by Kevin Groh
Currently, there was a shaky alliance between humans and three other alien races in nearby systems. Unfortunately, there were also two species that were less pleased with Earth’s inhabitants. The lizard-like Lorgans and the chameleon beings called Gumai. Both had attacked human ships after the discovery of Synthium. For security reasons, unnecessary flights and associated risks were currently being avoided.
Carter had had little contact with aliens except for the Pintans. They were a people whose home planet and inhabitants resembled humans almost perfectly, only their skin was blue or green, caused by the radiation of their star. Pintans were quite common on Utopia and therefore hardly anything special. Some worked for Magnus and he had also been to their homeworld Pinta with his children. Due to his philosophical reading, he was very open-minded towards other peoples, which was not the case for the general population. Carter did his best to look at people rationally and to understand their behavior, but sometimes he couldn’t avoid despising them for their ignorance. He tried even harder to be better than that. Whenever he was in town, he greeted all the aliens he saw. Most of them reacted with joy as if no one else was friendly to them. It made him sad.
The following morning Carter got up early because there was supposed to be rain and he wanted to jog before there were clouds. When he came back completely exhausted, the robot butler awaited him. It was a new prototype that his father had designed and tested at home. He stood there and reported visitors for him. Carter was surprised because he had no friends in the area and no one else to come to visit. He followed the robot into the entrance hall, where two men in military uniform awaited. Carter expected nothing good.
»Good morning, Mr. Sanders. My name is Sergeant Hobbs, Stanford Hobbs. This is my colleague William Fetz. We are here to inform you that you will be drafted into military service under the Conscription Agreement Section 47b-18, Paragraph 3. This procedure is usually done on paper, but there are always very many questions from those concerned and we are here to clear up any confusion.«
Carter asked them into his apartment and offered them a seat. Then he said out loud: »Andrew, please contact my father on the urgent line!« He behaved in an exemplary manner and didn’t let on how insecure he felt. The robot butler activated a holo screen and after half a minute Magnus‹ face appeared in the picture. The two men repeated their statement and his father reacted upset.
»My company is one of the top suppliers of military technology and I do more for the government than I care to. It’s an outrage that you people are still not getting enough!«
The recruiter looked a little unhappy. »Sir, your private or professional military contributions are not relevant here. The law stipulates that we must draft new recruits if necessary. The social status is completely irrelevant in this case. It may be unpleasant for you, but the legal situation here is clear and there is nothing to change.«
»That remains to be seen! I have many friends in important positions in the military. Without me, these people wouldn’t have a job, so I expect some cooperation.«
»Of course you can try, but from experience, I can tell you that they won’t achieve much. We’re just doing our job and we’re only here to answer your questions. Even that is already a compromise to you personally, because normally the recruitment is done in writing. So I suggest that even if you try to stir up the military chain of command in the near future, you talk to us first. Because if, by some miracle, you don’t achieve anything and your son is still to be recruited, there are certainly some points that you would like to have clarified in advance«.
Magnus growled unhappily, but Carter realized the importance of this conversation. While the men were talking, he still had to come to terms with the fact that he had been drafted and was to spend the following years in the military. It wasn’t his first choice, but he had often thought about it. However, he had no idea what life as a soldier would be like and so he was afraid.
He asked: »What are the framework conditions for compulsory military service? How long does it take? What does the training include? Would I be sent on combat missions?«
Sergeant Hobbs seemed relieved that Carter changed the subject. He handed him some documents. »Compulsory military service applies for a minimum of three years. You will be interned in a training center and start basic training together with other recruits. This includes physical and mental training, educational units and several practical assignments. The procedure takes two years. In the third year, the recruits are then entrusted with various tasks. These can be jobs in security companies, administrative tasks in office complexes or messenger flights for the fleet. This depends on the needs and individual performance and talents. After three years, the political situation will be decisive. If there is still war with the Lorgans, soldiers are needed. This would prolong conscription. Otherwise, you will be registered and transferred to passive status. Up to the age of forty, you can then be called into active service, if necessary. But a lot can happen in three years. You should focus on your education first.«
Magnus was still angry, but asked politely: »What’s the current policy on modifications and upgrades?«
»Well, some upgrades are standard army practice. These are minor interventions. Eye modifications, muscle strength enhancers, endurance optimization, and similar things. More invasive adjustments are only available for specialized professional soldiers and veterans with severe injuries.«
Magnus raised an eyebrow: »I know about the talks on forced modification. I built most of the upgrades. So don’t give me any phrases and appeasements!«
»I know you’re angry. This happens to many relatives, which is why personal visits are rare. No, there are no forced upgrades. Whatever you might have heard, currently no soldier is modified without his consent. We do not use blackmail or inappropriate persuasion. It is possible that one day there may be a basic requirement for certain special units, but for your son, this is out of the question. On the one hand, because modifications are a very expensive investment, and on the other hand, because recruits with such powerful tools would bring more harm than good without proper training. Apart from making him stronger, faster, and more disciplined, you’ll get him back the way he is now.«
After a few more issues and astonishingly precise statements from the recruiters, Carter only had one last question.
