*****Preliminaries*****

"Applicants Ten-huh!!!", Sarge barked at the group of ten or so unarmored reploids. Immediately, a young reploid had jumped up. This enthusiasm unfortunatly sparked the Sarge's attention. Sarge was already making a b-line to teh energetic reploid, "Applicant what's your number?", he commanded as his boots clacked menacingly along the cement floor.

The other Reploids had acheived the commanded stance.

Two were obiviouly low level maverick hunters. They still wore the jackets that most hunters were given. Though they looked as green as the fast reploid, they were smart enough to not try and attract undue attention. Acrossed from the hunters stood three typical security reploids; moderate in size and very angular. Their "eyes" followed the Sarge as he went and stood in front of the young one. Behind the Sarge and acrossed from the boy was a brown haired reploid. He wasn't tall as most of the other applicants, but he had build that made up for it. His eyes looked straight still as the Sarge put his back to him, and his shaggy hair went into it's odd spike formation. To his right was a miscellanious group composing of a surprisingly female biker-type reploid, two emergancy response units, and three data processors.

"I'm Data Spike num...", the young reploid started.

"I said number applicant!!!", The sarge raised his voice and put his face about 6 inches from Data Spike's.

"867 5309...", Data Spike sputtered out of suprise. He looked at the Sarge who was more mentally frightening than physical, at least for now. Data Spike turned his focus slightly upon seeing several strands, more like fingers of hair whip around behind the Sarge. The Sarge stopped to continue his tirade on the young reploid. However he saw the focus of his eyes were slightly to the left.

"What are you looking at Applicant?"

"Your six Sarge."

Upon hearing that the stammer, Sarge whipped around and looked at the most experianced looking of the applicants. He had spikey and wild brown hair with black highlights, he wore sunglasses with red tinted lenses and a white crosshair etched beautifly in the left eye. This reploid was about eyelevel with Sarge. he was as rigid as Sarge had seen, not moving the entire time Sarge had looked at him. He was military or recently ex-military. Sarge could tell by the way the reploid hid his disdain, not good enough. Sarge took the time to look over this one carefully. Brown leather jacket with tactical pockets internally and on the sleeves, a green shirt with a black "R" ensignia on it wich was silver lined, blue cargo pants, black combat webbing empty of equipment, and a set of plated black boots that Sarge was suspicious of. He stepped up to the reploid and stared into his opticals, they were a dark and cold shade of grey that only the Sarge could match.

"Something funny?", the sarge ventured in half challenge. If need be this Applicant would be an excellent tool to further cement his authority over this group.

"....", the reploid did not respond. From disrespect or negligance, the Sarge couldn't tell. This reploid would be an excellent example if pushed right.

"You going to respond scrapheap? Or will I have to reboot your main CPU via your exhaust ducts by means of my left foot?"

"No, that's not funny..."

"See the manufactured grunt can speak. Being your in a opinionated mood number ...357 2103...why don't you tell me what is not funny? In fact tell all of the Applicants in the room."

"Which one Sarge? The fact that a fairly experianced combat reploid gets his jollies off pushing around wire jockies? Or the fact this said combat 'ploid is using an old human ploy to maintain control?"

"What are you playing at smartbot?", Sarge shot back and maintained control, despite the fact that the Reploid ad just thrown down the gauntlet.

"I wasn't built for playing Sarge, and I'm refering to the ploy of engaging the highest possible threat successfully to show raw power."

"You think you've got me all figured out don't you Applicant. You think you're special don't you? Well I can easilly prove that nobody is a higher threat than me in this room.", Sarge forcefull said in a low tone. He reached and grabbed the glasses off reploids head. "You may be 'Built to Kill'", Sarge mocked the RSU motto,"but here in the Stomping Grounds Addmisions and Training Center, your my bitch." Sarge internally took in delite of watching the other combat reploid form a glare. The optical shutters lowered sharply, making visual daggers out of the optical sensors.

"Don't worry dog, I won't help you look good. However i will get my glasses returned to me safely. How, is yet to be determinded. So have fun playing general here, because i know that I was designed not to do your job.", the reploid said precisely. Both reploids were containin their programming in the dead silent room. most of the reploids had crooked their heads to see the two.

"What would that be? An all purpose assualt tactical unit?"

"You make cannon fodder sound so pretty, grunt", the last words had hit their mark. Sarge closed his metal hand around the reploid's seemingly prized glasses. The other reploids couldn't see who struck first, but the result was startling to some of the less battle lived reploids.

Sarge grunted as the kneeshot up like a piston into his abdomen. The other reploid turned his head making little sound as Sarge's left fist connected at an angle with his jaw. Not stopping the force of the blow, the reploidput his raised right legdown and acrossed from Sarge's left. He slid his left boot into the space between Sarges ankles. Whilst doing so piveting counter clockwise and grabbing the Sarge's wrist.

Sarge knew what was coming as his punch contined and was used for the lever in the reploid's throw. He had to act quickly or be put in a bad position. It was too late to stop the throw. His arm was secured, so he leapt forward with the motion.

The reploid had no time to react as Sarge flipped willingly over his shoulder and planted his boots into the floor. By the time he realised Sarge had lifted him in an inverted position, Sarge wase already executing the Power Slam. His only option was to tuck in his head and let his chasis relaxe.

Sarge smiled as the slam cracked the floor. His smile was promptly twisted by the knee that landed square on his chin.

Both reploids struggled to get into combat ready postions. Sarge was up first and charging the reploid theat smashes his face. The cirvos in his jaw were stuck and that pissed him off more. The reploid hand staggered upon his heet as Sarge let both knees sail at his chest.

The reploid fell back twisting into a revrese commando roll. The reploid sprung up behind the off gaurd Sarge. The reploid double punched Sarge's shoulders. The result flipping Sarge forward.

Sarge was hit from behind and he saw the reploids two boot's wrap around his waist. He helt his hands open as he land on his head. He opened his eyes in midbounce as the easy 600 lbs of reploids hit the concrete floor. His optics were refocusing as he hit the second time. A flash of green and blue was above him. his head rested on the floor. The reploid was press ed against the wall and a buster formed on the right hand of blurr.

"Sarge are you all right?", said the all too familair voice of Axel. The veteran merc had ben fetched by Data Spike after the first hit had been made. Axel had the reploid firmly planted in the wall and buster in his back. "Get up and take out the rest to the weapons area, or should I get Skalpal?"

"No I'm fine. He barely rattled my circuts. Too bad the don't make combat reploids like they used too, or you might had to get me a medic", sarge haughtily assured Axel and got up with relative ease. He shot a victorious look to the reploid that quickly faded.

"Go ahead and continue the field training Sarge. I'll make arrangements for this Applicant," Axel looked at as Sarge made a slight glare. He turned his head to look at what had infuriated Sarge to where he'd openly show true anger. In the reploid's right hand were a pair of finely crafted ruby sunglasses, and a satisfied smirk on the reploids face.

Sarge turned and headed out ordering the Applicants to fall in after him. Axel looked at teh reploid who had not changed his postier. Be it gunpoint or training Axel was sure it wasn't natural to hold still like that. He accesssed the reploid's info on his helmet's HUD.

APL Num :357 2103

Type: RPSU M5-0

Name: Cylecks

Affiliation: Repliforce (known deserted)

Active Duty: 11 years

Opts: Still processing...

Unit: Special (combat)

Axel would review the rest of the file later. He had to deal with this reploid soldier for the time being. "So Cylecks, what are we going to do with you?"