Anand and Ray got dropped off at a bank so they didn’t have to explain to their driver why they were going to a random parking lot. They waited till the car drove away before entering the bank and exiting on the other side. After one more check they weren’t being watched, the duo jogged to the garage.

“Alright, someone should be at the teleporter waiting for us,” Ray said. “ Not sure why they didn’t just register us in the system.”

Anand shrugged. “This is our last chance to not show up. And what if we got scared off, then they’d have wasted time registering us. We’re going to be the front line against murderous aliens, you know?”

Ray chuckled nervously. “We sure are.”

“You don’t sound too confident,” said a voice near the teleporter.

Eve was sitting on the floor and grimaced at her friends. “You guys are so late. I’ve been waiting for almost two hours!”

“Why didn’t you go ahead? What if we didn’t show up?” Anand asked.

“I was sure you would,” Eve said while she got up and opened the teleporter. “I asked for a temporary card so I could teleport us back.”

“They just trusted you with access? What if something happened?” Ray asked.

“Well, I’m more responsible than both of you. And either way, Alec is waiting on the other side. He’d deal with anyone unauthorized who went through.”

“That’s nice of him.”

“I’m pretty sure he also wants to chew us out.” Anand added.

“Oh.”

Eve inserted the card into a slot in the control panel and the intercom pinged.

“Welcome Gaia Defense Force guest. The system will be automatically teleporting you. Enjoy your trip.”

“It’s so much nicer to guests.” Eve chuckled.

The group saw the familiar blue light before they vanished and reappeared in the Midwest GDF base. Conrad was waiting nearby, swiping at a tablet.

He looked at the group and said, “Oh, you’re finally here.”

“Who are you? Where’s Alec?” Eve asked.

“Ah, right. We haven’t met,” Conrad replied. “I’m Conrad McMahon. Alec got tired of waiting and had other things to take care of. I offered to wait in his stead.”

Anand blushed. “Sorry we’re so late.”

“I understand yesterday probably wiped you out. Just try not to make a habit of it,” Conrad said. “Alec mentioned you guessed which base you would be working at?”

Anand nodded. “This one. The Midwest Base. We’re all from the state.”

“Huh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Ray said.

“Of course not.” Eve added. “Even I realized that.”

Conrad nodded. “Now then, let me be the first to welcome you to the Gaia Defense Force.”

Eve whooped with joy. Ray laughed hysterically and did a little dance. Anand tried his best to hide his emotions but couldn’t help the involuntary fist pump. Ray grabbed Anand and shook him.

“Dude! Be excited! It’s okay!” he exclaimed. His jovial voice had a hint of annoyance. “We’ve been training for this for years! I’m not moving till you do.”

“Um, kids, you do have a meeting.” Conrad tried to interject.

“We sure do,” Ray said, keeping his attention on his friend. “And we’re running late. Anand?”

Anand sighed. He pushed Ray back and turned around. He tightly shut his eyes, remembering how he felt about his father’s reaction. But he wasn’t here now. Anand made it regardless of what his father said. Anand screamed. Louder than he’d ever screamed before. There was no joy nor sorrow. There wasn’t even anger. There was only catharsis.

Eve and Ray joined Anand. He was sure they were disturbing nearby agents but for once he didn’t care. This was his dream and everyone had to know. When he was finally done screaming, Anand saw stars. He was dizzy and barely kept his balance. But he couldn’t help but grin ear-to-ear. Ray nodded assuredly.

“Alright, Conrad,” he said, “Lead the way.”

Conrad’s ears were definitely ringing but he easily shook it off. He gestured for the recruits to follow him. They went to the hall of meeting rooms where Director Graves had debriefed them.

As they walked, Eve said, “It’s odd that Alec isn’t here. I thought he was your leader. Shouldn’t he guide us today?”

Conrad chortled. “Alec? Leader? No. Sure, he’s a higher rank than you three but he’s an equal to Gale, JP, and myself. Our leader is Boss.”

Anand furrowed his brow and asked, “His name isn’t actually Boss, is it?”

