The Ninth (13 page)

Tyra tossed the pad aside.  What did it matter now?  Even if she figured out the mystery, she would never get Brent.  After the trial, every division leader would be after him.  What could Tyra offer in comparison?  A position of power in a division that was circling the drain?  That was
sure
to sway him.  Tyra sighed.  Her time at the academy had been near perfect.  She was all but guaranteed to get her choice of any posting she wanted, anything from a comfortable position on a core world to an adventurous posting on the rim hunting down pirates and the like.  Then, the division leader graduated.  The last year-and-a-half since had been a nightmare.

At first, Tyra had enjoyed the prospect of her promotion to division leader.  However, it soon became apparent the division wasn’t ready for a new leader.  Every order she gave was ignored.  “That’s not how we would have done it in the old days.”  “I wish we still had our leader,
he
would know how to do things right.”  Over three years of progress lost.  The division started slipping, failing one trial after another.  Now they were in the lowest grade.  They’d be going up against the dregs of the academy.  Failure was not an option.  Tyra had hoped to get Brent in her division and hopefully manage to get enough victories under her belt to grant her at least a few options after her own graduation.  Tyra sighed again.  Things were hopeless.  The door to her quarters opened.  A timid figure stood before her, shaking a bit.

“What is it?”  Tyra hid none of her annoyance.  “I thought I explained I was not to be disturbed.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”  The voice trembled as much as the trooper did.  “But there has been a development with the recruits.  You’ll want to see this.”

“A development?”

“An accident.”

“Which group?”  Tyra rose and headed toward the door, already knowing the answer.

“Group C.”

Tyra bolted toward the observation room.  The hallways were completely empty.  Even though the exams were a focal point of the academy, there were always a few who ignored it and prowled the hallways. 
Always
.  As Tyra entered the observation room, the stifling silence overwhelmed her.  In her five years on the station she had not once seen the observation deck silent.  The large monitors that ringed the room were showing the progress of the exams.  A massive crowd was huddled around a single monitor.  Tyra muscled through the crowd until she found her division.

“What’s happened?”  Tyra whispered as softly as she could.

The trooper’s eyes remained on the monitor.  Tyra glanced at the monitor.  Three recruits were laying on a sand dune, panting deeply.

“Would someone please tell me what is going on?”  Tyra whispered a bit louder.

The bookie of her division stirred.  Tyra watched as her trooper joined the other bookies.  After some hushed chatting and gestures in Tyra’s direction, the monitor started to flicker.  A new image was replacing the three recruits on the dune.  The screen showed the recruits in their drop ship.  The image shook slightly.

Brent took a deep breath and drew out his pad.  Studying the map, Brent was hoping for some clear path to follow when he noticed something.

“Dante, didn’t you say there were some conscious recruits?”  Brent asked.

“You know I did.  I told you not more than two minutes ago, sir,” Dante responded, still panting.

On Brent’s pad there were three bright lights, three only.  The three were outside the ship.  Something on the edge of Brent’s consciousness tugged at him.  Brent discreetly glanced down at his pin and removed it without alerting Owen and Dante.  He didn’t know why, but something felt wrong about the pins.

“You two rest here; I’ll go check on the rest.”  Brent slowly stood up.

Inside the ship, Brent felt like he was back in Medical.  There were a handful of recruits crawling around getting adjusted to the gravity.  Most were still on the chair backs that now made up the floor.  Moving from recruit to recruit, Brent noticed that all the still recruits were wearing their pins.

“Okay, nap time is over,” Dante shouted from the gash in the ship.  “Everyone up and out.”

“Can’t I have just five more minutes?”  A low moan came from one of the still recruits.

One by one, Brent awoke the recruits and sent them out of the ship. Brent was left with two recruits he couldn’t wake.  Worried he and Owen had missed something, Brent inspected them closely.  There were no wounds or injuries, not even abrasions as far as Brent could tell. However, no matter what Brent tried, he could not wake them.

