I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 148 – Training Camp

- Oliver -

Wiz regarded him calmly. "Rest assured, this isn't an immediate deployment," he said. "There will be a six-month train period. That's part of the reason General Stewart is here. You'll be undergoing intensive training with the Sixth Division."

"Sixth Division?" Oliver asked with a note of confusion in his voice.

"Stewart will provide more detailed information later," Wiz assured him. "Don't worry—you’re not being transferred or demoted. This will be a specialized mission that requires unique skills and precise control."

"Yes, sir." Oliver didn't know what else to ask or argue. At the end of the day, he was just relieved they hadn't discovered he was the Green Ranger.

"You'll have one week to settle any pending affairs," Stewart added. "During your training and mission, you won't have external contact. I don't need to tell you that this mission is classified and shouldn't be discussed with anyone."

"Understood, sir," Oliver replied firmly. He didn't doubt there might be some boon or technology capable of discerning truths from lies, and just because they weren't using it now didn't mean they wouldn't in the future. Therefore, he wasn't about to start breaking the rules without a good reason. To anyone else, he would simply be going on a research mission that would make communication tough.

As he stood to leave, Stewart slid a metallic card across the table toward him. "You'll need this," the general said.

Oliver picked up the card and examined it.

| Training Camp

| Teleport Code: MJH881

He spent a moment staring at the metallic card, uncertain about the meaning of both phrases, but he decided to leave it be. ‘The teleport operator will know what to do with this,’ he thought.

"Report to any teleportation hub at 0600 hours next Monday," Stewart instructed. "Dismissed."

"Yes, sir," Oliver acknowledged, giving a crisp salute before exiting the room.

Finally released from the meeting, he stepped into the corridor. A few officers nodded or greeted him as they passed, but he was too focused on the news to concentrate on anything else. His thoughts swirled with a mix of apprehension and anticipation.

His body moved almost automatically as he navigated the maze of hallways, descending lifts, and bustling lobbies. Before he knew it, he was back at the station, boarding the maglev train that would take him home. The rhythmic hum of the train and the blur of city lights outside the window did little to soothe his restless mind.

"Fucking hell," he muttered under his breath. "I don't get a second of rest."

His muscles ached, a lingering reminder of his recent recovery and the relentless pace he'd been pushing himself. And now, he had only a week to prepare before diving into six months of intensive training with one of the Empire's elite divisions.

‘I only have one week to get everything ready,’ he thought, running a hand through his hair.

The train glided to a halt at his stop. Oliver disembarked, weaving through the evening crowd. He made his way through familiar streets until he reached his house. As soon as he entered, Oliver let out a long exhale, the weight of the day pressing upon him. He walked straight to his sofa, collapsing onto it.

Without much time to rest, Oliver opened the chat interface on his Gauntlet.

Channels

- Exam1Group [4] [Private]

Exam1Group

[OliverKR]: Hey Kath. When will John return?

[KathSaysHi]: Next week. Why?

[OliverKR]: I need to talk to him. It’s urgent, can’t wait until next week.

[KathSaysHi]: Sure, I’ll speak to him.

[OliverKR]: Please tell him it’s about that assignment.

[KathSaysHi]: Oh! Sure.

[AquilaAlan]: Assignment?

[OliverKR]: Long story. I’ll tell you another time.

[OliverKR]: Also! Welcome back to the world of the living!

[AquilaAlan]: Thanks.

[OliverKR]: You should also go to Mars when you get released. It’s AMAZING.

[AquilaAlan]: Sure. May I, Kath?

[KathSaysHi]: Of course.

As soon as he sent the last message, another notification chimed, drawing his attention to a different chat.

Direct Message

- NicoIcon [4 New Messages]

NicoIcon

[NicoIcon]: Hey! Are you still on Earth?

[OliverKR]: I just got home. But was going to Earth anyway.

[NicoIcon]: Great! Let's meet; I’m in New York till the end of the week.

[OliverKR]: Sure, I’ll message you when I arrive.

Closing the chat, Oliver moved swiftly. He headed upstairs to the second floor, grabbed a backpack, and began packing his clothes and uniforms. His movements were methodical yet hurried; time was of the essence. Once he was ready, he ensured the house was secured, locking the doors with his Gauntlet.

‘Only God knows when I'll be back,’ he thought, casting one last look around what should be his home. ‘I only got to use it for like two weeks.’ He turned away, striding toward the spaceport.

From there, he would catch a ship to the nearest colony equipped with a teleportation hub. The memory of his previous voyage surfaced in his mind.

‘Last time, it took almost a whole day,’ Oliver grimaced, the thought of enduring the lengthy journey again less than appealing.

Just as he anticipated, the trip consumed nearly an entire day. The hum of the ship's engines, the endless stretches of star-speckled void outside the viewport, and the sterile corridors all blended into a monotonous passage of time.

