Read Online Gamma Raiders: Storm Squadron Alpha: Scifi Alien Romance Novel by Calista Skye - Free Book Online Page B

make sure that you have every tool at your disposal to perform your jobs well. And we need to make sure you’re prepared for every possible contingency.”
    Fidgeting uncomfortably, Kira held her body at attention. She didn’t want to be the one to break formation and get called out in front of everyone on their first day. The idea that there was more to being a pilot than mastering the controls was no big surprise. But it still didn’t ease her nerves any.
    “What else can there be?” came a low baritone from somewhere down the line. Kira resisted the urge to turn her head to glare at the speaker.
    Ja’al stood in front of the speaker. “What’s your name, Cadet?”
    “Jomanak, sir.”
    “Let me ask you a question, Jomanak: What do you think will happen to you if your ship is shot down over hostile enemy territory? What would you do to survive?”
    “It’s irrelevant,” said the cadet. “I won’t get shot down.”
    Kira thought she heard a muffled giggle coming from Reina’s direction.
    “You’re confident,” Ja’al said. “You believe in yourself. And that’s a skill every pilot needs. There’s no room for second guessing in the heat of battle. You have to take in a lot of information and make split-second decisions, all while the Kamaran fighters are assaulting you with everything they have. And they won’t give you a second chance. However, you’re making a fatal mistake: You are underestimating the enemy’s capabilities.”
    “I can handle myself.”
    “I’m sure you can. And by the time we’ve finished our training, you’ll all be able to handle yourselves. But the Kamaran fighters are the best trained force in the galaxy. Even if you do everything right, you’ll face a formidable foe. And there are no guarantees. That’s why, in addition to your flight training, you’ll need to learn all the other basic skills that would be required for any member of our forces. Hand to hand combat. Survival in extreme environments. How to withstand an enemy interrogation.”
    Kira swallowed hard. She was no stranger to fending for herself. But the thought of surviving alone in the wilderness, or being tortured by the enemy, was something she hoped she’d never be unlucky enough to experience.
    “The first rule of war,” Ja’al said as he continued down the line, “is that shit happens. So you need to be prepared. Even with superior combat skills, there are no guarantees. How would you handle a mechanical error in mid flight? What will you do when your ship’s systems malfunction? Does anyone here know to repair a malfunctioning targeting computer? What’s the procedure for diagnosing a faulty comm link?”
    “That’s a job for the flight mechanics,” said Jomanak. “We’ve got more important things to do.”
    “Wrong,” said Ja’al. “And that attitude will get you killed. I won’t have you jeopardizing my team. You owe me thirty press-ups for crossing the line from confidence to stupidity. Storm Squadron pilots depend on their teammates, but each of you are expected to know how to do everything and anything required of them in the heat of battle. When the mechanics are safely back here on the deck, they can’t help you.”
    Kira gritted her teeth and dug her heels into the ground. She may not have the training or the sim experience that some of the recruits did, but she sure as hell knew what to do with faulty systems. She gathered her courage and spoke. “You can divert power from the hyperdrive core.”
    Ja’al walked to her and looked her in the eyes. Her body filled with electricity as he held her gaze. She still remembered the feeling of his hands on her body. Imagined his warm lips on her skin. And she felt the heat rising inside her.
    “And why would you do that, Cadet Thorne?” he said.
    She felt the eyes of the room on her. She almost regretted speaking up. But she knew she was right. “You can’t run a full diagnostic in the heat of battle,” she said. “But the