»When do we start?«
Osilon
A week later, a military transporter would pick up Carter. Within this period he could sort out his affairs and prepare himself. Magnus took the days off and spent a lot of time at the communicator, but conscription could not be avoided. He often cursed because he was beside himself that the prevailing corruption in the government did not apply here.
Carter, on the other hand, had little to do. Without friends and real hobbies, there was nothing to settle. He spent every free minute with his father and the two went on some trips together.
Monday came nevertheless and he felt a certain insecurity and restlessness, but he wasn’t really worried. His everyday life consisted of a lot of sports and reading anyway, how could the training be worse? Only the daily contact with other recruits would be potentially exhausting.
At 7 a.m. the doorbell rang and a military driver with a datapad stood there. Carter had packed a medium-sized bag with some normal clothes. He had flown into town the previous week and had bought cheap things to avoid attracting attention. The driver compared the picture on his list with Carter, took his handprint with the hologram and nodded. Magnus stood in the doorway and hugged him. »When you have the day off, we’ll do something, okay? I know communicators are not allowed, but you can contact me from the base. I also pulled a few strings and got you some amenities. Let yourself be surprised!«, he said with a smile. Carter shouldered his bag and followed the driver into the dark green shuttle with the symbol of the Utopia military on it. Three other young people, two women, and a man were already sitting inside. According to their clothes, they were all part of the upper class
and they looked more than dissatisfied.
The shuttle lifted off and departed. They stopped four more times and took other privileged youths with them. Then they headed for New Denver. Carter looked at the view of the country. Utopia was green on the side of the rich and was dotted with groups of trees at irregular intervals. There were hardly any real forests and there were only one species of leafy tree on the entire planet. Hills and valleys were also rare, which was unusual for such a large planet. The northern hemisphere was not quite as flat as the rest. There were the metropolises and the mines because for unknown reasons there was only synthium on the upper half of the planet. Apart from four bird species, no fauna was found on Utopia. Altogether it seemed as if the world had been unusually empty before the arrival of humans.
The driver said: »We are now heading for the Osilon training base. It’s five clicks south of the city limits.«
A click was a military abbreviation for one kilometer. They flew over the site and so the new recruits could get a good view of the building complex. The property seemed to be about the size of their estate. There were extensive obstacle courses, a drill ground, some shooting ranges, and five large buildings, two of which had more than one floor. In addition, there was a roofed hangar with a short runway and a covered vehicle fleet. They landed in front of the main building, where the flags of the army, Utopia, and Earth were waving. The eight newcomers got out and an officer with another list awaited them. He led them to a few other waiting rookies. Particularly noticeable was a dark-skinned guy who towered over the rest by quite a bit and was pretty broadly built. He had to be a good two meters tall, had short shorn black hair, a flat, broad nose, full lips, and was clearly muscular. He notably gazed at a young woman with light brown skin and long, equally black hair. She was halfway thin, didn’t have noticeable breasts, a narrow but curved mouth, piercing green eyes and was overall a rather graceful appearance. The eight new recruits joined the others, while the driver exchanged views with the officer.
The tall guy gave Carter a snide look. »The rich punks have arrived. Bow down to the high-born superiority of the upper class!«
Carter looked at him skeptically but said nothing. He didn’t want to make an enemy for himself until he even arrived properly. There was a smell of fuel in the air and one could hear engine noises, roaring, and occasional gunfire. A group of soldiers came jogging past them singing a motivational song. As he looked around and felt the big man’s hostile gaze, Carter felt more than uncomfortable. But this was not due to the presence of many people, nor to the atmosphere itself, nor to the fact that someone was already looking for trouble with him. It was this vague anticipation that he was not allowed to make any mistakes in Osilon. The officer said goodbye to the driver and stepped in front of the group. He stood up with his legs apart and let his eyes wander over their faces. Then he activated his holo list and pointed next to him. »Everyone I have called comes here to me!«, he said decisively. He looked at the document and started.
»Bolly, Urma!« A woman with almost black skin and long dreadlocks stepped next to the officer.
»Fields, James!« A lanky guy with glasses stepped forward. Then came
»Kennedy, William!« A blond man with an arrogant expression shouted: »Present, sir! I hope the name is marked with a star because I am the number one!« The officer ignored the behavior and continued.
»Lambert, Jane!« An unremarkable woman responded, smiling amusedly.
»Palmer, Henry!« The chubby, dark-skinned guy hurried to the others.
»Powell, Gina!« A cozy Asian woman with pink strands followed the request.
»Richards, Kelly!« This was for a beauty with a stunning body and bronze hair. The men looked at her all discreetly and she noticed it but didn’t seem to mind.
»Sanders, Carter Slade!« He lifted his head, grabbed his bag and strolled to the others.
