Arcadian Titan ‘Olympia’, Median space
Xenophon moved to the door and glanced over his shoulder to spot the others moving slowly behind him. Out of all of them, Tamara looked the most concerned. Once through the door, they entered a narrow corridor that was filled with at least fifty other recruits. Each of them looked as bewildered as themselves. A faint voice much further inside shouted out towards them, but it was too muffled to hear clearly. Luckily, they were moving at a walking pace and covering the distance at a reasonable speed. It was getting warmer the further they travelled. The corridor opened out into a wide-open space decked out with benches and fabric screen that must have only recently been set up. In the centre of the room were a number of crates containing overalls and equipment. Six soldiers stood to attention and handed them out to the new arrivals.
“Get your fatigues here!” called out the nearest.
Xenophon walked over and was about to speak, when he was blocked by a tall, black soldier. The man wore a grey uniform with several patches indicating previous tours of duty. He was obviously a man of experience, but Xenophon didn’t recognise his unit’s markings.
“Move it. All potentials grab your fatigues and get into the training arena. Your trial starts in ten minutes.”
A pair of fatigues was thrust into his hands, and he found himself pushed to the next person who held out a box. It was made of thin wood and already had his name printed on it. He was confused at first as to how they knew who he was, but then it was obvious. When they had originally signed up, they had been photographed. A full Alliance dossier would have been easy for them to access.
“Your gear and personal items in here. No weapons, comms devices or sharp objects.”
He emptied his pockets, but there was surprisingly little to give them. When finished, he was directed to one of the temporary booths to get changed. It seemed a little excessive, but then he remembered this was a mixed unit of men and women. It was probably a good idea to offer at least a little privacy to get started. In his experience, the military tended to not spend much time worrying about these kinds of details. He pulled off his clothes as quickly as possible and threw on the overalls. They were equipped with a series of small belts to adjust, and with a little effort they almost fitted correctly. Once satisfied, he emerged from the privacy of his booth to join the rest of the new recruits. Glaucon was already waiting, but there was no sign yet of the other two. The soldier with the wooden box took away his clothes and placed them on top of the rest of his belongings. He didn’t say anything but pointed further along the hall to where a man in tactical armour was waiting.
Okay, I wonder what challenge they’ve set for us.
He walked towards the man and waited. About twenty more people were also stood waiting patiently. With all of their gear removed, everyone looked roughly the same. Men outnumbered the women by about two to one, and there was a wide range of ages from late teens up to the sixties.
“Are you ready for this?” asked Roxana as she appeared behind him. He glanced back to her, noting how calm and collected she appeared in this situation. A fraction taller than him, she was easily the most combat experienced of them all. She’d tied her long hair up into a bun. It was an odd look but hardly surprising due to their current predicament. Xenophon had said nothing yet, so she spoke again.
“Look, these kind of tests are pretty common. They throw us in some kind of fight, and it will let them choose which branch to transfer us to.”
Glaucon and Tamara arrived, both looking distinctly unimpressed with their new clothing. Tamara especially seemed irritated by the looseness of hers.
“If we want to be in the same unit, we need to stay together, understood?” asked Roxana.
They all nodded, apart from Tamara who was too busy watching the armoured soldier at the front.
“Tamara?” called Xenophon, trying to get her attention. She looked and glanced at him.
“Listen to her. If we don’t work together, they’ll split us up. Okay?”
She looked away. Xenophon sighed in irritation but was interrupted by the soldier who had lifted his right hand to get their attention.
“This little test is one of skill, fitness, speed and aggression. Your performance will determine which units and position you will occupy. We assume a basic level of skill and military knowhow. If any of you lack this, I suggest you leave now. We are a mercenary outfit, not a training camp. If you can’t work in one of our units from tomorrow, then we won’t be able to use you.”
He bent down and lifted up a rifle.
