Chapter 06 - The Challenge [Part 1]

Upon a pad that he was temporary given by Delia with restricted access, Zulu sat in the spectator stands of the battle grounds. He had given up on searching for team mates. Nobody wanted to be on his team. It wasn’t so much that they feared him or that they were afraid of the opposition. It was more the fact that everyone wanted to see what he could do.

If he really were from the unit Zulu, they wanted to confirm if what they did was actually true. After all, no one alive has seen a Zulu in action before and recordings of them all seemed too fake or out there to believe.

He however did find the behaviour of these people peculiar. Those holding high rank were on guard around him, whilst those with low or no rank seemed like they were taking him lightly. Civilians however thought of him as a new comer, some new recruit that saw the uniform off a video and wanted to imitate it. It was true though, no one had the uniform he had and they were hard to get.

All of this was annoying to him though, he believed that no one believed he was from Zulu except for those who had seen the hologram of his entry record. The one the Machine screwed up. His unit’s name was never to be on any official record, always blacked out. Which, to him added more to the belief that Zulu was a made up unit. He was wrong though, everyone believed he was from Zulu. It was just that nobody knew how to act around him.

“5 min till the appointed time” Delia spoke “We best get going down.”

Handing back the pad “Let’s go then” he replies waiting for her to lead the way.

[Name. Delia]

[Rank. Sergeant]

[Birthdate. 20/08/XXXX]

[Unit. Alpha 01]

[Equipment preference. Assault Rifle, Knives, Pistol]

“You should forfeit” she tells him as they descended the stands to head down to the entrance. “It’ll save you a lot of pain”

“I won’t be the one losing” he tells her “I know how to handle myself.”

Leaving the stands he sees that it was beginning to fill up. Anyone with spare time was coming over to watch the coming event. Not really a surprise though. The big hologram projecting the next match has the details of both teams up for anybody to see and his details were intriguing.

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][col colspan=4 valign=middle width=100% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]

Name: ERROR

Image: ERROR

Birthdate: ERROR

Unit: ****[/pc][/col][/box]

No image, no name, no birthdate and a blacked out unit drew the curiosity from everyone, those that had anything to do with the military and those that did not.

“Couldn’t find a team hey?” The man that issued the challenge asked

[Name. Matthew]

[Rank. Sergeant]

[Birthdate. 05/10/XXXX]

[Unit. Alpha 02]

[Equipment preference. Shot gun, Knife, Pistol]

“Don’t need one Sergeant” Zulu replied.

“It’s your death” he laughs

Looking at the other two “I’ll just see you guys inside”

[Name. Samuel]

[Rank. Corporal]

[Birthday. 23/06/XXXX]

[Unit. Alpha 02

[Equipment Preference. Sniper, Knife, Pistol]

[Name. Lucy]

[Medic]

[Rank. Corporal]

[Birthday. 07/07/XXXX]

[Unit. Alpha 02]

[Equipment Preference. Assault Rifle, Knife, Pistol]

“You won’t see us inside” Samuel responded.

With a confused look “I’m sorry?”

“You won’t see us inside” He repeats “that’s not how these challenges work.”

“There’s an objective and we have to work to achieve it.” Lucy tells him.

Turning to look at Delia. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You never asked” she said, looking away. “Plus, I wanted to see how you’ll go about it.”

*Woosshhh* two different door open. One for his team and one for theirs.

“Good luck greenie.” Matthew says as he and the rest go through their door.

Entering his own, the door behind him slides shut and he sees that he is in the preparation room. A countdown timer is on the wall, ticking down from ten minutes. The objective is also displayed on another monitor.

[Objective and Condition updated]

[Objective. Retrieve Data Chip]

[Time span – 2 day and night cycles]

[Every simulated hour will have an additional ten protectors]

[Time sped up by 4]

[Only weapons replicated or provided may be use]

In other words, it’s a 48 hour simulated exercise that uses 12 real time hours. And every 1 hour or 15 min real time there will be another ten enemy soldiers.

Moving over to a table of equipment he sees things he knows nothing about.

*Analyse*

[Backpack]

[Weapon type From Left. Pistol. Shot Gun. Assault Rifle. Sniper. Heavy Machine Gun. Grenades. Mines. Explosives. Rocket/Grenade launcher.]

[Protective Gear type from left to right. Helmet. Vest. Leg and Arm guard. Shield]

[Food Bars. Vit & Calcium Pills. Water Pills]

Looking over the equipment he knows one thing. He has never practiced using any of these before, nor has he ever seen them in his life. Looking over to his right he sees a table sized machine with the label {Replication} upon it.

Approaching it he takes his pistol out, Ammunition and knife. Opens the machine. Places that in. Closes the lid and presses the only button on it.

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][col colspan=4 valign=middle width=100% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]{Machine currently replicating. E.T.A 30 seconds}[/pc][/col][/box]

Looking back at the clock there is 5 minutes until start time. Moving back to the table he grabs a backpack, puts 4 grenades inside, 1 mine, some explosives, Food bars and both pills. He also puts two grenades on his belt.

“Woah” he says grabbing onto the table to stay balanced “What was that?” he questions to A.I

[Unknown]

Letting go of the table when the shaking stops “is it dangerous”

[Unknown]

Deciding that he is fine he goes back to look at his equipment. Walking over to the supposed shield that’s a fist size big.

*How does this work?* he questions the A.I

[Unknown]

Sighing he chooses not to take it. No point taking something you don’t know how to work.

*Ding* the machine makes a sound.

Opening the machine again he sees two sets of his equipment. One is behind glass and he cannot access, the other is open and easy for him to grab.

