Title: ENTER THE STALKERS 3: Rainbow Slayer Author: Mike Wolfe Author email: MWolfe2212@aol.com Catagory: Alternate Universe or Rise of the Emperor
Keywords: Buffy/ Highlander/ X-Files/ Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys/ Xena: Warrior Princess/ Beverly Hills Cop/ Bureau 13/
Blade (the movie)/ Ghost Rider (Marvel Comics)/ SERRAted Edge
(by Mercedes Lackey)/ Aladdin/ Star Wars Episode 1/ Blackhawk
Down/ We Were Soldiers/ Monty Python action, adventure, Qui Gon,
Amidala,crossover Spoilers: None Rating: R (due to violence and language)
Summary: The continuing story of American soldiers who get
shot down on a African rescue mission and find themselves in the
Star Wars universe. Upon arrival back on Earth, the main
characters find themselves opposing a rash of world wide
terrorist attacks.
Disclamer: All characters except those noted below with their
respective rights, properties and copyrights are the property of
their respective creators, authors, owners, producers and
agencies. These characters are used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended or meant, and no money will
be made from this story. This story may be copied in its
entirety, and may be distributed as long as all copyright
information remains

The characters Anthony "Saint" Christopher, Raymond "Wins" Winslett, Daniel McGyver , Earl Shepherd, and Jack McCoy are mine. Notice while they incorporate elements of many real life characters from Vietnam and the modern military, they are not representative of any one person, alive or dead. Anyone wishing to use them may contact me at MWolfe2212@aol.com

The characters JD Heart and Katie Heart belong to Erica L. Marr

The characters Steve St. Wolf, Frank Iverson, Randi Jessup, Brian Jessup, Charlie, Marc Le Chevalier, and Joe N'Gato and the Knights of the Order of the Grail are property of Steve Pantovich, as is the universe in which this story takes place. Steve can be contacted at steve711@concentric.net.

Glossary:

Naval Strike & Air Warfare Center (NSAWC): US Navy's premier tactical air warfare training facility

Sikorsky UH-60L Blackhawk: Standard US Army assault helicopter

Bear 6-1: Radio call sign used by the UH-60L Blackhawk flown by "Saint" Christopher.

Bear 6-2, Bear 6-3, Bear 6-4: Other Blackhawks used in the training operation.

Cast of Characters:

Anthony "Saint" Christopher: US Army helicopter pilot and future Jedi Knight

Raymond "Wins" Winslett: US Army co-pilot of "Super 6-4"

Chief Warrant Officer Peter Gerstell: California National Guard co-pilot of Bear 6-1

Daniel McGyver: Crew-chief of "Super 6-4"

Earl Shepherd: US Army Delta Operator and trainer of Naboo Defense Force

Qui Gon Jinn

Obi Wan Kenobi

Mace Windu

Anakin Skywalker

Dedications: First to Steve, for letting me get involved in the Wandererverse and suggesting that I backdate the story to 2000 instead of the original 2006. Of course, he will rue the day that he brought forth the idea of unleashing a teenage American helicopter pilot on the Star Wars universe.

Second to Erica Marr, who made the remark that Anthony "Saint" Christopher looked like another St. Wolf. Thus giving birth to the idea for having Christopher come from the Wandererverse and his relationship with Katie and JD Heart

Third to Tim Drake, who proofread the original draft and forced me to rethink many ideas that led to a better story.

Fourth to the men and women of the United States Army who provided the inspiration for this story

Author's Notes: The chapters will be noted as to which universe they take place in. Those chapters taking place in the Wandererverse will be titled as such. Those from the Star Wars universe will be so noted. The dates used in the Star Wars Universe refer to Before Star Wars (BSW), The original movie.

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ENTER THE STALKERS 3: RAINBOW SLAYER
The Merry Prankster

Chapter One: Calm Before the Storm

Dixie Valley EW Range Fallon Naval Air Station, Nevada August 11, 2000 0800 hours (The Wandererverse)

For the last week, members of Alpha Company 1/140th Aviation Regiment (The Phantoms) had been flying their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters over the Nevada desert, learning how to fly and fight in such inhospitable terrain. At first, they had practiced flying in single ships, later they advanced to more complex operations involving two, three, and four ship formations.

Every summer, members of the California National Guard spend a couple of weeks of intensive training, honing their warfighting skills at various summer camps. This year's summer camp was to be held at the Naval Strike & Air Warfare Center, located at Fallon Naval Air Station in Nevada. There the Guardsmen would hone their flying skills in a high threat environment. The ranges outside the base offered missile simulators that mimicked various radar and infrared weapons used by possible opponents.

***

Authors Note: The California National Guard does actually use the naval facilities. In October 1999, Alpha Company of the 140th Aviation Regiment spent two weeks training at NAS Fallon. The only difference was that they still had Bell UH-1H Hueys at the time.

***

Fallon Naval Air Station is the US Navy's premier tactical air warfare training facility. The FRTC encompasses more than 10,200 square miles of airspace east of NAS Fallon, including a vast array of electronic systems supporting squadron, airwing, and SFTI training. The heart of this program is the Advanced Digital Display System or ADDS. This computer-supported real-time digital display allows monitoring of each training event as it occurs on the ranges and recording capability for debriefing. Information is transmitted instantaneously from each aircraft to large screen displays at Naval Strike & Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) and recorded for playback to the aircrews for post flight analysis of procedures and tactics. The system also allows controllers and aircrews to view an even from several different aspects in three dimensions.

Lieutenant Anthony "Saint" Christopher was starting his second month with the 'Phantoms' and had already achieved a reputation of being a complete professional in the air. His flying ability and being able to 'sense' threats before they became reality impressed the other members of his unit. Today, the nineteen-year old officer was waiting in the operations tent with the rest of his company. They had been through some grueling flying up to now. When they first arrived at Fallon, most of the pilots thought that there were few places to hide in the desert. For a pilot used to the hills and terrain of California, the desert was a very inhospitable place to fight a war. But as the pilots began flying over the ranges, they soon learned how to exploit the terrain and avoid detection by enemy radar.

Colonel Jones had arrived to give the briefing for today's training mission. The fifty-year-old officer was a grizzled veteran and had flown in Panama and Desert Storm before taking command of the 140th. He walked over to the podium and directed the men to return to their seats. He glanced down to some papers, then turned on the overhead. With a quick glance at his men, he began the briefing.

