Chapter Seven - Njals Saga *
ON BOARD THE TRANSPORT "ASJIKI"
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"Kolskegg moved quickly and stepped towards him and struck him on the side with his short sword and cut off his leg, and then he said. "Did that hit your leg or not?"
"This is what I get," said Kol, "for not shielding myself" - and he stood for a while on his other leg and looked at the stump.
Kolskegg said, "You don't need to look: it's just as you think - the leg is gone."
Then Kol fell down dead."
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He had had the dream again. He wasn't sure how many times it had been repeating, but he knew for sure that this was the third time he had been jolted out of his sleep - sweating and sick to his stomach. Amy had given him the Njals Saga for Christmas the first year of their marriage. The imagery was obvious. The dream always ended the same way. In the dream, McQueen looked at the stump of his leg, and then fell down to die. What changed was Kolskegg's face and voice. Certainly, the Chig ambassador had played the role at least once, but McQueen remembered that the sword had also been in the hands of Wang. He didn't remember Vansen or Phousse coming after him, but he was fearful that they would probably show up soon enough. "That's what I get for not shielding myself. Of letting down my guard and feeling some sort of personal connection with these people."
McQueen had been careful. Careful to keep his distance. Never letting himself get too close. The aloofness between McQueen and the 127th was, he would even admit, partly of his own making. That aloofness was part of the reason that, as difficult as it had been, he had been able to move forward after the 127th had been wiped out. He had guarded himself against it and it had still happened. He had formed emotional bonds. "God, what if they haunt my dreams like Port Risken. That's not how I want to remember them. Oh God." This last time the Viking, Kolskegg, had changed from a Chig into his ex-wife, Amy. It was horrifying to him.
McQueen had never been able to decide which was worse - heaving your guts out, or having the dry heaves.
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The debriefings were to continue aboard the transport vessel Asjiki. In fact, it was here where Intelligence expected the biggest breakthroughs. Two days of total concentration on the Hostages.
The Asjiki was a multipurpose modular vessel large enough to carry a full company with all their gear. She was configured for this trip as a hospital transport. The medical ward modules provided spaces that kept the former hostages in small groups for their comfort and mutual security, but allowed continual surveillance by Intelligence personnel. Her Isolation Room modules, with their windows to anterooms and corridors, provided excellent interrogation spaces, but a physical space that, again, the survivors would not find too intimidating. The windows offering a feeling of openness and the absence of confinement. Hot food cooked in a real galley. Hot showers. All in all, Howard had been pleased with the set up - thrown together as it was.
Aerotech and The Spooks had gotten first shot at the group on the Nightingale, and now had to cool their heels while what Howard thought of as "The Professionals" took over. Patience and timing was how the game should be played particularly where civilians were concerned. The 'competition' had been too eager, and hadn't even bothered to question why Marine and Naval Intelligence had let them move ahead. They had jumped the gun. "No, now is the time," thought Howard. "This is where we separate the wheat from the chaff, and hopefully where I find a few real gems."
Howard watched Kylen through the anteroom window. This one he hoped would be a real find - a gem. He had been getting and continued to get reports from 'The Keepers'. A few of the survivors looked very promising. He had already met the prospect in front of him and he had great hopes. There was only the merest possibility that any of them would show any signs of Stockholm Syndrome. Their captors had been too different to really identify with. No, it was a matter of gaining trust, and being able to grasp unto the little things. Interrogating these people would be a very different matter than dealing with military personnel. The survivors didn't know that they knew things.
Howard decided that he wanted to handle this one himself. He liked to keep his skills sharp, but truth be told, Kylen had intrigued him. He had actually been looking forward to this. This one was just waiting for the right person.
Kylen was sitting in the chair relaxed, composed, self-contained - hair still damp from her morning shower. She had repositioned her chair to face the door, and allowing herself to see the clock on the wall. "Confident enough to rearrange the furniture, but still watching her six. Interesting young woman," thought Howard. He pushed the door to the isolation (now interview) room open with his elbow, careful not to spill his offering of two cups of hot coffee. He noticed that she didn't jump at the sound only shifted her gaze. Aware and awake. She did not get up to help him. They weren't on the same team yet.
Howard pushed through the door into the room. "Good morning Ms. Celina. I've taken the liberty of bringing some coffee. How do you take it?" He put the heavy mugs on the table and drew sugar, creamer, and stir sticks out of his pocket. Kylen didn't answer his question and she didn't say thank you, but started fixing her coffee with creamer and two sugars. Without thinking, Kylen was still acting in survivor mode. She had used to prefer her coffee and tea black, but she now tried to add calories and energy whenever she could. She looked for ways to get them as a matter of course. Kylen made a face of dissatisfaction when she took her first sip.
