Tarik: Entry Level Warfare (6 page)

“Very good, your flexibility is average for your bulk; we are going to start bodyweight exercises now.” The doctor grabbed a clipboard from Tilla and began sending instructions to
Tarik
’s implants. “The exercises are simple enough, just follow the instruction, remember form is keep and completed as many repetitions as possible before the
timer
 expires.”

Tarik completed a series of pushups, then jumping jacks, more pushups and more jumping jacks. Tilla stepped over and held his feet as he did a series of sit ups. This repeated four times before the doctor called a halt.

The doctor ordered
Tarik
 to a run
timer
; Tilla fitted him with a breathing mask and set the
machine
 to start. As
Tarik
 ran the
machine
 changed pace, gravitational pull and inclination frequently. Being a miner,
Tarik
 rarely ran and felt like he was going to be sick after the first ten minutes. After fifteen minutes
Tarik
 did need to take off the mask to vomit, he stood panting with his eyes watering and snot running from his nose.

“You have not been told to stop yet. Continue with the run.” The doctor ordered.

Tarik spit out the thick saliva in his mouth and refitted the breathing mask. Starting his run again he felt a little better with a completely empty stomach. The doctor ordered Tilla to clean up the vomit and
Tarik
 felt bad. He couldn’t help that he was going to be sick but he would have cleaned it himself when he had finished. It seemed no matter how much he wanted to be nice to Tilla all he brought her was misery, even if it was unintentional. After what seemed like an eternity had passed the doctor finally told
Tarik
 to stop. Glancing at the time he had only been running for a total of twenty five minutes.

“So we are going to have to work on that. We’ll finish up with some strength
training
. Go to station one.” The doctor didn’t give him any time to rest.

Tarik didn’t mind strength
training
, being a former miner strength was one thing he felt he had in abundance. Ten years of busting and
shoveling
 rocks had given him a bulky frame despite the beanpole figure he had when he started. The first station was a just a set of dumbbells with instructions to flex his wrist with different grips. Tarik felt the dumbbells change weight has he performed the exercises. The next station had him perform forearm curls, then concentrated bicep curls, and triceps extensions. Tarik completed each station designed to test his strength, from his wrists to his arms, shoulders, chest, core, legs and calves. Tarik thought he had performed well but if he had the doctor thought the same he gave no indication that he did.

“Now move to the vacuum pod. Quickly please, we are nearing the end of our scheduled timeframe.” The doctor said.

Tarik sat in the chair and felt it
rise up
; it tilted him to an upright position as the gravity bled away. As glass case enclosed him and the doctor sent him breathing exercise instructions. On the last exercise he was to expel all his breath and hold it. When he did so all the atmosphere was removed from the case. Tarik started to panic, his arms flailing about trying to get to the sides of the case to break himself free; the doctor and Tilla simply staring at him while he struggled for air. Tarik still reaching for the glass casing saw black start to enter his vision, his eyes
tunneling. A
s the black took over he cursed the doctor and submitted himself to death.

When
Tarik
 regained consciousness he was in the chair of the examination pod, Tilla looked over him. Tarik had a terrible headache following his oxygen deprivation test. Tilla gave him a shot and the headache quickly subsided. The doctor was nowhere in sight, which was probably a good thing because
Tarik
 wanted to choke the life from him.

“You did well on your assessment.” Tilla commented. “I have seen many species do much worse, you are very strong.”

“Where is the doctor?” Tarik said wanting to find the man and deprive him of air for a while.

“He has other duties to attend to. Do not be angry with him, it was only part of the testing.”

“Listen, I’m sorry about the vomit and really sorry about the undressing thing yesterday.” Tarik showed his genuine concern. “Do you need help? Does he make you do stuff like that against your will?”
Slavery
 was legal in certain parts of the galaxy but never on a
human
 corporation owned ship.

“I am no slave if that is what you are thinking. I do as I am told to make myself a better doctor. I'm different from most Flarr; I know I am not a superior healer. That is why I am in my role. As far as the duties I have performed for you it is I who should
apologize
. I should have completed my instructions without showing emotion.” Tilla hit the release button on the examination pod. “Your results will be available shortly. From there your log will be updated with the times and places to meet your instructors. You should go to first meal now, I have a feeling you will have a long day.” Tilla stood up and walked out the door without a look back.

Tarik made his way down to the
Dome
. The room was empty when he got in; he grabbed a tray from the nutrition unit and went to his assigned seat at the kiddie table. Half way through his meal an alert came though that his assessment results were available. He shoved in the last few bites of the meal then pulled up his results in full immersion.

Subject:
Tarik

Species:
Human

Sex:
Male

Traits: Northern European lineage

Chronological age: 35

Biological age: 28

Life expectancy without
combat
: 160

Height: 73 inches

Weight: 206.43 lbs.

Body fat: 17.2%

Water weight: 63.8%

Alterations: retinal implants, repaired right leg, replaced femoral artery, surgically repaired right shoulder, and surgically repaired left hand.

A video showed a nude
Tarik
 and highlighted each mentioned point. He could select each point or move on to the next section. Since he was well aware of his medical history he moved on.

