With Lethal Force

Location: Planet-side military installation 462-b
System: Classified
Constellation: Classified
Region: Hemitar
Time: 10:00 hours
Simulation Room 256

Jarik Utoni sighted down his weapon, for the last year it had been his constant companion on the firing range. Today it had been fit for maximum accuracy. With a thought he linked his implant to the scope, taking full advantage of his unprecedented control over the device plugged into his head. Wordlessly he began taking note of features of the wall small indicators popped up around possible weaknesses. There, a small crack in the wall's surface betrayed a structural weakness, one problem though, it was three meters above the target's head. Still the weakness was there and as the Cpt. often said, you have to exploit the weakness. Jarik refit the rifle to a .308 barrel and calibrated the ammunition to compensate. To exploit the weakness, he needed to make a deflection shot, into the weakness in the wall followed by a deflection down and into the skull. Jarik Got back into position and took aim.

Cpt. Jor Atkin Looked on through the viewing booth in simulation room 256. He frowned as he studied the feed from his student's implants.
"Why is Burn running deflection programs? He better not be doing what I think he's doing." The shot echoed from the rifle and the technical specs from the shot flashed on the screen. Jor shook his head, the bullet had indeed deflected from the weakness in the wall but had bounced off the target rather than scrambling it's brains. Jor sighed and keyed the intercom,
"Specialist Burn, if I ever see you try something that stupid again, I'm going to have you doing sit-ups 'till you bleed. Is that clear?"
"Crystal sir."
"Good, run a few basic long range sims then report to the exercise yard at 12:00 hours."
The simulation chamber shifted to the desert interdiction scenario as Jor walked out.

Time: 11:30
Location: Exercise yard

Jarik flashed his ID to the gate guard and stepped through into the yard. He didn't mingle often with the other men, but they all knew him, he was the top marksman on the base, and the scrolling score sheet on everyone's datapads made sure they didn't forget. Jarik glanced around, making note of everyone present. To his left there was a group of boys sparing, their battles were of stamina, Jarik had been taught to exploit weaknesses with deadly force, stamina wasn't his strong point. A female voice interrupted his concentration,
"You wouldn't happen to be Specialist Burn would you?"
Jarik slowly turned around to face her
"Who wants to know?" he asked cautiously,
The Sibiestor girl grinned,
"Spc. Mag at your service." at Jarik's quizzing look she continued, "I'm second on the scoreboards, right after you."
Jarik glanced at his datapad to confirm,
"OK, so... what do you want?"
She smiled, "Just to meet the other kid that Cpt. Fjord rages about when I miss a target."
Jarik's face registered confusion,
"Cpt. who?"
"Fjord, Cpt. Jane Fjord. I'm basically the poster girl for her sniper program on the base, You and I are in direct competition, but with the scores you post regularly I have no designs upon the first spot."

"Hey!"
Jarik turned at the sound of someone yelling,
A Krusual teen, just about Jarik's age accosted him.
"You're that idiot who's scores keep flashing over mine!"
Jarik read in his stance that this kid wanted a fight and he tensed. The boy continued,
"I'm the number one fighter here, so I figure if I kick your ass they'll stop spamming my datapad with your scores."
Jarik snorted, "What makes you think you can kick my ass?"
The Krusual smiled, "I brought friends."
Three of them now, all Krusual, and the circle forming around the group negated any escape. Somewhere deep in Jarik's subconscious a switch was flipped; from passive, to lethal. Mag stepped in beside him and reset to the ready stance,
"Snipers stick together Burn." she said, Jarik nodded, and then they attacked.
Jarik switched to autopilot as his training took over, duck, deflect, roll, jab. Then in an instant a weakness was displayed by one of the boys, both Jarik and Mag exploited it. Mag somersaulted over his head and delivered two swift kicks to the back of the target's knees, Jarik followed with debilitating uppercut to expose the neck and with a quick grab and a twist, snapped it. The boy's lifeless body slumped to the grass legs bent in an unnatural position. But Jarik didn't hesitate, the surprise of their attackers was an easily exploited weakness and the two well trained assassins jumped on it. Another of the Krusuals fell in a heap of exposed bone and flesh. only one remained, and he was on the defensive now. Mag and Jarik worked in tandem, blow for blow, ever shifting positions to remain unscathed, then Jarik saw the opening that Mag gave him, and took it, shattering the spine of their attacker. He fell crying and moaning in pain, instantly paralyzed from the waist down. Breathing heavily and drenched in sweat they finally became aware of the world around them, the ring of onlookers was thinner, some were wretching at the sight of the bodies, Jarik and Mag just stood there, looking at each other, expressions carefully neutral.

Major Jeff Kull watched the security footage of the fight again the red glow of the holoreel enhancing his features as he grimaced at the execution of their attackers by these two top tier snipers. He turned to the man and woman at attention in front of him,
"Captain Atkin, Captain Fjord, please explain this incident."
They looked at each other and Jor Atkin spoke first,
"Sir they are the two best snipers we have they are trained killers."
Jane Fjord added, "Since the day they were taken they have been trained for the singular purpose of killing. I surmise from the footage that these boys attacked them and they responded according to training, with lethal force."
Maj. Kull looked uninterested, "Captains, I wasn't talking about that part of the incident..."
He rewound the holo-recording and played back the takedown of the first boy,
"You see them move? Each time one attacks the other reacts in harmony, they strike perfectly and with deadly precision."
Cpt. Atkin flashed a look of surprise and reexamined the footage.
"By the Elders Major, you're right!"
Maj. Kull called up the schedule on his screen and began to make adjustments whilst he talked,
"Captain Atkin, Fjord, I want you to put these two on a sniper team together, I want them trained and put to use in the field within a year."
"Yes Sir!" they said in unison
"Get it done, Dismissed"
They snapped a quick salute and left together.

As they left the doors closed behind them and Major Kull was left alone. He finished setting his schedule for tomorrow and called up the footage of the battle again. Highlighting each of the combatants he brought up their full files.
"Initiate level 5 datawipe, code: 7479-34-9265 Subjects Jarik Utoni and Terra Flores."
The base AI immediately replied;
Code accepted, initiating level 5 datawipe of all Republic documents relating to subjects Jarik Utoni and Terra Flores... please wait...
Documents erased, backups have been established on server 4.
Major Jeff Kull pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a slow drag before exhaling, and activated the F.T.L. link to the Republic Military School.