"Good morning gentlemen. Today's mission is one of the most challenging missions you will face during your drill. We will be simulating an air assault in a high threat environment. Four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters will enter the range from the west to waypoint alpha. Upon reaching Alpha, you will then proceed north to LZ Albany. After depositing your troops at the landing zone, you will return to base by the route marked on the map. The enemy will be waiting for you with a variety of air defenses. Thanks to the Navy, there will be radar simulating Russian made SA-6, SA-11, SA-13 surface-to-air missiles. There will also be AAA and SA-14 hand held SAMs on site. Finally, Fighter Squadron 13 has thoughtfully loaned us a couple F-18s to simulate Mig 29s." Lonny grinned as the several pilots groaned at this information. One pilot was overheard to moan something about having to do a Kobyashi Maru scenario. "You have been performing exceptionally well during the last couple of exercises. Just follow your training and you will be all right. Lieutenant Christopher will be flight leader for this operation. Dismissed."

+++

Saint walked out on the flightline to his aircraft and performed his preflight walkaround. Walking to the rear of the Blackhawk, he reached up and checked the tail rotor. Then he moved to the left side of the aircraft and checked over the piece of nonstandard equipment installed by the 140th mechanics. To the untrained eye, it would appear to be some kind of white missile grafted on the side of the helicopter. It was in fact a telemetry device, which allowed the aircraft to be tracked through the Advanced Digital Display System. Normally, it would be hung on a missile rail of a fighter jet. But since the UH-60 doesn't carry air-air missiles, the guardsmen had to make do. Finally, he finished his walkaround and entered the helicopter.

Saint's copilot, Chief Warrant Officer Peter Gerstell was already running through the preflight checklist. A veteran of Vietnam, the fifty-year old Guardsman was finishing up his military career doing what he loved. Throughout his career, he had served with many pilots of all types. Saint was definitely one of the most gifted pilots he had ever seen. The soft thuds of multiple boots thudding on the aft compartment broke his concentration and he looked back to see the last of the soldiers sit down.

Saint and Gerstell began pulling switches and pressing buttons as the high pitch whine of jet turbines filled the air. The rotor on top began to spin and soon the whumping sound of the spinning rotor joined the orchestra of sound. Taking a last look at his instruments, Saint contacted the control tower and requested permission to take off. Upon received clearance, he pulled back on the collective and the ship began to rise off the tarmac. Saint pushed the control stick forward and gave the Blackhawk a slight nose down attitude as it began to pick up speed. He piloted the chopper to five hundred feet for the approach to the range. The other members of his flight following behind with a three rotor disk separation between each helicopter.

Once the formation had reached the range, Saint nosed the ship down and dove to the deck. Prior to the mission, Saint had gathered the other pilots and told them to follow what he did. If they could keep up with his movements, they would make it through with no problems. Closing his eyes for a brief second, the young pilot reached out through the Force and noted the location of several nearby missile sites. He increased the speed of his helicopter and soon the formation was zipping over the dunes. They were so close to the ground that the rotor blast whipped up clouds of dust that could betray their presence to any nearby aircraft. Fortunately, there weren't any and they were hidden from the enemy radar.

They had just made the turn north when their radar warning receiver began buzzing. While Saint was hugging the dunes, Gerstell looked out his window and noticed a smoke trail. He immediately yelled out.

"Saint, we got a SA-13 launch over to our right!"

+++

Author's note: In order to simulate a missile launch, the navy uses ground based smoke rockets. Whenever the radar locks on to an aircraft, a smoker is fired, mimicking the smoke trail exhibited by many SAMs.

+++

Saint did not reply as he activated the countermeasures. Flares began ejecting from the craft at preset intervals to decoy away any heat seeking missiles. Using the Force, Saint whipped the chopper around in a hard left turn and dropped behind a dune, breaking the radar lock. The soldiers in the back were thrown around by the evasive maneuvers. Curses and groans were heard from the back. Gerstell, leaned over and looked back at the infantrymen.

"Sorry guys" apologized the tall co pilot at the several angry stares being sent towards the cockpit.

Even soldiers who had flown many missions were beginning to feel a little airsick. Soon afterwards, Saint turned back to the back cabin and said "Two minutes."

Two minutes later, the Blackhawk landed at the landing zone. The soldiers were cleared out in two minutes and the formation was back in the air racing towards base. They had nearly exited the range when something up above caught Saint's attention. Muttering a curse, the pilot yelled out, "Bandits three o'clock high!"

+++

"ShowTime Lead, this is ShowTime Two, What are you doing? Why are we leaving our patrol box"

Lieutenant Commander Earl "Snoopy" Beegle, a tall, thin, black haired officer with an incredibly warped sense of humor, replied, "They aren't coming this way. I've got a feeling that the Army pukes will be exiting the exercise area more to the south of our sector. We are going to take a look over there."

"Roger, Show Time Lead, I've got your back."

Flying as an instructor with Top Gun was one of the more prestigious assignments for a Naval Aviator. Lieutenant Commander Earl "Snoopy" Beegle had been with the aggressor squadron for about a month and had established a reputation as one of the better instructor pilots. Not only was he a good pilot but he had also led the security detachment on a Knox class Frigate prior to being assigned to Top Gun. Today, he had been given the honor of teaching the 'Weekend Warriors' a lesson in flying against First line aerial opposition. Unfortunately, the National Guard pilots were not playing by the rules and had not shown up at the expected point, Snoopy intended to change that really quick.

Buick Flight was over the new coordinates within minutes and the two pilots began a radar search for the missing helicopters. Earl had just completed the latest turn to his new patrol track, when something caught his attention. He pulled out a set of binoculars and zoomed in on the offending object. With a start he put the binoculars back in their place and keyed in the mike.

"Showtime Two, this is lead. We have multiple bogies due East of us. Let go and see who they are."

"Roger Showtime Lead, those bogies are low and slow. They could just be out missing helicopters."

Earl banked the aircraft into a left bank and followed up with a dive on the new vector. He did a quick check of his instruments before returning to the Heads Up Display (HUD) on his front windscreen. The radar had quickly picked up the low flying helicopters and four light green diamonds appeared on the HUD as well as the target's speed and altitude.

+++ Warning buzzers and lights began sounding off in the approaching helicopters. Gerstell paid close attention to the radar warning receiver and alerted his pilot.

"Saint, we have at least one air-to-air radar looking in our direction."

"SHIT, I thought we had gotten by those fighters." Cursed Saint. He looked over across his co-pilot and spotted the black specs heading his way. Growing bigger as they got closer. His hand was pressing the send button on the control stick. "Bear 6-1 to flight. We got fast movers on the way so listen up. Stay close to me until I give the signal. When I say, 'Break' split up and start evasive maneuvers. We are almost home free so don't lose it."

"Bear 6-2, confirmed"

"Bear 6-3, roger that."

"Bear 6-4, confirmed."

+++

Snoopy, caught up with the egressing Blackhawks in seconds. He was under twelve miles and closing at six hundred knots. The naval aviator selected the lead helicopter as his primary target and selected sidewinders for the shot. thought Snoopy.

A low pitch growl sounded in his earphones as the seeker began to tack and lock on to the target. Just as he was about to press the trigger, the helicopter flight broke apart into two wildly maneuvering sections. Snoopy made a decision and relayed it to his wingman.