“We’ve got two more unconscious in here,” Brent called to Dante.

“You four, get in there and carry out the wounded,” Dante shouted at the recruits outside the ship.

Brent could hear the recruits groan as they entered the ship.  The four strained as they lifted the two recruits one by one out of the smoldering ship.  Following the recruits as they lifted out the last unconscious recruit, Brent realized that all eyes were fixed on him.  Only Owen ignored Brent.  He perched over Hiroko like a mother hawk.

“We have a very long journey ahead of us.”  Brent tried to stand tall in the oppressive gravity.  “It will take at least two people to carry each unconscious recruit.”

“Why bother?” Erin asked bitterly.  “They have already failed the exam.”

“You mean leave them for dead!” Owen shouted and advanced toward Erin.

“Last time I checked, unconscious and dead are two different things!” Erin shouted back.  “I for one am not going to fail thanks to those who already have.  I’m sure when we finish the instructor will have them rescued.”

“I bet Erin is right,” strained one of the recruits still lugging an unconscious colleague.  “The instructor wouldn’t really let anyone die out here, right?”

“She has a point, sir.”  Dante parroted the old instructor.  “Unconscious and dead are two very different things.  Why else would we use two different words? It would be silly to have two words for the same concept, right sir?”

Most of the recruits got the reference to the old instructor and laughed.  Owen turned on Dante in surprise.

“However, as long as they are not
dead
they have technically survived.  It is up to
us
to make sure that they continue to survive.  Am I correct, sir?”  Dante’s voice had a tone of finality.

Erin started to protest, but the rest of the recruits hushed her up quickly.

“Then we are agreed.”  Brent took up the other handle of Hiroko’s gurney.  “We leave no one behind.  I’ll need four volunteers to help with the two unconscious recruits.  The rest will pair up.  If one of us starts to look ill or weak, we
all
rest.”

“What about a drink?” Erin hissed irritably.  “I seem to be missing my canteen.”

This time she hit a nerve.  Several recruits searched for their canteens to find them missing.  Grumbling and protesting started at once.

“How many of you managed to secure your canteen before the ship lost control?” Dante shouted.  “How many remembered to hold on to it while we were flung across the landscape?  Or perhaps the better question is, how many forgot?  How many lost their canteen and all their water?  Any guesses?”

The protesting quieted a bit as several recruits realized they might have to go without water.

“That’s right, we lost most of our water,” Dante laid into the recruits.  “We have the entire desert to cross, and who knows how long that will take?  Now, do you want to suggest we abandon those of us that drop from thirst, too?  Shall we fight to the death over water now?  Or maybe, we should listen to the only one of us with a level head who’s obvious goal is for
all
of us to pass this exam.”

Erin didn’t make a sound.

“If we are done bickering, let’s get moving.”  Dante took the opposite handle from Brent.  “Whenever you are ready, sir.”

Together, they started marching in the direction of the structure on the map.  Owen quickly followed, lifting the rear of Hiroko’s metal stretcher.  Without a word, four able-bodied recruits carried the two unconscious ones, following behind the trio.  The remaining recruits paired up and followed, leaving the wreckage of their ship behind.

“You sure had Owen going back there, Dante.”  Brent chuckled.

“That wasn’t my goal, sir.”  Dante hid a smile.

“I know that now.  I owe you one,” Owen grumbled.

“Dante did convince the recruits to take the injured with us, and I have to thank him for that.  However, I have a feeling you would have dragged Hiroko out of this crushing desert all by yourself if it came down to it.”  Brent smiled.

“I guess it’s Hiroko who owes
you
one.”  Dante joined Brent in chuckling as Owen started to blush faintly.

