Dragon Team Seven

by Toby Neighbors

  “At twenty meters, the TPC’s hydraulic arm struts absorb the recoil. Try firing at the orange target now.”

  An aiming reticle popped up on the VR display. Nick lined the sight up on the target and pulled the trigger. The gun rocked but didn’t push against Nick, as what looked like tiny bolts of lightning fired from the cannon. The electric blue plasma hit the target and splashed like thick gel. Most of the superheated element stuck to the target, which began to smoke as the plasma burned into the material. Nick watched in fascination as the metal target melted and dripped down onto the dirt of the firing range.

  “Excellent,” the program declared. “Let’s adjust the range to fifty meters and take aim at the blue target.”

  Nick enjoyed firing the weapon. At fifty meters the cannon kicked and became harder to control. He could hit a stationary target on the first shot, but subsequent rounds were much less accurate, especially if fired quickly. Finally, at one hundred meters, the TPC was effective but much less accurate. Nick had to lean into the weapon and brace his body with his feet. At its longest range, the gun could only be fired once every three to five seconds, depending on the strength of the shooter. Nick could just imagine the powerful weapon knocking him off his feet because he hadn’t adjusted the range controls.

  The simulation ended, and Nick pulled off the helmet. He felt exhilarated and ready for the next simulator.

  “That was amazing!” Kal said. “You guys have to try this bad boy.”

  “I got the high score,” Jules teased.

  “Enough chitchat,” Gunny Tveit declared. “Everyone rotate to the station on your right.”

  The next simulator was much smaller. It was an advanced ballistic rifle, which fired a variety of solid-state ammunition, from soft lead slugs to diamond-tipped armor projectiles. The rifle reminded Nick of an old-time shotgun. It had no stock, two pistol grips, and a top-loading magazine that could accommodate two different types of ammunition. The ABR was small enough to carry in most environments, and because it used propellant-encased ammunition, it didn’t need any type of power supply.

  Nick learned the basics of the weapon quickly and was soon mowing down moving targets and VR aliens as fast as he could pull the trigger. Next came a telescoping sniper musket. The barrel of the weapon twisted down to pistol size but telescoped out to over a meter for firing. The TSM had to be loaded after each shot, but it could hit targets at long distances and included an advanced optical program that synced with the user’s armor so that the shooter could see with incredible detail at over six kilometers. The TSM fired cobalt darts with small fins that would extend once the ammunition left the musket barrel, giving it stability in flight and incredible accuracy.

  After three simulations, they were given a brief break. A beverage dispenser near the door had fruit-flavored amino drinks. They rehydrated and returned to the simulations.

  Nick’s fourth station was a side arm, the short-range eliminator. It was a gas-powered pistol that shot blunt-nosed bullets made from an alloy super-soft steel. It had a strong kinetic punch, but it wasn’t effective against armor, exoskeletons, or thick-skinned creatures. Still, it had a good feel to it, in Nick’s opinion. He enjoyed firing the weapon, which had very little recoil and was accurate up to thirty meters.

  But the best weapon of the day, in Nick’s opinion, was the high-energy focused light weapon—or laser gun, as he thought of it. It fired blips of focused light that could burn through most organic matter in a millisecond. The weapon was small enough to be a pistol but could expand to the size of a rifle. In the compact mode, the laser wasn’t as strong and had to be fired longer to get the type of heat needed to do real damage. As a pistol it was ideal for basic tasks, from starting a fire to cutting through metal such as door locks. Once the barrel was extended and the collapsible stock with an additional power supply was connected, the laser rifle was deadly up to five hundred meters. The longer the distance, the less concentrated the laser became, but as long as the power supplies were working the rifle could be fired over and over again. The gun’s weakness was heat. Continued use of the laser heated not only the focusing array, but also the barrel of the weapon. Pressurized gas was used to cool it, but holding the trigger down for more than three seconds at a time in rifle mode would trigger an automatic shutdown. The weapon had zero kinetic energy release, which meant it had no recoil and made no sound when fired—making it perfect for recon stealth missions.

