1.
The sun blazed gloriously through the sparse cloud cover.
Camp flags snapped in the breeze, a westerly wind meant fine weather and that meant that the recruits were in for a harsh few days. IMC Marines were subjected to almost inhuman tests. The weak were truly weeded out, In order to join the army as a private required 136 hours of tuition then 6 months basic training before a live fire exercise, with a 17% casualty rate.
"There are of course, many divisions and sub divisions in the military arm of the IMC" Barked Staff Sergeant Eddie Johnson. "Ranging from non-combatant roles such as radio operatives and medics all the way up to Jet pilot, Tank commander and Aircraft carrier captain, and that is just earth" as if on cue the sound of a dropship jumping into the camp's airspace roared through the room.
"As many of you know" he shouted over the noise "The IMC is no longer an Earth bound entity, we are paving the way for inter galactic peace and exploration. What you may not know is that there are those who wish to stop us and to steal all we have earned. These forces are known as the Frontier Militia and they are making things difficult with their dissent, they are nothing but rebellious scum and they are putting up one hell of a fight." he leaned back on his desk. "But I have just received word that we have pacified a frontier planet in a neighbouring solar system." The assembled troops applauded, the door opened and a short, stocky blonde man strolled in, flanked by a pair of pilots in black uniforms and a slim robot painted black with a weird symbol on its left shoulder plate. "ATTENTION" Bellowed SS Johnson. "Ladies, Allow me to introduce Sergeant Blisk, He is your combat Intel and Counterinsurgency liaison. However, for now he will be taking command of your unit for the next six months. Goodbye and Good luck. See you on the frontier." The staff sergeant saluted and then left the room.
"Right, I thought he would never shat ahp. I am Sergeant Blisk, I don't like you and I don't respect you. You are cannon fodder and maggot farms the lot of you." His accent was clearly South African. He stood with his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. Then he burst out laughing "I was fucking with you, the frontier is a harsh plice and many of you will be dead before your cheque is due." He clicked his fingers and the robot handed him a white tablet. Blisk typed on the screen and then looked at the people in the room. "I am here today to recruit a team of twenty four to train up to Pilot status." the assembled soldiers cheered, they knew the glory and prestige of being a Pilot. It meant incredible wages and a massive pension. Or so the propaganda promised. "Those that make it will go on to become Titan Operatives, those that don't, will become a stitistic." he walked up to one of the pilots who had come in with him and whispered something in his ear. The pilot nodded and left the room. "We will be handling some serious shit over the next few months and this course is not for the faint of heart. With that being said, who wants to volunteer?"
Eighteen men and seven women raised their hands. Blisk smiled. "That's the Spirit. The rest of you cowards file out, you are to be trained in Pilot support. Follow Lieutenant Dominguez." The second pilot stepped forward and took off her helmet, revealing a pretty yet severe looking Hispanic woman in her late twenties. "Follow me, we have a lot of work to do" she inclined her head at Blisk and the Sentinel. "Later Glitch." The robot bowed. A strange sight for the soldiers in the room. They were used to the Marvn units' silent and unresponsive work ethic. A militarized Sentinel with a name and an apparent personality was off putting to some of the greener recruits. She put her helmet back on and pointed at the door "File out misfits."
Now that Blisk and Glitch were alone with the Volunteers, things changed up a bit. "Titan Pilot training is harsh, the final test has a casualty rate of 98%, which means that if one hundred of you apply, two will make it, Look to the soldier to your left." Everyone in the room looked to their left, one operative looked out the window to his left and then realized his error, and apparently his cheeks had the good sense to show it. "It probably won't be any of you here in this room, who knows, maybe you will all survive. As likely as that sounds, I wouldn't bit on it" One of the soldiers whispered to his team mate "What does he mean, 'bit' on it?" Her buddy smiled at her and shook his head "Bennet, He is South African you dick, 'e's are I's and so are a's sometimes" the puzzlement on her face was almost comical. "I am going to hand out these forms, fill them out and return them to me in an hour. Alright?" Glitch walked around the room handing out little booklets of around eight double-sided pages held together with a staple. "These forms are important for many reasons; they hold your bank info for payments, your medical data and your funeral arrangements. Should your bodies be recovered. Last but not least. Next of kin stuff. Any kwistions?" Blisk looked around the room expecting silence. A blonde man, in his late teens raised his hand "Sir. What do you mean, 'Should' our bodies are recovered?" From his accent he was clearly French, Blisk took an instant disliking "Statistically speaking, only ten percent of you will make it through training, six percent of those will die in your first fight, twenty seven percent of you will be killed by grunts, forty three percent of you will be killed engaging Titan's and Spectres." The soldiers stood dumbstruck, they did not expect the stats, let alone stats given them by the Black robot. "Quite" Blisk said when Glitch had finished "Right, now, If you want to continue volunteering after those grim numbers, you're mad and I'll meet you back here in an hour, Glitch, Let's grab a coffee" "Affirmative" was the robot's reply.
An hour later, four of the women and sixteen of the men were waiting in the assembly hall. Blisk walked in with Glitch and a mug of coffee. He scanned the room and found the Blonde Frenchman missing, "Right" he said after he set his mug down. "I see we have our first casualties, don't worry, I did not expect a full compliment from any of the core planets, Glitch mate, grab the documents" the robot began to collect the forms when a door opened and in walked the Frenchman and two others, an African male and a Japanese woman. "Sorry, we got lost eh" said the Frenchman with a grin. Glitch stopped what it was doing and turned to the newcomers "Proper address of superior officers is required at all times, Please restate your greeting" its robotic voice had an edge to it, and its blue eyes had turned orange. "You'd better listen to my robot Frenchy. Insubordination is punishable by lish." The Frenchman's face drained of colour. "Sir, Sorry Sergeant, Sir" "Bettah" Blisk said, finishing his coffee. "Right, now that we are all here and the paperwork is under control, let's head outside and see where Hughes got too. Follow me, Glitch, Rearguard." Blisk left the assembly hall and his volunteers followed him out, Glitch closed the door as it exited the cabin.