by Saxon Andrew
“And what would you have felt if you learned I had been killed in combat?”
Derek slowly nodded, “I would have wondered if I hadn’t withheld this if it might have prevented it happening.”
Mitch nodded, “Not only to you but also to your Warriors.”
Major Dinter said, “Let’s move on shall we. We need to go over the camouflage capability of your armor.”
• • •
The next morning, the entire class was in the armory at five a.m. and Mitch started teaching them what he had learned. Going into the last week, Mitch was fourth in the class’s standings.
• • •
Pixie moved into the jungle and activated her shoulder cannon. She was being pursued by six experienced Scout Warriors and they were closing in quickly. Four of them were moving in front of her as two were following her from behind. The assignment was to avoid capture or being hit by a weapon without having to take out any of the pursuers with her weapons. She realized that she was going to have to do that to escape. The deductions would go against her score but better to have a deduction than to fail the test. She stopped and thought, “I wonder how Mitch would get out of this mess?” She knew the Scouts could see her scans and they were only scanning infrequently to avoid her being able to target them.
Suddenly she knew. She activated her armor’s support system and rechanneled the atmospheric system to her leg jets. She stepped up the pumps and brought the pressure in the leg jets up to maximum levels. She moved out between two trees and found a clear path up through their branches and hit the thrusters moments before the Scouts arrived. She flew out of the jungle and followed a trajectory over the scouts into the jungle behind them. The landing was hard because air doesn’t have the thrust of fuel. She moved forward and came up on the six scouts gathered, where she had just jumped.
“Where did she go?”
“She was right here a moment ago.”
The six looked up in the trees and the leader said, “I don’t want to use a scanner and let her know where we’re located.”
Suddenly all six were hit by an extremely bright light from overhead. The Command circuit said, “You have been eliminated from the exercise. A beam from space has been called in to your position and you have been killed.”
Pixie stepped out of the Jungle and smiled, “Would you like to try it again?”
The Scout Lieutenant slowly shook his head, “Not without knowing how you escaped.”
Pixie shook her head, “The problem with relying on scanners instead of our normal senses is that our hearing is muffled. I pumped atmosphere into my leg jets and boosted out. You didn’t hear it because our armor muffles out loud noises to protect our hearing. That’s great in full combat operations but when pursuing someone, you won’t hear the compressed air release. I used that to escape you.”
The Lieutenant shook his head, “And since we all knew you were right here, we all came in to finish you off. We’d normally never have all six of us in one place.”
Pixie tilted her head and nodded, “I radioed the coordinates to the ship on the way down.”
“Well congratulations. This is a first and you should be proud.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Report back to assembly and complete your write up.”
Pixie saluted and teleported out.
• • •
Major Dinter smiled and said, “You have completed your training and the final exercise is to take what you’ve learned and put it into use. You will organize and take on the Officers in an exercise where you are charged to remove us from a valley where we have landed and dug in. We will outnumber you by a two to one margin and we will not tell you our capabilities. The exercise will take place tomorrow at noon and the entire staff wishes you success.”
Bender said, “But you don’t expect us to succeed, do you?”
Dinter smiled, “No one has so far but the exercise is a great learning experience.” Dinter left the room and everyone looked at each other. Olivia said, “Bender is ranked number one, he should lead us in this exercise.” No one spoke. Olivia looked around and said, “Well, shouldn’t he?”
Derek looked around and shook his head, “You may not believe this but I happen to disagree with you.”
Olivia looked at him and said, “What do you mean?”
“Just being the best at books doesn’t make you the best at putting it into practice.” Bender turned and said, “Mitch, I think you should take the lead in this.”
The class stood and cheered Bender’s statement. Mitch looked around and said, “I’m really proud that all of you feel this way, but I think any of us could lead this and do a good job.”
Derek shook his head, “I don’t want to do a good job; I want to kick their backsides out of that valley. I think you can make that happen.”
Mitch shook his head and said, “It won’t be easy. Their armor is going to be superior to ours.”
Lyle Orton said, “What makes you say that?”
“The Major said he wasn’t going to tell us their capabilities. That’s the only clue you need to know they’re going to have a decided advantage. They want to see how we do in a situation that is hopeless. I’d want to do the same if I was in their position.”
The trainees looked at each other and Olivia said, “Well, what can we do?”
“We don’t do what they expect.”
Bender looked at Mitch and said, “What do you mean?”
“We take out their perimeter and learn what they have to use against us.”
Lyle said, “And just how do we do that?”
Mitch smiled, “We don’t use anything they taught us.”
Derek started laughing; “Now this should prove to be interesting. What do you have in mind?”
• • •
Major Dinter watched his scanner and saw the glow at the top of the southern hill overlooking the valley. He smiled and moved half of his forces to the edge of the forest below the hill. The invisibility mode on the trainee’s armor was not going to allow them to hide. The Officer’s scanners could see the energy given off and know exactly where they were located. He watched as ten of the trainees began moving over the top of the hill. The trainee’s lasers could penetrate an Officer’s armor, but only at very close range. That was another surprise. The ten were joined by three more and they began to slowly work their way down the hill. Dinter looked at his scanner and saw his forces were being scanned. Oops, another surprise. They wouldn’t show up on the trainee’s scans. Suddenly the thirteen trainees ran back up and over the top of the hill.
