Witness [A First Contact Romance]

23. In-Sync

Lumiea

Year -20 (L.D.)

By the end of the two week tour, everyone had healed entirely except for Jace, who still underwent treatments at night in the pod. Aeryn's squad had learned the true extent of all they still needed to learn and spent their days planning, practicing following Trin's guidance with the AI, trying to sync their movements. But it felt as if they'd only managed to realize how much they had to learn about working as a team once they returned to Iyla. No longer did they feel like the the young soldiers who risen to the top to make it here but a group of kids who had no idea how to use the full potential of their combined skills.

In the months that followed, they trained tirelessly as a team and on their own individual expertise. Trin had developed a comprehensive list of basic skills and exercises they needed to learn to even glimpse proficiency, much less actually become competent as a squad. Their instructors had work for them as well, but it wasn't enough. They had to learn to work as one body, and that was something only they could figure out. It was a tireless effort. The mental stress had been so taxing on Trin that for the first six weeks she'd frequently fallen asleep sitting up.

As the time for their second visit to the field neared, Aeryn finally felt like they were making it somewhere.

"Flank," the now familiar voice in her earpiece said. Perfectly in-step with one another, the whole squad launched into formation around their target. "Reset. Again."

Aeryn no longer had to think about these daily drills. It seemed pointless to do them anymore because they'd mastered such simple commands as a unit, but she knew from her own training the value of maintaining the simple. It had to be perfect, every time.

Any time she even felt tempted to feel satisfied with their progress, she remembered the blood spurting from Jace's wound and the sizzling of his shirt.

If that hadn't been a trial, they would have been dead.

"Impressive."

Aeryn was in the middle of a drill replacing Lyon's fuel when the voice shot shock through her. The rest of her squad seemed to freeze for a moment, as well. She turned around to Commanders Vehru and Morfrain standing together on the grass of the training ground.

Her entire squad jumped to their feet and lined up, shoulders straight.

Vehru looked amused as she walked closer. "You know today is your day off."

"We've only mastered 83% of the skills we identified as crucial to re-enter the field." Trin lowered her head slightly as she spoke. "Commander."

Though it was not entirely rare to see Commander Vehru, she never approached to talk. And it was absolutely strange to see Morfrain with her. He did not involve himself in the day-to-day operations of the program.