WCGW Chpt 252

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==Chapter 252 - What Could Go Wrong==
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Thazi (Independent System)
23nd December, 3046
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Colonel Alfred Dortman took a tentative step forward and when he didn't fall over, he gained a little more confidence. He was wearing one of the strange Nighthawk suits, having volunteered himself to actually play with one before he would risk any of his people in one of the suits. It had taken a couple weeks for the assigned technicians to read all the manuals, assemble a couple of the mini mech bays the suits were kept in when not deployed and more time to learn the diagnostic equipment used to service the suits themselves. He had spent another two days in the suit just getting used to the thing and the controls themselves, making sure the jump jets were not fueled so he did not accidentally send himself into the ceiling while playing with the controls.
He strode towards the open door, slowly increasing his speed until he reached 30Kph, he let out a little whoop of excitement as he zipped over the rolling plains the unit had been using as a training ground. He hit the jump jets and soared into the air, just like he would with his jump pack on. His landing was not nearly as graceful though and he almost lost his balance but regained it easy enough as he landed. He had one of the Mauser 960 pulse lasers in his armored gloves and he barely noticed the weight of the heavy weapon. After an hour of running around at 30Kph, leaping 90 meters a time all while easily engaging different targets on the firing range, he headed back to the special section of the base where the suits were being kept. After getting the suit back into the bay, techs helped him take his helmet off.
"Lord have mercy, this thing is fantastic. Fast, agile, and the Mauser 960 feels light as a feather." Colonel Dortman pronounced.
"Don't take a grenade though, we faced something like it back on Inner End. The explosion will take you off your feet, that is how we finally managed to take them down. Light weapons do next to nothing to the damn things though. So, you like it huh?" President David Mitchell said
"Damn right I do. Can we keep them all?" Colonel Dortman replied
"I have not decided yet. Damn sure we will be keeping at least half of them. The hell with it, we will keep 180 of them, we will sell the other 30 to the First Prince at a good price. Pick the people who will be using them carefully and tell them to be careful with them, they literally cannot be replaced." President Mitchell said
"Outstanding. Bet your bippy they will be careful. Hundred and eighty, I will have to come up with some sort of new TOE for the unit. Of course, as special as these suits are, I might just assign 30 to each Battalion as sort of a special assault unit or recon unit. Four squads of 7 with the Platoon leader and Platoon Sergeant acting as the command element instead of also acting as squad leaders. That might work, thank you sir, I need to give this some serious thought, maybe get the troops playing with them and then slowly work out what works best in the field." Colonel Dortman replied
"Your welcome, Alfred. Figure out what these suits can really do and how we can use them to their fullest, but safely." President Mitchell said
"You got it, General." Colonel Dortman replied
"It is President now, things are really starting to come together here and I am afriad my field time will be extremely limited. I might even have to name a new commander of SaRI." President Mitchell said
"Damn shame, your a good officer who is not afraid to say he does not know something and take advice from those that do. Those are rare birds and your one of them." Colonel Dortman replied
"Thanks for that, Alfred. It means a lot, really does." President Mitchell said
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