Hearts of War [Being rewritten]

The Squad

A few hours later, Briggs sat behind her desk reviewing the information regarding their newest member. It was only now that she was able to properly review the info since she was one of the higher-ranking officers in the Militia which meant that she always had a lot on her plate when it comes to making decisions. Usually, it wasn't her job to review the information of a Pilot; that task was relinquished to some of her subordinates ever since the Militia had grown into what it was now. But since this guy was such a big deal to them in the past and now he wants to join them, Briggs wanted to be sure of who they were bringing along with them.

"He's one hell of a Pilot, but we already know that," Briggs muttered as she flipped the page of the file.

"Which makes him all the more reliable to us," Gates said, pointing the obvious. "Hmm, what about Alpha-4, I heard they just lost their lead? That bunch are pretty good Pilots themselves, and a Pilot like him could certainly fill the role."

Briggs had called Gates over to her office to discuss the matter with her. She was the only one within reach who had spent a considerable amount of time with the now ex-IMC Pilot duet to their misfortune on Xena 5. That and the fact that Gates had a knack for determining who was trustworthy and who was not. Being the commander of a mercenary group for the Militia required that. Now, the captain of the 6-4 sat across from the commander of the SRS also sifting through the files.

Briggs shook her head. "Naw, it's still too risky, besides the loss of their lead is a pretty touchy subject to them. I don't want to cause a stir."

"Right." Gates nodded. "What about Foxtrot-3, they're intact but a new member isn't gonna hurt?"

"I'm not putting him in command of anything this early. Yes, his skills are remarkable as shown by the Gauntlet, but we're talking about things much bigger than that. I want him to really prove himself on the battlefield. But how?"Briggs dropped the file on the table and rubbed her head as she groaned in frustration.

"Commander?" Gates said, worried that she may have said something bad.

"It's alright, I just got a headache from all this. I'll be fine by later," She said as she slouched down on the desk. She looked up and rested her elbows on the desk and clasped her hands together. As she scanned the files, one of them caught her eye and prompted her to grab it. She opened it up and examined the information thoroughly.

Gates' eyes widened as she recognized the file. "Oh my God," She said quietly. "You want to kill him, don't you?" She said, almost accusingly.

Briggs put the file down. "Gates, you've got to understand that he is a potential security breach. I can't assign someone like him in those top squads, especially in positions like that. I just can't take that risk." She sighed. "I'm not doubting your intuition, Gates. You run a faction with some questionable beliefs for a bunch of mercs, after all. You have to be sure of who you're taking in all the time. But this guy is different." She explained.

Gates simply looked down and fiddled with her fingers on the desk. "I guess," She sighed in understanding.

"If we throw him in this unit, he won't be able to do damage but we could still look into him further. And if he does prove himself trustworthy, then we'll pull him out." Briggs said as she arranged the files.

Gates simply sighed. She still had a good feeling about Nick nonetheless, but Briggs had a solid point she can't find a way around off. So, she just complied. "Okay, then."

Briggs set aside the files neatly and clasped her hands on the desk. "Besides, if he's what you say he is, then he could probably turn his new squad around."

Gates raised her head. "What do you mean, Commander?"

"Think of it as the ultimate test for a man in general. You place a good man underneath bad ones and allow him to build himself up to his peers. And then, show them the way."