The Mess Hall was lively as other teams were sucking up to their Graduated Test assigned personnel in segregated locations. The eight rookie pilots came in without their Graduated Tester and some of the other squad schools snickered at them as they proudly got their food and sat down at the Pilot's table. Some time later four more came in surrounding a single female who had the demeanor of a higher up.
One of the Graduated Testers flinched when they saw her and jumped to their feet and saluted while startling everyone when they all hallord loudly,
"COMMANDER ON DECK!"
In unison everyone stood at attention and saluted while glancing at the entrance to see who was the commander the Graduated Testers had acknowledged.
Even the four who had just walked in stood at attention while not knowing who came in behind them.
While the other pilots noticed that the Rescue Ranger didn't stand at attention and just looked around while scanning the room before sternly saying,
"At Ease! I'm Here As A Tester! So Pay Attention To Your Own Assignments!"
In unison all the Graduated Testers replied, "Ma-am! Yes Ma-am!" Before breaking their salutes and sat down as their rookie squads followed suit.
All except the pilot rookies who still stood at attention as their Graduated Tester began to usher the four to lead the way to get food. The kitchen staff looked at the commanding officer who did a short nod and their eyes flickered to a brief message that appeared before them as they loaded the five plates with the best of food options they had.
At the end where they had to swipe their watches to pay for it, they got pushed out of line by the cashier before they could pay, baffled they just waited and saw that their Graduated Tester who was of higher command than the others pay for their food.
Leading the way to their pilot table and seeing the other eight still at attention they became a bit scared.
"At Ease And Finish Your Food!" Shana said as she sat down with the other four, "Once You're Done You May Leave Because Practice Will Start Early Tomorrow!" She said in her commanding tone as other squads shivered, glad that they didn't get the commanding officer.
With sadden and embarrassed faces the rich ones disdainfully looked at the full course meal that their Graduated Tester Commander paid for, for the four they usually bullied as they looked down at their usual meal so as to not draw attention to their money situation.
"Yes Ma-am!" They replied as most hurriedly scarfed the remainder of their food before saluting her and dashing out as she ate with grace and boredom.
A Floating tablet appeared before her as a group chat as the Graduated Testers got used to their group while glancing at her table of five,
[That Bad of a squad?]
[The looks on their faces!]
[Oh~ They are in for a reality check!]
[Do you want us to keep tabs on those who left?]
With a soft sigh that seemed to be loud,
[If you could help protect these four for me while I'm doing pre testing… would be appreciated.]
All the Testers seemed to have choked at the same exact time.
Did their commander just ask them nicely to do an order!!
Finishing their plates they got up and walked over to her table and got a good look at the four as they gave their salutes before leaving.
One suggested in chat, [You should test them first and give them the Squad System!]
[I'll have my kids do physical practice while waiting their turn for the simulators!]
[We should switch who does physicals while she's in the simulators so as not to raise suspicion with her group!]
[Agreed!]
[I'm doing pack-track training to build their stamina so I won't be much help!]
[Thank you, for the update. I won't reply much unless I'm bored doing Novice Flying.]
[Oof! It must be a bad batch if our Ace Flyer is going Novice Flying on a Graduating Squad Test!]
As she finished her plate she noticed tears in the eyes of the four who were enjoying their much needed food.
[Y'all might want to check y'alls squad money distribution for any hacks!]
Many Testers did a pause step as they had already walked out of the Mess Hall with their squads before wondering why she brought that up, but thought about why she willingly paid for four meals without hesitation.
Looking at the four she casually asked, "Are y'all wanting to do a preflight run before those bullies try to pull something with the simulations?"
They paused eating.
"If y'all do well~ I'll pass you and move you to another squad to practice physical training so they can't sabatosh you." With a wave of her hand, "As payment for doing what was supposed to be done which the others denied to do even the basics."
The looks between them as they contemplated before they scarfed down the rest of the food,
"Can we use the bathroom first before we start?"
"Of course!" Lowering her voice she whispered, "Cuz I need to pee too!"
Understanding flashed through their minds as they led the way from the Mess Hall to the bathroom closest to the Practice Hall.
As they relieved themselves Shana covered the button with the camera so as to not trust that higher ups wouldn't look, like they swore they wouldn't do.
"Corvin" She spoke softly as a primitive spartan A.I. appeared on top of her wrist with a small bow, "Get the Flight Simulators ready for RDTO-583! I want it ready to go by the time we get there!"
The A.I. saluted with a fist to the chest and disappeared as she finished washing her hands.
Out in the hallway of the massive compound the four were nervous and trying to think of a strategy to pass or get the most points without knowing anything.
Shana removed her hand and let the camera record their interactions as they higher ups made notes on their profiles.
"Since you were helpful to me I'll be helpful to you, before we reach the simulators, I will tell you about the test! Then you have until we start to come up with a plan!"
The four became deathly silent and listened intently as they followed behind her.
"The Test is a simple Escort Mission! Keep my birds' health above fifty percent, and escort it to the finish line! Every five rounds I will ask if you want me to dodge or rush, the choice is yours. Mind you if I rush… my ship doesn't have shields, so I will hit everything in my path to the finish line!"
They gulped nervously at this news.
"It is Round Based, so every round you get the default amount of ammo added to what you have left, the amount of ammo at the finish line will determine your grade! As well as my bird's health, your own health, and how many rounds you manage to survive through!" They reached the doors that said Practice Room, "Simple right?"
