ANTWERP: The Rising

The weight of duty

As Sergeant Kenny read the letter, he was left in shock, for the soldiers were untrained, and he couldn't send them off to battle to die in the name of the Uroid army. As he sat on his chair, his heart saddened in silence. Rubbing his head with both hands, then he finally transiented into his memory.

Sergeant Kenny was born in the Kish valley, to an Uroidite merchant father and Kishian mother. Since Uroidites were forbidden to have children with Kishians, his father had to take the family and move to an Uroid town, using fake identities.

Kenny grew to be eighteen, and since there were limited job opportunities in the region, he decided to join the metropolitan police. One afternoon, when he was packing up to move to the training grounds, his mother walked into his room after knocking.

"Kenny!" his mother called out, not so happy to see her son putting on a Uroid recruit uniform.

"Yes ma'am," he put down his box he had been arranging and turned to his mother.

"Have a seat, Kenny," she said, pointing to the bed in Kenny's room. He sat down on the bed and asked his mother, "Why do you look so gloomy, Mom?" She then sat by his right side, using her right hand to hold his left hand firmly but softly. "Kenny, I'm worried," she replied.

He asked, "Why, Mum?" and added, "I'll become a metropolitan police, and you'll always see me around," trying to put a smile on his mother's face.

"You don't understand, Kenny. Once the metro police are filled up with children of politicians and prominent figures, you'll only be sent to the army where you pay with your life to keep the riches of the greedy leaders," she added, tearing up.

After a moment of silence, as Kenny had just been hit with sudden realization, he replied, "I won't die, Ma. I'll be indexed in the metropolitan police," trying to hold back his own tears.

"Alright, if you say so!" his mom said, pulling him in for a hug. She added, "Please stay safe." Both of them cried, sharing the weight of the uncertain future that awaited Kenny.

Delving deeper into his thoughts, Kenny could see himself in the trench, with his beam guns c****d and ready to be used. The background, beaming with gunshots and heavy shell weapons, bespoke the c*****e of war. Commander Elliott of his battalion came forth with a motivational speech. Calling atop of his fierce voice, he said, "Today, the Uroid army will come out victorious! The aim is to make the enemy pay with their lives for their Country, and not our lives for our country." He then took up his beamer rifle, calling out to the young soldiers, "Fasten your helmets, lock your skites, and charge to battle." War cries could be heard as the soldiers charged out of the trenches, shooting as they made their way out. The battle cries filled the air as soldiers fell face down to the ground of planet Gindara.

Kenny found himself amidst the chaos but couldn't bring himself to shoot his Kishian brothers for fighting against the oppression they faced for years. Lost in his thoughts on the battlefield, he recalled what his mother said just before a bullet grazed his skite, sending him to the floor. Panicking on the battlefield, he looked left and right to see his fallen brothers in arms. Paralyzed with fear, he looked at his skite, noticing that it had only been slightly damaged. The skite was like an armor that protected the soldiers' upper bodies. Terrified, he closed his eyes, trying to remember how peace at home felt like.

At the last minute, he opened his eyes to see Commander Elliott drop to the ground. Then, he was brought back to reality, by the letter in his hands. He muttered to himself, "If only we were prepared."

As he sat in the relative safety of the study room, Sergeant Kenny couldn't shake off the horrors of the battlefield. The memory of the valley haunted him, the faces of fallen comrades etched into his mind. He could still hear the screams, the gunfire, the chaos that engulfed them all.

But amidst the chaos, one thought kept nagging at him – the lack of preparation. The soldiers, young and inexperienced, thrust into a battle they were ill-equipped to fight. Commander Elliott's words echoed in his mind, a stark reminder of the reckless disregard for the lives under his command.

Kenny knew he couldn't ignore this any longer. He couldn't sit idly by while more lives were wasted in the name of blind obedience to authority. With a determined resolve, he rose from his chair, the letter clutched tightly in his hand.

Sergeant Kenny felt a weight settle in his chest as he thought to himself, "I need to prepare the soldiers for what is ahead." Picking up his pen, he began writing a letter to the higher-ranking officer. In the quiet of his office, he carefully penned, “Dear Captain Rick, I hope this message finds you well. If you'll permit, I need a maximum of three weeks to prepare the recruits for battle. Please, the soldiers are not ready, and it could lead to a fatal loss for us. Long live the Uroid army! Yours sincerely, Sergeant Kenny Fraser.”

Once the letter was finished, he stood up, his movements heavy with concern, and walked out of the room. In the passage, he handed the letter to the mail delivery corps with a sense of urgency. Entering the dining area, he observed the recruits. As he pushed the door open, a mixture of determination and worry flickered in his eyes. Clearing his throat, he addressed them, “Soldiers, it's time to turn in for the night. Tomorrow, we start early with firearms training.” The soldiers, weary from the day's activities, began to filter out of the room.

