BOOK III: Basic Training

BASIC TRANING

The real Camp Idyllic was ten kilometers away from the landing field. A collection of buildings covered with soil and foliage. Undetectable from above.

The installation extended far underground and we all where assembled in a large reception hall, with green carpets and windows that allowed a view of the jungle and a large lake.

After Narth and I met Commander Letsgo I was loaded aboard a floater and brought here and found all the other cadets standing in the reception hall.

All eyes turned to me, but no one spoke. I took a spot near the rear and waited for the things to come.

Commander Letsgo looked less human than he did during the brief encounter in the dark jungle. His skin had a metallic dull color and he had neither ears nor a real nose. His head was completely hairless and the eyes looked like cybernetic implants.

He stepped behind a lectern flanked by a fur covered being to the left and a Pan Saran to the right. He began:” Good morning Cadets. I am Commander Letsgo and I am in charge of this training facility. To my left is Lt. Commander Propeel and to my right Lieutenant Aurellius. You will spend the next 6 standard month on and around Camp Idyllic to learn the basics of being a Navy Officer. Our first and foremost mission is to make sure that you are indeed officer material. The United Stars Navy is unlike any other organization. As you probably saw at Arsenal, many thousands apply every quarter at 64 Academy satellites to become Navy Officers. Of all those applicants only about 10 percent of all those applicants make it to the final year and graduate. Instructing and teaching you is only part of our task. We need to  test character, abilities and personal values. Some things can be learned, skills can be taught but there are aspects to each personality already there and we need to uncover and evaluate those aspects. The Navy looks back at 3000 years of history and tradition, Officers even more than enlisted personnel are ambassadors, representatives of these traditions and values and we developed a complicated process to weed out those unfit to wear this uniform.”

He paused for a moment and scanned the room from left to right and continued:” When you where transferred from Arsenal to here and left alone on the landing field was a staged scenario, to see how you adapt to new situations that have not been anticipated. An Officer will very likely come across an unexpected situation in the course of a career. A situation not trained for, not covered in any regulation. Still the Navy expects you to make the right decisions. It doesn’t matter how much training one has or what regulations he or she knows. When it comes to the unknown it is just that, unknown and unprecedented.

You had two options last night. Remain on the landing field or occupy the buildings. And two choices have been made. One group went to the buildings, broke locks, liberated equipment and damaged navy property, but they where warm, safe had food and shelter. The other group remained where they had been dropped off, sticking to the order exactly as given by the Shuttle pilot. That group was cold, suffered a severe brake down in group morale and had casualties. One  leader used physical violence and psychological threats to gain obedience and the other simply took initiative and was chosen. I am asking you now which the better solution to the given situation was?”

The commander pointed a finger at Swybin. “ Why don’t you answer me that question, Cadet?”

Swybin straightened his stanch and said: “ The loss of men can be expected in a hostile environment. I as a commanding officer expect casualties. We are after all soldiers. It is imperative that any soldier or service person carries out orders exactly as given. The common solider can not base his decision to follow and order on potential danger, even deadly threat. He must remain at his post. It is not important if that soldier is warm and well fed, out of harms way or safe. It is however important that he keeps his post!

So without question my decision was the correct one and I am fully prepared to be a witness to this account at the court-martial proceedings of this imbecile neo Viking Olafson, Sir!”

The Commanders artificial looking face did not change its expression as he looked around and pointed at me.” Cadet Swybin made his statement and answered my question. “Now answer my question as well.”

“Sir the pilots order was open for interpretation. He said : “Wait here” and did not specify the location. Wait here, does not define an area of specific measurements so I based my decision on the fact that we did not know the environment, nor did we know why you the instructors where delayed to pick us up and give us further instructions. In my opinion it was necessary to make the best of the situation. The buildings provided me with that option. Anyone looking for us would certainly look in those buildings, besides I posted guards that would have seen any approaching ship or party to signal our whereabouts. It was another Cadet who began quoting regulations and hand books and general orders and they put me in charge. I accepted it and therefore I take full responsibility for the break in and the use of Navy property. All the others acted under my instructions, Sir!”

“So you are willing to accept all responsibility for everything?”

“Yes Sir.”

