The Call to Arms

Chapter 2: Meet the Command

Failed. The word came across the screen in glowing red lettering. 2nd Lt. Athion stared at it silently for a moment. The word seemed to be gloating, mocking him almost but yet, he ignored it. The observation deck was dark the only source of light emanating from the monitor  in front of him. He breathed in slowly. Inhaling the familiar scent of stale air being filtered into the room. He leaned back in his chair and looked over at his soon to be second in command sitting next to him. The steady glow from the computer lit up his facial features and Athion could see the frustration in his eyes.

"Well Toasty, what do you think?" He asked after some time had passed.

Toasty's eyes met Athion's gaze "They are sloppy, and undisciplined. I mean what were the 4 from that one fire team even thinking, charging an enemy emplacement like that?"

"Yea I agree, that was poor planning on their part." Athion replied as he ran his hand through his short brown hair.

From the observation deck the 2 officers had watched the entire training operation take place. As they stared into the arena the wreckage of still burning vehicles and brass shell casings slowly began phasing out as the simulation room turned back to its original state. The darkened sky and dirt plains transitioned into clean white floors and ceilings. Walls became apparent where before it looked as if the battlefield stretched on for miles. The entire complex looked as though it had never been touched. The members of the newly formed 19th ODST were shuffled through the training bay doors by their squad leads. They began their disappointed march back toward their barracks with their heads hung low in dissatisfaction at their final result. Toasty's brow furrowed. This was the 3rd test this week and only little progress had been made.

"They need to learn to work together. More than just with their squad mates."

As the lights came on in the room their eyes slowly began to adjust. The 2 of them had been sitting in the dark for quite some time. Toasty gestured toward a large pile of classified documents sitting in their manila folders that lay upon a small table beside the monitor.

"I mean look at these individual statistics. Did you know half of these soldiers broke the marksmanship record at the training center? Half! That's unheard of!"

"True, according to their Drill Instructors they are remarkable soldiers when it comes to individual performance." Athion replied as he lifted LCpl. J. Alexander's record from the pile and began to flip through its contents.

"If their cohesion skills were half as good as their marksmanship they'd be one of the best damn platoons in the UNSC." Toasty sighed clearly exhausted by the recent efforts to get this platoon into working shape. He sunk back into his chair and began rubbing his temples to attempt to relieve the pounding headache he'd had all morning.

Athion hated to see his old friend like this. They had been together ever since they began their careers serving on the frontlines themselves in the 105th so many years ago. Back then things were a lot simpler. Just jump when your Squad leader told you to. Point and shoot no complicated bullshit. When Athion had asked his friend to come to the officers academy with him he certainly didn't envision they'd end up like this. 

"Hey." He nudged his drained partner. "You remember what our old Gunny used to say?"

"Ugh, don't remind me." He replied begrudgingly.

"Cmon." He goaded.

Toasty let out a long sigh. "Persistence Gentlemen."

Athion noticed a smile began to creep across his friends tired face.

"Exactly, we can't just give up on them Toast. I know they can do this. And if I remember correctly you and I weren't so different once. I'm putting my faith in them."

"Alright fine." Toasty shrugged. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"First, we head down to the mess and grab a coffee."

"And after that?" Toasty raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Athion grinned as he placed Alexander's record back on top of the large leaning pile of documents.

"We meet our new platoon."