It was impossible to tell how long they had been walking.  The clouds obscured the movements of the sun, and the ambient lighting seemed to remain constant.  Periodically, Brent would take a look behind him to check on the recruits and the distance to the wreckage.  The wreckage behind them never shrank as much as he had hoped.  The recruits’ progress was slow but steady.  They were drenched in sweat but kept moving step by step.  A glance at the pad told him they were making good progress despite the seemingly slow speed of the march.  Brent knew that his mind was stretching time, but he couldn’t blame it.  Every step was like moving through mud or a pool of cement that was becoming solid.

“We gotta stop!” a recruit shouted from the rear.  “My partner fainted!”

Dante motioned for everyone to stop.  Every single recruit collapsed, panting.  The trio gently lowered Hiroko before collapsing themselves.  Checking the map, Brent estimated they were about a third of the way to the structure.  They had made excellent progress before the first break, considering the conditions.  As he checked the distance, he noticed that a few of the blips had suddenly changed to yellow.  He could only wonder why they had not gradually changed.

“Everyone gets a drink of water while we rest,” Brent said between pants.

The recruits within earshot cheered weakly and eagerly passed word down the line of panting recruits.

“How long are we going to rest?”  Owen asked.

“After everyone gets a drink and we get a second wind, we’ll start up again.”  Brent played with his helmet straps.

“What’s bothering you?”

“These helmets we wear.  Everything else has a purpose.  Even the pins are important.”

“Worried we will be pelted by some heavy gravity rain?”

“There is a thought I’d rather not think about.  If everything we’ve been through is any kind of indicator, whatever they are for, I’m sure it won’t be pleasant.”

“Why?”  Dante flopped down near Owen and Brent after dispensing a few canteens.  “Don’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed the stroll so far, sir?”

“Enjoy is a strong word . . .”  Brent laid back.

“Whatever you call it, you sure have a knack for it.”  Owen rolled over, facing Brent.

“Excuse me?”  Brent asked, confused.

“Heavy gravity death marches, brawls with trained troopers, crawling through brush – is there anything that fazes you?”  Owen had a bit of awe in his voice.

“Perhaps you had some special training, sir?  Something that would give you an edge over the rest of us,” Dante ventured.

“Whatever it is, it sure got you into a division quick,” Owen observed.  “Tell us, what prestigious division grabbed you before the rest?  Don’t tell me I’ll have to start calling you ‘sir’ like Dante.”  He chuckled.

“Your guess is as good as mine.”  Brent casually looked over his personal info on his pad.  “I had no idea I was already assigned to a division.”

“Seriously?”  Owen furrowed his brow.

“Assigned . . .”  Dante was in thought.

“Oh well.”  Owen stretched and cracked his neck.  “I really couldn’t care less where you call home after this is all over and done with.  If you can keep us going, that’s good enough for me, Brent,” Owen said warmly.  “Just don’t expect a
sir
out of me anytime soon.”

“Agreed!” shouted a voice from behind them.

Brent turned to find the entire group huddled behind them, intently listening to the conversation.

“I wonder if being in this group will help me get into a good division,” shouted another.

“I see you have all recovered.”  Dante barked as he stood up.  “Time to get this party on the move, wouldn’t you say so, sir?”

“No time like the present.”  Brent helped Owen to his feet.  “We still have two more instructors to be tortured by after this.”

Some groaned while others laughed, but all stood and readied for the trek.  Once more the twenty started their march, the trio carrying the still unconscious Hiroko.  After an eternity of slow progress, the wreckage of the ship faded into the distance.  Once it had completely disappeared, Brent found he longed for it.  Without the angular shape, the horizon looked the same in every direction.  Now it would be all too easy to get lost.  Thankfully, they had the pad to guide them.

As he thought to check the pad for directions, he decided to test a theory he had been developing since they left the ship.  Brent moved close to Hiroko and pretended to inspect her condition while he discreetly checked the pad.  He found several yellow blips shining, the same as before they had their rest.  He finished his mock inspection and took out the pad, making sure it was obvious that he was checking their position.  The instant he brought the pad out openly, the yellow blips switched to green.