"Ok guys, these are the mission objectives we're going to use, Lirya display them in the monitor please", said Moises before standing up with his back facing the main monitor.
"There are 1 main mission and 4 side missions, the main mission consists in search and rescue in the middle of the storm, the time limit is 36 hours after which the thunderstorm will worsen until it'll become similar to a magnitude 3 hurricane, needless to say, if they fail to find him the mission will fail immediately because the objective won't make it alive".
"The first side mission is recovering the resupply area from enemy hands at the center of the map, the number of enemies and the equipment is completely randomized, the bottom line is the barely necessary for the side missions".
"The second side mission is to recuperate a fallen drone in the northern mountains, the altitude of the drone is 500 meters up the main peak".
"The third side mission is destroying an enemy beacon set almost at the center of the lake, the wind can change the position of the beacon so the information is not completely accurate, this one is the easiest".
"The final side mission is not losing a single soldier in the previous missions".
Santiago and Juliet were analyzing the missions in their heads.
"Not that bad, I expected something lighter, to be honest", said Juliet shrugging her shoulders.
"I agree too, well, better for us in some way, we can leave early if everything works just right". Santiago crossed his arms and leaned on his chair "Lirya, input the side missions for us please, and place the necessary supplies in the resupply zone, bury some of them in the snow".
"To make it a little harder" Moises shrugged his shoulders.
"When you finish it set the time distortion to high intensity, the maximum is 3 hours, then shut down every capsule if they're still on". Juliet said and sipped her coffee. "we need to buy another bag, this one is going to be empty before the weekend"
30 minutes later the mechanics were reading the reports Lirya made about the scenario and possible exploits, unforeseen situations, and making last-minute tweaks to the simulation, the general, a major general and a team consisting of 25 soldiers of diverse ranks were in the VR test area, an entire underground floor filed with VR capsules.
"I hope that technicians repaired all the errors because if this doesn't impress the higher-ups they can cut our budget again", said the general to the major general, a tall guy with white hair and a mustache "if they do that we won't be able to buy more beer in the weekends without firing anyone, that would leave a bad taste in my mouth", the general lighted a cigarette and started smoking.
"Don't worry, these guys do a good job and you know perfectly as me that they are underpaid for their work" the major general took the cigarette, threw it to ground and stepped on it "no smoking area, remember general, if any of this expensive machine malfunction you'll be the first to be demoted".
"I know they're underpaid, all of us are underpaid in this dammed place" the general was a little upset about the major's action but decided to let it pass because he said the truth.
"Just let's trust them and expect good work, that AI they designed is a good example".
"Well...that's true Garcia, but that thing gives me a bad feeling " the general crossed his arms "is learning too fast to be just a computer program, in my times in the school something like that was science fiction or something from a game or a book, a little cliché I know, but it's the truth."
"The world changes fast" sighed the major combing a little his hair with his right hand.
"You're not wrong Garcia...you're not wrong" the general sighed too and put on his military cap "are the soldiers ready?".
"Yes, 13 males and 12 females will enter the simulation" the Major used his tablet to read the data "it would be a little pointless to list the ranks but I can read them if you like".
"Nah, you said it: it'll be a little pointless, they're just our beta testers after all" the beta testers were a little special, they didn't fight in the front in a conflict, they just test the VR simulations and gave reviews and feedback about everything they saw, "ok, tell them to start"
"Begin the simulation", said the major to his communicator and the slapped the hand of the general who was about to light another cigarette, the general left the test zone a little angry and dejected to the smoker's zone.
The beta testers entered their capsules and waited for the AI to initiate the test scenario, this was just another day at the office.
All the capsules were switched on and a loading screen appeared to all of them.
The loading screen faded and a simple menu appeared, when all of them selected the arctic scenario the screen turned black and they fell asleep.
The 25 beta testers appeared in a little deserted village, they all checked their equipment in a quick manner: standard arctic clothes, goggles, a 12 mm caliber pistol, 3 cartridges with 9 bullets each, a flare gun and the ones who smoke regularly have a pack of cigarettes.
"Standard equipment for a quick mission", said one of the beta testers.
"Even some cigarettes" one of them was pleasantly surprised by the nice touch.
"The vehicles are 24 meters to the east, the rest of the equipment for the main mission is there" all of them turned on the AR in their goggles, there was a mini-map, the vitals, mission objectives, and all of their last names were floating over their heads, all of them proceeded to the vehicles in silence and put on their scarfs to not freeze their mouths.
They entered the vehicles in an ordered manner, there were 2 heavy transport vehicles with 10 passenger capacity, continuous track wheels and reinforced windows, the one that had a red cross on each side was prepared for first aid, 2 snowmobiles were in front of the heavies, and a white EXO suit was at the very front.
"The rest of the EXO's have to be on the resupply zone, but with this is enough for the main mission, who's going to use the EXO and do some recon ahead?" the leader of the tester said to the rest, he had a star next to his name so it was easy to differentiate.
"I'll do it" one of the testers took off his goggles and jacket then hastily donned the armor-like EXO suit, "Command: execute".
...
The tester named Rodriguez connected his goggles with the EXO via cable "Command: synchronize"
He started to calibrate the suit while the others were unpacking the weapons and starting the engines of the vehicles. When he finished he did a light stretch and picked up his pistol and put it on his right thigh, a sniper rifle one of the testers brought him at the back and the cartridges were stored at a compartment in his left thigh.
"I'm done here, I'll start the recon, copy", Rodriguez said in the voice channel.
"Roger, we'll catch up in 10 minutes, do not engage if there are too many hostiles, over", replied the leader of the squad.
"Roger, over" he was about to start with a light jog when the suit locked in place.
"GUYS, IT'S AN AMBUSH> he screamed to his communicator but apparently his connection was cut-off, the EXO then spun towards the vehicles automatically and fired the sniper towards the head of the drivers who were left only with their lower jaws.
"ENEMY ATTACK!", the soldiers took cover and prepared their guns but found no enemy nearby.
Another shot was fired and the head of 2 soldiers exploded at the same time leaving a trail of blood on the snow and on their comrades, the soldiers were frantically searching for the enemies and some of them were firing at suspicious spaces but every 15 seconds or so one of them was killed.
"RODRIGUEZ WHERE ARE YOU? WE NEED BACK UP!" yelled the leader to the communicator but no one answered "shit." he was about to continue firing but the soldier in front of him was killed and blood splattered on his face and clothes the bullet passed dangerously close to him but missed, he took off his goggles and was astonished at what was in front of him: The EXO suit...
The emotionless voice sounded in the ears of Rodriguez who was happy when the ammunition was emptied paled again, the EXO took a combat knife in a reverse grip from his calf and the pistol from his waist before start shooting again, his first victim was the leader who received 5 shots in the chest and the knife was buried in his skull before he can even process what happened.
The rest of the team was wiped out systematically and when everyone was dead and the white suit as red with their blood the voice sounded again.
A deafening explosion ended the simulation and the poor tester was blown to smithereens with the EXO.
Everyone was greeted with a common message: "YOU DIED", and were kicked out of the simulation, the capsule opened shortly after and almost everyone threw up splashing their lunch on the floor, the parts where they received the gunshots, knife wounds —all his body in the case of private Gonzales— hurt like hell so they just laid down and groaned, no one was spared.
"W-WHAT HAPPENED?!" yelled the general behind the glass of the smoker's area.
The Major General, the technicians in the control room and the beta testers were thinking the same, what happened in the simulation?!
The AI was analyzing the results of her work.
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