(Base, end of 40km land-nav)
Piles of canteen credits are sprawled on the table in the main room.
Nanami, Maia, Herbert and James are seated around the table, sipping instant coffee like it was sacred fuel. The wind whipped around the building as the cadets staggered through the course, arriving in, finishing the land navigation.
Outside is Franz overseeing Jay and Santos doing the timekeeping. The 2 have lists of data on their screens: time of the cadets, whether they passed a checkpoint or not, and the time penalty they faced if they did not. Other data included things like the temperature and visibility of the environment, all quantified into variables.
Jay and Santos are keying the values into an algorithm, which generate the final time of the cadets. What the instructors call "voodoo math" is used to offset all of the issues caused by the elements and other things out of the control of the cadets, making things as even as possible. Jay and Santos are vetting the algorithm's outputs, punching away on calculators as well.
Franz, being the head instructor, is here to make sure all of the data recorded and sent over is correct and accurate, so that not one instructor can say "nah f*** this guy" and deliberately screw him or her up with faked data.
In the main room, the other instructors are placing bets on the cadets, on who passed. Next to them is a name list, with all of the cadets' numbers. Reza is in charge of crossing out those who are eliminated, paying attention to the walkie talkie next to him.
Being a Muslim, Reza did not participate in the betting, since it's basically gambling, but he still turned his walkie talkie to the highest volume so that his peers that are indulging in excesses can hear the results.
"Number 117 just cleared," said Santos into his walkie talkie. "Standby."
"Oh, this dude is making it, he's been kicking a** the whole time, he's been great!" said Herbert, throwing fifty credits into the centre.
"He is out, put him in the other van," came Santos' weary voice.
"WHAT THE F***?" exclaimed Herbert.
"Number 42 cleared, standby" Santos said next.
"Pfft, that guy was sh*t," exclaimed Maia, referring to Louis.
"Pass, move him on," Santos' voice came in next. Maia awkwardly parted with her canteen credits.
This pattern continued.
"Whoa, Number 67 passed? The nerdy Rein girl who fell into a ditch on Day 1?"
"Number 101? Of course she passed, that sassy Korean is tougher than granite"
"Aww how cute, number 74 passed, someone's got the fire~"
"Number 2 failed? What a shame, I liked her!"
Just then, Sean's number is called. "Number 9 in, standby."
James chuckled, "no one bet on this guy, too easy." Soon enough, the news that Sean passed came in
"Of course he did," mused Reza, ticking his number on the name list.
No one noticed Maia's expression darkening.
(2 hours later)
Sean is seated on the floor, drinking water, gear off. Around him, the others slowly regrouped. Ariel is pouring out sweat from her boots, Louis would have fainted had Giorgio not caught him, Carl is bandaging a cut on his elbow. They had made it.
A moment later, the medics arrived.
From the edges of the field, stretchers began appearing, four, five, six at a time. Cadets who had not collapsed outright but were no longer coherent enough to continue. Medics triaged them on the spot. Some were given hydration. Others were tagged and pulled away silently.
Then came the real culling.
"LISTEN UP!" Herbert barked, his voice slicing through the murmurs. "If your number is called, you are OUT."
A tablet glowed in his hand as names were read. Sean stood still, breathing shallowly.
Around them, cadets were being pointed to the side, where UNSSD personnel waited with cooked meals and transport. Some protested, others hung their heads. A few collapsed in anger or grief. One tried to argue, and were met with cold silence. Another threw his helmet.
Sean looked around and realized just how few were left.
They were 181 before this phase began.
Now… maybe 60.
Herbert sneered at the remaining cadets, closing his tablet.
"That's all for today!" he yelled. "Go shower and change out of your rags! Afterwards you can collect a bag of breakfast and sleep for the rest of the day."
"Those of you who need to see a doctor come after breakfast," said Jay calmly.
The cadets dragged themselves back to the barracks, dirt, mud and blood trailing behind them as they slowly moved to the armoury, depositing their rubber prop guns, helmets, body armour and gear.
Vera smiled sheepishly at the staff who visibly grimaced at her mud caked gear.
In the showers, the cadets allowed themselves to soak in the warm water, rinsing them of the days of dirt and sweat that have accumulated on them.
Erika's fingers sieved through her blond hair, and came out greasy and full of God knows what.
"Yuck…" she muttered.
(Boys dorms)
"Oh, hey guys, good to see you all made it too…" muttered Albert as he walked in, carrying his bag, which contained a sandwich, a hashbrown, a small cup of fruits, and a drink.
"The whole gang is here, very good sia…" replied Eddie softly.
Sean laughed weakly, digging into his sandwich.
Louis had already finished his food and is tucked under the blankets, fast asleep.
(Girls dorms)
The whole dorm smelled of shampoo, soap and fatigued spirits.
Clara, Erika and Vera snored away, sleeping peacefully.
Ariel, however, is not. Her dormant mind had taken her back to the past, 18 years ago to the beaches of Hong Kong.
