The Commander

by Kevin Groh

  The party was going on and they saw Henry making out with Gina. Nambur calmly bounced to the music, while Urma stood next to him and knocked back one drink after the other. Meanwhile, the twins tried to hit on female recruits as a team. Jane had already disappeared with a guy and everyone knew what she was doing. Overall, they all had their own way of having fun that night. After the party was ended punctually by the guards, drunken chants and other explicit sounds were heard for hours from different directions.

  No Choice

  The following week they started mental training to resist psychological interrogation methods. The first time they tried to break Carter with seduction, but hardly any women could physically compete with Kelly. Later he had a test together with Rod and they were supposed to give out codes because otherwise the other had to suffer from a pain simulator. They were good friends, but they had the ambition to become outstanding soldiers and so neither of them gave in. Leena had also said nothing when Jimbo was suffering, but Kelly had collapsed as soon as she heard Nambur scream. No one could blame her, even if she hadn’t done the job.

  They sat in class with Annie on Tuesday and had just finished one of her advanced subjects. It was about military strategy and tactics, a field in which Leena was particularly talented. They had gone through fundamental old teachings like ›The Art of War‹ from the Chinese Sun Tzu but also reports from General Custer, Winston Churchill, and other famous military generals and leaders. They had looked at the course of various historical battles to see how to proceed. Water attacks, fire attacks, sabotage, superiority, feints and more. They also dealt with various types of battles and battlefields, including ship combat, ground warfare, air combat, space battles, and distance battles. Each type of confrontation had different conditions and countless factors could determine victory and defeat.

  »The task of a strategist is to consider all possible turns of events, no matter how unlikely they may be. At the same time, you have to find ways that the enemy didn’t foresee. Ultimately, it becomes a battle of the mind. It’s a vague thing, but some individuals have a talent for it.«, Annie explained.

  Urma asked if she could give an example of such an unpredictable strategy.

  »In ancient China, there was a famous strategist named Zhuge Liang, or as the locals called him, Kunming. He was so cunning and farsighted that he was nicknamed ›Sleeping Dragon‹. Once he and his troops faced supremacy he could never have stopped. But unlike Leonidas of Sparta, he did not sacrifice all men for a kamikaze victory. He knew about his reputation and so he opened all the gates of the fortress and disguised the soldiers as civilians. He sat down above the gate and relaxed played a musical instrument. His opponent also knew about his reputation and because of the self-confidence of his enemy, he feared a trap and started the retreat. The extent to which this story actually happened is unknown, but the so-called ›Empty Fort Strategy‹ was used more than once at the time. A victory without a fight. So you see that absolutely anything is possible and should be considered.«

  »If anything is possible, the job as a strategist must be an impossible task.«, it came from Tom.

  Jimbo replied: »Well, you don’t really have to consider everything. Only what is realistic. Of course, you could prepare yourself for an invasion of flying cows, but the probability is not very high. Instead, you always look at the same things first. The environment, the weather, the own and enemy troop strength, allies and enemies, civilians, equipment, supplies and the position of the enemy. And then you try to work out every possible strategy that could be used against you and think about how to take advantage of it. Then you try to cover as many of those possibilities as you can and at the same time plan your own strategies that are less obvious. It’s like playing chess. You wait to see what your opponent does and react three steps in advance.«

  Nambur said: »But this is about real conflicts, not a board game«.

  Annie interrupted the debate: »Actually, chess is one of the games that many strategists played in their spare time to train their tactical thinking skills. James hit the nail on the head.«

  Just as she was about to tell the story of a famous T’zun strategist, all the bracelets vibrated at the same time, even Annie’s multitool seemed to be affected. Her facial expression became serious and she switched on the holoprojector. A portrayal of General Harvey Dukes, Utopia’s military chief of staff, appeared. He was a man in his mid-fifties with gray hair combed backward, several scars on his face and a cleanly shaved full beard. He stood there in his decorated uniform with his hands folded on his back and looked serious. That alone was nothing special, for it was a constant joke that the General would not even smile if Ronson Glades, his political opponent, fell on his face in front of him. But even without any words, they could all sense that something was wrong.

  »Members of the Utopia Military. Today, on the 224. day of the year 235 after the expansion, there was a violent clash between the military of Utopia’s united forces and the Lorgan-Gumai Prevalence on the planet of Zulath. As you all know, Zulath in the Aeon-Width is the military center and the main base of human forces outside our system. The attack was launched four hours ago by a fleet of enemy ships attacking out of the orbit, using landing ships to enforce a ground war. As this is only the third open act of war since the outbreak of the conflict, we were not prepared for a strike of this magnitude. Contact with the Joint Chiefs of Staff has broken off a few minutes ago. It can be assumed that our entire force was wiped out on site.

  I do not need to mention that the casualties from this defeat are devastating. If this attack is only the first step in a systematic strategy, we must be prepared for anything. With immediate effect, all the troops who are fit for duty will be put on active alert and we will immediately begin to take countermeasures.

