The Optimum Project: Revised Edition

Chapter 8

Boot Camp

It was a long time before I actually got around to doing anything. Sure I was now part of the Alliance Spacial Navy and all, but according to Clipper, I was on a 'medical leave of absence' and would be sent to boot camp as soon as the doctors gave me the go ahead.

So for the first two weeks of consciousness, I was busy recovering from a bullet wound to the chest, walking around like an old man and getting out of breath just walking to the bathroom and back. If I was honest, though, I was making progress, I started noticing that I didn't have to take naps anymore. I was eating more and my strength was gradually coming back, my arm was still sore; the doctors never checked it where I could see. They were always examining it from behind me or placing something similar to a cone for dogs around my neck while they examined it. It wasn't that I didn't want to look at it, I actually took the gauze off once, but all I really saw was some scaring from my bullet wound, nothing else out of the ordinary.

It was on my 15th day in my medical room that Clipper showed up, this particular visit stood out a bit from the others, mainly due to the fully decked-out SN Seals wearing full grade combat armor.

"Okay Noah, the doc says you're good to go! Now you get to finally begin your training as a fully fledged Spacial Navy Cadet."

I set down the reading tablet the doctors had given me to keep me from escaping and raised my eyebrows towards his companions.

He nodded, "Yeah, they're here to make sure you don't get any ideas about going AWOL."

I shrugged, "Makes sense I guess, I'm wearing some sort of classified tech I can't even know about, forced into service with the Navy boys or I get lobotomized... yeah, that wasn't too bad of an idea."

Clipper shrugged nonchalantly, but I could see a pang of guilt cross his face as he did so, "Deal with it buster, you signed the contract, now you gotta step up."

I scrunched my face up into an offended look, "I didn't say I wasn't going to follow through, I just said that to someone who didn't know my build of character, sending fully decked out Spacial Seals isn't a bad idea."

Clipper shrugged again, "Well then let the boys here enjoy their little stroll in combat grade assault armor and come peacefully."

I shrugged back, "Fine."

I stood up and stretched, the gauze around my arm and chest tightening to remind me it was there, and that it was hiding something that didn't seem to exist. I sighed and walked around to face Clipper front and center.

I looked him right in the eyes and stood up straight, "Trainee Noah J. Price reporting for duty, Sir."

I added a salute just to make it fancy and Clipper shot me a sly smile, "At ease Trainee, walk with me."

I nodded as I dropped the salute and followed Clipper out the now open door, the Seals clomping behind me, the Servos and gearing whirring softly with their every step.

"So how long will it take to get to the boot camp?" I asked

"Eh, about... five minutes," Clipper said boredom, "We're already on the station after all."

"Wait, I thought this was just a medical station," I said.

"Nope, this is the Alliance Council's Capital Station, All Five branches of military reside here, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Dragon Branch." he listed, counting them off on his fingers.

I screwed my face up at the last one, "Dragon Branch? I thought the fifth branch was Coast Guard?"

Clipper smiled at me and pointed, "Officially? Yes, it's Coast Guard, and they do have offices here, but off the books? Dragon Branch is like the Marines of all the branches, they get trained under every branch, they learn all the tactics, signals, weapons, vehicles, everything each branch has to offer. They're practically war machines."