"Not to you liking?" Howard asked.
Kylen considered her situation. This man was nominally in charge. It was better to be on his good side - at least for now. She didn't know how far to trust him, but she would answer him truthfully whenever she could.
"I used to drink it black, but.... Well,... We wanted calories... We never knew.... We... We wanted calories...even bad calories." Her attempted explanation sputtered out.
Howard decided not to jump on the food issue. In reality, they didn't appear to be starving. It had been an issue, clearly, but he would let her bring it up at her own level of importance not his.
Kylen spoke softly. "Major Howard, before we get started, may I ask you a few questions?"
"Certainly, Ms Celina." This surprised Howard - only in that most people waited until the end of the first interview or the second to ask their questions. "She may be single minded. She's gutsy and probably can be very willful and stubborn if I don't give her the respect she wants."
"Major Howard, why haven't you told us anything about this war? When do you intend to tell us?" She was very careful to keep her tones even and non-confrontational - her body language neutral. Howard could, nonetheless, sense her hostility.
"Miss Celina let me ask you: Why do you think we would not tell you these things?"
Kylen sighed heavily. She really did not want to play the 'Think-Things-Out-For-Yourself' game. Howard read her exasperation in the sigh, and felt the need to head this off.
"I sounded like your Mother, didn't I?" he asked with a weak chuckle. "I'm really not attempting to cloud the issue, but if I can gain some understanding of how you think...how you process information.... Well, it just makes my job easier." He saw that she accepted the logic.
Kylen conceded the point. "I think that you probably aren't telling us anything so that we don't become distracted. So that what we have to tell you doesn't get buried in other concerns and fears. How am I doing?"
Howard was greatly pleased. "You are right on the money. There will be a series of current history seminars for you after we get back to Earth."
"Which brings me to my second question, Major. A private told me that our families are being brought to us...Not, I noted, that we would be going home to see them. What is that about?"
It was a bitter truth, but Howard thought it would be the best medicine. "Ms Celina, the unhappy truth about people in your situation - hostages, survivors of terrorist activities and disasters, even rescue personnel - is that there is a high level of residual emotional fallout. Personality changes, emotional distress, depression. Post traumatic stress disorder is very common, and there is a high risk of suicide after the fact." He saw no overt reaction from her after this remark except for a remarkable stillness in her face and body. "Good, she is able to mask her reactions to a large extent she would only need a little schooling." "We want to avoid that in this case. So we are going to briefly - and I stress briefly, probably only a few days - We are going to briefly sequester your group and select family members. During this time your debriefings will continue, you will be brought up to date and everyone will be assigned a case worker and counselor "
However unpleasant this information was it, unfortunately, made sense to Kylen. She fell back on an attempt at irony to easy the tension.
"I suppose it's too much to hope for sunshine and a beach?" she countered.
"Yes, I'm afraid it is." Howard chuckled again. "We have commandeered The Clinic at The Greenbrier. We can control it, and it is close enough to Washington and New York for the Brass and UN big wigs who will probably want to visit."
"Not to mention bunkers and bomb shelters," she added.
"As I said, we can control it. The Greenbrier was actually used for a similar purpose as far back as World War Two. There is the medical clinic, not to mention a spa, the Mineral Baths, recreational activities and masseuses. And they have a remarkable kitchen for your caloric concerns." He gently teased. He watched her process this information.
"I'm not sure that was such a hot idea," she said.
Howard was flabbergasted. The Greenbrier was a five star resort. He couldn't afford a weekend there.
"The Mineral baths? - White Sulphur Springs?" she continued. "Have you ever smelled those Bugs...up close?" she challenged. Howard hadn't, and he was a little chastened to realize that, no matter what she didn't know about the war, Kylen had seen the enemy face to face. In their brilliant way, the government had neglected to account for the fact that the Chigs gave off a distinct sulfurous odor - in fact just like the mineral baths. It was an embarrassment. He said the only thing he could think of.
"The baths are at the other end of the Resort. You don't have to go there." Howard watched as Kylen considered this.
"Major Howard, how is Colonel McQueen?" The shift was sudden. A caution light went off in Howard's brain. "Could she be too mercurial? Or does she just have that gift, usually particular to women, of keeping several things in complete focus at the same time?" His wife could do it. Hell, he had even seen his four-year-old daughter do it. He accepted it as a fact but it always vaguely astonished him. He noted too that she was sure that he would know the answer to her question about Colonel McQueen. She was quick on the uptake. Howard decided to answer completely. Kylen would eventually find out if he lied. She wasn't technically a prisoner. She was only under his control for a short time. Trust was at issue.