“This here is the Doru Mk II training rifle. It is the same weight and size as the battlefield versions our Arcadian infantry use. This is the standard weapon used by our light infantry for scouting and special operations. The Doru MK II uses a high velocity pulse round, is capable of long distance interdiction and can penetrate most modern armours. Almost a quarter of our contribution to the Armada will be equipped with this weapon. You will rely on stealth, cunning and accuracy to win. Light infantry do not carry personal shields, just one generator pack per ten man squad.”
A murmur of discontent spread through the crowd, especially from those with Laconian or Alliance experience. Some tried to interrupt the man, but his harsh stare and silence stopped them.
“As for heavy infantry, we favour the Laconian model and have developed a system that mixes our strengths with theirs. We use the lighter and more mobile deflector units.”
He held up a metal gauntlet that was thickly padded with plates and wiring. A number of tubes and cables ran from inside the plates to a backpack. He slid it onto his left hand and tapped the button on the side. A dull audible pulse echoed inside the hall. From the gauntlet, a blue light expanded until it produced an oval energy shield of half the height and width of a man. It shimmered as it defused light travelling through it. The soldier lifted his arm so that the shield stood in front of him and towards the recruits.
“Our body shields are half the weight of the Laconian designs, but they are nowhere near as powerful. Whereas a Laconian shield is built to absorb kinetic and thermal energy, ours merely deflect them. Our shields can only deflect small arms fire at long to medium distance. It allows out heavy infantry to close the distance to make use of our specialised weapons. The closer we get, the more we have to rely upon cover and firepower.”
He switched off the shield with his right hand and lowered the gauntlet to the table. Next he lifted the projectile weapons. The first looked like a cut down battle rifle; the second was much broader, more like a grenade launcher or similar.
“Plasma launchers and pulse carbines are our weapons of choice for the heavy infantry. The carbines are extremely effective at short to medium distances, whereas the plasma launcher provides firepower for armour and structural destruction.”
He lowered the weapons and paused for a moment as the recruits watched in interest. It was clear that some were already familiar with the items on display, but a good proportion looked less than convinced. After they settled down, he lifted up the final item. It looked like a large metal fist with a series of bumps and fittings on its surface. He fitted it to his hand and lifted his fist to the ceiling.
“These are on loan from our Laconian friends. They are rare, and in my opinion, pointless unless you have their shielding to go with them. They are the infamous Asgeirr-Carbines.”
A murmur of recognition spread quickly through the crowd.
“Nice, I want one,” said Glaucon in a hushed voice.
Xenophon smiled and leaned in closer.
“Actually, I think I’ll take a pair!”
“This weapon incorporates an internal pulse carbine of a similar design to ours. Due to its reduced size and capacity, you will find it lacks both the ammunition and the range of our native firearms. Even so, it is deadly at close range. As well as the firearm, you also get this as a bonus.”
With a swish sound, a wicked looking blade, much like that of a large bayonet or short sword, pushed out from the fist. Its edges and tip looked as though they could stab through any material.
“Incredibly, there are some who still train to use this kind of weapon. In my opinion, if you can get close enough to your opponent to stab them, well, you can simply shoot them. We have training versions of all the weapons plus body shields for those that want them.”
He motioned for them to look past him, and a series of large doors opened up to reveal a training arena. It was easily the size of a major sporting stadium with a high ceiling and enough space for thousands of people. In the centre, taking up most of the space, was what looked like a ruined town. Buildings were partially collapsed and burnt out vehicles littered the mock streets. The ruins themselves were dwarfed by a large mound in the centre that was topped with a damaged turret or tower of some kind.
“In the centre of the ruins is your objective. You will be split into two teams of fifty. The objective will be to capture and secure the tower. Whichever team controls the tower at the end of the time limit wins. You may use reasonable force in the exercise, but remember we need fighters, not casualties. Anybody causing permanent damage will be kicked out. If we can’t trust you now, why should we on the battlefield? You can divide yourselves up, one half of you will head to the blue light that is flashing to the left, the rest to the red on my right.”
The group started to move before he interrupted them one last time.
