Walking up to what was the area of kill house, now just a glossy black cube remains, only a set of white doors showing the entrance into the scenario. "Okay, here is your mission briefing. Your objective is to get to the enemy flag and return it to your own without losing your flag. You have 3 AI-controlled soldiers to aid you however you see fit. You can go in with whatever loadout you want too, there is no time limit on this one. So grab your gear, when you step through the door the scenario will begin. Burns and I are going to jump into another scenario first, so good luck." with that they both walked through the white door, and after a couple of seconds the door changed going from white to red. "Should we grab some different gear, or you think we are good with the same setup as last time?" I ask Zero. "Gear, I'll highlight some gear that I think will or could help us out, they did say we could bring whatever we wanted in." My vision was highlighting tons of weapons, gear, and tech. They slowly began to narrow down items being highlighted for different scenarios. "I suggest grab a pack, and what kind of approach we are going for and I can narrow down even further." Grabbing a large hard-cased bag that is meant to carry drones and other tech items, similar to ones used at work sites. Mostly made out of a hard plastic but with lots of storage inside and out, "Well, lets set up our base first and then run for the flag after, speed and scouting is what I find best for capture the flag scenarios," I say. "I concur with that. Highlighting suggestions." My HUD changes to different colors. Green is scouting/surveillance tech, while red is explosives and ordinance, while blue are items that would generally be good for a capture the flag scenario. My vision highlighting orange off in the distance past the cabinets. Warframes in neat rows line the edge of the training facility. Smirking, I dismiss the idea while shaking my head. I start putting stuff in the pack or in the small amount of space I have in my battlesuit suit. Everything from meds, grenades, to packing extra megs of different varieties. Even throwing together, a sidearm, and another rifle. Finishing up, I start heading to the scenarios door, my vision highlight one final item on a rack before the exit. Grabbing what is highlighted, I step through the door. "Not what I expected," I said, looking around. The scenario putting me directly in the streets of Adana the capital of Gaian. Knowing exactly where I was in relation to the pristine white space elevator pierced the sky, which is still easily seen in the pitch-black night that I was currently standing in. My navigation pinged my HUD bringing up the route to my flag. Not expecting to be taken out right at the start, I begin jogging to my team, arriving just outside within minutes. A loud gruff voice startles me, stopping in my tracks. Floodlights coming on from the walls placed on my location. "Halt, who goes there, answer in 10 seconds or we will open fire" the voice commanded. "I am contracted specialist Leo Connors, I have orders to be here, sir" I shout back, trying to find the voice, squinting against the light. Floodlights turning off, "We've been waiting for you Specialist, what are your orders, sir." he says coming to attention with a salute. Walking past the twisted steel remains of the gates of the once Uzal emissary. The 10-foot tall foamcrete walls still intact with only small surface damage mainly riddled with bullet holes. As a centerpiece a broken armored vehicle still with embers and smoke rolling from inside its mangled remains. Looking around further not being able to see much else, besides a few olive drab tents hastily constructed. Trying to blink away the adjustment with the lights, "I can help with that," Zero said. Vision instantly changing into a mix between green and blue tint, clearing to almost close to what I could normally see in daylight. "Thanks," I say. "You're all going to stay on guard duty to protect our asset, where is our flag," I ask the soldier who greeted me before. Four soldiers, all wearing marine fatigues swivel and point to the ruins of the emissary in the center of the makeshift base. "Okay, I want your 4 to make a perimeter around the base, stay concealed just in case anyone comes strolling in," Pointing to another soldier, "You, I have this weapon for you," gesturing to the top of the broken emissary building. "You're our designated marksmen, keep a close watch and use comms to communicate with your team. No one, I repeat no one is to enter the emissary, you all have your orders, dismissed." Watching the four cookie-cutter soldiers scramble to there locations. Good, cause all 4 had the same face and build giving me the creeps. Lastly, inspect the flag, looking at it. "Warning, removing flag will result in disqualification." popped up across in my HUD. Unslinging the pack off my shoulder, I begin setting up the last of my defenses here and thought the rest of the base. "How do I find out where the enemy flag is?," I ask Zero. "One second, I'll scout for us." The backpack on the ground next to me, four disk sized black and silver drones shoot into the air from their holders on the front of the hard-shelled case. Thinking that was enough, the rest of the drones, six more baseball-sized matte black drones come out of the bag and flew off into the distance. "That's everything we brought, should I just start making my way to a height advantage or wait here," I ask