Danger Close

[Yusana Fenni]

Talasea Base (Reconstructed), Central Regions
Planet Talasea, CSA Space

As the transport touched down on its landing pad, one of many that lay on the outskirts of this large military outpost, a multitude of protocol droids, servitor droids and combat droids approached from the central walkway, flanked by two columns of lights that stretched up and down its wide, metallic path. The heavy rain clinked and clanked as it bounced off the durasteel plates, only to be drowned out by the sound of transports and freighters taking off, the occasional rumble of thunder, and the comm-chatter of droids, personnel and pilots all talking to one another. The stormy, windy night sky was lit up by several large transports that seemed to shuttle their cargo back and forth from the installation to elsewhere on the planet, while every now and then one would climb into the dark skies, disappearing into the clouds.

As the transport's ramp deployed and lowered, letting in the rain, wind and sounds outside, a female guardsman flanked by two masked details - all three holding some kind of blaster rifle that seemed crude, but had yet to be seen off planet, approached as their guest stepped down their ramp. Many instructors and veterans were invited to come here to share their knowledge to the growing throngs of recruits that were calling Talasea Base home, but this one was different. Or rather, his charge, was different.

"Welcome, sergeant. I take it your trip wasn't too rough? We've been receiving reports that the storm's really making landing difficult for the past few days." The female guardsman maintained a stoic, steely expression as she simply nodded; rainwater dripping down her own face, armor, weapon and hair. "I am 2nd lieutenant Elara. I will be be accompanying you for the duration of your stay."

This veteran was here to train the rookie recruits of the now famed Talasean Thunderers, a renowned regiment with a long list of achievements and battles won to their name during the last planetary civil war, when now Senator Yusana Fenni waged a war of attrition that lasted an entire year and a half to unify the planet. The recruits were part of the newly formed 5th Company, a battle group 80 men strong, but all had just finished the basic training program and now High Command wanted to take the opportunity to take the best of military traditions across the galaxy and incorporate its best elements in this young, burgeoning corps.

[member=Kaiden Rohn]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

So this is where you end up, old man.

Washed up alcoholic training kids how to fight. How to be like you.

But they're not you.

So most of them are gonna die.


He opened his eyes as the transport came to a halt. He was lead out, flanked by guards as the ramp descended. Kaiden's armor and gear was stowed below, hopefully towed away and would meet him at his destination. He was dressed in fatigues, and crossed his powerful arms as he looked at the Lieutenant. She was tough-looking, as tough as these people got. They fought a petty war, a war that was relatively small in scale. And now they were in power and wanted to stay in power. So they wanted an elite force. And they were paying him to train them.

His morals went out the door a while ago for the most part, somewhere after all of his friends died and the thing he was fighting for turned evil and had a coup. Somewhere in there, things went sour. "Hopefully you can accompany me without a gun most of the time." He was definitely unnerved, but not alarmed. They weren't holding him hostage, were they? If they were, he'd kill at least 200 of them before they probably got the better of him. Then again, that was plan F of A-Z of what he wanted to do here.

The rain hit him harder than expected, truthfully. He never was one for enjoying the weather. Especially when the weather sucked more than most Twi'lek dancers after a show.

"So Lietuenant- tell me. These boys going to be fighting locally, or you pushing them out, way out- into the wild yonder of the galaxy?" He looked over her features. She might've been a survivor of the war. But he was a survivor of at least ten wars, at the least. "And I'm glad that Fenni woman decided to show up too. Glad the person who got me the job bothered to stop by."

[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

"We've had some unpleasant surprises in the past. We'd rather not lose any more men than we have to", Elara simply replied as a booming thunderclap cracked the sky, which for a moment was lit up by a flash of lighting - illuminating the lieutenant's dark green fatigues and composite armor padding. She was of course referring to the string of terrorist attacks carried out by the Senator's political enemies - both on and off the planet. Marshaling and army and building a fleet all in secrecy did not always sit well with democrats - even corrupt ones, who all the same smelled the stench of conspiracy as over the past revolutions, the senator continued to consolidate more and more power in the planetary council.

