by Aer-ki Jyr
“Now,” Jace continued as the arm pieces were slipped over Nratch’s wrists and pulled up to his shoulders, minus the gloves, “the color. Archon armor is either red, silver, or green at this point…and we’ll be adding another when our skill level merits it. Star Force Regulars have dirty white armor of a similar design, though it’s not identical to ours. The Knights have pure white armor, also of a slightly different design, and the Clans have identical armor to the Regulars, though they’re all individually colored to match their affiliation.”
“Your armor is orange, and designates you as a Calavari Knight. You are, as of this moment, a part of Star Force’s military. Other Calavari soldiers will not possess this armor. What they will have has not yet been determined, nor is it your concern. You are here to train, to learn, and to grow to the point where you will be sent back to fight the Nestafar and Cajdital, and you will do so as an integrated part of Star Force.”
“Obviously, there are differences between you and the Human Knights, both advantages and disadvantages. You will learn from each other, test each other, and make each other better…but be warned, you are infants compared to the rest and still have a long way to go, but today marks the beginning of the Calavari Knights, of which this armor is a symbol, but it’s far more than that. It is a weapon unlike any you’ve used before.”
Nratch wiggled on the first pair of arms, repeated the process with the second, then pulled on the armored gloves he was given, locking those in place. His helmet came last, but it was Jace who brought it to him, hesitating before he handed it over.
“The helmet has comm gear, and access to our battlemap. You haven’t used it yet, but it allows for tracing of allied and enemy units by relaying data from one unit to another. We have a network that shares that data, allowing one set of eyes to be shared by all. There are a few switches inside that you’ll have to learn to use your tongue to manage, but the interface controls are on your forearm gauntlet…lower left, I believe.”
Jace nodded at Nratch, and the Calavari looked around until he found the release, then pulled an armored panel up on a hinge, revealing a slew of large buttons…or large for a Human’s finger, but normal for a Calavari.
“There are a lot of options, which you’ll be educated in later. Know that the helmet is what contains the transmission gear and power pack, and it links in to the other systems at the back of the neck. Those systems are minor, and will not help you move the armor. Again, that comes from muscle power, which you must develop further. The power pack for your energy shields is separate, and located in the torso section.”
Jace handled the Calavari the helmet, who took it up higher than the Archon could reach and slipped it on over his large head, then snapped it into place, completing the air tight seal.
Then suddenly the Calavari was gone…replaced by a bright orange, four-armed Knight.
Jace walked over to another crate and pulled out what looked like a thick suit case with a green helmet attached to the top. He pulled it off and unfurled his own armor into one sprawling piece that he stepped into and locked up inside of 30 seconds, finishing off with his helmet that altered his voice into a slightly more mechanical version.
“Alright guys, suit up. We’ve got some drills to run through.”
Bronsor walked forward with the others, each finding the crate that held their armor. He opened his and pulled out one of the boots, finding it was heavier than he’d expected. He put it on, trying to duplicate the procedure he’d seen with Nratch, and had it halfway fitted before a trainer came around and showed him how to adjust the tension straps.
He got his other boot on with less trouble, then proceeded to the cod piece, thighs, and torso section, making sure to smooth out any wrinkles as he went. He walked around a bit, just a few steps here and there, surprised by the weight/agility level. His movements were smooth, yet slowed, as if he’d suddenly lost a great deal of fitness. He wondered about that as he pulled his arm pieces on one by one, then locked them in place and went for the gloves. Unlike the Archon’s and Human Knights’, the Calavari’s armored hands only had four fingers that were considerably thicker. Fortunately the gloves fit perfectly to his anatomy, allowing him most of his original dexterity while cushioning his digits against the hard plates that now covered them.
Bronsor liked the feel and flexed his hands thoroughly as he shifted around, making sure all the clicks were completed so that his armor was connected properly, then he held up his helmet, looking inside at the tongue switches and hitting one with his finger before sliding it on.
That one was the power switch, which he then tested with his thick tongue, making sure he could reach. He flicked the power off and back on again, then snapped the helmet in place, making connection with the rest of the armor and getting a status diagnostic that showed full strength on his armor plating…or was it his shields?
He wasn’t sure, as most of the internal helmet displays were new to him, but at the prompting of the handlers and the Archon he didn’t worry about it. After all of the Calavari got into their armor Bronsor followed Jace out, feeling his movements were slow yet strong, and walked to a nearby chamber that held a running track.
“Ok, first rule…no stopping, no walking. Run as slow as you have to, but keep going. It’s going to take a while for you to learn the new movements, then a long time to adapt to the armor, so be prepared to suffer for a while,” Jace said, stepping out ahead of the group and down to lane one. “Your size and strength are assets in combat…but it also makes you slow, which is a disadvantage, even for a Knight. You have to lessen this disadvantage, which the armor makes even worse. Today you get four laps in the armor. Try to make it before I get 8 in.”
With that Jace took off around the track and Bronsor’s jaw dropped inside his helmet as he saw how fast his little green armor was moving.