Zero. "Start making your way towards the tallest building nearby, best sight lines are to the northeast. I have a hunch the flag is that way." Making way towards a sky scrapper about a half-mile away from the base. Scanning for any movement but it just seems like there are no civilians in this scenario. All the buildings look like hell rolled over them, the space elevator is the only thing not damaged. The streets are littered with rubble, vehicles, and trash. Hearing only the sounds of distant gunfire, and the faint chirping of crickets fill my ear. Not the constant sound of traffic and commotion of people I am so used too. Way off into the distance I can see the housing district and where my apartment would be, though not currently built in this scenario. Almost to the tower, Zero chimes in "Found our flag, it's surrounded by 3 enemies, and I have two on the move in a pincer formation heading towards our flag. Should I relay this information back to our team." Zero asks. "Do it, then let's move, where is their base located?" I ask zero. "A base built around the space elevator, they're using the security station for housing the flag, the guards are patrolling the grounds around the entrance to the elevator." Not worrying about disturbing anyone on my way, I move fast. Pushing the battle suit to the max, I make the run to the tower in a matter of 10 minutes. Ducking around the corner only a block away from the elevator, it was hastily set up, the gates knocked down with a burning tank deep in the compound. Seeing that two of the guards are patrolling the front gate. I move around too the right, a dark overhang was on that side of the wall. In the distance, I hear a set of loud explosions. Followed by a few more shortly after, "The first flag carrier found our booby trap, the second aggressor is holding back now. The first aggressor has been eliminated. Zero reported. Finding a dark corner of the wall, where it meets another. I make my way up and over the wall as silently as possible, hearing no alarms I continue. Cresting the top of the wall and looking down, I see one of the guards not too far off, he doesn't seem to notice me yet. Lining up a shot with my rifle. Pulling the trigger, the gun went off once, a spray of blood hits the side of a nearby wall, dropping the guard. The gun was dead silent but not the guard falling, his gun loudly clattered against the smooth stone ground. Heard the other two guards turn and start sprint this way, flashlights bouncing as they went. "I got them," Zero said. In my enhanced vision, Seeing two of the six spherical black drones zip out of the sky, each one hitting a guard in the face then exploding in a bright white flash. The visor of my helmet shielding me from the sudden change of light in the dark of night. Dropping down from the wall, slowly making my way over to the flag. "The last enemy gave up on the flag and is now returning, moving fast," Zero reported. "Sounds good, should I be worried about traps as well," I ask, before entering the building with the flag. "I do not detect any unless it's very well concealed I doubt it, I can send a drone in first to scout" Before I could reply, a black drone zipped in, went around the flag, then zipped out. "Clear" Zero replied, Walking through the same reinforced glass doors of the security station, just almost a week ago to see Colonel O'Donnel. Grabbing the flag, I make my way back to my own, taking a side route than the direct path back. "Jump to the side" shouted Zero. Time seeming to slow, I jump to my right, towards a stack of rusty steel barrels. We are about 900 feet from the gates to our base. "I cannot see him on my drones, I'll try and flush him out." Within seconds the remaining drones zip down from the sky and explode, staggered trying to illuminate the area the shot came from. "They stayed in cover, I'm sorry Leo," Zero said. I peak the corner, and a shot ricochets right off the barrel where my head just was. In the distance, about 200 feet away I thought saw two glowing blue orbs in the darkness. "Do I have anything to turn this around?" I ask zero "Without knowing his exact location..no, wait it out is the best option or retreat but that could be dangerous as well," Zero informed me. Taking a gamble, I shout out "Hale, I know it's you, I'm coming out, don't shoot." I quickly re-peak the corner, this time not killed or even shot at. Grabbing my rifle by the foregrip, holding it in a nonthreatening manner, I toss it. "I'm coming out, don't shot." "I advise against this, Leo," Zero chimes in. "Noted, but sometimes you have to go by your gut," I say. Rounding the corner, unarmed only with a pistol on my hip, holding my hands up in surrender. Looking down the alley. Two blue orbs greet me, Hales rifle still pointed at me. "How'd you know it was me, Leo?" Hale shouts, coming out of cover and walking towards me. "Seen them pretty eyes of your," I said, with a smile on my face. "Good call, yeah, hard to eliminate the eyeshine even in the suits." Hale said, chuckling, "Well Leo, if I shoot you right now I win." "True, but if I shoot you, I win," I reply with a shrug of my shoulder. He stares at me long and hard, then I wink at him and a confused look comes over his face. A round pierces through the back of his helmet and coming out the front. The round almost hitting me in the leg with the trajectory. "Scenario Complete" "Winner - Specialist Connors, Leo" The weapons racks appearing around us, Hale and Burns both