“Well the prodigal daughter returns! how you doing Sam?”

  Sam looked and grinned. “Hey Paul. I'm good, fully fit a raring to go. The uniform suits you.”

  “Yeah me? I look good in anything, but talk about looking good, that is one hell of a make over.”

  “Yeah I think it's a kind of muscle magic? I really need to find someone who knows about this shit. hopefully this academy's got someone around here who can help. I feel great, but there's so much going on I barely know where to start.”

  Rae nodded. “Hey Paul How'd the shooting range go?”

  Paul turned and smiled at Rae. “Hey gorgeous. Yeah the range went OK, I'm not even close to being at Eddy's level. The guys a demon. But I had fun.”

  Sam noticed they both locked their eyes for a moment longer than appropriate for “Just friends” and wondered if a relationship had developed in her absence.

  She shrugged internally. It had nothing to do with her and wished the two well if it made them happy.

  Over the last week or so her life view had changed a lot. She knew more fully, just how fleeting life could be.

  She looked up and her heart fluttered for a beat as she saw Edward approach the table. “Woah!” Sam thought. Where had that come from?

  “Hey guys. Hey! Look who's back. You feeling OK Sam? You look amazing, but what you went through must have been more than physical.”

  Sam nodded. “To be honest I'm still absorbing it all, but I feel OK, mostly. Good to see you guys though.”

  She saw Rae's eyes light up at her announcement and grinned. It surprised her, but Sam realized that what she had said felt right, she did feel better now she was back with her friends.

  She smiled brightly and took another huge mouthful of spaghetti. “Oh my word that tastes so good.”

  Sam awoke feeling refreshed. Her body was brimming with energy and the thought of a quick run around the base enticed her.

  She leapt out of bed and dug out the last of her old gym clothes. she wasn't sure when Jeffries was going to deliver the rest of her gear, but if it was all custom made as it looked like it was going to be Sam guessed she would be in a queue. She just hoped it wouldn't be too long.

  Sam's shorts felt loose and her Lycra sports top felt tight. She snorted as she looked in the bathroom mirror admiring the view.

  “Dam I'm turning into a preening peacock!” She spun round in disdain and headed for the door.

  Sam stepped out into the hallway and saw two wrapped bundles by the side of the door and after a brief examination found they were the clothes Jeffries had ordered.

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  Well that was way faster than she had thought possible and almost went back into the cabin to change. But the urge to burn of some excess energy won through and she jogged out into the open expanse of the base.

  It was still early and she had the place to herself and felt a grin cross her face. She took off and felt the cool air on her face as she felt her muscles warm up and her blood started to pump.

  Gone was the weak and feeble Sam of old and she reveled in the strength and energy she now possessed and before she knew it she was over half way round the cavernous space.

  She saw in her peripheral vision a darkened patch of deck, which stood out markedly alongside the gleaming new steel deck in the centre of it.

  She slowed to a halt and marveled at the fact she had hardly broke a sweat and walked closer to see the damage she had wrought to the ships decking.

  It appeared she had melted about a two metre by one metre hole in the deck. Sam couldn't imagine it was possible, not only that she had caused that, but that she had survived it!

  “Pretty scary huh?”

  Sam jumped at the voice behind her And felt her berserker rage ignite instantly.

  She spun round and grabbed the person standing right behind her by the throat and squeezed.

  Sam suddenly realized what she was doing and with wide eyed shock dropped the person and stood back aghast at what she had done.

  “Oh shit! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to! It's just my. I'm so sorry!”

  Corporal Reed coughed and bent over. But put her hand out.

  “Cough. No. My bad. I know you must have been traumatized by what you've been through. It was stupid of me to approach you like that. But I'm good, no damage done.”

  She coughed again. “Well no permanent damage.”

  Corporal Reed looked up and smiled. “Wow that's some grip!” She rasped then stood back and really looked.

  “How? That's amazing! You have completely transformed your physique. Incredible. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen you a week ago, it's like you have a completely different body.”

  "Yeah, I know right? I'm still getting used to it. I have no idea how I did it. So much has happened since I got here my minds an absolute whirl.”

  Corporal Reed nodded. “I was just going for a quick jog before breakfast, can I join you?”

  Sam looked up in surprise. She had nearly strangled this woman to death and moments later she wanted to go for a run? Wow for a woman she sure did have a big set of balls.

  She looked at reed's neck and saw bruising begin to form on her neck. She hissed in dismay. “Are you sure? Er.. your neck seems a little bruised..”

  Corporal Reed smiled and closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  As she let it out the bruising on her neck started to fade and by the time she had fully expelled her breath her neck looked completely undamaged.

  “Oh my word. That is awesome.”

  Reed looked at Sam and snorted. "It took me two years to learn how to focus enough to heal myself and others. You not only completely rebuilt your body, twice! But rejuvenated 12 defense force personnel at the same time, and you did it with no training what so ever. Now that's awesome.

  "By the way, we know what you risked to do what you did. Don't think it went unnoticed.”

  Sam's face flushed. “I caused the damage. I had to fix it..I ..” Sam's shoulders sagged. “I haven't got a fucking clue what I'm doing. It seems every time I lose just a little focus the whole world turns to shit around me and it's all my fault!”

  She felt tears start to form and her bottom lip trembled. Never in a million years did she think it would be this tough, she felt Corporal Reed step slowly closer to her and embrace her gently.

  “Everyone fucks up when they first arrive. Most just end up burning their eye brows off or almost drown in a globe of water they accidentally formed around their head! One poor sod lost a foot as he loosened the steel particles in the floor right underneath him only to panic and stop as his foot slipped though it, instantly cutting his foot off as the decking reformed.

  "I can still hear his screams and it was years ago. All you have done is trip the engines. Everything else is fixed.

  "See? No harm done.”