Why Humans Make Bad Pets!

What makes one Human IV

9 Months later

Alliance Basic Training Camp

Valur couldn’t sleep. As was often the case, if he couldn’t sleep, neither could Xiavo. Not because he kept him up or anything, it was just more often than not that anything that bothered one bothered the other, and he couldn’t stop thinking about the events of tomorrow. “Still awake?” He whispered into the darkness.

“Of course,” came the tentative reply.

Valur grunted. “I can’t stop wondering if I’ll be put with the 55th or the 32nd. I can’t imagine it will be any other. I’m not good enough to get into the 12th like you, but don’t think I did too badly on the physical. I think I have an honest shot at the 32nd. Don’t you?” Xiavo grunted in reply. Valur sighed, “Your articulation always astounds me.” He grunted again. Valur knew what was on his mind. Xiavo wouldn’t have needed to worry about his assignment like he did. Xiavo had performed excellently in every test they’d thrown at him. He would be assigned to the 12th for sure, perhaps even the 5th. That wasn’t what was on his mind then, although it was related. “She’ll probably be assigned to the same unit as you.” Valur tried to sound encouraging.

“You think?” Well, at least the response was coherent this time.

“Undoubtedly. Both of you are exceptional. Whatever you qualify for, she’ll make it too.”

“Maybe. Hopefully. We’ll see. Go to sleep. It’ll be alright, whatever happens.” Xiavo didn’t follow his own advice. Valur was the best friend a guy could hope for, and usually know what was on his friends mind, but he couldn’t have been further from the truth this time. Daseil was a good guess. She did occupy his thoughts more often than not, but that wasn’t keeping him up this time. He waited until he heard his friends snores, then crept from the barracks that had been his home for the past eight months. He walked to the Sergeant’s quarters. Relived to see the lights still on, he knocked on the door.

Several moments later he was in front of the Sergeants desk, a stern scowl on its owners face. “You have a re (5 seconds) to explain why you’re out of your barracks soldier.”

Xiavo gulped, but he knew the Seargeant liked him, and he had to try. “Sir, I wanted to ask you about postings.”

“You couldn’t wait until tomorrow, eh?” The Sergeant smiled, and some of the tension in Xiavo’s body left. “You don’t need to worry about a thing Xiavo, you were exemplary as usual. You’re to be assigned to the 5th, just like you wanted.”

“My apologies sir, but I didn’t want to know my results, I wanted-”

“Soldier Daseil was also cleared for the 5th. Don’t worry, your favorite bunkmate won’t let you leave her just yet.”

Gosh darn it; he wasn’t making this any easier. Still, when he thought about it, Xiavo knew there would never be any competition in his mind.

“Sorry, sir, but I was wondering what Valur’s results were?” At the mention of Valur’s name the Sergeant’s scowl returned.

“I’ll never understand why you protect him so, but everyone has their quirks. He sucked. He can’t shoot worth s**t, his endurance is crap, and he couldn’t find food for himself in the wild without a restaurant to put it in front of him. He’s to be assigned to the 87th.” Xiavo inwardly groaned. That was where the dropouts the army couldn’t afford to let go were sent, and almost certainly, died. Not because they were put in difficult situations, but because the skill level was so low. The 87th only ever won battles through overwhelming numbers.

“One last question sir. What was my class ranking?”

“You were first.”

“So I can choose my posting?”

“Of course, but I just told you, you got into the 5th. What else would you-”

“I want to be assigned to the 87th.” The words left his mouth in a rush, and only after several moments did he add a belated “sir.” The Sergeant stared at him in utter shock. He seemed to be trying to speak, at least his mouth was moving, but words failed to leave his lips. After what appeared to be a rather difficult reboot, the Sergeant got his voice under control once again.

“Have you lost your mind?! You?! The 87th?! You’d be wasted there! Worse, you’d be ruined! I refuse! I won’t let you make such a mistake! You aren’t thinking straight, don’t you understand? You’re cleared for the 5th! The best fighting force the alliance has to offer. The elite! You could be one of the best among them, but you want to join the ranks of the military dropouts?!”

