Hello!
I'll make this short since this is a bit of a long chapter. Thank you again for reading and if you feel inclined please leave me a review/comment to let me know how you're doing.
Enjoy!
~Asukanerv002
For two days the Commander has kept her distance from Central. There have been no glances, no longing looks or even playful little banter between the two of them. Everything has been to protocol. The crew has even started to feel the tension between the two, with the return of the gruffer CO.
While she has steered clear of being left alone with him, she has kept track of his whereabouts at all times. She is sure Lieutenant Petrak is starting to believe that she doesn't know how to use the actual comm system at this point with her constant check-ins for Central's location. She knew he had spent most of his day while they were at HQ with Crawley and Delta Squad. Reviewing the installation data and then on the firing range for a little target practice.
Most of her day is spent on the bridge alongside him, during Operations Glass Shard and Crying Monk. Both Delta and Gamma Squads had exceptional performances which meant there was no reason to backfill for Golden Phoenix that evening. The drop was scheduled for 2200 hours, lift off at 2130.
The Commander makes her way down to Engineering to discuss with Shen some of Tygan's recent requests. It is something she would normally leave until morning, but it is a distraction from her current nerves. On her walk she runs into Crawley and Texas who are heading to the mess for something to eat.
"Good Evening Commander," Crawley says in his crisp British accent, while Texas gives her his ceremonial Ma'am. Both soldiers seem in good spirits after the days maneuvers. The gunner is overly anxious for the festivities that evening; explaining to her that the resistance was aiming to put on a good show tonight.
"Gonna be like the Fourth of July Ma'am, just need a couple of brewskis and we could kick back and watch the rockets." She can't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "007 might even like to join in." He says turning to the officer. "No hard feeling about losing that one, eh?" The Captain looks less amused by his colorful companion's assessment of the evening's upcoming events than the redcoats losing to the rebels of the country he calls home just now.
"Please don't let me keep you Captain," she tells the officer as she asks if she can speak with Texas for a moment. The Commander doesn't know exactly what she is going to ask the Lieutenant, but she knows she is standing extremely close to the breech.
"Need a little target practice, Commander?" He asks as the Captain steps out of earshot. "Hate to say I don't think I have the time today. Boss has us pretty busy - balls to the wall, if you know what I mean." He gives her a sheepish grin.
She nods in agreement, "Probably would have been a good idea today, but I can see what you mean about the time table."
"Should have joined us yesterday with the CO," he says. "I know he's a bridge man, but he's solid, Ma'am. I wish he was around more often. You need to see him swing that blade. Damn, I swear he almost took off 007's head in sparring. For an old guy he is seriously bad-ASS!" He says giving a loud hearty laugh.
"Texas, you do realize I'm two years older than Central?" She asks him.
"Well, Commander may I say that the CO certainly got the short end of that stick." He says politely.
She smiles. Perhaps that is all she needs to hear-that Central will be okay. She has never been around when he has had to put boots down; to her he has always been a bridge man as Texas called him. "Thank you Lieutenant. Why don't you go catch up with Crawley and get some grub."
"Yes, Ma'am - and you're welcome, though hell if I know what I did." She watches him head off and then looks at her watch. There is still a couple of hours before the squad would assemble in the hanger. She knows Bradford is in his quarters at last check. She can go and put things right between them, but what did that mean? The Commander didn't know herself and she didn't want to disturb any mental preparation he was going through. She has been around troops long enough to know that you didn't mess with that kind of mojo.
While her conversation with Texas had calmed her she still didn't eat anything for dinner before heading to the bridge. The Commander would be running the op with Lieutenant Banks and Captain Zhang as her tactical support. Central made his feelings clear that this was overkill pure and simple - only he didn't say it himself. He gives Banks the pleasure of telling the Commander, while he steps on to the Skyranger
As Firebrand lifts off the Avenger, Bradford feels the familiar shake of the aircraft through his body. There is an exhilaration stepping on a bird for a mission, he can feel it in his blood as he sits there. He looks down at the cargo hold to the team. He is in the last jump seat across from Najjar. The hull is devoid of any of the usual Delta squad chatter and trash talk this evening. He would have welcomed Texas's idle banter with his teammates, but he knows the quiet is partly due to his presence on the mission. The noise would have kept him grounded in the moment and limit him from thinking about the Commander.