looking at me with that look in their eye again. Both of them say in unison "How?!" Explaining to Hale and Burns didn't take too much time. Telling them both that I had played a lot of "Caliber one". To some "Caliber one" is just another game, but most people who game know that its almost another world in itself. Inside you control your character as you would your real body, most of the equipment used by the military past and present are available to use. Ranging from simple ancient muskets to current generation warframes. Though with some things dumbed down, with some things being altered due to security concerns but putting apples to apples they handle almost exactly the same. Explaining to them that my clan was highly rated in competitive play, even though we weren't on the pro circuit. I was in the top 500 in the whole 1.2 billion people who played at that time. I was in the challenger ranks as a solo player at my peak then as well. Learned basic coding in middle school to code my own AI to help me with gaming. Like most of the pros who have there, AI modded to do the same thing. This new military AI is more efficient and generations above anything civilians use, even heavily coded ones. Thinking I might try and take a peek at the code running on Zero sometime, see if I can maybe adapt parts of it to my civilian AI after we get back. Similar to shoot house, the scenario titled "CTF: Adana" I took a top spot, the top spot to be exact. It's unheard of that non-military personnel could even score in the top 10, let alone the top 1000. Explaining to them step by step on why I did, what I did, and why. Most of my tactics and my previous AI had worked out before like mines and setting up defenders and the sniper. After what felt like I explained myself half a dozen times, we went over some more weapons, drones, attachments before calling it a day. Both of them asking me different questions about the scenario as we did. After training, I grabbed a quick meal which was another type of protein shake, mixed berry this time. Told the guys I was calling it early and went to my quarters. Taking a quick sonic shower and worked the sweat off from the gym off, laying in bed, as soon as my head touched my pillow I was out cold, exhausted by the scenarios and working out. Waking up early in the morning, or at this point might even be considered night still. The clock on my HUD reading 0400 in the morning. Though after yesterday's full day of training my mind still felt tired. Staring at the ceiling of my cabin, the gray steel plates, and light panels slowly gaining illumination as I slowly woke up. Blinking away the sleep in my eyes, "Good morning, Leo" Zero greeted me. "Good morning Zero" I reply back. "Hope you slept well" "Not the best but I'll live," I say. Sitting at the desk, looking through my bag I brought on board, though about taking another crack at the data cube I had bought back on the Gaian halo right before I left. After working on it for about 20 minutes with no change. "There is an encryption that appears to be hidden in some corrupted data that is blocking it from unlocking the data nodes within, I'll highlight the corruption that is blocking the security encryption now," Zero says. Seeing the main corruption highlighted, now able to slowly unravel the problem one strand of code at a time, cutting away the missing data and code that was so badly corrupt. Shortly after the infection was gone, I was able to use a key cracker program, opening the remaining files in the data cube without issue. Still, almost a petabyte of books, movies, and personal pictures untouched was revealed to me, over a million titles listed in the catalog of books and this is about two-thirds of what was salvageable from the whole cube. I began to cross-referencing, it took a little bit of time but only a handful of books were in the main system. Throwing my fist into the air in show of victory. The books are already organized and cataloged by genre. It would take some time to find appropriate prices to sell them to the market. Books predating the exodus of Earth are very rare, especially non-mainstream literature, romance books are still hugely popular as well as non-fiction history predating the exodus as well. The personal movies, and pictures I placed in a separate folder, maybe being able to find relatives or someone who would want them. It was refreshing to dust off the rust from my coding skills and challenging them. Normally only doing basic programming and repairs back on home on Gaian. Construction drones don't need much to work properly. "I'll begin making inquiries about selling the books on the net, why don't you go to the gym or have an early breakfast, Leo," Zero said. "Thanks, and thanks for the help on the data cube. This new routine is exhausting but I am finding it pretty fun, reminds me of college in away. Classes and exams and pretty much all my free time outside of class I spent in VR." Talking to Zero was refreshing, too just be able to talk to someone even if they're not of flesh and bone even. Aboard the UGF Njord: Sargent Valerie Arara's quarters @ 0700. A projection above Sargent Arara's desk speaks in a husky voice "How is Leo doing, has he passed any of the evaluations yet, is he aware yet Sargent?" the image of a large man questions. The man had a silver eagle with a bundle of arrows in its talons pinned to his uniform showing that he was a colonel in the marines. "Sir, he seems to be doing well, his