FireTeam Shachal

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Remember...

"Still nothing. I graduated two months ago and still nothing. I haven't even been notified about any fireteam positions. No placement exams or missions. I'm getting anxious. I gotta get something soon, right, Tharsos?" The freshly graduated Guardian sulked next to me with a single corner of his lips forming a frown. His eyes hung low as we sat at the bench in the park. Its landscape was covered in lavish and extravagant furnishings and vibrant, colorful vegetation. The sun seemed to shine brighter here, even though thousands of trees of dozens of kinds shaded much of the expansive recreational area. I was embraced by my surroundings when a warm breeze swept through the comfortable resort as we talked.
"The question is, how often have you followed up with your superiors in charge of fireteam formations?" I asked him.
"Plenty!" he replied, burying his face in his hands. "I don't get it. Why won't they let me get my hands dirty? They know who I am and they know that I didn't slack off in the Academy. I worked as hard as I could for seven years to catch up with you, bro. You already have four years on me, but at this rate, I don't know if I'm gonna be stepping foot outside of the Wall."
"I don't know, little brother. I don't know." I said with a comical smile on my face.
Thureos, my 16 year old brother, four years my junior, looked up at me with his lips curling up into a grin. "Don't mock me, Tharsos. I'm being serious here."
"Sure, sure. I get it," I said playfully, chuckling afterwards, consequently making him laugh and shake his head in defeat. I placed my hand on his shoulder and shook it as I spoke, "Don't get impatient, Thureos. Your opportunity will come around when it's time. Until then, just keep yourself sharp. That's what Dad would have told you anyway."
We both went silent for a moment, taking in the restfulness of the outdoors. Bringing Dad up wasn't easy.
"I wish I could remember him better," Thureos murmured.
I could understand why he was frustrated. For years we've been recognized and praised for being the sons of the esteemed Titan and Vanguard, Thumos Katenos. Thureos was only six years old when Dad died, and he was gone a lot of the time on missions too. My little brother didn't know him very well, unfortunately. But even though Dad wasn't around a lot, he was a good father. I could remember that much very well. I never looked up to anyone else. I could care less if the City had taken notice of his accomplishments or if the people constantly congratulated him everywhere he went. He still would have been be my hero regardless. And to this day he still was.
"He was a good man. Take my word for it." I looked at my sibling and patted his back firmly. "I gotta go, Thureos. I have an appointment with the FOTC Command. I'll talk to you later, bro." I gave him a short wave as he nodded and remained seated at the bench.
I made my way out of the park's nearest entrance and to the FOTC Headquarters. I had a proposition for them and I wouldn't take "no" for an answer. One way or another, they would accept my offer. Sometimes, being the son of a hero had its upsides. I smiled and quickened my pace to the FOTC HQ.

A few hours had passed, and the sun was nearing the horizon. The Traveler's gargantuan shadow already hung densely over this side of the City. I returned to the park after my meeting with Command. Despite darkness falling, the view was still amazing. A warm air still lingered, and I noticed my brother hadn't left. He was still gloomily sitting at the same bench I left him at earlier. I approached the young Guardian with a smirk on my face.
"Hey, Tharsos," Thureos muttered.
"Hey," I responded, sitting down and looking at him with the same grin.
My brother looked at me with confusion, "What?"
"I was thinking of what I could get you for your 17th birthday tomorrow, and only one thing came to mind," I said smoothly and leaned back.
Thureos turned and squinted his eyes, trying to understand what I was getting at. "I pulled some strings. I convinced Command to place you in my fireteam and we have a mission tomorrow afternoon." I watched his expression intently, waiting for his response.
"You're not messing with me, right?" he asked. But I could already sense belief in his eyes and voice.
"Nope," I simply said. His face lit up and a wide smile stretched across his face.
He began to laugh excitedly, "Thanks, brother! Finally, I can start being a Guardian. And we are going to be working together too. How much better can this get?" He was overjoyed and that made me happy. I smiled in response to his actions and put him in a playful but strong headlock.
"Now remember that I'm your superior out there. You better listen to me, alright?" I said as I looked down at my overpowered sibling.
He laughed, pushing at my torso in a desperate attempt to remove his head from my arm. "Yeah, I know, man. I know." His tone changed when he stopped trying to escape from my headlock. "So what are we doing tomorrow?" My grip loosened and I let him sit back up. His short, light brown hair was a mess from his struggling.
"Nothing too bad," I told him, now in a more serious tone myself. "Dead Orbit patrols noticed that a company of Fallen and Cabal, strangely enough, made a stop in Old Denver a week ago. Apparently they've moved on, but we're supposed to go on reconnaissance there and see what they were up to. There shouldn't be much combat, if any at all, so don't get too excited for a fight. Missions outside of the Wall are different. You have to take your time and work your way into it. You got me?"
Listening to me closely, he nodded his head in agreement, "Alright. I understand, Tharsos. With Dad and Mom gone, you were the only one to teach me anything. I trust and appreciate your advice."
I was surprised with my little brother's maturity. I had expected him to refuse a combat deficient mission. Even for being a kid, he had grown up a lot being in the FOTC Guardian Academy. Seven years of strict discipline was a long time though. I remember when I entered at the age of 10 shortly after my father died. The following seven years weren't anything I had expected. The routines and the training were extremely harsh. The FOTC couldn't risk having soldiers who weren't strong in body and mind. They couldn't afford having a single weak link on the field. Every soldier was significant. Every mission mattered. And every death was a tragic loss to humanity, no matter how skilled the Guardian was.
I remember feeling the same way about my first mission four years ago. I had learned that every step toward becoming a Guardian was a learning process, and the same rule applied even after you were one. You could never be fully prepared for whatever came next. Anyone who tried to tell you otherwise didn't know what they were talking about. But fortunately, I had learned to improvise and learn quickly, thanks to my seven years of training. I was relieved to see that Thureos had taken the same things from the Academy as I had.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow at the Tower. Loading Dock T-088. Make sure you're there by noon. Be suited up with all of your gear loaded before you arrive. We'll be heading out immediately. Go get some rest, little brother." I gave him a respectful nod as he rose and returned the gesture in confirmation. I was confident in him. How much longer could I call him "little brother"? We headed for the exit together. At this point, the warm sun had begun setting. We parted ways when we stepped out of the resort.
Thureos turned, "Hey, Tharsos." I stopped and faced him. "Thanks, big brother," he said with a pleased expression on his face.
I smiled with pride in my sibling, "No problem, Thureos. I'll see you tomorrow."