As for the sergeant's question, the lieutenant seemed to hesitate a little before turning around to escort the man to his barracks. As the small party of four proceeded off the landing area walkway and onto the main grounds, he would have noticed a disturbing sight - one he was all too familiar with.

Assembled columns and groups of men and women, all in fatigues and armor or different hues but all bearing similar insignias, were marching, training, marshaling, and being equipped all the way up and down the grounds. Occasionally, a large tank could be spotted here and there, as could be large beasts of war heavily armored and carrying loads of their own. The surrounding domes and large complexes, one surmised, could have been training facilities or armories. The irony was that, however, all of this was strictly classified and may as well have not existed at all from the perspective of the Talasean general public.

"That information is classified, sergeant, but as of now I can confidently answer that they'll be redeployed for counter-terrorist operations", Elara replied. It was almost insulting in how much of a lie it was to one who could connect the dots between her guarded speech and what was going on around them.

"These are dangerous times. We have to be armed and prepared at all times."

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

He didn't exactly feel the gun to his head quite yet, but he knew it was there. He sensed leaving wasn't going to be an option. And then it dawned on him the daunting task of building an army in the shadows. Training, logistics- not an easy thing to hide from prying eyes. Which he sure that the good senator had plenty of.

He scoffed at her answer. It was loud enough to be heard over the thunder. He wasn't one to be fooled. He played the black highlighter game before. He wasn't a fan of it. "Counter-terrorism units don't have their own bases, much less 80 troops." Havoc squad only had 15 at their peak. They were the best of any group of soldiers within the Republic. The Wildcards, [member="Kiyron"]'s team, came close.

"Is the dangerous times thing why I have three people escorting me to my troops?"

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, casually walking with the Lieutenant. The fact that the senator hadn't even called bothered him more than a little. Something felt wrong. Something else than the secrets. Something was on the horizon, and it wasn't just the storm.

"I don't like being kept in the dark. Or lied to."
[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

Elara kept silent for some time after the sergeant remarked that he did not like being lied to. In all honesty, she would have been more than willing to brief him, but standard protocols called for confidentiality where one had to assume authorization. Better to err on the side of caution than be shot, after all. They past a few more marching columns of company after company - in black fatigues, dark grey ones, dark green ones, the works. Under the rain and hum of machinery one could hear their drill sergeants yelling, making callouts, briefing, organizing - over a thousand men could be within earshot at any given time, and over ten thousand could be marshaled onto this one ground simultaneously - one such military installation of many.

"As I don't as well, sergeant. I'll file a report for clearance authorizing you access to the briefing on just why it is you're here. But until then, I'm afraid you'll just have to be contented with what you see here." Behind them their two escorts could be heard mumbling as they chatted with each other in hushed voices. They appeared to be playing a little game guessing which world each of the new companies being marshaled up from the landing pads was coming from.

"Naboo?"

"Softies. They won't last a minor skirmish. Look over there. Chiss."

"I don't like 'em. They keep to themselves."

"Yeah, but they can sure kill."

Finally then, the 2nd Lt. and her escorts stopped in front of an assembled company of men - all bipedal near-humans, but clearly of different species. The little military parade was 20 men wide from end to end, and four rows deep - total of 80 strong. Plus Elara and two more NCO's, that made 83. Humans, Hapans, Chiss, Echani, even a Duros. Each was armed with the same ragtag-looking gun Elara brandished, and all were wearing an unusual matte-black uniform - duroplast padding could be made out against the sound the raindrops made when they hit their fatigues.

"Sergeant Rohn, this is 5th company...." The recruits didn't say a word, only their eyes moving to look upon their new CO for the next few weeks.