  This is a dark day for humanity. Prepare for what comes next.«

  The transmission ended and left only shocked silence, probably planet-wide. Nobody had expected such a thing. After several years of smoldering hostility, the Lorgans had now taken the first big step.

  Leena said: »The other peoples of the initiative will no longer maintain their rather neutral stance. The Lorgans have just messed with the entire known galaxy.«

  Gina sadly remarked: »But unfortunately that doesn’t bring our people back anymore.«

  Jimbo kept silent in horror because his brother had been stationed on Zulath. Jane took him in his arms and gently swayed with him as he fought in vain against the tears.

  Rod asked Annie: »What does that mean for us?«

  She was hardly approachable herself. She pulled herself together and replied: »All on-call soldiers will be equipped and distributed to posts, reserve men will be called in again to replace fallen soldiers. Older recruits will be promoted at an early stage and will be given active status. Security and readiness at all bases will be increased, and unimportant posts will be temporarily closed. This will take a few days. For you it means nothing. Your training is not completed yet. It will be continued as usual. However, if the situation remains this serious, some of you will surely be sent on real missions in the third year. That, of course, depends on your talents and abilities, but the risk increases. But right now you have to finish the two basic years. So you have nothing to worry about for the next few months.«

  But her expression was deadly serious and they felt that she hadn’t told the whole truth.

  The rest of the day there were no more lessons because all instructors had to talk to their superiors. About half of them would switch to active duty and leave Utopia, or at least be sent to other posts. Dunn and Banes, however, seemed to stay. Only Drill Sergeant Clemm was recalled.

  Tom said at dinner: »Of course Major Dunn will not be removed. She is so crazy that she probably does more damage in the field than a horde of Lorgans.«

  A few of them laughed, but few of the recruits felt like it. Many had had family members on Zulath and feared for the future. The term war had always accompanied them over the last
few years, but it had lost its meaning. Now it had returned with brutal force and floated above them like a dark shadow. War was something terrible. It destroyed families, lives, whole planets and left nothing but death, suffering, and destruction. Carter could feel the collective horror of the people around him. He felt the need to help, but he was just a simple recruit. Despite everything they had learned in the last year and a half, they were not even good enough to be summoned. It was frustrating.

  The situation remained tense during the following days and several recruit groups were relocated to other training camps because there were no longer enough coaches in Osilon. They were called together on Thursday. Not only Carter and his group, but all the recruits in the base. They gathered on the large square in front of the main building and were accordingly confused. After the events of the past days, everything was possible. It did loosen up everyday life, but it also created constant insecurity.

  The other instructors were all present and they saw Major Banes talking to the commander of Osilon. Shortly thereafter, he hastily walked away and the torturer seemed to be really brooding. A moment later he stepped on a pedestal with a microphone.

  »You were gathered here so that I could share something with you. Since we have lost a good third of our forces on Zulath and Earth troops are currently sending us hardly any reinforcements, the selective conscription was replaced by a general variant. This means that we will have many more recruits. But it also means that advanced semesters will have to fulfill more demanding tasks earlier. Of course, this only applies to those of you who haven’t turned out to be complete fools.

  To compensate for the lack of training time, reduce overall training time and make talented individuals even more effective, the Military Joint Chiefs of Staff gave a new order this morning. Each recruit will be tested for fitness and will be equipped with synthium-based upgrades if the criteria are met. These modifications are not a voluntary decision, but an acceptable procedure. The moral protection clause against unwanted physical changes has been limited to a certain degree by martial law. You can think of it as you like, but it has to be done.

  For this reason, in the course of the morning, all recruits present here were assessed based on their training data. You will receive your result in the next few minutes.«

  So it had actually happened. The military had introduced forced upgrades. Although for understandable reasons, it was a forced operative procedure. Carter could already hear Magnus raging as soon as he heard about it. He had no doubt that his results of the last months had qualified him for modifications. Not surprisingly for him, his bracelet vibrated and told him that he would receive some. It seemed that the nature of the upgrades depended on the performance of each recruit. An amazing amount of technology and synthium must have been provided to accommodate so many people.

  Kelly looked at him and seemed relieved that she was not affected. Rod looked happy, but because he would get some, and he seemed to like it. Henry, Gina, Urma, Tim, and Tom also had surgery ahead of them. Leena had turned pale. When Carter looked at her bracelet and saw that she was to receive several upgrades, he understood why. She hated the military and everything it stood for. And now, against her will, it would even change her own body. He didn’t know how she would react, but she didn’t have a choice. Carter only wondered why she was chosen despite her parol. That didn’t seem plausible to him.

  Banes registered the whispering noise and spoke again: »As you may have noticed, only about a third of the recruits here receive upgrades. There are several types of modifications that have been selected for you. The selection is based on your performance and the potential the trainers see in you. Synthium is very precious, and even if these types of upgrades contain little of it, it would be far too expensive and unnecessary to give every recruit all the improvements.«

  He waited briefly and then sent all those to the barracks who would not receive upgrades. Turned to the rest, he said:

  »Your preparation and operation will take place within the next three weeks. The schedule is still being prepared. During this time no exit is allowed and no services will be distributed. Classes will continue as usual. Dismissed!«

  Despite the hard words he seemed to be depressed. Apparently, he did not agree.