“No. It’s Richard. An old friend gave him the name when they were kids and it’s stuck ever since. It works when he’s well… the boss.”

“Laxman?” Ray asked.

“Yeah,” Conrad replied. “Anyway, regardless of who our leader is, all of Team Lucky is helping train you.”

Conrad opened the door to a room similar to the one from the day prior. Gale was waiting inside at the head of the table. Three tablets sat on the table for each recruit.

“I’ll take it from here,” Gale said.

Conrad nodded. “See you folks in a bit.”

“Welcome everyone!” Gale exclaimed cheerfully. “Though some of you know me, I should introduce myself for Eve. I am Gale Hawkins. On site I am one of the leads in the medical crew and during missions I work as the medic of Team Lucky.”

“Nice to meet you,” Eve replied.

“Likewise. Now then, you’re skipping a lot of the stuff you’d learn as seniors by joining the GDF early, “ Gale explained. “Due to that, part of your onboarding is going to involve giving you a quick overview of the integrated system that controls the GDF. Shall we get started?”

Gale powered on the display monitor and connected their tablet to it. A slide appeared that read, “Collar Functionality 101.”

“Alright, you three, those tablets have all the information we will be teaching you,” Gale said. “I set them up like slides with notes so you won’t have to worry about taking any. I want you to be as attentive as possible. Everything I teach you is crucial moving forward.”

The first lesson was about the most important tool created by the GDF: Collars. It referred to a piece of equipment worn by every agent that allowed them to control machines with not only vocal commands but also their thoughts. Gale took their neckband off and placed it on the table.

“This is my Collar,” they said. “It is the default form they are provided in. By the end of the day today, you will select what form you’d like for yours.”

“The glasses…” Anand muttered. “Alec’s glasses were a Collar, right?”

“A Collar, but not his.”

Gale pulled up an image of Alec. They knew this question would come up. The image zoomed in on Alec’s mechanical eye.

“Alec’s Collar is his artificial eye. It was created by our lead engineer who you’ll meet later. The reason he wore the glasses when rescuing you is because his eye wasn’t modified to summon a Glaive. Now it never will.”

“How does something so tiny control all this?” Ray asked and gestured to the room.

“It’s all in the Cahlium.”

Anand perked up at the word. Cahlium was an ore that was only available to the GDF. There was barely any information regarding it online. He listened intently as Gale explained how the ore worked as a power source for all GDF related equipment. Normally it would be hard to provide an alternate power source for such large machinery but there was a massive source of the ore. A massive 1000 ft obelisk in the Sahara Desert that emerged from a meteorite. It crash landed in 2021, a few months before the first rift appeared. No one believed that to be a coincidence. The obelisk of Cahlium was dubbed the Origin Stone. Whenever a power core needed to be created for an GDF machine, parts of the stone were broken and refined then installed in the tool.

“Doesn’t that mean you’ll eventually run out of Origin Stone?” Anand asked while scanning over the notes.

“I’m glad you asked,” Gale said and moved to the next slide. “The Origin Stone regrows to its 1000 foot obelisk no matter how much we remove. The only variable is how long it takes to recover which is based on how much we break. Initially, there was a fear that the cores we made would also grow into obelisks. Then they’d destroy everything we’d built. Luckily, that wasn’t the case. Cahlium stays in whatever shape and size we refine to.”

Gale took a small stone out of their coat pocket and further explained, “The person who discovered the special properties of Cahlium was Maxwell Cahlgren; the namesake of your school. When experimenting with the ore, he found that two separate pieces can 'talk' to each other. That ability, along with some stellar programming from our engineers is the basis of Collars. That is how we get all of our equipment to interface with each other.”

“Wait, so how exactly does Cahlium… work?” Anand asked, rapidly swiping at his tablet. “I’m not getting anything in the database.”

“Honestly, it’s still experimental and thus only high level agents have access to the info,” Gale admitted. “All we know is that it works as a never ending power source and empowers itself. That’s why it’s not too widespread, we can’t be sure it’s not dangerous.”

“Do you think it’s safe?”

“Plenty. Alec’s mechanical eye has a Cahlium power core and he’s no more insane than he was when I met him.”

