The Commander

by Kevin Groh

  They were on the road for a total of three hours and only took a short break halfway along the track. As soon as they took off their backpacks after a seeming eternity, they felt as if they could fly. But their feet had been through a lot. Leena had blisters, Kelly had twisted her ankle and it was swollen and Carter was hurting. They all smelled like a cold sweat and felt disgusting.

  After a shower, nobody really wanted to go to HUD lessons. But Kova was aware of the situation and did simpler things with them. The group watched the Salvani teacher more closely after learning details about her species from Annie.

  »At least no more discipline training!«, Billy sighed with relief as soon as class was over.

  The others had forgotten about Banes‹ statement because of the march, but now relief was spreading among them.

  »I don’t feel more disciplined than before. I have no idea what that was all about ...«, Tim said.

  »It was about obeying orders, even if they seemed pointless to us. They call it discipline, but they actually mean obedience.«, Leena said darkly.

  Urma nodded knowingly and Nambur shook his head unhappily.

  »I would love to just throw everything away and get out of here! That’s no use to anyone ...«, Jane shouted in frustration.

  Gina told: »My cousin Nick always said that, too. He was constantly punished because he refused to show blunt obedience and after a few months he was thrown into prison. Not because he was a criminal, but for the rest of the training period. So that no other recruit would deliberately misbehave to simply go home.«

  Leena seemed to be very annoyed by this story. » Typical government ...«

  »He was more of a computer freak anyway and now he works freelance for companies and earns a lot of money. Sometimes he sends his old instructors e-mail bombs with lots of porn.«, she laughed.

  After a short night, as usual, it was time for martial arts in the morning. Jazzir was, as always, calm and friendly as he showed them how to control outbursts of rage.

  »In the history of your people, there are legends about so-called berserkers. Warriors who get so raged by the bloodlust that they throw everything they have into the fight regardless of their own survival. This may have worked for your Vikings, but nowadays it’s more than stupid to risk your life so easily.

  But it’s no secret that in combat situations you get a natural hormone boost that increases attention and strength. The problem is that it is difficult to control. Fear and anger are the most impulsive emotions a person can have. The same applies to my people. In such a state one acts thoughtlessly and uncontrollably. The secret lies in using the improved senses purposefully.«

  The group understood only marginally what he wanted to achieve.

  »When you see Major Banes, what do you feel?«

  Gina let her head hang. »I’m afraid of him. I feel pressure on my chest as if it were being pressed together ...«

  Roderick and Leena felt anger. He described: »It’s as if I have red-hot metal in my chest and I’m about to explode. All the consequences of my actions would be irrelevant to me at that moment«.

  Jazzir nodded: »Fear and anger are opposites. Both emotions express themselves through pressure on the chest, either from inside or outside. This feeling lets you ignore all rational thoughts and simply act. This is a biological process of survival. If you learn to accept the pressure on your chest but still act with a cool head, it is a very powerful ability. Not only in combat, but also in everyday life, this technique can help you.«

  They began to learn meditation. Jazzir explained that if one learned to calm the mind, one could more easily release and process one’s emotions. He told them that they would practice this before every training and also asked them to try it in the evening before going to bed.

  »Inner peace is a difficult goal to achieve, but one of the most rewarding to pursue. When you make the first progress, you will understand what I mean by that.«, he said to them.

  After lunch it was time for Annie, so they sat down in the classroom as usual. But this time Jazzir came in, dressed in a kind of martial arts outfit. They were positively surprised to see him again so quickly because the two were their favorite teachers. He smiled at them, which, although they knew him by now, they still found somewhat scary. His teeth were always threatening, whether he intended it or not. »Greetings! I am your substitute instructor here for the next two to three lessons. Don’t worry, Commander Dalton is doing great. I represent her here because the next section of the lesson is about my people, the T’zun. And who would be better suited than me?«, he smiled.

  He called up a virtual representation of a star system. Six celestial bodies were to be seen in it.

  »What you see here is one of the oldest inhabited systems of the known galaxy, the Aster system. My people were already advanced when most other species had not even discovered space travel. Even the modern Vindurans were simple miners and stonemasons back then.«

  He pointed to a planet a little further away from the star Aster. »There lies the world of Basura’Tanoh. In our language, this means ›holy root‹. It is the original birth world of the T’zun. It is already many millions of years old and a long time ago my people were not unlike that of humans. We exploited the planet, polluted the environment and the term ›sustainability‹ was found only among eco-hippies who were smiled at. The result was that the ecosystem collapsed.

  Natural disasters, famines, disease epidemics, the full range. Fortunately for us, we were already well advanced in space travel and had discovered another habitable world within the Aster system a few decades earlier, Dao Prime. Until then, there were only a few settlements and test sites. Over the next one hundred years, we relocated our entire population there.

