//------------------------------// // 3. Rookies // Story: Moon of the Metro // by BlueYellowNoble //------------------------------// No matter how much she twisted and turned, Luna couldn't relax in Colonel Miller's couch. There was something bothering her. Getting up, she trotted silently into the office. Miller sat by his desk, writing on some papers. She cleared her throat, hoping the colonel wasn't too busy. "Your highness!" Miller peeked up from the paperwork. "Something you need?" "Please, just call me Luna," she walked in and sat up on a chair. "Colonel... are Grigory and Vasili in trouble?" The old man leaned forward. "There are certain rules here in Polis, today they broke several. It's important we know where our people are, soldiers OR farmers. These boys were lucky today to only find you, and not a squadron of fascists." Luna didn't know what *fascists* were, but assumed they were bad. "Had they been captured, they would be tortured until they would spill every little nasty secret of Polis, and we can't afford having the Reich on our doorstep when most of our men have been relocated." "Where to?" Luna curiously looked on Miller. "Classified." he just shot in. "My point, the shroom farmers broke the rules, and they'll have to take the consequences like men." Luna grimaced. "They said they wanted to become Rangers. What are they?" "We, are an group of stalkers that has gained somewhat of an repopulation." Miller smiled. "Like any stalker, we venture up to the surface to scavenge whatever you can find up there, ammo stocks, food or machinery. We are neural however, so we aren't on anyone’s *side*, so Reds, Reich and bandits alike knows we are a force to be reckoned with." "So you are an independent elite group?" "You could say that. And we don't just pick anyone from the gutters, just because they want to be some action man taken from some Hollywood movie because their everyday is too dull for them." "I see... but may I recommend them to the Rangers? I think they could be a great addition to them." Luna smiled, starting to shape a plan in her head. "Eh... how?" "When they found me, they showed how resourceful they were. Grig made a fire to keep me warm from trash. And Vasili made my outfit from a sleeping bag." Miller looked on the jacket with a frown. "I can tell you colonel, they might look like ordinary farmers on the outside, but they have the hearts of loyal soldiers. I can tell. Just give them one chance to prove themselves, as a favor for me?" Miller thought about it for a long time, his lower jaw going from side to side. Suddenly he reached over his desk and picked up an odd clump and pressed it to his hear. "Notify the lieutenant I'm sending two more men on the mission. They might be a little rough around the edges, but he can take care about that." ---------------------------------------------------- Grig and Vasili had gone back to the farm with their heads low. Old Natacha was furious when they'd left without a notice and not taken care of their supposed delivery to the market. After a scolding, they were forced to run not one, but FIVE mushroom deliveries as punishment. Just one crate of shrooms was at least one hundred kilos, and they had to run back and fourth five times? "This is your fault you know?" Grig panted. "MY fault?" Vasili spat. "You wanted to be a Ranger just as much as me!" Grig grunted. "You wanted to bring Luna here." "And you wanted to check out the station!" Grig sighed. "It was equally both our fault, alright?" "Yea..." When they reached the farm, they were met by an unusual sight. A man in full heavy armor stood in their way. "Grigory, Vasili, grab your stuff and come with me." "Uh, we have deliveries to make-" "We got someone else to do that for you. Now move it, davai davai!" They scrambled, grabbing bags and guns with haste. As they heard the angry shouts of Natacha behind them, they only got more motivated to jog. "Hey man thanks for saving us," Vasili panted to the armored man in front, "you saved us from certain death by boredom!" "Who are you anyway, and where are you taking us?" Grig shot in. "Sergeant Dima. And you have been chosen for this mission by the colonel." Dima said, "Your pony friend apparently vouched for you." Vasili and Grig looked on each other with open jaws. Luna got us on a Ranger mission? "And YOU wanted to leave her at Polyanka!" Vasili punched his friend on the arm. "You fucking owe me now!" The trio walked through Polis, passing many postings. As they took a sharp turn into a narrow tunnel, they were met by a surprise. "Luna?" Grig and Vasili said together. The pony stood next to a motorized railcar with two more Rangers, one man and one woman, both busy strapping pieces of customized armor on Luna. "Hi!" She cheered. "It's so good to see you two again!" They didn't have time to return the warm greeting before a bald man jumped down from the railcar. "About time you showed up. I'm Lieutenant Valentin." he gave a curt nod. "Misha, Naum, give the recruits their new gear." "Recruits?" Grig shined up. "Are we Rangers?!" "Not yet." Valentin spat. "You two shroom-shits are only here because your royal highness made a good impression with the colonel." Valentin pointed with his thumb at Luna. "You will have to earn the right to be called Ranger. You will sweat and bleed for it! Do I make myself clear?!" "Yes sir." "DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEEEAR?!" He roared. "SIR, YES SIR!" the two straightened and saluted. "Now get your gear on, we're moving out in ten!" "Sir, yes sir!" the two made another salute before scurrying off. The lieutenant made a tssk as he watched after the rookies. Then he walked up to Luna. "And you, I have a few things to make clear." the bald man peered his hazel eyes at her. "I don't care if you are of royalty, the moment you volunteered for this, you became a scrub like those two. You are on the bottom, and I am on the top." "I understand." The lieutenant’s face turned dark, and he leaned even closer to her. "You have a lot more to prove then them though. I am entrusted to train you, but I won't carry you like a porcelain teacup. You want my respect, you better get some blood on your clean, clean hooves. And that is sir to you, recruit Luna." "Understood... sir." What have I gotten myself into? ------------------------------------------------------- The group was now on their way, the railcar taking them to an unknown position. In the meantime, Misha had given Luna a weapon, a modified revolver with a eight round-chamber. Misha was very thorough on how you aimed, reloaded and maintained