Chapter 2
Where it all began…
As David finished getting dressed in the men's locker room outside the simulator, he contemplated the last 6 months working on the "Guyver Project," like he had done everyday for the last month. He could still vividly remember that fateful day when the Col. had called him at the gosh awful hour of 0400h, telling him that a small group of privates and himself were shipping out in 15 minutes. Unsure of why the Col. was calling him to tell him this, became clear when the Col. told David that he was to be one of those privates.
Groggy and half-awake, David made it to the launch pad. Looking around, he saw that most of the other officers looked sleep deprived and grouchy after being woken up at 0400h.
With his usual bravado the Col. appeared at the cargo entrance to the Harrier Class Transport. "What are you all standing around for?" He said knowing full well that he 7 of us had no idea what was going on, and weren't awake enough to care.
Half an hour later the 7 of us were trying to catch "forty winks" before we arrived at the testing ground. According to our briefing we were being shipped our of the, "Alameda Military Base in New San Francisco" and reporting to, "Roswell Military testing ground in New Mexico." We were going to be testing a new close range weapon, as well as being tested for a new military project.
We arrived at 0600h, and with in 15 minutes were being briefed again on our first training assignment and the close range gauntlets with stationary sonic blades that we would be testing.
We were then directed to seven different rooms. The rooms inside were small with a glass panoramic view of a laboratory. From what I had been told at the briefing I guessed that this was one of the labs where they designed and built the prototype gauntlets. Then with a quiet click the door behind me silently slid open admitting a young lab assistant. He held a long, thin rectangular case. With a nearly inaudible click the case sprung open, revealing the contents.
The gauntlets were an amazing piece of work, the blades looked to be paper-thin but metallic sheen showed that they would cut through titanium with little difficulty. The blades protruded out just below the elbow. They curved out is a half oval coming back towards the arm slightly before straightening again.
Having shown me the contents, and satisfied with my awe struck face, he turned around placing the case on a computer console in the left corner next to the door. With a few quick key strokes the computer was up and running. The screen read, "Scanning weapon functions…" then it listed off the functions that were being processed and scanned beeping with every new line of information.
"Sonic Blades…OK"
"Weapon Integrity…OK"
"Hand print and DNA scan…Awaiting initial input."
With a silent hum two flat panels appeared on each side of the console. I knew what these were for, and with a silent nod the assistant gave me the okay to place my hands on the panels. After the scanner passed three or four times under my hands, the view screen showed me a picture of each hand with a double helix between them. Then the computer marked off certain points on each hand and the single DNA strand, intending them to be markers for the gauntlets to check when put on.
With the scan complete the assistant began, with a few more keystrokes, a wireless download of the information into the gauntlets. While I watched the download in silence the assistant left the room, his work done.
A sudden lurch brought me out of my silent vigil over the computer. I spun around and noted the slow ascent of the entire room. I guessed at the location the elevator was headed, and the voice over the intercom only aided in proving me right. The entire room was headed towards the training ground some where above.
I watched as the lab dwindled out of site, the scientists shrinking to the size of ants. The room continued on its steady ascent, eventually passing through the roof. My vision of the lab obscured, I simply let my mind wander while watching the metal roof change to concrete shielding, and then to bed rock. With a sudden velocity change the elevator slowed down.
The room came to a stop at ground level, the panoramic view showing the endlessly desolate desert of New Mexico now. I turned around to exit the room when a quick mechanical beep brought my attention back to the gauntlets still resting on the console. The monitor displaying, "Hand print and DNA marker information upload complete." Not knowing what to expect when I opened the door, and not wanting to be unprepared, I immediately put on the gauntlets.
The door opened with the same quite click, sliding apart revealing a small octagonal enclosure. The other six rooms that had housed the other privates created the enclosure, their doors all facing inwards. Three of the others were wearing their gauntlets. They stood uncertain and wary about their surroundings; their continually darting eyes were an all too obvious sign of this. The other 3 were simply carrying the cases that the gauntlets were in.
Without warning a metallic click brought everyone's attention to the center of the enclosure. Where out of the sand a metal cylinder appeared. It was about waist high with a three-dimensional holographic projection system setup around its perimeter. The flat top was a DNA scanner, and wireless interface system for the gauntlets. Without delay after the cylinder had risen to its full height, a three-dimensional apparition appeared in the guise of the Col.
"All right privates step up and place your right hand on the scanner panel, so that we can register you only with the tracking system," his gruff mechanical voice ordered.
Hesitating for just a moment, I finally started walking forward. Placing my right hand on the scanning panel, a female computerized voice greeted me. "Greetings Private Rogers…Test Group Alpha registry program activated…Private Rogers now registered with Test Group Alpha as member 01." With the hiss of a depressurizing compartment, a small drawer opened revealing a miniature earpiece. Designed with a two-way radio and video camera, it was intended to keep a visual and auditory record of the following test from the individuals perspectives.
"Good. Next?" were the Col. simple words. The other six privates proceeded one at a time doing as I had, and receiving an earpiece each.
With all the privates now registered and the earpieces active, the enclosure began to sin back into the underground base. As they disappeared the seven of us got a better view of the landscape and more specifically our first test objective.
"What you see before you are not you usual training droids," said the still floating head of the Col. "These seven were specifically designed for hand to hand combat. You have all gone through combat training and more then likely remember that at close range those droids could not hold their own. Well these ones can. This first group has been programmed with only basic hand to hand combat, so none of you should have any problems dispatching them. That does not mean you can get cocky though, because the droids will exploit any opening you give them. While none of the droids you will face today are programmed to kill, the close combat stun rods they carry are very real."
With the Col. speech over the red robotic eyes flared to life in the metallic skulls of each robot. Slowly drawing their weapons each robot took up the exact same ready position. Two out of the other six test subjects charged forward, pompously knowing they could win. The other four approached cautiously, not sure of what to expect.
As the six separate fights began I had still not budged an inch from my place. It wasn't hesitation due to uncertainty, but hesitation due speculation.
"I know what you are thinking David" came a voice from my earpiece.
"Col.? Is this live secure?" was my quick inquiry.
"Yes, its secure." was the Col.'s short reply. "I know you do not understand the reason for this exercise with I so plainly know the extent of you abilities. However, the scientists need a bit of convincing. So please indulge us."
With a silent shake of my head I agreed. I slowly trudged forward, know full well that this fight wasn't worth the effort.
The droid valiantly stood its ground, though it was a truly vain attempt. When I was within striking distance the robot immediately and predictably attacked. Both of its mechanized hands firmly gripping and driving the stun rod down towards my head.
With a subtle but quick side step the blow completely missed me by a good six inches. Then with a small leap forward and an extended elbow I severed the head from the droids body.
"Unprecedented. He should have had more trouble than that." The chief scientist said voicing the thoughts of the other scientists in the control room. "When you told us of his abilities we simply though you were boasting to help a friend. But this is truly astonishing. He will make a fine addition to the project and a fine member of your team Col."
"Thank you. Now that I have your attention," the Col. said with a false under tone of bravodo, "can we continue with the exercise. So that all of you can see the extent of his abilities. And also what those gauntlets are truly capable of, when in the hands of one so talented…"
Well so far so good, I hope. I would like to thank "Jules2206" and "Hyper Godzilla" for their reviews.
Now, I would like to clear up a small misunderstanding about what the assailants are in the first chapter. They are close combat droids with holographic overlays, giving them the appearance of Guyver enhanced Zoanoids. Based mostly on the American made movie. I hope this clears up the problem.
Thanks again for the reviews.
