Added General chapters; some revising

General Chapters.md

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+***Chapter ****\[****\]****-- Corporal Adir Levin***
+
+"Says here you're a, uhm, corporal?" said the NCO sitting across from
+Adir.
+
+"Yeah, I-" Adir began answering before being rudely interrupted by a
+takeoff. They were sitting in the Technical Division part of Air Base
+10, in the far north of the country. The building was absolutely
+disgusting, and unfortunately situated a spitting distance from the
+massive runway.
+
+Both sat there stupidly waiting for the plane to take off. Adir assumed
+it was big because it took much longer than usual. The NCO motioned him
+to continue with the booming sound of the engine still hung back, but
+Adir waited a bit longer. At last, the last wisps of the jet faded out.
+
+"Yeah, I've long lost track of whatever's written there. I have no idea
+what it says -- only that it's wildly inaccurate at this point."
+
+"That doesn't sound right to me. We air force guys, we keep track of
+things, don't we? Now, it says here you're from the headquarters."
+
+"I haven't been in months."
+
+The NCO cast a doubtful look at first, but seeing how Adir did not
+flinch he continued.
+
+"Before that, you were in, uh... Hm. Air base 30. You've gone around,
+haven't you?"
+
+"I've been there a grand total of six hours. Never stationed there."
+
+"Look, it says right here in your file..."
+
+"It also says I'm a first sergeant at that station, doesn't it?"
+
+The NCO chuckled. "Now, don't be -- What? How did you know?"
+
+"I told you so."
+
+"You've been serving just under 18 months at that point. That doesn't
+make any sense. No promotion could get you in this early."
+
+Adir eyed him smugly.
+
+"Where did you get this?" the NCO demanded, waving Adir's Ground
+Personnel file.
+
+"Where did *you* get *this*?"
+
+"What??"
+
+"I left mine in Hutspace. Well over a year ago. Whatever it is *you're
+*holding I've never seen in my life."
+
+The NCO sighed deeply.
+
+"This is some mess of paperwork for your commanders. Never mind. I'll
+send you back with the documents and your commanders can sort it out. HQ
+loves this stuff."
+
+Adir began to protest but was cut short. "But wait, you're not HQ now,
+you said?"
+
+"Nope. 15^th^ wing."
+
+"Fine. You'll give them the papers."
+
+The room fell silent.
+
+"Anyways, you're here for a Computer Network Manager course -- but I was
+told you came over from a computer profession already, something from
+the greens. Is that right?"
+
+"Yes. I'm a Computer Systems Infrastructure Manager."
+
+"Never heard of it."
+
+"It's from Communication Corps"
+
+"That explains it. Is that it's brooch pin?", he asked, pointing to the
+insignia on Adir's left breast pocket.
+
+"Yeah."
+
+"What's going on there? What is it?"
+
+"It's a computer in the middle. Around it is the radioactive sign, for
+some reason. All Computer Academy courses have it for some reason. And
+it's split in three for the three arms of the army we get assigned in --
+the green part for ground forces, the blue for navy and white for air
+force. And there's a square root, for some reason."
+
+"It's too busy."
+
+"It is."
+
+"So basically, you have to go through the whole course again. It's two
+months in here, Air base 10, and you'd be assigned alongside the
+privates. However, seeing as you're already familiar, we decided to
+offer you the same test they get at the end of the course -- if you know
+your stuff, it could save us all the trouble. How does that sound?"
+
+"Sounds great. I wouldn't have come up here otherwise."
+
+"Up to the building?"
+
+"No, up north."
+
+"You're a handful, aren't you?" the NCO remarked fondly. "But that's
+someone else's problem. Look, I've asked Idan -- my most senior course
+instructor, to swing by and ask you a few questions. If you're
+reasonably familiar, you can take the test. He should be here any
+moment."
+
+"Sure."
+
+"Would you like anything to drink in the meantime? Cold water? It's a
+hot day"
+
+"No, thank you kindly. I'm all good."
+
+"There's some disgusting coffee too, if that's your thing"
+
+"Not many other options in the military, are there? But thank you, I'm
+all fixed. Nice of you to offer."
+
+"Of course. It's common courtesy. Ah, that must be Idan! Come in!"
+
+**

The_Difference_Between_an_Idiot_and_a_Moron.md

@@ -696,51 +696,58 @@ heart. A decision was made, and he will stick to it.
 
