Private Back to Basics

[Elena Lowe]

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Balmorran Systems Command,
Balmorra,
Early morning.

-

Elena rolled over and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. Dull light streamed in from beneath the double doors on the far side of the room and washed over the sleeping bodies of her bunkmates lying in their cots. She swung her legs out over the bunk and slipped into the pair of boots tucked underneath the bed. She grinned at the sound of snores coming from around her. Time to save these cadet’s careers.

In the aftermath of the battle at the Csillian Emergence and the loss of their sergeant, Elena’s motley crew of cadets had decided service to the Starfighter Corps probably wasn’t for them. Elena had narrowly avoided a grisly death in her starfighter, and her fellow cadets had been thrown in to peril themselves when the home ship went down. All in all, it had put them off life as a pilot. So when the offers rolled through for fast-tracked training for Specialists, they had refused, and they hadn’t shown up to training the following week.

As it turned out. That had not been the answer her superiors were expecting, and the news that their star cadets had refused their offer was not taken well. After a shouting match in which the cadets had stood their ground, they had been threatened with disciplinary action and shipped off to the secluded mountain tunnels that comprised the Balmorran System Command. In the last couple of days, the group had talked fearfully of how their military careers were over before they’d started, and how they’d get stuck on janitorial duty until the end of the war at least.

Elena didn’t want that, not for herself and not for her fellow cadets. So she had arranged a meeting with Ghlaine, a Captain on the base, to figure out some sort of alternate pathway for them now that they had collectively shot themselves in the foot. So it was that she was creeping out of the bunks early in the morning, with the future of herself and a half dozen others hanging over her head.

She reached the office and rapped on the door.

“Enter, Cadet.”

The meeting that followed did not go so well. Most of the duration was spent explaining to Elena that her actions were unacceptable and not reflective of the armed forces and frankly arrogant and how dare they refuse the offer because they need pilots more than ever and blah blah blah she screwed up and they all screwed up and they were lucky they hadn’t been thrown out of the program entirely. This was all stuff she had heard before.

But then the Captain said something interesting.

“Lucky for you, the GADF always needs recruits. Looks like your test scores and your performance at Csilla was just barely worth more than your insubordination.” He added venomously. “The Alliance doesn’t want to waste soldiers with potential, so the Army will take you, but you’ll have to take their basic training. You’re going back to square one.”

The way he smiled at the end made it seem like he was quite pleased with the idea of Elena and the other cadets being forced back into basic, even though they had already graduated months earlier. Picturing it, Elena couldn’t summon the same enthusiasm.

"Look at it as an opportunity to figure out where you excel. Cadet."

Yeah. That was a good point, actually. Now that Elena thought about it she didn’t really know much about her skills. She was resourceful, maybe? Probably. But the Captain definitely wouldn't like that answer. If there was one positive spin to this training, it was the chance to figure out her specialties. Maybe she was a great marksman, or some sort of secret combat pro. Elena didn't really feel like any of those things right now, but she'd never gone to the effort of thinking about it either.

"Cadet Lowe."

"Huh? I mean, yes Captain?"

"I said, you’d better tell the others the good news. You’ve got a long day of training ahead of you. Dismissed.”

She was dismissed and left the room in a hurry, considering the conversation as she walked brusquely back towards the bunks. It wasn’t a terrible result, not when compared to the prospect of being discharged or more likely sent off for guard duty on some backwater planet. But, Elena couldn’t shake the feeling that the brass was not yet done punishing the cadets for their lack of discipline.

 

[Gorthalon]

BACK TO BASICS

BALMORRA SYSTEMS COMMAND

Equipment in bio.

Elena Lowe

​

– I'll gladly test them, sir. Just leave them to me. – Sounded the behemoth's incredibly deep reply to his superior sitting behind the desk. An exchange of militaristic nods and the great Yuzzem was already on his way. A puff of air escaped his snout as he ducked down to exit through the office door.

Many familiar faces passed by him on his way to the training grounds; the first lieutenant had spent the last few years training new recruits, a task he had become rather fond of. The Yuzzem's grim past afforded him wisdom and insight he believed would resonate well with both new recruits and specialized, experienced units. In truth, his mental health had also been affected by the bloodbath of Jedha. Training was more of a familiar setting, one he personally requested to do.

The doors snapped open automatically before the furred creature, who once again ducked to avoid smashing his face into the headsill. A warm breeze rippled his mane as he arrived outside, but left an all too familiar metallic taste in the beast's mouth. No matter the amount of federal regulations, Balmorra's atmosphere shall forever be marred by industrial pollution.

The tall beast's massive shadow slowly enveloped the two training officers below as he descended a set of durasteel stairs. The rigid metal structure reverberated with each heavy footfall, its screeching sounds travelling far over the great flat duracrete training platform.