"They've been pooled from recruits with the brightest potential around the regiments", Elara remarked as she stayed close to the sergeant, and kept her eyes on the boys she'd only come to know roughly 2 weeks ago herself. "Their dossiers read at least 2 years of regular service, over 500 hours total with the training helmets, and excellent PT grades. I'll have the paperwork on your desk in an hour."

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

"Killers for hire all across the cosmos. I bet they all are great people."

Kaiden marched forward, await from the two stooges and the woman in dull green. He a ran hand over his close cropped hair, walking up and down the Company he was supposed to be in charge of. Didn't say anything, didn't point anything out. But they seemed well off enough. And in shape too. That was ultimately a positive note he could take away from it. The machine gun had to go. It was crude. It seemed ineffective. It wouldn't last against more capable opponents. The uniforms were crisp and neat, and their armor was shiny and new. Positive on one note, and negative to a degree.

He nodded at the Lieutenant, and walked back to her. The recruits were silent, parting out of Kaiden's way like the sea for a certain man with a staff. He placed his hands on his hips, staring at the Lieutenant square in the eye. The younger man in him wanted to take her into his office and really sign her paperwork. But the soldier in him, the dutiful soldier, wanted to interrogate her as to what was really going on.

"You don't ever tell me what I'll get to be content with, Lietuenant. Or I will personally ream your ass in front of this entire base and make everyone watch."

It was obvious it was a threat. But in another setting, it could've been one of the more sexually charged things he said. But the tone of his voice made it very clear that Kaiden was willing to bash her skull as much as kark it. The recruits went away, they knew better than to listen in on commanding officers and senior NCOs.

"This isn't a police force to take care of a civil war. This isn't some- militia to protect the little guy. What're you all planning here, hm?"

[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

Obviously unnerved but making an effort not to seem like it, the lieutenant kept her wits about, leaning back slightly as she cleared her throat - at a loss for a brief moment with nothing to say. The recruits stood back in line as well, not a word leaving their lips as they thought they were about to see another lieutenant get gutted right in front of them - not that it was anything new at this point, but cleaning up the mess in the aftermath was never a pleasant thing. As for Elara, it was the first time in her life that someone had really threatened her the way Sgt. Rohn did, and while refreshing, certainly tested to unsettle her from her normally stoic demeanor.

"Sergeant", the lieutenant began softly, "If it were left to me, I would have downloaded everything onto your datapad before you landed. I'm not at liberty to disclose what I want, but I will make sure the proper information is provided to you before this night is over." A thunderclap and crack of lighting then roared through the rainy night sky, illuminating for a brief moment the sergeant's gruff appearance and the smaller lieutenant who was staring back.

"If there is anything I can tell you at this point however, Sergeant Kaiden Rohn, it's that war is coming. And the preparations you see around you are a safeguard, to make sure that it finds us ready.."

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

"The level of war you're preparing for doesn't require troops bussed in from off-planet, Lieutenant."

He turned his back on the Lieutenant, crossing his arms and marching up and down for a moment, before speaking again.

"My name is Kaiden Rohn. You may call me Sergeant."

A few chuckles. It was alright to laugh, they were experienced enough to warrant laughing at one of his jokes. He rolled his shoulders.

"I will train you to become the most efficient killing machines that I can think of. I will make sure that you are able to pass on the knowledge I pass to you, onto others. I will make sure that you can at least take out half of whoever is trying to kill you before they get to you. I will make you all the best that I can think of."

He unfurled his tattooed arms, and folded them behind his back, marching up to each of them. He didn't say anything, he just gave them the once-over. They seemed at least, somewhat squared away from what he could tell. Only time would be the true judge of it all.

"The next few days will be a lot of in-processing and administrative things that I have to take care of. But rest assured, you all are going to get trained. For now, I want you all to get into bed. The only thing I have planned for tomorrow is a hellacious amount of PT in the morning." He wasn't one to mince words. He motioned for the Lieutenant to follow him, walking to his office, that doubled as his quarters, in the back of the company's barracks. He turned and stared at the two stooges with her. They'd be smart not to come with him. He entered his office, regardless if she followed him or not, and sat down, running a hand through his hair. He looked rather tired from the trip, and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and his thumb. He collapsed into the chair, looking around the dull-white of the room, and the simplistic, spartan furniture. His luggage and gear weren't in yet, and the only thing on the desk was a computer.

