The Academy - A New Challenge
#7 of The Academy
"Congratulations to the new cadet privates of the class of 37!"
I clapped with the rest of the school as the forty two cadets who had just been recognized walked off the stage. It was Monday, a week before the start of term. Most of the upperclassmen had moved in and were attending our recognition. They had handed out some awards and now we were in the process of officially becoming cadets. I received the marksmanship ribbon, and Tank had gotten a physical fitness ribbon.
"As we all know, the cadets who win the squad challenge receive an extra promotion, so could we have those cadets come up?"
I walked onto the stage with the rest of the squad and Lewis. We were all awarded commendations and made cadet PFCs. Lewis was given a metal and promoted to cadet sergeant first class. We returned to our seats to listen to the rest of the ceremony.
"Alright, unless there are any other announcements?" Cadet Reese looked at someone off stage. "Right. For those of you who are interested, there is a meeting for all squads who want to participate in a special event at the mess hall right after this. Room Ten Hut! Dismissed."
I turned to my squad mates, "You guys want to check it out?"
They agreed and we headed out of the auditorium. We walked to the mess hall, admiring our new rank and ribbons and wondering what the meeting was about. What sort of special event could be coming up? We filed in with a small group of squads. I recognized one other as being freshmen, but the rest were all older.
"Alright." It was Cadet Reese again. Did he do everything around here?
"Some of you have done this before, but for those of you who don't know, there is a small competition at the beginning of each year. If you chose to compete, you will attempt a multi day task that will most likely push you beyond what you are capable of. It will test your strength, problem solving, and most of all teamwork. We haven't had a squad successfully complete the event in seven years but if you do, you and your squad will be given a special reward."
"What the reward?" someone asked.
"Complete the challenge and you will find out. This event will take place over dead week before term, so your would-be free time will be taken up. I'll give you some time to talk about it. If you decide to attempt the challenge, come up to me and I'll take your names."
I turned around on the chair I was sitting on to face my squad to discuss the competition.
"What do you guys think?"
"Let's do it!"
"I don't know, some of these guys look like seniors. Do you think we have a chance?"
"Ya and no one's completed it in seven years."
"So what?"
"So, I don't want to waste my time on something that we can't even do."
"How would it be wasting time? Sitting around here doing nothing would be wasting time."
"So what if we fail, it would be a new challenge, and it will be fun."
"Fun! By the sound of it it's going to be a pain in the ass."
"Come on. Didn't we just complete a huge pain in the ass?"
"Ya, if we can do that, we should at least try this."
"But Lewis isn't going to be with us."
"We don't need Lewis. He's taught us well. We should be able to do this."
"If we don't make it, we at least can be prepared for next year."
"And imagine if we do succeed. The first squad in seven years. Probably the first freshmen, and who knows what the reward is."
"The only way we can find out is by doing it."
"So let's do it."
"Hooa?"
"Hooa!"
I led the squad up to Cadet Reese.
"We're in."
"Alright, that's three. You will be Charlie. There will be a bus at the basement entrance to the barracks tomorrow mooring. Meet it at o four hundred. Where you're ACUs and bring only you're empty packs. Good luck."
We walked outside to find Lewis waiting for us.
"So, are you guys going to do it?"
"Yes!"
"I wish my squad had done it freshman year."
"Why don't you do it now?"
"Well, now that I'm a squad leader, I'm not technically in an eligible squad. I we won't have a chance again till next year. I was really hoping you guys would. Good luck."
He ran off to meet a friend of his. We walked together back to the barracks. Some of them were going to the lounge, but I said I was going to my room to sleep. It was going to be an early morning tomorrow and who knew what they had in store for us. I got back to the room, sat down at my desk, and shot off an e-mail to Traci. We had all been issued brand new tablets that we could keep after graduation. I powered mine off and let it charge using the barrack's broadcast power system. I set my alarm and fell asleep.
I was woken next morning at 0315. I shoved Teague out of bed and whet to the closet. As I pulled on my uniform, I noticed the single celestial still sitting on the floor. Odd that it was still so alive. I grabbed my pack and dumped out the few remaining oddments left over from camp.