The two waiting officers saluted the pathfinder as he came to a stop next to them, right on the sideline of the open platform. One of them handed him a datapad containing info on a number of new recruits who have been marked as being rather promising. A genuine smirk flashed over his face as he swiped through the digital dossiers with his clawed finger. He looked over the pastel-colored horizon as he handed back the datapad to the officers. – Summon all of them out here. – The beast sniffed into the air as his gaze drifted toward the barracks. – Prepare for the Iron Yuzzem challenge.

The two officers gulped, then looked at each other with barely contained excitement. Without a word, both set out to make for the preparations.​

 

[Elena Lowe]

Balmorran Systems Command,
Balmorra,
Days Later.

-

Elena tumbled off the beam of the obstacle course for the fourth time that day, hitting the training ground floor with a hefty thud that elicited a groan from the young cadet. In the days since their assignment to the GADF, it had become clear that Elena and her friends were well behind the calibre of physical fitness required by the army, well behind their classmates too. Elena had struggled through PE, drills and obstacle courses that the drill sergeants seemed to give to them with glee. She would spent her day training to the point of complete exhaustion, only to be hauled out of her bunk after only a few hours of rest.

The treatment from the other cadets wasn't helping either. It had been decided that Elena and her friends represented some sort of snobbish elite, having made it through naval academy already only to drop out of the program. This made them the target of jibes and all round cruel treatment. Elena could see the resolve of her friends starting to crumble, could feel her own patience being tested each time she would bow out of a set of exercises to a chorus of jeering laughter. Worse still, word had got around that Elena was related to newly-elected Senator Madelyn Lowe. The realisation that Elena was from a Sith world and a Sith family, did not endear her to her fellow cadets.

So it was that when Elena pulled herself back off the training ground floor she found a boot pressed against her, pushing her down. The weight pressing down until it elicit a pained hiss from the girl and released.

"Try to keep up, Lowe." came the voice as a burly cadet scrambled up the next obstacle. Elena cursed and rose shakily to her feet. She waited a few moments to catch her breath, doubled over with her hands on her knees.

Elena was leaning against the next obstacle sucking in deep breaths when she heard the drill sergeant's voice ring across the training ground. Typical, in trouble again.

"Lowe! Get over here!"

Elena nodded wearily and plodded towards the captain. As she walked over, she frowned at the curious scene in front of her. Assembled in front of the Sergeant was a gaggle of the best cadets in the group, the kind of people that did not want to associate with Elena, looking up at a great, hulking figure who towered above them. She saluted, and filed in at the back of the group, catching the end of the behemoth's sentence to the Sergeant.

Summon all of them out here. Prepare for the Iron Yuzzem challenge.​

Iron Yuzzem. What the kark was Iron Yuzzem?

Gorthalon | Elpsis Kerrigan ​

 

[Gorthalon]

BACK TO BASICS

BALMORRA SYSTEMS COMMAND

Equipment in bio.

Elena Lowe

​

– I am First Lieutenant Gorthalon of the 76th Pathfinder Regiment. – Boomed the voice of the tall beast as he looked over the gathered recruits. Some of them looking eager, others distant. There was a rather extensive amount of misinformation about the Iron Yuzzem challenge among the newer cadets – not that Gorthalon would mind that. It added to the mistery.

The sub-bass of an approaching ship began to rumble in the great distance, increasing in volume as it got closer and closer.

The pitch-black eyes of the fanged lieutenant pierced into those of the recruits. Raising his chin slightly, he continued. – Among you is the one person that shall return victorious from the challenge. – He deliberately let his words ring out, the engine's rumble now beginning to filter into the dead silence. One arm sternly behind his back and the other gesticulating to the rhythm of his speech patterns, he continued. – We are departing for our drop point, E.T.A. five minutes. – He turns his head occasionally, accentuating different parts of his monologue to different cadets. – You are forbidden to bring any weapons… – An open palm toward Elena Lowe – … Or armor. – The cadets' proliferating murmur is now overshadowed by the ever louder oncoming dropship. – You shall receive more information on the ship. Participation is voluntary… but to emerge victorious wouldn't only be a great honor for the sole champion of this gauntlet, but would also warrant my own recommendation to whichever branch of the Galatic Alliance Defence Force you have your sights set on. – Gorthalon straightened up from his characteristic slouch, now having to shout to get his message across, as the landing dropship's heavy turbulence and engine was overbearing. – You will get hurt. You will struggle. But you will discover yourself. Follow me if you dare, cadets. This is a rare opportunity. Good luck.

And with that, the Yuzzem placed the entirety of his equipment into a steel crate beside him, then waded through the group and entered the awaiting dropship.​

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