Tarik: Entry Level Warfare (17 page)

The doctor walked into the room and gave him a look of disdain. Tarik wasn't sure what he could have done to deserve the look. If anything he should be the one pissed off that he didn't tell him his other lung was damaged.

Even with the enhancements Tarik received the doctor didn't look much better. With a recall enhancement the doctor was well suited for his job but that was about it; he had no other alterations that Tarik's EPS could detect.

“You were not to wake for six more hours. I'm tempted to put you back under but I may as well get this out of the way now.” The doctor said as he sat down on a stool.

“Your surgeries went well. I have reviewed the files and have come to the decision that I will take your speech restrictions off in two days. After three days we can get you out of my medical facilities.

“You should know that you are at the limits of allowed human alterations. You are very close to becoming one of the monsters from the Hierarchy wars. If you are seriously injured again I will not risk my contract to save you. With that said there really is no reason for me to continue to monitor you. Tilla will care for you going forward with my standing orders.”

The doctor stood up apparently done with Tarik as he moved to the door he noticed the bell.

“I don't think you will need to keep Tilla from her work more than you normally do.” He said as he picked up the bell and moved it to the table.

Tarik gave him an evil eye as he walked away. To say he was angry would be putting it mildly. First, for comparing him to the modified humans of the Hierarchy Wars. Second, for taking away his means of communication. He didn't care that the doctor wouldn't work on him anymore, in fact he welcomed it.

Tarik tried to force himself to relax but the anger burned within him. He was not some mindless killing machine. Tarik had morals, he had friends and he didn't believe himself to be superior to all others. He was not this monster the doctor had suggested.

Tarik gave a look to the bell, only a few feet away but while he was locked in his pod it may as well have been
outside of
 the airlock. He pulled up an entertainment vid just to get his mind going in a different direction.

Tilla came to see him early the next morning. Tarik was going a bit stir crazy from being in the pod and conscious for so long. She was upset that the doctor had moved the bell so she did one better. Tilla loosened the restrictions on his voice inhibitor. She knew she wasn't supposed to go against the doctor but since he said he was done with Tarik there was no real harm.

“Thanks.” Was all Tarik could manage to say to her. His throat felt like he had swallowed a handful of sand.

“I would not normally say the doctor dislikes anyone but you appear to be a special case Tarik.” Tilla said.

Tarik only grunted in reply, the feeling was mutual.

“You should keep your speech limited to one word replies for now. If no damage is shown I will loosen it more tomorrow. You have many people who wish to visit you today.” She smiled and went about the physical checks.

Tilla opened the sides of the medical pod and looked over his surgery scars. Tilla was much more comfortable looking at Tarik nude; he still wasn't great with it but didn't say anything. This was her job and he had caused her enough trouble.

After Tilla left, Daze came to see him. With his new vision he could see her energy even more. Her animated hand movements accented her stories. Her sound effects could be seen and felt now which really put Tarik in the moment. Daze told him that Rye was still in a bad place and was rarely seen after work hours. Everyone was sure she wasn't drinking anymore but she hadn't chosen any other outlets which could be worse.

Scout Three came by and told him about the new pilot. The new pilot was another hybrid but his wounds were too new to even him call him by Fighter Two. Tarik really enjoyed the visit but he felt so bad that he didn't know what to say. He felt like he was being distant but he also was not sure what topics were safe. Tarik did his best to just be a good friend; someone for Scout Three to talk too.

Mange and Goddess came in later that day. Mange said he was going to train Tarik how to fire a sniper rifle. They teased him about having eyes better than Mange and almost as good a body as Goddess. Goddess still looked beautiful, there did not seem like there was a way to change that. They were both excited to see what his new capabilities would be. Tarik had to admit that he was excited too; he was hoping to keep up with Goddess on a run. The only concern raised was from Mange and the problems Tarik would have finding a mate. Tarik wasn't sure what to say, it never really occurred to him. His changes were also not genetic so he did not see how it would relate either.

When the day came for Tarik to get out of the medical pod he wanted to jump out and streak through the halls naked. As Tilla released him he tried just that; the only thing to greet him was the floor and many cramped muscles. After a few hours physical therapy he was able to walk slowly. When Tilla was satisfied that he wouldn't fall down on his way to the Dome she wished him well and gave him the bell as a gift. Tarik thanked her and went to the Dome for first meal.

It took some time but his new balance system helped get him there without injury. Upon entering and looking around he noticed only a few pilots and Razor were there. Razor in a surprise move nodded a greeting to Tarik before returning to his roost. Tarik was actually thankful some his friends were not there. They would want to talk and tease him but his throat still hurt and he didn't want to be rude.

Tarik pulled up his log. His training with Lamb, Goddess and Dav resumed today but no bathrooms to clean.

Before he left the new Fighter Two came in and introduced himself. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but he felt weird calling him Fighter Two. That name he felt was reserved for another man.

On his way to meet Lamb he felt almost back to normal. He could walk fine but he had to keep adjusting his vision. Whenever he walked by a large conduit his vision was filled with the orange associated with electricity. The neural implant started to preempt this and do it automatically which took some of the stress off of him.

When he entered the range he had to turn off his EPS. The range was nothing but projected electronic enemies and terrain. His EPS would be counterproductive here.

“Finally decided to come back to work?” Lamb asked.

“Company paid vacation.” Tarik joked. His throat hurt but he couldn’t pass up a zinger.

