Spirit of the Woods

The Test

The Test

Rhode Island Landship

The sound of an alarm awoke Firewatch from her slumber. Rising from bed, she silenced the ringing. Stretching her arms above her head, she climbed out of bed. Lily let out a yawn as she awakened, too.

"Why are you doing today?" Lily asked as she followed Firewatch to the bathroom.

Firewatch grabbed two toothbrushes and handed one to Lily. "It's just training," she said as she squeezed a bit of toothpaste on each of them.

"Can I watch?" Lily asked as they both brushed their teeth.

Firewatch spat into the sink. "Maybe. It's not a normal practice." Firewatch and Lily finished up at the sink and walked back into the room. Lily sat on her bed as Firewatch searched for a fresh pair of clothes. Donning her usual skirt and jacket, they walked out of their room into the hallways of Rhode Island. Navigating through the ship, Firewatch brought them into the cafeteria for breakfast.

It was crowded as people started their day. Walking into line, they waited a bit before ordering their breakfast. Ordering an omelet for herself and pancakes for Lily, Firewatch held their trays as she scanned the room for a table. Finding an empty one at the back of the room, she sat the both of them down.

As Firewatch took a bite of her omelet, the sounds of footsteps could be heard coming towards them. Lifting her head up, she saw Jacob walking towards them, tray in hand. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Sure," Firewatch responded as she took another bite. Jacob quickly sat in front of her. Lily didn't seem to care about the new addition to the table, as she was too busy eating.

"Sorry about asking you to help me, right after coming back," Jacob blurted out. "You were the first person to pop into my head."

"Don't worry," Firewatch answered, "Kal'tsit always does things on short notice. How is it going to work?"

Jacob swallowed a mouthful of hash browns before answering. "They're currently altering one of the training fields to mimic the conditions of a potential battlefield. We won't know what the terrain is before we get there."

Firewatch nodded. "What about the squad compositions?"

Jacob brought his hand to his chin. "Let's see... It was one vanguard, two guards, one defender, and a single sniper for each side. There's no need for medics and there's no non-lethal replacement for arts, so no castors or supporters. Take a look." Jacob reached into his pocket and laid his phone on the table. Swiping and pressing the screen twice, multiple portraits and names appeared. Under Jacob's leadership were Vigna, Melantha, Astesia, Cuora, and herself. The other squad, under the leadership of Instructor Doberman, was Grani, Mouse, Frostleaf, Matterhorn, and Ambriel.

"Ambriel is going to be a problem," Firewatch mused as she read the list, "Her radar allows her to see us, way before we see her."

Jacob scratched his head, "That's why a chose you. When I read your dossier last night, it said you were skilled in guerilla and subterfuge tactics. So I can probably infer you can stay hidden from her radar, right?"

"I'm adept at obscuring myself from prying eyes, so yes, I am," Firewatch answered. "So what's your plan?"

Jacob smiled, "You'll see." He didn't elaborate further, as he continued to eat his meal. Firewatch deadpanned at Jacob's response. The trio ate in silence, as each side had nothing else to say.

As Firewatch finished, the rest of her meal she took a quick gander at her phone. It was 10:30. "Doctor," Firewatch said as she stood up, "we need to get going. Are you staying on the sidelines to command?"