New Kid

It was a really beautiful day. The sky was a perfect blue with just a few clouds dotting the endless skies. It was warm out as it was the midle of summer. Outside the birds chirped to each other while the bees buzzed around the flowering plants. Distent sounds of other humans in the small town were quiet as the house was set further back than the rest.

Inside the house a father was sanding down the face of a table he preparing to make. Six feet to his left was his wife and child. The woman gently brushed the hair of her daughter, gently removing the tangles from the blond haired child. A white ribbon held in one hand, made of cotton grown by the mother. 

The husband stopped his sanding for a moment to admire his family. The wife he love and whose strength he admired. The daughter he worked hard to provide for and protect. He stood up straight, returning the smile given to him by wife and child. His mouth opened, ready to tell them how much he loved them.

The child heard the sound of thunder and wood shattering. She watched as both parents fell, red splattering out from behind them. She screamed as any five year old would, dropping off of the chair to kneel beside her mother. She grabbed her hand, trying shake her mother, not knowing what was even happening. Her mother did, however, and with the strength only love can bring she stood to her knees.

Child followed mother to the cabnit under the sink. The child opened it and the mother moved a piece of wood to expose a hole only something small could fit through. She started shoving the protessting child through it as time was running out. The daughter fell down the hole, only about a foot, into a cruedly dug out tunnle. Mother pointined in the right direction, dropping the ribbon, before closing the hole. This was the last time child would ever see mother.

"Aeon, come in Aeon. This is command speaking requestiing a statis update. Do you copy?" The voice through the ear piece inquired, voice firm and nearly monotone.

"Loud and clear, Em. This is Aeon speaking, how may I help you?" Aeon greeted said voice cheerily. She stood out on the crumbling building, casually resting againt the rusting railing that could easily give out under her weight.

"The statis update, Aeon." Em repeated, exsasperation in her voice.

"Right, right." Aeon sighed dramaticlly as she checked her data tablet. "All clear on this side. J7 hasn't repored anything on section 3b. Star has reported two Tech K9's in section 3c, she belives they'll be heading in my direction. And Chriso has reported an all clear in section 3d."

"Thank you, the logs have been updated." Em said, the typing of keys being heard in the background. "I also have an updated order for you."

"Hmm, thought so. You normally don't make me report in before I'm supposed too." Aeon mused as she walked back into the appartment building. It clearly was once a family home. Broken, faded pictures of a family of four littered the floors near the walls while infant toys scattered the ground. Aeon grabbed her bag from near the sliding glass door, already knowing she was being called back for a reason. "What's the occasion?"

"The new recruites are in, fresh from Training Centers Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta." Em said like she was reading the information off a paper.

Aeon gave pause at that, surprised. "Huh. They're early. We weren't expecting the recruits for another week, let alone from all four centers."

"Indeed, but something has come up." Em informed the woman.

"And let me guess, Jessie wants me to welcome them to the neighborhood?" Aeon giggled, absolutly delighted at the prospect of new recuits.

"Exsactly. She wants you and your squad to return to base, now." Em ordered, voice never leaving the momotone setting it was seeminly perminetly placed on.

"Alright, heading back now. ETA forty minutes if I don't run into trouble. Am I clear to take out the Tech K9s?" She asked, slinging the duffle bag around her shoulder with ease.

"You are clear to take them out should you come across them. Don't go hunting for them." Em warned the soldier.

"I won't." Aeon promised reluctiently before ending the call. She stood on top of the railings and pulled out her two guns. Her dual pistols, along with firing bullets, had a second featcher of being grapling guns. Though they were still in the testing phase they had shown promise on the battlefield.

With carefull aim she shot the grapling guns at the building across the street at an angle higher than herself. This creates tension quicker and would make a smoother glide down. The ends grabbed on to the wall and grasped tighter like a hand would around a set of monkey bars. She tested the grip for security before jumping off the fifth floore of the corner lot building. Near the spot she pressed the bottom of the two buttons on either gun, making it jerk her up for a second as before she pressed the top button that relised the grip. She landed with a quiet thud on both feet.

"Olay!" Aeon cheered, throwing both hands in the air at the landing.

