Notes from the authors: The training arc of the story is coming to an end: soon Ocena and the others will venture back to the Cosmodrome and the 'main' story will begin in earnest. This chapter will be introducing one of Colette's OCs, who may have appearances in future chapters.
Ch8
"Welcome to weapons training day one," Atom announced firmly as Ocena took a few steps into the firing range that he had set up in one of the lookout towers on the wall. "Victor can teach you new magic tricks, and Thane can teach you how to move fancy. But no-other class of Guardian knows good guns like we Titans do, so I'm the best you're gonna get by way of instruction short of a trip to the Crucible."
Ocena was a little intimidated by the steel in his voice, but did her best to nod to show that she understood.
"Now, Luden tells me that you shook like a leaf the first time ya' held a gun," Atom went on as he walked over to a bench with different guns carefully laid out on it. "From what little we have to go on from your memories, you weren't no soldier, so that's pretty reasonable. Even so, I'm gonna drill you hard and fast the only way a Titan knows how. Our lessons will be harsh, repetitive, and by the end I guarantee that you'll get the urge to nova bomb my ass once or twice." He turned to give her a cheeky smile. "Whatever you were before, you're a Guardian now, an' Guardians don't get very far without knowin' how to use a gun. So, first thing's first," he picked up an assault rifle from the bench. "This is an assault rifle…"
A few hours later…
"Again!" Atom barked, causing Ocena to grit her teeth in frustration as she once again hefted the assault rifle Atom had given her and aimed at the mannequin on the other side of the shooting range. Ocena had no idea how long they had been at this. She could tell though she was holding weapons correctly now, her aim was a little a better but the targets weren't coming at her to kill her so she couldn't be sure just how much better she was. But Atom was working on her last nerve right now. She didn't do well with getting orders or instructions barked at her or the annoying hovering he was doing. She was glad she had better control over her skills now, otherwise she feared she would have knocked Atom back or worse by now. Just bear with it. She thought, trying to keep a hold of her emotions. It wouldn't do to hurt Atom.
"Alright, that'll do for now," Atom said as the last mannequin fell over with its chest full of bullet holes. "Put the safety catch on an' take a break." Ocena eagerly complied and set the rifle back down on the bench with a huff. Atom sat down on a small crate nearby and patted a crate next to him indicating for Ocena to sit. She did so warily, and as she did so he handed her some sort of bar wrapped in what she guessed was plastic. "It's a field-ration bar," Atom explained in response to her questioning glance. "Figured you might be gettin' hungry by now. 'Supposed to taste like some kinda fruit accordin' to humans and awoken."
*"But we're also told that the taste could be a lot better,"* chipped in Atom's Ghost Neutron as he materialized above Atom's shoulder. *"I'm afraid they're made to pack as much calories and nutrients into as small a space as possible, so flavor is pretty much an after-thought,"* Neutron added apologetically.
Ocena eyed the ration bar before unwrapping it and taking a cautious bite. It was tough and a bit hard to chew, not to mention it was pretty dry, and like Neutron had warned her there was only the hint of what might be a sweet fruit. Still, she thought it could have tasted a whole lot worse and managed to grind it down to a fine mush and swallow it after a dozen chews.
"Bleh, I've tasted better," Ocena said frankly. "But I think I've had worse too."
Atom nodded. "I'll take your word for it. Anyhow, you'll be glad to hear that our little torture- I mean, training session's nearly over for the day," Atom said with a playful grin. "And I gotta say, you're doin' better than I woulda' expected."
Ocena's expression brightened as she swallowed another bite. "Really? From how often you were correcting me I thought I wasn't doing so well."
"Well yeah, you've still got a long way to go," Atom said bluntly. "But what's important is that you're learnin' quick and respondin' to my teaching methods. You obviously don't like 'em, I can see that plain as day, but you do what I say regardless, and that's savin' us both some time and frustration. Not to mention that you're takin' your frustration and channelin' it to all the right places so that it doesn't interfere with your shots. Bein' able to keep a cool head is a useful quality to have, and there are plenty of senior Guardians who don't quite have that down to an art just yet."
Ocena smiled a little as she washed down the last of the ration bar with a gulp of water from a canteen she'd bought on her way over. She'd have to see if she could think of a batter ration, there were low chances she was eating that again unless she had no other option.
"Okay I think I'm good now, shall we continue?" Ocena perked up when she realized Luden hadn't popped up in a while.
"Luden?"
The Ghost suddenly appeared. *"Yes? How is the training going?"*
"Fine, where have you been?"
*"Setting up a locking mechanism on your rooms to keep anyone but friends out."*
"Oh… I see." Ocena looked back to Atom. "So let's keep going."
Three weeks would pass by in this manner, with Ocena spending every one of those days training hard alongside her new friends. From Victor she learned how to regulate and control the incredible science-sorcery at her disposal and learned about some of the most popular theories and fields of study. From Thane she learned how to move as fast as possible and how to stand as still as possible using the least amount of energy, while Atom helped teach her the best aiming techniques and which types of guns suited her best.
Now Ocena was doing a bit of relaxing before she went out training. This typically entailed being childish with her Ghost by playing hide and seek.