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][col colspan=4 valign=middle width=100% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]{Your Equipment will be returned to you after the exercise}[/pc][/col][/box]

Grabbing his fake stuff he equips it, lies down closes his eyes and concentrates on relaxing his breathing. 4 minutes until start time.

[Equipment updated]

[Pistol]

[Pistol Ammunition – 16 shots]

[Knife]

[6 Grenades]

[1 Mine]

[10 pounds of Explosives]

[1 lighter]

[6 food bars]

[6 Vit and Cal Pills]

[24 water Pills. 6 litres of water]

--------------------

In the other room

--------------------

“Woah” Matthew says as all four of them grab hold of the table to stay balanced “What was that?”

“Don’t know.” The three of them reply

“Maybe cheering in the stadium?” Samuel jokes

“If it was dangerous we would be evacuated”

“Did you really need to antagonize him that much?” Delia asks Matthew

Picking up a shot gun and ammunition “No, not really. But when would I ever get the chance to have a match against a Zulu.”

“You could have just asked you know, I don’t think he would have declined. He seems like that type that enjoys it”

“Where’s the fun in that. Plus he’ll be more tense this way.” He smiles

“You knew he was Zulu before you approached us didn’t you”

“I knew you were assisting the Zulu. So yes I knew who he was”

“Did you see how he dressed?” Lucy interject “He was so….particular, it was like he was on the parade ground*”

Playing with his sniper “Yeah, his uniform was perfect. When I saw it, it felt like he was going to yell at me for not keeping mine up to scratch.” Scratching his head “I actually felt ashamed for once”

“You…Ashamed?!” The other three say sarcastically in unison.

“HEY, I CAN FEEL ASHAMED” he says trying to defend himself “It’s just I generally don’t care about what others think.”

“I do have to admit though” Lucy says “he seemed eager for battle, his eyes seemed to hunger for it. Like it was something it had never seen before”

“Woah” Matthew says “That’s deep”

“Shut up Mat!” she replies “I was being serious. He doesn’t look like he’s ever seen combat. But he seems to know a lot about it.”

“I know right. It felt like he’s read all about war but never been there in person. Greenie is an apt way of describing him” Sam says

“But if you were to look at it from another perspective” Delia puts in “The degree of perfection he had everything to was extremely high. Even the general doesn’t have his clothing that well done on base.”

“So he looks like a greenie but dresses better than the general.” Matthew says “….Do you guys believe what they say a Zulu can do though?”

“I believe that they always completed the missions” Delia says “…no matter what it is”

“I don’t believe the way they do them though. Probably exaggerated to make them seem scarier to the enemy” Lucy states

“Should we be worried though, history shows that each time a Zulu is on mission. They are unpredictable. Their own teams have been killed by them.”

“The General would’ve had him killed if he thought this Zulu was a threat to us” Delia says

“And have died in doing so if the stories are true” Matthew adds on.

{1 Minute till Start} an announcement from the monitor states

“Anyway I’ll apologize to him after” Matthew say to Delia “I was a bit mean”

“There’s no need.” She replies “If he really is Zulu, it would’ve been better if he was dead”

Nodding their heads. The other three grunt in agreement. The appearance of a Zulu have been shown to bring bloodshed to the battlefield, for every side.

--------------------

In the Stadium

--------------------

The Stadium is filled to the brim. Something unusual for a midday event. Especially when it’s not one of the main yearly held tournaments.

“Today we have something special for all you folks!” the announcer of the battle grounds says into his microphone “You know all those rumours you heard about a Zulu being on base!” he says then pauses to let the question hang “It’s all true!” He smiles “Alpha Unit 2 Will be facing off against Unit Zulu.”

The crowd all cheer.

“Today’s match will last for a maximum of twelve hours. The team that retrieves the chip in the most effective way wins!”

“Here is a list of the chosen equipment for each person.” He throws his arm up making a gigantic hologram appear “GIVE ONE LAST ROUND OF CHEERS FOR THE PARTICIPATES! He screams into his mic.

The noise that followed made the stadium shake. Forcing those in the waiting room to hold on to something to stay balanced. The excitement level for the match was something new to everyone, the stadium has never been so hyped.

[box border=1 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=3 width=80% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][col colspan=4 valign=middle width=100% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Participants and Equipment.[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Name: ERROR

Image: ERROR

Birthdate: ERROR

Unit: ****

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Pistol

Knife

6 Grenades

1 Mine

10 pounds of Explosives

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Name. Delia

Rank. Sergeant

Birthdate. 20/08/XXXX

Unit. Alpha 01

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Assault Rifle

12 Knives

Pistol

Rocket Launcher

2 grenades

Shield

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Name. Matthew

Rank. Sergeant

Birthdate. 05/10/XXXX

Unit. Alpha 02

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Shot gun

Knife

Pistol

2 Grenades

10 pound explosives

Shield

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Name. Samuel

Rank. Corporal

Birthday. 23/06/XXXX

Unit. Alpha 02

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Sniper

Knife

Pistol

2 Grenades

1 Mine

Shield

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Name. Lucy

Medic

Rank. Corporal

Birthday. 07/07/XXXX

Unit. Alpha 02

[/pc][/col][col colspan=2 valign=middle width=50% bordercolor=#202020 bgcolor=#f5f5f5][pc]Assualt Rifle

Knife

Pistol

2 Grenades

1 Mine

Shield

[/pc][/col][/box]

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A/N

My god learning how to use the tables were hard. i hope you guys can distinguish the A.I speaking to other machine notes. Colours a different so that should help!