Post by Tismri on Apr 16, 2013 21:42:10 GMT -5
Temporary title. I literally just threw this out onto a notebook and copied it into Word. lol. I'm a bit excited for it, though. I think it has the potential to turn into a full-length novel.
Venus. Christina Lopez sat daydreaming. She had finally made it to the start of her graduate courses, and her career as a special ops freelancer. She would be training in hands-on situations and receiving real field experience, not just mundane combat simulations.
Agent Venus. She finally received the title “agent.” All that hard work and study finally paid off and now she was finally here, ready to face some real danger and prove that she could kick some butt as well as the rest of them. She even got the sweetest codename. “Venus” was a goddess, and the most glorious planet in their solar system. It suited her perf-
CHRISTINA!!!!!!!!!!!! She jumped out of her reverie and glanced around, wondering who was calling her before she noticed the hologram on her wrist, shaking his head disapprovingly.
Kappa was her personal AI unit. His hardware had been installed into her brain over the summer, as every new freelancer was required to possess an artificial intelligence to assist them in their missions, since many scenarios they faced every day called for lightning reflexes and quick thinking that would be impossible for a human mind alone. Each AI was designed specifically to match the abilities of their agent and compensate where they were lacking.
Christina gave the hologram a meaningful stare as she mentally replied to him, What, Kap?
Daydreaming is not suitable behavior in class, Agent Venus. You are missing information that could be vital to our next mission. His image faded from 3D to 2D as he spoke, melting back into the screen of the “watch,” as Chris referred to it. The watch was not necessary for communication between them, but like most agents, Chris was more comfortable being able to see someone rather than living with a disembodied voice in her head.
Isn’t that what you’re for? She asked him. You listen for important details and summarize them for me with appropriate visuals.
Only when necessary, Kappa replied. I am to compensate for any details your attention deficit disorder causes you to miss. However, it would be easier on us both if you at least tried to listen to the lecture.
I hate you, Chris replied, returning her absent gaze to the squad captain who was lecturing. Kappa didn’t quite understand her yet, she felt. This was how she got by all four years of university, and made high grades in nearly all of her classes. She was naturally gifted at understanding most everything with minimal effort, provided she was given sufficient visuals demonstrating the lesson. Her only low grades were those that were almost entirely lecture and gave her nothing she could remember.
“—which means that each agent should stick to his or her own specialization. Assignments and missions are given based on psych profiles and experience records. Should a situation arise that you are unable to handle, call in for backup and describe the situation. We will send in an expert to take care of it.” Chris shot her hand in the air for a split second before asking, “But aren’t our AI’s supposed to do that for us? They’re designed to handle any situation.”
“That is an incorrect assumption on your part, Agent Venus,” Kappa said aloud, his hologram on her wristband activating so he appeared to the rest of the squad’s students. “We are designed to enhance your current specialization and provide a more efficient means to acquire more abilities.”
“The more missions and assignments you go on, the more your field of expertise will expand, V,” Captain Sol continued, “Though your specialization will always be your strongest aspect, continual training will steadily increase all your abilities. What is your specialization, V?”
“Communications,” she replied. She hesitated slightly to respond, still unused to being called by her codename all the time, much less by its first letter.
“Well, agent, in a few months, I can almost guarantee that your recon skill will be equal to your current level of communications, if not better.” Sol waited several moments to see if any of the other squad members were going to blurt out questions. “Well, if that is everything, then lecture time is over. Take a ten minute break and meet up again in the training sim room. After a bit of warm up, I’ll tell you our first mission.”
Chris fumed in the hallway during the break, leaning sullenly against the wall, occasionally glaring at her watch, though Kappa’s image was absent. They remained silent for several long minutes.
You are angry with me, are you not? Kappa finally asked, still not appearing on her watch.
“Of course I’m angry!” she yelled, impulsively slamming the wristband against the wall. There really was no point; an AI couldn’t feel pain, and the device was a durable alloy that had the strength of titanium and the flexibility of elastic, which made it impossible to damage by blunt force.
For what reason? The AI questioned. Chris could tell he was curious, at least as far as he was able. He was just a program, after all. He also seemed concerned. He was made to work with her, and the fact that they weren’t getting along was no doubt stressing his circuits. Chris tried not to enjoy it too much.
“Well, gee, I wonder. It can’t have anything to do with the fact that I was just told off by my own AI in front of the entire squad, now could it? No, I just don’t like the color you painted your room!” Kappa remained silent for several long moments before speaking.