"He is stable as you so 'completely' told me yesterday," he smiled, and they both acknowledged the dance they had gone through the day before. "He is still serious but greatly improved. He is on board by the way. The limb reattachment was a no go. He's on his way home for a prosthetic. Ms Celina. Now, if I may ask, what is your connection to Colonel McQueen?"
Kylen also decided to tell the truth. "I may have to lie to him later but he can find this stuff out ...if he doesn't know the answer already."
"We were saved by the 58th. My fiancé is in the 58th. Colonel McQueen commands the 58th." She was forced to smile at her own repetitions. "We met yesterday on the transport. I feel responsible to him ... for him somehow. I just want to make sure he is well cared for." She paused momentarily to change gears. "Major Howard, why is he under arrest? Or rather under guard or should I say guarded?"
It was Major Howard's turn to smile at the reference to their first meeting. He was thoroughly enjoying the exchange. "Correction. She is very very quick. Tell her the truth or you will lose her." " Ms. Celina, The Colonel has an appreciation of certain facts that aren't known at large, and there are people who would rather that information not become common knowledge. While we anticipate any threat to be short-lived, we, nonetheless, believe it too be quite real at the moment. As far as The Colonel's actions are concerned, his injuries ... well, I imagine that he will get a medal or at the least a commendation. In any case, his life has been changed."
"Tell me, Major, does he get an all expense paid week at The Greenbrier? A counselor? A case manager?" Kylen challenged with more than a little bitterness on behalf of McQueen. Major Howard didn't answer her, and she was glad that he had had the good graces not to prevaricate. They both knew the answer to her question. The V.A. hadn't really changed since the Vietnam War. There was certainly no week of decompression and counseling at a resort in Colonel McQueen's future.
"When we finish I'll take you to see him," Howard told her gently. "And thereafter, you may see him whenever you like, unless of course you and I are in ... consultation." He chuckled again and received a small smile for his efforts.
"Agreed. Now, Major, what do you want to know?"
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T O P S E C R E T
ASJIKI
TO USMC HDQRTS DEPARTMENT OF INTELLIGENCE
PERSONAL FROM MAJOR HOWARD USMC TO GENERAL RADFORD USMC.
Dear General:
As requested, I'm forwarding my impressions to you. The completed reports for further interpretation should be available within an hour of landing at Andrews. Please convey my compliments to General Weirick. I'll let him know when Lt. Col. McQueen is on his way to Steinbeck's clinic. Due to his injuries the Docs are going to have to put the Colonel out for the reentry. I'll personally see him loaded onto the transport.
General, let me thank you and General Weirick for pulling whatever strings you had to get him there. Based on my own experience, I can tell you that Steinbeck is just the man for the job.
The team is getting the POWs prepped for the trip to the Greenbrier. Time will tell how many will really be an asset to us. They are all in surprisingly good shape physically but most of them are psychologically not up to our purpose.... At least not at this time, I'm afraid.
There are a few notable exceptions. One in particular: Kylen Celina
I have gleaned the following from Celina, along with one or two others. It is notable that they have very little insight into the Chigs. But they have interesting info re: the AIs and Kazbek.
1. The POWs were indeed held on Kazbek and were used to mine Sewell Fuel, which they called The Pink. None of them appear to have any knowledge whatsoever of the Clone or clones that the 5-8 reported. Most have mentioned seeing the 5-8 brought in as prisoners. They heard the torture, of course, and had assumed that the Marines had been executed. We need to keep strict compartmentalization on that S.A.R. Granted we didn't know that the POWs were there until after we had secured the 5-8, but you can imagine the fallout of leaving 40 civilians behind with a carrier in the area.
2. While they tried earnestly to evade capture there was no concerted effort by the POW's to engineer an escape once on Kazbek. To Quote: We are underground on a planet - who knows where. Where were we going to go?" I think that many of them may have trouble with this in the future.
3. These people are not "average". Aerotech was not about to spend the cash to send Joe Average into space. They are very well educated and extremely bright. Celina is not the only one to start putting things together by any means; we've just had the most luck with her. These people developed ingenious methods of coping. Very inventive. The seminars at Greenbrier will come none too soon. Continuing to keep them in the dark is going to be counterproductive. We don't want to shoot ourselves in the foot here.
4. After the initial 3 months, the POWs had very little contact with the Chigs - who they called The Bugs or The Locusts (evidently the chaplain survived and regularly quoted from Revelations). This coincides with the time they were taken away from Tellus. The attitude of the Chigs to the survivors was (after the initial period) characterized by the group as a whole as largely indifferent. Which paints a different picture comparing it to how our servicemen and women are treated. This certainly implies a more complex agenda that we might have thought.
Best Regards,
Barton Howard
End Chapter Seven
Literary Giants M.Wheels