Bradford had little to worry about on this run. Operation Golden Phoenix would be led by Captain Crawley this evening. While Central is the senior officer on board, he insists that Crawley take point on the mission. Delta is his team and regardless of rank he knows the squad better than anyone.
He lets his mind wander to the bridge. A large part of him is happy to be here, but then again it's because he's here things have become strained between him and the Commander. The last two days have been difficult to say the least. Working side by side in silence or only with polite courtesies is wearing on him. It's something he knows he will have to deal with when he gets back, whether he likes the outcome or not.
Banks runs a final comm check on Firebrand's approach to the dropsite and then the Commander's voice comes down the line loud and clear. "Captain, local resistance is in place. Once you hit the outer perimeter of the creek they will detonate the charges on Avenger's mark." Bradford listens to her voice, thinking how she must look standing on the bridge. He last saw her heading to the hangar after Operation Crying Monk. He hadn't accompanied her to greet Gamma on their return. They hadn't stolen a moment in the lift like they had so often been known to do. He missed her body pressing him against the cold metal of the wall.
Crawley acknowledges.
Central thinks about the last time he put boots down, it was for Operation High Tower. He hadn't been with Gate Crasher when they dropped in, but he had been on the ground. He had supplied their diversion that night, before joining them at the facility. He was the only one that would have known if the intel was any good. He hopes tonight his instincts serve him just as well.
Once on the ground he knows every inch of the terrain. Harken and his people have seen to that. They supplied detailed maps and photographs of the area leading up the Creek. It allows Delta to move quickly from the drop zone to the tree line. The team sits at the edge of a small clearing just in the shadows. From there they can see the soft glow of the red perimeter barricades that line the facility. The run from their position to cover is nothing to worry about with no moon light from above, they will be in complete darkness. The Captain relays their location to the Avenger and the team waits for confirmation of Harken's diversion. It doesn't take long. There is a loud explosion to the west of their position. They can see the sky light up over the trees in that direction. "Damn fine work!" Texas says over the comm as they crouch watching the lights.
Central watches the building carefully. There is no movement. Maybe ADVENT was wise to Harken's ruse. He starts to worry when they see their first signs of activity. Several troopers and officers race from the building to vehicles that line the road leading up to the Creek. From his count it pulls about a dozen bodies away; which makes him wonder just what they are keeping in there that they can send that amount of troops and still keep the location locked down.
The team moves quickly across the field. As they do, Crawley points out the two turrets located on the upper two levels of the facility. They would remain idle as long as they stayed out of range. The one to the left will need to be dealt with before an attempt can be made on the door, but that isn't the first thing they have to deal with.
To the left of the door the troopers had exited they can see the distinct glow of a CODEX. It's flickering image casts light on two larger figures looming nearby. "Mutons." Hack whispers, "Ugh."
"No time for love - Digital or otherwise," Texas tells him.
"Dude - you're just sick!"
"Gentlemen - let's keep the comm somewhat clear tonight," the Commander tells them. Bradford can't help but smile. Banks is going to have his hands full on the bridge tonight if she is starting out this way.
Crawley takes his time moving the team into position. Group too close together and the CODEX can trap them in that vortex thing they had seen before; disabling their weapons and leaving them sitting ducks for the Mutons. The Captain lets the team know that High Castle will take the first shot at the CODEX, revealing their position. If she isn't able to take down the creature with one shot, he reminds them that it will split and leave them with an additional target.
The Commander stands beside Banks and Zhang watching the monitors. "Remember to watch your flanks, that thing can teleport anywhere," she says to the team. The monitors before her show each of the six body cams and the vitals of each squad member. She makes a conscious effort not to focus on the names, but rather take in the bigger picture. She can see the sharpshooter moving her rifle into position. The round pierces the Alien and that recognizable high pitched screech is heard over the comm. It flashes and seems to dissipate and then the light strengthens.
"Nein!" High Castle says bitterly over the comm and then there is a flash seen to the right of one of the soldier's body cams. Zhang points to the second screen, it's Bradford's.