“Hit them with the cannon!”
A bright light flashed out at the slope and two of the trainees were hit by the light beam and their armor deactivated.
“What are they doing?” Dinter jerked his head up and saw ten small objects come falling out of the sky toward the ten light cannons hidden in the valley. The objects hit the ground and a light erupted and bathed the cannon in bright light. All of the crews manning the cannons and ten others had their armor deactivated and the cannons began flashing a red light showing they were destroyed and no longer available for use during the exercise.
Dinter looked at Major Toland, “What just happened?”
“I don’t know how they did it but they dropped light bombs on us.”
Dinter smiled, “They’re probing our defenses to see what we have. Everyone will hold their fire until they commit to an attack.”
“Why didn’t they just teleport here?”
“I don’t know. We’ll see shortly.”
Dinter hit his command circuit, “Report in.”
“East is all clear.”
“West is all clear.”
Dinter waited and after a moment said, “Report in North.” He was greeted with silence. He looked at Toland, “Get a team over and check on the northern perimeter.”
Dinter waited and scanned the surrounding hills. “Sir, all of the warriors on the northern perimeter have been hit and taken out of th
e exercise.”
“How!?”
“They aren’t allowed to tell me. You know the rules.”
“You and your team will stay there and man the perimeter. Notify me if you see anything.”
“Yes Sir.”
Dinter was impressed. However, he still had double the trainee’s number. That was another surprise. They actually outnumbered them by three to one odds. He still had twenty three officers with superior armor. He thought a moment and said, “Toland, were any of the trainees taken out on the perimeter?” He waited a moment and said, “Toland!” He hit the command circuit and said, “All forces move to the northern perimeter. Get moving.”
The twenty officers began moving through the forest scanning the ground in front of them for the trainee’s armor. He followed the group looking at all the scans being done by his warriors. Suddenly his armor deactivated. He looked around and saw a blur pass him and take out another officer. “What is that?” Ten minutes later, all of the officers’ armor was deactivated and the exercise ended. The simulation computer reactivated everyone’s armor and Dinter saw Callaway standing in front of him offering a hand to help him up. He wasn’t wearing armor. Dinter started laughing.
Mitch smiled and said, “The camouflage jumpsuits really work, Sir.”
Dinter shook his head and said, “Indeed they do.” Dinter hit the general frequency and said, “All trainees will report to the classroom after a two hour lunch break. We’ll discuss the exercise then.”
Dinter said, “Computer, how were the trainees able to take out the light cannon?”
“One of them moved down the hill ahead of the ones in armor and locked in the coordinates of the cannon when they fired at the trainees as they retreated up the hill. Ten of the trainees requested me to give them the coordinates two thousand feet above the cannon’s coordinates and they teleported to that location and dropped a light bomb and teleported back to their starting location before they started falling.”
Dinter tilted his head, “I can assume they took out our northern perimeter with trainees wearing the camouflage jump suits.”
“They did.”
“How did they know about the jump suits?”
“Trainee Callaway discovered their existence two weeks ago when researching camouflage capabilities of the Navy. He ordered twenty suits a week ago.”
Dinter started laughing and soon was laughing so hard he had to sit down. Toland looked at him and said, “What’s so funny?”
Dinter couldn’t talk to tell him.
• • •
Dinter looked at the smiling trainees and said, “Go ahead and smile; you deserve it.” He turned to Derek and said, “Bender, why did you choose to not wear armor for this exercise?”
Derek shook his head, “I didn’t, Sir. Callaway was in command.”
Dinter looked at Mitch and said, “You had a higher ranking in this class, Bender; why didn’t you command this exercise?”
Dinter wasn’t smiling and Derek knew his willingness to command was being questioned. “Sir, there is a difference between being smart and being wise. I recognized that Callaway possessed the wisdom to make the best decisions for this exercise. My teammates agreed with me. I turned down the command of this exercise so we could have a chance at winning it.”
Dinter smiled and looked at Mitch, “Would you care to explain why you ordered the camouflage jumpsuits two week ago?”
“I assumed you were going to teach us humility and the only way to do that was to kick the crap out of us in an exercise. I didn’t know if we’d need them, but I wanted every tool possible for our toolbox in the event an exercise did happen.”
Dinter said, “Are you aware that the suits are not standard issue? With the armor’s camouflage capabilities, they have been deemed useless.”
“Yes Sir.”
“You knew that?”
“Yes sir.”
“And what do you think about that?”
“I’m going to insist that any warrior I command must wear it under their armor. What happens if an enemy is able to detect the energy emissions our armor puts out? The suits have no emissions.”
Dinter thought a moment and said, “I’ve seen that.” The entire class laughed. “Well, I guess it was only a matter of time until someone was able to win. Did any of you learn humility?”
