Chapter 1

Well we got here in one piece so I can't fault these half-witted infantry fools for anything, I do so hope that I don't get stuck with these imbeciles. Now I should move on, because this isn't terribly exciting hearing me talk about the morons. Dick and I have gotten our things put away and received our uniforms the other day. They aren't as elegant as I imagined. Perhaps I was expecting a bit much. There was quite a commotion today. Apparently the camp has a visitor, one of the Matriarchs of the King. They are renowned machinists and magic users. I asked around as to why one was here and got that they are scouting for potential. Now I have found my goal. I will become a Grand Matriarch. 

    "Franky! Hey Franky! Hey, you awake?""What? What is it Dick?" 

Sometimes Dick has trouble sleeping and feels the need to drag me into his insomnia.

    "Have you met the Matriarch? I hear that it's a female! And she is incredibly beautiful!"

    "A female, eh?" This is good news for me. Not once has a female turned me down. It would seem as if becoming Matriarch is going to be easier than I thought, "Listen Dick, we'll talk about it tomorrow. For now let's get some sleep."

    "Right. In the morning Franky."

    Great. The morning horn. It seems the barbarians running this place are unable to regain consciousness without loud blaring noises. Anyway, I need to get on with the usual drilling, after that I will find the Matri-

    "Franky! Let's go! They are holding the drills till later today! There is some sort of screening today! And guess what?! That female Matriarch is there!"

    "Dick you don't have to yell everything." Dick gets excited easily. This is good news though, with this I can make my first impression, then I just have to seal the deal in my free time and I'm in.

    "Sorry Franky, but that's good right? If we play our cards right, we may get to leave with her and become Matriarchs!"

    "Maybe Dick, maybe." I didn't have the heart to tell him that he had no chance. Don't get me wrong, Dick isn't as brainless as the others around here and when he puts his head to it he can be downright clever, but he just isn't bright enough for the job. However I am a shoe-in for it, "For now let's just get to the spot, where is it being held?"

    "Right Franky, it is at a medical unit's building. There is also a physical so they just set up there. Let's go!"

    On the way there Dick was going on and on like he usually does. As you can probably guess he does this a lot so I just nodded. I was actually deep in thought about what would go on during the screening. What tests will be preformed? When will I leave?

    "...so that is how they got me to- hey we're here!"

    "Huh? Oh look at that...it looks like they are separating us according to blood type. I better go to the left set then," I am A Positive and Dick is O Positive, "catch-up with you later."

    "See-ya later Franky!"

    As I get into line I notice where the line leads to. An open are blocked off by curtains, it seemed all the lines were headed to the same place at different openings, but what is awaiting us on the other side? As the line began to recede it became clear that whatever test they were, they weren't very long.

I trudge to the other side of the curtain to find two female nurses and the Matriarch. She was more than beautiful, she was radiant. I truly could not believe my eyes. She and only she spoke:

    "Please take a seat...Private Butler. From what I have read you come from quite an accomplished family. Your father has made quite a many armaments for our organization."

    Armaments? What is she talking about? My father sells automobiles, "Not to mention the exorbitant amounts of scrap. If you are anything like him...well let's begin, shall we?"

    What continued seemed to be just a routine physical from the nurses. She, however, did nothing but stare and ask a question every now and again. I was too dumbstruck to voice anything but a prompt answer.    What did she mean, "Armaments"? My father doesn't make weapons; I have been to his factories and warehouses myself! There isn’t any machinery producing, or even resembling the look of producing weapons!

    "And you skill with machinery?"

    "I know the basics." What did this have to do with anything? "My father wasn't around very much and subsequently the training he gave me was little at best."

    "I see. Well that concludes the examination. Exit is on your left."

    "Hey would you like to head down to th-"

    "Exit is on you left."

    "Alright, I get it. No need to be so cold." If she was any colder I'd have gotten freezer burn.

Reviews

[Sir Aphid]

Def. Matriarch

the female head of a family or tribal line.

Otherwise not bad. Kind of a silly tone. It's a bit comical.

[gnarlym]

The concept was interesting and your characters have a unique voice that is clear in your writing. My criticism is that a Matriarch will always be a female, while a Patriarch is male, so just be careful how you use certain words and make sure the ones that you are using are being used correctly. Besides that, well done!

[BelleMell]

Hello Matt,
I just finished reading your Chapter 1, and I must say I am intrigued. This seems like it is going to be an exciting story and I look forward to reading more of it. There were a few grammar/spelling mistakes here and there, but that is always to be expected. The words flowed nicely, which is a quality I automatically look for in stories. I hoped there would be more description of your characters, there didn't seem to be any and I couldn't image what they looked or sounded like. But, over all. . . Great Job!