It was a warm morning, I had just got off the phone to Jannie and was feeling good about the next few days. It was Ambers birthday soon and for a change I was not on duty. Since being released from prison our schedule had been full with missing Commanders, corrupt officals and terrorists but they were a stroll in the park compared to thirty seven year olds at a birthday party. My bag was packed, for this mission I was travelling light, a couple of changes of clothes, sunglasses, wash items and a pair of shoes. Once I landed in Orlando my plan was to book in and then maybe do some shopping for Amber's presents. Tibbs was planning to visit some friends in town and try to re-establish his network of contacts. It seemed that since he had been away somebody had moved in on his turf, then again should mow your lawn regularly or the weeds start coming through and the grass becomes unkempt.
That was it everything done except sign everyones leave passes. Sitting at my desk pen poised and theres a knock on the door.
Enter
The door swung open quietly and Lt. Wallace strolled in,
Sir, Commander Millen requests you report for briefing at 0900 hours.
I don't believe this, Millen knows this was out first respite for eight months, but yet again he's going to pull another impossible mission from the bag.
Sir?
Wallace was still standing there, waiting, he had proberly read the reply from my silence but would be uneasy about passing that message back. Wallace had been transfered here after his unit had been wiped out by an unknown xenomorph in 75. The 58th were a crack anti-terrorist unit but something had killed them all in minutes. Since then Wallace had been with us but I still knew nothing of him, he was to the regs all the time. The men found him hard to follow, but you could count on him battle and to carry out orders to the letter.
Ok, inform Commander Millen I'LL be there. Better round up the men. Be easy on them as we were all hoping for a rest.
Wallace closed the door as he left, my travel bag was behind the door, a ticket for Earth poking from the side pocket. Checking my watch I had 10 minutes to change and be at the commanders office on the otherside of the base.
Millens Adjutant sat behind his small desk, a name plaque read Major John Smith, he looked up briefly then across to the wall clock. His eyesbrows furrowed as he noted my tardiness. I knew I was late but apologising would not help matters and besides they called me here at a minutes notice, so they could wait until I was ready and presentable. He tapped away on the personal computer sat to his right then looked up to me standing at attention in front of his desk.
Commander Millen and company are waiting for you Captain, Go on through.
I made my way across to the two large oak doors, on the left door read Base Commander Geoffery Millen. The brass handle twisted and I walkied in. The room was filled with smoke and smelt of cologne and coffee. Commander Millen sat behind his large oak desk. Unusually Millen was laying back in the brown leather chair his elbows resting on the arms, his finger tips pressed together as he concentrated on a computer screen embedded into the desk top. Two suits were standing behind a sofa with two more sitting drinking coffee. The two sitting looked uneasy while the others just stood with their fingers interlocked resting below their stomachs.
Captain,
He paused, looked back towards his screen and up to me again.
Captain, a situation has arisen on Areodyne that requires the urgent attention of a team of your calibre. We don't get many of these missions, but talks and all other avenues have collapsed. We want you to recapture the Corporate buildings at these co-ordinates.
He offered a plain brown folder to me, on the front read 'MISSON 2179-88975 TOP SECRET'. Inside, three pieces of paper were clipped to the back of the folder. The first was the details of the operation, the second and third was a requistion for armaments and supplies. The list was long and impressive, we were to acquire enough arms and support to start a war. Checking the orders again the mission details were sketchy. Terrorists held a corporate property belonging to Nova Systems at 26245-55592 on Areodyne, they needed to be evicted so the owning corporate could takeover again. Structrual damage was to be minimal. The building was to be held until corporate security forces took over.
Holding the folder upside down no other bits of paper fell out.
Info is a bit brief for this type of mission Sir! Are you going to fill the missing bits in for me or do I have to guess.
To my left feet shuffled as if transfering weight from foot to foot, but no offers of information was forthcoming. Millen stared at the screen in front of him his finger tips pressed together once again and tapping his upper lip. He finally rested his hands on the arms of his chair.
Captain, you are to use whatever force you deem nessaccary to recapture this building and hand it over to the security forces.
I understand that Sir, but whose security forces, who are the terrorists, what do they want, why this corporation and who are they?
I indicated to suits sitting down. Millen looked to them but their coffee cups had now been replaced by cigerettes and the room was beginning to fill once more with smoke. Their expressions were passive.