He sighed, and waited for her to follow him into the room.

[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

The company's NCO's were quick to dismiss and rush their charges back to their barracks, where they'd put on their training helmets again and rest until dawn tomorrow - when the real work would begin. The recruits seemed disciplined enough, but one keen enough would be shrewd to deduce that their shiny armor hinted at their lack of combat experience, which was always a disadvantage. Training helmets and synoptic teachers were one thing, but stripes earned in the heat of battle were always priceless. Petty little war games in training rooms did not let the student confront the cold, hard realities of war. It would be the sergeant's job to prepare them for that one day.

Elara followed, the comm-piece in her ear now buzzing as she mouthed a few words that, presumably, could be picked up by whoever was on the other side. The two ponces were wise enough not to follow, but that hard stare from the sergeant ensured that they wouldn't even think about it. The 2nd lieutenant tried to remain calm and composed, albeit being rustled a little after being told down in front of the recruits - she'd sort that out later. For now, briefing Rohn and bringing him up to speed on current happenings was priority. As she followed him into his quarters, she lay her weapon by the door, but not until after giving it a gently shake to hasten the drying later. Elara herself was dripping with rainwater as she tied her hair into a bun. She then raised her hand, dialing in a few buttons on a small console about her wrist which immediately prompted the sergeant's computer to come to life as info on every recruit and NCO in the company, and even the 2nd lieutenant's own files, was downloaded.

Not a few moments more until the door was opened again, this time by servitor droids who brought the sergeant's personal effects from the transport and lay them by the bedside.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

"Having access to where you were born and where all the recruits are from and the test scores they have doesn't make me any less suspicious, anxious, or worried, Lieutenant."

His eyes flickered to her chest. The soaking rain didn't hide a thing from her figure, that much, he could say. The rain actually complimented her.

"Or the fact that you're outright denying me the truth- and the fact that the person who hired me for this purpose firstly isn't even here, or hasn't even given me the full details of my mission here."An aggressive lean forward on the desk, and the man's facial scars were brought into light. The lower right half of his cheek was burnt, and parts of his neck- severely. Courtesy of a Vong who got a lucky shot not too long ago. There was a scar above his opposite eye, and his knuckles, besides the tattoos, were marked with the tell-tale signs of a fighter. Beauty marks of a pugilist, they called it. Reality, is what it should've been called. Reality of a man who was a shockboxer in another life. Who could've been a prize fighter, if not for his patriotism and devotion to duty.

"So, now that we're alone and one of us is soaking wet, indulge me in the truth."

[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

The lieutenant simply sighed as she pulled up a chair, turning it backwards as she sat with legs agape facing the sergeant, her arms resting on the top of the headrest as a few last droplets of condensation fell from her brunette strands of hair. Against the pale light above her armor seemed to shine a more radiant shade of green, however still dark, but still wet with rain it shined dimly as the fabric beneath it remained darkened with moisture.

"Alright, sergeant, I guess there's no stopping you", Elara began as she deactivated the comm-piece in her ear. "I can't keep this off for long so I'll be brief."

A few tense, silent seconds passed as the 2nd lieutenant stared blankly at the sergeant, obviously thinking of the right words to say as she composed her thoughts. Eventually her gaze sharpened as she looked more intently at the old shockboxer, her back straightening now.

"The recruits under you are part of an invasion force being organized by the planetary governor of Talasea - the Commenori Senator, Yusana Fenni. On paper though none of us exist, and publicly she denies our existence. They haven't filled us in on the exact details yet either, but I'm told that in a revolution's time we're headed for one of the worlds in the mid-rim. Intel reports that a band of Mandalorian clans gone rogue from the rest of the hive are operating out of there - they used to terrorize several cities around Talasea until Fenni organized a militia to help mount a defense. Two years on sergeant, and the army you see before you is that militia."