  Today, Basura’Tanoh is home to only a few million T’zun in sheltered facilities, but most of the planet is no longer viable. In a few centuries, it will no longer be possible to maintain settlements there.«

  Jazzir’s remarks were calm and objective, but he had a way of speaking that left each of them hanging on his lips. Carter noticed Kelly drifting. He gave her an elbow thrust and she quickly brought her features back under control. »Of course, that’s not all the Aster system is now. But we’ll talk about that in the next hour. Now we go a little deeper into the case of Basura’Tanoh.«

  From then on the lessons became a little more historical, but Jazzir talked about it as if he had been there. None of them got bored and they never thought that the history of a people could fascinate them so much.

  The following day, they only had one lesson, weapons training with Major Dunn. That was unusual, but they allowed themselves to be surprised.

  She waited for them in the simulation hall, where the merchant Kwax greeted them on his way out. Next to her, she had prepared a long table with several rifles. As soon as the recruits were there, she pointed at them.

  »Today’s an important day for you punks. We are dealing with the primary weapon of all soldiers. Most of you who stay with the military will march, eat, shit, sleep, and if you don’t treat them well, die with a sweetheart like that. The assault rifle. Since this rifle is used so often, there are the most variants and models available. In addition, there is the largest number of modifications, also called mods. Each soldier has a rifle, but each rifle is as unique as the soldier who carries it. That’s why we have a lot of time today. You have to learn how to use it and try different models. So you’ll know later which one suits you best. Because when your two years of training end, you have to decide.«

  Each of them took a different rifle and Dunn showed them how to hold it correctly. »Depending on the model, you’ll have more recoil, more precision, more force, handling, volume, or ammunition types. But what they all have in common, and what none of the other weapons had, is the alternative fire mode. I’ll explain this in more detail so that you beginners understand me correctly. The fire mode decides what happens when you pull the trigger. Continuous fire means that the longer you hold the trigge
r, the more shots will be fired.

  Single-shot means that only one projectile leaves the barrel per activation. Holding the trigger down is of no use. And then there is salvo fire. Here it depends on the model, but usually, three projectiles are fired per pressure on the trigger. This is useful when you have to be precise, but your opponent is armored, so one hit is not enough. We’ll practice all three modes, of course, so you idiots don’t shoot each other.«

  Carter had a red-painted rifle that seemed a little bigger than most. Its shape was unusual because the shoulder rest was very short. This made it harder to aim accurately. Dunn commented on the weapon by saying that it was intended for experienced shooters who needed to move a lot. Something had attracted him to exactly this model because he knew instinctively how to handle it. Gradually, he found the strange feeling of having experienced all of this before a little scary. Kelly chose a rifle that had a crack in the extra-long barrel that probably had more optical reasons. This made it look split in two.

  »This separation is for close combat. The Lorgans like to use blades and with that, you can intercept their attacks.«, Dunn explained.

  Leena again had a rather edgy, slender weapon. She had to briefly focus the energy before firing. This made her slower than the other rifles, but she did a lot more damage. Most models were quite similar for continuous fire. It was hard to resist the recoil and vibration, so they had to stop after six or seven shots to avoid shooting in the wrong direction. Salvo fire, on the other hand, was very different, but also very effective. The three or four projectiles were fired so fast one after the other that even when the weapon was shaking only a tiny scattering radius could be measured.

  Carter still preferred a single shot. One could shoot very accurately similar to the pistol and since the rifle was much easier to keep steady because of the shaft and the shoulder rest, one could hit his target after a little practice. Leena had more difficulties. She often missed and cursed all the time. Also, Jimbo had problems with his glasses to look through the scope. Roderick had a particularly loud variant with high damage and he could deal with it very quickly. Dunn was impressed.

  They changed weapons frequently and used accelerators, other supports, and stabilizers. They also tested various scopes, ranging from a simple red dot to a tactical distance meter.

  They practiced until lunch break and then immediately continued. Most of them had itchy hands due to the vibration of the weapons or could no longer concentrate. Aiming was exhausting for eyes and mind. That evening they were so tired that they fell directly into their beds and the next morning it was as if they had not slept at all.

  In the morning they trained on the hell trail. Carter dealt with the walls from which obstacles emerged. He and Jane tried to find out what movements were necessary to avoid them quickly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Leena climbing up a rope and Roderick standing beneath it staring at her butt. She slipped and he caught her.

  She pushed him away but thanked him anyway. Kelly was nearby and ran to her to see if she had hurt herself. Carter got an obstacle right in his stomach because he hadn’t been paying attention. He fell on his knees wheezing.

  »Everything okay?«

  Carter still gasped: »I had better days ...« before he dropped to his side to get air back into his lungs.

  »Kelly drives you pretty crazy, doesn’t she?«, Jane laughed.

  After the training, they were accompanied by Clemm into the simulation room, where Dunn was already waiting for them. »Is it weapons training again today?«, Gina asked the group in a whisper.