The cloned CODEX materializes between him and Hack. Central seems to move before the shape takes full form next to him. Pulling his Fusion Blade from his back he lashes across the beam of light through what appears to be the creature's torso. Again the squad hears the scream before the being disappears from view, leaving a faint twinkling glow by Central's boots.
The Commander realizes she has stopped breathing in that moment. She glances to the two officers by her side and slowly exhales as Bradford reports the kill and resets for engagement. She hears Texas bellow, "What did I tell ya Commander - BAD-ASS!" The Commander smiles as her tactical advisors look at her laughing.
Crawley doesn't stand on ceremony and takes down the original CODEX, leaving another metal brain in his wake. When the Texan gets over his awe of the CO, he decides to show off a little taking to shredding one of the Muton's armor. While his overwhelming fire power does wound the beast, the plating holds. "Why don't we have that stuff?" He complains as he readjusts his aim. Hack snickers as he and Najjar concentrate their efforts on the second alien causing it to fall to one knee. The creature still manages to remain upright through the simultaneous assault.
Both Mutons struggle slightly to focus their weapons on the squad. The second manages to fire off a round in Hack's direction, which goes wild and ricochets off the building. Crawley reloads the chamber of his shotgun and aims, shooting the knee out from under the muton before it takes a second shot. The other moves for cover, rather than engaging them; he hunkers down waiting for their movement, in hopes of catching one of them out.
High Castle has been waiting for the quiet in the storm, lets the alien settle in before firing a single round into his head. "Boom!" She says in her dry tone. The squad can hear the smile on her lips.
"Damn High Castle you are... bÖse (evil)!" Texas says mutilating the German word he has learned.
"Let's get moving people. I think we would all like this day to end." The Commander tells them, but leaves off she would also like them all back on the Avenger safe and sound - most of all Central. "Remember that turret."
She doesn't actually get to finish the second part of her sentence before the American gunner sets his stance and leans back raising his cannon up to destroy the mechanized weapon. The bridge watches as sparks rain down on the squad from above. "Done. Commander."
With the path to the door clear, they approach. "Entering the facility Avenger," Crawley reports. Hack opens the door on the Captain's nod. Before the doors are fully open they see movement. A third Muton rushes towards the opening.
"They're growing these things like weeds," Texas tells the crew as Hack opens fire on the lumbering beast. The heaving muscular figure stops, standing over the crouching specialist. He looks like a small child next to it.
"Hey!" He says looking up and speaking to the ugly monster before glancing at his teammates. "Little help here?" There is a sound behind the creature and it turns its body to look in that direction since it's not capable of simply turning its head. Central steps up just inside the doorway and fires at the creature dropping it to the floor. Hack rushes to get out of the way of hundreds of pounds of smelly Muton falling towards him. Looking up from the ground at the CO, he says, "Thanks Sir."
"Incoming!" Najjar yells. Bradford turns to see a Lancer who has started to approach from the left. She fires striking him, but only grazes him. Pulling out his tazing lance he strikes the tall blonde gunner in the kidneys. Texas' body shakes as the voltage hits him. Quickly High Castle comes to his aid, pulling her pistol from her holster. She steps up to the Lancer placing it to his head and fires. There is silence except for the chattering of the gunner's teeth.
Najjar goes to check him, but he waves her off. "That was nothing Doc! Had worse wiring my Ma's house."
The Commander shakes her head and opens the comm link, "Scans show a strong energy source just up ahead.
The readings are coming from a locked room. Sargent Pak slips to the front of the line with 7-ZRK-7 and sets to work. The lock wasn't very complicated and begins to wonder why they even bothered at all when the second lock drops on the door.
"You trying to get that CODEX-Chick's number or are you openin' the damn door?" Texas asks from his cover.
Hack takes a moment to give him the finger and then opens his comm, "Avenger we have a secondary lock. Whatever is in there they don't want it opened." He reports.
Banks opens a comm to engineering asking Shen if she can remote into assist. "Sergeant, open your link to Avenger. The Chief will provide support," the Commander advises.
Shen's uplink to 7-ZRK-7 allows her simultaneous access to the system as Hack continues to make his failed attempts to bypass the safeguards. "I believe they are using a multiple verification process. Is there a scanning pad or something?" Shen asks.
