Chapter 90: Spartan Training

[Gordian Reach, Arda System, Arda III]

(3rd Person: POV)

*Beep Beep Beep*

Hearing his chronometer going off Pashna Starkiller opened his eyes. He then sat up and shut it off, before standing up and heading into his room's personal bathroom to begin getting ready for the day.

A task that only took him ten minutes.

The product of his many years of military service in the ground forces of the Lahara Sector Forces.

Of which Pashna is a member of no longer.

Instead he is now a member of Galactic Systems Alliance military.

Due to the fact he, like many other soldiers and personnel, had volunteered to join the developing GSA military forces when their respective governments asked for volunteers to do so. In order to not only firmly establish it, but help it grow into a true and stable military force. That would be able to protect the territory and the citizens of the Galactic Systems Alliance in the future.

A future Pashna was looking forward too.

Given all the corruption he had seen during his short stint in the Republic Judicial Forces.

That's why only nine months into his service he transferred to his home sector forces of Lahara.

For the man couldn't deal with the conditions within the Judicial Forces any longer.

After finishing up in the bathroom Pashna moved to put on his new uniform. The uniform of a GSA officer.

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Which had the insignia that signified Pashna held the rank of Colonel, within the GSA military, on his uniform shirt collar.

His new rank.

Pashna's previously held on being Major in the Lahara Sector Forces.

To say Pashna was a bit surprised he got a two rank promotion upon entering the GSA military would be an understatement. But the surprise the man had quickly faded, and now he wore his new uniform and rank with pride.

Quickly getting dressed Pasha exited his personal room, one of the perks of being a high-ranking officer, and headed to the mess hall of the base for breakfast.

A recently constructed base, located on Arda III in the Gordian Reach, within the Outer Rim Territories.

For when Arda II, the only inhabited planet in the Arda system, pledged their support to the developing Galactic Systems Alliance, they allowed the GSA to construct military bases/training facilites on Arda I and Arda III.

Walking through the halls of the base Pashna quickly reached the mess hall.

When he did the colonel saw the usual.

Multiple men and women, of various species, moving about minding their own business. Dressed in officer uniforms like his own, and GSA military fatigues.

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Even the Spartan.

Spartans.

Cloned soldiers created using Spaarti cloning cylinders.

Though unlike normal clones created using the Spaarti cloning cylinders the Spartan were vastly different.

First, they were fully grown within 15 to 21 days.

All thanks to Van having the same method employed Thrawn used to grow his own clones in his duology book series.

It was also because of this none of the Spartans had suffered from 'Clone Madness'.

At least not yet, thankfully.

Secondly, the Spartans had several genetic modifications.

Higher muscle bone density, enhanced reflexes, increased lung capacity, as well being given double of lifespan of most near-human species in the galaxy. Meaning a single spartan could live for up to 200 years, barring any unforeseen complications.

Van had discussed these genetic modifications with his allies, and they agreed to them. Along with one other very important thing.

All Spartan created by the Galactic Systems Alliance had full citizenship rights from the moment they were created. Nor only that, but if they so chose they could leave the military and enter civilian life.

For unlike the Kaminoans Van and his allies saw the Spartan as living, breathing people. Not just a form of human droids or property.

Oh and in regard to what genetic material was used during the Spartan's creation, it was a mixture of a number of genetic samples Van had had HK-47 collect over the years from numerous individuals across the galaxy. From soldiers, to pilots, to doctors, politicians, and everything else in between.

Because Van did not want the Spartan to simply be soldiers, he wanted them to be more. Because he would call them his comrades, and wanted them to be able to live out their lives beyond the military.

Lastly all Spartan were human or near-human.

Since Van and his allies had trouble manipulating the DNA and genetics of non-human species like the Mon Calamari or Ithorian.

To say Pashna and the other soldiers that had volunteered, or were recruited, into the GSA military were apprehensive about the Spartan was an understatement.

None of them wanted to end up like the military forces of the Republic, and end up replaced by clones.

But those at the top of their still developing government assured them that wouldn't happen. No, they actually were in the process of making it into a law.

