Before Diosa could add anything, Fire Dove’s screen beeped.
“The doctor can see no damage,” Uxue read. “If you are feeling discomfort, it’s recommended you take a day off from your duties.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Diosa replied. “What do you suggest, Doctor Uxue?”
“Aspirin and an ice pack,” he ordered. “It should get you through the gerbil cages tomorrow. Unless you decide to play Earth Element. Then Warlock, there is nothing I can offer except prayers.”
“I didn’t think you were religious, Fire Dove?” Diosa commented.
“I’m not except for the good book,” the combat medic said as he pulled a book from beside the viewer. “Gray’s Anatomy. It never lets me down.”
Chapter - 8 Gerbil Cages
Tubes of clear plastic arched, intersected, and ran on parallel levels from the floor to the celling. The gerbil cages occupied one third of the Striker training building. Large stacked rectangles, piled at different angles, covered the rest of the floor. All of them the size of corridors and passageways on spaceships. The long boxes mimicked the preferred battlefield of the Strike Kill Teams.
“Good morning, furry creatures,” Chief Inspector Ulric announced as the class filed into the building. “Random pairings, my choice.”
There was a happiness in his voice that foretold his intent.
“Aloisia and Callum, Daiki and Joris, you are teams one and two,” directed Ulric to the obvious disappointment of Joris and Aloisia. “Braulio and Alya, Radko and Dewi, Gurvan and Gregor, and the last pair, Diosa and Malak. Collect your headbands and go to the starting positions.”
From boxes marked by pairs, the candidates selected headbands. Once secured around their heads, the pairs moved to numbered positions under the lowest tube.
“Standby for gerbil runs,” Ulric stated as he pulled on a headset. “Control, go!”
In a control platform mounted under the ceiling, three instructors looked down as they switched on the program. Yellow lights glowed under all six openings.
Daiki and Joris’ light flashed green and Daiki, the Earth, reached out, gripped Joris’ waist and plucked him from the deck and tossed the Sky Element high into the tube. Joris locked his arms over an edge and let his legs dangle. Daiki leaped up, clamped onto the Sky Element and used his body to climb into the crossing tube. Before they both were fully in the tube, a track of green lights lit up behind them. They spun and, on hands and knees, jumped across the opening and fast crawled following the lights.
Braulio and Alya caught a green. Alya soared up and Braulio climbed up the Sky Element. Radko and Dewi, Gurvan and Gregor, and Diosa and Malak received greens and they performed the mounting maneuvers. Only Aloisia and Callum remained on the deck staring at the yellow hold light.
The five pair in the gerbil run followed lighted paths and soon every level of the tubing had candidates crisscrossing paths, as they climbed through, across and up or down. And still Aloisia and Callum stood waiting.
Diosa lay on her back with half her lower body hanging over a gap. Malak crawled onto her raised feet and steadied. With a shove of her arms, Warlock, acting as an Earth, slid completely over the gap and tightened her arms. Shoulders shaking, Diosa pressed into a handstand lifting Malak higher in higher, vertical tube. Before he could grab hold of the edge of the intersection tube, their green lights flashed indicating a path back down the tube.
“Dropping,” shouted Malak.
“Alert,” replied Diosa as she folded her arms, tucked and dropped into the tube Malak had just left. He came down sliding until he reached her level.
The Sky Element held his arms and legs out to slow his descent as he slid down. When he reached Diosa, she locked wrists with him allowing the Sky Element to bring his feet together. He got his toes on the next lower tube, but he didn’t rest on the edge. Rather he dropped his body into the tube while pulling Diosa’s wrists. Between his pull and her kick off the wall as she dove into the tube, the forces propelled her into the same tube as Malak.
“Lights,” she demanded asking which direction they needed to travel.
“Your six,” he said as he crawled over her sprawled form.
While Diosa and Malak, and the other candidates fought their battles in the gerbil run, Aloisia and Callum’s light finally flashed green. The Earth tossed Callum into the tube and as she started climbing his body, their path lit up. Greens, straight up five levels to the top, guided them.