“The exercise will run for one hour, so use it as your job interview. What you do here will choose your path for months, maybe even years to come. Good luck.”
Roxana didn’t hesitate and pushed ahead and towards the blue light. A number of other people followed her, each eager to reach the light and the soldier waiting to explain the details further. Xenophon, Glaucon and Tamara were close behind. It was only a short distance until they reached a sandbagged emplacement. Inside, a red light glowed brightly. The soldier inside stood silently, waiting for his full group of fifty to arrive before speaking. Xenophon glanced at his comrades briefly, checking they were all there. Each appeared calm, apart from Tamara, who once more seemed nervous, and even a little suspicious.
“What’s up?” he whispered to her.
She shook her head. “Nothing, let’s just do this.”
Strange, she says she has so much experience, and we’ve seen her fight. Why the nerves? Something certainly isn’t right, he thought. Then he spotted her hand shaking slightly. Narcotics, it has to be!
“You’ve been briefed on the mission. It’s a standard king of the hill scenario. You have a choice of weapons. It’s up to you how you divide up or plan the mission. The only distinction between sides is the colour of your weapons.”
He held up one of the rifles. It was the normal grey colour but carried a series of blue bands across its centre.
“You will start in two minutes, so grab your gear and come up with a plan, fast!”
Xenophon was about to move forward when he spotted slight movement ahead. He looked up to see a series of gantries from which military personnel were watching. Either this would be a spectacle for them, or they were the officers or trainers watching to see how they performed. As he watched them, over half of the lights shut off to give the impression of a dusk battlefield. Smoke generators must have activated, as the site quickly turned into a dusty, poorly lit battlefield. Xenophon smiled inwardly, surprised at the quality of the training scenario.
If there wasn’t so much at stake, I might actually enjoy this.
Roxana moved to the middle of the group and spoke loudly.
“My name is Roxana Devereux, former Alliance officer. I have some ground combat experience. Who else has leadership experience?”
Most of the other fifty ignored her, but a handful stepped closer to listen. At the same time, a large man, easily a head taller than Glaucon pushed ahead and grabbed one of the shield generators and a carbine. A dozen men picked up similar gear and stood near him. He looked to Roxana and back to the recruits.
“Rexor, Arcadian heavy infantry, retired,” was all he said.
The bulk of the others grabbed equipment, most opting for the shields and carbines, but a few took the rifles instead. Xenophon stepped to the table and examined the gear. It looked like the weapons were loaded with tranquiliser shells, a common training bullet that would cause no more than a bruise, but stun the victim for several minutes. He looked back to Roxana who was speaking with several of the volunteers in her group. He counted eleven people include him, not many.
“Listen, this is a built-up area with lots of cover. I suggest we go light, ditch the heavy shielding and sneak forward to the tower.”
Rexor laughed at her.
“Alliance cowards. We take the shield and big guns. Push through the main streets and directly to the tower. We have protection if they try and stop us. You stick together as one group.”
His comrades around him cheered in agreement.
“One group or one target?” said Roxana before turning to her much smaller team. A boy, barely a teenager, waved a pulse carbine in front of her.
“If we’re quick, we could grab the tower before their heavies get in. I bet I could run the entire way if I just take this,” he suggested.
Roxana smiled at him, impressed by his confidence but also wary of throwing away people too quickly.
“A good idea, but if our reinforcements are held up, you’ll be trapped with smaller numbers and lighter weapons. I suggest we form two groups and make for the tower. The first will rush it,” she turned to the teenager. “You can be part of that group.”
She then looked to the rest. “We’ll all follow them with the heavier weapons and watch for infiltrators. We will provide the backup ready for when the heavies get there. What do you think?”
The small group appeared to have little to say other than a woman of similar age to Roxana.
“The name’s Erika, I’ve got some experience in private security, escort and protection work. What gear do you suggest?” she asked.
Xenophon held up a selection of the weapons.
“Anything other than the shields. A mixture is probably a good idea.”
