by D. P. Oberon
“Fuck yeah!” Buckingarra said and he jumped into the bed. The gelfoam detected his oncoming fall and cushioned it by turning the hardened upper layer soft. Buckingarra sank into the bed breathing in the gelfoam and sending bubbles. The armor pieces click locked over Buckingarra’s body instantly and appeared to grow over him.
Buckingarra came out of the bed like a cicada that had molted its old skin. He stood up, covered in that dark, slick armor. His face was fully covered. His voice amplified as he spoke.
“How do I look?” he asked.
Saradi laughed. He knew how he looked. Peng fawned as he stepped in front of Buckingarra.
Peng said, “Damn, wow. You look like Silvera!”
“Who the fuck is that?” asked Buckingarra.
“You don’t watch Stardock Twins?” Peng said.
“I ain’t no kid.” Buckingarra shook his head.
Peng’s hand tapped at Buckingarra’s shoulder. “Look at these shoulder mounts for the LR4s. They are so awesome.”
“Children with Christmas presents,” said Yoriko, sitting on the edge of her bed.
“Stealthy,” said Saradi. “Completely the opposite of the super-marine armor.”
Buckingarra, being a GunTech, had two LR4 rifles that jutted out of either end of his shoulders. The nozzles pointed down at an angle, turning as he shifted his body. Buckingarra turned and his helmet disappeared. He reached back for the two LR4s that attached themselves to the shoulder mounts. They came away quickly and he held the two rifles in his hand. A big smile cracked his dark face.
“Rat-tat-tat,” Buckingarra said, pointing the rifle at Saradi.
Now’s the time, Saradi thought the smile vanishing from her face. Peng submerged himself into his bed to don the armor. Yoriko had just been ejected and she stretched trying to get the feel of the armor. While they were busy she would talk to Buckingarra. She felt a slight curiosity for the armor that lay at the bottom of her bed. First things first.
“Bucki, need to have a word,” Saradi said, nodding for him to come outside.
“Righto,” said Buckingarra. He clicked the two LR4s back into his shoulder mounts.
They both took shelter under a covering over the walkways as a drizzle patted overhead. The air tasted of rain against hot titancrete slabs.
Saradi rubbed her neck and let out a long breath. Buckingarra’s five-foot-five frame stood in front of her with his arms crossed, his lower jaw jutting out. He carried himself with a swagger that rivalled the super-marines. He looked like a warrior in the sleek SOHIC armor.
“Things are ramping up now. We’re at the end of week four, and I feel if we continue the hard work we can get to end of week five,” she said.
“Yeah for sure,” he said.
“You clown around, you talk over Peng and Yoriko, and you have a penchant to do your own thing. I can’t have that anymore. I need you to get serious and be part of the team. And when Peng and Yoriko are voicing their thoughts I need you to shut up and listen.” Saradi’s hand flung out, punctuating her words. “And lastly when I give you a direct order you will obey right away. Are we clear?”
“Yeah,” he said, chewing his lower lip.
“Are we clear, recruit?” she said forcefully.
“Yes we are, Squad Leader,” he replied.
“Why did you join?” she asked.
He frowned. “I screwed up and Trisdale offered me a chance to redeem myself.”
“Dismissed,” she said, and he didn’t go back into their barracks but turned on his feet and headed for the courtyard.
Nor did she see the murderous look he shot at her as she strode back into the barracks. His hands gripped into fists and reached for the LR4 rifles.
That night, against her own express command, Saradi brought up the scores again.
Top 3 Squads
Bravo Two Six: 40 pts
Bravo Two Five: 28 pts
Bravo Two Three: 21 pts
“How could they get perfect scores?” Saradi whispered as she stare the 40 posted for Chengmedu’s squad. His squad consisted of ex-super-marines and they’d completed everything asked of them, but at times they hadn’t done it so well. Recently other squads started to catch up to them. But to get a perfect ten each week? That was unheard of.
As before, Saradi scrolled down and stared at the very last entries on the list.
