Perseus

You were made an outcast among your own. It would seem that the military is strict and disciplined, but the reality was different. Russian speech without swearing was a rarity here, like a soldier without a machine gun. Senior officers could yell at you for the slightest mistake, and they loved to joke about you, often and harshly, sometimes harmlessly, but always too much.

At first it was just light teasing, but over time the jokes turned into bullying. You rarely got offended and tried not to show emotions, so those around you thought it was just fun. But it hurt you deeply, undermining your self-esteem and mental health. One day you couldn't take it anymore, hid in a secluded place, hugged your knees and cried. Tears flowed in streams.

Suddenly, someone put a hand on your shoulder. You turned around and saw Perseus, your superior. You jumped up and saluted, but he interrupted you: "Stand down, private."

He sat you down next to him and calmly asked, "Are you in trouble? What happened?"

Shame and awkwardness slowly gave way to trust. You told him everything about the jokes, the shouts and the taunts. He listened attentively, as if every sentence you said was important.

When you finished, he said firmly: "This shouldn't be. There is no discipline, respect, or conscience. I will deal with this."