“Vehicle gunnery is part math, part eyesight and part black magic,” Mi'shka said, standing in a hangar filled with soldiers. The Colonel giving a lecture to the gathered platoon as Jack observed from the sidelines. “When operating a gunnery position, these are some important factors to consider. Is the target above, or below you?

Is it moving towards, or away from you?

What is the angle of the target in relation to you?

Is it climbing, or descending?

What is the ballistic drop of your ammunition?

What is the air pressure, temperature and humidity? Small factors, but they do make a difference

Are your barrels right hand, or left hand twist? Is the target stationary or mobile? Are YOU stationary or mobile?”

Mi’shka paused, sweeping his eyes over the gathered platoon. “Any questions?"

A soldier raised a hand.

“Yes, Private Swift,” Mi’shka said, pointing at a blonde woman.

“We learned this at basic, why are we going over this again?” The woman asked, a few eyes drifting over to Jack as if he were the answer to that question.

“Good question,” Mi'shka said, clapping his gloved hands repeatedly. “Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. Training is just that, repetition. Information and knowledge is always changing, always adapting. Most of you have trained on the P-Scope. So, this information, may not be too relevant and-”

Jack leaned over to Leona, the woman in fatigues like him. “P-Scope?”

“Predictor Scope. Most emplacements have them, including mechframes. They predict where the target is moving via a dot then relay that to the gunner,” Leona explained. “Pretty low tech but takes out all the guessing.”

“Ah.”

“-but what happens if your P-Scope gets damaged? If an EMP goes off or if the damn hand-me-down crap the army calls Military Grade blows a fuse in its osculator?” Mi'shka continued before pausing with his hands on his hips. “That's what we're gonna find out today.”

****

“So, Head instructor Domino,” Jack smiled, walking in step with the heterochromatic officer along with his protection detail.

“Hey! Why do you sound so surprised?”

“Just didn't take you for a big responsibility type,” Jack replied, pausing at a door that had the Colonel’s name on it.

“That's me, big responsibility type,” Mi'shka replied sarcastically before opening the door of his office. “Trust me, I wasn't keen on the idea first. But if it keeps me away from fighting.”

“Give us a moment,” Jack ordered, addressing Leona and his security detail with Jessica narrowing her eyes but complying.

Sarah?

“Yes dear?” Sahaqiel replied playfully.

Mind scouting out the base, get some feelers for me? Pick up some rumors.

“Sure,” Sahaqiel replied, taking off as Jack took a seat across from Mishka's desk that was just a cheap plastic table with papers stacked on it.

Beyond that, the office was devoid of any personal touches besides a cabinet of liquor and a photo frame.

“Not a fan of the war?” Jack asked, eyeing the photo of a remarkably younger Mi’shka in dress blue uniform, the man smiling alongside a blonde woman in similar dress, a woman Jack knew well.

Mi'shka followed Jack's gaze, grabbing the photo frame.

“No. Not since Eleanor,” Mi’shka said, eyeing the photo with a soft smile before setting it to the side and grabbing a brown bottle of liquer from a cabinet. “Eleanor died because of a plot from the High Table, I rather not be a pawn in all that when the real threat is elsewhere. Plus, this keeps me close in case Selfia needs and I get to run all the experiments I want within budget. Drink?”

“No thanks, its not like I can get drunk.”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“You can if you try hard enough, Colonel Potter loved this stuff,” Mi’shka replied, laying down on a hammock that served as his office desk. “So, my King, how are you liking your army?”

“Can't complain. Soldiers seem willing and ready,” Jack replied. “From what I’ve heard, war is looking pretty favorably for Selfia.”

“It is, but that’s just the war in daylight,” Mishika yawned, “And you? Are you ready friendo?”

“That's what we're here to find out right?” Jack said, drawing a look from white-haired man with red and green eyes. “What? I'm not so dumb to think this is all just a PR stunt. Selfia wants me up to date on combat tactics and have me observe the day-to-day people.”

“Right, can’t keep anything from you now can we?” Mi’shka smiled, his eyes hinting that there was more to it than just that. But the officer kept it to himself, instead putting on a farce for Jack.

“Well, let’s go. I got a dinner date with the missus tonight.”

“Right,” Mi’shka said, getting off the floor with a groan. “And here I had a whole speech planned to walk you into what we would be doing today.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you can tell me your story on the way," Jack said, opening the door to leave for training.