“That still doesn’t explain how we use everything,” Eve added.

“It’s all fairly straightforward.”

Gale held their tablet near the table and waited for something. After a few seconds the center of the table opened to reveal a lens which emitted a large hologram above the desk. The diagram was of the GDF base with different parts glowing a faint yellow.

“These are physical parts of the building that you can easily manipulate with a command,” Gale explained. “You can either say ‘Open’ or simply think it while focusing on the door. People with different designations can manipulate other parts like the teleporters around the building.”

The diagram changed and displayed a myriad of GDF vehicles.

“You probably recognize some of these. Based on the jurisdiction one’s title holds, they can control these vehicles. For example, someone marked as a ‘pilot’ by the system can drive any of these; with training of course. That won’t be the case for you three until after graduation at the earliest. For now, you’re marked as ‘Glaives’ by the system. Thus, you can only control Glaives.” Gale picked up their tablet and gestured for the recruits to get up. “Now, let’s have you try out some commands.”

They led the recruits to a shelf at the back of the room where three full face helmets were hidden. Gale checked if they were ready before explaining to the recruits that the helmets were training versions of standard GDF ones. Though they looked different, they functioned almost exactly the same as Glaive helmets. Gale double checked each one before passing them to each recruit. Anand fiddled with the helmet awkwardly to fit his glasses inside before giving up and hanging them on his shirt to don the helmet.

“What now?” he asked.

“These don’t power on like normal helmets so let me turn them on for you,” Gale said and powered on each helmet.

Even though the display was similar, something was off. Anand’s vision didn’t suddenly get better like last time. And the helmet was loose instead of instantly conforming to his head. He had suspected the training helmet wouldn’t be the same as the Glaive one but it was still disheartening.

“There’s an extensive list of commands in your tablet but I’ll go over our more common ones. The most basic command we use is ‘Information Scan.’ Rather than explaining it, I’d like you all to try it. Look at me and give the command.”

Anand muttered to himself and a small window appeared on his display next to Gale. It listed their name, title in the GDF, special skills, and a myriad of other pertinent information. Looking around the room, the helmet displayed information as it tracked different machines like the holographic display and tablets. Out of curiosity, Anand looked at his friends who were looking back at him. Their titles appeared as Glaive and Anand couldn’t help but smirk. He didn’t care if this wasn’t the same as last time, it was still awesome.

“This is so cool,” Eve said.

“Seconded,” Ray added.

“The command to turn it off is ‘Deactivate Scan,’” Gale said. “Please note the command only provides information that is available to the GDF. While that is more than you’d expect, it does have its limits.”

They continued, “The next most common command is connecting to voice channels. While most commands will work when you’re outside of your Glaives, this one won’t. The basis of every operation is communication. Having an open line to everyone is possible but more often than not you will be relegated to a channel with just your team.”

“So, like voice chat?” Ray asked.

Gale confirmed. “Exactly like voice chat. Every team has one within the GDF. We set one up for you under the team name ‘Goldilocks.’ To join the group simply say your name ‘to Goldilocks.’ So, I would say Gale to Goldilocks.”

Ray tilted his head and asked, “Why Goldilocks?”

“According to Tori, we have to get you just right. She’s a big fan of puns,” Gale answered.

Ray chuckled. “Alright, Ray to Goldilocks.”

Eve and Anand followed suit. In the bottom left corner of their displays appeared small circles with names next to them.

“Can you guys hear me?” Ray asked.

The circle on the display next to his name lit up as he spoke.

“Loud and clear. Both in and out of the helmet,” Eve replied.

“Perfect. Much like the scan function, you can just think about leaving the voice channel to do so,” Gale said.

For the next hour Gale told Team Goldilocks commands and they parroted the words. No matter how simple they were, it would take a while before Anand memorized them. When they were finished he removed the helmet and turned it in his hand.

“Alec mentioned that pilots can remove their helmets. How exactly do you carry these around?” He asked.

“It’s not like we take off the helmet,” Gale replied. “We just partially unequip our pilot suit and the helmet returns to the Collar.”

