The Commander

by Kevin Groh

  Carter looked at the gun with discomfort and remembered vividly how he himself had been electrified. It was an experience he wouldn’t like to have again.

  »Many people piss themselves ... sometimes even with land. The muscles are tense for quite a while afterward, so that the victim cannot move. Electric weapons are actually the less desirable solution because the victim is often awake and unable to move. Such weapons are, however, more suitable if you are dealing with a synthetic opponent.«

  »There are synthetic opponents?«, Nambur asked in surprise.

  »Sure there are. The Vindurans often work with mechs. They’re not that common, but they do exist. And if one of them should actually stand in front of you at some point, you can, of course, tell it that statistically, it has no place there, but it will still blow your brains out.«, Dunn commented.

  When they took the guns, they quickly realized that the handling was essentially identical to regular pistols and rifles. The main differences were the weight and the lack of recoil. This was because stun bullets were fired with much less energy after all the needles were supposed to remain stuck in the target’s body, not go through it. Since stun guns and pistols were often used to remain undetected, the weapons worked with air pressure to avoid making loud noises. It seemed easier for them to fire, but since they were used to the higher weight of normal models, they often missed the target because they wanted to align them too quickly and swiveled too far. The electric pistol fired strangely because the range was quite short. There was a version that fired the power directly and a more expensive and effective version that fired three small flat discs. They attached themselves to the target and produced the electric shock there. This increased the range.

  After testing everything, Dunn showed them how to handle the electric stick.

  »It’s similar to any other nightstick you’ve practiced with Jazzir. But you shouldn’t apply your defense in the same way. Many techniques against percussion weapons work by touching the weapon to influence the direction of the movement. You are welcome to do this, but only once. Then you’ll fidget on the ground like a stupid salmon. Don’t forget one thing: an enemy with a military armor cannot be stopped like this. Most armors simply drain the power or charge their own batteries with it. If you’re spotted, that’s it. And if you die because of something like that, then I’ll come and piss on your grave, because in that case, I’ve wasted too much of my life on you. Whoever pulls such a shit, I’ll kill him myself!«

  The group smiled, even if they couldn’t be sure if it was a joke. Not far from the shooting range, some recruits were on the hell trail and were mercilessly chased by Banes. He ran near them and shot one of them with the paintball rifle, who he thought was too slow. The poor guy fell down. The Major just stood there laughing. The group around Carter looked at the whole thing with growing resentment towards Banes. He turned to them and said: »They are almost as pathetic as you! The loser in front thought he was especially talented, but he’s a total loser. Reminds me of you, Kennedy.«, he addressed Billy and laughed.

  As soon as Banes turned around and aimed a paintball at another recruit, Carter noticed how Billy’s face had darkened. He looked as if he was about to explode. Probably he was just thinking of all the humiliations he had endured. In recent weeks, he had to repeatedly overcome obstacles on his own, was punished several times for failing to do so and had always been the target of the major’s devastating comments and personal attacks. Before anyone could react, he grabbed a stun gun and fired at Banes after a short alignment. At that moment the major leaned aside to fire himself, so the bullet missed him. Unfortunately, the rifle had a considerable range, so the small syringe continued to fly, reaching a height of two meters where it hit a recruit just climbing over the wooden wall.

  He immediately passed out and fell headfirst. The wall was a long way from the shooting range, but they could still hear the cracking sound as the young man hit the ground. What then happened seemed to Carter to run in slow motion due to the shock. Billy opened his eyes in horror, the others held their hands in front of their mouths or stared in disbelief. Dunn knocked his gun away and Banes turned around. He looked at him with an expressionless face at first, then with anger shortly afterward. He shot a paintball right between his eyes, was with him with a few big steps and knocked him down with the rear of the paintball rifle. Then he rolled him onto his stomach and forced him to stand up with one arm behind his back.

  »You weak little shit!«, Dunn cursed.

  Banes kept his temper and said: »That’s it for you, boy.«

  He pushed the still completely paralyzed Billy forward to the crashed recruit whose comrades had gathered around him. Billy was frozen and couldn’t believe what he had done. His mind had been in a rage and he just wanted to hurt Banes. That he had accidentally killed someone now caused absolute panic and fear coupled with guilt in him. Three paramedics came running from the main building, but you could tell by the angle of his neck that the young man was dead. He had fallen vertically on his head and the impact had bent it ninety degrees. The neck was broken and the paramedic suspected that the spine also had some fractures. Fortunately for the poor guy, he was dead immediately and had not suffered. The dead boy’s comrades stood around the corpse in horror and looked at the instructors irritated because they had not seen what had happened. Blameful and even angry glances at the shooter followed shortly afterward.

  The others watched paralyzed as Banes took Billy to the main building and the paramedics pushed the dead boy after him on a stretcher.

  Due to the events of the morning, the rest of the lessons for the day were canceled. In the evening, they were gathered in the dorm room and told that Billy was no longer in their group. They later learned from a rumor that he had been sent to prison for his crime. They sat on their beds when Billy’s closet was emptied, and after the military police had asked some questions, they were left alone again.