Roxana nodded in agreement. The group split off to select their weapons, and Glaucon and Xenophon pulled out several items of interest. Glaucon picked one of the plasma launchers. It was a big weapon, but in his hands looked more like a large rifle. Xenophon, on the other hand, was torn between the carbine and the Laconian Asgeirr-Carbine. He looked to the soldier.
“Where is the spare ammunition?” he asked.
“On your enemies,” answered the man in a curt tone.
He looked back to the weapons and pulled an Asgeirr-Carbine onto his right arm. He looked at it with admiration. He paused for just a second, and then grabbed second one.
“What are you doing?” asked Tamara who was busy checking the carbines.
“Well, the ammunition is limited, so I might as well take two. Double the blades and double the firepower.”
Roxana stepped between them and examined the weapons. She spotted Xenophon and his odd choice.
“ Let’s just hope a few of them get close enough for us to hit them and take their ammo.”
“Thanks,” answered Xenophon in the most sarcastic voice he could manage.
The teenager moved to the front of the group and called out to Rexor.
“We’ll go ahead. You back us up!” he shouted.
The large group of mercenaries burst out laughing at the high-pitched voice of the youngster. With his carbine held in his hands, he looked woefully inadequate compared to some of the burly, experienced soldiers in the group.
“Do what you like, little man, and we’ll try not to trip over your feet!” he bellowed.
“Hey, kid, what’s your name?” asked Glaucon.
The teenager spun around and glanced at him. “Kid? I’m no kid.”
Roxana tried a softer approached.
“No, you’re not a kid. But what’s your name? I’m Roxana. This is Xenophon and Glaucon, two of my close friends.”
“Does it matter? Just call me Jack for now,” he said as he turned his back on them.
Xenophon checked his weapons. They were lit as inactive on the side readout. He just hoped that would change at the start of the exercise. He nodded to Glaucon.
“You know once we start, most of them are going to make for the tower. If they’re anything like our bunch, they’ll come up through the middle.”
“Jack!” Roxana called out. She waved for him to join the other two to listen to the plan. At first he stood there, but eventually he wandered over with a sullen look on his face.
“We’ll take the right. Light weapons ahead, second team twenty metres behind. Don’t stop till you’re inside the tower, got it?”
Jack nodded but said nothing.
“Okay, people, you have ten seconds, get ready…” shouted the soldier.
Rexor pulled back the bolt on his carbine and faced the ruins. His left hand was extended out, ready for when the shield activated.
“Behind me!” he roared. The rest of his group formed up in a dense block, the shielded warriors on the outside and the rest inside. It looked impressive, but Xenophon could easily see the problems they were creating for themselves. He looked back to see Roxana shaking her head.
“Fool, just one plasma charge, and they’re all gone.”
A loud whistle blasted from the soldier, and at the same time the weapons and shields activated for each of them.
“Go!” shouted Roxana.
Jack and his comrades rushed ahead and to the right of the large band of warriors led by Rexor. They all moved to the rubble around the outside of the simulated warzone and entered the main street. Rexor’s mob moved up through the middle of the road, but Jack leapt over the nearest wall to the right and vanished from view. The street looked remarkably realistic with buildings on both sides and a smashed military vehicle in the centre. At the end of the street were a series a barricades and behind them the lower levels of the mound that led up to the tower and the objective. Xenophon reached the wall and stopped to help the rest over. It didn’t take long until their small group was over the wall and moving at a quick jog along the parallel street.
“They’re nearly there!” called out Glaucon, spotting Jack and the rest working through the barricades to the tower. There was no sign of Rexor and his mob as the buildings obstructed their view.
“Spread out!” called Roxana, perhaps becoming nervous at the lack of action. Xenophon moved to the right and looked down to check his weapons as he moved. They were lit as active, and he was tempted to fire off a shot to see what happened. With a limited number of rounds, he just couldn’t do it; not that firing off rounds for no reason was a good idea anyway.