Since I do not have what you call a room, and I have not painted anything, I will venture a calculated guess that you are using what humans refer to as “sarcasm” or “irony.” Therefore, I can only come to the conclusion that you are angry about what I said to you during lecture.
“Wow! The computer learned not to take everything I say literally. Bravo, Kappy. You might just have some intelligence in you after all.”
There is no need to mock me. I am only trying to understand you better. Would it make you happy if I apologized for my public ridicule?
“Not really,” Chris growled. “But as long as you promise to keep those kinds of remarks between us from now on, I might be able to forgive you.” Her attention shifted to the approaching individual. Brandon Spruce had graduated from the university a year before she did, and had been a member of Sol squad since then. She stood at attention and gave him a bright smile.
“Hello, Agent Jupiter,” she told him. The name was perfect for him. Brandon was the biggest member of their squad, and it was all muscles. In spite of that, his face still held remnants of those boyish good looks that left Chris’ heart fluttering.
“Hey, rookie,” he replied, giving her a small pat on the shoulder. “You and the AI having a fight?” Chris’ eyes widened, and she blushed slightly.
“No, no. Kap and I are just talking.”
“Agent Venus and I were discussing how my impulsive correction of her statement during lec-“ Kappa’s explanation was interrupted by Chris suddenly covering his hologram with her hand.
“Just…talking,” she repeated. Brandon chuckled in response.
“We all heard your yelling from the restroom,” he informed her, causing her to blush even deeper red. “Having trouble getting used to each other, huh?”
“A little. I’m just not used to having someone always looking over my shoulder, correcting every little mistake I make.”
“Yeah, Sig and I were the same way.” He held up his wristband and the small hologram of a pretty, if somewhat nerdy, female appeared.
“Greetings, Agent Venus,” Sigma said, adjusting her glasses. “Jupiter, we have seven minutes and thirty-eight seconds before we must report to the training simulation room. Might I suggest you both begin to walk in that direction while you speak.”
“You got it, Sig,” Brandon replied. “She’s always been a bit of a nag. Our first argument happened when I purposely ignored her until she was buzzing at me so loudly that I couldn’t hear my own thoughts.”
“Really?” Chis asked as they walked. “But you two seem to get along perfectly.”
“It took us a long time. We still have our days, too. That first year, I was tempted more than once to just quit the job so I could have her shut off.”
“”How did you both manage to last?” Kappa asked, free once more to speak with the others.
“Well, it’s kinda like an arranged marriage in a place where divorce is highly discouraged.” Brandon paused his speech without slowing his stride. “You just take it a day at a time. You take the time to learn more about each other. You compensate and compromise. And if you find yourself disagreeing, give each other some space before things get too hot. Take some time to consider both perspectives, and when you’re ready, discuss it until you come to an agreement.”
“That really works?” Chris asked, amazed. The solution seemed so simple, but she felt that in practice, it would take a while before she and Kappa were on that level of trust and reliance.
“I couldn’t imagine living without her, now,” Brandon said, smiling down at the hologram on his wrist. Sigma stared down at a clipboard in her hand, but there was a smile on her tiny face as well.
Before long, they arrived at the sim room. Though there were only a few minutes left before the captain’s deadline, they were still the first there aside from Sol himself. Without another word between them, Chris and Brandon went to their own simulated stations. Chris entered a jet with her communications zone set up. She had a radar with a heat and motion detector that essentially gave her a bird’s eye view of the ground below, if that bird had the super power of being able to see through buildings and pinpoint the locations of her squad members and their enemies. She grabbed her visor and placed it on her head with care, setting the radio microphone and earpiece just right. At some point, it was possible that she would have to join the ground forces as backup, and the visor would allow her to continue monitoring movement, and it gave Kappa a connection back to the radar console. The AI were able to communicate through the radio as well as their hosts, so he would help her watch their surroundings if they were in the middle of a fight.
“This is Venus to Sol squad. Please confirm your position.”
“Jupiter here, ready to charge.” Chris heard him loading his grenade launcher in preparation.
“Mercury, in position up high.” Justin was situated with a sniper trained.
“Neptune,” Kelly said, swiftly followed by her twin, Kasey, “and Pluto.” Chris located them easily; as recon, they were broadcasting on a very specific frequency that only those who knew what they were looking for could find. They were always ready to switch it off at a moment’s notice as well. They had one of the most dangerous jobs in the squad.