"Showtime Two, lets stay with the leader. Once we get him, the others should be easier to deal with."

"Roger Showtime Leader, sticking with leader, confirmed."

+++

Saint watched as the black specks took on identifiable shapes. Wings and twin tails appeared as the enemy aircraft got bigger and bigger. The RWR was squealing out it's warning in increasingly higher pitched tones as the fighters began to achieve lock. Saint closed his eyes for a moment and reached out through the Force. thought the young pilot. He could almost feel the aggressor pilot planning out his attack.

Throughout the last stage of the flight, Gerstell was getting worried. "Uh, Saint he's getting closer."

Saint let loose a slight grin as he responded, "Patience, my copilot. Everything is well in hand."

Drops of sweat began to flow down his face, as he noticed the helicopter slowing down. "What are you doing? We're slowing down?"

"I'm letting him get closer."

"You're letting him..WHAT??" shrieked the co-pilot.

Saint turned to him in exasperation and responded, "Look, we all know there is no way in Hell we are going to outrun a jet fighter in a helicopter. Our only chance is to outfly him until he gets low on fuel and has to go back home. Now, if you don't mind."

Gerstell made a face and intoned "Use the Force, Luke."

Saint sighed and went back to feeling out the other pilot's feelings through the Force. Finally, just when the other pilot was about to fire, Saint yelled out "BREAK" to his flight and threw the Blackhawk into a violent turn, causing the Hornet to overshoot and break missile lock.

+++

Snoopy was grinning under his mask as he lined up on the helicopter. He took a look at the information displayed on his HUD and blinked.

The growl in his earphones got louder and louder. Snoopy was about to press the fire button, simulating a missile launch, when the UH-60 jumped to the side, forcing him to overshoot. Snoopy pulled back on the stick and looked over his shoulder as he passed the opponent. "Damn that Son of a Bitch" murmured the ticked off pilot. With that maneuver the fight was on.

+++

It rapidly became a contest of stoke and counterstroke. Saint would wait for the Navy plane to line up before dodging the expected attack. Once the Hornet had zoomed past, the Guard pilot would turn back to the exit line to the exercise area. Likewise, Snoopy would quickly fly back and reengage, forcing the Guard pilot to once again go into defensive maneuvers. It soon became obvious to both pilots that the loser would be the first pilot to run low on gas.

Finally, after another ten minutes of intense action. Snoopy noticed his fuel going down and reluctantly broke off the attack. While the aerial duel had been going on, the other Blackhawks had managed to escape the exercise area and exit the field. No long afterwards, Saint and Snoopy both exited the exercise area where Saint rejoined his flight. They rose to five hundred feet and the Navy pilots flew past them and saluted. Within thirty minutes the four army crews were sitting on the Tar Mac shutting down the UH-60s.

+++

El Hussein Hotel Cairo, Egypt August 11, 2000 1300hrs (Wanderverse)

To the casual observer, the El Hussein Hotel seemed to step right out of Casablanca. The stifling, hot dry air slowly moved about by the slowly turning ceiling fans only increased the feeling that one had taken a step back into the early twentieth century. It was for this reason that the mysterious benefactor had chosen it as the location to meet Khalifa Sharif Mahumud Ahmad.

For most of his life, the young man had watched as his country and the Arab world in general sink behind the western nations. He still raged at the gall of the Great Satan to base its troops in the shrine of Islam. As a college student, he had begun to strike back at the United States by joining Gama'at al Islamiyya (Islamic Associations) and even took part in the massacre at Giza the year before. During that operation sixty-eight tourists from Britain, United States, and Canada were murdered. Until then, the Egyptian government had a live and let live relationship with the radicals within their country. The publicity generated by the terrorist attack led the Egyptians to crack down and the leaders of Gama'at al Islamiyya were now dead or rotting in jails on both sides of the Atlantic.

Khalifa had been a minor member of the organization and thus escaped the crackdown. He had spent the last year trying to reorganize the scattered members into an effective organization renamed Islamic Vanguard. The hard work spent had finally begun paying off. A mysterious benefactor known only as Morden had contacted the young man with an offer of funding, material, and all sorts of support. Khalifa could not believe his good fortune and quickly agreed to the meeting.

The Egyptian radical brushed away a curtain of beads as he entered the hotel's restaurant. Looking over the dark, smoke filled room, he quickly spotted his contact sitting at a table in the back corner. He walked over to the table and was quickly seated. A waiter came by to get orders and quickly left. Khalifa watched as the waiter disappeared into the crowd then turned back to Morden.

"Well, I am here, what did you want to talk about?" asked the young Egyptian.

Morden, a tall dark bearded man, dressed in black robes responded in a snake-like voice "My dear Khalifa, is that any way to talk to the man who is going to make Islamic Vanguard a household word? But you are correct; I did not call this meeting to make small talk. What I am prepared to do is supply weapons, training, supplies, and a target that will get the infidel's attention."

Khalifa gave an evil smile as he considered . He quickly came back to the present and asked, "What do you require in return for such generosity. As the decadent Americans like to say, There is no Santa Claus."

Morden laughed and responded, "You are correct, of course. There is a small price for my aid. It is merely a favor that will also further your goals as well. Next month, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art will be sponsoring an exhibit of Egyptian Antiquities. The premier will be one of the biggest events in that American City with dignitaries from around the world in attendance. By seizing the museum and the hostages, you will be in a position to demand the release of your compatriots from American and Egyptian prisons."

"Such an operation, if successful, would do much to turn Islamic Vanguard into the power it deserves to be. However, my organization does not have the resources to carry out the attack. We lack intelligence and it is a large distance from Egypt. We do not even have any operatives in the country."

Morden clasped his hands and leaned back in his chair, "Just leave that to me. My contacts in the American government will supply student visas for the strike team. The weapons to be used in the assault are already in Los Angeles and here is the basic floorplan for the museum." He pushed over a stack of papers to the young man. "Once your team is in place, my agent will supply the agenda for the upcoming festivities, police response times, and other critical intelligence."

Khalifa tucked the packet into his robes. Taking a drink of the water that had just been delivered, the young man said. "We have a deal then. I will personally lead this blow against the Western Imperialists in the name of Islam and Allah."

Morden watched the Egyptian terrorist walk out of the hotel. He took another sip of his wine and thought. Placing a stack of currency on the table to pay for the meal, the dark man followed the Egyptian terrorist out the door.

+++

Heart Residence Los Angeles, California August 12, 2000 1300 hours (The Wandererverse)

"Common, Katie, we have to get to the store. There's a big sale at Macy's that I do not want to miss." Shouted out Jessica as she waited for her friend to come down the stairs.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Responded Katie Heart as she rushed down the stairs. "Just hold your horses we'll get there before the good stuff is all gone."

