*******************************************************************
CHAPTER TWO: EXPECTATIONS
Preventers' Headquarters: LaGrange Point Two Colony
"Preventer Une won't be pleased," a young officer ventured bluntly as he looked over the reports that came back from the field team.
"We did our best," the other Preventer replied reproachfully. "But we didn't have any leads. Whoever brought down the system-if someone actually did-did it in complete secrecy. There's no evidence of anything wrong."
"Except the fact that an almost completely flawless system went down without warning," the officer behind the desk said, tapping his fingers on the file folder.
"An ALMOST completely flawless system, which means there's still room for the occasional failure."
"But the maintenance techs have already confirmed that there was NO failure. The system was purposely-or maybe accidentally-jammed..." He placed the files in an envelope and handed it to the field officer. "Give this to my secretary on your way out," he said as he stood to escort the other to the door. "And tell her to send it to the Preventers' Headquarters on Earth immediately."
"Yes, Sir," the other replied as he saluted and left the office. The Preventer returned to his desk to file additional paperwork that was to be sent away that evening.
"Preventer Walker?" his secretary's voice said over the intercom.
"Yes, Carolyne?"
"There is a young man and woman here to see you, Sir. They say it's important. It has to do with the system failure on the south side."
"Send them in," Walker replied and waited patiently for them to enter his office.
*******************************************************************
Preventers' Midpoint Radar station: North Mediterranean
"It went down in the Mediterranean, some twenty miles from the north- eastern shores... A little too close to the SchwarzRe?en for any type of comfort..." Sally muttered as she checked the radar system's record database. She remembered what Une had told her. "What's going on here? Not only did the ENTIRE Earth's radar systems go off-line, but all the other atmospheric monitors as well, including the weather forecasting satellites and resource stations..." Sally shook her head. "Whatever that thing was, I'll have to lock the coordinates onto it."
"Are you going to go around ALL DAY muttering to yourself, or are you going to TELL ME WHAT IN HELL IS GOING ON???" came WuFei's voice. He had momentarily regained his strength and made it into the other room, where Sally sit behind her desk, ranting and raving about whatever. He, quite frankly, didn't care for what was going on; he just wanted her to shut up so he could sleep. She turned around.
"A fairly large, heat-withstanding, aerodynamic projectile complied of metallic and alloyed substances entered the Earth's atmosphere and [crash] landed without authorization." WuFei blinked, staring blankly as Sally continued. "Either a discarded cargo freight, another stray remnant of the metal scraps left over from the Eve of Wars, a fallen satellite, or something new, bizarre, and unexplainable that could possibly pose a threat to the human race."
"Oh," he coughed. "It's probably nothing dangerous. You onnas worry too much; that's what makes you so weak. and irritating, with absolutely no integrity. just like-this flu. Stupid flu. It's an injustice." WuFei continued to mutter as he returned to his room and Sally looked back at her computer screen.
"Hmm, a cheerful mood he's in. he could be right... but I still have a feeling this is something else..." She sent a message to Une, who would look into it, and if needed, dispatch a field team to check it out.
*******************************************************************
"So, you're saying that an entire base hangar was constructed and maintained on the basement level of this colony, without ANYONE discovering the process?" Walker asked, and Duo nodded.
"There are ways to get in from the main level, I think. There was one- Do you want me to show you where?"
"Yes. We will send for back up and leave as soon as it is confirmed." Duo shook his head as he stood.
"There is no need for that. They spoke of a launch, and I believe they brought down the security so they could do it in secret. A man, who looked like their leader-" Duo stopped for a moment and thought. He looked like their leader, but more than that he looked strikingly like-No, they needn't know about THAT. They'd think me to be mad... "-said that their 'base' would be completely abandoned. There would be no more use for it when they reached the Earth."
"So they are headed for the Earth?" The Preventer jumped from his seat. "They must be warned immediately, should this situation turn out to be hostile." Walker pressed the intercom link. "Carolyne, contact the Earth's Headquarters and get in touch with Preventer Une. Tell her this is of utmost priority."
"Yes, Sir."
Walker turned back to Duo and Hilde. "Please remain within the building. We will get back to you as soon as we can." They nodded and left as Preventer Walker took his seat once again.