The straight path resembled a gift except every team was electronically timed based on the distance and difficulty of the U-turns and climbs in a downward direction. The last team in would have marks placed against the candidates. Gurvan and Callum already had demerits. While Gurvan with Gregor was moving steadily through the tubes, Callum found himself with an unfamiliar Earth, fighting for his place in the class.
Aloisia, as steady as a full Striker, braced and lifted the shaking Sky Element. Whether it was the pressure of the gerbil run, or the effects of one of Ulric’s friendly talks, didn’t matter. When Callum missed a grab, he fell and rather than reach for Aloisia, he folded his arms and dropped.
“Candidate Aloisia Kelian. You are still active,” Ulric’s voice came over one of the small speakers in the tubes. “Unless you’d rather forget all this useless crawling around. I hear they have peach cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream at the mess hall for lunch. If I were you, I’d drop down and go for dessert.”
But the Earth Element wasn’t listening. She had four levels to traverse. With her arms pressed against the sides and her legs thrust out, she shimmied. Lifting a foot to a higher position, she moved slowly but steadily up the tube.
Two candidates approached the tube above her. She didn’t see them as her focus was on the feet and hands moving like spider legs up a slick drain spout.
“Malak. Hands,” Diosa ordered as she spun and reached down.
Malak joined her and together, they hoisted Aloisia to their level. Once her feet were firm on the edges, Malak crawled between Aloisia’s legs following Diosa on their green lit path.
“The peach cobbler tastes like ion burn ash,” Diosa’s voice floated back.
Aloisia leaped up, set her feet and hands, and continued the chimney climb. Just below the next cross tube, two other candidates reached down and tugged her to their level.
Daiki and Joris didn’t stop to talk. They had their own fight. But unseen by everyone else was the stupid grin on Joris’ face at the pleasure of helping his favorite Earth Element. Then they were on to where the lights turned and they set about helping each other up the next tube.
Speed and teamwork between an Earth Element and a Sky Element were the key to surviving the gerbil run. As a lone climber the odds were against her, but the two lifts helped Aloisia finished third. Just behind Braulio and Alya, and Gurvan and Gregor. But ahead of Diosa and Malak, and Daiki and Joris. Radko and Dewi, although they reached the finish line ahead of other pairs, were placed last by the controllers.
“Radko Václav. Dewi Kechik. It’s not too bad,” Ulric consoled them. “If you drop out now, there will be no record of your valiant but fruitless efforts. Go take the rest of the day to decide if this is for you. Go get some rest.”
“I’m good, Chief Instructor,” Dewi replied to the suggestion.
“As am I, Chief Instructor,” added Radko.
Diosa watched Radko during the exchange. The Earth Element had the size and strength but something was lacking. Dewi showed herself to be a superb Sky Element, and yet when teamed with Radko, her skills were suppressed as seen by the last place finish.
“Well if you insist! A demerit for Radko Václav and for Dewi Kechik,” Ulric announced happily. “Let’s see how long before you get another. Break for lunch people.”
“Do they really have peach cobbler?” Alya asked.
“I have no idea what the mess hall is serving,” Ulric replied. “Go eat. You’ll need your strength this afternoon.”
***
Diosa fell in beside Dewi as they left the building and crossed the parade ground. On the far side of the paved area, new candidates were struggling with the ropes on the confidence course. Not only did many of them fall into the nets but they were pretty much the same size. Almost uniformly, the new candidates resembled fit young men and women. Unlike the Phase V class where the lean Sky Elements rippled and the Earth Elements boasted slabs of muscle, those just entering Strike Kill team training weren’t physically molded to fit their job.
“You’ll be fine,” Diosa advised. “One demerit isn’t the end.”
“Two more and I’ll be sent back to Phase IV,” Dewi replied. “I didn’t like Phase IV.”
“No one enjoys falling from that height,” Diosa answered. “But you made it while, what half your class of Sky Elements failed?”