They pulled up an image displaying multiple pilot suits.

“I’m sure JP won’t mind if I touch on these,” they said. “These are the standard pilot suits we’ve used over the last two decades. Agents can request what kind they’d like and other customizations.”

“What happened to all the armor?” Anand asked and pointed to a suit with heavy plating.

“It was cumbersome and immalleable. We worked to make armor that was more flexible. Once we learned to imbue Cahlium into the fibers, the suits no longer needed to be so bulky. Mainly because they melded with the user’s clothes. That also allows them to move freely,” Gale explained. “Remember though, these are pilot suits. They’re meant to help connect pilots to their machines, not for combat. That’s why the GDF started Project Glaive. The amount of Cahlium and resources that are part of each Glaive are exponentially higher than a pilot suit.”

Gale looked over their tablet, double checking that they'd reviewed everything. They tapped something and Anand received a notification on his tablet. He checked if the others did too and they had.

"We've finished the onboarding lesson. Before we can start training tomorrow you will need the proper equipment," Gale explained. "If you open the file I sent you, you’ll see a form. There are two parts to it. The first part will ask you about Collar customizations, weapon prowess, and combat experience. Yes, we have records about some of that but the information can differ when someone talks about it themselves."

"If that's part of the form, what's the rest?" Ray asked.

"The rest is for you to tell us what modifications you want for your Glaive.”

Anand heard a high pitched squeal emanating from Ray’s large frame. He hurriedly started typing on his tablet.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Gale said. “You guys have till noon tomorrow to complete that form. Once you’re out of the base, you can only access that form and list of current Collars. Please take your time to really consider your options and what you want out of your gear. We’ll have your Collars ready by the time you arrive tomorrow.”

“And our Glaives?” Ray asked with a wide grin.

Gale shook their head. “That’ll take some time. Though we’re allowing you to request modifications, we’re actually using that information to specialize your training. Because if you can’t even handle that, it will have been a waste to build a Glaive for you.”

“This is just the first step,” Anand said.

“Exactly. For now, go home and really think about what you want before submitting those forms. I can teleport you where you need to go.”

“About that. I was wondering if Ray and I could use the teleporters to go back to CahlU even though we came from Middleton.”

Gale shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

“What about our bags?” Ray asked.

“We’d need to pick them up,” Anand said.

“How about I give you all a ride and you can ask me any questions you might have.” Gale offered.

“I might as well tag along,” Eve said.

Gale led the group back to the teleporters and allowed them to practice what they’d learned. Anand scrolled through the control panel inside and muttered.

“Let’s see... Location: Madison. Name… Huh, there are a lot of parking garages. What street is ours off of?”

“Whitney Way,” Eve answered.

“Got it. Parking Garage Delta seems right. Teleport all passengers? Yes, please. Aaand… Execute.”

The group was engulfed in light and then found themselves back in the parking garage. Gale led them to a black sedan and waved them inside. They departed towards Anand’s home.

“I’ve been meaning to ask; back during the rift, why exactly did you guys go back to Madison anyway? It wasn’t in the report I read about your encounter,” Eve asked.

Anand replied, “My sister got left behind and it seemed like the GDF wasn’t going to do anything.”

Ray interjected. “Anand was about to go solo but I wouldn’t let him.”

“Yeah,” Anand admitted. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

“No problem.” Ray chuckled. He seemed like he wanted to say something else but stopped and instead turned his attention to Eve. “You mentioned there are reports about our encounters? Is there one for yours?”

Eve nodded. “Yeah. According to it, the other CahlU students and I helped defend almost 300 people who were on campus. They were able to safely reach the underground bunker before the rift vanished.”

“How’d you fight them off?” Anand asked.

“I was near the shooting range when the emergency message went out. A few of the students were yelling about a monster at the union so I snatched a rifle amidst the chaos and went to see what was happening,” Eve explained.

Anand was awestruck. He knew Eve was skilled but the fact she held off an Oghrodi without a Glaive astounded him. The only reason he was able to fight them was because of the GDF.

“Weren’t you scared?” he asked.