Her 9-year-old-self ran on the sand in a swimsuit, 2 sets of little red horns poking out of her head and red hair, and a small serpentine tail wiggled behind her as she ran.
She has 2 cans of soda in her hands, her blue eyes eagerly scanning the beach for someone close to her.
And soon enough, she saw him. A little boy building a sandcastle in a corner of the beach.
Ariel ran over and tackled him down. "Xiao Yun Fei!" she giggled, "Jie Jie is here!"
7 years old Phineas Wang looked up at her, coughing out sand. "Ariel Jie! Don't scare me like this!"
Ariel beamed, rolling off of him and handing him one of the soda cans. "I ran all the way from the store! You better thank me."
Phineas dusted off the sand from his shirt and accepted the drink with a small smile. "Thanks. I was getting thirsty."
The two of them sat side by side under the shade of a large rock, watching the tide roll in and out. The Hong Kong skyline shimmered in the distance behind them. Towers of glass and concrete that looked far away from the small, magical world they shared on the shore.
Ariel looked at the sandcastle with curiosity, taking a sip from her soda can. "Another sandcastle?"
"Yeah," Phineas said softly. "But this one has a moat and a tower that collapses when enemies get too close."
Ariel's eyes lit up. "You're such a nerd. I love it."
Phineas looked up at her, blinking. "You love the sandcastle or the collapsing tower?"
Ariel just laughed, leaned back on her arms, and let the sun warm her face. "Both, dummy."
Silence settled between them, comfortable, sunlit silence.
Ariel's tail crept into Phineas arms. She knows how much he likes to massage her tail, to him it's almost like hugging a teddy bear.
"You are so funny," she mused. "Most people would love something fluffy, not something scaly."
Phineas didn't answer right away. He gently ran his fingers over the scales of her tail, tracing the smooth ridges with the care of a boy handling a treasure.
"It's not just the texture," he finally said. "It's… warm. It feels alive. Like it trusts me."
Ariel blinked, turning. "That's because it does, silly."
He didn't meet her eyes, he is just focused on her tail in his lap, his face tinged with the faintest shade of red. "I never thought of you as the monster they say you are. You're more like… a little dragon who got lost on the way to her treasure hoard."
Ariel giggled. "Then I found you instead, huh?"
"Maybe I am the treasure," he said, grinning.
She stuck her tongue out. "A treasure that cries when he gets sunscreen in his eyes?"
"Hey!" Phineas pushed a handful of sand toward her, and she squealed, kicking back with her feet. Sand flew everywhere as they wrestled like two puppies, tail and limbs flailing, their laughter blending with the wind and the waves.
After a few minutes, they collapsed back onto the sand, exhausted and breathless, with grins on their faces. The sun dipped closer to the horizon, casting golden halos around their heads.
Ariel looked over at him, her expression softening. "Let's always come back here, alright? No matter what happens."
Phineas turned to her, eyes wide and serious. "Promise?"
She held out her pinky. "Pinky swear."
He hooked his with hers and they shook on it.
Just then, a gust of wind swept over the beach, sending a spray of sea foam across their legs. The sky was beginning to turn orange, the air cooling.
Ariel sat up, brushing off the sand. "C'mon. Let's go find dinner. I bet the curry fishballs guy is still at the corner."
"Only if you buy," Phineas said, smirking.
Ariel stuck out her chest. "I'm the Jie Jie. Of course I'll buy."
"And you live in a penthouse in Victoria Harbour," added Phineas, referring to how rich the Wagners are.
"Of course—" said Ariel.
"RINNGGGG!"
The loud blaring of the emergency gathering alarm dragged her mind back to the present.
She gasped awake, eyes wide, chest rising and falling. The sterile ceiling of the dorm loomed above her, not the warm sky of Hong Kong. Around her, the others were hurriedly putting on their uniforms.
"Cyka Blyat!" cursed Vera. Ariel groaned, quickly getting dressed.
(A few minutes later)
The remaining 60 cadets gathered outside, all still semi awake.
In front of them is a new set of equipment and gear, along with HK-416A5 and a Glock 19 Gen 5, with live ammunition magazines.
"Gear up!" barked Herbert. "You'll be dropped 1.8 clicks out from Blackstone — our artificial island! You have twenty minutes to swim to Blackstone with full gear. Litas? Fifteen."
The cadets surged towards their gear, prepping their gear for swimming.
Sean emptied his assault backpack, unfolding the inner waterproof bag and stuffed it inside, then putting in the living needs first, which will be the least likely to be used in full gear armed swimming, putting in his mess tin, MREs, personal toiletries, cleaning equipment.
Then in increasing order of necessity: spare ropes, spare ammunition, spare batteries, binoculars, laser rangefinder/guider, NVG, medical pouch.
Sean then fastened his folding combat pickaxe and water flask on the outside. He then inflated a floating ring, using it to cushion the assault bag above water later.
Sean then put on his SS Precision PFM plate carrier. This is the UNSSD standard issue maritime plate carrier. Unlike traditional plate carriers, it uses hollowed out frames made of hydrophobic materials to hold the front and back ballistic plates. This not only lightens the structure, but also provides a channel for water to drain out and for air to flow in, perfect for maritime operations, and for the wearer to stay a little cooler on the land.