"Preventer Walker?" came Carolyne's voice.
"Yes?"
"Preventer Une is on the line."
"Thank you, Carolyne." He turned to see Une's face appear on the vidalink. Without hesitation, he began to explain all he had heard, and all Duo had told him. Une listened intently, her face growing more serious by the word.
*******************************************************************
Sally opened her email once more before retiring for the night, only to find a message flashing the word -URGENT-- in bold red lettering. It was from Une.
--Preventer Water,
Light has been shed upon the L2 incident, and the threat of danger towards the Earth has become increasingly imminent. After gaining word from the L2 Headquarters, it became undoubtedly necessary to dispatch a field team to search and retrieve whatever you say landed within the SchwarzRe?en region of the Mediterranean. You are required to meet up with the dive team and myself at the Preventers' office in Preveza. Please leave Preventer WuFei in charge of your station and leave immediately after reading this message. Details will be explained upon your arrival. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Preventer Une--
"So something IS wrong," Sally thought aloud. She stood up, closed her laptop, and walked into the room where WuFei was still asleep. She would have to wake him and explain what was going on, and why she had to leave.
*******************************************************************
As Une boarded the plane that would take her to the office in Preveza, her mind refused to leave the disturbing notion that this could be another attempt at a revolution. She sat, staring out her window with a blank expression as the carrier taxied down the runway and lifted off. "Please, God," she whispered, "don't let us repeat our history..." She remembered all the pain, all the suffering the past had caused her-and everyone else who had not even been involved in the war-and she folded her hands, closed her eyes, and prayed. No, it wouldn't happen again. Not if she could help it. The clouds were dark grey that night, and from the ground, the people could see the moon glow a chilling shade of crimson. The August winds blew about fiercely with the night and, though the air was warm, the Earth shivered in expectance.
*******************************************************************
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Oooh, how tense. yeah right. I know the scenes keep jumping, but
that's only confusing if you've never actually watched anime. or any
other TV show. I write the way it would be in animation. :) If you
looked at it in terms of it being animated, it would probably make
more sense. yeah, sure.
CHAPTER TWO: EXPECTATIONS
Preventers' Headquarters: LaGrange Point Two Colony
"Preventer Une won't be pleased," a young officer ventured bluntly as he looked over the reports that came back from the field team.
"We did our best," the other Preventer replied reproachfully. "But we didn't have any leads. Whoever brought down the system-if someone actually did-did it in complete secrecy. There's no evidence of anything wrong."
"Except the fact that an almost completely flawless system went down without warning," the officer behind the desk said, tapping his fingers on the file folder.
"An ALMOST completely flawless system, which means there's still room for the occasional failure."
"But the maintenance techs have already confirmed that there was NO failure. The system was purposely-or maybe accidentally-jammed..." He placed the files in an envelope and handed it to the field officer. "Give this to my secretary on your way out," he said as he stood to escort the other to the door. "And tell her to send it to the Preventers' Headquarters on Earth immediately."
"Yes, Sir," the other replied as he saluted and left the office. The Preventer returned to his desk to file additional paperwork that was to be sent away that evening.
"Preventer Walker?" his secretary's voice said over the intercom.
"Yes, Carolyne?"
"There is a young man and woman here to see you, Sir. They say it's important. It has to do with the system failure on the south side."
"Send them in," Walker replied and waited patiently for them to enter his office.
*******************************************************************
Preventers' Midpoint Radar station: North Mediterranean
"It went down in the Mediterranean, some twenty miles from the north- eastern shores... A little too close to the SchwarzRe?en for any type of comfort..." Sally muttered as she checked the radar system's record database. She remembered what Une had told her. "What's going on here? Not only did the ENTIRE Earth's radar systems go off-line, but all the other atmospheric monitors as well, including the weather forecasting satellites and resource stations..." Sally shook her head. "Whatever that thing was, I'll have to lock the coordinates onto it."
"Are you going to go around ALL DAY muttering to yourself, or are you going to TELL ME WHAT IN HELL IS GOING ON???" came WuFei's voice. He had momentarily regained his strength and made it into the other room, where Sally sit behind her desk, ranting and raving about whatever. He, quite frankly, didn't care for what was going on; he just wanted her to shut up so he could sleep. She turned around.