Of course, what had been cascaded down to the chain of command could also have been a lie - the Senator wasn't exactly a transparent commander-in-chief. There were also speculation among the officers that there were other, more sinister powers at work here.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

"Lieutenant, do you honestly believe that you need an entire army to take out a Mandalorian clan?" He leaned forward, resting his tattooed hands on the table."A Mandalorian clan, from a shattered people, who's world so-happened to be burned by themselves?"Her armor didn't hide a thing off her figure. Not. A. Thing."I'm not training an army to fight a bunch of pissed off bucketheaded asswipes, Lieutenant."Powerful eyes met impressionable ones."I'm preparing something more. The good senator knows that you don't need this much to take out a clan of Mandalorians. She wouldn't need to deny your existence if that were the case. She's lying to you and to me. Unless you both are right now."

He stood up and started to take off his boots, then his trousers, standing in nothing but silkies and a tank top after a moment. He was covered in tattoos, some Republic military oriented- but the ones on his chest and shoulders were distinctly belonging to a certain now-defunct Coruscanti swoop gang. Not that she would know that. He ran a hand through his hair, after laying his wet clothes across the clothes rack adjacent to his desk. He had a lot of horrific injuries over the years. Some were tattooed over, some scarred and broke up his tattoos. He ran a weary hand over his face and through what little hair he didn't cut off with clippers every week. It was easy to hide gray hair when it was short. Especially if it was still mostly black hair. Salt and pepper, they called it. He called it getting old.

He was lucky to have gotten old.

He sat back down in his chair, in drier clothes. A power-play, of sorts. She was going to be kept as uncomfortable as possible until she told him what he wanted to hear. And that was the truth. Or she had just told him the truth, or at least, what she had been told. Something stank all the way to the top of this pile of shit.

[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

"Sergeant, I've had several of my colleagues disappear for sticking their noses where it didn't belong. These are strange times, and I'd rather not invite myself or the people around me or under my charge to trouble." The lieutenant visibly swalled down saliva as she gulped in light anxiety as small beads of sweat began to form on her forehead. Awkwardly but professionally her eyes tried to shift away from the underdressed Rohn, discomfort obviously mounting as her fists balled and her combat boots pressed against the floor. Then, surprisingly, Elara pulled the seat closer to the sergeant's desk; this time she spoke in a much more hushed and urgent tone.

"22 months ago we captured a platoon of the Mandalorians in question on the outskirts of one of our listening posts to the south of the region. Reports contradict each other but everyone knew that they were ratted out by a mole that supposedly one of the senator's confidantes planted within the clan. Rumors say she's intentionally manipulating the Mandalorians to goad them on to war from the shadows, while using them as a common enemy to rally everyone under her cause. That these Mandalorians once raided our cities is true, but they've stepped up their attacks in a very odd way and it's unusual - even for mercenary scum like them."

Elara then sighed. "Rather convenient that the final report stated that the subject did not survive interrogation. The CIC doesn't seem to keen on taking prisoners - she has, but in my experience only when it's served her. She takes Mandalorian women and children as hostages, abandons entire villages to lull raiders and looters in only to pincer in around them and slaughter them: her definition of what warfare is and isn't has changed the planet."

"Here's what I do know though, sergeant. There's something else on that planet that the senator's preparing for. No one knows exactly what, but High Command has hypothesized that it has to be far more important than a few thousand Mandalorians, or even the metal they so prize.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

"I think you know what that Ice Queen is preparing herself and these troops for, Lieutenant. You don't need to be a genius to see that someone's funneling the bucketheads something to warrant them venturing outside their comfort zones of smacking around homesteads."