“I want nothing more than to be a part of the 5th,” Xiavo replied, and it was nothing but the truth, “But I’d rather ruin myself and be able to protect my friend rather than go on to the fifth and not be there when he needs me.”

The Sergeant continued to stare for several hocs (minutes). Finally he spoke. “You’re serious?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then I’m putting Valur in the 32nd. With a shitload of luck he may be able to cut it there, and with you by his side he may only need a crapton. Does that mean you’ll be willing to be assigned to the 32nd?”

Xiavo smiled. The 32nd was far better equipped and manned. There Valur would be able to hide in the ranks of better soldiers, and with him as his protector, Valur would be about as safe as it was possible to be on a battlefield. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” The Sergeant grunted in reply.

“It’s a shame, but at least you won’t be put with the 87th.” He seemed to shudder at the though. “You do realize this means you won’t be assigned with Soldier Daseil, right?”

Xiavo gritted his teeth. “Yes, sir. I do.”

3 Years Later

32nd Division, Battle of Tizccxi-2

Xiavo was nearing panic. The attack had gone badly, and the 32nd was still regrouping from their retreat, the 41st covering their rear. Today would be a victory, once reinforcements arrived, but it would be costly. That didn’t matter to him right now, though. Grabbing the nearest unit commander’s arm, he nearly shouted in his face. “Have you seen Valur anywher? Last I saw he was with Himel squad. Do you have any idea where they are?”

The commander seemed petrified by the Lieutenant Colonel shouting in his face, but still managed to sputter out a reply. “Last I saw Himel squad had been flanked by 3 full squads around here,” he pointed to a map of the battlefield. “They had already lost most of their guys. There’s no way anyone could survive that attack. I’m sorry, sir, Valur’s dead. I know how much he meant to you.”

“Did you see him die?” Xiavo spit in the pretentious underlings face.

Fear spreading over his features, the commander stated spluttering, but he gave his species equivalent of a shake of his head, which was all Xiavo needed. Dropping the commander, he started sprinting back towards the wavering line of the retreating line of the 41st.

“Sir! What are you doing?! He’s dead. Don’t throw yourself away like this, you still have a responsibility to the rest of your squad!” Xiavo missed that last part. The allied line had already fallen past the point the commander had pointed to on the map. He would have to sneak back to it. Stealth wasn’t something that was emphasized in training, but Xiavo thought that was a mistake. Stealth was vital in a battle, most just didn’t seem to realize it. He found the nearest patch of mud and caked it over every inch of himself. Most wouldn’t have wanted to get themselves so dirty. Screw that. It was getting dark, which was even better.

Sneaking past the main front wasn’t difficult. Everyone’s attention was fully diverted. Sneaking behind enemy lines was harder. Their mobile medical units slowly lumbered up behind the main front, and the guards would be making sure no rouge squad was attempting to pick off the wounded. Sliding through the mud, Xiavo looked like nothing more than a part of the terrain. Using the uneven land to aid in his movements, he crawled his way to where the commander had indicated. It took the better part of 5 rics (2.5 hours).

When he found the remnants of Himel squad, despair began to gnaw at the edges of his calm. It was a mess. Entrails and gore splattered a small clearing, seeming to confirm the commanders assessment of the chances of survivability. Fighting down every instinct, Xiavo started sifting through the bodies. He found several arms that could have been Valur’s, but still no body. It couldn’t have been completely destroyed, there had to be some trace of it.

There was. It was mostly intact as well. It was still breathing too. Stifling his cries of relief, Xiavo tore his field medical kit from his bag, using it to close up the wound left by Valur’s missing arm and leg. He didn’t know if he had gotten there soon enough, until Valur opened his eyes for just a moment.

“I knew you’d come.” He whispered, then lapsed back into unconsciousness.