**Kaelan Stormfang's Log, Supplemental**
**Shire Valley – SVPF Training Facility**
**Early May, 2126**
**The line ends here.**
**Every scar earns its place.**
**The work begins when the talking stops.**
Kael arrived before first light. The east yard was still half in shadow when Cohort Seven formed up. A senior sergeant moved down the line with a data tablet. "Stormfang." Kael stepped forward. "Medical cleared. Written scores acceptable. You're in Cohort Seven. Sergeant Veyra runs them. East yard at 0600. Processing Bay Three until then. Move."
Kael turned and headed for the bay. Inside, most of the cohort were already changing into dark navy training uniforms. A tall human woman with short-cropped hair glanced over. "You the one from the plaza line?" she asked. "Ryn Calder. Eastern trade roads security."
"Kael." A broad-shouldered dwarf with a thick black beard laughed from the next row. "Don't be modest on my account. I'm Korrak Emberforge. Spent too long watching nobles take the best work from the forges. Figured if I was going to swing something heavy every day, it might as well come with a badge."
A quiet rabbitkin woman with pale gray fur sat on the bench nearby, lacing her boots with precise movements. She spoke without looking up. "Sylva Quickear. I tracked missing people in the outer settlements. The work's the same. Only the stakes changed." At 05:55 they filed out into the yard. Sergeant Veyra stood waiting, a lean human woman in her late thirties with sharp eyes.
"Cohort Seven. You are not here to become heroes. You are here to become professionals who can still function when everything around you is falling apart. The person to your left and right will matter more than your own ego before this academy is finished." She stopped in front of Kael. "Stormfang. You scored well on observation. Useful. But if you decide you know better than the person beside you and go off on your own, I will remove you from this cohort before you finish your next breath. Clear?"
"Yes, Sergeant." Veyra gave a single nod and stepped back. After the midday meal, they moved into the classroom block. The instructor waiting at the front wore the dark uniform of a Discovery Master-at-Arms First Class. His name tape read **Vale**. He stood with perfect posture.
"On your feet when I enter a room," Vale said calmly as the last recruit sat. "You will address me as Master-at-Arms or Master-at-Arms Vale. You will sound off when I call your name. You will not speak until you are recognized. If one of you fails to understand something, the cohort fails with you. Is that understood?"
A chorus of "Yes, Master-at-Arms" answered. Vale began without notes. "Before we continue, I need to know what you already understand. Calder. On your feet. Sound off. Have you ever heard the term 'Use of Force Continuum' before today?" Ryn Calder stood. "Recruit Calder, Master-at-Arms. No, Master-at-Arms."
Vale nodded once. "Emberforge. On your feet. Sound off. What do you think it means?" Korrak Emberforge stood. "Recruit Emberforge, Master-at-Arms. I'm guessing it means there's a set way you're supposed to increase how much force you use, depending on what the person is doing."
"Correct in spirit," Vale said. "Stormfang. On your feet. Sound off. Why do you think such a system would exist?" Kael stood. "Recruit Stormfang, Master-at-Arms. So officers don't go straight to the worst option when something smaller would work. And so they can explain later why they did what they did." Vale gave a small, approving nod. "Good. Sit."
He addressed the entire cohort. "The Use of Force Continuum is a graduated scale that tells you the minimum amount of force you are authorized to use based on the subject's behavior. You start at the lowest necessary level and escalate only when the situation requires it. You also de-escalate when the threat decreases. Every step must be justified later. You do not skip levels because you are scared or impatient."
He continued, defining each level clearly. "Level One is Officer Presence and Verbal Commands. This is your uniform, your bearing, and clear verbal direction. Most situations should end here. Level Two is Soft Empty-Hand Control. This means escort holds, guiding techniques, and joint manipulation without striking.
Level Three is Hard Empty-Hand Control and Intermediate Less-Lethal tools. This includes Oleoresin Capsicum (OC), what most people call pepper spray; the expandable baton; and the Sonic Disrupter, a device that uses focused sound to cause disorientation and pain.
Level Four is Elevated Intermediate Less-Lethal and Regulated Magical Applications. This includes the Conducted Electrical Weapon (CEW), also called a Taser; kinetic impact munitions such as bean-bag rounds; and certified magical tools like Restraining Grasp or Calm spells. These carry higher risk and require stronger justification.
Level Five is Lethal Force. This is the use of deadly weapons, including firearms. Only authorized when you reasonably believe death or serious bodily injury is imminent to yourself or another person.
Every level has rules. Every time you move up a level, you must be able to explain why. Every time you use a tool, you must be able to explain why you chose that tool and not a lower one. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Master-at-Arms," the cohort answered. Vale immediately turned the explanation into a drill. "Calder. On your feet. Sound off. Subject is actively resisting arrest but not yet presenting a weapon. You have OC, expandable baton, and sonic disrupter available. Walk me through your decision using the levels I just gave you."
Ryn Calder stood. "Recruit Calder, Master-at-Arms. Start at Level One — verbal commands. If they keep resisting and I cannot safely close distance, move to Level Three — OC or sonic disrupter. Only go to the baton if they escalate to strikes or I lose control." Vale studied her. "Why not go straight to the sonic disrupter?"
"Because it's Level Three and carries higher risk of permanent injury, Master-at-Arms. I have to justify why I skipped lower options."
"Correct. Sit." Vale's eyes moved down the line. "Quickear. On your feet. Sound off. You answered before I finished speaking earlier. Try again — wait for recognition this time. Why is it important that you be able to explain your choice of tool later?"
Sylva Quickear stood quickly. "Recruit Quickear, Master-at-Arms. Because people who weren't there will review every use of force later. If I cannot explain why I chose that level or that tool, I can be held accountable for using too much force." Vale gave a single, short nod. "Good. Remember that."
By late afternoon, they were back outside for building entry and room-clearing drills. The two Discovery MPs ran the evolution alongside Sergeant Veyra, correcting muzzle discipline, cornering, and communication with short, precise instructions.
When they were finally released for the evening, Kael stood at the edge of the yard for a long moment, watching the last light fade from the sky. His muscles ached. His mind was crowded with the clear structure Master-at-Arms Vale had drilled into them — the five levels, the requirement to justify every escalation, and the knowledge that every decision would be questioned later. He touched the data crystal still in his pocket. Then he turned and walked toward the barracks with the rest of Cohort Seven.
The real work had only just begun.