Bottom 3 Squads
Echo One Five: 15 pts
Bravo Two Seven: 12 pts
Bravo Two Zero: 5 pts
“This is bullshit,” she said to herself. “We’re at the bottom? How can that be?” It meant they had only made one point in the two previous weeks since they had been negative two during the first week, so now they stood at zero points.
She closed down the display then lay against the headboard of her bed and didn’t sleep. Her mind raced through a thousand thoughts and explanations. None of the answers comforted her.
A noise startled Saradi. Yoriko sat on the bench in the middle of the barracks. She held something in her hand that glowed red. Saradi closed her holo-display, left her bed, and joined Yoriko.
“Can’t sleep?” Saradi asked, as she slid herself onto the bench.
Yoriko’s knees pressed themselves against her chin. She stared at something below the table. She breathed out a deep breath as if resigning herself to faith and put the crystal cone on the table.
Saradi’s heart almost stopped. There on the table lay a red glowing dog tag. She stood up immediately went back into her inventory closet, authorized her gene-ID against the scan, and fished for Bheemasena’s dog tag. For a moment her fingers didn’t find it and she panicked and then she touched the cool glass. The relief almost made her swoon. She went back to sit opposite Yoriko and put Bheemasena’s dog tag on the table opposite Yoriko’s dog tag, where it glowed green.
“This is Michiko’s. She’s dead,” Yoriko said. She took the dog tag and pressed the cone like shape against her face as if it were a teddy bear. Tears welled in her eyes. The red light of the dog tag made half her face appear burned.
Saradi said, “Don’t give up hope. When SOHIC first gave me Bheemasena’s dog it glowed red. It changed color later.”
Yoriko shook her head, her fine hair cascading like corn silk. “No, Saradi, that’s not possible. I’m a Code-Poet Laureate, I designed the original dog tags that these were based on. You can’t change from red to yellow or green. Red means dead.”
As they both stared at Bheemasena’s green dog tag the bright color slowly seeped out of the green and its glow turned yellow.
Saradi’s clamped her hands against the bench. “Oh no!” She began to panic.
“May I?” asked Yoriko. Saradi nodded. The Japanese woman reached for Bheemasena’s dog tag and stared at it. A thoughtful expression appeared on her face. Slender pale fingers traced the narrowed cone. A frown appeared on her face. She grabbed Michiko’s dog tag and Bheemasena’s dog tag and held them next to one another.
Saradi gasped. Bheemasena’s dog tag, the lower part of it, the cone had been cut in very specific angles. It was also shorter. Whereas Michiko’s dog tag was smoother at the pointed end.
Yoriko crawled back onto her bed so that she sat in the middle of it, took out her comp-node and started to type. She lay both dog tags on her bed. Several wires came out from the comp-node and connected to the dog tags.
“I can read all of Michiko’s data,” Yoriko said, nodding at the red glowing dog tag. “But not Bheemasena’s.” She fingered the pointed end of Bheemasena’s dog tag. “This incision was made purposefully, Sara. Looks like the groves in a key. Did AAEDEF ever tell if you if they retrieved data from his dog tag?”
Saradi shook her head. “Trisdale gave it back to me during the first week. Said they couldn’t find out much about it. He was disappointed.”
“Keep it secure.” Yoriko pressed Bheemasena’s dog tag into Saradi’s hands.
It still glowed yellow.
#
During week six a single
encounter with Instructor Ali seared itself into Saradi’s mind. Saradi caught Instructor Ali after she’d shown them how to use the features in their weapons and armor they hadn’t already figured out for themselves.
“Instructor Ali,” Saradi called, holding up her hand, and jogging towards the woman. They had made it to week six. It was difficult to get any time alone with the instructor, but Saradi managed to catch her after a weapons demo.
Instructor Ali turned and nodded to Saradi as she waited at the edge of the courtyard. The hum of an aero-kart filled the air as one paused and hovered near Ali.
“May I have a word?” Saradi ask.
“Go ahead squad leader.” Ali’s dark shades retracted, revealing her eyes and face.
“Yoriko — my CommsTech — you might know of her?”
“We’re well aware of the Code Poet Laureate. She’s been our books for a while. I’m glad she’s here.”
