05:00 CHRISTMAS MORNING 2065.
SUBJECT: SRGT. BLANE J CASEY.
AGE :23
GENDER: MALE
LOCATION: ALASKA.
MISSION: TEST PILOT FOR NEW BIPEDAL HUMANOID COMBAT PLATFORM CODENAME "ARCHANGEL".
PARAMETERS FOR SUCCESSFULL TEST:
1:LINK WITH UNLOCKED AI SUB-CONTROLLER ABOVE 80% EFFICIENCY.
2:BIOMETRIC DATA STAYS WITHIN ACCEPTABLE TOLERANCES.
3:MOVEMENT OF ARCHANGEL PLATFORM THROUGH BOTH MANUAL AND NEURAL CONTROL.
NANO-MACHINE TREATMENT: SUCCESSFULL.
PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: PASSED
PROBABILITY OF INJURY: CALULATING...
80%
PROBABILITY OF MENTAL DEGRIDATION:
CALULATING... 87%
PROBIBILITY OF DEATH:
CALULATING... 65%
PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS: CALULATING...
CALULATING...
CALULATING...
CALULATING...
CALULATING...
CALULATING...
CALULATING...
CALULATING...
ERROR CHANCE OF SUCCESS BELOW ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS.
SUBMITTING DENIAL OF TEST PILOT SGT. BLAI-*bZZzT*
EROR
EROR
EROOR
EEERROORR
eEeeERRrRRrRROOOOoOOOOOrRrrrR...
*bZZzT*
REGISTRATION OF TEST PILOT SUCCESSFULL.
AWAITING TEST PILOT TRANSFER...
......
January 10th, 2066
F.O.B. BRADLY
Blaine was sitting in his ruck nursing his still throbbing head after his third dose of "Neural Enhancment" nano-machines. "Man! Do they really have to give you the next dose right before the headache goes away captain?"
The man beside him chuckles. "Come on Casey! Suck it up! At least that's the last of them you'll ever be forced to take. I've still got my fifth to take!" The man said slapping Blaines' back causing him to wince.
That man is Cpt. Kenneth Johnathan. The man who has kept Blane from death more times than he could count. Not to mention his brother in-law.
"Jeez Ken!" Blaine sighs while trying to stretch his back. "So how's Sis doing? You went back home to see her and the family on your last leave right?"
Kenneth chuckles again and leans back on his cot "Sarah is doing fine if you must know. She's still upset her big brother didn't come to visit..." Ken said looking at Blaine with the (and I had to deal with it) look.
Blaine just rolled his eyes. "You know why I didn't come. If I had to go for another three hour "walk" so you could try knocking up my sister, I would rather just stay on base." He said wincing at the last time he stayed over.
Ken sat up and looked at him straight in the
eyes. "Okay look... she told me not to say anything, so you have to promise me you will act surprised when she tells you."
Blaine raised an eyebrow at him and just sighed. "Alright I promise. Now shoot. What's the big surprise? She talk mom into giving up her lemon chicken recipe?"
He just rolled his eyes. "I wish! But no. Blaine. You're going to be an uncle." Ken said smiling like a kid.
Blaine stood up so fast he almost tripped on his own boots. "She's pregnant?!?! My little sister is pregnant?!?" He said while grabbing Ken and lifting him up in a giant bear hug laughing like a madman.
The whole squad was looking their way at this point grinning at the two idiots making a ruckus. "Hey what is it this time? He promise you some more of that terrible whiskey Casey?" One of the shouted laughing.
Blaine stops mid swing, and looks the man in the eyes. "I know you ain't talking shit about my happy juice Richards! But no it's not that." Blaine said while finally putting Ken back down.
Everyone starts laughing at that and someone asks. "So what's got you so happy Casey?"
Blaine looks at Ken pleading with him to let him spill the beans. Ken just sighs and nods.
"The Captain's gonna be a father!" Shouted Blaine while tossing his arm around Ken's shoulder.
The whole room went silent for a moment before everyone started cheering and rushing to congratulate Ken on the baby and Blaine on becoming an uncle.
Just then someone shouted at the top of their lungs. "ATTENTION!" And everyone stopped in their tracks to salute the man walking through the door.
General Hanson was waiting at the threshold and walked in as soon as everyone saluted him.
The general looked around the room. "At ease. I'm not here to spoil the fun. Now what is the occasion if I may ask Captain Johnathan?"
"General, Sir! I have just informed this unit of my wife's pregnancy! Sir!" Ken said stepping forward.
The old General smiles at that and laughs. "Good man! Congratulations to you and your family son!" He then shakes Ken's hand and exchanges a few pleasantries then steps back and suddenly becomes a stoic leader once more. "Now then. For the real reason I'm here... Sargeant Blaine Casey! Step forward!"
Blaine steps up next to Ken and salutes the general. "Sir!"
"Sargent Casey. As of this moment you are now reassigned to the Alaskan test facility!
You have one hour to collect your things and report to the tarmac. An AC130 will be waiting for you there. Dismissed!" General Hanson said and everyone saluted him. He then saluted back and left the room. Leaving the mood a bit sour after the news.
Ken looks at Blaine. "What did he mean Alaskan testing facility? I thought you said you weren't going to be picked for that?" He said looking very pissed.
Blaine just shrugged and started gathering his things "I wasn't supposed to be. The tests all said high chance of rejection."
"Then how the hell did you get picked?" He said through gritted teeth.
Sighing Blaine slung his bag over his shoulder "I don't know. Maybe they're more desperate for people compatable with the nano machines than we thought... or maybe I drew the short straw."
That wasn't even unfathomable in either of their minds. The people in the world compatable enough to go through one round of treatments were in the top four percent of the population. And of the people who could have more rounds? Only only .004% of the population of Earth had that compatability.
"Even if that's the case why you? There are three people on this base with higher ratings than you!" Ken said
Blaine looked at him and pulled him into a hug "I'll try to make it home by Christmas. Gives me plenty of time to work on my surprised face."
Ken hugs Blaine back and chuckles "Yeah well, you need all the practice you can get... you're a terrible actor!"
They both laugh and talk some more with the squad as they came up to hug Blaine goodbye.
.........
Two hours later Blaine was up in the air on his way to Alaska. Holding nothing but his duffle bag and the data pad they gave him to skim over the information he needed to fulfill his role. Currently he was looking at his health records and rating records.
The first one was just how many times he sustained injuries in combat.. the second one was a little different than the one on file with his old base.
"Sorry Ken."
NAME: BLAINE J CASEY
AGE: 23
GENDER: MALE
PHYSICAL HEALTH: B+
PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH: B
SPEED: C
REACTION TIME: B-
STRENGTH: C
INTELLIGENCE: C-
ADAPTABILITY: A
NANO-MACHINE COMPATABILITY: EX