“Saturn here,” Cassandra was waiting next to Brandon, testing her power blade. The glowing sword flashed for a moment and then faded.
“Don’t give away our position,” Scott, codenamed Uranus, told her. “This is supposed to be a real life scenario here.”
“Just report your position,” Chris told him in an annoyed voice.
“Right. Uranus in position,” he muttered. Everyone knew he was mildly embarrassed about the name. More than a few vets had mocked him for it.
“Mars, too,” Tyson added. He shifted in spot, obviously ready to get started.
“Earth, report?” Chris asked. It wasn’t like Halley to be late. There was silence for a moment before the door to the jet opened. Here she came, breathless as she took her place in the cockpit.
“Earth in position,” she said as she set her radio and flipped the necessary switches to get the plane in the air. Chris smirked and allowed a quick sidelong glance at her companion.
“You get lost?” she asked, focusing again on the screen before her.
“Rho was shorting out,” Halley replied, her expression still worried. “Gave me a migraine like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Cut the chatter, squad,” Captain Sol ordered, causing everyone to snap at attention. “Listen up: the objective of this simulation is simple. Neptune and Pluto, you are to retrieve five crates from inside the facility. Everyone else, keep them from getting caught. Any questions?”
“Specific crates, sir?” Neptune asked.
“Yes. They are marked for you, and guarded. If that is all, simulation begins in five, four, three, two, one, mark.”
“Sync,” the squad replied, and the action began.
“Ground forces, bogeys headed on your position,” Chris immediately reported. They seemed to be the main bulk of the troops, with a small number staying behind to guard their facility.
“Got it. Thanks, V,” Brandon told her. He fired his grenade launcher at the approaching force, the explosive landing right in the midst of them. Chris’ radar registered the explosion and resulting heat emissions.
Kap, clear this up for me, she told the AI. Kappa adjusted the settings of the radar and showed her the remaining forces.
When the smoke cleared, Tyson and Scott began firing, Ty with his pistol and Scott with his assault rifle. Every once in a while, the sound of a heavy weapon intermingled with the rapid shots. Once a sufficient distance had been closed, Cassandra leapt out of her hiding spot, her power blade activating in a clean, powerful swipe. She moved like a dancer, spinning and slicing, all the while Mu, her AI, helping her dodge and reflect bullets.
While all this was happening, Chris kept her eyes fixed on the dots that represented Kelly and Kasey, the twins rapidly and stealthily making their way toward the building. Every three seconds or so, she would check her readings on the building itself, verifying the presence of the remaining enemy forces.
“Merc, take out the enemies in the windows,” Chris glanced for a half a second at the dot that represented Justin. Before long, the dots at the edge of the building began to vanish as they fell to the sniper’s ammo.
Venus, I have detected a problem, Kappa said.
Just great. What is it, Kap? She asked. Problems were a nuisance; she hoped it had nothing to do with their equipment.
"I am unable to read any enemy forces within the facility," he told her and the rest of the squad. "However, listening to the current radio chatter by the enemy has brought me to the conclusion that there are many more forces than we are detecting, up to three times more."
“Crap!” Christ said, her fingers flying over her console. “Earth, try to bring us closer to the building. I may get a better reading.” Halley immediately turned the jet about and brought them closer to the building, engaging the onboard stealth drive. Chris continued to adjust her console, and occasionally changing her visor as well. Kappa was working even faster. The enemy had found a way to block standard detection method, and more than that. Chris didn’t even blink as she switched her radar over several hundred different frequencies, and made other changes to her console.
“There!” she said as, for a split second, she saw a change on her screen. Kappa immediately adjusted the settings to their exact positions when the flicker had been detected. Chris cursed loudly when she saw it.
“Hold position, twins,” she called out over her radio.
“Captain,” Kappa addressed to Sol, “I request Venus’ assistance in the building. Forces are needed inside if Neptune and Pluto are to remain undetected.”
“Permission granted. Venus, take the bike and take Mars with you.” Chris stood and made a few more adjustments to her visor as she got to the motorcycle, while Halley brought the plane back to the location of the ground troops.
“Watch your six, Sat,” she called out as she mounted the vehicle, just in time for Cassandra to turn and grab the trooper about to assault her from behind, use his body as a shield against a sudden barrage of gunfire on her left, and then throw him ahead of her, sending enemies in all directions like bowling pins.