She checked her suroundings before heading to the left, the direction of The New Dawn Headquarters. She started jogging to the meet up point, boots thuding againsnt the broken concreat from the ruined city. It was hot out, being the middle of summer, so she had chose to wear a short sleeve shirt under her bullet proof vest. The warm sun fell on her ivory skin. Her dark honey blond hair blew freely as she had broken yet another hair tie. The white ribbon clipped to the middle of her head, Elite Soldier pin in the center of the bow to keep it together. 

As she ran her amber eyes looked around, always looking for danger. Her ears kept sharp, listening for sounds echoing off the buildings. Today they heard soomething from the street up ahead to her right. She slowed down, crouching behind a destroyed car. Time had left its make, model, and color undeterminable. Still, it provided the cover she needed to stay hidden.

She heard the sounds of metal footsteps, eight in total. They were too light to be human or Aliane based, yet were too loud to be feline based. That left the K9s, and Aeon knew they were the two spotted by Star earlier in the day. She peeked her head up to look at them through the door window, confirming they were the two from earlier.

One was a Scout breed, bred by the Aliane to track anything no mater how old the sent was. Once they picked up on the trail the only ways to get them off it was either to start a fire around the area or to shoot them. The other was a Hunter breed. Hunter breeds are stronger than the Scout breed, so they were often paired up. The Scout would track the target while the Hunter would chase it down. The third breed type is Soldier; a K9 bred to be large and strong, used almost exclusivly during raids and battles.

The first time she saw a Soldier K9 was twenty years ago. It had been the one to hunt her down as a child. It was the reason why she hated Tech K9s. They are cold things with no love in them anymore. Nothing at all like the still animal dog that were filled with nothing but love. These were an insult to man, taking our best friends from us, then having them hunt us down. It disgusted Aeon to no end.

Aeon let out a small breath to steady herself as she lined each pistol up with the small gap between the metal on the heads of each Tech K9. It's a small spot on the temples of any Tech K9 breed. The only other vulnerable spots on the Tech K9s were their eyes as those were still organic, but they were covered by visors. The Scouts head ducked down, but the Hunter kept his head up. The opertunity to take both out at the same time left, however, Aeon decided to take the shot anyway. The Hunter is large and easily was the more dangerous one. She fired one shot into its skull, watching as it whent dropped like a stone, blood pooling around its head.

The Scout raised its head and charged at Aeon, jumping through the car window. Aeon droped the gun in her left hand, using it to grab the Tech K9 by the throat. She swung it around her and slamed it into the ground behind her. It rolled once to get back on its feet, but Aeon was already in it. She caught the base of its neck in her arm, holding its head still as best she could. It continued to thrash its head, trying to get a bite. She brought the gun in her other hand up to its temple and fired. The Tech K9 thrashed one more time before falling limp.

Aeon holstered her gun before gently laying the dog down. She sat there for a moment, looking at the Teched animal. What little fur was there was brown and white, soft to the touch. Its still open eyes were a brown, one having just a spec of amber in the corner. Aeon gently closed its eyes as she let out a sad sigh, her chest tightening as she looked down at the animal. As much as she hated Tech K9s she knew deep down it was not their fault. They didn't diserve this kind of life, one where they were nothing more than machines to be used and gotten rid of. She knew that in another time line this one would have been a good boy.

Her feeling about them and what they could be didn't stop her from killing them, though. She has her duties, she knows they aren't what they are supposed to be. She still hates what they are now and what they are told to do. She doesn't feel regret for this, she just wished she lived in a world where she didn't have to do it.

"You're a good boy." She whispered gently to the Teched animal. She pet its muzzle one time before standing up to get her gun and leave. Yes, she has her orders, she has her duties, she know she has to kill them, but she will never be cruel about. They suffered enough already.

It was a ten more minute jog to the meet up point. After having to deal with the Tech K9s she was the last one to show up. J7, Star, and Chriso were waiting for her inside the broken building that was commonly used as a meet up point. Best they could tell it was once a bar or a resturant that had a bar. Almost all of the furniture had been destroyed by time, so they had to improvise for when they were there. A couple of crates and a slab of conrete made a table and chairs. Stack a couple of broken slabs on top of each other and you've got a stool.