Swybin snorted :” Have him arrested Sir! I will convey to my father how diligent you execute your post!”

The Commander smiled at Swybin:” How nice of you. So if I have that Cadet arrested and prosecuted you make sure I get a promotion?”

Swybin looked around as if to make sure everyone saw how important he was.” Of course  Commander.”

“Cadet Swybin you are not a commanding officer. Your father’s position and rank makes no difference to your performance, conduct or status. It makes no difference if you have a father or not. Yes we expect our soldiers, service personnel and spacemen to follow orders and execute them regardless of possible danger or personal comforts. An officer is not only responsible to achieve whatever orders given but also for each being under his command. If we wanted blind obedience we could send robots and not beings., we want officers that are able to think and question orders. Every time you receive an order you must evaluate it and decide if you follow it. There is a thin very thin line between discipline and disobedience but we expect each officer to walk this line that is why robots can not replace us.”

He paused and slowly shook his head as he continued:” I experienced a lot, Cadet Swybin, but that is a first. Trying to bribe me right out in the open. I am not impressed by your fathers rank, nor am I impressed by your conduct out there. Assuring obedience by violence is despicable.”

If you would be an officer I had you court marshaled and charged with the attempted murder of Cadet Owar and a host of other charges, none the least trying to bribe me. You are not fit to wear this uniform Get out of my sight right now!”

Swybin was obviously caught of guard by this and started to protest:” I have your head for this! I am a Swybin!”

A Marine stepped from the side and had no problems dragging Swybin out the room, like a produce bag.

The Commander returned his attention to me.” I commend you for your performance and actions. I especially liked the Dinner. However I must punish you for breaking the gun cabinet. It was clearly off limits and marked Authorized Personnel only! Do you have anything to say for your defense?”

“No Sir. I did it and I felt it was the right thing to do.”

“Why?”

“Sir we did not know what happened to you. We speculated and where quite aware that this could have been a test, but you also could have been delayed or killed by a hostile force either native or foreign to this world. Later events made me glad I did open that gun cabinet.”

He whispered to the furry Lt Commander and then said. “I will announce your punishment later. Now I am going to dismiss you unless someone else has something to add.”

Narth floated just a little off the floor making him quite visible.” Sir, I am sharing that punishment. I suggested it.”

To my surprise Limbur stepped forward.” I will share it as well!”

More and more cadets did the same!

The Cadet that had been unconscious said:” Sir, his actions saved my life. I will gladly take the punishment for him.”

The Commander crossed his arms looked us over.” I will take this in consideration. Now you are dismissed. You will be assigned to dorms and allowed an eight hour resting period.”

–“”—

The dorms where simple accommodations with beds that had to be made manually. Seven Cadets to a dorm. I shared my dorm with Narth, Owar, Wintsun, Limbur, Galmy and Olia.

Galmy was a female from Maltyr. She was almost humanoid, had really long black hair, black eyes and her skin was white as snow. Her body seemed extremely thin and fragile and she appeared to be no older than maybe 15, despite the fact she was almost 60 years old in standard years. She was even quieter than Narth. Owar was a sickly looking human from a Terran colony world at the galactic rim area. He was quite intelligent but I wondered why they let him into the Navy or why he wasn’t treated for his conditions. Not that he displayed any real symptoms I could see, he just appeared sickly.

Windsun’s home world was one of the earliest planets Terrans migrated to, after the Galactic Awakening of Earth. Local conditions and genetic alternations with plant DNA made their skin green and allowed them to absorb light and turn it into nourishment via photosynthesis. Limbur came from a world with triple the standard gravitation. His muscles and bones where denser and made him quite strong under one gee conditions.

Olia came from Europa a moon in the Sol system and had the typical arrogant attitude of Terrans (All planets and moons in the sol system where considered to be Terran). She wore her hair short and used holo-dye making it sparkle and change color depending on the light source. I learned that Narth didn’t have a name because everyone in his culture was telepathic and names where not needed.

However we didn’t have much free time to talk or get acquainted.

I was still tired as a sleeper fish when the lights came on and a voice barked via the PA system:” 0400 hours Cadets rise and shine! 0430 is Breakfast. At 0500 you will receive your first class in the Elbhard Auditorium.”

