a/n: oh my gosh twenty chapters! I still can't believe we've gone so far. Lucky for you guys I'm working evening this week and have time to work on this.
-brittsis
Alarms filled the room and Rae shot out of her bed. Gonzales was yelling at them, even yanking some of the slow ones out of bed. "Wake up, gear up. Leave nothing behind! Johnson get out of my bunk. Five minutes recruits. Go."
Rae quickly dressed in her gear and grabbed her pack. She filled it with everything in her trunk then proceeded to help others. She left her platoons room and moved to the others, offering aid where needed. Her gear was heavy and her eyes were gritty with sleep, but she'd been expecting this. The instructors had been too nice lately and the end of their training was fast approaching. When the last person had filed out, she went outside and fell into line.
"Platoons, sound off!" Rae yelled then listened as each leader called for attention.
Holland approached them, arms tucked behind her back. She grinned, "Welcome to the crucible recruits. For the next fifty-four hours you will be put through hell in back in one final test. Only the best of you will make it. Rank had no meaning here. Your platoons will be broken up and you will be reassigned team mates. Look around you recruits, for when you return you will be Marines. Until then.." He waved he hands and they descended. New instructors had arrived and began to break them up into groups of three. "May God be on your side."
Confusion reigned for a few minutes as the recruits were yelled at and shoved into position. Evans, Wright, and Freeman stood at attention besides her as their instructor gave them one last inspection.
"You will refer to me as Drill Instructor. Understood?"
"Sir yes sir!"
"You've got ten minutes. Here's your water canisters. Supply is over there." He pointed to a station set up at the edge of the parking lot. "Go through your gear. Decide what you don't need and get rid of it then re-supply. Go"
"Sir yes sir!" The four of them ran for the tent, taking their packs off as they went. Rae opened her pack and pulled everything out. She put her combat knife in her boot and hooked her canteen on her hip. She repacked her pack with her flashlight, poncho, first aid, water purifier, shovel, and fire starting kit. She then approached the table and received her various gear they might need.
"Name?" One of the attendants asked, checking her clipboard.
"Shepard, Raegan."
The attendant reached behind her and grabbed two MRE's and two power bars. "Biotic, double rations and power bars. You are allowed to eat the power bars when needed but only get two at each re-supply. NEXT."
Rae grabbed her food and rejoined her crew with a few minutes to spare. They all filled their canteens and the water canisters, drinking their fill now. They took stock of everything and distributed the weight between them. Charles and Wright each took a canister while Rae and Evans carried their rifles. They returned to formation and waited for orders. They didn't wait long as full march was called and their day began.
A six mile march later the squad arrived to their new hell. Stations and obstacle courses littered the field, testifying to what lay ahead of them. They were assigned a small ten by ten square where they could keep their gear and told to set up camp. They then reported for the first event of the day. Water and ammunition waiting for pick up on the other side. They only had to go through a combat assault course that had everything from barbed wire, trenches, and even a twenty foot wall. They were given one hour to reach the other side or they'd have to go without for the day.
Rae crawled through the mud, razor sharp wire just inches above her. She gritted her teeth and pushed herself to the other side, stopping only long enough to help her teammates up. She ten ran up ten steps, leapt, grabbed a rope, and swung across a mud pit to the other side. Sweat coated her brow as her stomach grumbled, demanding sustenance. The two energy bars in her pocket called to her but she refused to give in. She'd gone three days with out food before, a couple of hours wouldn't hurt her.
"Freeman lift!" She called out as he reached the wall. He pivoted, linked his hands, and threw her up as she stepped into his hands. Rae pulled herself up and sat on the top, hand extended to help Evans up and over. Charles grunted and gave Wright a push up. Rae held out her hand and, with Wright's help, hauled Charles up and over the wall. They all dropped down, ignoring the rope, and rolled to absorb the hit. They balanced for twenty yards on a log then hit the climbing ropes. They each climbed to the top and ran a bell before dropping down. They were the first to the other side.
"Now take it all back!" Their instructor yelled at them and handed them their gear.
"Sir yes sir!" They called and went back to the course, carrying the heavy water and ammunition as they took the course backwards.
"At least she's light." Wright laughed as they moved through the standard course carrying Evans on a stretcher.
The woman in question chuckled. "Well thank you Wright. Though I am enjoying the rest."
They'd been going at it none stop all day. Their instructor had put them through challenge after challenge. Rae's muscles ached and screamed over the abuse. They'd just finished the leadership reaction course of with they had to solve several puzzles then participate in a pugil stick bout. They put the girl down and Charles climbed to the top of the twenty foot wall, balancing on top. Wright lifted the ammunition boxes and tossed them up to him. Charles dropped them over the wall then sat on the edge as Rae and Wright secured the harness on Evans's stretcher.
"Next time I'm the injured soldier." Rae grumbled and pulled the knot tight.
Charles laughed, "Stop kidding Shepard. Even if you were injured we'd never strap you to a stretcher. You could have lost a leg and still insisted on hopping yourself back to evac."
"That's only because I'm not some pussy ass wimp." She waved at him and Charles began to pull the girl up while Rae and Wright climbed up behind her. They reached the top then worked together to slowly lower her to the other side before dropping down. Rae picked up the ammunition cases and continued over and under the beams ahead of her.
They reached the other side and presented their injured combatant to the medic. They received their orders and proceeded to the next challenge. Their martial arts instructor waited for them and gave their orders. They got into their stance and started on reviewing their strikes one by one.
The day ended with a five mile three hour slow march. They collapsed in their camp, devoured their MRE's, and went right to sleep. They were reawaken four hours later and told to re-supply, forced through the combat assault course all over again to retrieve their water and food.