Hugo, Chiko, and Zara, among the last to leave, exchanged tired smiles as they cleaned up their utensils. Their exhaustion was evident in their movements, but beneath it lay a determination to persevere. As they made their way to their respective quarters, the weight of uncertainty hung heavy in the air.

Arriving at their rooms, Chiko couldn't shake the knot of anxiety that coiled in his stomach. Turning to Hugo, he voiced his concerns, his brow furrowed with worry. "Do you think Sergeant Kenny is serious about this training?"

Hugo, too, felt the weight of the impending battle pressing down on him. Sitting heavily on his bunk, he met Chiko's gaze with a solemn nod. "I believe he is. We have to trust in his judgment. He wouldn't ask us to undergo this if he didn't think it was necessary." After bidding each other good night, they went to bed. Their feelings hung over them like a dark cloud, but they maintained their trust in the Sergeant.

The next morning dawned with a sense of urgency as Sergeant Kenny led the recruits through their training regimen. During the first firing training, Chiko struggled with his aim, and Sergeant Kenny had to put him through the drills repeatedly. Hugo and Zara, on the other hand, showed steady progress, hitting their targets with precision. As they practiced, a female bully approached Zara, taunting her about her shooting skills.

"Hey, is that how you shoot? I bet you can't even gun down one Kishian," the bully sneered, attempting to provoke Zara. Ignoring the bully's words, Zara focused on her training, but the bully persisted, grabbing her hair and demanding attention.

"Let go of my hair," Zara demanded, her voice firm. Hugo, ready to intervene, was held back by Chiko, who advised, "Let the girl handle it."

In a swift and fluid motion, Zara's training kicked in as she intercepted the bully's aggressive advance. With a grace born of determination, she expertly maneuvered, seizing the bully's wrist and twisting it with precision. The bully yelped in pain as Zara effortlessly brought her to her knees, her arms locked in a firm hold.

The shock on the bully's face was evident as she realized she had underestimated Zara's strength and skill. Her protests turned to pleas for mercy as Zara held her in a vice-like grip, her resolve unyielding.

"Stop!" the bully cried out, her voice tinged with desperation. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Zara's grip loosened slightly, but her eyes remained steely as she demanded accountability. "Promise me you'll stop bullying others. Promise me you'll leave them alone."

The bully, her bravado shattered by Zara's unexpected resilience, nodded frantically. "I promise! I won't do it again, I swear!"

Satisfied that her message had been received, Zara released her hold, allowing the bully to scramble to her feet, visibly shaken but chastened by the encounter. As she stumbled away, nursing her bruised ego, Zara watched her retreat with a mixture of relief and determination.

With the confrontation resolved, Zara turned her attention to Hugo and Chiko, who had watched the scene unfold with a mixture of concern and admiration. They exchanged a silent nod of understanding.

Sergeant Kenny, observing from a distance, felt a surge of pride as he witnessed Zara's refusal to be bullied. He noted to himself, "She must have the spirit of a fighter, refusing to be submitted."

Sergeant Kenny, approached Zara with a look of pride in his eyes. "Well done, Zara," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "You showed true strength and integrity out there. I'm proud of you."

Approaching the bully, Sergeant Kenny informed her that her punishment would be to clean up the multitude of utensils used by the recruits. Later that night, as the bully washed dishes alone, Zara approached her.

"What are you doing here?" the girl snapped defensively.

"I'm here to help you. It's getting late, and there are so many dishes," Zara replied calmly.

The girl hesitated, conflicted by Zara's unexpected offer of assistance. "I don't need your help. You made me serve this punishment," she retorted.

Zara met her gaze steadily. "You should have thought of the consequences before you bullied people," she reminded her. When the girl lost her grip on a plate, causing it to break, Zara stepped forward. "So, am I helping or what?"

Reluctantly, the girl agreed, acknowledging her need for assistance. As they worked together, they began to talk. The girl introduced herself as Ciara, and Zara couldn't help but remark, "That name is too beautiful for a bully." Despite their initial animosity, they found common ground and shared laughter as they completed the task.

Once the dishes were cleaned, they returned to their rooms, the tension between them replaced by a newfound understanding. As they bid each other goodnight, Zara couldn't shake the feeling of hope that perhaps, despite their differences, they could forge a genuine connection.

Weeks passed in a blur of sweat and effort as Sergeant Kenny pushed them to their limits, instilling in them the skills and confidence they would need on the battlefield. With each passing day, their bond grew stronger, forged in the crucible of shared hardship and determination.

Finally, the day of departure arrived. Standing before his troops, Sergeant Kenny's voice trembled with emotion as he addressed them one last time. "Today, we go into battle not as individuals, but as a family," he declared, his eyes shining with pride. "Remember everything you've learned, trust in each other, and we will emerge victorious."

With a resounding cheer, the soldiers prepared to march into battle, their spirits buoyed by the knowledge that they were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The Rovers drove out of the fort, and as they set off towards the horizon, Sergeant Kenny watched them go, his heart filled with pride for the brave men and women under his command.