I opened my eyes. Something was wrong. I sat up. What was that sound? Cannon fire? No, cannons were ancient! It had to be a little more recent. Something like a laser. There it was again! I slipped into my suit. Hmm, something must be wrong..gravity isn't working.
A blare came on "DO NOT EXIT YOUR ROOM REPEAT:" That's all I heard before the voice cut out into static. I pushed myself to the passageway leading to the amory. The rest of my squad was there.
"What's the plan?" I asked - no one responded. Ah, a simulation. Thought I was done with those. Man, these holograms are out of date. The side of the room was ripped open by a deafening explosion.
"Initiate slow time." the debris slowed down to a crawl. This gave me time to think. So the wall to my left is going to kill two of my squad. Hmmmm, how can I use this to my advantage... Well what ever caused the explosion is probably going to come in here. I felt a piercing pain in my left leg. Great. That didn't get me much time, there are probably people on the other side of the wall so we could use the bodies as cover.
"That's not going to work," said my commanding officer Lt. Gabby Weston.
Well I am going to do it anyway. Just to spite you, and who knows, maybe you miscalculated. My troops quickly got behind the corpses. Well as fast as they could in slow time. "Cease slow time." As soon as I did that I knew I had made a miscalculation. The shrapnel tore at my legs and I knew they would be rendered useless. I tried to turn myself around and push of of the wall with my arms but I was losing so much blood. The room faded. TEST FAILURE. The lights came on.
"That was a rookie mistake, private. A rookie mistake." said my British 14 year old commander. "Just to spite me?" she said with a look of disgust on her face.
"No, to make you angry, and for the outburst you are about to have." I said with a mischievous grin. I'd say that her face was as red as a tomato but that wouldn't quite cut it.This was the Highlight of my day. Well now my good Lieutenant Wetson was going to pull rank on me but still, it was worth it.
"Need I remind you of your duties?" she asked in a snide tone with a grin on her face.
"Actually no, I am to wash the officers' lavatories," I said with a frown on my face. That was my usual punishment.
"Don't forget the rest of your squad mates'." That was uncharacteristically cruel. Even for her. She paused for a second, sneered, then walked off with a spring in her step. I went to my barracks feeling miserable. I could get away with ordering around my squad mates to do the officers' but ordering them around to do their own bathrooms wouldn't get me too far. I could try to get some squadles to do it...nah, they would whine and complain. Looks like I am gonna have to do things for a change.
A few hours later, I stopped in the mess hall only to find two highly ranked officers based on the weight on their shoulders. I instantly saluted them before a pin could drop. I knew who I had and didn't have to suck up to. Did Wetson go and snitch again?
"Report to East wing. Immediately." said the one with less metal. The other one just stared. Not a good sign. Suddenly people's shoes were the most interesting things that they had seen in their entire lives.
"Gentlemen, ladies. It was an honor serving with you, and in the event I do not return I wish to have my remains scattered on the glorious state of Nevada." This got at least a smile from everyone including some of my worst enemies. Not a good sign.
Several officers flanked me as I walked to the east wing. This is bad, this is very very bad. What are they going to do to me? Hopefully nothing bad. Well getting thrown out of this academy is bad enough. But then again getting into a military program is hard. I am going to miss this ship as it travels into the abyss called space. When we got to the east wing I was surprised to see a whole array of metallic shoulders.
Before I could salute, the head honcho of the ship who I guessed was the director of this organization, said "That's unnecessary, Corporal."
"Sir, you must have me confused with someone else, my name is Private Jones, Private Richard Jones." I said with my head drooped.
"You have been promoted effective immediately."
PROMOTED?!? SINCE WHEN?!?!? Ahh, that's what the simulation was for. But I failed the test. "But sir I failed the simulation."
"No, the simulation was on maximum difficulty. You were supposed to fail."He said.
I was feeling less like a reject now. "Sir, why was I promoted?"
"We have our reasons." snapped one of the other officers.
I shut my mouth and nodded. Asking too many questions isn't good. Curiosity killed the cat you know.
After a few awkward minutes of silence, the first man who spoke to me said "You are not to talk to anyone under your rank. Effective immediately."
That was unfair, but I held my tongue. "What am I to do now sir?"
"Well for one you are to stop asking questions. Two you are to go to your quarters. No, not your private quarters your new quarters."
"And where would those be?"
The man pondered for a second. Looking at the ceiling he said "Wherever I decide. Sound good?"
I opened my mouth but decided not to answer. I just nodded.