And we found ourselves in said Auditorium at that time an hour later. Clean, fed and still tired. Again I tried to find a place in the back, so I could perhaps close my eyes for few moments.

The Pan Saran Officer was already there “Good Morning Class!” I am Lt Aurelius. I come from a humanoid species, called the Pan Sarans that is native to the Upward sector in the M-O Galaxy. Like most humanoid species of this Galaxy we share ancestry with the Terrans and Sarans.

Why the Pan Saran Empire split form the Saran Empire and why we Pan Sarans dress in this somewhat anachronistic fashion is your assignment to find out by tomorrow.” He referred to his polished brass chest plate he wore .He continued.” Once you are established officers you are allowed to display one or two things on your standard uniform that shows and links you to your heritage as long as it does not interfere with your regulation equipment. Mr. Olafson that means you have to cut that hair and shave!”

I blinked as I had almost dosed off and was startled by his sudden calling of my name.

I struggled to my feet wanted to argue but thought better.” Yes Sir”

He picked a few others and told them to change their appearance or grooming habits.

Only then he began the actual class:” Cadets are instructed or drilled   to stand, march, and respond to orders in an unquestioning manner. Drilling performs a psychological function, by inculcating the response to commands and training the cadet to act unhesitatingly in the face of real combat or danger situations. It can also serve a role in leadership training. Combat situations include not only commands to engage and put one's life in danger, but also commands to disengage when military necessity so demands. This conditioning is essential for military function, because without it a military unit would likely disintegrate under the stress of combat and degenerate into a mere armed mob.”

I felt a irresitible force pulling my head up. Before I could yelp Narth wh sat next to me said.’You where about to fall over!”

Aurelius continued his lecture unaware of my almost predictament.

You will besubjected to rigorous physical training, both to prepare for the demands of combat and to weed out the less able or insufficiently motivated.

You are trained in basic marksmanship  with standard and exotic weapons. , field maintenance of weapons, bladed and non distance weapons. hand-to-hand combat, first aid, protective equipment usage, and basic survival techniques in every environment you might end up. Deserts, Ice planets, Jungle wordls, deep space and everything in between. Furhter training focuses on basic spacemanship, and skills such as firefighting, damage control basic engineering, and signals. physical fitness training, military instructions, academics, and field training. To top it all off you will have classes in astro naviagtion, propulsion physics, xeno liguistics, xeno biology, xeno technology, diplomacy, strategy and tactics, geophysics and a host of other classes.”

He took a drink of water.” Simply listing this is a tiresome and exhausting exercise, but you have to do it, every day for one standard year. I wish I could see you all in a year from now, but most of you won’t make it. Proof e wrong. Show me you are the class that can do it!”

--‘’--

We had to get up at 0400 standard and went to bed lights out at 2200 every night. The time between was planned for us down to the minute. Physical training, small arms training, hand to hand combat. Classes on xeno biology, military history, tech and science. Learning was different from school. In addition to hyno- training, neuro-direct uploads. Learning was done in an ancient fashion by listening to lectures, watching examples and experiments and hand writing notes.

After the third month only 67 Cadets remained. The other had given up or where asked to leave.

I couldn’t count the times I considered to simply stay in bed sleep in and then quit. Every time I was tempted I pictured the face of my father when I had to return home and his laughter and delight at my failure and it propelled me out of bed as if there was a life Fenris-Eel under my covers.

Of all training and schooling we received survival training and the resulting tests was the hardest part. We learned to survive with only the bare essentials in almost any environment. Snow and ice, Mountains, Jungles, Ocean world, Forests and every extreme one could think of. I was surprised how many cadets had never seen open fire or knew how to make it. While I too learned new ways of making fire at least it was not strange or new to me.

We learned about bobby traps and hunting for survival. Every one that physically could learned how to ski, swim and dive. The instructors yelled at us, insulted us and did not let up.

Our ranks where already thinning. Not a week went by when someone quit.

I hated dancing and culture class most of all. Why was it necessary that we knew how to dance, play chess or play a musical instrument? Why did I have to know how to sculpt in clay or draw a picture with coal on primitive paper?

I rather went on another survival training mission than sit in that class room and listen to samples of music from hundreds of cultures and discuss the nuances and highlights.

But it was required so I did my best.