“We have a problem.” Lamb said as he pointed to the range. “Your last contract doesn't make much sense. We are going to run it a few times. Maybe one of us will have an idea.”

The range came alive. The drop ship in the middle, green figures depicted Rye and Daze. A large green triangle floated above pointed towards the end of the valley. Tarik took his place and the simulation began.

There was no way to change what the fighter did but Tarik was able to correct his own moves. The green blob that was supposed to be Rye still moved painfully slow. Tarik was still pinned down and Fighter One still blew up a mountainside. Tarik did manage to not take the kidney shot and went up the ramp backwards with his shield raised. As soon as he dropped his shield he was hit in the chest.

“What the hell?” Tarik said when the simulation ended.

“Baffling isn't it?” Lamb asked back.

“So no matter what I take that last shot?”

“It would appear so. I've run this simulation every way possible and you still get hit. The shooter's location is never revealed but it always happens.”

“So, a long range sniper and a perfectly timed shot?”

“I still think that is unlikely. The shooter would have needed to be four miles out to not be revealed. The flight time for the burrowing round makes it impossible to time that shot.”

“So we still have no idea who shot me, or from where the shot was taken?”

“I have an idea but you’re not going to like it.” Lamb changed the simulation and froze it to when the round struck Tarik. “We can see the round comes in at a sideways angle, judging from the way it strikes. So the shooter was over here.” Lamb highlighted and circled an area in the valley. “The problem is nobody is here, at least not according to any of the probes.”

“So whoever shot me was not only invisible to all light but also suppressed the muzzle flash?”

“That is the only conclusion I’ve been able to draw out of this. Tarik, someone wanted to shoot you and only you. That sniper could have hit Rye or Daze much easier but only picked you.”

“But why me? I’m a new guy here. Why not kill Daze? Not that I want her dead but being the boss's daughter that would have hurt the company more.”

“True. So either you're hiding something from all of us which grants you an assassination or they want to kill you specifically for other reasons.”

“You have my bio, it’s been verified. The only people I’ve made mad were the Gorrex but they would have no idea where we
travelled
 after we left.”

“I agree Tarik, but someone wants to hurt you. Who and why are the questions we don’t have enough data to answer.”

“So I’m being targeted? Well that’s just great.” Tarik said sarcastically.

“Let us hope that your new abilities allow you to escape another trap. On a separate note, I’m cutting our training time back to once per week. I’ve seen the work you did on the courses while you were in the medical pod. You’ve got this down. I want you to just keep rules one and two in mind the next time.” Lamb looked away. “This was a tense situation, people were hurt so I understand why you did this without question but you need to place a higher value on your own life. You corrected your mistakes in this run, but let’s not have to do any more of these through hindsight.” When he looked back he seemed equal parts proud and disappointed.

Tarik agreed he would execute as close to perfect as he could from here on. If he did poorly the next time he may not be around to see his mistakes. If he were actually being targeted he would need to be extra sharp.

Tarik went to his meeting with Goddess. He was ready to get running again even if he hated it. He hoped that he hadn’t spent too much time laid up but he felt great.

Goddess stood in the middle of the walkway and allowed Tarik to get within ten feet before she took off on her run.

Tarik kept pace just the ten feet behind her; every time she increased her speed Tarik did the same. She still had an advantage with her longer stride but he now had better breath control. His new balance assisted him with the rise and fall of the track but really helped as soon as he hit the water. Even if he dove in head first there was no disorientation, his body knew which way he needed to go before he even opened his eyes. With his improved senses he knew where he was in the water. He could feel the water shift with each stroke. He could sense the edges of the pool and Goddess in the water with him. He knew what it was like to be an apex predator, hunting his prey down with control and confidence.

After the ninth lap around he felt like he was getting just a bit closer to her. At the twelfth lap he was almost to the back of her feet. At the fifteenth lap they were running and swimming side by side. At the nineteenth lap he was ahead of her by a good twenty feet. His muscles burned but he could still power on, he was not fighting for breath anymore. At the end of the twentieth lap, just as he was nearing the end of the pool to start another round he did not sense Goddess enter the pool.

Tarik got to the end of the pool and looked back. Goddess was standing at the edge breathing heavy and gradually making her way to the walkway. Tarik slipped out of the pool and stood at the end of the walkway waiting for her. When it was evident that she would be a while he grabbed two towels and started to dry off.

It took her longer than normal but she came to him at the end of the walkway. Tarik extended a dry towel to her. Having so recently been in the reverse position Tarik smiled but did not want to rub it in.

“You move so fast now. Even through the water I could not lose you.” She said when she finally caught her breath.

“I think we could say my enhancements have had the desired effect.”

“I have no other way to train you. I am going to cancel any further runs but I do think you should run with the pilots now.”

Tarik was a little disappointed; this was the only time he really got to spend with Goddess. He felt like she still had some things to teach him. At the same time running with her could actually hinder him more than help him.

“I understand. I will run with them until it is no longer in my best interest.” He told her.

“You were making good progress on your own but your alterations have pushed you into a realm possibly years ahead. I look forward to working with you in the field.”

Goddess extended a hand to him; Tarik grasped and shook with the same force she gave him. Just like that their time training together was over.

When Goddess left he spent a long time
looking out
 of the floor to ceiling window at the end of the pools. The ship was moving away from the station, already in ball form, ready to take them to the next contract. He watched as the ship transitioned to the next membrane. The white shimmer that went across the window was still white. He had expected it to be orange. Tarik thought that was odd but left it at that, physics was not his forte.