"So how are you and Anthony coming along?" asked Jessica.

"What do you mean? We are just friends and like to hang out." Returned Katie.

"Yeah, right. I've seen how you two look at each other when you think no one is looking."

"JESSICA!!! There is nothing going on between us."

"Uh Huh." Responded her skeptical friend. "Anyway, where is our favorite chopper pilot?"

"As he likes to say, He's off defending the country for the next two weeks. He was selected to attend his unit's annual summer camp and his flying over the sunny Nevada desert. The boy should be back next week."

"Oh, and does our young boyscout have anything planned for when he gets back?"

"He wouldn't say, but he did mention in our last email that he had something special planned."

"Something planned, well he does have better taste than Alex."

Katie only sighed and led her friend out the door and on to their very important shopping trip.

+++

Three hours later, Katie was back home and putting away her latest acquisitions. Jessica had stayed and helped with the unpacking. They had just finished and were watching TV when the doorbell rang. Katie opened the door to reveal her current boyfriend, Alex.

"Hello Alex why don't you come in."

Alex shook his head, "Katie we have to talk and now."

"Oh, an what about."

"It's about your former boyfriend, Anthony Christopher. I don't approve of him living in the same house as you."

A dark cloud settled over Katie's face as she thought about what he was insinuating. "Oh, so you don't approve, do you?" Alex nodded as she continued, "Now, you just hold it right there mister. One, this is my mother's house, not yours. Two, Anthony is a close friend. A FRIEND! So, if you have anything to say about who lives here, I would suggest you take it up my mother. You hear me mister?"

Alex held up both hands in surrender as he tried to placate a rapidly pissed off Amazon, "Look, Katie, you know how much I love you. It's just that I can get a little jealous at times." Seeing that she had calmed down somewhat, he moved up and put his arms around her. Pulling her closer, he gave her a soft kiss on and suggested that he take her to the beach as an apology.

Katie nodded and went to get her bag. On her way back, she passed by Godzilla, who observed.

Katie stopped, turned around and in a low voice said. "You had better watch what you say or something will happen."

responded the guardian spirit.

+++

Jessica had turned down the TV, so she could listen in on Katie's conversation. She waited until Katie walked past her to say, "Don't mind me. I'll just wait for your mom to get back home and eat with them. Have a good time."

+++

Officers Club Fallon Naval Air Station, Nevada August 12 2000 1530 hours (The Wandererverse)

The Guardsmen went straight to the Officers Club after debriefing. All in all, they surprised the Navy personnel running the exercise. The instructors gave especially high marks to Saint's evading the opposing jet fighters at the end of the exercise. The next days training would simulate a Navy pilot being shot down and the Guardsmen having to rescue the aviator.

Saint was at the bar, getting drinks for his co-pilot and himself when he felt a tap on the shoulder. Turning around, he faced a smiling Snoopy.

"Good afternoon sir. Was there anything I can help you with?"

"I just wanted to meet the Army pilot that was able to defeat a FA-18 with a helicopter. That was some amazing flying back there. And, that comes from the man who blew away a Iraqi Hind attack helicopter back in '91."

"Thank you sir. I was just doing what needed to be done. I quickly realized that there was no way I could make it to the exit in straight run so I decided to use my one ace."

"You're maneuverability," added Snoopy. "But, I nearly had you nailed at least three times during the last ten minutes of the flight. But each time you managed to evade just as I was about to fire. How did you do it?"

A serene look fell on the young pilot's face as he mimicked his master, "With the Force, all things are possible."

Snoopy blinked his eyes a couple of times and let out a laugh. "Yeah right. And I bet you are a Jedi Knight also." He turned and walked off to the restroom laughing, "Just my luck I'd run into another Star Wars fanatic."

Saint grinned as he watched the other pilot walk off and moved back to his table,

+++

Gerstell was waiting at the table as Saint went for the drinks. The two men talked about the mission for a few minutes before turning to a more personal subject.

"So Saint, I hear you got something special planned for Katie when we get back." Prodded Gerstell.

Saint grinned, "Yeah, I managed to obtain to tickets to the premier of the 'Egypt Forever' exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art."

"Isn't that where they will be showing for the first time, the treasures of that Egyptian Pharaoh, Goddard uncovered last year?" asked the co-pilot.

"It is my good friend. And, let me tell you this, those tickets were hard to get hold of. There will be a lot of VIPs at that event. It's black tie only so you can take it from there."

Gerstell took a long sip of his coke and observed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you are getting serious about this girl."

Confusion filled Saint's face as he retorted, "No, she's just a friend. A very good friend mind you, but just a close personal friend."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that and maybe you will begin to believe it." Added a skeptical co-pilot.

"Either way, we had better get back to the Q (Visiting officers quarters) and get ready for tomorrow's exercise."

Gerstell nodded and chugged back the rest of his drink. "Yup, you know the motto of 'The Phantoms'

Saint gave an evil grin before responding, "No Rest For The Wicked."

+++

Rainbow Headquarters Hereford, England August 26, 2000 (Wandererverse)

John Clark, leader of the Rainbow counterterrorism team sat down at his desk to look over the latest intel reports from around the globe.

Clark, a former Navy SEAL and CIA operative had created Rainbow as a multinational organization, able to take on global terrorism no matter where it took place. Today, Rainbow 6 was not a happy man. There were too many incidents going off at the same time to be a coincidence. Yet, in each case, there were no visible ties between the cases.

Ding Chavez, Clarks second in command walked in and asked his boss what's up. Clark handed the younger man two news reports, dated August 26, 2000, fresh off the press.

AGRA, INDIA (United News International) - A terrorist attack on the Taj Mahal by Sikh separatists has been thwarted, Indian officials report. According to a spokesman for the India government, the separatist group stormed the landmark building around 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, taking both tourists and guides hostage. A bomb was also planted in the Taj in an attempt to discourage police action.

The crisis was brought to a quick conclusion through swift action by Indian security forces. Before the terrorists had a chance to consolidate their position, the building had already been stormed. Casualties among the hostages appear to be light and experts are already combing the historic building to assess the extent of the damage caused by the brief battle between the police and the terrorists.

The attack was the latest in what has been called an all out war on the Indian government by Sikh organizations.

BEIJING, CHINA (United News International) - Chinese officials are reporting that the terrorists who had taken tourists hostage in the Forbidden City have been killed in a late-night assault on the historic site. The group, who had listed among their demands greater autonomy for China's Xinjiang Province, had stormed the building earlier in the day. During an early clash with government soldiers two of the eight hostages were killed and the government troops were forced to withdraw. Experts anticipated a prolonged siege, but the standoff was quickly ended when an unknown hostage rescue team moved in and regained control of the building. Observers reported that the team seemed to be equipped with European or American gear and weapons and may have been brought in from a western country at the request of the Chinese government.