»Talbot, Tim and Tom!« Two identical-looking young men with brown hair and beard stubbles came forward. Then the tall man joined them, when the name »Tindall, Roderick!« was called.
He whispered to him: »Sanders, hm? The leader of the ass faces it seems. Your father is a really high figure. I’m surprised he didn’t just buy you out!« Carter remained calm.
»Whittaker, Leena!« The young woman Roderick had stared at before came running to them.
»Very nice! You’re in my group, sweetie! We will have a lot of fun together ...«
She raised an eyebrow and replied: »If you land on your ass in the obstacle course, maybe.« Carter had to chuckle. Roderick noticed that.
»I’ll remember you!«
Again Leena replied: »Don’t challenge your brain too much! You still need the three brain cells to remember where your bed is.« The bystanders laughed and Roderick was speechless. The last name was: »Zobek, Nambur!« The one addressed was a tall Pintan who even surpassed Roderick. He had light green skin and a bald head.
The man said: »That was everyone. The rest of you will immediately be assigned by another officer. Those who have been called follow me! He walked forward confidently and the group followed him. They marched past the largest building and sideways alongside it.«
He said out loud: »This is the main building. This is where the lessons take place, different mental exercises are supervised and it serves as administration. The building over there is what we call the barracks. There are the dormitories and the mess hall. On the other side of the main building lies the simulation chamber. You’ll see it soon enough. Where you landed earlier that is the hangar. There we have hunters, bombers and troop transporters. Next to it are the land vehicles. Behind the barracks, you can see the main shooting range and the weapons training area. Next door is the hell trail and next door is the drill ground.«
Carter found the surroundings strangely familiar, even though he didn’t know where it came from. He felt at home, although he had never been there before. He quickly rejected the thought.
They marched straight towards the barracks. However, they did not enter through the main entrance, but through a more secluded side door. Behind it was a counter where a bored woman lingered.
»Millie.«, the officer greeted her. She eyed the recruits with mild interest and said: »As long as you are here in the base and not on your own time, your personal belongings are to be kept here in a locker. Anyone who gets caught with private belongings is on guard duty on weekends. If you’re off duty, you can pick up your stuff here. Civilian clothing is only allowed on arrival and departure. If you get caught in jeans and a t-shirt and without a pass, you can run back to the bedroom naked and put on your uniform. This applies to both sexes. You’ll now get your military ID and a locker number.«
One after the other they stepped forward to Millie and gave their names. She always disappeared for a short time in an adjoining room and then came back with a set of freshly pressed dog tags. There was also a locker key. When they were all done, she said: »You can leave your key here with me if you tend to lose things. If you forget your number, you’re out of luck and can go looking for it. If I have to look in the files, there are extra services. The dog tags serve as your ID here on the base and as a distinguishing mark for every member of the Utopia Army. They also act as rations tokens at the mess hall so that no one over-expenses themselves for food.«
She looked meaningfully at Henry and Gina. »If you lose your dog tags, you don’t get to leave for three months and your parents have to pay a fine. So think twice before you let them out of your sight.«
When they had stored all their things in their lockers, they ran back to the front. Carter, looking at Roderick, decided to hand over the key. His locker number happened to be the last three digits of the ID on the dog tag, which made his search easier. They were all just standing there in their underwear, carrying the rest of their undergarments in their hands. Again most of the glances fell on Kelly, whose curves left nothing to be desired. Even the women were jealous of it. Only Urma was just as impressive, but not so much because of
her attractiveness, but more because of her hard trained body. She was the first woman Carter had ever seen with a six-pack. The officer smiled a little because the group seemed very uncomfortable.
»Get used to it. Privacy, shame and dignity are the first things that will be driven out of you here.« He led them down a hallway where they had to shower. The women seemed relieved because there was no gender separation, but individual shower cabins. When they had finished, they found themselves in a changing room behind the showers. There were pants, multifunctional socks, an undershirt, a black shirt, a uniform jacket, a cap and black boots ready for everyone. The officer awaited them outside the door.
»In every locker next to your beds you’ll find two more of these uniforms. On Fridays, the used uniforms are returned and on Monday morning they are picked up again washed. You only have one pair of shoes. You will get new ones every three months or in case of serious damage. So make sure you keep them clean.« He led them into another room. Five hairdressers were waiting for them. The women looked shocked.
»In the military, there is no individuality until you have earned it. Men have only two options: short or none. Women have a uniform length to wear and they have to put their hair into a bun which has to sit below the cap. Your looks don’t interest anyone here, so there are neither concessions nor time.«
Roderick, Henry, and Nambur were able to save themselves the haircut because they were already shorn. The women with a hair length shorter than the maximum were also lucky. That was Gina and Jane. The others had to sit down. Carter’s hair was shaved off and he now had a spiky short haircut. That suited him too, but it was unusual for him. While he waited for the rest, he drove his hand over his neck and felt the stubbles scratching.
