Chapter (10) Training and Purpose (2)
(3rd Pov)
*ting*
*ting*
In a training room located within Camp Currahee two abnormally tall males in combat uniforms are currently sparring with each other. To many, the skirmish going on between them would seem like a scene taken from a top-action movie. However, that is underselling the performance of the two individuals in question.
It has been a week since the last augmentation of Alpha Company had been completed. Currently, in the training room, Carter A-259 and Jack A-067 are both practicing and attuning their bodies to their new augmentations. They have been doing this since the completion of their procedure, but for today they are working on hand-to-hand combat and specifically knife play.
*ting*
*ting*
*shing*
*clatter*
"Ahhh nice one boss. You caught my hand with that last thrust." Jack said holding his hand in pain while walking over to pick up the fallen M9 Bayonet he dropped.
(Author's note: I know that the M9 Bayonet is a modern-day knife, but it's the closest knife that I could see a Spartan and the UNSC using both from real-life utility and from pictures. So roll with it)
"Fuuu that was a good one, you almost had me a couple of times, but why do you keep calling me boss?" After catching his breath Carter looked at Jack with a confused expression.
A sudden wry smile made its way onto Jack's face "Because Instructor Woods caught me calling you Carter the other day in training. He then proceeded to yell at me and 'educate' me about the necessity of respecting leadership and he just kept going on and on and on." Jack says bobbing his head to convey the annoyance he felt "So to make a long story short I can't call you Carter. Therefore you are now Boss." he finishes regaining his trademark smirk.
"Please don't call me that," Carter said with an uncomfortable expression
Seeing Carter's look as a green light for teasing his fearless leader Jack asks "Would you prefer leading class officer? OOO what about Master? Nah that one just sounds weird. AHAH! What about Commander?" Jack says nodding to himself about the validity of the nickname.
"No don't call me anything like tha-"
"Good afternoon Commander."
"How are you, Commander?"
Both Anna and Jill comment at the same time walking through the door into the training facility.
"I hate you all," Carter mumbles under his breath, not believing the sentiment if the amused smile on his face said anything about his mood.
"Well, what brings you, fine ladies, to the training room today?" Jack asked with interest and a small teasing tone.
"Same reason you are both here. We need to get adapted to these changes sooner than later. You guys feel and so does everyone else in the company, our training is almost over and sooner rather than later we will be deployed." Anna explained.
There was a brief silence in the room before Jack decided to steer the conversation away from the gloomy thoughts of the future.
"So what do you guys think about our new teammate?"
"...He's smart," said Jill
"Very smart" agreed Anna
"He's most definitely unique. I don't have experience with many kids, but I know they don't act as he does." Jack as well felt the same sentiment.
There was a brief pause before Anna decided to speak up.
"Hey Carter, you haven't said anything. Do you know why he is so…different?"
"Well… as you all know Sam appears to be… is probably too young to do any of this training." Carter pauses, taking a deep breath. "According to what I was told after I asked Kurt, he was found as a refugee after the loss of Jericho VII, he's an orphan like everyone else, and he would join our training and continue his training until deemed qualified with the next company."
"Is that it?" Anna was confused by the lack of information about Samson's anomalous nature in the program.
"Yes, Kurt said that even he doesn't know all the details regarding his orders to train Sam like the rest. However, that is all besides the point Sam is hardworking, intelligent, and always doing his best to do his part. Even if his circumstances of training are below our standard."
"Oh no, I didn't mean to talk bad about him or his abilities. It's just that he is weird." Anna stopped herself."But not in a bad way. The way he talks and acts, even though he is younger than us, it's like having an older brother."
"Yeah, a couple of weeks ago, during my birthday, I was feeling sad due to not being able to spend it with my family-" Jill said before being interrupted by Jack.
"Wait, was that when he gathered all of us after training and brought a cake?" Jack asked
"Yes, I don't remember mentioning my birthday to him, but he managed to find out the exact day and bring a cake for it," Jill said with a small smile.
Though Jill was correct that Samson made the cake to cheer her up, he did not know that it was her birthday. He is just of the mind that sweets never fail to make someone at least a little bit happier.
"But during the tasks, he kinda zones out doesn't he?" Jack pointed out.
"What do you mean?" Asked Anna
"Well I don't know if you guys have noticed, but he completely focuses on whatever orders Carter gives to him. Now, that isn't a problem per se, but it's strange when you are trying to get his attention and he only stops to finish after he does what he was asked." Responded Jack
"That doesn't matter right now Jack. So far it isn't a problem, and even though he has his quirks so do we. One day I am certain we will be fighting alongside each other. Therefore we need to do whatever we can to increase survivability." Carter said concluding the conversation.
