Hellsky (Hunter-Killer #3)

Chapter 51 - Don't Wait for Bad News

New faces. 

It had been a while, Ryke realised, since they'd actually gotten new recruits for HK-Rupture. He never forgot them, the people left behind to the River along the way, all the way back to his old squad leader, Kazem – their rookie comrades, Vela, Laquen, Cobley, all lost in their first ever engagement.

He ran through all the names – Jarrko, Amelia, Thaye, Norville, Ricardo and more – but over time he just had to bury them, like he had his own private graveyard in his mind. After a certain point, he just couldn't keep opening that door. People died in war, and that was the reality in which he lived his life.

Now the process would begin again.

Ryke stood in Stamm Basin's main hangar, in front of the serried ranks of Hunter-Killers. The two rookie pilots stood before him, stiff as rods, eyes front as they waited for his assessment. He glanced at his data slate for a moment, brow furrowing.

On his left stood the Riot pattern pilot, Andross 'Pace' Narion, and the right, Yassyn 'Scythe' Miezer, who would be replacing the late Mayder Ricardo as the squad's second Raptor pilot. Andross was a short, brick-bodied young man with a lean crop of black hair, while Yassyn towered over both of them, a clutch of thick, dark braids bundled back behind her head.

Ryke examined them. Sixteen and seventeen respectively, fresh out of Brekka's training grounds. Both of them were top of their class, with impressive scores across the board – he couldn't have asked for much more than this, but that didn't make him feel much better. 

They might have averted civil war with the north, and a fresh campaign against the Scraegans, but it seemed there was always something else waiting on the horizon. He winced, trying not to think too much about the ship, instead focusing his faculties on Andross and Yassyn.

"Welcome to HK-Rupture," he said. "My name is Sergeant Vannigan, callsign, 'Lockjaw'. You can call me Ryke, sir, or sarge."

They both saluted.

"At ease." Ryke made a dismissive gesture. "Would I be right in thinking you know who I am? And you know my unit?"

"Yes, sir!" Andross blurted, giving a vigorous nod. Yassyn nodded too, but managed to contain herself with a little more decorum.

"Alright. That means you know we get a lot of the bad currents nobody else wants to swim."

More nods.

"So we understand each other." He exhaled deeply clasping the data slate behind his back in both hands as he looked at them. "I shouldn't have to explain to you the odds of survival once you get into a Hunter-Killer. What I will tell you is that as of right now, the training scores that got you assigned to my unit don't mean a whole lot. They got you this far, but HK-Rupture has some of the best pilots in Brekka. If you want to pull your weight with them - with me - you do as your told, you listen and you learn. Do that, and hopefully we'll be spending a good long time together."

"We will, sir." Yassyn shifted a little on her footing, looking like she wanted to say more. "Sir, I..." Her mouth lingered open for a moment. She closed it abruptly.

Ryke cocked a curious eyebrow. "Something to say, pilot?"

"I was just curious, sir," she blurted. "Is it true you're friends with a Scraegan?"

"And where did you hear that?"

"It's all over the barracks," Andross interjected. He cleared his throat. "Err, sir."

"Is it really?" Ryke smiled thinly, letting the data slate drop by his side. "Will you both relax? This isn't a court martial."

They tried, but he could still they were still on edge about the topic, trying a little too hard to look casual. He sighed, one foot tapping against the concourse.