A few more people asked questions as the planet called Echo became closer. Seems they were just passing time until the first people were asked to drop. The questions were mostly about the Tartarus Project that was mentioned. Aside from repeating what they already talked about they mostly reinforced the point that they would not be separated from the larger military but would rather act as trusted operators. Some were asking why the military saw a need for such a project, to which Commander Eelson answered with the truth.
The Vexical Empire was about to undergo a massive amount of civil unrest. The military and Emperor wanted assurance that there would be a faction or at least a group that would put the peoples safety above all else. So he started the Military Intelligence and Logistics Division who in turn started several projects and operations. But they would not get into it anymore as the ship's orientation began changing and an announcement that they were in position for the Orbital Drop came through the ship's announcing system.
"You heard the captain! Those with Orbital Drop Gear step up to the barrier and prepare to jump." The commander called out.
Jace stepped forward moving to the edge of the atmospheric barrier as he put on the helmet and secured the latches. There was a rush of air as the entire suit became airtight. A moment later dark yellow numbers and lines appeared as the Orbital Drop Helmet's heads up display appeared.
The heads up display had an unset altimeter function and a compass that was not functioning. The altimeter would be automatically set when he jumped and entered the atmosphere assuming the ships or various space stations allowed the suit to properly calibrate with their system. As for the compass, he doubted it would function correctly; this planet was not normal in the slightest bit.
"Now that you are ready, who wants to go first?" Commander Eelson grinned as he looked at the lined up soldiers in Orbital Drop Gear. Excited at the prospect of pushing the first one out. But he blinked in surprise as one of them walked through the atmosphere barrier to the small lip on the outside of the hangar.
Jace looked down at the planet for a moment as his altimeter on his HUD set up, then he jumped. Attached to his front was the survival kit he was provided. While on his back was the container for the parachute he would have to deploy. As he fell he kept his feet downward and stood straight to minimize his surface area.
As he began entering the atmosphere his boots began heating up. His altimeter rapidly decreased as he fell. For the moment there was nothing for him to do so he stood perfectly still. So he instead glanced up just in time to see the others slowly jumping out of the ship after him.
He trained for an orbital suit drop in simulations back at the academy. For the most part he would just let his suit take care of it. The Orbital Drop suit was built to protect and disperse the heat taken on from orbital entry. Less than a minute later the heat from his feet and legs was disappearing as wind resistance picked up.
Jace reoriented himself so he was facing down as he fell towards the dark green section of the planet, or more notably the specific continent that the commander told them they would be dropping on. While he was falling he would pick his specific landing zone.
Even from up here it would normally be difficult. But with his enhanced senses, specifically his sight, he would be able to spot a more open area where there might not be as much in the way of tree canopies. Unfortunately as he looked he realized that not even the cliff faces he could see throughout the continent were safe from these trees. He also realized the continent was not as even or leveled as he hoped. There was the central mountain but there were also walls of rock and ravines running throughout the island. The only safe havens being the solitary river he saw running down from the mountain and a lake he saw on the other end of the island.
He would not know which one was safer to stay near until he landed. So he might as well land at the highest point and get a better view from there. It would also be easier to climb down from the mountain rather than up it. He just had to hope nothing truly nasty was living up there.
As the wind rushed by him he reached back with his right arm and pulled the latch that was on the metal box on his back. His parachute was released and he grunted in pain as the force of him slowing down from the parachute was felt through his entire body. The metal pieces from the protective casing for the parachute fell past him.
The handles fell to his sides as the nylon unraveled. He reached up and grabbed them and then began directing his descent to the large mountain that stood at one end of the river and was overlooking the lake. It was his perfect vantage point to figure out a safe location to hole up on the continent until the week passed.
He glided down slowly until his parachute got caught on a tree. Then he was suddenly thrust back and slammed his back into the tree. Jace groaned in pain for only a moment as he looked around his body until he realized he was not equipped with a knife. He sighed as he realized he was stuck.
So he looked down at the survival kit he was given and opened it. As he rummaged through it he found what he was hoping inside, a combat knife with its sheath. He closed up the rest of the bag so nothing else would fall out when he fell. He unsheathed the knife and cut himself loose.
Jace fell through several branches flinching in pain as he curled up in order to avoid breaking a limb. He grunted in pain as he landed on something hard. He looked around as he pulled himself up. The ground was stone with moss growing on it. The trees were growing from between cracks in the rocks with its roots running over the outside of rocks.
Jace started pulling off the Orbital Drop suit as he used his enhanced hearing to listen for movement. He could hear movement, growling, and other noises in the distance but nothing anywhere closeby.
So he took the moment to remove the excess gear and then opened his survival training kit. Aside from the combat knife with a sheath there were a few other things in the kit. A single bandage roll, an envelope, a single reinforced data tablet, a radio, an extra battery for the radio, the metal wrist band that was mentioned that would track his vitals, and a canteen.
He quickly slapped on the wrist band and it sealed around his wrist and momentarily had a line of blue glowing along the edge. Then he could feel a faint electric current running through it. Seems the technology was built to account for his electric ability.
He then looked at the envelope and opened it up.
[Dear S-Rank Compatibility Soldier,
Your objective to survive is primary in this training exercise. But you have a secondary that is just as important. You are to make sure the rest of the candidates for the Tartarus Project survive the week. You are not to directly interact with the other candidates or S-Ranks until the end of the training exercise.
To help you succeed in this objective we have provided you with a reinforced data tablet that will provide a map with the locations of all the candidates. As well as their vitals, the tablet will automatically beep if one of the candidates is in danger of losing their lives.
Otherwise we provided the barest of essentials for you to survive. By the time you are reading this I am sure you have realized that this planet has very little in the way of fruits and greenery. There are very few herbivore species and the majority predatory carnivores.
Jace sighed as he shook his head and put the envelope back in the bag. He then looked at the Orbital Drop suit he had pulled off and began thinking of ways to use all of the parts. He could use the elastic bands, the reinforced nylon rope, even the parachute fabric would be useful.
Now Jace just had to establish a base of operations. He looked around and then looked up. There were a few birds flying between trees. The trees themselves looked durable enough he could fashion something to live in. He had the water in the canteen for now, but that would only last a day. Jace would also have to find a quick way down to one of those water sources.
Jace figured it would be a long day as he looked up to see the ship slowly lowering from orbital to high altitude. Seems the last of the Orbital Drop candidates had landed or were about to land.