  »I knew Billy was a moron, but that he was really freaking out like that ...«, Leena broke the ice.

  »I can’t blame him for trying to shoot Banes. The guy really deserves it. Especially after he had constantly crushed him like that.«, it came from Jane.

  Tim and Tom nodded synchronously.

  Carter said: »He didn’t want to hit the guy. The fact that it went like this was unbelievable bad luck for everyone involved. Sure, he would have been punished with a severe penalty, whether he had hit Banes or missed, but not like that.«

  Roderick said: »Billy is a self-absorbed asshole, but he’s not a bad person. He would never hurt anyone on purpose. That’s why he took the stun gun. Had it been normal weapons, he wouldn’t have fired.«

  »Are you sure?«, Urma asked.

  »What do you mean?«

  »I used to see the look in his eyes a lot. It is the look that people put on when they act regardless of the consequences. When they become involved in their own heads. Usually, such actions are absolutely self-destructive. Anyone who has such a look would have done anything.«

  Nambur said: »Basically it’s Banes‹ fault. If you treat someone that way, beat him up and humiliate him, he’ll want to fight back. This is a completely wrong method of teaching. Discipline and obedience or not.«

  They all agreed that Billy was not to blame in theory, but that it was an accident. Unfortunately, the military thought otherwise.

  Although the shock was still in their bones, the next day the lessons continued and they were forced to put Billy’s fate aside and concentrate on everyday life again. The year mark passed without a noticeable difference. Only the sight of the new recruits reminded them that they were no longer the rookies. For months, they repeatedly wanted to get out of the base and back home somehow, but with time, they yielded to their fate.

  With Billy gone, Roderick no longer had a buddy to chat and eat with every day. As he hung out with Leena more and more, Rod decided to give Carter a chance. This formed a group of Carter, Kelly, Leena, and Rod. Since Rod had discarded
his previously unfriendly nature, his positive side was quickly felt and he became a welcome part of their small group. One Friday evening Rod flew into town to check on the apartment. The other three sat on the meadow in the base because they were all on duty the following day. Leena watched Rod as he left and Carter said:

  »You like him very much. Don’t even try to deny it! You meet secretly, talk to each other often and you always check him out. You like the guy, but you don’t want to admit it.«

  She moaned and put her head in her neck: »Not that again!«

  »What would be so bad about it if you admit to yourself that you have a thing for him? You could tell him and then you would be together. He already expressed his interest on the first day.«, Kelly said.

  »I don’t want to have a ›boyfriend‹. I don’t need that weight on my shoulders. Constantly having to pay attention to what someone else wants and making compromises, even if you find his opinion absolutely stupid ... no thanks.«, Leena grumbled.

  Carter said: »But that’s not all. Have you never wondered why people compromise? Why you do that to yourself when the right choice for you would clearly be a different one? Because the other person means so much to you that his or her well-being is the most important thing for you. Because a decision that pleases you but makes your partner unhappy does not bring you joy in the end.«

  »And I should put this dependence on myself? That sounds more than stupid.«, Leena replied shaking her head without understanding.

  Kelly explained: »There is more to a partnership than compromise. You enjoy the time together, you have fun without having to do anything. Everything becomes more beautiful when the other person is around. And then there’s the sex ...« She looked at Carter all the time, first in love, then mischievous. »I can have sex if I want, even with him. But that doesn’t mean I have to have an annoying relationship. Now and then I have sex, and before the sentimental stuff starts I leave.«, Leena insisted.

  Inside she pondered about what she had heard. She was indeed attracted to Rod, but so far she had just thought she wanted to have sex with him. Now she tried to figure out if there was more to it.

  Simple was Yesterday

  The following day they had no lessons, which indicated that something special was planned. As expected, Clemm showed up and brought them to Banes in front of the main building. Expecting one of their constant marches, they groaned inwardly. The Major, however, had not strapped on his usual marching gear. »Your second year has begun and even if you are one less, I expect top performance from everyone. No one has to fight alone anymore, but that doesn’t make your life any easier, believe me. Some of you are expecting a march now, but a simple march is for beginners and that’s not what you are anymore. So it’s time to make it a little more exciting. You have martial arts experience, weapons knowledge and you had tactical basics. It’s time to unite all of it. From today there will be field exercises.

  That means real mission simulations. Some of them in the simulator, others in the field, at night or special events. Today we start with a field test. I’m watching exactly what you’ve learned.«

  At least that sounded interesting, Carter thought. Afterward, they trotted after Banes into a fenced area near the base. There were woods, a pond, a few empty huts, and several puddles. »I had expected a trench ...«, Rod said amused.

  Banes replied: »Trenches don’t require training. You take cover or shoot. Special tactics are no longer possible. In forest areas, urban areas or on new worlds it looks different.«

  When the group arrived in the middle of the field, Clemm distributed paintball rifles and pistols to them. From the opposite side came another unit of equipped recruits who were to be their opponents.

  »Since you know each other well, it would be difficult to recreate a real combat situation if your group were to compete against each other. In reality, you only know your enemy by hearsay and you have to be prepared for anything. That is why we teach all groups strictly separately. So you can compete against completely unknown and therefore unpredictable enemies.«, Clemm explained.

