Rush Into Dawn

Chapter 13

"You don't have to do this, Jehz. What is the point anyway, that you want to officially be an elite Haak fighter, a total badass? No shit, you're in an impenetrable suit that seems to make you indestructible so you are pretty much there already and the patch you get for your uniform isn't really as cool as you might think. Besides, you are capable of fighting with any unit you want, you know any one of them would take you in a heartbeat. In fact, it's starting to look like you could fight as a one-man unit and take out any other goddamn division in the known universe. So this is a waste of time and you know it, right?"

Jehz stared back and frowned. "What I am I supposed to do then Naviz? Not train, not face danger with my brothers and sisters, not follow the rules? Move immediately to the front of the line or just sit and wait until I am ordered to fly around the sky like a Given comet in order to intimidate some primitive world of protected people that they ought to be scared of us? It might seem silly to you, but I am still just a soldier and I need to act like one. Not just for them, my brothers and sisters, but for me, for my sanity. Separating me from the others is not going to make me a better leader. Instead, it will only turn me into a figurehead or a standalone single force unit like the ones that use the weird alien tech we love so much. Except in that case, I'm the weapon. I don't want to be a standalone Naviz and I don't want to be the weapon. I'm a soldier, just like you and all the others, trained my whole life for it if you remember - son of a general. It's hard enough trying to hold onto any sense of normalcy after what I've been through. In the months after the big drone trial right before the spring festival, I finally felt like I was back and accepted again. But I wasn't really, I was just seen as some kind of savior or sign from the Gods by the regular guys and a dangerous new toy by the Musa leaders who wanted to see if they could load me and point at the right enemy without me blowing up in their faces. I'm tired of being alone, Naviz, really tired. It's starting to mess with my mind."

"Alright, Jehz, I get it, I really do, as much as I can anyway. But tactically it's a tough sell to understand how this makes sense from a military or development perspective. You literally don't seem capable of taking any damage to that suit of yours based on the tech we know of on that planet. What are you possibly going to learn battling an army of crazed criminals in their back yard?"

"Maybe who'd I'd want to have with me if I ever needed to go to war for real. Did you think of that, genius?"

"Yeah, maybe, but have you considered if you are really distorting the games and changing what this is meant to be? I mean, whoever ends up in your command really isn't going to have the freedom to prove themselves are they? Being protected by you and all that?

"I have thought about it and of course I'm going to dial it back, Naviz, try to use my suit in the context of a normal battle consistent with the plan. It could generate some good data for you geeks. The last thing I want to do is blow up the battlefield with a flurry of crazy push attacks. If I am going to do that, I may as well be there by myself."

"Alright Jehz, I can tell you are going to do this no matter what I say and I don't see any real risk so I'll sign off though I'm not sure if that even matters any more. One of these days I am going to talk you out of something though, you just wait."

"It does matter to me Naviz, and I'm sure you will and when you do, I bet you talk me out of the stupidest, most dangerous mistake of my life." Jehz grinned at Naviz and put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "Please know your advice is very much appreciated. It's always honest, always from the heart and you consistently put my interests ahead of your own. That's not always easy to do given your assignment. So thanks for everything, brother, but you are right, I have to do this."

***

The Kruz applicants were strapped into their transports, nervously fidgeting with their equipment, waiting for the go sign when their screens lit up with the image of the Kruz commander, General Druz. "All right, boys and girls, are we ready for the big time? I know everyone here has been briefed and trained but there is really no way to prepare for what you are going to see down there. This is a hostile world full of some of the most batshit crazy criminals in the galaxy so, don't expect normal military approaches, ever, and it might sound counterintuitive, but the best way to stay alive down there is to play it straight. No freelancing. None. Stick to the plan. I'll say it again so maybe there is a chance you'll remember when some Syber freak makes you want to jump your strategy. No freelancing. None. Stick..to..the..plan. Don't let them bait you into tactics you didn't intend to employ. That's a sure way to get yourself killed.