“Drop off on my signal, V,” Halley called out. Chris gripped the bike tightly in preparation. “Ready, mark,”
“Sync,” Chris breathed out of habit as she backed the bike out of the opened hatch and fell with a hard thud to the ground. Without a pause, she sent the bike forward into drive and sped toward her teammates, slowing very slightly so Mars could jump onboard before rocketing off through their enemies toward the facility. As she drove, Tyson switched to his assault rifle and sent rounds carving a bloody path through the troopers.
“Jup, punch me a hole,” she said, as the enemies before here were too thick to just run over. Within seconds, a rocket shot past them and met the blockade, vaporizing men on impact, and sending those around them flying hundreds of meters away. The route to the building was now clear.
“This is Pluto,” came Kasey’s voice over the radio. “Neptune and I are holding position approximately eight meters from the facility.”
“Good. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to proceed.” Chris focused on her path and drove straight through the front door. The glass shattered and bounced off their armor as they dismounted the bike, inertia sending it crashing through a number of troopers. She pulled out her pistol and added her fire to the spray of bullets Ty was shooting. They took the troopers by enough surprise that they eliminated enemies within a minute.
“Recon, you are clear to proceed,” Chris said as she and Ty forced open the elevator shaft and began climbing. “Merc, try to get a better position. We’re going to need some more help in here.”
“Already on it,” Justin replied, on the move.
“Uranus, cover Saturn’s nine,” Kappa added, taking over with watching the ground troops. Four floors up, Chris and Tyson climbed out of the shaft and stood on the too-quiet level.
“Well, the objective is obviously not here,” Chris said.
“Time to throw a party. Let’s invite the neighbors.” Tyson threw a number of grenades around the floor. The explosion immediately drew the attention of most of the stationed troopers. They became grossly outnumbered and outgunned.
“Great party,” Chris said and immediately pulled out her submachine gun and drilled through ranks of enemies. Mars did the same. About every ten seconds, a trooper at the edge of the gathering suddenly dropped dead, taken out by Justin’s sniper rifle.
Chris suddenly rolled forward, holstering her gun as she said, “Cover me.” She went for some hand-to-hand, taking out her opponents swiftly. Tyson sprayed out fire, taking down enemies around her as he took cover behind a large table.
“Tell those girls to get a move on!” he called out, switching to his shotgun.
“Any day now,” Chris obliged over her radio. “I’m not sure how much longer we can keep this up.”
“Pluto’s picking the lock now,” Kelly’s voice came. Chris took out her pistol again, firing now that she had no troopers immediately on her. She joined Tyson in his cover and concentrated for a moment on her visor.
“Watch it, you two. There are more inside,” she informed their recon. She leaned out of cover and fired, taking down an enemy with each shot of her pistol until it was emptied.
“I’m out of the heavy weapons ammo,” Brandon called over the radio. “Switching to normal weapons.” Chris concentrated on her fire, being careful not to waste any bullets. It crossed her mind that this simulation wasn’t going too well. But as long as the twins remained undetected, the objective was still achievable.
“This is the recon team,” Kelly called over the radio, “We have the package. Earth, we are ready for pick up.”
“It’s about time!” Tyson called out. He and Chris ran for the window on the side of the building she saw the others heading for. They turned and sent continuous fire at the troopers while they waited. They heard the sound of the jet on approach. Chris glanced up to see the crates being pushed to the edge of the window.
“Recon, dislodge the package on my signal,” Kappa said, monitoring the location of the plane and calculating the precise time needed to get everything inside. “Ready, mark.”
“Sync,” came the two voices on the radio as the crates fell from the window, followed by the bodies of Neptune and Pluto.
“Venus, jump on my signal,” Kappa told her, and she had no doubt Xi was telling Tyson the same instructions. “Mark.”
“Sync,” she and Ty said at the same time, falling out the window. For a breathless couple of seconds, they were all in free fall. Then they were caught up in the jet’s cargo hatch, their armor protecting them from the impact as Halley pulled out of her nosedive and turned off to pick up the others. They went for Justin first, and with the precise timing of the AI, he was able to leap onboard the jet while the craft hardly slowed. The jet turned over to extract the ground troops. Once everyone was picked up, Chris sat at her console.
“Captain Sol, this is Sol squad. Package is secure and team is fully extracted. We are now making our way to the rendezvous.”