“Move, move, move!” one of the trainers yelled as a pair of Human Knights bumped arms with the Calavari and started pacing them around the track wearing their bright white armor.
Bronsor and the others got going, realizing they were on the clock as Jace disappeared around the first turn. At first the running seemed normal, but by the time he’d gotten past the first 100 meters his body seemed to change its mind and start to drag on him, but as he’d been instructed he slowed down and continued running, not able to keep pace with the white Knights who evenly trudged their way around the track, making it painfully obvious how inferior the Calavari were.
A few brave ones stuck with them for the first lap, heaving their two sets of arms back and forth to maintain rhythm, but they all dropped off pace over the second lap as the Archon came around and lapped them all before they even completed the first circuit. When he passed Bronsor the Calavari was laboring, and he got the message the Human was trying to impart.
Wearing armor required a higher level of strength and skill. It wasn’t just something you put on and you were instantly more combat capable…you had to adjust to it first, meaning that he and the others had to learn to wear it, and that it wasn’t just something that Star Force could give to the rest of the Calavari to use in the war against the Nestafar.
That realization made the Humans all the more impressive, especially the Archon, who moved with such a fluid grace and speed that seemed to defy the physics of his hard plating. Jace finished his 8 laps 100 meters ahead of Bronsor, who crossed the finish line to realize there was a clock running. He marked a 10:53, which was more than 4 minutes slower than his best time of 6:04.
When he crossed the line he almost collapsed, but had the sense to clear the line so others could come across and walked a few steps further, then bent over and breathed deeply, finding that the helmet didn’t cut back on his oxygen intake despite the close cage over his mouth and nose.
“What’s the matter guys,” Jace gloated with his synthesized voice booming from the speakers inside the Calavari’s helmets as he transmitted directly to them over the comm. “That was just an easy run for me, and my armo
r is a lot denser than yours. Come now, are you going to let a pathetic Human show you up?”
“You are anything but pathetic,” one of the Calavari answered back over his exterior mic, not knowing yet how to respond over the comm.
“No, I’m not,” Jace agreed. “But I’ve had 400 years of training to get this far. You’ve only had a handful of months. Longevity is the key. That’s why we needed you to come here and train instead of going right back at the Nestafar. Training is everything, and with it, you can unlock a power you’ve never known. This armor is the first major piece of that power.”
The trailblazer glanced at one of the Knights, who were noticeably not winded as the Calavari were. He walked over in his white armor and clapped a slightly larger Calavari on the back as it was doubled over, still gasping for air.
“Welcome to Star Force…and a whole new kind of warfare.”
8
March 2, 2441
Prolio System
HTC
Bronsor ducked behind his ‘half’ shield, with several stingers splattering against it from the nearby turret. He kept his helmeted head down, knowing well that the training armor he was wearing wouldn’t absorb the stun energy like his combat set would. Then again, it wouldn’t be much of a challenge if he and the other 5 Calavari on his team could just walk up to the finish pedestal with impunity.
He pulled out one of the specially made stinger pistols Star Force had designed for the Calavari from a hip holster and held it at ready behind his left shield with his lower hand, knowing he was going to have to be quick or get a face full of paint. Bringing his right side half shield around, which was actually more of a 3/4ths version of the Knights’ full shields, he touched the inner edges together, making a wedge that he hid within, hoping the turret wouldn’t hit his exposed feet as he stepped forward.
Bronsor felt the stingers impacting the shield and felt just a hint of numbness entering his forearms as it soaked through the material, but it wasn’t enough to cause him to drop them. Plodding forward under the turret fire he got within 10 meters and cracked the shields apart, popping the pistol out through the gap and firing repeatedly at the target sphere atop the turret with orange paint.
Two of the red stingers got through the gap and hit him in the chest. His arms went weak and his shields split even more, allowing the kill shots through. Bronsor blacked out from multiple hits and keeled over unconscious, only to wake up some time later staring up into the white helmet of a Knight.
“What did you do wrong?” Marshal asked behind the faceplate.
“I opened myself up to attack in order to land a killing shot,” Bronsor answered in English, sitting up and shaking his head clear. One of his armored gloves had been removed to inject him with the destunning serum, which he now pulled back on, looking down at the globs of red paint covering his dull gray armor.
“Stupid,” the elder Knight pronounced. “It takes more than one hit to take down a turret, and you exposed your center line on top of it. You have shields and four arms, use them!”
Marshall stepped back and Bronsor stood up. He was a few inches taller than the Human, but he felt the smaller, for the Knight was far stronger than he could ever hope to be.
“Pick up your shields and weapon.”
Bronsor leaned over and retrieved his gear, seeing none of his team around. The challenge had obviously ended, but he didn’t know if they’d won or lost.
“Repeat what you did.”
Bronsor faced the turret and split his shields slightly, sticking the pistol out into the gap.
“Hold,” Marshal said, walking around in front of him. He grabbed his left shield and pushed it wide, tucking it back along the Calavari’s left shoulders. Then he grabbed the right shield and pulled it across his body so it shielded his torso and came within a few inches of the other shield, but set at nearly a 90 degree angle.
