Chapter 591: Stock Car Race (2/2)
”Wait, he's only nine Standard Terran Years old? He's been in service since he was two?” Hrevex asked.
”Five out of those seven years he was involved in something called the First Terran Interdimensional War and working with something called Earth Defense Force,” Vuxten read. He shook his head. ”Wounded twice in combat, several valor awards,” Vuxten looked up and shook his head. ”He's the real deal.”
Awrktrawt smiled and nodded. ”We can use him, to be honest. Our Recon is pretty much following the Terran Confederate Marine Corps.”
Hrevex frowned. ”What's the maximum age for them in service?”
Vuxten checked and shook his head. ”No data.”
”Do you have anything about them? So we know what we can expect?” Hrevex asked.
Vuxten went through the files real quick and found ”Goodboi Introduction Video Media” in the package from 21st. He threw it up into the holoemitter.
The Kobold jumped half out of his chair when a rippling flag appeared, red and white stripes, a blue field in the upper left, white stars in the blue field. It was playing music for almost a second before it vanished, to be replaced by the Confederate Armed Services logo.
”What is THAT doing there?” Awrktrawt asked, sitting back down.
”What is it?” Hrevex asked.
”The flag of the Ancient Hamburger Kingdom,” the Kobold shuddered. ”Just be glad we didn't see something terrible.”
”Canis lupus nobilis, mankind's most ancient friend, ally, and pack member,” a voice said, showing a bunch of four legged goodbois running around a field. It quickly changed to ones standing upright, wearing uniforms.
The three watched the video as it went through how mankind had uplifted the canis lupus, first to assist in military operations, then later, to full sentience and sapience. It went into how Lone Star Labs was the primary military cloning, creche, and training site for them, with applicable candidates entering the military, law enforcement, medical, search and rescue, forestry, and other jobs.
”Look at how old this video is,” Hrevex said.
Vuxten paused it. ”What?”
”No datalinks. It doesn't even look like they have SUDS yet. The vehicles are all ground vehicles, no graviton,” the Lieutenant shook his head. ”They weren't kidding about Pre-Glassing.”
They watched it for a while longer.
”They aren't 'Born Whole',” Awrktrawt said. ”Cloned, steel wombed, raised in a creche, tested,” he looked at Vuxten. ”How does this not violate their rights?”
Vuxten turned off the video and brought up the notice from CONFEDMIL.
”They all had the chance to leave the service after receiving medical care and psychological therapy. Roughly 11% took the option, the rest rejoined the military. In the year since they were brought back, almost half who left the military have reentered service,” Vuxten looked up. ”TerraSol is gone. The Terrans are gone. The military is what they have left.”
The Kobold nodded. ”By Vat Grown Luke's beard, can you imagine that. You're brought back to life...”
”By Vat Grown Luke,” Hrevex added.
”Only to find out your best friends for tens of thousands of years, your genesis system, is all gone. There's nothing left that you know and nine or ten thousand years have gone by,” Awrktrawt said.
”I want you to put the word out quietly to keep an eye on them. Let me know if it looks like they're having any problems integrating,” Vuxten said.
The XO and the 1SG both nodded.
”Let's take a look at their training. We've got videos from the Earth Defense Force as well as 'sanitized' Hamburger Kingdom videos,” Vuxten said.
”Sanitized?” Hrevex asked.
”They pull any old the Old Kingdoms' sigils and regalia out of the old videos or seriously alter them. Most of the Confederacy consider those old nations to be really bad news,” the Kobold said.
”Why?” Hrevex asked.
”Because, sir, they're the ones that fought off three interdimensional incursions, two temporal attacks, then handed the Mantid their first defeat since the Precursor War,” the Kobold said. ”Just seeing those old logos makes my blood run cold.” He gave a sudden shudder. ”I went on a tour of Terra, back when I was younger, and an eat-mu got into the hotel I was out. It got in the service elevator, went up the top floor, and started killing everyone, working its way down.”
The Kobold shuddered again. ”Most terrifying thing I'd ever seen, and I'd seen some shit, sir. Took a Ozland Biological High Threat Response Team in full armor to take it out.”
”What was it doing in the hotel?” Vuxten asked.
The Kobold shrugged. ”Killing. It's what they do,” he shuddered again. ”Let's watch the next video.”
Vuxten nodded, hitting the clicker with his foot.
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Vuxten watched the fifteen goodboi team take off at a dead run toward the obstacle course. The rest of the company was watching them. Staff Sergeant Presawrk held an old style pocket-chrono stopwatch in her hand.
He watched them quickly navigate every obstacle and shook his head. He knew that the Telkan Marines were held in high esteem by everyone, but seeing the dogbois in action was something else. He watched them do a quick pyramid, go over a wall, throwing gear over, then pull the last one up.
They crossed the finish line with four minutes left to go for minimum scored time. All of them were panting, some of them with their tongues hanging out.
He'd been able to get range time earlier and what the goodbois had shown was nothing short of amazing, reminding Vuxten of his first encounter with the Confederate Army. While it took most Telkan a half second or so to engage a target, the goodbois were hitting them before they even spun all the way up.
They were fast, efficient, and very very skilled.
”What do you think, Sergeant?” Vuxten asked.
”We're going to have to get with TRADOC, figure out scoring for their physical fitness tests,” the Rigellian female said.
Vuxten just nodded.
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Brentili'ik was waiting for him when he got home Friday. He knew it was late, but he'd been working with Lady Keena, Peel, and Casey, still trying to get a hold on the rage still running through him.
”I had an interesting visitor today,” she said.
”Really?” Vuxten asked, sitting down on the bench just inside the door and bending forward to take off his boots.
”Lady Keena,” Brentili'ik said. She sat down next to him and rubbed his back.
”Really. She didn't say anything to me,” Vuxten said, pulling off his boot.
”She wants to see the goodbois, but didn't want to just show up,” Brentili'ik said. ”It's the closest I've seen her to outright beg for something.”
Vuxten nodded. ”They've been separated a long time. I can see why it's so important to her.”
”Is it all right if I call the Post Commander and make arrangements?” Brentili'ik asked.
Vuxten sat for a second, thinking about it. ”I'll talk to Mental Health first.”
Brentili'ik nodded. ”Probably for the best,” she rubbed his neck, ruffling the fur. ”Dinner's in the warmer. Come in the frontroom with the rest of us and we'll eat in the pillow fort.”
Vuxten looked at his wife and smiled. ”I think I'd like that.”