Callaway said, “I did, Sir.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes Sir, I’m humbled by the trust my fellow trainees gave me and followed my plan even though they felt naked without their armor. They responded marvelously.”
Dinter smiled and said, “That they did. Now you’ve completed your training and are going to be assigned your units. Bender and Bander, you are ranked number one and two so you will be given the command of a company of Life Warriors, congratulations.”
Derek looked at Olivia and saw her nod, “Sir, we don’t feel it’s the right thing to accept that rank ahead of Mitchell Callaway.” Dinter’s smile disappeared and he frowned at the two trainees. Olivia said, “Sir, Mitch spent hours of his personal study time teaching us what he had learned. If he had not assisted us, he would have cleaned the floor with all of us. He is the one that deserves the recognition.”
Derek said, “I respectfully decline the honor and only ask that I be assigned a platoon in Callaway’s Company.”
“Why would you want that?”
“I know that my platoon will be safer with him commanding us. How many trainees did we lose in this exercise, Sir?”
Dinter stared at Derek and said in an emotionless voice, “Two.”
“What’s the best number of survivors of all the classes that went through that exercise?”
Dinter smiled, “None.”
Dinter looked at the two and said, “Your request is denied. You will take command of a company.”
Derek looked at Olivia and sighed, “Yes sir.”
Diner looked at the trainees and saw their displeasure. He waited for a long moment and then pressed his wrist unit. The class heard Dinter say, “Attenteshuuun.” They were shocked when Fleet Admiral Mirabal walked into the room.
He looked at the class and said, “Take your seats.” The class sat down and Jason looked at them, “I know you think we’re not rewarding the right person but these two trainees were wise enough to step aside and make a good decision without using this exercise to further their careers. That is the kind of officers we need commanding our Warriors. You deserve what you’ve been given.” Jason paused and said, “When Major Dinter told me that a class of trainees wiped out the officers, I thought he was kidding. This exercise has been designed to be unwinnable and you went out and proved us wrong.” Jason looked at Mitch, “Mitchell Callaway, Colonel Dorg says you have the best tactical mind she has ever encountered during armor training. I’ve read the interviews of your former platoon and they happen to agree with her. It seems the ones in this class also hold that opinion.” The trainees all nodded.
“With that in mind, you are being given the rank of Major and will command a battalion of Life Warriors. I agree with them. Your planning of this exercise was extraordinary.” The class jumped up and cheered Jason’s statement. Mitch’s face turned red and he said, “Thank you for your confidence, Sir.”
Dinter said, “Sir, Captains Bender and Bander have requested to join Major Callaway’s unit.”
Jason looked at Mitch and said, “Most commanders would want officers with more combat experience.”
“I prefer officers that are willing to work hard at preparing for combat, Sir. I’ll accept them and be thankful for them.”
Jason stared at Mitch and then turned to Dinter, “I’ll make the assignments. Make us proud, Major.”
Dinter and the class jumped to attention as Jason exited the room. Dinter said, “The evening meal and drinks are on the officers. You’ll be shipping out tomorrow afternoon.”
The class cheered and began celebrating their accomplishment. Everyone in the class went into their units wit
h a high level of respect from the other officers who knew what they had accomplished. But for that evening, there was only joy and celebration.
Chapter Six
Pixie sat in her room and sighed. She had messed up and she knew it. She had graduated number one in Scout Training and was given Captain’s Bars. Now she couldn’t be Mitch’s Scout. The scout always had to have a rank lower than the commanding officer they were assigned to work with. She dreaded it but pressed her computer and saw Mitch appear on her display. It looked like a huge party was taking place. “I’ve caught you at a bad time. I’ll call back.”
“No, no, give me a moment.” Mitch stood up and went outside the restaurant. “How did training go?”
“I messed up, Mitch.”
Mitch saw her expression and said, “How?”
“I graduated number one and I’ve been promoted to a Captain.”
“Well, I ended up number four in my training class so I didn’t get the Captain’s position.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better, Mitch.”
“Would it make you feel better if I told you I was promoted to Major and will be commanding a battalion?”
“Mitch, this isn’t a laughing matter. I so wanted to fight with your unit.” Pixie saw Mitch smile and said, “You are joking?”
“No, it seems I messed up and we beat the officers in the final exercise. Now they want me to command a battalion. I do hope you can pull those strings and get assigned to me.”
“REALLY!?!”
“Yes, Pixie; who would have thought it?”
Pixie screamed and said, “I’ll get back to you.” Mitch started laughing as Pixie disappeared from his wrist unit’s display.
• • •
Pixie was ecstatic. Suddenly her wrist unit buzzed and she saw Russell Slade on it, “Yes.”
“Pixie, I would like for you to go to Baron Kelley’s Ball with me this weekend.”
“No, I can’t make it.”
“Pixie, I’m sure the military would allow you the time to attend.”
Pixie shook her head and said, “Let me make it clearer to you, I don’t want to go with you.”
“Pixie, you can’t hold what happened in training against me.”