“More than half were send to back to Phase III or dismissed from the Striker program,” Dewi reported. “But you’ve been here before and graduated. Why at your age are you back here?”
“I got busted up pretty good on a mission,” replied Diosa. “And they disbursed my team. I didn’t want to step into an existing team. If I qualify, I can select my own Strikers.”
“How am I doing?” Dewi asked.
“Let’s just say, Gregor and I will have to arm wrestle to see who selects you,” Diosa said. “But it isn’t you who I want to discuss.”
“You want to talk about Radko, I’d guess,” suggested Dewi. “You know he almost washed out in Phase II. Lost his temper and swung on an Earth instructor.”
A candidate just growing into his mass attacking an experienced Earth Element was close to a gym rat punching a professional boxer.
“How did Radko do?” inquired Diosa.
“I didn’t see it but I’ve heard a lot of reports,” admitted Dewi. “Seems the instructor caught Radko’s fist and forced him to his knees. Then, the instructor slapped him several times. After a lecture in proper hand to hand combat, the instructor used his feet and knees to roll him across the parade ground. After pulling Radko to his feet, the instructor had him rejoin the class.”
“Correcting his posture is a time-honored training technique,” Diosa commented. “So, what happened to Radko in the gerbil cages?”
“I’ve seen him do it before,” Dewi explained. “On ropes or individual drills, he’s as good as any Earth Element. But as soon as he has to depend on a Sky, he gets all weird.”
“Like today?”
“He hesitated before grabbing my wrists and letting me take his weight,” Dewi said as she flexed the corded muscles in her arms. “Then, he held back on throwing me. As if I would break. I’m a Phase V Sky, please.”
Diosa had to smile at the confidence, although she knew it was earned by hard training.
“Thank you, Dewi. Let’s keep this discussion between us,” suggested Diosa.
“Sure thing, Warlock,” Dewi promised to Diosa’s surprise.
“And how did you learn my call sign?” inquired Diosa. “Not that it’s a secret but, it isn’t common knowledge among the candidates.”
“We watched a video at the start of Phase IV,” Dewi confessed. “Team Leader Warlock jumped through enemy fire while her team was pinned down at a four-corridor intersection. She sliced and diced three pirates with her sword to protect her team. I can tell you, ma’am, I was impressed. When I observed your movements yesterday on the ropes and today in the gerbil cages, I recognized your style.”
“Let’s keep that between us as well,” Diosa added. “I still have to qualify, just like you.”
“Not like me, you don’t have a demerit,” Dewi reminded her.
***
Radko, true to form, scowled at his plate of food. As with every meal, he didn’t participate in the chatter or make eye contact with any of the other candidates.
Diosa finished her lunch quickly, picked up her tray, and stopped behind the big Earth Element.
“Radko. You and me, let’s talk. Outside. Now,” she ordered.
The Earth Element stiffened at the command. Without looking around, he shoved in another mouthful, stood and followed her out.
“Those scars on your hands,” Diosa said as they walked away from the mess hall. “I’d say fighter, probably pit fighting. Am I wrong?”
“I was young and strong. It was the only way to feed my family,” Radko stated flatly. “What difference does it make?”
“Explain family?” demanded Diosa leaving no time for the Earth Element to think.
“My mother, a younger brother and sisters,” he explained. “When my father died, I became the man of the family.”
“And where is the family, now?” inquired Diosa.
“I send my pay home to my mother,” he replied. “My sisters are in school and my brother is getting ready to go to college. He has a scholarship. He’s very smart.”
“You take care of them. I can appreciate that,” observed Diosa. “I imagine you’ll use the combat pay as a Striker, and the deployment bonus to help them.”
“Yes. It’s why I signed up to be a Striker,” Radko admitted.
“Well I have news for you,” Diosa said while looking hard at the big man’s face. “You won’t be chosen for a team.”
“How can you say that?” a frightened Radko inquired. “I have almost completed the training. I qualified for everything.”