  Banes stepped between the two troops. He held up a Utopia flag and rammed it into the ground in front of him.

  »The objective of this exercise is to conquer the flag and bring it into your own base. You start in opposite corners of the terrain and the exercise ends when either a team has conquered the flag or a team has been completely wiped out. It will be shot with blue paint. Hits on arms or legs mean that this part of the body may no longer be used. Head or torso hits mark the end of the exercise for that player. I can monitor this with my multitool, so don’t even try to cheat! We are at war and there are no other rules.«

  Clemm and the Major led the two teams to their starting points and showed them which threshold the flag had to cross to win. Then the exercise began. They had never worked as a unit before. Banes had appointed Tom as Commander for this training. He was now to coordinate his team. They activated their HUDs and communication and Tom gave the orders. »Okay people ... uh ... how do we do that now? I would suggest that we split into smaller units. Hm ... well, so ... Jimbo, Urma and Kelly, you go left through this swampy area. Carter, Nambur, and Jane sneak through the middle of the forest. Rod, Tim and I take the other wood on the right and Henry, Leena and Gina accompany the middle team. You three provide a distraction. Find the enemy and fire around a bit to make them flee like rabbits.«

  The group split up accordingly.

  Urma grumbled: »Great ... swamp ...«

  Carter joined the other five who were supposed to go through the middle. Jane pointed out that the troops in the center usually ran into the firefight and were sacrificed. But Leena said that the distraction could save their butts. They fired their rifles and tiptoed through the woods.

  Leena complained: »This is completely pointless. The flag is in the middle. It makes no sense for the enemy to come to our side. That won’t get them any further. Here we are completely safe and should run faster. The enemy is certainly almost at the flag by now.«

  Tom insisted on stalking carefully and as they approached the flag on the small hill between the trees, Carter spotted movements on the opposite side of the forest.

  »There are some up ahead.«

  Leena, Henry, and Gina scattered along the forest line looking for suitable positions from which to fire in various directions to tell the enemy that some of them had been discovered. »Where are you? Did you all arrive?«, it came from Carter’s comms.

  He announced that the two central units had reached their target positions and Kelly also reported the arrival of the left team. The right squad had gotten lost between the trees and needed a moment. Carter wondered how you could lose the way with a HUD. He heard several shots. Apparently, one guy from the other team had tried to crouch to the flag and Gina had seen him and fired at him. She hit his leg and he limped and crawled to safety. He was still in the game, but couldn’t do much more. »Clean shot Gina!«, he praised her by radio. »What shot? What happened?«, Tom asked out of breath.

  Nambur explained to him what was going on.

  »Very good, Gina!«, it also came from the Commander.

  Carter couldn’t help but notice the bad organization of her team. Tom seemed to have no talent for it. In the following two hours, one team member always tried to reach the flag and was shot at from the other side. In the end, nothing happened. The enemy team apparently had a new plan after Leena scared them off several times. They moved up the hill together, moving back to back. Some of them were hit and eliminated, but four made it back to the forest with the flag.

  They chased them, but Carter knew immediately that they would never catch them. The distance was already too great for that. The enemy won and the exercise ended. They gathered and Banes walked up and down between them. »That was the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen in months. Like every year, the first exercise is a disaster. The teams were not divided according to their strengths, the situation was misjudged, the procedure was in
effective and despite a stalemate of more than two hours, nobody had the idea to change the tactics. And the best you could come up with was a cluster attack with a loss rate of sixty percent. A costly victory against an equally poorly organized enemy.«

  Both teams had made a lot of mistakes, but Carter liked it because it taught them to do better next time.

  The mood in the evening was rather cloudy. Even though Carter told them that the first exercise was certainly never going well, it didn’t seem to cheer anyone up. But Leena agreed. She had a number of things to criticize that she presented to him in detail in the room. She had an eye for detail and a sense of tactics. »Your strength in anticipating your enemy’s movements could also help you with chess. Why don’t you play with Jimbo? Maybe you’ll learn something from him.«

  After initial skepticism, she seemed to like the idea and started playing chess with Jimbo on a regular basis. She had never tried it before, but once she understood the rules, she enjoyed it. Meanwhile, Carter could use the time Leena was downstairs in the dorm to play a whole different game with Kelly in the room.

  The weekend would be pretty boring for Carter. Kelly was on duty with Leena both days on a transport ship and his father was on a business trip. When Saturday began, he lounged on the meadow and read one of the fantasy books he had brought from home. Suddenly Rod appeared and seemed out of breath. Carter looked at him questioningly.

  »Hey ...«, Rod gasped and let himself sink onto the grass next to him.

  »What ghost did you see?«

  »I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine ... in New Denver. He looks around the garage from time to time and checks my place. Apparently, I had a break-in.«

  Carter closed his book. »What about the car?«

  »It’s still there and doesn’t seem to be damaged either, but they sprayed a fat red cross on the garage door. I guess they were looking for something valuable and then marked the place for the buddies. They want to get my car! You once offered to keep it for me ...«