  The final station of the day for Nick was the adjustable power stun gun. It looked like a long-barreled pistol and fired small amounts of electrically charged matter that would overload a person’s nervous system. The APS gun could be lethal if overcharged. There were settings for various creatures that Nick had never heard of, and he learned that the APS gun was used for policing Space Marines because its primary function was at non-lethal power settings.

  Their next meal was filled with excited talk about the weapons.

  “My favorite has to be the plasma cannon,” Kal proclaimed once they were all seated. “For sheer power, it can’t be beat. That thing could stop a train.”

  “I liked the eliminator,” Jules said. “There’s just something about the way it feels, like I’m a gun slinger out of a western holo.”

  “I thought the hi-en focused light weapon was the best,” Nick said. “It’s all-purpose.”

  “I don’t know about a weapon that doesn’t make noise,” Kal said. “Where’s the fun in that?”

  “The fun is in taking out the enemy,” Nick said. “And it was comfortable to use.”

  “I can see that,” Ty said. “But I gotta vote for the ABR. It’s just a badass rifle, man. No frills, good in any environment. No need for fancy power packs. Just straight up firepower, man. No holds barred.”

  “How can any of them compare to the TSM?” Ember asked. “You can take out the enemy before it even knows you’re there.”

  “Yeah, the sniper musket is impressive,” Nick said.

  “But slow,” Kal said. “You have to load every shot individually.”

  “I can see the appeal,” Jules said.

  “Hey Gunny,” Kal said, “what’s your favorite weapon?”

  “You’ll see,” Tveit said. “Now drink your dinner. We’ve got work to do.”

  Chapter 26

  After their meal they returned to the gym, where Gunnery Sergeant Tveit introduced them to her weapons of choice. One was the D-Gar utility knife. It had a straight, thick blade that reminded Nick of a Danish seax. The primary cutting edge was razor-sharp and hard enough to chop wood or ice without chipping or rolling. The back edge was serrated for sawing, and the tip had a drop point perfect for stabbing. The D-Gar had a narrow tang with a butt-cap that could be unscrewed to remove the handle so that the knife could be converted to a bayonet or spear. The other weapon was a karambit fighting knife. It had a curved blade and a handle that ended with a finger ring. Made to be held with the user’s index finger through the ring and the blade curving forward from the pinky end of the hand, it was perfect for stabbing, slashing, and ripping. The curved blade was sharpened on both sides and tapered to a point.

  “The karambit dates back thousands of years,” Tveit said with a touch of awe in her voice. “Developed by the Minangkabau people of Sumatra, it was designed to be like a tiger claw. You will come to love it in close combat.”

  She then launched into a flowing, graceful demonstration of the knife. She punched and slashed, hooked and ripped imaginary opponents. As soon as she finished, she tossed each recruit a karambit-shaped, dull-edged plastic blank.

  “There are three basic moves,” she explained. “Learn them, and you’ll be able to adapt your own personal fighting style.”

  After days of rigorous unarmed combat that included judo throws, jujitsu limb-locks, and choke holds, learning to use the small, curved knife was a welcome relief. They practiced the moves over and over again. The D-Gar was more straightforward. It was a chopping weapon, but also a useful and deadly stabb
er.

  The next day, the group was surprised again with new additions to their BIO-suits. Basic armor was added to protect the chest, shoulders, abdomen, groin, thighs, and lower legs. The armor was flexible, but according to the Proxy, it could stop most projectiles and blades. The armor also had kinetic response and could harden into place to act as a split or to stop compression in the case of a large creature’s bite.

  “I don’t know how I feel about the idea of something big enough to bite me that way,” Kal said.

  “I know how I’d feel,” Ty declared. “And it ain’t good, armor or not.”

  “Don’t be such a baby,” Tveit ordered. “If you become Dragons, you’ll be the most feared operators in the galaxy.”

  “It’s the if I’m worried about,” Kal said.