When he finally materialized in the heart of New York City, courtesy of the teleportation hub, exhaustion clung to him like a heavy cloak. The city pulsed with energy—hover vehicles weaved between towering skyscrapers, holographic adverts flickered and danced in the air, and crowds of people moved with purpose along the walkways. Yet, despite the profound changes over the last hundred years, there was an undercurrent of familiarity that resonated with him.

‘Some things never truly change,’ he mused, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Thankfully, he had the foresight to reserve a hotel room before leaving Pallas. Navigating through the bustling streets, he finally arrived at the sleek, modern building. Check-in was swift, and soon he was riding the lift to his floor. The doors opened to a quiet hallway, and he found his room at the end—a sanctuary awaiting his weary form.

However, this wasn't the time to indulge in the role of a tourist. There would be no leisurely strolls through Central Park or visits to the latest gallery exhibits. Not yet.

Entering his room, Oliver barely took in the minimalist decor before dropping his bags and collapsing onto the inviting bed. The mattress conformed to his body, relieving some of the tension stored in his muscles.

‘300 credits for a first-class flight and 150 credits for the room. It’s worth every penny.’ At another time, Oliver might have felt sad about the money he had to spend, but being able to rest was worth everything at the moment.

‘Tomorrow, I'll meet with Nico,’ he reminded himself, eyes drifting shut. ‘And then I can head to Mars.’

When Oliver finally awoke, the sun was already streaming through the expansive windows of his hotel room. ‘I really needed that,’ he thought, stretching languidly. ‘Only God knows when I'll have another peaceful night like this.’

Rising from the bed, he gazed out at the panoramic view before him. New York City sprawled beneath. The metropolis seemed intent on touching the heavens now, each new skyscraper piercing higher into the clouds than the last.

Far below, drones zipped along in organized aerial lanes, leaving ephemeral trails of light as they ferried goods across the city. A gentle hum accompanied their flight—a constant buzz like tireless bees tending to a vast, urban hive.

Just beneath his window, the Hudson River shimmered, dotted with floating platforms and automated boats gliding along its surface. In the distance, bridges connected the boroughs—now fortified with solar panels and magnetic tunnels channeling ultra-fast trains. Watching the sleek trains accelerate along their tracks, Oliver was reminded of his scheduled meeting with Nico.

He quickly donned his uniform, adjusting the collar as he checked his reflection. Satisfied, he set out toward the bar where Nico had sent the coordinates. ‘Why do we always meet at a bar?’ Oliver mused, though he knew the answer all too well.

Sure enough, as he entered the bar’s ground floor, he spotted Nico immediately. The man’s straight hair was carelessly cut, strands falling over his eyes as he leaned over the counter, gesturing animatedly for another bottle.

"Come on, Jack! You've known me for years," Nico exclaimed loudly, a familiar camaraderie evident in his tone. "Just one more bottle, and I swear I'll be on my best behavior."

“Fuck you, Nico! You know my name’s not Jack.” The barman screamed back.

"Weren't you supposed to have stopped drinking?" Oliver interjected, approaching the bar with a raised eyebrow.

Nico swiveled around, eyes widening slightly as he recognized his protégé. His expression was a mix of sheepish guilt and defiance—caught red-handed. "Damn," Nico muttered under his breath. "Just my luck."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm just celebrating making it out of Olympus alive. That's gotta be worth something, right?" Nico pointed to the medal pinned to his jacket, the metal gleaming under the ambient lights.

Oliver glanced at the decoration. "Where's yours?" Nico asked.

"Left it at home," Oliver replied. "An officer brought it over, but I haven't had time to look at it."

Nico let out a hearty laugh. "First mission in the field, and you've already got a medal. Only you would think so little of these honors."

Both of them spent some time discussing how things had gone in Olympus, focusing mostly on Nico's participation in two tough defenses.

"I—" Nico began to speak softly, moving closer to Oliver. "I don’t know why they’re pursuing the Green Ranger like this. But without a doubt, we wouldn’t be alive if he hadn’t shown up to stop some of the Titans."

"So, you’re saying he’s not an enemy?" Oliver asked, trying to keep a straight face. But deep down, he wanted to laugh at the idea of talking about himself in the third person.

"In a war, it’s hard to tell who’s a friend and who’s an enemy. But without him, Half Wall would have fallen for sure," Nico explained.

Oliver nodded in agreement.

"And now? Are you going back to basic training?" Nico asked.

"No. I’ve already been assigned a second mission," Oliver replied.

"Already?!" Nico paused, thinking. "It must be something easy if they’re not even giving you time between missions."

"Hey! My first mission was supposed to be easy," Oliver defended himself. "I’ll have time to train, but it’ll be focused on the mission."

"What’s it about?" Nico asked.

"I can’t say," Oliver responded.

Nico studied Oliver’s face and understood it was something highly classified.

"One of those missions, huh? What a pain," Nico said.

"And you? Have you been assigned to a new location?" Oliver asked, curious about Olympus’s situation.

"Not yet. But I don’t think it’ll be in Olympus. The Tenth Wave is in a deadlock," Nico explained. "Maybe I’ll train some of the Dardanus."

"Speaking of which, how did you stop being a Nameless?"

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