Deployment

First Mission

The year was long, he was now the liaison between the EAN and the ECPD. It was a full day job, and it was boring without Varya. Fabien learned everything in a flash and was in love with his new post. He was running in front of everyone, even the sergeant couldn't keep up with him. He took training as a therapy, the wrong way to deal with his pain. He overtrained his biokinetics at home, and never go out again. His birthday was the exception, Kyashi ambushed and took him to the bar to a surprise party. He got called to the colonel office. Arthur was talking with two men in his wall. They were admirals, their jackets were full of medals, and they seem to have the same age as the colonel. The call ended with a salute and an invitation to sit down. He just stood there like it was supposed to do.
"At ease, John." Arthur said calmy.
He didn't even blink.
"Nothing to inform, sir." John instantly said. "We're dealing with the little problems now."
"You're doing an excellent job, John. I called you here to give you a proper mission. I think you are overqualified for this kind of escort jobs, but the commander wanted you in this just in case. You're on charge of the personal rotation journey at X-1567-AG. You can ask, John..."
"Is that the gold asteroid, sir?"
"The one in the news, yes. The gold is important for electronics, but they found and old ewithian ship in there. That's why we are the ones overseeing the operation. Questions?"
"How many people?"
"A few dozen in, a few dozen out. It's a simple job, but we must be careful of data leakage and spies. Mostly paperwork, nothing is happening there; they are in the middle of the system. The asteroid was parked in the L2 point of Janos and will be there until we got proper research on the place." Arthur was worried about him, and he always said something. "Are you well?"
"I'm fine, sir."
"You're overtraining, John. I got my eyes on you." Arthur paternally said. "Is about the commander?"
"No, sir. It's the way I do things, if you want, I can train less but I'll would need something to do, sir."
"Shit, John." Arthur was tired of his politeness. "Your health is fine, so I'll let you out of the hook today. Just take care of yourself."
"Kyashi won't let me do less, sir."
"Be early tomorrow, I'll pick your team. You're in charge of the operation. Do you want me to send some official with you?"
"It would be wise, sir."
"To be honest, the only reason that I didn't promote you so far is to avoid problems with your seniors... you'll be fine alone, the fleet is near in any case. You're dismissed."
John saluted to go directly to the biokinetics wing. Kyashi was reading something in her pad and approached him in the moment he appeared behind the door.
"Good day, John. How are you?"
"I'm fine, doctor. Can we start?"
She was annoyed with his attitude. He wasn't friendly anymore.
"Use my name, John... we're friends, even if you never go out of you place after work." Replied with haste.
A box attacked him from behind. He caught it with his hand.
"Use your telekinesis, John. Are you still trying to use a shield?"
Another box flown at him. He raised his hands to form a shield for a second. It was a purple hemisphere and vanished before blocking the box. It hit his nose.
"You're amazing, John..." Kyashi said while looking at his nose. "Didn't break anything. Let's do a course then."
John started to pile the boxes, then I was the turn of the balls. He could manipulate every ball at the same time now. The third room was populated by dummies. He learned a technique called impact. It was, supposedly, a little lance of kinetic energy with some impact on it. He hit every dummy before going to the fourth room. Kyashi bombarded him with balls, and he could block some of them with his shield. He sat down in a corner to catch a breath.
"You're amazing, John." Kyashi said with a smile. "Don't push yourself too hard... Did you have news about Varya?"
"How should I know? Is not like she..."
"Sorry, just asking. She was in..."
"It doesn't matter anymore." John instantly replied.
"That's the life of the soldier, John. You can't have her all by yourself."
"I just wanted to say goodbye properly, not to be lied in my face. I never wanted to be a toy..."
"I'm sorry, John. I just want you to move forward. Maybe you can date someone else?"
John wasn't replying that question.
"Maybe someone that really cares about you?" Added with a big smile. "I know a woman just like that..."
John stood up and walked away. The doctor followed behind him and push him into his office.
"John, sorry. I'll leave it. Just... I miss the old you."
"This is the old me, doctor." John instantly replied.
"I know... I'll keep yelling at her."
"It doesn't matter anymore. I'm going to prepare for the mission. The others are going to hate me as the leader. I have no experience on this."
"You work all day, John. Don't forget it. You have more experience than you think. Remember, you deal with the city problems while your superiors run in the backyard and work the port. It's just a fact. Arthur knows this if he is making you the leader."
"Will see."
"Be careful, ok? It seems peacefully but you can find anything in open space." Kyashi said with a smile. "Drink your smoothie too, your overworked brain needs it."
"Thank you, doctor."
"You can thank me by using my name, John. Use it, please?"
"Thanks, Kyashi." John said while reading a text from Fabien. "I need to go, Fabien is panicking about the mission, it's just an escort."
"Good luck, John. Try to sleep well tonight."
Sleeping well was something he could not achieve.