Well maybe not after you hear what I have to say. Saradi said, “Yoriko did some of her own predictalytics.”
At that word Saradi couldn’t help but notice Instructor Ali’s eyes tighten. “You asked her to do this?” the Instructor asked.
“No,” Saradi said. “But that’s got nothing—”
“Let me guess, Yoriko found that we kicked out a squad in the top five?”
Saradi exhaled, relieved. “Yes, and from what I’ve seen and read of Yoriko, I don’t think she makes mistakes.”
Instructor Ali huffed so shallowly that Saradi thought she was seeing things, but then she said, “MilHire, a SOHIC AI churns through the scores. Every single thing is recorded during Selection. MilHire decides the scores. Not any fallible human.” Instructor Ali saluted and made to leave.
“Instructor Ali, what happened in Platypus Lagoon?”
Instructor Ali’s lips snarled and her hands clenched into claws by her sides. Saradi raised her arms and stepped back, moving automatically into the fighting stance the sims had taught her.
“Potential recruit Anantadevi, that answer is above your pay grade.” Instructor Ali jumped into the aero-kart.
“When I pass Selection, will you tell me then?” Saradi asked. “Bheem is my brother,” she blurted when the anger on Instructor Ali’s face threatened to explode.
“Bheem was a damn good soldier.”
“Answer my question, when I pass Selection, will you tell me?” Saradi pressed.
Instructor Ali’s index finger jabbed into Saradi’s collarbone. “If you pass Selection.” She turned forward and the aero-kart sped her away.
“If?” Saradi growled softly beneath her breath. “I’ll show you if.”
Chapter 22 – Saradi vs. Chengmedu
Selection, Week 7
Instructor Ali strode to and forth in front of her recruits. The gigantic virtual training center stretched out in one of the many halls of the SOHIC training facility. The room looked like an empty basketball stadium free of lines on the floor or the accompanying backboards and rings. But they had been told they would be playing basketball. Saradi had long ago figured out that when Instructor Ali talked about anything to do with ‘playing’ it meant they’d be using weapons.
Instructor Ali said, “So, there are four squads left. We’ve been too serious these past five weeks. Let’s have a little fun. We’ll have a two versus two and the winner of those two will meet up in the finals. Whoever wins will get double points this week.”
Double points? Saradi thrummed with anticipation. Could they grab the double points? She glanced at Yoriko hopefully. Peng thumbs upped Buckingarra.
“We can do this,” Saradi said. “Week six, baby,” she said to her squad. Behind her, the members of Bravo Two Eight spoke excitedly. No doubt they would gun for the extra points.
“Week sex, hell yeah,” Buckingarra said.
Bravo Two Six lined up to their right. Immediately behind them stood the four members of Bravo Two Three.
“I’m glad you’re all so pumped and excited,” Instructor Ali said. She made a pulling gesture as if opening drapes and the holo-display showed the tournament bracket.
Round 1: Bravo Two Zero v. Bravo Two Eight
Round 2: Bravo Two Six v Bravo Two Three
Final Round: Winner Round 1 vs Winner Round 2
“This is going to be a live ammunition exercise. That’s why you’re wearing your full armor. By now your armor and weapon sets, and your specializations, should be like your second skin.”
Buckingarra grunted. “It’s my first skin.”
Instructor Ali said, “When I call it, this virtual stadium will split into two separate courts. Stay away from the lines that divide you right now. They can slice you clean in half. The rules are simple. There will be a ball in the middle and you are to carry this ball and touch it against the opponent’s goal. The only rule is that everyone in your squad must touch the ball and everyone must remain alive in order for you to score a point. Each game is one point.”
Two hours later Bravo Two Zero wolf whistled and clapped each other on their backs. Buckingarra chest-fived each of them and howled. The members of Bravo Two Eight trudged away into the distance, disappearing through black doors. Saradi felt great. For the first time everything seemed to be going fine. They had just defeated another squad and celebrated raucously as the stadium reset around them.
“Sara,” Yoriko’s gently voice said. “Look.”