"A fairly large, heat-withstanding, aerodynamic projectile complied of metallic and alloyed substances entered the Earth's atmosphere and [crash] landed without authorization." WuFei blinked, staring blankly as Sally continued. "Either a discarded cargo freight, another stray remnant of the metal scraps left over from the Eve of Wars, a fallen satellite, or something new, bizarre, and unexplainable that could possibly pose a threat to the human race."
"Oh," he coughed. "It's probably nothing dangerous. You onnas worry too much; that's what makes you so weak. and irritating, with absolutely no integrity. just like-this flu. Stupid flu. It's an injustice." WuFei continued to mutter as he returned to his room and Sally looked back at her computer screen.
"Hmm, a cheerful mood he's in. he could be right... but I still have a feeling this is something else..." She sent a message to Une, who would look into it, and if needed, dispatch a field team to check it out.
*******************************************************************
"So, you're saying that an entire base hangar was constructed and maintained on the basement level of this colony, without ANYONE discovering the process?" Walker asked, and Duo nodded.
"There are ways to get in from the main level, I think. There was one- Do you want me to show you where?"
"Yes. We will send for back up and leave as soon as it is confirmed." Duo shook his head as he stood.
"There is no need for that. They spoke of a launch, and I believe they brought down the security so they could do it in secret. A man, who looked like their leader-" Duo stopped for a moment and thought. He looked like their leader, but more than that he looked strikingly like-No, they needn't know about THAT. They'd think me to be mad... "-said that their 'base' would be completely abandoned. There would be no more use for it when they reached the Earth."
"So they are headed for the Earth?" The Preventer jumped from his seat. "They must be warned immediately, should this situation turn out to be hostile." Walker pressed the intercom link. "Carolyne, contact the Earth's Headquarters and get in touch with Preventer Une. Tell her this is of utmost priority."
"Yes, Sir."
Walker turned back to Duo and Hilde. "Please remain within the building. We will get back to you as soon as we can." They nodded and left as Preventer Walker took his seat once again.
"Preventer Walker?" came Carolyne's voice.
"Yes?"
"Preventer Une is on the line."
"Thank you, Carolyne." He turned to see Une's face appear on the vidalink. Without hesitation, he began to explain all he had heard, and all Duo had told him. Une listened intently, her face growing more serious by the word.
*******************************************************************
Sally opened her email once more before retiring for the night, only to find a message flashing the word -URGENT-- in bold red lettering. It was from Une.
--Preventer Water,
Light has been shed upon the L2 incident, and the threat of danger towards the Earth has become increasingly imminent. After gaining word from the L2 Headquarters, it became undoubtedly necessary to dispatch a field team to search and retrieve whatever you say landed within the SchwarzRe?en region of the Mediterranean. You are required to meet up with the dive team and myself at the Preventers' office in Preveza. Please leave Preventer WuFei in charge of your station and leave immediately after reading this message. Details will be explained upon your arrival. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Preventer Une--
"So something IS wrong," Sally thought aloud. She stood up, closed her laptop, and walked into the room where WuFei was still asleep. She would have to wake him and explain what was going on, and why she had to leave.
*******************************************************************
As Une boarded the plane that would take her to the office in Preveza, her mind refused to leave the disturbing notion that this could be another attempt at a revolution. She sat, staring out her window with a blank expression as the carrier taxied down the runway and lifted off. "Please, God," she whispered, "don't let us repeat our history..." She remembered all the pain, all the suffering the past had caused her-and everyone else who had not even been involved in the war-and she folded her hands, closed her eyes, and prayed. No, it wouldn't happen again. Not if she could help it. The clouds were dark grey that night, and from the ground, the people could see the moon glow a chilling shade of crimson. The August winds blew about fiercely with the night and, though the air was warm, the Earth shivered in expectance.
*******************************************************************
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Oooh, how tense. yeah right. I know the scenes keep jumping, but
that's only confusing if you've never actually watched anime. or any
other TV show. I write the way it would be in animation. :) If you
looked at it in terms of it being animated, it would probably make
more sense. yeah, sure.