Aeon walked in to see them sitting at the make shift table and four guns pointed at her. They settled the second they saw who had walked in. She smiled and waved at the three of them, glad to see each one was safe. She sat at the table with them, deeming heading right back to HQ could wait a moment. Every once in a while she ejoyed spending time with her fellow Partial Tech squadmates away from the stairs they still got. Star spotted the blood on her shirt the second she walked in.

"Aeon, are you alright?" Star asked, voice holding the consern her face could never show. Instead she signed her expresion of consern by taking her pointer and middle finger and run them down her right cheek from eye to jaw.

Star is the smallest of the group at five foot five inches. She was thin in frame, but never needed to be bulky as she was the sniper. Her skin was beautiful, the color of dark honey that was framed by short straight dark brown hair. Her eyes were green in color, but will forever be dead as they held no light.

"All good, Star. Just ran into those Tech K9s you spotted. I took care of them." Aeon responded, relaxed as ever.

"Ah, that explains the blood." Chriso said, pointing out the dropplets on his friends shirt. He sat next to Star whith one arm slung around her shoulder. His other arm drumbed his fingers on the 'table' top. "So, do you know the reason why we're getting called back early? It's not like them to do so."

Chriso had grown to be the largest of the group, standing at a whopping six foot ten. Warm ivory skin rippled over tough mucle he developed from being the heavy weapons specialist. His jet black hair came down in waves, nearly getting into his chocolate brown eyes. He needed to get it trimed sometime soon.

"Yeah, the new recruits are in a week early. Funny thing is that we got some from every Training Center." Aeon informed them, getting more seriouse. "I think HQ made a break through, that's why they're here already."

"What makes you say that?" J7 asked, frowning. J7 was the second shortes, being five foot eight, an inch and a half shorter than Aeon. He was the palest of the four, redhead with bright blue eyes. His frame was built for running as he was the fastest on the team. He could out run Hunter breeds and made an excellent scout.

"Em said something came up." Aeon shrugged her shoulders. 

"That could mean anything." J7 crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall.

"Then why didn't she tell me?" Aeon asked, raising a brow. She and Em had worked close together over the years, so they had a tendicy to over share with each other. "The only times she doesn't tell me things over radio is when it's important."

"Well, we ain't going to find out just sitting around here. Lets go welcome the freash meat." Chriso chuckled as he and Star stood up. His arm never unslung from her shoulder during the trasition from siting to standing. "I wanna get to them before Storm does."

"You want to scare them before she does?" Star asked, laughter in her voice. She brough her left hand up to her mouth, three middle fingers down while her thumb and pinkie stood out. It made a makeshift smile for her. Her left hand for jest and jokes and right hand for genuine happiness.

"You know it!" He laughed loudly, brown eyes twinkling with mirth.

It was another twenty minute walk from the meet up to HQ. The facility laied in the bacements under several completly collapsed buildings. Through some time and digging they had connected the bacement levels of two city blocks. This provided enough room for barracks, storage room, training rooms, a messhall, kitchen, intelligenc office, a large common area, the main chamber, and several other service rooms. However, dispite all this room it was still crowed in HQ. Five hundred soilders, forty two Partial Techs, a dozen officers, and another dozen or so engineers made for a cramped living situation.

Still, to Aeon and her friends it was home. 

The enterance to the base was hidden amongst some rubble and was guarded 24/7. It started on the main floor, then sloped down to the basement floor. A large metal door placed in a metal wall garded the rest of the base from potential attack. It was rusty and looked like crap, but did its job well enough. All in all they couldn't complain.

Aeon led the front of the group through the doors and down the hall to the main chamber. Like the common room there were offten dozens of people around here. Comunications sat in the back left wall on a platform. Directly to the left were weapons and supplies for battle. All scouts and patrols had to stop there for more ammo and new guns. It was checked and restocked regularly every day. To the back right was the debrifing area. Out going and incoming patrols all gathered there to give and recive information. Directly to the right is supply drop off. Every time new supplies were dropped off they were placed there untill they were inspected and checked into the system.

Right now it was freshly stocked with supplies dropped off along with the new recruits. Aeon admired the mound for a moment befor spotting her real goal. Commander Jessie; the leader of the rebelion, Caption John; Caption of the Elite Platoon, Emilia; Comunications Officer, and Caption Derick; Caption of Platoon A1. In front of them were two dozen new soldiers, fresh out of training. A large grin split across Aeons face as she led her little group on over.