They reached the open space in front of the barricades and were now able to see part of the street to the left. There was another ruined vehicle but no sign of the rest of their team.
“Keep moving, we don’t want to get pinned down out here,” called Roxana.
Xenophon nodded and leapt over the first barrier and through the rubble. He landed hard and straightened himself only to see a man of similar age and build to himself. The most obvious difference was that he was carrying a red marked rifle and an active shield in his left hand. He tried to move it, but in the confines of the damaged walls, Xenophon was able to duck to the side and lift up his left arm. Without even bothering to pull the trigger, he stabbed forward instead. The blunted training blade shot out, and he punched the man in the chest. The impact didn’t seem great, but one of the tranquiliser darts must have been triggered because the man staggered and collapsed to the ground.
“Nice work!” said Roxana as she moved past him. She didn’t stop and pushed through the debris to reach the winding path running around the base of the tower. The rest of the group did the same, leaving Xenophon looking at his first kill of the scenario. He was about to move when he spotted movement in the buildings behind the tower. A flash was all he needed to throw himself to the side. It wasn’t a moment too soon, as a volley of six projectiles clattered uselessly against the wall behind him.
Close! he said to himself.
The quiet was broken by dozens of rifles and carbines opening fire. Xenophon kept low and pushed ahead, only glancing briefly over his shoulder to try and assess what was happening. He rounded the next corner to find the rest of his team pinned down.
“You okay?” asked Tamara.
“Yeah, what’s happening?”
“Most of their team are heavies. They spread out in a wide skirmish line and are putting down fire all around the end of the street and the base of the tower.”
“Jack?” he asked.
“I’ve not found any bodies. Either they got lost, or they made it up there,” she answered, pointing up to the top of the turret.
More sound came from below as both forces clashed, each trying to hit the other team with a mixture of training rounds. The shields seemed highly effective in this environment. The one side effect was they were now distracted by the arrival of Rexor and his group.
“This is our chance, come on!” called out Glaucon.
He lifted himself up and rushed ahead. It was a narrow path that led to the tower, but they covered the ground quickly and made their way into the lower level. Without stopping, they pushed on towards the side and a staircase that led up to the high level floor. Glaucon moved first with Xenophon following. Roxana was next and Erika last. They moved as quickly as possible, but Erika didn’t make it in time before the first group of the red team. They spotted her and blasted her with a dozen rifle rounds. Roxana barely avoided the impact before rolling inside.
“Stop them!” she called out, still disorientated by her scramble inside.
Xenophon spotted them approaching, but from the higher floor, he could do little except add what limited firepower he had into their number. He aimed his right hand carefully and pulled the trigger. The metal fist shook slightly as it released the training rounds. He loosed off six in total and spotted at least two of the attackers fall. Glaucon lifted his plasma cannon over the edge of the turret and aimed it down at the group. They were already spreading out when he fired. Unlike the real weapon, this one fired a single round that burst upon impact. It sent a cloud of quick evaporating gas around the target area stunning four more of the enemy. Xenophon did his best to try to avoid thinking about what an actual super-heated plasma projectile would do.
“Good timing!” called out Jack, as he and his group emerged from the top floor and joined them out on the low battlements. Each pointed their weapons over the edge and fired at any enemy that came close.
“Okay, Commander,” said Xenophon sarcastically. “We’ve secured the tower, what now?”
Roxana smiled and nodded towards the approaching enemy forces on the other side. The odd impact from a rifle or carbine round bounced off the wall ineffectually.
“Well, I’m surprised we’ve got this far already! I suggest we dig in and hold them off until Rexor and the rest make it to us.”
“When? You mean if?” laughed Glaucon.
From their raised position, they could just about make out the glowing shapes of the body shields as the two large formation of fighters met all around the tower. It looked like they had met head on, and both sides were trying to outflank each other. Rexor and his group were still fifty metres from the tower, and it seemed they were pinned down by heavy weapons fire. Jack turned around and called out.