"Yeah, but I was able to circumvent that in the first system," Pak tells her.
"I think we need to circle back to it. It looks like they're looking for an organic signature as well as a digital one Sergeant," she says.
"One of the guards?" Crawley asks.
"I don't think so. They wanted this thing locked up tight. Based off what I'm seeing we're looking at someone with specific DNA markers here or a high level authorization here."
"Let me just blow it!" Texas says getting antsy.
"Commander?" At this point Crawley doesn't know what course of action he should take. Allowing Texas to blast the door could damage whatever is on the other side, but the longer they stand here the more likely they'll have incoming.
Banks looks at the Commander. "Scans won't penetrate the walls, so we have no idea what is in there and where it's located in the room."
The Commander is trying to think this through. She agrees with Shen's assessment if they went to this much trouble, they wouldn't simply allow anyone the ability to drag a dead officer to the door for a reading. There was something in what the Chief said. Lance Creek was part of AVATAR in some way - as well as Project Lilith. If they were using DNA markers as a key…
She opens the comm, "Central?"
The CO turns his head to face Najjar's body cam. He looks into it as he places his hand against his ear. "Yes, Commander?"
She has a strong feeling she's going to be apologizing to him again. "Would you please?" He glances at the door and then back to camera. She sees him smirk at her. Damn him she thinks.
He understands immediately what she is asking, but doesn't believe for a moment that it will ever work. Walking up to the door he pulls off his glove and places his hand against the flat metal surface. The scanner lights up and then the door slowly opens. On Crawley's body cam she can see him shake his head in disbelief.
"We're in, Avenger," Pak reports in complete astonishment.
Central starts to move back to his original position to allow Crawley to peer into the room first. The Captain reaches back and stops him before he gets too far. They walk into the room together. It appears to be a lab. To the left is a large window which looks into another room. Inside they can see a bed, a desk and a chair. It's sparse, but livable. Perhaps for a scientist who was assigned here Central thinks. Crawley calls up Najjar, while the others set for overwatch.
As she enters the room, Central steps up to her. "Collect anything you can find - samples, files, anything." She nods and starts to look at the storage units on the right side of the room. "Hack, can you download any digital files?"
"Getting it done, Sir."
Crawley taps on the glass from the other room. "Two way mirror," he reports. Bradford frowns, which means it was for observation. But of what?
"Commander, there is a fake wall." Pak advises. Central turns in his direction. The sergeant points straight ahead to the wall in front of the CO. Bradford walks over to it and taps on it - there is a hollow sound to it.
"How do we open it?" The Commander asks.
"Looks like there is another panel - waist high just to the right of the seam in the wall," he tells Central.
Central walks up to the spot and places his hand about where Hack has described. He looks back and the specialist shakes his head. Placing his hand against the wall he sees the warm glowing light again and the wall slides aside to reveal a containment unit that looks like the one he found the Commander in. Reaching up he pulls the lever. The doors part. "Are you seeing this?" He asks the bridge. Before him is another statis suit, identical to the one they found the Commander and the one at the forge with one exception. This one is smaller - childlike. He feels his heart catch in his chest.
"Give me a second I can -" Hack begins and once again without thinking Bradford takes the butt of his rifle and breaks the glass just like he did with the Commander.
"Don't even bother, sergeant." Shen says as she hears the strike.
Bradford reaches up and lifts the small body out of the unit and places it on the floor. He bends down and carefully lifts it up and over his shoulder.
"I hear company!" Texas yells forward to them.
Crawley and Najjar converge on Central and the three nod that they are ready to move. Bradford mouths something to the Captain before moving to the door. "Fastest way to the roof?" The CO asks Pak. The Korean solider glances at his data pad and then disengages it, cutting to the left taking the squad to a back staircase to the second floor. High Castle and Hack take point, with Central and Najjar following close behind.
"Commander, we have an incoming drop team," Zhang reports. "They're looking at the very least three additional to the six Harken said took off from the Basin. He said he was able to slow a few more down."