Chengmedu and the rest of the members of Bravo Two Six trod towards them. They didn’t celebrate with any of the jubilation that Bravo Two Zero evinced.
“Quiet,” Saradi said, suddenly feeling foolish.
Chengmedu strode towards them. Yasmie Lasi’s face streaked with blood, Karavat Tsing’s leg armor looked dinted and scraped with dried blood, Eyra Alvarez’s LR4 had chips along the barrel like she’d used it as a bat.
They gave the impression of coiled danger ready to be unleashed.
Chengmedu and Saradi strode to the center circle stopping as their booted feet touched the inner circle. Instructor Ali appeared out of the white space. “Round two. Well, this should be fun.”
Saradi stared at her. Instructor Ali appeared to be getting more relaxed as the time wore on. As if reading Saradi’s thoughts her face wiped itself of emotion.
“Shake hands,” Instructor Ali said.
Saradi held out her gauntleted right fist toward Chengmedu and he shook it.
“Good luck, Sara,” he said. It appeared genuine, too, and behind him Yasmie Lasi rolled her eyes.
“You too,” she replied, feeling surprised. It was the first time he’d ever been civil to her.
“Begin!” Instructor Ali shouted.
The small, virtual ball appeared in the small circle, and the squads were transported to either end of the court. As this happened the obstacles around the court grew. A ramp filled either end of the court, and where there would normally be a basket stood a glowing wall. Whoever touched the ball into the glowing wall would win.
Three large triangles sprouted on the sides of the court. They were tall and black and provided a good place to pop-and-stop. Aside from this, what would be the key area on a real basketball court was a hot lava pool on this court. A fence glowing blue with electricity fizzed where the three-point-line would be, and on it appeared a shifting door that opened and closed at random. The court was twice the size of a normal basketball court.
Saradi and her squad stood at their end, near the key; the heat of the lava made them sweat. The flooring had turned into a rocky ground that made for treacherous footing.
Huge trees grew from the middle of the court with large hanging vines. The trees bordered a creek that bifurcated the court in half. The ball floated in the middle of the creek, turning lazily under the running water.
“Okay, last time was a little too close for my liking,” Saradi said, eyeing Buckingarra. “Keep in a staggered arrow formation. Buckingarra will take north, I will always be a meter to his right, covering east. Peng you bring up the rear covering the south, and Yoriko
you take the west. Keep an overlap of one meter. Shoot to kill.”
They ran for the two triangles, separating into two. Buckingarra and Peng, Saradi and Yoriko. That coupling had come up naturally during the last five weeks.
Saradi knelt down. From their third of the court they could see the rest of the court through the slits in the triangular obstacles. Nobody from Bravo Two Six attempted to get to the ball. It seemed like everybody learned from the last game. Whoever got to the ball first was shot. It was also hard to move around without making a sound as the stones beneath crackled and popped.
Saradi stayed put, heart beating in her chest so quickly. This was Bravo Two Six. The only team to score perfectly so far.
“Sara?” said Yoriko.
Saradi realized she’d seized up. Her thoughts raced furiously. They each had two grenades. The most difficult part of the game was the standing order to keep everyone alive. If that hadn’t been in place it would’ve been much easier. Because of it, the squad leaders had to plan and be patient.
But Saradi wanted to win.
She’d watched Chengmedu in these last six weeks. He wasn’t the dumb brute he looked like. He was cautious and always kept each squad mate covering another. They would never be caught solo. They had been taught to fight as a squad and that’s what they did.
SOHIC enforced squads and squad scoring during Selection. But Saradi read the localnet articles. Many SOHIC missions had been won because of solo actions. Saradi was certain SOHIC wasn’t meant to be like the super-marines. SOHIC armor had camouflage, full built-in remote comms, and they’d been given full decentralized authority. She’d been thinking about this for over a week now.
It would be close to suicidal.
But they could win.
Somebody could get killed, Saradi thought.
Another voice told her this is war.
Yes, but what if they penalize you for a high risk strategy?
“On me,” Saradi called, waving her hand at Peng and Buckingarra.