“Sure, but what good is all my training if I get scared off?” Eve replied. “Besides, I wasn’t alone. Eventually some teachers came by to let me and the others get away safely.”

“Looks like you handled the situation a lot better than us. I’m shocked Ray didn’t lose another arm and we didn’t die-”

Ray interrupted Anand. “You’ve gotta give yourself some credit. I lived because you came back when I told you to run. And if you ask me, Alec only lived because you went back for him.”

“That is pretty brave, Anand. It’s one thing to say you’ll come back for someone and another thing to actually do it. Twice!” Eve said.

“You should all give yourself some credit,” Gale added. “Many agents have only seen Oghrodi and from a distance, at that. You three really showed your mettle by fighting them.”

The car arrived at Anand’s house. Gale rolled into the driveway and stopped.

“Give me five,” Anand said and took a deep breath before stepping out of the car.

He opened the house door to find his bag near the entrance.

“Your bus gets here soon. I packed some extra food so be sure to share,” Priya said from the living room. “Dad can give you a ride.”

“I, uh, already got one,” Anand replied. “I have my ticket on my phone. Ray is waiting for me outside.”

“Okay, we’ll talk about this tomorrow.”

“I’ll be busy.”

Priya sighed and walked to the door. “I know calling everyday is silly to you but think about how we feel.”

“Think about how I feel!” Anand retorted. He thought he was already over what happened yesterday. Again, he was wrong. “Even when I’m hundreds of miles away, you keep me tied up with meaningless chores. I’m trying to do something that takes a lot of concentration. Dad and you are always on my case about focusing. But, the moment I try, you pester me!”

Priya remained silent.

“Look, I’ll call when I get home and whenever I have time,” Anand said.

He slammed the door shut without looking at his mother’s face. Outside, he saw his father entering the driveway. Arjun awkwardly maneuvered his car around Gale’s before parking in the garage and stepping outside.

“Are you going back?” Arjun asked.

“To CahlU, yeah,” Anand replied. He held the car door handle tightly. “If you’re lucky, this’ll be the last you see of me.”

He opened the door, tossed his bag in, and sat down.

“Let’s go.”

“I think your Dad wants to say something,” Ray said.

Anand grumbled, “He doesn’t.”

Gale looked uncomfortable but nodded and drove away. The drive was silent. The whirring of the car was accompanied by a faint squeaking of its metal frame. The air in the car was palpable. Even though Ray and Eve were used to it, they could tell this was bigger than Anand’s usual arguments with his father. When they arrived at Ray’s house, he checked on his friends before quickly dashing to the house. Before the front door had shut, he returned with his backpack.

“Mom says hi,” he said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Speaking of which, Mom sent food,” Anand said dryly.

“No way! I can’t wait to have some.”

“You say that every time.”

Ray grinned. “It’s true every time.”

Eve sniffed the bag and asked, “What’d she make?”

“From the smell of it; chicken.” Anand answered.

“You can tell from the scent?”

“Years of practice.” Anand sighed. “This is all gonna take a lot of practice.”

“Focus on it one day at a time,” Gale said. “Now let’s get you guys back to school.”

After parking, Gale started the teleporter and sent Team Goldilocks directly to Cahlgren University. The group found themselves in a hallway near two armed guards. They led the students through a door to an elevator.

“Huh, so this is what the ‘T’ stands for,” Ray said and pointed to a button inside. “I tried using it a couple years back but it didn’t work. I always wondered where it’d go.”

There was still plenty of daylight left and the group wanted to work on the forms. Anand and Ray didn’t even bother dropping their bags in their room. All of them beelined to their usual meeting spot in the botanical gardens. Luckily, no one was occupying their favorite seats. They immediately pulled out the tablets and started tapping away.

Anand had thought about the kind of Collar he wanted the moment Gale introduced them. But he’d had his answer long before; when he’d unknowingly used one. The part of the form that made Anand hesitate was related to his Glaive. He toiled about what would be a truly effective weapon. But a single doubt kept gnawing at the back of his mind. Not about Glaives or Collars or the Oghrodi. It was that Anand still had plenty of time to fail.