She takes a deep breath, "You heard the man, boys and girls. We need you out of there." On the cameras she sees Crawley and Texas catch up to the squad. The Captain races to the ladder and climbs quickly. Opening the panel quietly he peers out onto the roof. Slipping over the edge and staying low he crouches behind a cooling unit. He makes a clicking sound and Hack comes through the opening, followed by the German. There is a sudden sound of movement across the roof. Crawley makes a hand signal on his body cam.
"Najjar - hold position. We have movement above," the Commander tells her and the medic stops her ascent. "Hack shift to your right. High Castle to the left." She tells them. They make the adjustments and she sees Hack raise three fingers up to his cam. "We got three."
"Avenger- we have movement inside," Central reports. Jackal climbs quietly back down and prepares for contact. With Najjar off the ladder, Central advises, "Crawley handing off the package to you." Bradford places the body between him and the ladder, hanging the arms over his he climbs. At the top he slips it gently out and lays it on the roof next to the Captain's feet. He then slides down the ladder and turns to face the oncoming hostiles. The Commander hears him say "overwatch."
Six possible incoming inside, the Commander thinks. In that tight space the squad could be taken out by a carefully placed…"Central, Najjar, Texas - discharge grenades. Take out those stairs. She tells them quickly. "Captain, set to engage on their mark."
Central saw what she was doing. It wasn't what he would have advised, but it would do in a pinch. He thought he could hear a bit of panic in her voice. Nothing anyone else would be able to detect. The three of them pull their pins and move back to the ladders as they toss them at the same time. They hear them clink down the stairs and a scream from an ADVENT Officer as they detonate.
Above them they hear gunfire break out. Texas rushes up the rungs to join the rest of Delta, not wanting to be left out. The bridge can see the hall filling with smoke from below. Central pushes Najjar to the ladder telling her to keep low. She crawls out crouching beside Crawley, pulling the package closer to cover.
"Evac flare," Crawley tells her and she pulls one from her hip. Activating it she tosses the flare on the other side of the hatch. As she does so she hears movement from below.
Central's camera is enveloped in smoke. They can hear him coughing on the line. The Commander opens the comm, "Central will you move your ass!" She tells him. As he starts to climb, they hear the distinct sound of a laser beam on his comm. Swinging his rifle around he fires into the smoke.
"FireBrand in 30 seconds," Banks advises. The squad can hear the sounds of the skyranger's engines as it comes over the tree line from the east. The three hostiles on the rooftop were down to one-a single officer under full cover. As their ride comes into view, High Castle fires off a lightning round from her pistol killing the ADVENT hostile as he peers up at the hovering ship.
There is a sudden sound of hydraulics as the remaining turret engages; firing a series of rounds at the skyranger. The pilot jerks the stick and pulls up circling wide.
"Sorry about that. Little housekeeping," Texas says as he shoots a rocket at the turret. While it severely damages the machine, it is still clearly operational.
"Crawley, Firebrand reports hostiles making their way up the north face of the building. We need that turret down now." The Commander says, still keeping an eye on Bradford's monitor. "And Captain, you're still a man down. Would you please retrieve my CO."
"Concentrated fire," Crawley orders as he moves to the hatch.
Bradford has moved back down the ladder when the gunfire erupts behind him. Taking cover around the hall corner he tries to control his coughing. Keeping quiet. He could hear footsteps approaching, positive there is only one from the sounds. He could hear the Commander in his ear telling Crawley to find him as the figure steps beside him. He swings his blade out slicing through the sectoid's upper torso. Bradford hears the shots above him again and then, "Sir?" Looking up he sees Crawley reaching down through the hatch offering him a hand up.
He moves for the ladder and climbs, grasping the Captain's arm. As he is pulled up into the fresh night air he breathes in deeply. "Skies are clear," the officer reports, "and all members accounted for, Commander."
Looking up they see FireBrand's lights and the ropes drop one by one. Central steps to Najjar and picks up the small stasis suit that lays before her as she gets to her feet.
Crawley makes sure his team and package are secure before lifting off himself. He can see the ADVENT troops stepping onto the roof as the skyranger pulls away. Texas hoists the Captain aboard as they clear the trees. "Lieutenant would you?" He says and the gunner gives him a broad smile as he blows the charges they set just before joining the others upstairs.