“Copy that, Sol squad. Mission accomplished; well done. Simulation complete.”
Venus. Christina Lopez sat daydreaming. She had finally made it to the start of her graduate courses, and her career as a special ops freelancer. She would be training in hands-on situations and receiving real field experience, not just mundane combat simulations.
Agent Venus. She finally received the title “agent.” All that hard work and study finally paid off and now she was finally here, ready to face some real danger and prove that she could kick some butt as well as the rest of them. She even got the sweetest codename. “Venus” was a goddess, and the most glorious planet in their solar system. It suited her perf-
CHRISTINA!!!!!!!!!!!! She jumped out of her reverie and glanced around, wondering who was calling her before she noticed the hologram on her wrist, shaking his head disapprovingly.
Kappa was her personal AI unit. His hardware had been installed into her brain over the summer, as every new freelancer was required to possess an artificial intelligence to assist them in their missions, since many scenarios they faced every day called for lightning reflexes and quick thinking that would be impossible for a human mind alone. Each AI was designed specifically to match the abilities of their agent and compensate where they were lacking.
Christina gave the hologram a meaningful stare as she mentally replied to him, What, Kap?
Daydreaming is not suitable behavior in class, Agent Venus. You are missing information that could be vital to our next mission. His image faded from 3D to 2D as he spoke, melting back into the screen of the “watch,” as Chris referred to it. The watch was not necessary for communication between them, but like most agents, Chris was more comfortable being able to see someone rather than living with a disembodied voice in her head.
Isn’t that what you’re for? She asked him. You listen for important details and summarize them for me with appropriate visuals.
Only when necessary, Kappa replied. I am to compensate for any details your attention deficit disorder causes you to miss. However, it would be easier on us both if you at least tried to listen to the lecture.
I hate you, Chris replied, returning her absent gaze to the squad captain who was lecturing. Kappa didn’t quite understand her yet, she felt. This was how she got by all four years of university, and made high grades in nearly all of her classes. She was naturally gifted at understanding most everything with minimal effort, provided she was given sufficient visuals demonstrating the lesson. Her only low grades were those that were almost entirely lecture and gave her nothing she could remember.
“—which means that each agent should stick to his or her own specialization. Assignments and missions are given based on psych profiles and experience records. Should a situation arise that you are unable to handle, call in for backup and describe the situation. We will send in an expert to take care of it.” Chris shot her hand in the air for a split second before asking, “But aren’t our AI’s supposed to do that for us? They’re designed to handle any situation.”
“That is an incorrect assumption on your part, Agent Venus,” Kappa said aloud, his hologram on her wristband activating so he appeared to the rest of the squad’s students. “We are designed to enhance your current specialization and provide a more efficient means to acquire more abilities.”
“The more missions and assignments you go on, the more your field of expertise will expand, V,” Captain Sol continued, “Though your specialization will always be your strongest aspect, continual training will steadily increase all your abilities. What is your specialization, V?”
“Communications,” she replied. She hesitated slightly to respond, still unused to being called by her codename all the time, much less by its first letter.
“Well, agent, in a few months, I can almost guarantee that your recon skill will be equal to your current level of communications, if not better.” Sol waited several moments to see if any of the other squad members were going to blurt out questions. “Well, if that is everything, then lecture time is over. Take a ten minute break and meet up again in the training sim room. After a bit of warm up, I’ll tell you our first mission.”
Chris fumed in the hallway during the break, leaning sullenly against the wall, occasionally glaring at her watch, though Kappa’s image was absent. They remained silent for several long minutes.
You are angry with me, are you not? Kappa finally asked, still not appearing on her watch.
“Of course I’m angry!” she yelled, impulsively slamming the wristband against the wall. There really was no point; an AI couldn’t feel pain, and the device was a durable alloy that had the strength of titanium and the flexibility of elastic, which made it impossible to damage by blunt force.
For what reason? The AI questioned. Chris could tell he was curious, at least as far as he was able. He was just a program, after all. He also seemed concerned. He was made to work with her, and the fact that they weren’t getting along was no doubt stressing his circuits. Chris tried not to enjoy it too much.
“Well, gee, I wonder. It can’t have anything to do with the fact that I was just told off by my own AI in front of the entire squad, now could it? No, I just don’t like the color you painted your room!” Kappa remained silent for several long moments before speaking.
