Chapter 1. Take-off
Disclaimer: I'm not the owner of RSTC,it's Sony and Co. Butall non - Roughnecks characters are mine!
The day of the departure has finally come. Everything was ready for the take-off at Honolulu-Diamond Head Space Port. Sierra squad, the medics and the air traffic coordinators were waiting for take-off. The last recuperation tank was put in it's place in the cargo space of the transport ship. They brought 3 tanks with them, which will be set up at the Dark-Side Base. Everybody called the secret place the Dark-Side Base, 'cos nobody knew the base's real name. But there was a hint that it was called Cassiopeia, after the famous constellation of the cloudless night sky.
They were wainting for the Intel delegation, which was late as usual.
- Ten minutes 'til take-off and that Intel bunch is nowhere near! – fumed Major Joanna Garret, the first pilot.
- Major, Ma'am, I think they just arrived – added the second pilot, Lt. Tim Carraway.
And so it was, a black base bus pulled up next to the transport ship and the delegates stepped out. 4 people, all dressed in fine black-grey uniforms which had orange insignia. There was a young man, about 20, with them. He was first Lt., tall, thin and pale, unbelievably pale. He had flaxen blonde hair and gorgeous light zapphire-blue eyes. Something about him made the rest shiver.
- He must be the psychic. – wispered Wheeler into Sparco's ear.
- How d'ya know that?
- By the looks. You should take a better look at him.
- You mean the pallor or the eyes?
- Both.
They weren't introdused, just got on board, the doors closed and off they went. It was a half hour long journey – give or take a few minutes. Nothing special happened to them during it. There were just few who conversated, the others sat quietly. Especially the blonde Intel Lt.
- You're not very talkative, am I right? – asked Amy as she sat down beside him. The pale faced young man turned towards her, but said nothing – with his mouth. But in Amy's head, she could hear his soft, quiet voice. It was like a whisper peppered with some tingling it left behind.
Yeah, I rather sit here on my own. But, you can stay.
- Oh, thanks. Anyway, my names Amy Bredston. Who are you?
- Bredston? That Amy Bredston who I brought back from coma?
- Yes! I guess it means you're Carl Jenkins.
- Exactly.
- You're the man of short answers, aren't ya?
- Has anybody ever told you, you're annoying? – he asked rather offensively.
- Come, joine the „I-think-Pvt.Bredston's-annoying" Club! Here's my card, just call me, if you wanna share, how much ya hate me! – she said bitterly and gave Carl an actual card, with her data on it.
- Leave me alone! – Carl murmured.
- 'Kay, but take the card, who knows, it can be useful after all. – Carl gave her a cold stare but she gazed back, like she didn't even recognised that Carl was trying to attack her.
- Strange. – Jenkins said quitely.
- What d'ya mean by this?
- You're not scarred of me at all. You don't even bother that I'm inside your head.
- You were? Than would you please get out!
- Since you asked me so nicely. – a fast smile appeared on his face, then faded.
- Thanks a zillion times, not that it scares me or something.
- Yeah, I know, it doesn't scare you at all. But I don't wanna hurt you or cause any damage. Besides, I don't like trespassing.
- Um…Can I have one more question before I leave?
- Yes?
- D'ya happen to know the name of the base we're heading to?
- It's Cassiopeia.
- Nice name. Are there any mutants?
- You said one. But what mutants? Why should there be any?
- It was just gossip. One of my teammates came out with that a few days ago.
- Oh, you troopers have so much time to chat.
- You used to be a trooper too.
- But that was ages ago and I was never interested in gossip.
- Since you already knew what they thought.
- Well, the advantages of being a psychic…
Just then Maj. Garret's voice broke theire conversation:
- Fasten your seatbelts and hold on, we're landing in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… - What a landing it was! It seemed as if they just crushed into the Moon's surface and slided into a crater. Though they had theire seatbelts on they fell on top of eachother.
- Now wasn't that a hard hit? He-he, sorry, I forgot about a little crater. I certainly hope everybody has his/her feet and hands in place.
- Ha-ha, I laugh myself to death! You call THAT a landing?!No wonder that when somebody mentiones Maj. Garret's name at HQ everybody runs for cover. To be exect, just how many ships did you brake since this damn war began, Garret?
- About 10, to be honest Colonel. – she replied via comm-link to Intel Col. Feders' question.
We've landed! Amy opened her eyes only to gaze into a pair of blue zapphires. Then she realised she was lying on top of Carl Jenkins. The psychic grinned at her as she stood up, blushing.
- I'm so sorry, are ya OK?
- I'm fine. – he said as he stood up. He ran his slender fingers through his flaxen blonde hair and put on his visor cap.
The people got out of the vehicle. After a few minutes the cargo followed them. By the time the Les Parisiennes squad arrived.
- Whoa! You must had a hard hit here Sam. – said Lt. De Gaulle, the CO of the Parisiennes, with a lot of French accent.
- Sure we had Pierre, anyway it's good to see you.
- Ui. But we're here to leave. It was a tough 2 months here, yet, we must get back to the ruins of Paris. – he said with pain in his voice.
An hour later the Les Parisiennes Squad was on it's way back to Earth. But Maj. Garret and Lt. Carraway would return in two hours.