  “Your initial training is almost over,” one of the large-headed alien Proxy technicians said. “You can look forward to your advance training sessions off the Foundry.”

  “I’m not really looking forward to it,” Jules replied. “I mean, I want the training, but I wouldn’t call it fun.”

  “It is sort of like trying to drink from a fire hydrant,” Kal replied.

  “What is a fire hydrant?” the Proxy technician asked. “Fire is not hydrating.”

  “It’s a pressurized water source back on Earth,” Nick said. “It’s used for fighting fires.”

  “I do not understand,” the alien said.

  “It’s not important,” Kal said.

  The basic armor was both protection and connectivity for other components. The fitting was followed by a two-hour tutorial on maintaining their armor. The Proxy giving the lecture was enamored with the abilities of the armor.

  “Dragons armor has environmental mimicking technology that allows the user to blend into its surroundings as long as you aren’t moving,” the alien said. “Membranes can be deployed during atmospheric operations to control flight. Additions can be added for hard vacuum protection and maneuverability, as well as underwater capabilities. The helmet, which you will be provided with soon, has filtering capabilities which allows in oxygen from the air but filters out other harmful gases, including hydrogen.”

  The lecture went on and on. The base plates could be removed, cleaned, and reattached to the BIO-suit. Other components could be added depending on the mission and environment in which they would be operating. It was useful information, and Nick could see the advantage of having the armor.

  “You’ll be tested on information about your armor,” Tveit said. “It has been downloaded to your wrist link. You have the rest of the day off, but I suggest you spend it preparing for the test tomorrow.”

  Nothing could dampen Nick’s enthusiasm in regard to time off. The group of five friends were all adapting to the rigors of recon training, but they were all ready for a break. The idea of spending the afternoon going over their armor specifications sounded like a vacation to Nick.

  It was an even bigger surprise when they arrived in the mess hall to find that they could choose meals of actual food. Nick had pasta in a rich parmesan sauce with strips of grilled chicken and broccoli florets. Ty and Kal both opted for steaks, with piping-hot baked potatoes and steamed vegetables. Ember had salmon with roasted cauliflower and whole green beans with almonds. The last person to choose her meal was Jules. She had trouble deciding between the grilled pork chop and the roasted chicken. Eventually, she chose the chicken, which came with wild rice and glazed carrots.

  “Man, this is even better than the food at the Exchange,” Kal said.

  “Yeah, Gunny Tveit has been holding out on us,” Ty said with a mouth full of food.

  “I’m sure there’s a reason,” Ember said.

  “The reason is to make us hate her,” Kal said casually. “Military psychology isn’t complicated.”

  “What do you know about psychology?” Nick demanded.

  “I saw it in a movie once,” Kal explained. “The process of breaking down your past experiences and personal expectations is part of the program. They have to push you to the breaking point and prove to you that you can do more than you thought possible. Plus, hating a central authority figure helps recruits to bond with one another in their shared feelings about their superior, which is supposed to help us fight for one another. It’s a Band of Brothers kind of thing.”

  “Look at you being all smart and everything,” Jules said.

  “Who knew movies could be so educational?” Nick said.

  “The problem is, I don’t hate Gunny Tveit,” Ember said. “And we’re already bonded together.”

  “So we’re ahead of the game,” Ty said.

  They finished their meal and returned to their quarters. It was difficult to stay awake while reading over the specifications of their armor. Nick was certain that the temperature in their quarters had gone up. The rich food was using all of his body’s energy to digest, and Nick could barely keep his eyes open.

  “Man, focusing on a projection that’s just text is killing me,” Kal said.

  Their wrist screens were only big enough to read small messages. The armor specs were much longer, nearly a hundred pages of text. Fortunately, the wrist links could project images several inches into the air, creating a hologram of the text. At first Nick found it interesting, but his focus was wavering just like Kal’s.

  “I don’t think it’s the text,” Nick said. “I can barely keep my eyes open.”