Since I do not have what you call a room, and I have not painted anything, I will venture a calculated guess that you are using what humans refer to as “sarcasm” or “irony.” Therefore, I can only come to the conclusion that you are angry about what I said to you during lecture.
“Wow! The computer learned not to take everything I say literally. Bravo, Kappy. You might just have some intelligence in you after all.”
There is no need to mock me. I am only trying to understand you better. Would it make you happy if I apologized for my public ridicule?
“Not really,” Chris growled. “But as long as you promise to keep those kinds of remarks between us from now on, I might be able to forgive you.” Her attention shifted to the approaching individual. Brandon Spruce had graduated from the university a year before she did, and had been a member of Sol squad since then. She stood at attention and gave him a bright smile.
“Hello, Agent Jupiter,” she told him. The name was perfect for him. Brandon was the biggest member of their squad, and it was all muscles. In spite of that, his face still held remnants of those boyish good looks that left Chris’ heart fluttering.
“Hey, rookie,” he replied, giving her a small pat on the shoulder. “You and the AI having a fight?” Chris’ eyes widened, and she blushed slightly.
“No, no. Kap and I are just talking.”
“Agent Venus and I were discussing how my impulsive correction of her statement during lec-“ Kappa’s explanation was interrupted by Chris suddenly covering his hologram with her hand.
“Just…talking,” she repeated. Brandon chuckled in response.
“We all heard your yelling from the restroom,” he informed her, causing her to blush even deeper red. “Having trouble getting used to each other, huh?”
“A little. I’m just not used to having someone always looking over my shoulder, correcting every little mistake I make.”
“Yeah, Sig and I were the same way.” He held up his wristband and the small hologram of a pretty, if somewhat nerdy, female appeared.
“Greetings, Agent Venus,” Sigma said, adjusting her glasses. “Jupiter, we have seven minutes and thirty-eight seconds before we must report to the training simulation room. Might I suggest you both begin to walk in that direction while you speak.”
“You got it, Sig,” Brandon replied. “She’s always been a bit of a nag. Our first argument happened when I purposely ignored her until she was buzzing at me so loudly that I couldn’t hear my own thoughts.”
“Really?” Chis asked as they walked. “But you two seem to get along perfectly.”
“It took us a long time. We still have our days, too. That first year, I was tempted more than once to just quit the job so I could have her shut off.”
“”How did you both manage to last?” Kappa asked, free once more to speak with the others.
“Well, it’s kinda like an arranged marriage in a place where divorce is highly discouraged.” Brandon paused his speech without slowing his stride. “You just take it a day at a time. You take the time to learn more about each other. You compensate and compromise. And if you find yourself disagreeing, give each other some space before things get too hot. Take some time to consider both perspectives, and when you’re ready, discuss it until you come to an agreement.”
“That really works?” Chris asked, amazed. The solution seemed so simple, but she felt that in practice, it would take a while before she and Kappa were on that level of trust and reliance.
“I couldn’t imagine living without her, now,” Brandon said, smiling down at the hologram on his wrist. Sigma stared down at a clipboard in her hand, but there was a smile on her tiny face as well.
Before long, they arrived at the sim room. Though there were only a few minutes left before the captain’s deadline, they were still the first there aside from Sol himself. Without another word between them, Chris and Brandon went to their own simulated stations. Chris entered a jet with her communications zone set up. She had a radar with a heat and motion detector that essentially gave her a bird’s eye view of the ground below, if that bird had the super power of being able to see through buildings and pinpoint the locations of her squad members and their enemies. She grabbed her visor and placed it on her head with care, setting the radio microphone and earpiece just right. At some point, it was possible that she would have to join the ground forces as backup, and the visor would allow her to continue monitoring movement, and it gave Kappa a connection back to the radar console. The AI were able to communicate through the radio as well as their hosts, so he would help her watch their surroundings if they were in the middle of a fight.
“This is Venus to Sol squad. Please confirm your position.”
“Jupiter here, ready to charge.” Chris heard him loading his grenade launcher in preparation.
“Mercury, in position up high.” Justin was situated with a sniper trained.
“Neptune,” Kelly said, swiftly followed by her twin, Kasey, “and Pluto.” Chris located them easily; as recon, they were broadcasting on a very specific frequency that only those who knew what they were looking for could find. They were always ready to switch it off at a moment’s notice as well. They had one of the most dangerous jobs in the squad.