training, and his impromptu evaluations are off the charts. What do you mean aware sir, I thought he was just being contracted for this mission, do you mean to recruit him, Colonel." Valerie asks. Since having dinner the first day Leo's been on board Valerie hasn't had much contact with Leo. Leo normally grabbing food after long hours of training then heading back to his room. Valerie always grabbing a bite between meetings and being in VR. This whole experience for Val has been very different. Meeting Leo at the Ramen shop had been a complete coincidence. Finding out the next day there replacement coder would be arriving the following day by Colonel O'Donnel. They would be a civilian contractor, Val getting orders to get them up to speed on ship protocols and combat scenarios before arriving at the garden of moons. "His scores in coding, as well as his scores within Caliber one are quite high. He didn't enroll in the military, probably due to his family. None of his family on either side has served. Only his older brother just a couple of years ago joined. Sargent as you probably know, we the military privately fund Caliber One for a potential way to scout out military talents. The Navy, Marine, even the newly created Home guard use it to pull recruits." The colonel said. "Yes sir, It's how I was recruited right out of high school. It's not really a secret at this point. It's just another tool to be used and with or without the military involved that game is just another world to some peoples." Thinking that it's especially so with the amount of unemployment and the first stages of overpopulation starting to show on Gaian. A few years ago multiple terraforming projects started on the other two planets in the system. Most of the early technology was already researched in the past for the Mars terraforming project. Mars was terraformed but it couldn't sustain even a fraction of the Earth's population, especially after the exudes. The 1% occupied all the space using private military to hold the moon, mars, and a handful of large space stations. "That's right since I was the one who personally approached you and your family." The man on the projection said. "Anyways, just as I was saying, try and recruit him before the end of the mission. I'll throw in a bonus for you, as well as some well-deserved r&r for your team with or without the success of the recruitment, the amount of data we have collected is more than enough data for our researchers to sift through for years and years to come." "I heard from Corporal Hale that he beat everyone on board the ship in the capture the flag scenario, almost beating my own record in shoot house, which even with top scores in Caliber one is very impressive. Do you think Clarice I mean Private Williams AI has anything to do with it? We didn't wipe it like we would normally do. You and my team know it was showing higher than average abilities." Valerie said. "Yes, Sargent, I do believe the AI could be improving his skills, he will retain the AI module if he accepts our proposal. If not, it's just going to the lab to see what makes it tick. We already have initial readings on it, but we aren't able to look at its core at least without it physically being here that is." the Colonel said. "Anything else, sir?" Val asked. "No, that is all Val, stay safe out there." O'Donnel's projection cut out. Giving a small sigh, she rests her arms on the table and finally her head. "Leo, do you want this kind of life?" she says to no one. Remembering back to that night with him. He was nice, kind, and a good listener. The military changes you, I have never really seen combat outside VR, now serving for 3 years has really changed me far more than I would have imagined. Giving a final breath, "I should go for a jog and grab something for breakfast." After finishing up the workout routine that Hale had previously shown me, as well as the nutritional meal plan that Zero has been planning out, feeling better than ever. Packing on more muscle than I had ever remembered having in the past. Going to the mess hall for something quick. Val stepped off the elevator. She was in workout clothing and obviously just finished, the glisten of sweat still on her skin. She was heading toward the mess hall as well. Zero prompted me with what cubby my breakfast was in. Walking up and grabbing it. Val walks up right next to me and grabs her own from another cubby, close to my own. "Would you like to sit and chat, Leo?" Val asks gesturing to a nearby table, away from our normal one. Which currently had Hale and Burns eating there own breakfast. "Sure, we haven't had much time to talk," I said sitting down. After siting, taking a drink of the orange juice in the silver pouch from my tray. It didn't taste quite fresh had held the slight taste of preservatives. Val's own tray had a piece of toast with an egg in the middle of it. My tray was much more full than normal. A few slices of bacon, some scrambled eggs, a cup of fruit, and a couple of pieces of buttered toast. "Zero, a much different breakfast than normal" I question my AI. "Enjoy," he says. "Hale says you're in his words "Kicking ass" in the scenarios, even beating his first-time score, which is very impressive Leo," Val says. A feeling of heat on my check, then a tinge of pride comes over me. "Yeah, I was just lucky is all.' I said to her. "Luck, it takes real talent to even pass a scenario without any training, take shoot house for instance it's supposed to slowly