She said as she easily opened the usually magnetic locked doors and the four began to whisper to each other another round of ideas as they moved past sparring mats, weight machines, and a indoor track to reach multiple flight pods in rows and columns with two giant TVs above them for others to see what and how they did.
As they neared the pods the TVs came to life, one with a camera view of the map on one and a scoreboard on the other that listed Name, Rounds, Health, Ammo, Objective Health.
A mechanical voice sounded from the monitors,
"Rescue Defense Testing Original - 583 Ready To Go Commander!"
"Alright!" She clapped, "Get in a pod and let's go! At any five rounds you can tell me to rush if you want the test to end!" She said as she entered the first pod.
Before her pod closed the leader of the squad asked, "Ma-am? Shouldn't we introduce ourselves to you before we start?"
"No need! You'll find out how I already know you… if you pass on the first try!" With that the pod sealed shut and the four looked at eachother with determination before getting into their own pods before nodding.
[Rescue Defense Testing Original 583 Booting UP]
[Five Participants Detected]
[Round Generated]
[Counters Engaged]
[Fighter Wings Generated]
[Medical Transport Generated]
[Novice Testers! Are You Ready?]
[Time Begins! Now!]
Inside the pods displayed their correspective cockpits and empty starry space and even the vapor trail and turbulence seemed real.
The four grabbed their controls and spun around the massive medical transport that would emphasize the term, broad side of a barn, in awe of the graphical detail they began their call outs over the radio.
{Sparrow, Taking Belly!}
{Hornet, Taking Rear!}
{Tank, Taking Point!}
{Fan, Taking Top!} A girl's voice was heard.
Tank radioed the transport, {Medical Transport This Is Beehive! We Are Taking Over As Escorts! Please Radio Check!}
Smirking at their team name she marked a few things on a flying tablet before replying, {Beehive, This Is Medicorp! All Green! I'm Counting On You!}
Sparrow chimed in, {Bogies Detected! 12 O'clock!}
Fan spun around to face the transport's 12 o'clock location to see enemies dotting her radar, {Engaging Fanspan!} Launching faster Fan flew in a spiral until they began to engage in which made the enemies fan out evenly.
Tank counted the spirals before Fan broke off and engaged, {Seven Spirals! Sparrow Circle The Nest! Hornet Snipe What You Can!} With that he sped forward to and began to draw fire with a 'burst fire' method.
Not long after they started,
[Round 2]
{Regroup and Repeat!}
About three minutes later it was round 5.
Shana asked curiously, {Dodge Or Rush?}
{Medicorp! Please Dodge This Round!}
{Copy Beehive! Try To Keep Up!}
[Dodge Has Been Initialized]
[Obstacle Course Generated!]
[Ready! Go!]
Shana took her controls and sped quickly as she maneuvered as if there was nothing blocking her way. The four kept close as Sparrow attempted to take the lead ahead of the bulky transport and the other shot single rounds at any surprise pop up targets.
[Obstacle Course 3 Minutes 28 Seconds]
[Target Accuracy 97 Percent]
[Round 6]
The obstacle course disappeared and the starry sky reappeared as the four air pumped victory.
Tank said happily, {Regroup, Repeat!}
Three consecutive rogers came over the radio as they kept dominating the rounds within a shorter time frame than her last test group.
Every 5 rounds Tank had initiated Dodge, afterwards they would swap locations with each other in every other set, except Fan who kept making the enemies fan out for easier targeting for her teammates.
It has been 1 hour and 23 minutes and their score is going to Round 55.
{Medicorp, Please Rush This Round!} Tank ordered on the radio as it was apparent that they were extremely tired.
{Beehive, Copy! Rushing With No Shields!}
[Rush Has Been Activated]
[Timer Countdown Has Begun]
Shana increased her speed as the four began to spin around the front of her hull. Using their rotating shields they protected the transport as she Rushed in a straight line for 3 minutes before they reached the finish line.
[Finished]
[Calculating]
[Issuing Team Progress]
[First Highscore]
[Saving…]
[Beehive Overall Health: 78%]
[Ammo Leftover: 5,625 Rounds]
[Transport Health: 87%]
[Survival Time: 1 Hour 26 Minutes]
[Rounds Passed: 55]
[1st Place Saved]
Everyone got out and stretched as the four went to check their score on the scoreboard. Shana was moving some invisible tablets around before settling on one that had a long list of names and the word Growth at the top.
"Come here!" She said as they were high fiving each other, "You're the first group I've tested to pass on the first try and also lasted as long as you did so late at night."
They grinned as they waited for her promised bet.
"This is a kept secret between certain factions in the Fleet. I will grant you each a Growable System to which you can enhance either yourself or your vehicle that is registered to you." She sighed softly as she reminisced of this power of hers, "Hold each other's hands then the end personel grab ahold of mind and brace for a shock!" She held out her hands and waited.
They grabbed each other tightly, unsure of the pain she had warned them about, the two at the end were sketches about grabbing her hand.
Looking at each other the two took a breath and grabbed her hands at the exact same time bracing for the pain to come.
Nothing happened!
They all sighed in relief and relaxed a bit… just then an electrical current flashed through them searing every cell in their body.
They tried their best to hold on but they all lost consciousness and dropped to the floor spasming while not letting go of the others.
"Whoops… My bad… Did I select the wrong one?"