“Saturn here,” Cassandra was waiting next to Brandon, testing her power blade. The glowing sword flashed for a moment and then faded.
“Don’t give away our position,” Scott, codenamed Uranus, told her. “This is supposed to be a real life scenario here.”
“Just report your position,” Chris told him in an annoyed voice.
“Right. Uranus in position,” he muttered. Everyone knew he was mildly embarrassed about the name. More than a few vets had mocked him for it.
“Mars, too,” Tyson added. He shifted in spot, obviously ready to get started.
“Earth, report?” Chris asked. It wasn’t like Halley to be late. There was silence for a moment before the door to the jet opened. Here she came, breathless as she took her place in the cockpit.
“Earth in position,” she said as she set her radio and flipped the necessary switches to get the plane in the air. Chris smirked and allowed a quick sidelong glance at her companion.
“You get lost?” she asked, focusing again on the screen before her.
“Rho was shorting out,” Halley replied, her expression still worried. “Gave me a migraine like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Cut the chatter, squad,” Captain Sol ordered, causing everyone to snap at attention. “Listen up: the objective of this simulation is simple. Neptune and Pluto, you are to retrieve five crates from inside the facility. Everyone else, keep them from getting caught. Any questions?”
“Specific crates, sir?” Neptune asked.
“Yes. They are marked for you, and guarded. If that is all, simulation begins in five, four, three, two, one, mark.”
“Sync,” the squad replied, and the action began.
“Ground forces, bogeys headed on your position,” Chris immediately reported. They seemed to be the main bulk of the troops, with a small number staying behind to guard their facility.
“Got it. Thanks, V,” Brandon told her. He fired his grenade launcher at the approaching force, the explosive landing right in the midst of them. Chris’ radar registered the explosion and resulting heat emissions.
Kap, clear this up for me, she told the AI. Kappa adjusted the settings of the radar and showed her the remaining forces.
When the smoke cleared, Tyson and Scott began firing, Ty with his pistol and Scott with his assault rifle. Every once in a while, the sound of a heavy weapon intermingled with the rapid shots. Once a sufficient distance had been closed, Cassandra leapt out of her hiding spot, her power blade activating in a clean, powerful swipe. She moved like a dancer, spinning and slicing, all the while Mu, her AI, helping her dodge and reflect bullets.
While all this was happening, Chris kept her eyes fixed on the dots that represented Kelly and Kasey, the twins rapidly and stealthily making their way toward the building. Every three seconds or so, she would check her readings on the building itself, verifying the presence of the remaining enemy forces.
“Merc, take out the enemies in the windows,” Chris glanced for a half a second at the dot that represented Justin. Before long, the dots at the edge of the building began to vanish as they fell to the sniper’s ammo.
Venus, I have detected a problem, Kappa said.
Just great. What is it, Kap? She asked. Problems were a nuisance; she hoped it had nothing to do with their equipment.
"I am unable to read any enemy forces within the facility," he told her and the rest of the squad. "However, listening to the current radio chatter by the enemy has brought me to the conclusion that there are many more forces than we are detecting, up to three times more."
“Crap!” Christ said, her fingers flying over her console. “Earth, try to bring us closer to the building. I may get a better reading.” Halley immediately turned the jet about and brought them closer to the building, engaging the onboard stealth drive. Chris continued to adjust her console, and occasionally changing her visor as well. Kappa was working even faster. The enemy had found a way to block standard detection method, and more than that. Chris didn’t even blink as she switched her radar over several hundred different frequencies, and made other changes to her console.
“There!” she said as, for a split second, she saw a change on her screen. Kappa immediately adjusted the settings to their exact positions when the flicker had been detected. Chris cursed loudly when she saw it.
“Hold position, twins,” she called out over her radio.
“Captain,” Kappa addressed to Sol, “I request Venus’ assistance in the building. Forces are needed inside if Neptune and Pluto are to remain undetected.”
“Permission granted. Venus, take the bike and take Mars with you.” Chris stood and made a few more adjustments to her visor as she got to the motorcycle, while Halley brought the plane back to the location of the ground troops.
“Watch your six, Sat,” she called out as she mounted the vehicle, just in time for Cassandra to turn and grab the trooper about to assault her from behind, use his body as a shield against a sudden barrage of gunfire on her left, and then throw him ahead of her, sending enemies in all directions like bowling pins.