Next, he used the Molle system to attach the 2 emergency floatation pouches to the sides of the cumberband.
He slotted in his 3 rifle magazines and 2 pistol magazines into the pouches that also have holes in the bottom to drain out water, covering them up with the waterproof magazine covers. He put on his high-cut ballistic helmet and wore the waterproof tactical headset, connected wirelessly to the waterproof communications module on his body armour. He wore his waterproof smart watch, seeing the target coordinates propping up, the built-in compass also turning on.
He then loaded his rifle, covering up the muzzle with a small rubber stopper that resembles a balloon, then slinging it across his back. He did the same with his pistol and placed it in a chest holster as opposed to a thigh holster. He rolled up his shirt and pants sleeves, zipping up the pockets. Finally, he sprayed his uniform with a specialised spray that forms a thin layer that separates the clothes from the water, forming a temporary dry suit to keep him dry, as being wet will have severe repercussions, most notably hypothermia and increased weight.
Once the cadets are geared up, they entered the ramps of the helicopters that have landed, and took off.
It did not take long for them to arrive at their destination, just off the coast of Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, the East coast of South Africa.
The helicopters lowered, hovering just above the ocean surface. The ramp doors opened.
Sean stood at the edge of the rear ramp; eyes fixed on the endless ocean below. Salt mist stung his face as the helicopter hovered just three metres above the rolling waves.
"MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!"
One by one, cadets sprinted off the ramp and disappeared into the water, their gear dragging behind them in wakes of foam. Sean tightened his grip on his pack, exhaled, and ran.
The ocean swallowed him whole.
All of the cadets sank down momentarily from their weight, quickly pushing themselves up. Though for the Litas they have no such concern.
Louis hooked his assault backpack behind him, then swimming forward, dragging it along on the surface, closing his mouth and nostrils. He felt the nostalgic sensation of salty seawater rushing into and out of the gills on his neck, sending oxygen to each part of his body. While not exactly the same as the water around his semi-submerged home along the coasts of Louisiana, it's close enough.
He swam forward ferociously. The time is not the main concern though, but rather because Lita gills work the same way as shark gills, they have to move for the gills to work.
While the Litas lead the cadets, Sean is not too far behind, swimming in frog stroke, pushing forward. The water is cold, eating away at his limbs, thankfully the spray is working as intended, keeping the majority of his body dry and warm.
He looked in awe at the coral, fishes and other aquatic life bustling beneath him deeper underwater in a myriad of shapes and sizes and forming unique combinations of colours. South Africa's marine ecosystem is really among the top in the world.
"No wonder Frederica loved going for dips on her own," he mused. "It's like Sea World! But you get to feel it."
January in KwaZulu always brought warm seas, coral blooms, and — if one ain't lucky — curious giants or territorial predators. The instructors picked this time for a reason: warm enough to survive without dying, cold enough to teach humility, and just the right season for sea life to make things interesting.
He lifted his head up to breathe, then dived down again, holding his breath. He looked at his progress shown on the smart watch, grinning, knowing that as long as he can maintain his pace, he can pass.
Soon, Ariel, Albert and Vera caught up to him, swimming alongside. Being Litas, Louis and Eddie are slightly ahead of them.
That's when it appeared.
A 12m whale shark cruised beside them—silent, massive, and curious at what these land dwellers are up to.
Little did the gentle giant know that it will almost kill these land dwellers
Sean veered away just in time. Albert and Vera didn't. The beast's tail clipped them, sending them tumbling and opening wounds.
"You two okay?" Ariel called.
"Fine," Vera lied, wincing at the salt in her wound. "Just scraped and cut."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" said Eddie, alarmed.
"She said: some wounds, some blood," replied Albert. 'What's the matter? I got cut too, no big deal."
"NO BIG DEAL?!" roared Eddie incredulously. Louis turned to him with a perplexed stare, though Eddie's next words drained the blood from his face.
"THERE IS BULL SHARKS IN SOUTH AFRICA!"
The 6 of them froze. Soon enough, fins broke the surface, as a school of bull sharks approached them at breakneck speeds, attracted by the blood.
"Move!" Vera froze seawater into a jagged blade and speared a shark through the eye. It thrashed, and bled.
That made things worse, and soon more sharks were attracted over, attacking them. The cadets fought while swimming: ducking, dodging, smashing with gear. Their magic helped, but not enough. Thanks to the strict environment laws post WW3, sharks are no longer endangered, and that meant bull sharks are coming over in schools.
Sean yelped from being bitten. He, grabbed the attacking shark by its fins, and rotated it vertically, triggering tonic immobility. He escaped its jaws, but more sharks circled.
"There is too many of them!" yelled Ariel.
Suddenly, Louis let out a loud, primordial screech, and the cadets turned to their shock to see Louis transforming, growing in size and losing his human-like features.
"He is turning into his "true form"!" exclaimed Albert.