Chibaya, Isamu, and Fiona stood in a line of other soldiers, all wearing the same uniforms. The line was in front of their bunks in the barracks. The barracks had been their home for the last two years. They were trained in this hidden base, which was underground in a mountainous region. The domed roof of the barracks was carved out of stone. In front of them was a man with a balaclava and a military beret on his head. Only recruits from the same basic training class were allowed to know each other's identities. As a precaution, they wore balaclavas in case the Government Military captured anyone. Then they couldn't leak the identities of all the Rebellion members they'd met. If they were caught, the other classmates from basic training were all the people they knew. After today, they will be going to different cities entirely. They would all be given their new assignments, which meant new postings.
The man with the balaclava began his speech, "Today you graduate, recruits. Today you become agents of the Rebellion. No longer are you farmers, builders, fishermen, tradesmen, warehouse workers, and miners. No, today you graduate from being the weak enemies that the government of the cities oppresses. Today you become agents of the Rebellion, important soldiers of our underground society. Yours is a mission to overcome and destroy these bastards from within. When you are out there today receiving your berets, know that your drill sergeant will support you, and I am proud of you. At ease!" With that, all the new recruits were dismissed to finish getting ready and eat breakfast.
Fiona looked at Chibaya and Isamu excitedly. "Guys, two long years, but we finally made it. We're finally ready to join the Rebellion."
"Right. It was pretty hard going, and it took forever to go through basic. You know what, you're right, though—we did finally make it," Isamu replied, smiling.
"You guys are really focusing on the wrong part. It's about time we don't have to eat the bloody slop they serve at the mess hall," Chibaya jested.
"Hahaha, you crack me up. Okay, I get it, let's go for the last mess hall breakfast you'll have to endure, Chibaya," Fiona said, throwing her arms around their shoulders and walking them out of the barracks.
In the corner of the barracks, a small, six-legged drone adjusted its camera lens to focus on the three as they walked out. It was roughly the size of a common house spider, and its metallic body was matte black. Its six limbs moved with micro-hydraulic pumps, and the antennae beside the camera lens that served as its head operated on a wavelength that humanity had never even learned to use.
The trio of friends sat down at a table together after getting their ration trays. "What do you think our assignments will be?" Chibaya asked.
"I don't know, my friend, but today we will have our answer. Wasting your time thinking about an answer you will receive today is truly foolish," Isamu responded while taking another mouthful of the oddly colored, mushy substance that constituted a side dish.
Fiona thought for a moment and asked them a question. "I'm not so interested in what assignments are so much as I'm wondering where our posting will be. Do you guys think we're even going to stay in this state?"
"We will know when we know. Again, there is no point in-"
"Yeah, that's important too. Where we're going to be posted. Now you got me wondering that," Chibaya said, cutting Isamu off.
"You guys really don't listen to me." The rejected tone of Isamu's voice was obvious.
"Oh, come on, man, don't be like that. We're all just curious. We know we're going to find out today, but I feel like it's normal to try and ponder at the very least. Pondering's not beyond you, is it, Isamu?"
"I don't choose to ponder because it's a pointless thought. You should save your thoughts for something that has value," Isamu answered Chibaya with a sense of resolution, ending the conversation.
Later on in the evening, while the graduation and assignment ceremony was in full swing, the trio was called up as part of a group of fifteen recruits from their basic training class.
"This group's assignment will be to infiltrate the Military University in City Number 118. You will have backstories so that you will all be introduced as senior students who have transferred from another city. We purposefully attacked that other city to give a reason why so many students and families applied for transfer all at once. Some of our undercover agents have already orchestrated it so that you will all be in the same class. This is a big assignment; that's why the group is very large. We have solid intel that a new experiment by the government is being backed by the Ministry. It is paramount that we figure out two things: one, what the experiment is about and what we can do to foil their plans; and two, properly execute an exfiltration from the city before anybody is found, killed, or captured by the military or any of the government's forces within the city walls. Due to the resources and secrecy around this new experiment, we suspect that if left to their devices, this could spell disaster for the Rebellion."
The man speaking at the podium performed a three-finger salute, with one arm behind his back, balled into a fist. "We will hear, see, and speak no evil. Always remaining faithful to the Rebellion and defying the Government."
Later that night, the Rebellion members, including the trio's group, all loaded into a stealth transport aircraft and began the journey to City 118.
"Man, look at this dossier. We're really going to have to go in there and figure out if they're creating some kind of new genetic soldiers?" Chibaya asked Fiona with a furrowed brow and a troubled look written on his face.
"Yeah, I mean, look at how detailed the backstories are. This took a lot of resources, and most times we are assigned to groups of two or three maximum. For this to have so many people…" Fiona gave a worried look, as if she was feeling the gravity of the situation pressing down upon her.
"It's just proof that our sergeant from boot camp wasn't making it up—that we were part of one of the best classes he's ever had. We're really going to be on the front line of this thing, so let's make sure we don't fuck it up," Isamu chimed in, despite having the outward appearance of being asleep.
"So we are supposed to figure out who at this school has been part of this experiment and then what… keep tabs on them or befriend them? What if they report us to the Ministry or something?" Chibaya asked Isamu, who still looked like he was resting with his eyes closed.
"There are going to be some gray areas in how we achieve the objective. I have an idea how we can achieve that. We just need to fan the seeds of doubt in the students' minds. Find the sympathetic ear among them and make him feel important. You know, make him feel included."
Fiona considered what he said, then beamed with excitement. "Oh, that's brilliant. If we win the students over who are involved, then they will volunteer the information we need. Hell, maybe they will even join the Rebellion."
"Right, you've got the gist of my idea. Now we just have to get the information when we arrive about this little experiment," Isamu answered her.
"That is where my little plan comes in. Don't forget I excelled at hacking quantum security networks. I'll find whatever documents they've hidden and get us the information we need to make your plan go smoothly, Isamu," Fiona said while beaming with pride.
They both turned to see Chibaya snoring away, Isamu finally opening up his eyes and smiling. He'd fallen asleep sometime during their conversation.
"I guess we'll fill him in later when we're landing," Fiona said. Then they both settled in and caught some much-needed sleep as well.
Going over the mission and memorizing their backstories had been exhausting. After the ceremony, the mission details had taken up their time until nightfall. Leaving the ground in an unauthorized aircraft during the daytime would be suicidal, given the Government's air superiority. Luckily, the Rebellion had access to aircraft from the 'Great War Era' that they had found while exploring abandoned military bases. This was the only way they could fly undetected and move troops around under the noses of the Government and their Military.
After they landed, the group found themselves in a field outside of the nearest farming 'Enemy State' to City Number 118. Immediately after they were out of the aircraft, it took off from the ground again. It was a very strange-looking quadcopter plane that, despite its rather large size, was somehow nearly silent during operation. The group of fifteen trekked through a crop field until they came up to a shipping warehouse. There, outside of the building, there was a man with a military mask on that looked like a medieval demon face. As he ushered them inside, he handed them each an ID wristband. Another masked man inside led them between shipping pallets until they stopped deep between two long rows. On the ground was a hidden panel, which moved to reveal a ladder descending below the warehouse into one of the maintenance tunnels.
"After you, Fiona. Ladies first," Chibaya gestured towards her.
"I guess we really are the underground Rebellion at this posting," Fiona said while descending the ladder into the darkness below.