"Ah, perfect timing." Jessie nodder head their arival. The new recruits all turned to look at the new arrival. "These four make up Squad Alfa of the Elite Platoon along with Ron, the Platoons SIC."

"Hey kids. Welcome to the party." Aeon greeted the group. "I would have made cake to celibrate, but you're early."

"Indeed, I had the new soldiers be delivered early across all bases." Jessie nodded her head befor taking a deep breath. She turned her head to readress the group of young adults. "You all are here because you were at the top of your classes in your respectibve training centers. I called for you early so I can personly asses each and every one of you. There is a mission that is coming up, soon. I need the manpower for it to be successfull because the sucess of this mission will turn the tide of this war in our favor."

A murmer of excitment spread not jus through the crowd, but by those who have gathered nearby. Aeon perked up instently at this information. Around her her squadmates where also intriuged. The odds of Aeon being right about her assumption had just drasticly gone up. Now she was actually interested in the conversation.

"I need only the best for this mission as mistakes will not due. The ones going on this mission will be the members of Squad A1A of Platoon A1 and Squad Alpha of the Elite Platoon." Jessie continued with her explination. "The details of this mission will be kept secret until it is time for the members to go. Two of you will be joining them on that mission as the two new members of Squad A1A. You will be assesed by not only myself and Captain Darick, but by Captain John, and Squad Alpha. The assesment will begin tomarrow morning and you will all be placed in your new squads by the eavning. The mission begins the very next day, so get some rest tonight. You are dismissed."

"Well damn." Aeon chuckled, arms going to rest on her hips. "Now I did not expect that."

"Aww, I can't terrorize the newbies." Chriso fake pouted, looking over the sea of new recruits.

"I would be a bit more concerned if I were you." Star stated as she turned to face Chriso. "Jessie is having us hand pick teammates for a mission. One that will have a large impact on the war. What could possibly be so important that she would give us first pick?"

"I think you already know." J7 grunted, eyes narrowing at the small group of rookies that broke away from the group. "Looks like some of them are eagered to say hello."

"Well hello!" Aeon greeted the group cheerily. "How are you guys today?"

"Are you really one of the people who will be judging us?" The one in front asked, seeminly unimpressed. The three others by him all had the same look on their faces. The looks Partial Techs always get from full humans. "I can see why having the Platoon leader have a say, but how can she have regular Partials judge us when you're not even human."

Comments like those were all to common, even with the antidiscrimination rules. Chriso and J7 faces both turned to scowels at the comment. Star even tensed up, forest green eyes turning cold. As for Aeon her face never shifted from its smile, she had too much control for that. Still, the words stung, even from four brats she didn't know. It hurt because she, like the other three, were scared it was true.

"Well arn't you a rude little shit." Chriso growled angrily. "Being Partial doesn't affect our ability to judge your skills as a soldier. And If I were you I would be more polite to those who are going to determin where you get placed."

"Whatever, you don't scare me." He snorted while crossing his arms. "I was the best back in Training Center Alpha. That position on A1A is as good as mine."

"Don't be so cocky." Aeon said with a giggle, getting the males attention. "You're not just competing against those from your Training Center, you're also compeating with the best of the best from the other three as well. There is a good chance someone else might beat you. Even if you are the best at your center, you will be competing against the best at three other centers. That makes four top dogs competing for two spots."

"Besides just that you will be competing against the three other squadmates of A1A." Star said, getting a confused look from the four new recruits. Star decided to elaborate. "You are competing against their skills as well. Even if you are the best in most of the challanges, if your skills line up too well with what we already have you will be over looked for someone who will bring more skill sets to the team. After all, you are the rookie and we don't need a crappier version of something we already have."

"Ha! You tell 'em Star!" Chriso barked out laughing, face shifting into a smug grin. Even J7 had cracked a smile at her comment.

"You should leave now, before we bother to learn your name and report you for the discrimination to Jackie. This will naturally have you disqualified from the compitions." Aeon chuckled and shooed them away. They scowled at four of them and left. Aeon turn to her squadmates and shook her disappointedly. "There are always a few troublemakers every single year."