  “Who’s it going to hurt if we take a little nap?” Jules said.

  Nick wanted to agree. All he wanted to do was stretch out on his bed and close his eyes. Sleep was beckoning to him in ways he had never experienced. His body wasn’t just tired; it felt warm and fluid. Mentally, he couldn’t engage, and his eyes kept closing. More than once he started to fall asleep, only to jerk awake and try again to focus on the task at hand.

  “Come on,” Ember said. “You see what this is, don’t you?”

  She didn’t seem as tired as the others. Nick thought it was curious, but his mind wouldn’t focus long enough for him to sort through the mystery.

  “What’s she talking about?” Kal said.

  “I’m talking about the food, the task, even our room,” Ember stated emphatically. “It’s a test.”

  “A what?” Jules said.

  “They’re watching us,” Ember insisted. “It’s a test to see how we’ll respond.”

  “I don’t get it,” Kal said.

  “Endurance, focus, self-control,” Ember explained. “I’m not sure exactly what they want from us, but I don’t think passing out is it.”

  “Gunny Tveit gave us the day off, remember?” Jules insisted.

  “Wait,” Nick said. “She might be right.”

  “Oh, man. Come on!” Kal exclaimed.

  “So what?” Jules asked. “They want to see if we can stay awake?”

  “They want to see if can endure,” Nick said. “We should all stand up. Take turns reading out loud.”

  “Fine,” Jules said. “But if we find out you’re wrong, you’ll be taking my turn on watch for a week.”

  Nick felt as if his bones were made of lead. Just getting up off his bunk was difficult. He even swayed a little once he was on his feet.

  “Man, I’m dizzy,” Kal complained.

  “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” Ty grumbled. “A little sleep never hurt anyone.”

  “I think he might be right,” Jules added. “The room is spinning.”

  Nick felt as if he were on a sailing ship in rough seas. The room seemed to rise and fall, his balance was unsteady, and his eyelids felt thick, making it hard for him to keep them open.

  “Come on, we’ve got to move around,” Ember said. “Drink some water. You’ll feel better.”

  Just as she finished speaking, the lights went out. Other than the pit, no place on the Foundry was ever completely dark. Even when his friends were sleeping they could see light through the doorway window.

  “What the hell is going on?” Kal said, a note of f
ear in his voice. “I can’t see.”

  “The lights went out,” Nick said.

  Suddenly red lights came on, and a strange, alien voice spoke over the ship’s speaker system. Nick and his friends couldn’t understand the Proxy language, but the tone was clear: it was an emergency, and Nick felt a tremor of fear.

  “What’s going on?” Jules said.

  “Sounds like an emergency situation,” Nick said.

  “Why don’t they repeat that warning in English?” Ty demanded.

  “Nick, what should we do?” Ember asked.

  Suddenly all of his friends were looking at him. Nick had never volunteered to be any kind of leader. He occasionally made suggestions about what they could do, but he didn’t know any more about the situation than they did. Still, he felt a strong desire to ensure that his friends were safe.

  “I say we head out,” Nick said. “Make our way to the escape pods. Maybe Gunny Tveit will find us and tell us what to do.”

  “I sure wish we already had the armor for these fancy suits,” Ty said as they gathered by the door.

  “If it was an emergency,” Ember asked, “wouldn’t the crew be hurrying toward the escape pods?”

  “Maybe the Proxy have different egress stations?” Nick said. “I don’t think staying here is our best bet.”

  “Perfect timing too,” Kal said. “I can hardly walk.”

  “I think there was something in the food,” Jules said. “I’m going to be sick.”

  Nick hit the hatch release on their door and got his friends out. He felt weak, and his stomach threatened to revolt, but he grabbed Ty’s arm and led the bigger man down the corridor. Ember was helping Jules, and Kal was leaning against the wall.

  “Keep moving,” Nick said, shaking his head.

  “Maybe it’s some kind of gas,” Kal offered. “A leak that’s making us dizzy.”

  It made sense, but there was nothing they could do about it.