“Two groups are moving in from the left. They’re between Rexor and us. I think they are trying to outflank him. What do we do?”
“If we stay here, we’ll hold the objective, but Rexor and his team could end up cut down. It looks to me like they are content to leave us here, so they will finish him off and then come looking for what’s left of our force.”
Roxana nodded in agreement and lifted her carbine to check the state of her ammunition. She was already down to less than a half, and the enemy had not even started their main assault yet.
“Alright, here’s what we will do. I will stay with the long-range weapons and help defend the turret. Xenophon, Glaucon, Tamara and Jack, you will climb back down and work your way behind their team. Do not assault their positions unless you have the advantage, but try and catch them in a crossfire. If you can break them up, it will give Rexor a chance to break out to the tower.”
Glaucon and Xenophon nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing on the plan. They were already moving to the steps when Roxana grabbed Xenophon’s arm.
“Grab the ammunition from the ones downstairs, you’ll need it.”
He smiled and then disappeared out of view.
The small group moved down the tower and did their best to keep in the shadows. Glaucon was the only one of them carrying a heavy weapon, so he stayed further back, constantly on the look out for enemy movement. At the bottom, they found the semi-conscious bodies of the enemy, still panting from a mixture of exhaustion and probably the drugs they had been induced with. It took seconds to strip the magazines from their weapons, and they were on their way. The sounds of the main battle were coming directly ahead, and it sounded terrible. A mixture of gunfire, shouting and the crump and flashbang grenades rumbled through the streets. They made it to the damaged outer wall of a ruined home and stopped. Jack kept low and glanced through the gaping hole in the walls and out into the street. He watched for a few seconds before slipping back.
“There are dozens of them, looks like a melee.”
Xenophon pointed to the right but said nothing. They moved around the building and picked their way past the wrecked vehicles until they were in a position right behind where the red team should actually be. A number of cracks and explosions made them drop to the floor. They came from behind, but it was impossible to tell whether the reds had made it into the tower, of if they were simply engaged in a major firefight.
“There!” called out Glaucon.
Behind an upturned truck were about twenty member of the red team. They were behind cover and pouring fire into a similar number of blues who had been caught out in the open. Most of the rounds were bouncing from their body shields, but every now and then a shot made it through. As Xenophon and his own team took up position, a powerful blast from a plasma cannon hit the centre of Rexor’s formation. The gas charge put half a dozen fighters on the ground and disrupted their formation, making them even more vulnerable to attack. Xenophon double-checked his Asgeirr-Carbine and pulled Glaucon down to his level.
“On my command, you hit the centre of the line with everything you have. The rest of us will move out and hit them at close range. Understood?”
He nodded in agreement. Tamara and Jack were both armed with carbines and stood waiting.
“Ready?” asked Xenophon, and they nodded instantly. He turned back to Glaucon, “When you’re ready!”
He lifted his heavy weapon and rested it on the damaged wall. From their position, they had a perfect view of the rear of the red team. Glaucon aimed the weapon carefully and fired all his rounds, one after the other. He only had four left, but the effect of all four was devastating. He dropped the weapon and chased after the other three who were already charging at the team. Jack and Tamara blazed away with their carbines while Xenophon fired single shots from his own weapons. They only brought down a small number of the enemy, but the effect of being hit at close-range from behind shattered their formation.
“Get back!” shouted Tamara. A dummy round barely missed the two of them as Jack and Tamara took cover behind a metal container. More rounds clattered against it, but for now they were safe. While the gunfight continued, Xenophon rushed in, his bloodlust up. At close range, he was able to use his two Laconian weapons to perfection. His first bursts of fire cleared a path through their position, and then he was amongst them. Ducking and leaning, he avoided their clumsy attempt to shoot him while he stabbed and fired at close range.