“Come with me,” instructed Diosa.
She led them back across the parade ground to the training building. As they pushed through the door, a Sergeant stepped in front of Diosa.
“Sorry candidate. Access is denied until the class and Chief Instructor arrives,” the NCO stated.
Diosa marched up and stopped chest to chest with the control instructor.
“Sergeant. My name is Master Sergeant Diosa Alberich, call sign Warlock,” she said. “If you are not familiar with the call sign, or the name, then for your own good, recognize the rank. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Master Sergeant,” the Sergeant replied as he backed away from Diosa.
“Radko, on me,” she ordered as she marched across the open area to the gerbil cages.
Positioning herself under an opening, she instructed, “Throw me.”
Radko hesitated. But the look on Warlocks face, as if she hadn’t had a happy day in her life, and the Earth Element was about to top that with disappointment, made him reach out.
Diosa brought her hands up and drove her thumbs into pressure points under Radko’s elbows.
“I said throw me, up there,” Diosa scolded while jerking her chin at the overhead. “Not caress my hips.”
“I didn’t. No. I would never disrespect a woman,” Radko pleaded.
“And I suppose you won’t hurt a small man either?” she added.
“Of course not,” he agreed.
“Throw me, hard,” she ordered.
This time the Earth Element gripped her waist firmly and launched her into the opening. To his surprise, she didn’t grab an edge to stop. She fell straight back down. As Diosa landed, she drove her fist into his stomach. Thick layers of muscle prevented real damage but, the blow caught the bottom of his diaphragm. Radko bent slightly and drew back a fist.
“Radko look at me and listen,” Diosa warned. “I am a Striker hand to hand combat instructor. If you swing at me, you will end up in medical. If you listen to my directions, we may be able to save your career. You decide.”
He lowered the fist and whispered, “I will listen.”
“Take that anger and throw me, hard,” she ordered again.
This time, the big Earth Element grabbed Warlock and with the power from his mass and training, he launched her all the way up until she soared higher than the first intersecting tube. At the height of the throw, Diosa tucked, locked the ankles of her boots, and rolled over. As she dropped, her legs shot out and the arches of her feet caught on the edge of the tube.
“Take my wrist,” she ordered while hanging upside down. One hand extended down and she waved it i
n the air.
Radko bent his knees and drove off the ground. He reached out with one hand and managed to grab Diosa. They clamped their wrists together.
He expected to begin climbing but Diosa pulled him up until she could reach his head with her free hand. She slapped the top of his head hard and lowered him.
“Your turn,” she challenged.
“I don’t understand?” he pleaded. “My turn?”
Instead of replying, Diosa flexed her arm and pulled Radko up. When his head came into range, she slapped him again.
“Your turn,” she offered as she lowered him.
Radko curled a massive arm and rose until he could wave his arm and brush the top of Diosa’s head.
“No. Slap, like this,” she said pulling him up and delivering a smack that echoed around the building. “Your turn.”
Radko got the message and when he curled up, he delivered a hard wallop to Diosa’s head.
“When a child is forced to go against their nature early, like having to fight at a young age,” Diosa explained as she pulled him up for another cuffing. “The child goes one of two ways.”
Radko flexed, rose and smacked Diosa’s head. “You are referring to me and pit fighting,” he suggested as he lowered. “What two ways?”
“They become a bully and they pick on the weak out of fear their true feelings will be exposed,” Diosa related as she lifted and almost gently tapped him on the head before lowering him.
“And the other way a child goes?” asked Radko while also softly tapping Warlock’s head. “What of that child?”
“That child becomes overly protective of the weak,” Diosa said as she pulled him up and rubbed the top of his head. “Defending anyone not their size. It goes to trust. They know the world is evil so they hold back for fear of hurting the innocent and being part of the evil.”
“And what am I to do with your theory?” inquired Radko. Then his face tightened and he admitted, “My arm is cramping. Can we talk on the deck?”
Op File Revenge (Call Sign Warlock Book 1) Page 7