The old communication tower was eighteen stories and didn't have an elevator. There were reports of a wounded soldier on the top floor, trying to hold back enemy combatants. They were assigned to retrieve the soldier and eliminate any enemies encountered on the way. Rae lead the group, rifle raised and eyes alert. Wright was to her back left, watching their left flank, Evans was to her back right, watching their right flank, and Charles brought up the rear. They were half way up when they encountered a problem. The door to the next floor was chained shut with the chain on the other side.
Rae cursed and gave the door another kick. "Looks like we have to go back one floor and take another route. And ideas?"
"This floor connects with a fire escape that goes up another three stories." Evans offered and took a swig from her canteen.
Rae glanced at her watch and found their time limit quickly approaching. "Let's go then."
Then went hurried down the flight then took cover by the door. Rae gave her instructions then eased the door open. Wright hurried in and fired three shots before calling clear. They followed behind him to find three targets flat on the ground. Rae took lead once again and made her way through the hallway. They checked the offices along the way, finding a few hold outs along the way. They found the window and Rae peeked out to check the ladder.
"It's a one person ladder, so we have to stay alert. Stop at each window, check it before continuing. We're taking this as high as we can." Rae shipped her rifle onto her back and climbed out. She went up and few feet then pulled out her pistol as she approached the first window. She checked the room just beyond the glass before continuing. Evans followed right behind her, repeating the process when she reached the window as well. Behind her came Wright then Charles. When they reached the last floor, Rae looked over the ledge and quickly took aim. She squeezed her trigger and took out the first target. She rolled into the room and slashed at the next with her knife. Evans climbed into the room and pulled her rifle out to take out the last target. There was only two flights left but Rae had a feeling it would be crawling with combatants.
Her intuition had been correct and they fought through the last two floors. It had ended when they'd taken out the last four combatants in front of their objective's door. Wright hacked the security and Rae announced herself before entering, rifle extended to her side. Evans patched him up and Charles lifted the man onto his shoulders. They climbed to the roof and Rae spread flares around them before jumping onto the coms.
"This is red fox five for command. Come in command."
"This is command for red fox five."
"Command objective has been retrieved and we're marked with green. I repeat objective has been retrieved and we're marked with green."
"Good job Shepard. Put the dummy back where you found it and report to the range."
"Sir yes sir." Rae answered her instructor and looked toward the base. The sun was just setting in the horizon but their day wasn't done yet. "Let's go team."
The moon didn't even have mercy on them, deciding to go dark. They had no light source and had to traverse the combat assault course to retrieve more water and dinner. Rae cursed softly as she almost lost her footing on the balance beam for the tenth time. The water canister was heavy in her arms but she got the light end of the deal. Their team, having always gotten the highest scores, was tasked with retrieving the instructors water and meals as well. Wright and Charles both carried two water canisters and Evans had a pack weighted down with the MRE's.
"We're almost done." Rae tried to encourage her team. "Then we get to sleep."
"On the rock hard sleeping mats." Wright cursed behind her and sludge through the mud. He had decided to forge the beams and force his way through the muck instead. "What I wouldn't give for a medium rare steak and a warm feather bed."
"I'll forgo the steak for a cold beer." Charles grumbled and took another careful step forward.
"Ha! You men know nothing." Evans laughed and jumped from the beam to the ground. "Give me the warm plush body of a lovely female to pay me lavish lavish attention." She grinned as the two men stopped in their tracks, mouth gapped open. "What? Didn't know that about me?" She teased and winked at them before continuing to the next obstacle.
Rae couldn't help but burst out laughing. The look on the guys faces had to be precious. It was a pity she couldn't see them. "Come on boys, we're almost done."
"Pack up. We're marching out!" Their instructor woke them after a short four hour sleep. They all rose, groaning as their muscles screamed at them. They packed their gear, drank plenty of water, and fell into formation. Holland made her first appearance since announcing their hell and patrolled the ranks.
"Forward march!" She called, "Double time!"
"Sir yes sir!"
Rae pushed past the pain and fell into a rhythm. The four of them took turns at resting their eyes and allowing each other to guide them. They couldn't fall completely asleep but it allowed for a moments rest. A cadence was called out and the recruits responded. When the ground turned into a steep incline, they used each other to push them along. Exhausted on their feet they didn't notice the passing of time nor the passing of the miles. Nine miles later a halt march was called.
"ATTENTION!"
Rae snapped to attention. Silence washed over them as the sun rose. Colors splashed over the sky and the light illuminated the most beautiful sight any of them had ever seen. In front of them stood several large tables filled to the brim with food. Steak, eggs, hash browns, pancakes, waffles… any breakfast item you could ever imagine lined the table. Everyone swallowed, trying to control the copious amount of saliva filling their mouths.
Holland stood in front of them, a smile on her face. "Good Morning Marines!"
An energy passed through them as realization hit. They'd made it. The crucible was over and they were now officially Marines. "Good Morning Sir!" They all called back, gaining a second wind. The other instructors filed through the ranks, pinning their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor to their uniforms, pride in their eyes.
"Be proud soldiers. You've gone through one of the hardest training programs the Alliance has to offer. Only the N7 training is considered tougher than us. You are no longer recruits and can no longer refer yourself as so. You all have a name now, use it proudly. Now are you hungry?"
"Sir yes sir!"
"I'm not to sure about that. I said are you hungry?"
"SIR YES SIR!"
Holland nodded. "This is a warriors breakfast and you are all warriors. Come and get it boys."
Cheers went up and everyone fell upon the food.