Sometimes life just gives you a poo pie and it hits the fan.
I was sitting in my favorite Dilo “Ace In The Hole” all
kitted up for combat waiting for the drop door to open and release my mech into
the cold embrace of space. The status light on the countdown status display
changed from red to green as the number hit 0. All around me doors quickly
cycled open and compressed air pushed out my teammates mechs out of our ship.
They fired their attitude control thrusters and aligned themselves for a hot
combat drop onto the planetoid below and get the drop on the enemy we were
tasked to fight for this round of the war. Everything was looking good on my
screens. Their spacing was just right and they wasted no time in firing the
main thrusters and start their screaming descent towards the ground below. The
only thing that was wrong at this point was the simple fact my drop door was
still closed and my computer was giving a general fault code on my mechs status
readout. Grinding my teeth together in frustration all I could do is wait for the
techs to reach me and pull my mech back into the service bay to find and repair
the damage.
My frustration was not helped by the fact that I was
assigned a group of techs so new and shiny it hurt to look at them with your
eyes. You could see that they meant well and were eager to get started so I disembarked
from my mech and let them get to work. They attacked my mech with the fervor of
young men with something to prove. Diagnostic equipment was plugged into any
free diagnostic port they could find. Access panels were pulled open all over
my mech. Much time went by and more tools were brought into the fray. Sweat was
beading up on their foreheads in frustration and concentration while they
hunted this elusive “General Fault”.
Radio calls for help started to pour in on the loud speakers
in the service bay. My team was finding out we had some bad intel and instead
of getting the drop on our enemies they had been waiting in ambush for us.
Chaos was breaking loose down there and I was sorely needed to join in the
fight if we were going to have a chance to turn things around and save the
mission. The techs started to get panicked looks on their faces as they tried
to tune out those cries for help and focus on their jobs. This is hardest thing
for a green recruit to do. Try and focus on the job and tune out the cries of
the dead and dying. Soon the radio traffic stopped and all that was left was
random bursts of static from the dead and dying mechs down below. The techs
started to stop and go into shock from the knowledge they failed and others
have died as a result.
“COMPUTER. END SIMULATION!”
I have had enough. “Gentlemen, you have let me down. You
have let the squad down. If this had been real we would all soon be dead or on
the run. Hit the showers and grab a hot meal. I expect you all to review this
simulation tonight and tomorrow when we do this again I expect a better result.
DISSMISSED!”
They shuffled out of the training room looking a little less
shiny and a little more worn. Tomorrow will be a better day.