I walked out to the lounge to wait for the rest of the squad. Tank and Trestan were already there, playing a silent game of cards. Trestan nodded at me. I sat down and watched them play in silence. We were soon joined by Jessica and Teague.
We got up and walked out toward the loading docks. In the basement, we passed and open box of apples. I nabbed a few for myself and the squad. We got outside to find the sky black and overcast. It seemed to fit the mood of the morning. A white van pulled up. A buff rabbit wearing black sunglasses stepped out of the passenger seat.
"You Charlie?"
"Yes."
"Get in."
We climbed into the side door of the van. Despite its outward appearance, the interior was luxurious. The rabbit explained that the van was usually used to transport high profile individuals who didn't want their presence known outside of the fort. We rode in the back of the van for about fifteen minutes before coming to a stop. We were let out and I saw that we were at an airfield. We walked in a line, all carrying our packs to the open door of a nearby office where there was some sort of reptile waiting for us.
"Hurry up Charlie, we don't have much time."
We walked inside to find a group of chairs around a Smart Board. The reptile, a lieutenant, flicked on the projector and a topographic map appeared on the screen. He indicated us to sit in the chairs.
Here's the mission cadets. A hostage has been taken by a rebel force. They are holding the hostage in a weather monitoring station they are using as a bunker located on top of eagle peak.
A dot was highlighted on the map.
"Your task is to infiltrate the bunker, retrieve the hostage and escape. Due to its view of the local terrain, we will have to drop you fifty miles away here."
A second dot was highlighted. The map rotated, showing a 3D view. A small image of a helicopter traced a flight route from their current position to the DZ.
"Now's the part where it get's difficult. If the hostage dies, the mission is failed. If more than one of you is killed, the mission is failed. If you take more than four days, the mission is failed. If another squad gets the hostage out first, your mission is failed. Are there any questions."
"Dies sir?"
"Simulated. Follow me."
We got up and were led to a second room. This one had weapons lockers around the walls. The lieutenant handed me a weapon. It looked like a cross between a paintball gun and an assault rifle. I looked over it with curiosity.
"These are nark rifles. They're what we use for more intense training. They have greater range than a paintball and shoot a small dart loaded with a powerful tranquilizer."
He began handing out equipment which we quickly loaded in our packs. Along with the rifle, we were each issued a sidearm. We got N2 tanks, remotes, smaller cartridges for the pistols, two days worth of MREs, and small handheld radios. We were each given a small signal flare and I got a copy of the map we had seen earlier. Finally, he handed me a green box full of ammunition for the nark guns.
"There's also one clip of pellets in there so you can get some practice without using up ammo."
The sound of rotors was heard overhead.
"That's your ride. Good luck cadets."
I led the squad outside as a personnel transport helicopter was landing in front of the building. The van had gone. I saw the pilot motioning to us. I ran, head ducked to the open door and climbed in. I saw a rack of headsets and put one on. The noise was instantly silenced.
A female voice came over the line. "Alright, buckle up so I can get this thing off the ground."
I strapped into a seat facing the squad. When we were all in and seated, a motorized system shut the door and I felt my stomach settle as the pilot lifted the helicopter off the ground.
I switched my mike to the squad com. "This is intense so far."
"Tell me about it." Trestan's voice crackled in my ear piece.
"Alright Charlie," it was the pilot again; "There's no safe LZ so you're going to have to repel out. Are you okay with that?"
"Roger that."
We sat in silence as we flew over the beautiful mountain terrain.
"We'll be there in one, prepare to drop."
I unstrapped myself and walked, three pointed to the door. There was a coil of rope hooked to the ceiling. I strapped onto it and grasped the coil in my hand ready to throw it out when the door opened. We had practice this procedure at camp so I wasn't too worried about it. The pilot put the chopper into a hover.
"Thanks for the ride I called as the door slid open. I hung up the head set and threw the rope out the door. I back out, feet on the edge of the fuselage, rope in my gloved hands and dropped. I free repelled fifty feet and checked my speed only when I was about to hit the ground. My feat landed on dirt and I ran out of the way as the rest of the squad joined me.
The pilot gave me the thumbs up. I returned it and she flew off, the rope pulling itself back up.
"Well, here we are. Let's get moving."