"We thought that the hostages would be killed for sure," said Wu Chen, Beijing's police commander, "but the situation improved greatly by evening. The combined effort of our departmental divisions was the difference." Further arrests are expected.

Chavez looked over the reports before handing them back to Clark. "So it looks like the bad guys are beginning to show their faces. What do you want to do?"

"I don't see any pattern but I have this nagging feeling that something is up. Keep your eyes and ears open just in case." Offered Clark.

+++

Salaam Alahum Caterers Los Angeles, California 1745 hours September 2, 2000 (Wandererverse)

Khalifa slammed the door behind him as he walked into the office. He paused a moment as he took in the sight. Mr. Morden was true to his words and had provided them with the necessary weapons and intelligence needed to pull this operation of. Ten men of Middle Eastern origin waited for his instructions. A pot of coffee was sitting on a nearby desk and he poured himself a cup before addressing the assembled terrorists.

It had taken two weeks for them to get to where they were and Khalifa was determined not to have this attack fail because of poor planning. He pulled out a floorplan of the Los Angeles Museum of Art and began pointing out various parts of the building. They would wait until the visitors had seated down for dinner. Once the speaker had begun his introductory speech, they would act. One group led by Khalifa himself would seize the hostages in the dining area. A second group would secure all the exits, making sure that none of the hostages get away. Once the museum had been secured, Khalifa intended to call the local media and present his demands. The hostages would be freed only upon the release of several of the terrorist's senior leaders from American and Egyptian jails. If their demands were not met within forty-eight hours, then they would begin executing hostages. In order to forestall any assault from the authorities, explosive charges will be placed at several points in the museum, linked to Khalifa through a 'Dead Man's' switch.

Upon the briefing's completion, the group broke up to get ready for the raid. The catering vans were loaded with the specially prepared food carts. In addition a portable police scanner was handed to Khalifa. Soon, everything was ready for the upcoming attack.

+++

Heart Residence Los Angeles, California September 3, 2000 1300 hours (The Wandererverse)

It had taken no time for Saint to get back in his daily routine of meditating at dawn, followed by lightsaber practice with Qui Gon and Obi Wan. The master Jedi took note that his latest student was progressing at such a rate that it would not be long before he was ready to make his own lightsaber. Saint looked back at the two weeks of summer camp as one of the few times he truly felt alive.

Reminisced the young pilot. He felt something was not as it seemed and looked up at his teacher.

Qui Gon was demonstrating an advanced technique for disarming a foe when he noticed his student wasn't paying attention. He turned off his lightsaber and waited for Saint to get on task. Once he had his student's attention, he chided "You must keep focus if you are to learn these new techniques."

Saint bowed his head in apology, "I'm sorry, but I was thinking about the recent visit to Fallon. Lets just say flying a Blackhawk twenty feet off the ground at full throttle is an experience. It wasn't until then that I realized how much I missed being at the controls."

Qui Gon accepted the apology and suggested that they had enough practice for this morning and that they retire to the house and get cleaned up for lunch. Saint agreed enthusiastically and followed his teacher into the house.

+++

Fifteen minutes later a very wet Saint stood in his room getting ready in front of the mirror.. He was halfway finished when he detected the presence of another outside in the hallway. He closed his eyes and reached out through the Force and detected Katie's unique signature. With a smile, he finished dressing and yelled out that it was all right to come on in. He was brushing his hair while the Amazon walked in and sat down on his bed. Not missing a beat, He asked her how long she had been standing outside in the hallway.

"Only a few minutes." Responded the young lady. She got off the bed, stood in front of the television and waited. Saint watched her for a moment before giving in. With a sigh, he asked "Okay, Katie, what do you want?"

Katie gave a slight smile, replied "I just wanted to welcome you back. And more importantly I want to know what you are hiding."

Whatever do you mean?" asked an innocent face young man.

"Don't give me that." Ordered Katie. "Ever since you came back you have been hiding something. Don't you even try to deny it. I can tell be the look on your face." She took on a hard look as she noticed the dress uniform hanging from the closet door. Point to the navy blue tuxedo, she demanded, "And why do you have your dress blues out. I am only going to repeat myself only this once before I pound some sense into your thick skull. What are you up to?"

Saint turned around and held up both hands to placate the quickly angering Amazon. "Okay, okay. I was waiting for the right moment. Do you remember, going with your mother to look at formal dresses last week?" Confusion filled her face as she nodded. He continued, "What you didn't know was that I had told your mother what I'm about to tell you. Through my connections, who shall remain unnamed, I have acquired two tickets for the opening festivities of the new exhibition of Egyptian antiquities at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Since you had just purchased a new formal dress, I thought the exhibition would be the perfect place to break in the dress. "

Katie cocked one eyebrow at this revelation and thought I am going to kill you for springing this on me at the last minute. On second thoughts, I'll ask mom to do something that's even worse. She gave Anthony a look that screamed , "Lieutenant Anthony Christopher. Are you asking me out on a date?"

"One could draw that conclusion from the evidence. So yes, do you want to go out with me?" asked Saint.

"Yes, I will." Answered Katie. She was walking out the door when she realized what she needed to do to get ready. Her eyes popped open in thinly disguised panic, and shouted out, "You certainly know how to spring things at the last minute. Don't you know what we girls have to do to get ready for something this major?"

"I just thought you'd fix your hair, put your clothes, and your makeup." Responded Saint.

"YOU don't know half of it. Even though I just got the dress, I still have to get the right shoes, take a bath, get fixed up That's going to take at least a couple of hours" Shouted Katie as she ran out the room.

Saint watched Katie's rapidly retreating backside, thinking.

+++

Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles, California 1400 hours September 3, 2000 (Wandererverse)

Mustafa parked the catering truck alongside the museum's back entrance. Without a word, the short, dark skinned Sudanese walked to the back of the truck and opened the rear doors. He reached inside and unloaded the hand cart and placed it on the ground. A second catering truck pulled up behind him and a second group of terrorists began unloading.

Yunus al Dikhaim, another volunteer from Sudan, and best friend to Mustafa began unloading precooked food and placing it onto the handcart. He crouched next to the cart and lifted up the cloth. Looking inside, he made sure that the weapons were in place. Strapped to the underside of the shelf was a pair of AKS-74 submachine guns and several blocks of high explosives. The terrorist lowered the cloth, stood up and began pushing the cart into the museum.

Getting inside the museum did not present any problems for the terrorists. The guards, expecting the caterers, waved them through after a quick check of the cart and the ids, thoughtfully provided by Mr. Morden. Mustafa pushed the cart down a corridor and turned into the reception area.

The reception area was one of the largest rooms in the museum. A large window stretched along the length of the outside wall, looking into an inner courtyard. On one end was a large balcony that connected to smaller rooms showing Egyptian pottery. A small-scale reproduction of an Egyptian temple, surrounded by a watery moat, stood on the other end of the room. In front of the temple, a podium for the speaker and distinguished guests was located.