"Okay Luden, you stay there, and count to twenty." Ocena said to her as she had him face a wall.
*"Alright, alright. I'm starting now. One, two-"*
Ocena quickly darted off to hide. This was childish she knew that, but… she didn't recall a lot of her childhood yet, so why not play now a little? Ocena ducked into a dark corner and curled in on herself to be tinier. She tried not to chuckle as she wondered if this was something Thane or the other Hunters sometimes did to make themselves scarce. Then she noticed someone beside her.
"Hello."
Ocena received no response from the dark haired woman for a moment.
Finally she spoke. "What are you doing there, Warlock?"
"I'm hiding from Luden, my Ghost. We're playing hide and seek you see."
The woman blinked at her. "That… explains why you're in the shadows like a Hunter."
*"Avi"*the woman turned her head to her Ghost. *"I just got a message about a scouting run, you've been invited."*
"That a fact?" Avi asked with mild curiosity. "What is going on?"
*"I didn't get any details."*
Avi closed her eyes and brushed a few stray locks of hair out of her face. "Not interested then."
*"Found you."* Luden said suddenly hovering by Ocena's shoulder.
"Ah, darn! Thought I had you that time." Ocena said with a playful whine. She looked back to the Hunter, who was now watching her and Luden with curiosity.
"Oh, um I'm Ocena, this is Luden." She pointed to her Ghost.
The dark haired woman didn't reply for a good ten minutes."I'm Avi, he's Peter."
Ocena smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you. Say, do you by any chance know Thane?"
"Not really, we've crossed paths, and perhaps worked together a few times but we aren't friends of any kind… I only know him by reputation. I suppose you're friends with him?"
"Yup. Victor and Atom too!"
The two Ghosts decided to chat as well. Avi would deny it but she was lonely and Ocena being who she was, was rather easy to be friends with.
*"Another invite, Avi. I've got some concrete details for this one."*
"Alright." Avi paused in leaving to look at Ocena. "Suppose I'll see you around."
"I hope so. I need some female friends."
Avi didn't reply, and simply walked off. Peter was telling her something about the mission request being from Dead Orbit, and that it involved an expedition into old Russia.
"Hmm… I was hoping to at least get some kind of smile out of her," Ocena said with a frown. "Avi seemed kinda sad."
*"Not too surprising. Ever since she got to the Tower she's been a bigger loner than any other hunter. Even Thane is thought to be more social than she is. She only has allies in battle or scouting, and she doesn't seem to do much when she isn't doing either of those tasks."*
"That has to be lonely."
*"Ocena don't, try too hard to be friends with her okay? She might snap at you."*
"I handled Atom's lessons pretty well I think I can handle Avi. By the way did you finish the calendar?"
*"Yes… Ocena when is your birthday?"*
Ocena thought about it for a moment. "I think… it was sometime in December."
*"Have to make a new day until you can remember the real one."*
"I guess, are birthdays still a huge thing?"
*"Yes, more so now. Most Guardians don't pay attention that I've noticed. But I think a few friends of yours would have a fun time giving you a birthday party."*
Ocean laughed. "Yeah sure they would. Hey come on lets head back to my rooms, I think I've almost gotten a new better ration bar to work out."
Luden followed after Ocena as she rushed back to her rooms; those lessons from Thane had paid off. She didn't trip or run into anyone anymore as she gracefully moved around whatever was in her path now. She was just about to reaching the living quarters part of the Tower when she caught sight of Victor Thane and Atom heading in the same direction ahead of her.
"Hey guys!" Ocena called out. "What's up?"
"Ah, Ocena!" Victor greeted her with a smile. "Just who we were looking for. How would you feel about making a trip out into the field?"
"Um… Am I ready for that?" Ocena honestly wasn't sure.
"It'd just be a quick run to the Cosmodrome to look for salvage," Atom said confidently. "Your ship doesn't have a jump drive. Without one, there's no way you'll be able to leave earth, and believe me, the worst fighting's way beyond earth."
"No-one is making you go if you do not feel you are ready," Thane quietly reassured her. "But you have shown tremendous progress over these past few weeks, and we wanted to give you the chance to put your training to the test."
Luden popped up then. *"Going would be a good idea. The ship does need a jump drive, and the best bet for finding one is there."*
"Well…" Ocena considered a moment. "I'll go. I won't be alone after all."
"Of course you won't," Victor said with a warm smile. "You have us now. This won't be anything like the first time you faced the Fallen: you're ready now. All of us are sure of it."
Atom gave Ocena a confident smile. "Besides, even on the off chance that you aren't as ready as you need to be, you're bringing friends with big guns. What's the worst that could happen?"
Victor groaned. "There's an old superstition that saying such a thing is what's known as 'inviting disaster.'"
Atom waved his hand dismissively. "Forget about it, disaster can come invited or uninvited for all the good it'll do: we've got ammo."
"There's no reasoning with him when he gets like this," Thane whispered to Ocena. "But at least we know that his confidence isn't misplaced: I for one can vouch for his skill."
Ocena just smiled and nodded. She could handle the Fallen now. She knew what she was doing and how to do some new things and lastly she had friends to back her up.
"Let's go then."
