Clank.

The sound of the 45 pound dumbbell hitting the floor was heard as it bounced off the padded matt. Moe looked around with a thin veil of sweat in the loosely populated gym. “Lower Gym C” was written on the ceiling, the gym Moe generally prefers. Sure it doesn’t have most of the machines or the newest stuff but it’s quiet and no one comes here besides a few of the veterans. Moe got up from the work bench and moved towards the lockers where a blue duffle bag was placed. Moe opened up his duffle bag and grabbed some supplies for the shower. He quickly rinsed up before he went out of the gym towards the main floor, in the direction of the bar.

“Shit, Gramps back on the booze?” a young irish service chuckled.

“Shut-up Mikey, you can’t even drink your away out of a fucking beer mug. Grow some hair and we’ll talk yea?” Moe replied back, getting a few laughs from the bar as the younger service gulped in embarrassment before running off to mingle with some other younger members. Moe looked to the bartender and nodded.

“New hand at the bar?” Moe asked, placing his duffle bag on the seat beside.

“Yea-.. Old Ben got moved to kitchen service for a few days so I’m doing bar duty..what can I get you?” the young male asked, looking to Moe.

“Pint of Domestic, easy on the foam and a ashtray plus a lighter yea?” Moe stated, nodding to the young male. The bar was somewhat bustling with action as Moe looked around. Groups of servicemen drinking their livers out before being sent to a posting or active duty. Moe was in this state as a young servicemen as well with his friends. Most of them have either been posted somewhere else, quit or are dead. A older man took a seat beside Moe on the stool not occupied by the dufflebag. 

“Look at this guy” the male said, smirking to Moe.

“Jimmy fucking Yang, the fuck you doing around here?” Moe said, giving Jimmy a strong handshake.

“Getting a last drink in me before the fucking posting.” Jimmy said before he looked to the bartender. He placed Moe’s pint, ashtray and lighter onto the bar. 

“Domestic as well, some foam yea?” ordered Jimmy. Moe was spotted grabbing a cigar and lighting it up before he went for a small drag.

“Never knew you smoke, what’s the deal with that?” Jimmy asked as he grasped onto his pint glass.

“Stress reliever, I do it small time you know me.. Anywho what’s your story?” Moe asked as he went for a hearty sip.
“Command has me on reserve and importu training duty, my battalion the 42th is in decent shape but it ain’t like our time. Have of these young guy’s are busy watching those big sci-fi movies about going on adventures and all that shit only to fucking not how to operate a dual clutch booster” Jimmy said, grunting.

“Shit, 42nd that bad now? I remember back during the Vega days you guy’s were getting the early missions. The scout ones or the ambush ones.” Moe said, going for another sip of his beer. Jimmy nodded as he had a sip of his as well.

“Back in our day we had standards, morals and all that fucking shit, these kids are just bloodthirsty and unhinged you know? They see those posters, the videos and think shit’s gonna’ be one sided but once you expose to even a little blood? They wanna’ get a transfer back to fucking HB” Jimmy said, looking to his beer.

“Eh’ we were all like that, what can you blame them for?” Moe said, as he went for his second drag of the cigar.

“Yea but we turned out fine and doing good, the Direwolves got a name for themselves and I got myself some medals. You got yourself a nice rank and fucking respect. But I’m worried about this war Moe. This ain’t no pirate goons running around and not knowing tactics or what to shoot. No more bait convoy’s or decoys or anything. It’s a smarter enemy and it’ll require the best of us” Jimmy said, before finishing off his beer. The words resonated with Moe for awhile. Jimmy did have a clear point. The young recruits were fighting a more smarter enemy. A enemy that had a more clear agenda and was more smarter and more well equipped. Moe finished off his cigar and beer before grabbing his duffle bag. “I’m out, I gotta’ report back to briefing” Moe said

“Right, stay safe yea?” Jimmy said before looking to the bartender and engaging in a idle conversation.

Moe proceeded towards the briefing and had a long thought about the enemy the federation was going up against. Pirates are easy due to the fact that they lack discipline, morals and no political ideological beliefs. Whereas these beings that they were fighting had a belief system and a end goal. The end goal was the enslavement of humankind which to think of is a scary idea on it’s own. Moe entered the briefing room and looked around to the group of recruits.

“Commander Williamson, Commander Knight shall be arriving shortly, sit tight” Moe said, as he grabbed a seat at the front.