“There, now poke your weapon out.”
Bronsor did as instructed, seeing the improved cover…but little else.
“I cannot see the target,” he said, with the right shield blocking his eye line to the turret.
“And it cannot see you, which is the point.”
“How do I shoot it…guess?”
“Bronsor,” Marshal said harshly, “you have lasted longer than most of the others because you are committed, but commitment doesn’t make a Knight. You have to be smart, and in order to be smart you have to learn to figure some things out for yourself. You have a stationary target…that is all you need to know. Prepare yourself, the turret is going live in 10 seconds.”
The Knight stepped away, leaving the Calavari where he was.
“Oh, and some of the others are too. Get to the finish.”
“As instructed,” Bronsor said, holding position and waiting for the turret to come online. He was trying to figure out how to aim when he couldn’t see, then the paint started flying and he huddled up behind his shields in the form that the Knight had instructed. It worked in so far as allowing his pistol to fire out without him exposing more than his hand, but he couldn’t see what he was shooting at.
He fired off a few shots guessing where the target was…then he remembered what the Knight said. It was a stationary target, meaning a fixed location that wouldn’t alter.
Bronsor took a step to the side and rotated around quickly, bringing the narrow gap between his shields across his eye line for a blink of vision. He rotated back again and repeated several times, mentally approximating where the target sphere was atop the turret with each flash, then he tucked back up to the shields and fired where he remembered it to be.
He fired off 5 shots, then flipped the gap back across his vision, seeing some paint on the underside, meaning he had been shooting low. He fired off another pair blind then check again, whipping the gap across his vision fast enough that it was unlikely a stinger was going to get through in the split second his face and chest were lined up.
Those two orange splats had hit, so he tried to repeat the process, wasting a lot of missed shots but eventually getting the turret up to its saturation limit where it deactivated.
Bronsor poked his head out to make sure, then seeing the barrels no longer puffing out the little paintballs he walked forward and passed through the narrow corridor the turret had been guarding. When he exited out the far side of the artificial mini-canyon he caught another red splat on his left shield, seeing that there were more active turrets on the other side.
On reflex he rammed his way forward, tucked up behind his shields and pulling out his second pistol so that he held the shields with his upper arms and the pair of stingers in the lower hands. Getting a feel for where the two turrets were he slid his shields in to the alignment the Knight had showed him and poked one pistol out the gap, then brought the other around the far side of the shield where…
Suddenly his back went numb as several stingers hit him from behind, then he blacked out and dropped hard with a crunch of armor on shields.
“They’re slow learners,” Marshal said to Jace in the observation blind over the training course as Bronsor woke up from the stun on his own and stood…only to get mowed down by the same turrets again, this time without his shields blocking two of the stinger streams.
“Ouch,” Jace winced in sympathy. The Calavari had head to toe armor on, but the sheer number of hits meant an awful lot of stun energy going into his body…which would end up with pins and needles galore when he woke up again naturally. “Guess the situational awareness is a bit low.”
“They’re brutes,” Marshal said emotionlessly. “They should be better than us, given their advantages, but they’re physically and mentally slow, and unless they learn to counter that it won’t matter how many hands they have.”
“Easy,” the trailblazer said, taking remote control of a hidden turret and popping it out of the ceiling where he aimed at Bronsor and fired a single paintball down onto his chest…this one carried in it a cancelling effect that would negate some of the stun and
bring him back awake faster, though it was coated in red same as the stingers, so the trainees wouldn’t know the difference. “They’re first gen.”
“So were we,” Marshal pointed out.
“You didn’t learn very fast, if I remember correctly,” Jace recalled. “If they had other Calavari to learn from this would be going faster…and it will once we get this group squared off.”
“They have us to learn from and they’re still progressing at a snail’s pace.”
Jace looked up at the helmetless Knight that stood more than a foot taller than him. “You had the Black Knight to pattern off of, they have a bunch of skinny, two-armed bipeds to emulate…which they can’t do, so they have to learn what it means to be a Calavari Knight, same as you had to learn what it meant to be a Knight.”
“We weren’t this slow.”
“They’re making progress, which is all that matters. If that stalls out then we’re in trouble.”
“We’re down to 8,” Marshal reminded him. “I’m not sure we’re going to have any in the first class make it through qualification.”
“We’ll get them there if they’re willing,” Jace said, watching as Bronsor began to stir. “Just remember, they’re coming in as ignorant as you were when you came from the MMA.”
Marshal looked down at the Archon. “I’m surprised you remembered that.”
“Also remember, that you’re not a 450 pound mass. They’re going to have to work harder to meet the same agility standards.”
“Unlike you, I’m well aware of the difference. I didn’t always weight 340.”
“My point is it’s worse for them, and when you’re used to moving slow your mindset centers around that. Being quick and devious is totally alien to them.”
“I don’t need devious, just some ingenuity to work with.”
“They’re used to being used as cannon fodder,” Jace pointed out, “with some upgrades. Their shield belts gave them some longevity, but standing toe to toe and slugging it out has been the Calavari way.”