Kaiden studied the Lieutenant. She was genuinely nervous, anxious- or at least, worried with that tone of voice. She also didn't like the fact that he was basically half-naked. Tough luck, sister. He clucked his tongue. She was shady and brutal at the college, he should've expected nothing less than her home planet. She was tactically, sound- but manipulative. He probably, given a reversed role, or an outsider's role at least, liked the idea of how she was going to be seeking power, or removing a threat. But she was using him like a pawn now. And the old man wasn't having it. But he would have to play her wicked game, for now. For the sake of he didn't want to get machine-gun'd in his sleep.

"Get any closer and we're either screwing or fighting, Lieutenant."

Kaiden thrust a single index finger at her. Force of habit that he didn't let people he just met and that potentially could kill him in his sleep get too close to him. And the fact that she was still wearing her armor, and her rifle wasn't that far out of reach. But Kaiden was willing to bet he was a little faster than the green-around-the-ears Lieutenant.

[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

The lieutenant was at a loss for words - deep down she knew the sergeant had some good points, and while she just tried to hide it under the desk this whole time, the sergeant didn't seem as shrewd - if he even cared for such things to begin with. She'd read his files, and after all that, he probably earned it anyway. Not everyone, after all, made it to the war rooms as senior officers. Some men were just so talented at ratting out scum and killing them with impunity that they were best left to their craft on the battlefields across the galaxy.

"I....", Elara paused to gather her thoughts before she could continue, her eyes staring blankly into the sergeant's desk, "I.. I know. Even if you were an off-worlder it wouldn't be difficult to gather that the senator's quite the warmonger. The general public are oblivious to it all. To all of this", she then gestured with her hand at the room around them. "To the public she's a hero for pushing the Mandalorians off-world and uniting the local city states. There was a campaign of propaganda a few months ago that smeared the entire opposition as sympathizers for the Mandalorians and the old smuggler's rings that terrorized the cities. Guess she knows that when it comes to PR, painting everything black and white makes everything nice and easily digestable for civies", the lieutenant said with a sigh, her shoulders dropping as she seemed resigned to the situation.

"Well, no matter."

She then rose to her feet and brushed down on her fatigues to smooth out the creases and any more droplets of moisture that hadn't dried up yet. "I won't bore you with the history lessons, sergeant. I trust you understand the complexity of our situation. The boys out there will need you, and we both know it. Without you, Sgt. Rohn, you know what fate awaits them out there in the stars."

"Bellum aeternam, sergeant."

And with a customary salute, Elara turned around, grabbed her weapon, and showed herself out.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

He watched Elara leave, and grow weary and nervous when she took the weapon with her. The company was asleep, for the most part. He leaned back in the chair, processing the reality, gravity and depravity of the situation he was in. He leaned back, resting his head into hand. He tapped his hand on the desk, and opened up said files the Lieutenant brought over to him. He skimmed over the recruits. They were more or less the same, across the board. High potential, good PT scores. Average to above average marksmanship skills. He'd learned in Havoc Squad to find exceptional individuals amongst the ne'er-do-well types. He'd have to get more intimidate with the company to understand them better.

He leaned back in the chair, and set an alarm for himself. He also set his computer to send a message to the Lieutenant the same time he woke up. When he was up, she was going to be up. If they wanted to monitor him, he'd make it as inconvenient and annoying as possible for them. He laid down in the bed, folding his hands on his chest. And the same feeling popped up. Something was wrong. Not just the wrong as in what he was here for, but also, his intuition was kicking in.

He slipped his holdout blaster under his pillow for security's sake. He leaned his head back, and closed his eyes, and fell into a restless sleep. In the morning, he'd slay the company in PT, and see how the Lieutenant fared under duress. Then, it'd be classes on the basic infantry skills, and he'd end the day around lunch. No point in keeping them around for too long. They were soldiers, after all. Their days could only be spent doing so much. Besides, happy troops were productive troops, productive troops were effective troops. Effective were lethal.

Lethality meant victory.