All scores based on a maximum score of 100 for
human
 males

Flexibility: 29

Endurance: 32

Strength: 71

Tactics: 17

Intelligence: 63

Recall: 60

Oxygen Retention: 46

Social
Skills
: 43

Life expectancy with
combat
 at current scores: 36.5

He had an option to get more detail on each score but thought it would only upset him more. As it stood he was an inflexible, surgically repaired, non-running, super strength,
smart ass
, which most people didn’t like. On top of that, couldn't plan his way out of an airlock but at least he was smart enough to remember it.

Tarik exited the assessment seething with anger.  “I'm going to kill that asshole” he said referring to the doctor. He glanced over and noticed one of the tables had filled with pilots while he was in immersion. All eight of them looked at him wondering what he was talking about.

Tarik placed his tray back into the nutrition unit and walked to his next appointment he knew he'd be early but wanted to get to work before he could focus his anger on the doctor anymore.

Tarik’s map took him to a doorway off of the corkscrew. He entered the room nearly twenty minutes before his scheduled start time and saw an obstacle course with different sized walls, some with windows some without, and a series of targets all shaped like different species. Goddess was out in the range firing a
training
 weapon at several different targets while trying to avoid being hit. She was a masterpiece in action. She dove for cover moments before a simulated
human
 launched a volley of projectile rounds at her, sweeping to the other side of the wall in motions that were too graceful for a battlefield. She gunned down three targets on that side of the course timing her return to the other target just as the volley subsided. She finished off the last target and a buzzer went off overhead. Goddess stood up and looked to the ceiling where a set of fifteen stars only twelve of them illuminated. Goddess looked down clearly disappointed in her score. The walls sank down into the floor and additional targets were revealed. The targets stayed for a moment then disappeared no longer a threat. If
Goddess
 scored only twelve stars with movements like that
Tarik
 thought he would never get even ten.

A man came out of the corner of the room, previously hidden in the shadows. An older
human
 
male
 by the look of him, short and stocky his muscles rippled beneath his tight fitting jumpsuit.

“You failed to secure the last objective. You need to plot out your moves better. I also want you to time your recharge better, don't focus only on the threats. Your objective was not completed because of your aggressive forward charge.” The man instructed in a gruff voice. “I will see you tomorrow.”

Goddess placed her training rifle in a rack closest to the doorway. She casually turned her head sideways towards Tarik.

“I will see you soon Jimmy. I hope you are ready to submit payment.” Goddess said as she moved past
Tarik
 heading to the exit.

When she left the room the man walked to
Tarik
. He said nothing as he walked around
Tarik
, circling him twice.

“Why did you not follow me with your eyes?” The man asked.

“I assumed you wanted to appraise me.” Tarik answered.

“You assumed.” The man sounded exasperated. “Assumptions like that will bring you a quick death. You do not know me, you only knew I was here on this ship and assumed I was supposed to be here. You don't know what my role is here. For all you know I could be the ship executioner.” The man removed a stone from his pocket and threw it.

Tarik followed the stone as it bounced and rolled out on the open range. When he turned back to the man had moved further to
Tarik
’s blind side, now pointing a blaster at his face.

“We have many mistakes to correct. I am your threat not a stone you knew was no threat.” The man took a few steps back and lowered the blaster.

“You can call me I
nstructor
 
Lamb
 while we are in here.
Outside of
 here they call me Drang. You have a ways to go before you earn those
honors
.”

Instructor
Lamb
 activated the range controls. Two long walls rose from the ground creating a straight lane all the way to the end of the range. An orange glowing orb pulsed at the end of the lane. No enemies appear on either side of the walls.

“I want you to run all the way to the end of the lane and touch the glowing orb and then run back. Begin whenever you ready.”

Tarik ran as fast as he could to the end of the lane watching for any obstacles as he ran. He touched the orb then ran back encountering no resistance.

“Why did you do that?” Lamb asked.

“Because you told me to.” Was the only answer
Tarik
 could think to say.

“I see. Tell me, how did you know how fast I wanted you to run and do that?” Lamb asked.

“I uh… I didn't.”

“So you assumed I wanted you to run that fast? Tell me how did you know there would be normal gravity?”

“I guessed there would be.”

“Oh so you guessed.”
Lamb
 looked down. “Did you think to ask me before you galloped off?”

“No, I figured you would have just told me.”

“Tarik, as your
instructor
 your performance is a reflection of my teaching. I want you to do well. Your first lesson, ask ‘what else?’ You would be surprised to find out what people are willing to volunteer.” Lamb looked
Tarik
 in the eye. “We don't just run and gun here. We see our objectives, we perform a situational analysis, we develop a plan and only then do we execute. My job is going to be to teach you how to first ask the correct questions to make the correct
combat
 decisions.”

Lamb activated the controls and the walls dropped into the floor. Several large rocks then
rose up
 scattered throughout the range. Each rock had held multiple threats firing at the point where
Tarik
 would enter the range. The glowing orange orb appeared in the thick of the threats.