Yunus followed his friend over to the serving area and began setting out the food on the table. He took a look around, to make sure that no one else was present and began transferring the weapons to pre-selected hiding places throughout the room. He finished placing a machine pistol underneath a fake heating unit and walked towards the door for a second load. The terrorist could not help but think.

+++ Macy's Department Store Los Angeles, California 1500 hours September 3, 2000 (Wandererverse)

"Katie, What are you doing here?"

Katie finished buckling on her sandal before looking up at her best friend Jessica. "I was just picking out the right pair of sandals for that new dress mom bought last week."

Jessica pulled up a chair and sat down. Leaning over to her friend, she insisted "Okay, girl spill. What's the special occasion?"

"You remember when we spotted that book on Egyptian art before Anthony got back?" Katie waited until Jessica nodded. She gave a sly smile, "Well, Anthony managed to get hold of two tickets for the opening of the new Egyptian art exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art."

Jessica, blinked her eyes a couple of times as that last fact sunk in. She looked like she remembered something important, when she reminded Katie that she had already agreed to dinner with Alex, that night.

Katie's eyes mirrored her friends as she silently mouthed

Jessica smirked as she moved closer to her friend and started looking closely at her hair.

"What are you doing, Jessica?"

"Seeing if you had blonde roots." Responded the younger teen. "Besides you really have to decide. You remember that blowup we had between Anthony and Alex before he left for Nevada. So, what's it going to be. Dinner with Alex or the festivities at the museum with Anthony."

Katie leaned back and let loose a deep sigh. "Funny, funny. Oh, alright. I'll call Alex this afternoon and cancel."

+++

Heart Residence Los Angeles, California 1900 hours September 3, 2000 (Wandererverse)

Obi Wan leaned back on the sofa and watched the antics of his friend with thinly disguised amusement. That friend, one Anthony Christopher, made another circuit around the room. Finally, the Jedi had enough and shouted out to get his friend's attention.

"Your pacing will not make her come down any sooner. You must learn patience. Remember the teachings of Master Yoda." Offered the Jedi.

Saint stopped and thought back to a conversation he had with the Jedi master prior to returning to Earth. He sat down in a nearby chair and replied. "Impatience leads to anger. Anger leads to hate and hate leads to the Dark Side."

Obi Wan took a sip of his drink and agreed. "That is right. You must control your emotions. They do you good but can be twisted to serve evil."

Saint shook his head in denial, "But master, this is an entirely different situation. I don't think Yoda had waiting on a lady friend in mind when he offered those words of wisdom."

"Be that as it may. You really need to calm down. Getting yourself worked up will not bring Katie down any sooner."

Saint considered his friend's words, "You are right." A sound from the stairs caught his attention, "Besides she is already here."

Katie was definitely a sight to behold. Her black evening gown was the very picture of elegance. Anthony got up and walked over to her and began leading her out the front door. The sound of someone clearing her throat stopped the two teenagers mid-stride. Saint turned around to face his former teacher and Katie's mother. The fifteen thousand-year old immortal laid down the rules for the date. "Anthony, you know the behavior I expect from you. If you do anything that hurts my daughter in any way, death will seem heaven compared to what I will do to you."

Saint gave his teacher, what he hoped was a disarming grin, replied "Don't worry, I am an officer and a gentleman. Besides, I will have her back in time."

"Just do that." JD threw the young man a set of keys that were caught midair. "Take my car but be back before midnight."

"Yes ma'am. You can count on me."

+++ Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles, California 2000 hours September 3, 2000 (Wandererverse)

Saint stopped the car in front of the museum. He got out and handed the keys to valet and whispered, "If there is so much as a scratch in the paint job, Well, lets just say you will not enjoy what I will do to you." The color drained from the attendant's face as he looked at Saint's face. It was as if he was peering into the abyss. He nodded and got in. For once, he actually did not speed into the parking lot and actually took his time parking a car. I thought the valet.

Katie stood on the curb, watching the exchange. She sighed and waited for the Jedi-in-training to join her in front of the museum. Taking a quick look around to make sure nobody was looking, she slapped him upside the head. "Just what was that all about?" hissed the Amazon.

Saint rubbed his head as he led Katie up the front steps, "I only wanted to make sure nothing happened to your mom's car. You know as well as I that if anything happens to it, it's my butt that's in trouble." Argued Saint. "Besides, I was not serious."

Katie only shook her head in resignation as they entered the museum.

+++

Khalifa watched the guests fill up the tables. He mentally sneered at the richly dressed guests. Walking over to the serving area, he made sure that Mustafa was ready. The Sudanese assured his leader that his team would be ready to strike when the time came.

Satisfied that the reception area was well taken care of, the terrorist leader moved to where his second team was getting ready for their part. Hammid, leader of Team 2, had been assigned closing off the main entrance once the operation began and rounding up any civilians lingering there.

Hammid was a young Egyptian, totally dedicated to the cause. He had been a boy when his father took part in the assassination of Anwar Sadat back in the seventies. With the death of his father, the young boy took his first steps towards his destiny by joining one of the popular Islamist student groups at the local university. He was determined to succeed today. The young man noticed Khalifa standing next to the replica of a Royal Boat. He walked over and reported that his people were ready to do their part.

Khalifa, nodded and walked back to the reception area. He checked his watch and noted how much longer till the beginning of the operation.

+++

Saint and Katie walked into the front lobby. In front of them was a wide stairway to the balcony wrapping around the room. Restrooms were located to their right and left. They were passing the ladies room to their right, following the crowd to the reception area when Saint began to notice an unusual number of caterers in the foyer. His hand lightly touched a metal cylinder hidden beneath his jacket. A flash of light, caught his eye and he thought Realizing that he had perhaps seconds to act, he grabbed Katie's arm and pulled her into the hallway in front of the ladies room.

Katie was following the crowd into the room holding the Egyptian ship when she felt someone pull her towards the ladies room. Spinning around, the angered amazon was about to give Saint a piece of her mind when the sounds of gunshots ripped through the air. Saint yanked her into the restroom and began shielding their presence through the Force.

People began running towards the exits only to be stopped by the two gunmen, pointing assault rifles at them. The gunmen quickly had control of the situation and began herding their prisoners towards the reception area. One terrorist entered the restroom and began checking for anybody hiding out.

Katie noticed the door opening and dragged Saint into one of the stalls. The two teenagers held their breath as sounds of opening doors came closer and closer. The minutes ticked by and seemed like hours to the trapped teens. Finally a pair of black shoes appeared in the space in front of their stall. Saint closed his eyes. Reaching through the Force, the Jedi- In-Training projected the image of an empty stall into the terrorist's brain. He ignored the movement behind him as he continued to force the image at the terrorist. Finally, the terrorist closed the door, completed his inspection and exited the room.