Glaucon moved as quickly as he could, but he was forced to slow down as targets of opportunity arrived. A small group of four of the enemy had taken refuge behind a wall and were putting down considerable gunfire. Glaucon fired twice and dropped low to avoid their fire. He kept shooting, as well as moving closer to them, and could see Xenophon jumping about in the middle of the group. He seemed to be causing more confusion than casualties, but that was fine, disruption worked in their favour. He moved to the left to try and work around the group, but his left leg gave way.
“Great!” he cried in irritation, as he stumbled and collapsed to the ground. One of their projectiles had struck him above the knee and put him out of the fight. He tried to watch the rest of the training scenario, but the drug on the round started to kick in, and his vision quickly blurred.
Glaucon might be down, but there were now less than a dozen of the red team remaining. Only the handful that had turned on Glaucon were left, and they stood to try and run, only to be cut down by the renewed weapons fire from Rexor’s own advancing position. It was a devastating crossfire from all involved, and as the gunfire stopped, Xenophon found himself in the middle of the defeated red team’s position. Rexor moved out from the centre of his unit to look at Xenophon and Glaucon, both of whom were dripping in sweat. He was about to speak when a single remaining red team member lifted herself up and aimed her plasma cannon directly at Rexor. The expression on his face showed that he knew his time was up. Two flashes from the container further away was the only signal that Tamara and Jack were still in position. Their carefully aimed shots hit the woman in the back and knocked her to the ground.
“Not bad,” he said with a forced smile.
A loud siren filled the arena, and the lights on the training weapons switched off. Large flood lamps flashed on, and for a few seconds all of those involved felt almost blinded by the bright lights. From above, a round platform of perhaps ten metres in diameter was lowered. It took almost twenty seconds to reach to the ground. In the middle stood an Arcadian senior officer plus an entourage of warriors, each dressed in full combat attire. A group of medics and technicians stepped down from the platform to tend to those that had fallen and to administer the drugs to allow them to stand.
A small group of the blue team appeared from the left as the survivors of the tower, led by Roxana, emerged from their cover. They were covered in dust, but the look of satisfaction showed they had won a good victory.
“Excellent work. You will be pleased to note that all of you have passed and are deemed of satisfactory standard to serve with our ad-hoc combat units. Most of you have shown you have the gumption to serve with our heavy infantry, please join the Komes here. He will give you your postings and information on your service aboard the Olympia.”
The recruits started to move but were halted by the commander.
“I want each of you to stay, please,” he said pointing at Xenophon, Roxana, Tamara and Jack. He then pointed to the prone shape of Glaucon on the ground.
“Him as well. Give him a hand up.”
Rexor glanced at them and nodded as he left. He didn’t seem particularly disheartened to be leaving. He was presumably off to join the others with the heavy infantry. Xenophon watched him walk away and wondered what that would mean for him. The commander waited until most of the others had left before inviting them over to meet an officer. This man looked even dourer than the rest of the Arcadian soldiers they had met.
“This is Komes Pasion, leader of my scout force. I think you would be ideally suited to serving with him.”
He turned and moved back to the platform without even waiting to see what they had to say. The Komes looked serious, with not even a hint of humour or compassion about him.
“My force is a picked unit of three hundred fighters, but we are down on numbers. We travel light and are expected to conduct all manner of missions from recon through to raiding and assault. You need to be able to fight with rifles, carbines and close quarter weapons. You’ve shown initiative, independence and improvisation. These are the three key criteria for being in my unit. Return to the changing area and collect your belongings. You will get your orders from the Dekarchos, he already has your information.”
He paused and then smiled, or at least that was what it looked like to Xenophon. It could equally have been a grimace.
“Welcome to the Night Blades.”
The small group looked at each other in surprise. The officer walked away to leave them in the middle of the training arena.
“Night Blades? Is that a good thing?” asked Jack.
Roxana nodded while Xenophon tried to support the dead weight of Glaucon. He looked unconscious, but Roxana seemed unconcerned at his state.
“Well, we will earn more credits, but there is a greater risk. They are the elite unit on this ship, so we’ve struck gold here,” she said with a very surprised look.