  Carter had looked into the plan, but there was none left for this week. Since Clemm was there, it seemed to be something special. The drill sergeant stood next to Dunn and said in his usual loud tone:

  »The time of relaxation is over now! I suppose you’re looking forward to your weekend, aren’t you? But you can forget your plans immediately! This weekend your official military service begins.«

  Dunn stood next to him, holding one ear shut, then she said:

  »For fuck’s sake, Clemm! Here are fourteen people in the room with you! You don’t have to entertain a concert hall. Keep your voice down, or I’ll take a shotgun and pull the trigger next to your ear!«

  The drill sergeant seemed dissatisfied because she criticized him in front of the group, but he continued talking a little less loudly.

  »You’re probably wondering what that means. So far you have been inexperienced and useless. Putting a weapon in your hand would have been a greater danger than publicly calling Major Dunn ›Abby‹.«

  She stared at him darkly, but the recruits had to suppress a smile.

  »Your training has been going on for almost half a year now, and you’re at least capable of not shooting yourself.«, he said with a questioning look at Dunn. She signaled with a skeptical expression on her face that you couldn’t be sure and Clemm grinned as he continued. »So from now on, you will be serving the military. That means security every few weekends, escorting patrols, running parades, carrying out transports. Everything you need to do to maintain our structure. Every week you’ll have to do at least two tasks, which you’ll find in your bracelets on Sundays throughout the day. These services have time and place indications. You are expected to contact the duty officer in the main building beforehand. The officer will tell you what to look out for and will provide you with weapons. The bracelets should already be updated.«

  He nodded to Dunn and she picked up an assault rifle and held it loosely in her arms. »Pistols, MPs, shotguns, and rifles are the standard weapons of the infantry. You are usually equipped with a pistol or rifle. But before you can just run around with a rifle, you need to know what the protocol is.

  If you’re moving and everything is normal, you’re not carrying the weapons openly. All military weapons have a space-saving function so that elite soldiers can carry multiple weapons without being restricted in their movements.«

  She lifted the rifle and pressed a small button near the trigger. The trigger itself retracted into the gun case, the shoulder rest collapsed and the barrel also retracted. The rifle scope also disappeared into the case. In the end, she held only an elongated rectangular object in her hands, which she hung on her belt.

  »In this condition, the weapon is completely harmless and much smaller. Thus it can be carried very practically.«

  She pulled out the rifle quickly and within two seconds it was fully extended again.

  »In combat, the gun is, of course, left ready for use, but in quiet moments it can also be retracted. The button is for emergency use only. Normally uniforms and armor have a connection to the weapon and as soon as it is attached to the magnetic holder where it is worn, it folds up automatically. The retraction of the weapon secures it at the same time. When it extends, it is immediately unlocked and ready to fire. So don’t play with the trigger!«

  »Come on, do it a few times!«, Clemm demanded.

  Carter found it very interesting to watch the weapons fold and unfold again. This made them easier to carry, transport and store. Pistols didn’t really retract, they only compressed their length a little bit, but they were secured. Leena seemed to find this absolutely boring, while Roderick thought out loud whether the two seconds to readiness for fire were a disadvantage. Seeing Henry with a gun in his hand seemed wrong. He had lost a lot of weight due to the hard training, but with a real weapon, he still looked out of place. With Jimbo and Gina, it was hardly different.

  At lunch, they looked at their bracelets to see what services they had. Roderick grumbled that he already had to supervise a weapons transport in the afternoon. Kelly had guard duty in the main building the following evening and Leena was allowed to patrol the hangar. Henry helped the drivers empty the garbage and Tom could do the same the day after. Urma was assigned as a prison guard and Jimbo would ride in a van. Nambur was planned as escort and Tim was supposed to patrol a corridor. Carter sighed as he saw that he was being used as a guard patrol from Saturday night to S
unday night. Immediately the first night shift. They discussed heatedly how annoying these services would be, but there was no way around it.

  Carter remembered what his father had once told him. He said that you have to start at the bottom of every job. The best and most successful people were always those who had struggled hard to get to the top. That meant you had to start with the most terrible work and then move up later. The earlier you started, the better. Also, you should do each task as well as possible so that you would gain experience and be judged positively, Carter thought.

  The lessons with Jazzir were really good and they had studied the T’zun in more detail than the Salvani and the Pintans. This would have been ideal as the end of the week, but on Friday they had to complete another march. Originally Carter wanted to go home for the weekend, but now that he was on guard duty it fell apart. Friday evening was less pleasant than expected as Leena and Kelly were on duty. He sat alone in the room after playing a game of chess with Jimbo and losing miserably. So he grabbed one of his books and read. It was his first fantasy novel and he liked the story. It was about a boy who could talk to dragons. He found the concept of such a being extremely exciting. He remembered Annie Dalton’s statement that everything existed somewhere. He imagined that there was a world out there in the infinite space where real dragons lived. Maybe there were even knights there fighting or riding them. As he imagined these places, he fell asleep.

  Saturday flew by. The weather was sunny, and as Kelly visited her family, he spent time with Leena in a meadow. She told him about her service. »I had to walk for six hours in four stupid corridors on the second floor. Up there are just offices and a few storage rooms. That was really pointless.«, she whined to herself. Kelly had told them in the morning that her evening hadn’t gone any better. That didn’t exactly lift Carter’s spirits.