[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

@ 0530 the next morning,
Talasea Base Training Ground J-154

All 80 recruits were lined up in two rows of 40, each already fully kitted in his battle gear and holding his Talasea-Pattern Repeating Blaster Rifle but with magazines not net loaded. The two staff sergeants in charge of each row stood at the left flank of each line, with Elara standing in front of them and psyching them up. The entire company had been rudely awakened by the 2nd lieutenant detonating sonic grenade on the floor under a pile of sheets, muffling the sound but still leaving an uncomfortable pain in each recruit in the minutes soon after.

"I don't care what your records say, recruits. Stats on paper won't guarantee an easy breeze through the next two weeks. Remember, you duffs have been singled out from each of your platoons, but that doesn't mean you're special just yet."

Elara then frowned, a look of discontent forming on her face after seeing that some of the recruits where still sleepy. A quick un-holstering of her blaster and a single shot into the ground in front of her however quickly remedied that.

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

He didn't approve of the way she was treating his troops. They were experienced enough to warrant some leeway, but that was a discussion for another time. Kaiden folded his hands behind his back, inspecting their gear setup. Mostly the same, with some variations of pouches and the like.

He waved his hand and told them to get outside. Transport was here to take them to the range. It was a basic marksmanship range, something to test both the rifles and the recruits themselves. The ride over in trucks was quiet, Kaiden sitting in the front of one to avoid fraternizing with the recruits. The range itself was setup fairly basic, targets at one end, marked areas to shoot at various ranges at the other. Kaiden stood tall, and watched as the two Staff Sergeants barked orders and formed the recruits.

Their marksmanship wasn't bad, but could use some improvement, he noted as the range began at the farthest distance. He looked over at Elara at his side, crossing his arms before speaking.

"You want a war- a constant war, Lieutenant?"

[member="Yusana Fenni"]

 

[Yusana Fenni]

Elara's eyes would occasionally squint as the droning pops of their repeating blaster rifles would sound off in sporadic bursts. The staff sergeants were perhaps not as aggressive as one might have liked them to be so as to stress-proof the recruits, but they were very hands-on in helping them men adjust for things like distance, terrain slope and learning to filter out distractions in their surroundings.

The 2nd lieutenant stood next to Sgt. Rohn, preferring not to say any more than she had to. For the most part she was happy just to have them training already, as basic training covered mostly hand-to-hand combat in the Echani arts. Basic firearms training was mandatory of course, but she'd prefer that it be more a crux for training than a simple tool in the soldier's arsenal. Besides, it was turning out to be a sunny day and the weather was great for shooting down range.

"I'm sure it's not something any of us want, sergeant. Why? I'd rather at least come prepared to be blown to atoms than wait around for war to savage us all."

[member="Kaiden Rohn"]

 

[Kaiden Rohn]

"I ask you because you're following the orders of a woman who's going to give you nothing but that. The word you're looking for, Lieutenant- is ruin."

He'd been a student of the gun for a long time. Scholarly pursuits hadn't interested him, especially given the fact that his parents and the memory of them turned him off from the idea of devoting his time over books or old tomes. But, on the bright side, Kaiden Rohn could speak, read, and write Sithese. Not that it mattered much in the realm of Special Operations. He watched the troops break for lunch. He'd give them an hour for a job well done. No need to treat it like boot camp. They were more or less professionals, they were here to enhance their skillset and become more lethal than the planet had seen- no need to haze them anymore.

He watched the recruits break out their rations. Kaiden broke out a sandwich he made for himself, offering one similar to the Lieutenant. The other head-shed went away, leaving him and the Lieutenant free to speak at the range control box, where the rest of the ammo sat.

"I used to believe in a lot of things, Elara. A lot more than I do now. But I still believe in doing the right thing. In doing what no one else will for a cause. I hope one day you find something you can believe in like I did, Elara. I really do."

He didn't speak for a while.

"I made you a sandwich."

[member="Yusana Fenni"]