The doors hissed shut behind Brake. He was alone inside the training hall standing alone. He was like a mislaid blaster and was certainly not the envy of the others in the squad. Even though the cacophony of noise still bounced into the open top hall, he felt a disquiet unease.
On the upside, he wasn't required to stand at attention anymore. He looked around at his surroundings. The walls and floor of the hall weren't much to look at. The room was sectioned into small squares all over the walls with bright neon lines. These exam halls could be loaded into any simulation at all, from assaulting fortified positions to close-quarters battles.
All troopers had to complete a similar exam based on teamwork with their squad. However, in the case of Officer-Cadets, they are trained how to be soldiers much like the troopers. Operating with various equipment and physical tests but in their exam the officers would need to do a more tactical and strategic variation. Coming up with their own strategy to lead their platoon into battle or following overall strategy and giving tactical orders in the field. With this in mind, the final exam for them was perhaps more difficult when put in perspective. But these cadets were taught everything they would require for this duty, just like the regular troopers.
"Alright, Cadet! Take some time to prepare yourself for the exam. Get that blood pumping! Take a few laps around the hall!" Blared a semi-robotic voice much like the Master Chiefs from the various loudspeakers.
Brake took a deep breath and exhaled. He rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers. 'Let's give it a go' he said internally. A slow right foot clapped down onto the slick floor and then a quick left. His legs turned slowly like a machine as they began to build up quicker and quicker and within a few seconds he was briskly jogging along the hall.
"I certainly don't envy him" Howler remarked to the others. They were all standing far above the hall on an observation platform while the trio of examiners stood at the control panels a few meters from the cadets.
"Yeah, I still can't believe Brag was right." Pip bemused as he leaned lazily over the safety railing.
"Kinda makes you wish all the poodoo he said before was true and this was the outlier." Star crossed his arms.
"Eh, Shut up. That other stuff was true!" Brag retorted. Howler, Star and Pip gave a collective preoccupied sigh. They were too busy thinking about the trial of their lives rather than falling into yet another argument with Brag again.
The Master-Chief tapped his foot hastily waiting on Dr Komo to finish her work on the console. With every beep making him tenser. Meanwhile, Shaak ti traced her eyes over Brake as he continued his laps around the hall.
"Patience Master-Chief, this is an important part of all of these men's lives. I can sense your stress. It could affect the men's confidence" She commented, seeking to distract his tense nerves.
"I understand, General." He spoke clearly, letting the men hear him as he leaned closer to the General. "But if these cadets don't pass it doesn't only affect them, that's a stain on my record. So please, don't lecture me again on the fluidity of calm or the effect of meditation" he tersely hushed into her ear, gritting his visibly aged and yellow teeth.
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Shaak showed no offence towards the Master Chief's obvious out-of-line remark to a superior. She simply moved her head back to the hall and continued to watch Brake jog along. "Have you calibrated this thing yet, Doctor?" He knocked the console and craned his head to look up at the Kaminoan.
"Hmm" she said. "Just about Bendir, this shouldn't take much longer, '' Komo let out as she concentrated on the various beeps and boops.
His jaw almost dislocated from surprise. It was a general standard that all cadets only refer to their instructors as Master-Chief. Most cadets had no clue what their Chief's names were, plus they wouldn't dare say it or risk the wrath of an incredibly furious Drill Instructor.
He hoped to the stars that the cadets within earshot didn't hear a single word the doctor had said. He spun on the spot to face the cadets. Howler, Star and Brag all had their heads spun towards him with their mouths almost agape. While Pip grasped onto the railing with his eyes bolted wide open. It looked as if this revelation almost made him fall over the railing.
"What're you looking at? Wanna replace him in the first spot down there?!" He shouted as he shook his fist. The cadets couldn't form a single word, never mind a sentence. They briskly shook their heads in fear and threw their heads back to watch over the arena. Shaak gave a humorous smile as she rolled her eyes from watching the Master-Chief get agitated over the men.
A trill of beeps blasted from the console as various holograms popped up showing the statistics and health readings of Brake. Komo twisted her neck "All operations-"
"Yeah yeah" the master chief interrupted the doctor pushing her away from the console as he leaned into the microphone.
"Alright Cadet, Pick your blaster from the box near the door and sync your equipment with the simulation! Give me the thumbs up when ready, be quick about it!" The speakers droned over from above. Brake was very much warmed up for the occasion and nodded up towards the viewing platform.
He briskly wandered over to the weapons rack that had just raised near the door, various weapons laid in front of him. From the very humble DC-17 to the standard DC-15S carbine and the classic DC-15A rifle and finally ending with the cumbersome and overpowered Z-6.
The DC-17 was simply too humble, he thought. The Z-6 is far too cumbersome for an officer of all troopers to carry. Which left the carbine and the long rifle to choose from. The carbine was much better for close engagements but lost accuracy at range. The long rifle is the parade standard for the Grand army, plus it was the rifle Brake was given in rifle training. It was probably the rifle he was most familiar with.
With a quick click from the weapons rack the long rifle was unleashed and picked as the final option. He clutched the underbarrel and curled his right hand around the handle and held his index finger to the right of the trigger on the trigger guard.
He jammed the stock deep into his shoulder and took a spaced stance. 'A fine rifle' he thought. He'd be much more excited about handling this hardware if it wasn't for the anxious situation he was in. He pointed the rifle down and closed his left eye. Peering down the sights 'yep, I can see what im shooting at' he joked with himself.
Next in line was to sync his equipment with the simulator. He held his hand up to the side of his training helmet and held in a button. Quickly the inside of his helmet beeped to life and gave a quick flash of light almost blinding him. He could hear it hum to life as the noise canceling came into effect leaving the clambering noise above behind.
The silence began to encompass his helmet until the only thing he heard was his own breathing. He took his hand and clutched back onto the under of his rifle and went into a ready firing stance. He held his rifle in a low guard as he let the words out "Ready, Master-Chief!"
A quick static came through his inbuilt earpieces "Alright, You're alone in there. Good Luck and get through it" the Master-Chief let through more softly, knowing this was the time for the clones to do their jobs. Especially with every single one of them, it would affect his record.
In an instant, the whole hall began to move and shift, blocks all over began to fly through the air with a magnetic hum as the walls looked as if they were coming to life. The walls writhed around him. The ceiling above him began to darken and disappear as the life of the facility above him gave way to a blackened sky.
Brake's breathing began to get heavier with every second that passed. As his vice grip on his rifle got tighter and his visor started to fog up from all his panting. This was it. What he was trained for. A lives worth of tutoring, a culmination of everything he's ever learned was being put to the test. It all started now.