“Drop off on my signal, V,” Halley called out. Chris gripped the bike tightly in preparation. “Ready, mark,”
“Sync,” Chris breathed out of habit as she backed the bike out of the opened hatch and fell with a hard thud to the ground. Without a pause, she sent the bike forward into drive and sped toward her teammates, slowing very slightly so Mars could jump onboard before rocketing off through their enemies toward the facility. As she drove, Tyson switched to his assault rifle and sent rounds carving a bloody path through the troopers.
“Jup, punch me a hole,” she said, as the enemies before here were too thick to just run over. Within seconds, a rocket shot past them and met the blockade, vaporizing men on impact, and sending those around them flying hundreds of meters away. The route to the building was now clear.
“This is Pluto,” came Kasey’s voice over the radio. “Neptune and I are holding position approximately eight meters from the facility.”
“Good. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to proceed.” Chris focused on her path and drove straight through the front door. The glass shattered and bounced off their armor as they dismounted the bike, inertia sending it crashing through a number of troopers. She pulled out her pistol and added her fire to the spray of bullets Ty was shooting. They took the troopers by enough surprise that they eliminated enemies within a minute.
“Recon, you are clear to proceed,” Chris said as she and Ty forced open the elevator shaft and began climbing. “Merc, try to get a better position. We’re going to need some more help in here.”
“Already on it,” Justin replied, on the move.
“Uranus, cover Saturn’s nine,” Kappa added, taking over with watching the ground troops. Four floors up, Chris and Tyson climbed out of the shaft and stood on the too-quiet level.
“Well, the objective is obviously not here,” Chris said.
“Time to throw a party. Let’s invite the neighbors.” Tyson threw a number of grenades around the floor. The explosion immediately drew the attention of most of the stationed troopers. They became grossly outnumbered and outgunned.
“Great party,” Chris said and immediately pulled out her submachine gun and drilled through ranks of enemies. Mars did the same. About every ten seconds, a trooper at the edge of the gathering suddenly dropped dead, taken out by Justin’s sniper rifle.
Chris suddenly rolled forward, holstering her gun as she said, “Cover me.” She went for some hand-to-hand, taking out her opponents swiftly. Tyson sprayed out fire, taking down enemies around her as he took cover behind a large table.
“Tell those girls to get a move on!” he called out, switching to his shotgun.
“Any day now,” Chris obliged over her radio. “I’m not sure how much longer we can keep this up.”
“Pluto’s picking the lock now,” Kelly’s voice came. Chris took out her pistol again, firing now that she had no troopers immediately on her. She joined Tyson in his cover and concentrated for a moment on her visor.
“Watch it, you two. There are more inside,” she informed their recon. She leaned out of cover and fired, taking down an enemy with each shot of her pistol until it was emptied.
“I’m out of the heavy weapons ammo,” Brandon called over the radio. “Switching to normal weapons.” Chris concentrated on her fire, being careful not to waste any bullets. It crossed her mind that this simulation wasn’t going too well. But as long as the twins remained undetected, the objective was still achievable.
“This is the recon team,” Kelly called over the radio, “We have the package. Earth, we are ready for pick up.”
“It’s about time!” Tyson called out. He and Chris ran for the window on the side of the building she saw the others heading for. They turned and sent continuous fire at the troopers while they waited. They heard the sound of the jet on approach. Chris glanced up to see the crates being pushed to the edge of the window.
“Recon, dislodge the package on my signal,” Kappa said, monitoring the location of the plane and calculating the precise time needed to get everything inside. “Ready, mark.”
“Sync,” came the two voices on the radio as the crates fell from the window, followed by the bodies of Neptune and Pluto.
“Venus, jump on my signal,” Kappa told her, and she had no doubt Xi was telling Tyson the same instructions. “Mark.”
“Sync,” she and Ty said at the same time, falling out the window. For a breathless couple of seconds, they were all in free fall. Then they were caught up in the jet’s cargo hatch, their armor protecting them from the impact as Halley pulled out of her nosedive and turned off to pick up the others. They went for Justin first, and with the precise timing of the AI, he was able to leap onboard the jet while the craft hardly slowed. The jet turned over to extract the ground troops. Once everyone was picked up, Chris sat at her console.
“Captain Sol, this is Sol squad. Package is secure and team is fully extracted. We are now making our way to the rendezvous.”
“Copy that, Sol squad. Mission accomplished; well done. Simulation complete.”