"The leader is too arrogent." Star stated, turning to look at Aeon. "Over confidence is dangerouse, to both himself and those around him."

"The other three are underconfident." J7 added on. "They'll rely too much on orders and praise and lack the ability to think for themselves. That will also be dagerouse."

"Indeed. We need someone in between." Aeon nodded her head as she looked over the group of recruits. "There are some with potntial in there. Now if only we can get a couple with good attitudes."

"That might be too tall of an order to ask for." Chriso chuckled, bad mood now gone. If their was any one you could garentee to bounck back from a bad mood it is Chriso. To him it was always a good time for a laugh, no matter the situation. Not every one appreciated his sense of timing for humour, though. J7 was usually one of those people.

"Then we'll make due." She responded. "Are you guys going to join the betting pool for the rookies?"

"Oh yea, and with them all being top of the class." Chriso finished the sentence with a whistle. "This is going to be interesting alright. How about you?"

"Not this time." Aeon shook her head. While watching the group she had picked out a couple of rookies to take interest in. They seemed to have good tempers, fair attitudes, and were getting along with most of everyone else.

"And we lost her." Chriso chuckled at his friend.

"I'm just taking this seriously is all." Aeon muttered. She finaly turned her head away. "Lets go get some food before hitting the showers. If we got the extra time from an early patrol I say we enjoy it."

"We don't get enough down time. They work us half to death." J7 grumbled as he followed the group. They were about half way down the hall whent heard a few more foot steps hurring after them. J7 turned around and grumbled again. "Looks like we have another group of rookies on our tails."

Aeon stopped walking to face this new group. Their were five in this one and, unlike the other, was mixed of male and female. Two of them stood in the front instead of just one. Aeon put on her best smile, ready to greet them cheerily like she had with the last.

"How ya doing kids?" She greeted, just as friendly as she was for the other group.

"H-Hi. Uh, I'm Steve." The male lead greeted nervously with a wave of his hand.

"I'm Sare." The female lead greated more confidently. "This here is Charlie, Patrick, and Tara. We just wanted to introduce ourselves. We're from Training Center Gamma."

"Gamma, huh. That's the one from up north, isn't it?" Aeon asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Yeah, it is. It gets pretty cold up there." Steve chuckled a bit, seeming to relax now that he knows they won't bite right away.

"Temperature tolerance, that would be an asset on the team." Star spoke up as she studied the new group. "Gamma is also know to produce some of the best improvisors, though they usually lack in skill specifications."

"Isn't Storm originally from Gamma?" Chriso asked her, face scrunched up in confusion. Aeon noted how his arm was still slung over her shoulder.

"No, she was from Delta. You are thinking of Tenyo, her second." Star corrected him gently.

"So, what skills do you guys have? I am very curiose." Aeon asked the group, bringing the attention back to the group.

"Ah! Yes, uh, Gamma has given us many skills from guns to traps made of things we find in our environment." Steve offered a shaky, still a little nervouse. Aeon titled her head at him. She liked him, but if he continued to be this skittish she doesn't think she could use him on the team.

"We also have hands on training with taking down variouse types of Tech animals." Sare continued for her friend. Her smile was egare, like she was a child trying to impress their teacher. She did look young enough to still be a teenager. Youth can either be a blessing or a curse out on the battlefield. "We can fight in different climates and temperatures. And we are given survival training."

"You all have very usefull skills!" Aeon praised the group, pleased by the selection. Great teams are built up by many strong individuals who can bring uniqe skill sets. "I'm looking forward to seeing you demistrate them tomarrow."

"Thank you!" Sare thanked her gratfully. "We look forward to demistrating them. Well, we'll get out of your hair now. Thank you for stoping to talk to us."

With that the group ran back to where they came from. It was cute, in Aeons mind. It was a shame that most of that cheeryness and genuine happyness will be destroyed out on the battlefield. It happens to just about everyone, even the perkiest of them all. They all eventually subcome to the dark and drearyness that is war.

"What do you think of that group?" Chriso question her, his head tilted in curiosity.

"If I was betting, I'd say the two up front would last the longest." Aeon comented before turning back to the messhall. "It's going to be a damn shame to watch those smiles turn grim."