build up aggressors and clearly show good from bad, then tricking you at the end. Eliminating you giving resulting lower score." Val says. Nodding, "True, but some luck came into it. Also having extensive time played in "Caliber one" helped, if you play solo or with a team, you learn a lot of useful tactics used in similar scenarios like these. I'm just doing these scenarios in a similar fashion as I would in Caliber one." I say, Biting into some bacon and eggs from my tray. "I was a Caliber one Pro before I was recruited into the military," Val says, taking a bit of her toast. "Really, that must have been a few years ago. What was your handle and what team?" I ask. Remembering watching all kinds of pros and teams play in the league as well as different tournaments, hoping to glean some insight into strategies used. "My team was the Valkyries, and I was Steel Valkyrie the founder of the team," says Val nonchalantly. Like being the founder, captain, and squad leader of a world championship team. If I remember right it was an all-girls team. They won one world tournament and took 3rd the following year, then the team disbanded and Steel Valkyrie disappeared from Caliber one. "You're Steel Valkyrie, I used to watch your streams and even watched your team take the world tournament cup in season 21. Wow. I thought I was good with being ranked 348 in the challenger bracket." I said, Still blown away by Val was Steel Valkyrie. "Being even ranked in challenger is worth it, being in the top 500 of challenger is a real accomplishment. You could have gone pro, not on my team, unless you known." she raises her eyebrow at me. "What, no, no I'm a guy." I say, "I never got recruited for any pro teams, thought about it a couple of times but I knew it would have interfered with my studies, or I would have just ended up quitting school. My parents wouldn't have understood. Val finishes her tray, sliding it over away from us. "I understand that my dad was out of the picture, always was. Mom was working 2 jobs to keep me and my younger brother housed and fed. I found some old VR equipment and spent most of my days outside school babysitting kids in my building just to afford the subscription and lost myself into it. Soon, I was gaining stream sponsors, advertisement sponsors, product sponsors, I was making more money than my mom even if she had worked 4 jobs. I went full-time streaming, got into the top 500 of the challenger bracket solo, finally I started my team with some friends, we wiped out the qualifiers and went on to win that season's world tournament. We trained and went for it again the following year but we lucked out. Sorry, just thinking about it brings back such good memories. Shortly after we lost that last tournament I was approached by a recruiter. My family was set for life. I found the military brought real purpose into my life that even video games couldn't fill." Val said. While she told her story, I finished up my tray and listened to her talk. I could understand her more than I did before. Val standing up, gathering her tray, "Would you care to join me on the observation deck?" Valerie asked. "Sure," gathering my tray and empty OJ container, dropping off our trays and we both got into the elevator. "Did you know I was coming aboard when we met?" I ask the question had been on my mind. Val looking my in the eye, "No, of course not." she turned away, "I did enjoy my time with you though." she said a little more quietly. "I did too," I said, feeling the heat on my cheeks. The elevator moved up to the observation deck and we both awkwardly stood in silence. When the elevator finally came to a complete stop. Off in the distance was a massive planet. Its size was larger than even Jupiter from the milky way system. A massive set of rings spanned out from the planet in a variety of colors ranging from sandy to black, even with a little glitter reflecting the twins' light. Lightning sparking off in the ring reminding me of lightning storms on the ocean hundreds of miles away. Other than the lightning the other thing that stood out was the moons, hundreds scattered around the planet deep within the planets rings all moving around each other as well as a giant chunk of debris in the vortex of gravity. Placing my hands against the thick glass and just staring at it. The observation deck was placed on the top floor of the ship, separated from the command section of the deck. With a large conference room at one end, while the other held seating and walkways for guests to sit and observe. Val walking over to me, standing inches away, "Beautiful isn't it." she says. I wanted to say you are but showing my emotions with her on the ship was difficult. Many more crewmen were also watching the garden of moons off in the distance. "It's magnificent, Val." I finally say. "I come up here when it's early almost every morning just to watching the stars," she says. Looking at Val, still feeling that spark I had felt on the first day, but not knowing how to approach it. "I should join you some time if you'll have me," I say. "That would be fun, How about after the mission, the shuttle will be taking us to our destination tomorrow." "It's a date," I say. "It is." She says still staring out into the chaotic beauty of the moons. We talked for another hour while viewing the lone planet and its many moons. Later separating for our training, Later we are all going to have dinner with the team after we would go over the mission for tomorrow.