 He got out.
 
-Chapter I -- Security Service Candidate
+***Chapter I --** **Private Adir Levin***
 
 Private Adir Levin was just shy of 19 years of age when he was drafted.
 
-Unlike most of his peers, he had had the privilege of knowing his date
-well in advance -- upwards of a year, which was almost unheard of. It
-had been six months since he graduated highschool, shortly after which
-he began working at a big city coffee shop aiming to overcome his social
-awkwardness.
+He'd had the privilege of knowing his date well in advance -- upwards of
+a year, which was almost unheard of. It had been six months since he
+graduated highschool, shortly after which he began working at a big city
+coffee shop with the declared aim of overcoming his social awkwardness.
 
 Though hesitant and neurotic at first, Adir quickly grasped the nuances
 of working in the rush -- operating the register, sending out the
-orders, and even making recommendations and casualy chatting with the
-customers coming in. He had been the youngest to ever work there, and
-rarely came across anyone near his age, yet he seldom felt out of place.
-It was exhausting, physical work and Adir worked fairly often, well
-after he felt his goal was achieved.
+orders, and even making recommendations and casually chatting with the
+customers. The youngest to ever work there, and rarely coming across
+anyone near his age, he seldom felt out of place. It was exhausting,
+physical work, and Adir worked fairly often - well after he felt his
+goal was achieved.
 
 Two weeks before his draft date, though, even Adir put in the towel and
 went off to get a buzzcut and olive green T-shirts, like everyone else
 told him he should. Adir was never a confrontational character, so he
-did.
+did. He would recall this with potent irony a few months ahead, after
+being assigned to the air force, where olive green t-shirts were
+strictly forbidden, ridiculed and widely regarded as a sign of
+inferiority. But more on this ahead.
 
-He sought, above all, a moderate life. A life of purpose, achievement,
-sure -- but without tribulations, without drama. Certainly without
-conflict. Generally speaking, Adir simply did not like having much on
-his plate. Hand him exactly one to three things going on in his life --
-however big or difficult -- and he would cruise along gently being
-generally content. Any more than that, however, he would get intensely
-uncomfortable, hunker down, and his mind got the better of him.
+Adir sought, above all, a moderate life. A life of purpose, of
+achievement, sure -- but without tribulations, without drama. Without
+much conflict -- it's terribly upsetting. Generally speaking, Adir
+simply did not like having much on his plate. Hand him exactly one to
+three things going on in his life -- however big or difficult -- and he
+would cruise along gently being generally content. Any more than that,
+however, he would get intensely uncomfortable, hunker down, and his mind
+would get the better of him.
 
 Though moderate and unassuming, Adir was not humble nor meek. He knew
 his ability and especially his unrelenting determination will get him
 wherever he should desire, so long as he should truly desire it enough.
+
 If he succeeded, it was proof of his superior determination. Should he
 have failed, it was simply an indication that he did not really seek to
-achieve whatever it was he failed at. It was this blend of determination
-and non-confrontational, moderate policy that somehow led him to be a
-coursee in the Communication Corp's luxurious Computing Systems
-Infrastructure Management course. Widely considered to be one of the
-best occupations in the army (or so he heard at that communication corps
-convention), CSIM candidates go through a grueling screening process,
-and those successful later undergo extensive training at the Defense
-Forces Academy of Computer Professions and Cyberspace Defense, where
-Adir now found himself.
+achieve whatever it was he sought.
+
+It was that blend of determination and non-confrontational, moderate
+policy that somehow led him to be a coursee in the Communication Corp's
+luxurious Computing Systems Infrastructure Management program. Widely
+considered to be one of the best occupations in the army (said that guy
+at the communication corps convention, who was an officer, Adir thought
+he could recall), CSIM candidates go through a grueling screening
+process. Those precious few successful (under 10%, the figure was
+rumored to be) later undergo extensive training at the Defense Forces
+Academy of Computer Professions and Cyberspace Defense, where Adir now
+found himself.
 
 "What would you like to do in the military?" the Officer who is Not a
 Commander (why not? He remembers wondering) had asked him at early 16,
@@ -784,8 +791,8 @@ The ONC audibly *tsk*ed.
 military's best interest that you like your role as well -- makes you
 more productive. So it tries. For a bit."
 