+++

Katie was calm on the outside but seething on the inside. She quickly remembered that her guardian spirit was still in the car and was about to send out a mental when Godzilla contacted her first.

I asked the guardian spirit.

responded Katie.

Blood rushed into Katie's face, which was noticed by Saint, and she angrily replied

I'm already at the outside wall, I noticed a vent that's about the right size for me. I'll follow the air ducts to the restroom.

+++

Saint and Katie waited a few minutes before leaving the stall. Finally Saint slowly opened the door and eased out. His lightsaber, switched off, was in one hand. He turned around to see his date right behind him holding a micro uzi. She had removed the dress, revealing a black catsuit underneath, and hung on a bathroom stall door. Looking at the weapon then at his date's form fitting catsuit and back the young man wondered

Katie reached into her purse and pulled out a cell phone. She quickly placed a call to her mother. Getting JD's voicemail, the young Amazon left a message explaining the situation in the museum, adding in the fact that they were safe and not to worry. Finishing her call, she turned towards her date. The two teens shared a look and without a word, Katie handed her cell phone to Saint.

Saint leaned against the wall and made the call to the outside world.

"Obi Wan, It's Saint. Has Qui Gon gotten back yet?" Anthony nodded a couple of times as he filled in the Jedi on the situation. He rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and sighed. "Yes, Obi Wan, I won't rush into anything without thinking it through first. Don't worry, you know how I am."

After hanging up, he turned back to Katie and remarked "Funny guy. He should be a comedian."

Katie grinned and observed "It hurts, when people know you too well."

Anthony didn't bother replying and made his second call. "You know your mom will flip when she gets the long distance phone bill."

"Naw, she'll just get reimbursed by Section 7." Responded Katie.

Saint held the phone up to his ear and waited for the other person to pick up. Saint began speaking as soon as the leader of Section 7 picked up. "Steve, its Saint. We have a situation here at the museum...."

+++ Hightower Hotel Boston, Massachusetts 2015 hours September 3, 2000 (Wandererverse)

"Look, you and Katie stay put and keep out of sight. Above all else, I don't want any heroics out of either of you. Yes, I know you can use the Force and Katie has her Amazon powers, but you don't have the complete picture and could be walking into a trap. Just play it safe until help arrives. Okay, okay, I'll get my sources to contact the feds and let them know you're inside and keep an eye out for you."

Steve and Buffy had gone after some demon that had been making waves in Faith's hometown. They had just returned to their hotel room when the phone rang. Steve picked it up and began speaking. Finally, he put down the phone and began looking through a list of phone numbers.

Buffy walked over to Steve and asked, "Who was that?"

Steve was looking through his little book of numbers, replied, "That was Saint. You remember, he was taking Katie to the Egyptian exhibit at the Art Museum. Well, terrorists have struck the museum and begun taking hostages."

"How are Saint and Katie?"

Steve scratched his head, "They managed to avoid getting captured and are hiding out in the restroom. Saint wants me to contact the feds and let them know that they are in there."

The blonde slayer, put her arms around her mate, "So who are you gonna call?"

A look of surprise fell over his face, "Oh God, Not them. Besides, they are busy in New York. No, I was thinking about one of my acquaintances from my days working black ops in the CIA. He managed to get the president to agree for the formation of an international counterterrorist group and has been leading it for the last year. Now where did I. Yes that's it."

Buffy walked over to the TV and turned it on Fox News. She listened in as the reporter broke in with the hostage crisis in LA.

Meanwhile, Steve had gotten through to Rainbow on the secure line. "John, it's Steve. I just heard about what's going down in Los Angeles. Yes, I know you can't tell me anything about it. However, I wanted you to know I have two of my people inside the museum and they have avoided capture. Here's their cell phone number. Just let your people know so we don't have any friendly fire incidents." Wanderer listened for a few minutes, "Actually, they could be of some use. They are armed and could assist with any rescue attempt. Okay, here's the cell phone number to get in contact with them. One more thing, get in touch with JD Heart. She's a detective on the LAPD and can supply pictures of both. Thanks."

+++ Rainbow Headquarters Hereford, England 0500 hours September 4, 2000 (Wandererverse)

An average sized, auburn haired young woman walked over to the podium. Control was a rising star in the counterterrorism community. Within the last four years, she had given analysis that ended with the capture of several prominent terrorists. John Clark had run into the young woman a few times while serving in the CIA and had been impressed with her demeanor and intelligence. Once he had approval for creating his group, he had gone over to Langley and recruited her on the spot. Seated in front of her were members of the free world's most lethal counter-terrorism task force code- named Rainbow. The lights dimmed as she began her briefing.

"Operation: Pandora Trigger. Last night, a group of Egyptian extremists have stormed the Los Angels County Museum of Art during the opening festivities of Egyptian antiquities. Your mission is to retake the building with minimal loss of life."

+++

Prior to calling everybody in for the initial briefing., Clark spent a couple of hours going over personnel files to determine who was going on the mission. He already had an idea of who he wanted to go, but a quick review of the files never hurt. He quickly decided upon five people and began examining their files.

Arnavisca, Santiago

Born in Málaga, Spain. Although the family's holdings were greatly reduced under Franco's rule, the Arnaviscas still control large tracts of farmland around Córdoba and the Guadalquivir river valley. The second youngest son in a family of eight, his eldest brother is a deputy in the Adalucian Parliament. Attended University of Seville, 1983-88. Joined the Guardia Civil upon graduation. Served as a brigade commander 1994-96 in the Western European Union (WEU) administration of Mostar in Bosnia where he was instrumental in rebuilding the local police force. In 1997 recruited by the Guardia Civil's counter-terrorism unit, the Unidad Especial de Intervención (UEI) as part of their focus on the growing threat of terrorist action within the European Union by former citizens of Yugoslavia.

Arnavisca has competed in shooting competitions since he was a child and is an expert marksman. He speaks English, German and Italian fluently, as well as his native Spanish, and can make himself understood in most other European languages. Despite his aristocratic bearing, he is more comfortable acting as a lieutenant and advisor than a team lead. Extremely tenacious in combat, he has a reputation for maintaining an air of calm detachment no matter how tense the situation.

Filatov, Genedy

Born in Pskov, Pskovskaya Oblast, Russian Federation. No information on family available. Served in army of former Soviet Union, 1981-85, including tour of duty in Afghanistan. Recruited by "Alfa" counter- terrorist group in 1987. Operated in all major territories of the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe. Resigned from "Alfa" in 1991 in response to that organization's ambiguous response to the failed Soviet coup. Director of operations for private security firm, 1991-96. Returned to "Alfa" during its 1997 restructuring under the Russian Federal Security Service. Married, no children.