Which stated the Spartan could not, and would not, make up the entire GSA military forces.

This eased the worries of many who were now becoming a part of the GSA military forces. It also helped that after meeting the Spartan the non-clone recruits of the GSA military came to find out that not all of them wanted to be soldiers for their entire lives.

Some were just doing so until general recruitment to the GSA military could begin in earnest. For they wanted to pay back those who came them life. As well as get along with those they would live their lives with once they retired from military service.

Getting himself a plate Pashna soon found a table and sat down to eat begin eating his breakfast.

A few moments after he did so he was joined Clee Rhara.

Who had received the rank of Commander within the GSA Navy.

"Morning Starkiller." Clee spoke.

"Same to you commander Rhara." Pashna replied.

Not calling Clee master Jedaii, for he had told him not to when they met for the first time a few weeks ago.

After they had been brought together to train one of the first special forces units that would serve the developing GSA military.

The Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Brigade, otherwise known as STAR Brigade for short.

Which would be a special forces brigade under the purview of the army, but would be cross-trained and also deployed to assist other branches of the military.

As Pashna and Clee continued to eat they made small talk.

Then after they finished they left the mess hall.

Heading off to make sure everything was prepared for today's training of the STAR Brigade recruits.

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Standing side-by-side Pashna and Clee stood before the STAR Brigade recruits.

All of them wearing GSA regulation power armor.

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While all of them carried a MA37 assault blaster rifle.

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Then entire group standing on one of the many training grounds of the Arda III base.

Stepping forward Pashna moved his eyes back and forth over all the recruits in front of him. "Alright recruits, listen up!" He shouted. The colonel then pointed to the obstacle course behind him. "Your job today is to run this obstacle course. Complete it, and you might just have a chance at making it officially into STAR Brigade. Fail it, and you'll run laps until I get tired of seeing you run. Is that understood?!"

"Yes, colonel!" All the recruits shouted in unison.

"Good. Now, get moving!" Pashna shouted.

The moment after he did all the STAR Brigade recruits began running the obstacle course.

Dodging the obstacles all recruits were making it through the course.

But then everything changed.

When all of a sudden hidden turrets popped up from the ground and started firing stun blasts at the recruits.

This caught many of the recruits off guard, and thus they were hit and went down.

Only a few avoided the stun blasts the turrets were firing and were able to continue forward.

But as they did so the firing rate of the turrets got faster and faster.

Dropping many more of the recruits, except for one.

This sole recruit completing the obstacle course.

Pashna took note of this.

Meanwhile Clee was simply observing, for her job was to instruct the recruits in developing their piloting skills. Though that didn't mean she was doing nothing.

No, Clee was taking notes of the way Pashna commanded the recruits, and was memorizing it.

For she was now a member of the military, possessing a rank and all the responsibilities and privilege's that came with it.

A thing Jedi had not done in close to a thousand years.

But Clee through that rule out the window when she joined the Jedaii. 

Now here she was, having been going through a crash course in military tactics and training.

Which was a lot, but Clee enjoyed it.

Picking themselves up the recruits lined back up in front of Pashna.

"If that had been a real battlefield, all of you, would have been dead." Pashan told the recruits in front of him. Turning his gaze to the one recruit who completed the course after he did. "Except for you. Tell me soldier, what's your name?"

"John-117 colonel sir!" The man replied.

Pashna knowing immediately John was a Spartan. 

Since a few of them developed the habit of using the number in the order in which they were created in their name. The number 117, meaning John was the 117th Spartan to be created in the cylinders.

"I see. Well good work recruit John." Pashna spoke.

He then looked back toward the other recruits. "Take note the rest of you, and learn something from recruit John. Since unlike him the rest of you will be running until I get tired of it. Now get moving!"

"Sir, yes sir!" The recruits replied.

They all then started running, except for John.

Who stood by Pashna's side.

Pashna seeing something in John that told him the Spartan was desitned for great things.

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A/N: Yes, Spartans have landed!

And yes, the Spartan John will end up becoming quite the character in the story.

Until next chapter.