-"I really don't care for all that. I'll do whatever the country needs me
-to. I have no preference whatsoever."
+"There's no need to try with me. I'll do whatever the country needs me
+to, really. I have no preference whatsoever."
 
 "Really?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
 
@@ -852,24 +859,28 @@ hardware monkey."
 
 "What on god's green earth is a hardware monkey?"
 
-"Some people write the code for the computers, because they've got
-something that I really really don't. And others, those who have
-something else, take care of the computers themselves. The code monkeys
-and the hardware monkeys."
+"Some people write the code for the computers, because they've got a
+developed realist side of the brain. And others, those who don't or just
+don't like coding, take care of the computers themselves. The code
+monkeys and the hardware monkeys."
 
 "So you... what, *take care* of computers?"
 
-"I assemble them, yeah. I built a good dozen by now. It's really
-interesting. I really like it."
+"I assemble them. I built a good dozen by now. It's really interesting.
+I really like it."
 
-"What if the army asks you to build computers?"
+"Sounds complicated. You'd need to be a, uh, realist for that, wouldn't
+you?"
+
+"I don't have it. It's not hard. Like a big, weird Lego."
+
+"But what if the army asks you to build computers?"
 
 "Oh, they have that? I had no idea! That'd be swell!"
 
-"They have that, sure, sure. Would you mind if I list that as your
-preference?"
+"They have that, sure, sure. I'll list that as your preference."
 
-"No, not at all".
+"Cool!".
 
 The CNO hunched over a flowery pink notebook. Using a bright pink pen
 with a big pink fuzzy whatever on top, she scribbled in it with small,
@@ -881,17 +892,18 @@ He could just make it out -
 
 She then abruptly stood up and surveyed Adir quickly.
 
-"Good luck," she said and left.
+"Good luck," she said and left. That was surprising, because they were
+sitting in her office.
 
-And now he was here.
+Now he was here.
 
 The Computer Science School was nothing like he had envisioned a
 military base to be -- not that he had done much envisioning at all.
 Spring Buds, where he went through boot camp, had been *exactly* like
 what little he had envisioned -- it was stuck in the middle of nowhere,
 it was full of big, ugly green tents and ancient structures torn
-straight out of the 1920's, and it had guard posts and lots of dirty
-empty space.
+straight out of the 1920's. It had guard posts and lots of dirty empty
+space.
 
 Above all it was generally repulsive.
 
@@ -902,13 +914,13 @@ or was it just his vivid imagination.
 This place, however, was a strange mix of that classic vision and a
 high-tech office space. Adir's classroom was in a structure that was
 clearly meant to be temporary. It was positioned in a big dusty patch of
-bare earth, thrown into it in a strange angle. Their commander's
-offices, and the units stationed in the base, sat in a trio of rather
-small but quite modern buildings, surrounding a paved cobblestone
-courtyard. It was very well kept and had lots of emblems and flags
-protruding from the upper floors, with a million passages to and from it
--- as if it was the beating heart of the base, and the soldiers flowing
-into it it's lifeblood.
+bare earth, thrown into it in a strange angle, only several paces from
+the army's convenience store. Their commander's offices, and the units
+stationed in the base, sat in a trio of rather small but quite modern
+buildings surrounding a paved cobblestone courtyard. It was very well
+kept and had lots of emblems and flags protruding from the upper floors,
+with a million passages to and from it -- as if it was the beating heart
+of the base, and the soldiers flowing into it its lifeblood.
 
 The base was, however, *ridiculously* small -- Adir could circle it
 leisurely in just under eight minutes. Also unlike Spring Buds -- which
@@ -919,6 +931,9 @@ barbed wire fence covered with thick opaque fabric to keep prying eyes
 away. It resembled, perhaps, an overly protective neighborhood school
 much more than a full blown, top secret army base.
 
-Yet an army base it was, and Adir would not soon forget it. He and his
-peers may have waltzed in from the city each morning, sure, but after
-coming in through the old-school guard post, it was army alright.
+Yet an army base it was, and the bastards would not let Adir soon forget
+it. He and his peers may have waltzed in from the city each morning,
+sure, but after coming in through the old-school guard post, it was army
+alright.
+
+**