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(Mc Pov)
It has been a couple of weeks since my first extra training day with Kurt. So far we have gotten pretty close to each other. Kurt is a pretty cool guy to hang around and can teach just about anyone a life lesson or two. Hell, he might be as wise as me, of course, I only say that I am wise because in my past life….I had a tendency to learn things the hard way.
Moving on I believe that Kurt enjoys the company that I provide him with. I don't know if he gets many guests, but that's beside the point. He even doesn't force me to call him Instructor Kurt during the weekend which is a huge accomplishment.
Though after spending a couple of Saturdays together and through conversations we have had Kurt sometimes asks for my insight. Again something he does for the trainees he doesn't just throw away complaints. He keeps them and sifts through them to check if they are legitimate or not.
He usually asks me small things like: what did I think about this exercise or how were the other instructors during training. Today however he asked me a very broad question and one that he deemed important.
"Sam," He said while I was currently taking a gun apart and cleaning it." What do you think could be added to training?"
I was confused by the question "What do you mean? Like what exercises could be added?"
"No, I believe we have the physical conditioning aspect of training down pat." He said with an amused expression. "What I mean to say is, I feel like something is missing in training, or there is something they are lacking. So I would like to ask you how you feel about training. Seeing as you are new and may have a fresh outside perspective."
I sat and pondered for a moment. Most people in this position would probably say nothing in this position. Not out of fear of offending Kurt, but that the training itself is near perfect, as long as you don't mention the kidnapping orphans to turn into soldiers, but besides that perfect training.
I was thinking obviously about what I know of the future because this could be my only chance to do something about the massacre that was Operation: Prometheus. According to what I remembered the operation itself was a complete suicide mission, that effectively ended the Company as an active fighting force. Though Alpha Company accomplished their mission at the cost of all of their lives, if they didn't disable the shipyard then humanity would have lost every single Orion side colony.
I was silent for a few minutes trying to think of some possible solution that would both destroy the shipyard and allow the Spartan-IIIs to successfully escape before the reactionary Covenant force cuts them off. Eventually, I realized something. I couldn't come up with a plan to accomplish it.
No matter how much I thought I wasn't some genius military strategist. Hell even if I was I doubt I could whip up anything to stop this pyrrhic victory from happening. My throat ran dry as I thought of the horror that at least 95% of the candidates that I had interacted with during training were fated to die. Including 3 of my teammates.
Finally, I tried to say something to Kurt or rather ask him a question "....Well what is the purpose you train us for?"
It was Kurt's turn to gain a confused look "What do you mean 'what do I train you for'? I train you to be Spartans do I not? To save humanity, and after being able to make a life for yourself with the discipline and skills I have given you."
I paused for a brief second "...And how would we save humanity? You sometimes talk about your training as a Spartan-II. Though our training is a bit better. You talk about how our augmentations and armor are weaker than our predecessors. Are you certain that is our purpose?"
This caused Kurt to completely go silent. He had a clouded expression looking away thinking. Perhaps he was thinking about the differences between the two programs, or maybe something else. It didn't matter what he was thinking at this moment, to be honest, so I decided to continue speaking.
"You train us a bit better, but give us worse equipment and worse enhancements. You say you train us to be Spartans and hopefully live a life after the war. Yet you don't really give us the tools to do so."
"The instructors that train us never talk about anything besides training or war. Even when one of us asks them something about it, their faces show discomfort and apprehension at the topic. Now, I doubt that is because they don't like talking about life with others. So I ask you again."
"What is our purpose?"
By this point, Kurt seems to be sitting in a somewhat stunned silence. Probably because of how much I had noticed. I waited for a bit, but he didn't say anything, maybe out of shame that he was lying to both himself and us. I do not blame him, however in times of war, and especially in a war such as this some things just have to get done.
And desperate times call for desperate measures. Even nature knows this. A wolf caught in a bear trap will chew off its own leg in order to escape and live to fight another day. It's just that humanity as a whole is not used to being the wolf, but the bear trap.
With these thoughts circulating in my mind. I finished putting the firearm in my hands back together and laying it down on the bench. I got up and turned to Kurt to leave one final statement for him to think about.
"Victory requires sacrifice, Kurt. You may not say our purpose now, but we all know that we are a necessity."
And with that, I walked back to my home. Knowing that the path ahead will be built upon corpses whether I wanted it to be or not.
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Sup its memes dropping another chapter. This one was a struggle to work on I rewrote it multiple times trying to convey what I wanted to. Hopefully, it turned out well.
So yeah not too much to say we won't have too many more training chapters before the time skip. So look forward to that.
Song of the day is "Prince Charming" by Metallica
Have a good day and I will See You Star Side.