Filatov is a solid counter-terrorism operative. Although his training and background are unorthodox by western standards, he has a wealth of real- world experience from his years in the security forces of the former Soviet Union, and numerous contacts across eastern Europe and Asia. His steady nerves and methodical approach to any threat make him a particularly valuable asset in combat situations. Team commanders should not be misled by his world-weary manner; he is not a pessimist but a realist, and he prides himself on being the voice of reason and conservatism in any debate.

Haider, Karl

Born in Graz, Austria. Father is a petroleum distributor, mother a homemaker. Two siblings, a brother and a sister, both still in school. Joined the regular Austrian army in 1992. Transferred to Gendarmerieeinsatzkommando Cobra (GEK Cobra) in 1996. Trained with both Germany's GSG-9 and Israel's Sayeret Mat'Kal. Participated in GEK Cobra raid on Deissenmayr GmbH headquarters in Vienna in 1998 and was credited with single-handedly saving the lives of seven hostages. Married 1999, no children.

In combat situations Karl is unstoppable. He is extremely aggressive and will not hesitate to use whatever methods are necessary to complete his mission. He is fanatical about protecting the lives of hostages and innocent bystanders, even to the point of jeopardizing his own life. Off the job he is soft-spoken and private, but has an iron determination.

Novikov, Arkadi

Born in Minsk, in what is now Belarus. Novikov is the son of a career army officer; his family is politically very well connected, and has made the transition from the USSR to the CIS very well indeed. Novikov enjoyed the finest education and living standard available, including an engineering degree from the University of Moscow. He spurned the regular army to take a prized field position in the enforcement arm of the KGB, only to find it disintegrating beneath him. When his co-workers joined the forming Russian Mafias, Novikov left the city to return to Minsk where the newly independent Belarus army offered him a chance to lead a CT team of his own creation. A series of low profile but well-planned and executed missions brought him to the attention of RAINBOW, which Novikov gladly joined.

Novikov combines the broad built of the Russian athlete with an incisive mind and stern leadership. He is capable of working much higher in the organization, but prefers field duty, even if it means taking more orders than he gives. Other team members feel comfortable with Novikov in charge, as his personal bravery combines with sharp planning to virtually guarantee success.

Lofquist, Annika

Born in Göteborg, Sweden. Father was a retired admiral in the Swedish Navy, now deceased. Mother is a professor of Romance languages at Göteborg University and is active in Miljöpartiet de Gröna, the Swedish Green Party. Three brothers. The entire family sails avidly. Attended Stockholm University 1984-87, graduated with a B.S. in Physics. After a stint as an engineer with the Swedish semiconductor giant Microelektronik AB (1988-92), Lofquist joined the Stockholm police force as an expert on electronic surveillance. In 1994 she was recruited into Ordningspolisens Nationella Insatsstyrka (ONI), the national rescue unit of the Stockholm Police Department. From 1997 to 1999 she led ONI intelligence and surveillance teams in over a dozen different counter-terrorist actions, including the high-profile 1998 Red Cell occupation of the trading floor of the Stockholm futures exchange. Unmarried.

Lofquist is an electronics genius. Her name is on 14 different patents held by Microelektronik, her old employer, and she continues to consult with their engineers while serving as a member of the RAINBOW team. Most of her innovations have been in the area of electronic eavesdropping. She is extremely confident and courageous, although at times her lack of military training can lead her to overestimate her ability to handle a situation. Off duty she keeps to herself, living alone on a sailboat in Saltsjobaden outside Stockholm.

+++

Following her introduction, Control turned the briefing over to the short, former SEAL and CIA operative, now leader of Rainbow, John Clark. Clark looked over the team members, noting their expressions and pointed at the overhead screen.

"Normally, the feds handle hostage situations on American soil, but apparently we've got some very high profile nationals in there - among others, the French prime minister's daughter. As a result, Paris and Brussels have both insisted that RAINBOW run the extraction instead. Washington's not arguing, they just want those folks out."

Control picked up the briefing "LAPD has established a secure perimeter and set up a heartbeat surveillance so you'll be able to track the positions of the hostiles once you're inside. There are two ways in - the main door and a secondary entrance in the rear. According to the blueprints, there are a lot of balconies in the main exhibit halls so watch out for snipers. Arnavisca, Filatov, and Haider will make up Blue Team. Red Team will be composed of Novikov and Lofquist. Novikov will be in overall charge of the rescue mission."

Clark watched on as his people looked over the assembled maps, and intelligence. After a few minutes he got their attention. "In addition to the heartbeat surveillance, we lucked out in having two friendlies running around loose on the inside. I just got off the phone with a secure source. Apparently, two of his people were attending the festivities and got caught up in the incident. They are free, and providing up to date intelligence, even as we speak. Any questions?"

Arkadi Novikoff raised his hand and asked "Who?" With a slight scowl, Clark responded "You don't want to know." Rainbow 6 noticed that Arkadi was not about to let this slide so he added "Their field commander is the Wanderer. Do you really want to know?"

Silence reigned in the room as the stunned team members digested this piece of information. Sitting near rear of the room, an ashen face Annika Lofquist mumbled in a low voice, "What moron gave him a private army?"

Clark grinned as he heard an unknown team member say "Who's the moron?" Clark answered that question, to the continued horror of the others. "Someone who the Wanderer says is like a father to him."

Santiago Arnavisca, crossed himself and said a quick prayer. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand and asked, "What do we know about the terrorists behind this?"

Rainbow 6 held out his hand and motioned for Control to answer that question. " Islamic Vanguard, the group behind this attack is a ultraviolent Egyptian terrorist group, dedicated to overthrowing existing regimes and creating an Islamic state. While this is their first action under this name, members of this group have been involved in a number of Islamic militant actions, including the 1999 massacre at Giza in which 68 tourists were slain. These groups, all originally members of the Gama'at al- Islamiyya (Islamic Associations) student and religious movement, have become increasingly violent and less predictable as their senior leaders are arrested or killed. "

Several other questions were asked and answered as the teams completed their initial planning for the upcoming rescue.

John raised his hand and the others returned to their seats to listen to his final words. "The world is watching this operation very closely. I don't need to emphasize how important it is to pull this off. Good luck and God speed. Oh, one more thing: try to keep the collateral damage to a minimum. This is a museum, after all, not a shooting gallery."

TBC

Author's Notes: I originally came up with the idea of 'Rainbow Slayer' while playing Rogue Spear and thought it might be a good idea to have terrorists strike out in the Wanderverse, manipulated into coordinated attacks by the mysterious Satan Section. Chapter 2: Pandora Trigger will cover the conclusion to the hostage situation at the museum and I'm toying with having the new Sith apprentice make an appearance around Chapter 2 or 3. Thinking about him becoming our mysterious Mr. Morden. I need some input as to whether I should continue with storyline. So take a look and tell me what you think. All suggestions will be appreciated and taken under consideration. Thanks.