Pit really believed they could. Today gave him his spine back. He had been reeling from taking such an open and undisciplined post, but Sunset Fury and Star Chaser were exactly what he needed. Solid, aggressive, combat medics who had high levels of discipline and would give him solid ground to stand on, solely on the fact that he was their commanding officer. He had his confidence renewed.

Nova was not going to let their trainer go soft on them and he would not let any of them slip by to get their Silver Wings. And that was before the bet. He was going to be watching Unit 0 closely in ACS.

The bet was serious, and Olive Pit was already seeing the effect it had on them all. It proved to be more serious when Olive Pit arrived at the mess hall for dinner. On one wall they had put up a giant board and written bets on it.

Almost half of the officers had placed bets. The lowest bet was 100 bits. Four had been added to Olive Pit’s side. They bet that Unit 0 could do it and placed similar wagers. It was four stallions, so all of them were well known actresses and would require a lot of makeup.

“Olive Pit!” Razzleberry called out from across the hall where he was under the board.

The whole mess hall noticed him and cheered. This bet was exciting. A fun change up to the normal routine.

Razzleberry was made his way to Olive Pit’s side. “So, how did it go?”

“Big fight on multiple topics to start. Unit 0 had no idea I had even requested troops. The depth of their lack of discipline was obvious and it hurt. And they all have a good idea of the stakes. They all understood I would be baring their shame if the bet was lost. Or their pride if I won.”

Razzleberry chuckled. “I was hoping it would. I have learned a few things from teaching recruits. It can be crucial to know how to play them against each other just right so they all are bonded together and work to be better.”

“These betting figures are getting ridiculous,” Olive Pit replied. “It is even better that everypegasus here is getting into it, at least to see the final results, but bit wise; this is stupid rich if I win.”

“I was thinking of knocking off the last 0, quietly, so that Unit 0 doesn’t know. But if we do, then you really have to take it. You will have earned it. Building them up will not be easy. Even as impressive as the new transfers probably are.”

“I am already getting paid to do it though,” Olive Pit stated. “Its part of the job of an officer.”

“That doesn’t mean that we can not have fun with bets about doing our job best.”

“Alright,” Olive Pit conceded. “This will be a fun journey. I hope ACS isn’t too far away.”

“If I have the timing right, it will give Unit 0 just enough time to whip into shape and give ACS a really solid chance.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 66 - Cloak Estimated time remaining: 46 Minutes