  Carter hurried to his room and left it to Rod to assist Leena. He briefly spoke with Kelly and then called his father to inform him. Magnus, of course, knew about Zulath and he was very concerned about the current situation. But when he heard about the upgrades, he became absolutely silent. Carter had expected furious swearing, but his father didn’t say a word for several minutes. When he reacted again, he said:

  »So it’s come to this after all. I always suspected that they would do that at some point. My friends and I did everything we could to stop it, but Zulath knocked everything out. I could go out in rage now and round up everyone I know in the military, but I’m pretty sure that most of them are as shocked as we all are. At the moment, hardly anyone can think clearly. The fear has them firmly under control. We have to face reality, Carter. I can’t help that decision. If I try, I’ll do us both more harm than good.«

  Kelly bent into the picture and said angrily: »There must be something we can do!«

  Magnus sighed: »I’m afraid there’s nothing anyone can do anymore. However, I can make sure that you get better treatment. For such surgeries, the military uses the simplest upgrades. They are outdated, not always reliable and can only be surgically improved afterward. Which of you four did it affect?«

  Carter said: »Rod and Leena are also affected. And by ›affected‹, I mean with Leena, she’s completely helpless, angry, and totally beside herself.«

  »That is understandable. Depending on which upgrades they use on her, it will permanently affect her life. This is not a small beauty surgery, where you straighten her nose. What modifications are these exactly?«

  Kelly said: »They were assigned individually.«

  Magnus nodded because it seemed logical. Carter looked at his bracelet and read aloud:

  »With me, it’s supposed to be a T-28, an A-4M9, an X-34, a 6-H1, and a P5X. Whatever that is.«

  Magnus frowned disapprovingly.

  »I guess your success has paid off. You shall get some quite powerful things. However, they are still within a range that you can cope with. Nothing you can see from the outside at least. But they are all old models.«

  »What exactly are they for?«, Carter asked impatiently.

  »Oh, of course, excuse me. I spend the whole day with such identifiers and don’t think about explanations anymore. A T-28 is a muscle upgrade. synthium-reinforced biochips are implanted in five places in the body, which change the composition of the muscle groups within a very short time in such a way that one has many times more strength. This also protects the bones better against fractures and dislocations. This upgrade is always used in conjunction with the A-4M9. These are synthium reinforced joints. All your joints will be replaced by this more efficient version so that they can support the increased muscle tension and power.

  The X-34 is a brain implant at the nerve control center. It accelerates the transmission of incoming impulses and promotes the reaction processes in the brain. This increases the reflexes enormously so that you can even dodge gunfire with a little practice. 6-H1 is a combination upgrade for the lungs and heart to increase endurance. These are all things you can’t see and if the procedure goes smoothly you can’t feel them. You’ll only notice the P5X. This is an eyeball upgrade. It gives you an internal HUD on your retina that is synchronized with a multitool. So you can use basic HUD functions without glasses or a helmet.«

  Carter thought most of it didn’t sound so bad. He was more afraid of amputations that replaced whole body parts. Kelly didn’t find these things particularly disturbing either. Still, it seemed inappropriate to force such a thing.

  Magnus said: »I’ll make sure you get the latest synthium versions instead of the old military models. If Rod and Leena contact me
and tell me their upgrades, I’ll take care of them too. I want them to call me today so I can get everything sorted out in time.«

  He said goodbye because he had a lot to do. Carter brought the two to his and Kelly’s room. Rod showed him that he would get the same upgrades except for the eyes. Leena, however, had another identifier besides the HUD that no one else had. According to Magnus, it was a rarely used intelligence upgrade developed for strategists and scientists. It seemed unusual to him to give it to a recruit.

  »Improved intelligence is not something that can be considered a physical change. And it doesn’t hurt. Most things don’t sound that bad.«, Kelly found.

  But Leena was beside herself and screamed. She insulted the military in the strongest terms and then stormed out to complain.

  Although Rod was worried about Leena’s behavior, he was thrilled: »I think it’s brilliant! Who would have thought that I would be endowed with superhuman strength and endurance? A simple mechanic from the slums of New Denver. You can say what you want about the military, they are responsible for a lot of poverty after all, but they also give me the chance to make more of myself. And I won’t miss this opportunity.«

  Carter could well understand how Rod felt. Despite his origins, he had always run around with the feeling that he did not deserve the preferred treatment. Now he had the opportunity to make his own name. Nevertheless, he continued to wonder about the fact that Leena had been modified at all when she had acted openly against the system several times and almost ended up in prison. On the other hand, her behavior seemed much less stubborn than he had expected, despite the tirade and the screaming.