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Training Day 1

I was finishing my coffee when Mariana asked, “What are you going to do, those young people are at once one of the greatest assets we have and the biggest headache we have?”

“Well, I intend to slow that little Firebrand Angel created down with the most numbing thing I know of, Responsibility!  I am going to throw Command Burden right on her shoulders early and Hard.”

Mariana shrugged, “You know that she thinks the key to Military Operations is the killing.”

“I know, I know.  But I intend to teach her that amateurs talk Tactics, pros talk Logistics.”

She laughed, “Well it worked on two hotheads that I know of.  Giving Ash that Squadron was the best move you ever made.  And don’t I remember a hotshot Sergeant who got a battlefield promotion and handed a Platoon to slow his tail down?”

I sat down the cup and said, “My Lady I have no idea of whom you speak,”

I left the tent to her laughter.  Stepping outside I saw the Young guns them selves just gathering in the open space in front of our tent.  Glancing at my wrist comp, they were two minutes early!  I saw an immediate opening.  “Sgt, I did mention a construction project, where are your Bots?”

“On standby at the lumber pile Sir.  I didn’t want to waste the energy of having them come down here only to walk back over there.  It’s not much, but I figure every bit counts.  If we need them now I can call them, Sir.”

“Well, you are either good or lucky.  Time will tell.  Have your Bots bring all the slabs they can carry.  When we get to the site, we will hook them up to my Bots, who I have put some solar cells on.  R. Nug can pass the Manual of Arms for the M-117 shovel to them and top up their charge while we do the on the ground project brief.  I’ll get my Bots and we will move out single file.”  I stopped and caught her gaze, “I know Gabe taught you a limited skill set because of the situation you were in, and in His situation I would have done the same thing.  Time for you to learn the rest, you have to build the Garden, and the Wall before you can defend them.”

I turned and walked towards the Bots and heard a gasp behind me and a voice asking, “Jai, what’s that on his back?”

“.50 BMG sniper – a good custom job – Robar, by the looks of it.  Just this side of my uncle’s work for quality, and that’s saying something.  That baby will blow a hole clean through a half-inch of steel plate.  Don’t use one myself, but they’re the sniper rifle of choice for a lot of operators.”

“Operators?” another voice asked.  Liza, if I wasn’t mistaken.

“Special operations types – Andy, Mariana.  Maybe you someday.”

Hiding a laugh I brought the Bots’ awake and we moved out for the Hydro Site.  They didn’t hit good combat spacing but it was a good first single file.  “You got three years Andy, take your time.”

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Colony: Alchibah is a science fiction blog novel.
Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Probably.

All Contents (written or photo/artwork) not attributed to other sources is
Copyright (C) 2006 - 2011 by Jeff Soyer. All rights reserved.