[HARD CONTACT] Chapter 4: SZKIRÁÁÁÁÁT

|| Republic Commando: Hard Contact || 2004 || Book series || Military, Sci-Fi || 18+ for violence and harrowing themes || 

Niner took out his datapad and calculated his position. There was no GPS he could lock in to without the Neimoidians detecting him, but he could at least use dead reckoning based on the sprayer’s last position, matching features on the landscape to his chart. It was old-fashioned soldiering. He liked it. He had to be able to do the business when the tech wasn’t there, even if that meant using nothing but a Trandoshan blade.

If you stab someone in the heart, they can still run. I once saw a man run a hundred meters like that, screaming as well. Go for the neck, like this. Sergeant Skirata had taught them a lot about knives. Put a bit of weight behind it, son.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

SKIRATA SKIRATA SKIRATA SKIRATA SKIRATA SKIRATA SKIRATA SKIRATA SKIRAT-

Murder Papa teaching his little murderlings how to kill. 

[HARD CONTACT] Chapter 4: Propaganda vs reality

 || Republic Commando: Hard Contact || 2004 || Book series || Military, Sci-Fi || 18+ for violence and harrowing themes || 

He started tabbing, trying to make ten klicks an hour, avoiding tracks and open ground. In the end he had to drag the extra pack behind him on straps like a sled. Tactical advance into battle—tabbing, as Skirata called it—meant walking at six to ten klicks an hour with a twenty-five-kilo pack. “But that’s for ordinary men,” the instructor would say, as if nonclones were subhuman. “You are clone commandos. You will do better because you are better.”

Niner was lugging nearly three times that load now. He didn’t feel better at all right then. He decided to add a portable repulsorlift to his new list of gear to request upon return.
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

Another reminiscence scene of Sergeant Skirata from Niner, which gives more insight into in what spirit the commandos were trained. And they were indeed trained with exceptionalism in mind. 

I did a post before about the Commando Training and how the commandos were spoon-fed by the propaganda that they are exceptional and superior than normal human beings. 

But also we can see how the propaganda and reality is starting to clash. Just like Darman had a slight disturbing realization that the Jedi are MAYBE mortals, I wonder maybe Niner is also having his own doubts that the Commandos are also not invincible and he can't live in denial? 

[HARD CONTACT] Chapter 4: SAY SHIT, ATIN!!!

 || Republic Commando: Hard Contact || 2004 || Book series || Military, Sci-Fi || 18+ for violence and harrowing themes || 

One of my favorite joke in RepComm is how the Omega Squad is having a one-sided beef with the procurement regarding armor colors and overall how the Omega Squad is acquiring their full black armor. Especially love how Niner is fussing internally about the assholes in the procurement, that they didn't think about this this, but then he thinks OK OK OK, bashing the superiors is OFF-LIMITS, THOUGHT-CRIME, ORDERS ARE ORDERS. 

And then they reunite with Fi and Atin and apparently they had the same exact thought regarding their armors. :DDD 

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•
Qiilura’s moon was in its new phase, and he was grateful for that. In his light gray armor, he would have stood out like a beacon. Hadn’t the top brass thought of that, either? He stifled the uncharacteristically critical opinion about his superiors and decided there had to be something he didn’t know but they did. He had his orders.
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

Fi’s armor was no longer pristine, either. Niner wasn’t sure what he’d smeared over it, but it disrupted his outline well enough. The thought had obviously occurred to all of them. Atin was daubed with something dark and matte as well.

“Shape, shine, shadow, silhouette, smell, sound, and movement,” Niner said, repeating the rules of basic camouflage. If it hadn’t been for Darman’s absence, he would have found the situation funny. He tried. “Shame they couldn’t find something beginning with S to complete the set.”

“I could,” Atin said.
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

ATIN XDDDDD SAY SHIT ATIN!!!! XD I think the reason the book didn't actually get 18+ rating, because the characters didn't swear in English. :D 

(first I had no idea what's that last S word supposed to mean because my autistic brain was focused on the word movement, but then friend englightened me on tumblr :D)