****

Hour long marching through woods and the military base.

Exercising under the harsh heat and full military gear.

Gun drills using pellet guns with the pellets fired at Jack moving so slow he dodged them with ease.

Jack spent hours training alongside the Hundred and Fifth. His awakened status on full display to the regular humans out of breath, panting, and struggling to keep up.

The only ones who weren’t out of breath were Jack and Leona, the two sitting on a bench and observing the soldiers waiting for their next training.

“A dimmie king? What's the Queen doing choosing a non-citizen?”

“Did you see his imprint? I'll tell you what she's doing.”

“Gross. I don't care if he's hung, I'd rather die than let a dimmie stick their cock in me.”

“Aren't you a lesbian?”

“Yeah so?”

“Nothing.”

Jack turned to a different conversation.

“Then she accused me of being not romantic enough! Like Bitch! I ate whip cream out of you-”

Nope!

Shifting his focus, Jack listened to a different conversation.

“He's handsome.”

“That's it? That's all you got?”

“What? You asked me for my opinion, I gave it,” The soldier said, drawing a chuckle from another soldier.

“What about… his condition?”

“Condition?”

“Ya know, his eyes.”

“So what? It's just an eye color. Delreese and Sledge have brown eyes and they're alright people.”

“Wow, look at the progressive.”

Another round of chuckles.

Jack moved on, reaching out, his senses picking up a different conversation.

“Bayonet training is next, think we're gonna get a shot at the King? He’s shown us up on everything.”

“And end up in the brig? Hung up and executed for striking royalty? Ha! No thanks. Do you see his security detail? They'd shoot us the moment we lay our hands on him. Especially that cyborg chick.”

“You two are a bunch of pussies,” A different voice cut in. “If the dimmie wants to tangle, let em tangle. I'll show him how true soldiers fight.”

Jack opened his eyes, focusing on the blonde woman with scars and a tattoo on her shoulder standing with her foot on a bleacher a few yards away.

The group of soldiers drinking from canteens stopped talking, realizing Jack was looking at them.

“Do… you think he can hear us?” One soldier asked nervously.

Jack looked away, surveying the other soldiers idling about.

“Maybe, mage officers all have enhanced hearing right? Can he hear us from across the field?”

“That's just a rumor. They're stronger, faster, and have magic but they all die the same,” The tattooed blonde said confidently.

“Oh? And how's that Myra?”

“Crying like little bitches and choking on their blood,” The soldier smirked. “Let me step up, I'll put em in his place.”

*****

“KILL! KILL! KILL!!!” A woman barked.

At the signal Jack charged forward, red-tipped stick in hand jabbing out at a woman in padding trying to kill him.

She dodged, leaning back, slashing with her own staff, the red end nearly hitting Jack in his helmet if not for him grabbing the stick made to resemble a bayonet.

“What?!” The red-eyed blonde yelped, struggling, the woman attempting to take back her weapon that was locked in Jack's grasp.

“So, what's this about you putting me in my place?” Jack said, brow raised as the woman went pale.

“I-”

Jack jabbed the woman in the stomach with his own stick, the red end knocking the woman on her ass.

“RED IS DEAD Private Myra, congratulations! You are now dead!” The training officer barked. “Get off my beam!”

Jack put his hand out, offering to help the soldier that glared at him momentarily before her anger rapidly dissipated as it donned on her who she was glaring at.

She reluctantly took it, walking off of the balance beam. Fear in her eyes as the enormity of what she'd said weighed on her.

Jack stood on a stage, defeating the soldiers one at a time. Even Jessica and Yun stepped up, the two on close security while Jena and Tyrah guarded their cars.

“Would anyone ELSE like to try their luck against the Queen Consort?!” Commander Houlihan barked, the platoon’s last hope in the form of a loudmouth blonde Jack was aware of.

When no one took the bait, Jack began to step off the platform but stopped as a certain red-haired stood on the balance beam.

“I’ll give it a try,” Leona smirked, twirling her stick.

Jack smiled beneath his helmet, crouching low, the two awakened squaring off.

“Mana or no mana?” Leona asked.

“I haven’t been using any,” Jack replied, eyeing the look in the woman’s eyes.

“No mana it is!” Leona barked before taking off. “En garde!”