it, saying this was now Luna's number one tool for survival. While the weapon fascinated Luna, she still had a rock in her stomach thinking about using it. The railcar stopped finally in front of an enormous, red metal door. Dima jumped off first and hit a button on a wall. A loud alarm went off, and the gate slowly opened with a terrible screeching. Only opening it half-way, he gave a gesture to the lieutenant. "Alright, you three. Get in there." he ordered. Not arguing, the two men and pony jumped down the railcar and crouched under the door. That was when Dima hit the button again, the door closing behind them. "Hey hey, what the hell!" Vasili shouted with panic. "Some of our guys managed to trap a pack of mutants between two locks a few days ago." Valentin shouted, trying to outmatch the noise of the door. "The idea was to let them starve in there, or eat each other... but what better training is there, than to fend off a pack of starving beasts to survive?" "Holy fuck, the guy is insane!" Grig whimpered. "Keep your minds sharp, and cover each other. We'll open when the gunshots dies out." The lieutenant managed to relay before the door slammed shut. "Celestia, protect us..." Luna whimpered with tear in her throat. "She fucking better." Grig sniffed. A blood-icing howl was now heard from the pitch-black tunnel. The mutants were approaching. "C'mon guys!" Vasili tried to sound confident. "Watch eachothers sides and cover when reloading!" He readied his new Kalash and aimed at the tunnel. Grig cocked his shotgun and did the same. Luna used her magic to aim her revolver, but she was so scared her concentration was thin, making the gun shake slightly. "Wait for it..." Vasili gulped. The howling became louder, and now there was more of it. The sound of fast paws on soil made a rhythmical thump-thump-thump. Grig mumbled something, repeating it over and over. Vasili unleashed a salvo from his rifle, lighting up the tunnel with each muzzle flash. Howls and squeals were heard from the dark as the rounds hit their invisible enemy. When the globes of their flashlights finally hit the mutants, Grig shot, causing the head of a nosalis to burst into a gory mess. But Luna was frozen by fear. The beasts hideous, deformed heads looked like they'd come from the darkest of nightmares. Their jaws wide and filled with yellow fangs, foam running down and unnatural growls were the most horrifying she'd ever seen. "Shit I'm out!" Grig suddenly shouted. "Cover my right Luna!" Luna swallowed hard, taking aim on one beast ahead. Baam The bullet hit it's shoulder, but it kept coming at her. Baam Baam The beast squealed and toppled, dead before hitting the ground. The trio worked together like a clockwork, one reloading while the others covered that one, picking the nosalises one by one. Not one of them got closer than five meters to them. Suddenly silence filled the tunnel. Not an echo. "Is...Is it over?" Vasili whispered, the whole man shaking. "I think so..." Grig panted. "Heh... we made it!" Luna exhaled heavily and sat right down on the ground. "I never, ever want to do that again." Finally the steel door opened, and the four Rangers walked in the tunnel. Dima made a whistle as he saw the pile of nosalises. "Not bad, for rookies." Naum said and clapped Vasili on the shoulder. His very high-pitched voice was shock, considering how buff the man was. Valentin had been walking around the pile of dead meat, a satisfied smirk appeared on his face. "A small pack on 27 nosalises, and you didn't even get bit. There are some promising results here." That was a SMALL pack? Luna winced. "So... are we Rangers NOW then?" Grig groaned. "No... but you are about halfway there." Valentin laughed. "C'mon, we rest now and move out in seven hours." -------------------------------------------------- Most of the team had fallen asleep, not bothering taking of armor or rolling out any sleeping bags and just snoozed sitting up, or leaning at a wall. The only ones awake was the lieutenant who took watch, and Vasili. He had worries about Luna. She hadn't said a thing after being locked in. Poor thing must have been traumatized. He got up and sat down with Luna. Her eyes were still open. "Hey. Can't sleep?" "No." she raised her head. "I... I... I killed those things." Vasili put a firm hand on the side of her neck. "Those things are soulless monsters. There's nothing good inside. It was either them or you." "But they breathe and think, just like you and me, so they are living beings!" Luna almost shouted, tears on the verge of rolling down. She really had been shaken from this Vasili thought. He gently stoked her neck as he thought of some fitting words. "See, to them, life is like a long, narrow tunnel. They can only go forward, they can't choose what to do. It's their primal instincts. But for us..." he started to draw in the dirt with one finger, "...our tunnel has intersections. These intersections are the choices we make in life. It's what separates us from them. They can't show kindness, but you can." Luna sniffed and stared at the drawing. "Intersections..." "Keep that in mind. Now try getting some rest. It's a long day tomorrow." She laid down, her head resting in his lap. "Good night Vasili." "Night." he cooed and scratched behind her ear. When her eyes finally closed, he sighed. This isn't a good place for her. She needed to get home. ------------------------------------------------------- The team had time for a short breakfast before they moved out. Meanwhile they ate; the lieutenant now told what their secret mission was. "Scouts have spotted people up on the surface. They're setting up camp waaay to close to Polis in an old motel. Our mission is to identify them, and kick the bastards out from our lawn." "The surface?" Vasili said with his eyes big as saucers. "I've never been to the surface." "Few have." Misha joined the conversation. "Three things you need to remember. One; stay together, don't wander off like scared chickens. Two; keep your gasmasks on at ALL times. The air is toxic to breathe in. And remember, one filter equals fifteen minutes of air. And thirdly; Do NOT! Stay out in the open." "Why not?" Luna asked. She wasn't in a good mood today. And she didn't care if the lieutenant would be a thorn in her side for being nosey. "One word;" Valentin answered, "Demons." Shudders seemed to roll over the humans just by hearing that name. "Demons are always a risk, but today you will learn to fight the second most deadly threat out there." "And this threat carry rifles." -----------------------------------------------------