The Chronicles of Alec Blackwater Chapter XX Beware the Unknown

“Who are the two goons?” A tall Hunter asked Eleanor. “Visitors,” Eleanor responded. “Alec Blackwater and Daniel-” “Blackwater?” The second sentry began; a Warlock with an odd shaped mask, the visor was blue and three tubes were attached to the left side of the face plate, leading back to a tank on the Warlocks back. “You mean that Spartan Titan that beat the Warlock Obadiah Thesiss in hand-to-hand combat in the Archimedes Trial three months ago?” “The very same,” Daniel said with a big smile and wide eyes. “We lost 2,500 glimmer because of you,” The Hunter said in a loud tone. “A piece, I might add.” The two sentries stepped towards Alec. “Oh, and you two losers are going to take on the champ are you?” Daniel said. “After he took down the five year reigning champion of the Archimedes Trials?” The two decided against challenging Alec and let them pass; after Eleanor, Alec, and Daniel had walked away, the two sentries conversed with one another. “Just wait,” The Warlock said. “We’ll get him latter.” Eleanor led them to the firing range and entered to find an instructor talking to about fifteen kids; seven boys and eight girls. “This should be fun,” Daniel said, looking around the room. The firing range was setup like any other firing range, except it had a VR training module at the far end of the room, across from the entrance. There was a small armory at the back of the firing range, almost like a small shack with a door on each side and three windows facing out to the firing range. An awoken man had been instructing the children when Eleanor interrupted him; he was about thirty Alec guessed, it was hard to tell with Awoken. The Awoken man had pale, violet skin and had yellow eyes; he wore a blue uniform that had no identification of name or rank on it. “Hello, Steven,” Eleanor greeted. “I’m here to relieve you of the young ones.” “Very well,” Steven said. “Also, its captain Steven now, remember that Private Eleanor.” “Oh, that’s right, sorry.” Eleanor said, looking at Alec and rolling her eyes. Steven left and Eleanor took over the class. “Hello, cadets,” Eleanor said with a smile. “I have a surprise for you, we have guests’ today. (Pointing towards Alec.) This is Sergeant Alec Blackwater of the FOTC Corps and a graduate of the Spartan Academy. (And then pointing at Daniel). His friend Private first class Daniel, a graduate of the Academy of Legion and FOTC Corps member has joined us as well.” “Hello officer Alec and Daniel,” The children responded. “Oh,” Daniel began, waving his hand. “Why so formal? Call me…Ultimate Master Daniel; yeah, that sounds better.” The kids giggled among themselves as Daniel struck a pose, putting his hands on his hips and turning his head (trying to look heroic). “Well,” Alec began. “Let’s get this started.” “Very well,” Eleanor responded. “Cadets, take your positions.” The children began to take up positions on the firing range as Alec and Daniel watched them set up. At the end of the firing ranges a small orb appeared and would take the shapes of various enemies: Fallen, Hive, Cabal, and Vex. Each student had to pass this coarse with a 75% accuracy rating or higher in order to progress through the rest of the course. After about fifteen minutes of sporadic gunfire, Alec noticed one of the students struggling to hit his targets, to which Alec approached the young cadet. “You seem to be missing your targets,” Alec began. “Cadet?....” “Cadet William Shaw,” William began. “I’m…I’m not very good at this, I’ve failed so many times.” “How many times?” Alec asked. “This will be the third time,” William responded. “I’ll never get it.” “That’s no way for a future Guardian to talk,” Alec responded in a light tone. “You need to be more confident in your skills. How do they grade your score?” William stopped shooting and explained. “We are given so many targets and so many rounds per enemy,” William explained. “We have so many seconds to shoot the targets and “kill” them with as few rounds as possible…” Alec listened intently while William explained the way the scoring system worked, and then he asked him a question. “What do you think you are doing wrong?” Alec asked. After thinking for a minute, the cadet responded. “I’m not holding my rifle right (holding the rifle in his typical stance), I don’t think,” William began. “I also noticed that my shots always go left of my targets, so I may be holding it crooked.” “Hmm,” Alec thought to himself. “Here (kneeling down and taking the rifle from William), hold your rifle like this….” Alec began to show William how to hold the rifle, how to absorb the recoil of the shot, the different prone positions he could take, etc. Eleanor watched from a distance, a smile crossing her face… “Ready?” Alec asked William after a few minutes of demonstration and practice. “Yes, sir,” William began. “Remember to control your breathing,” Alec said, folding his arms and looking down range. William waited until the next target came up, a Fallen Dreg; the shot rang out and flew down the range, just hitting its mark. An electronic score board keeping count went up by three points (out of five). “I did it,” Exclaimed William. “I hit it!” “Don’t give up,” Alec said with a smile. “Keep on shooting until you can put a bullet in the eye of a Fallen at 200 yards.” “Yes, sir!” Said William, loading another round into his rifle. “Well look at you,” Daniel said, walking up next to Alec. “Aren’t you the little teacher? *Daniel slaps Alec on the back*” “I’m no teacher,” Alec said, biting his lip. Eleanor had walked over and was about to say something when a high ranking officer walked into the room. “Alec Blackwater!” Yelled a loud, deep, and somewhat feminine voice. “Major Pola,” Alec said with a sigh. “How…lovely to see you again.” An Awoken woman wearing crimson Titan armor (minus the helm) walked into the room; her albino eyes burned with anger at the sight of Alec. Pola had a major burn on the left side of her face, a tattoo was over the tattoo in some vain attempt to cover up the scar (or at least try to blend it in). “Oh, look,” Daniel said, looking at the children and pointing at Pola. “Another escaped test subject of the Vex; watch out for her laser beam eyes!” “That’s enough from you private,” Pola said sternly. “How dare you disrespect an officer of the FOTC! What are you two doing here?” “Now, now,” Daniel began. “Is it your special time of the month?” This did not help the situation. “Ma’am,” Eleanor began. “We were just-” [b]Continued below...[/b]