AU: Well, for those of you that feel uncomfortable with Combine soldiers killing headcrabs instead of Vortigaunts, don't worry, you won't see that much headcrab killing anymore. Oh yeah, and don't get used to these constant updates. It's just Spring Break for me, and I've got a lot of free time right now.
Chapter 3: Guess Who's Back
Location: City 17 CitadelMajor K-257 marched quickly up the Administrator's office. He was already on his way to give the Administrator his regular report when he received an urgent, Omega-level summon from the Adminstrator. K-257 frowned at the thought. In all the time he was here in City 17, he could not recall ever receiving such a high-level summon. Could it be Freeman was actually here? K-257 shook his head at the thought. Freeman was only a myth, an urban legend.
As he came up to the Administrator's office, K-257 didn't stop to try and identify himself in front of the guards. He knew that the Identify-Friend-Foe tag implanted in his brain would automatically display all relevant information to the guards' heads-up displays. Both guards took a second or two to determine whether he had enough clearance, saw his rank, and quickly saluted. K-257 returned the salute and walked into the Administrator's office.
K-257 was surprised at what he saw within. In addition to the sight of the Administrator sitting behind his desk, the Major also saw a group of officers standing at attention in front of him. K-257 quickly moved next to the nearest officer in line and stood at attention. The Administrator took a quick look at the officers standing before him and then stood up and began pacing the floor behind his desk.
"Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to discuss a major breach in our security, and to determine what to do about it." Administrator Breen stopped and glared at the officers in front of him.
K-257 tensed slightly. A security breach and Breen's current mood suggested that somebody was going to die today.
"Five minutes ago," Breen continued, "do any of you know what I saw?"
All of the Combine officers stayed silent. They knew better than to talk without a direct order to them.
"I saw Gordon Freeman standing right there, in front of my desk!" Breen pointed to where K-257 was standing. At the mention of Freeman's name, some of the officers murmered and began to fidget a little.
"Now, I want somebody to explain to me, just how Mr. Freeman is in City 17, and how long he was here!"
One officer, K-157 recognized him as Colonel D-492, stepped forward and said, "Administrator, my sources within Civil Protection hadreceived credible reports several minutes ago that Freeman was sighted at City 17 Station and in one of the adjacent residential blocks before disappearing."
Breen turned his head, to face the Colonel. K-257 noted that Breen was doing a sucessufl job of keeping his temper in check, but didn't know how long it would last.
"The sightings, how long ago?" Breen asked.
"The report of the sightings was roughly an hour old."
"You mean to tell me that Civil Protection knew Freeman was here for one hour and didn't tell anybody?"
D-492 stiffened and replied, "They only found out whenCivil Protectoindid a headcount on the passengersin today's train from City 14. They counted one extra passenger, did a background check, determined his identity, and tried to apprehend him. Civil Protection obviously believed that they had the situation under control."
"Obviously, Civil Protection is full of idiots!" Breen failed to hide his rage this time, and he began yelling at the officers, "Organize your units! Attack every known Resistance base, hideout, station, whatever! I don't want Freeman to find any sort of safe haven or assistance whatsoever!"
K-257 and the other officers nodded. Contrary to public belief, the Resistance's "secret" hideouts were not quite as secret as they thought. The Combine had long been keeping their hideouts under surveillance for intelligence purposes, and the Combine was able to get a good handle on the Resistance's relative strength, numbers, and influence. They also kept assault teams nearby ready and waiting in case the order for attack ever came.
As the other officers saluted the Administrator and double-timed it out of the office, K-257 was stopped by Breen, who now spoke calmly, "Major, stay here. I believe you were on your way here with matters to discuss."
K-257 nodded, "I merely came to report that my team's mission was successful, and that they are en-route back here, but now I have to inform them to attack their-"
Breen cut him off, "Their designated target, yes I know. I believe there was another issue we had to discuss about your team?"
"Yes." K-257 shuffled uncomfortably. "I've been listening to my team's radio transcripts, and I believe that they've started calling each other by names."
Maybe back during the time before the Combine took over, it was socially acceptable for individual soldiers to have names, but in the Combine, for maximum combat efficiency, it was determined that individuality was a liability. Therefore, all soldiers within the Combine were either identified by numbers or unit designations.
"Well, that's not good at all," Breen said, with a slightly cheerful tone, which unnerved K-257, "after all, names breed individuality and that cuts down on military efficiency. I'm wondering if it's time for your team to be… replaced."
K-257's eyes widened. Though the members Kill Team 17 were merely hissubordinates, he felt he had grown a sort of attachment to them, a blasphemous act in itself. "Administrator, I believe the problem is only trivial. I will discipline them appropriately once they return from their mission."
"See that you do." Breen sat back in his chair and brought up a screen showing troop movements. "Oh, and on your way out, see to it that you also properly discipline whoever was in charge of that little fiasco at Civil Protection."
K-257 tilted his head in curiosity, "Sir?"
Breen sighed. "I deplore the waste of good men, I really do, but we can't afford to have screw-ups like this happen again. Find whoever was in charge, chastise him appropriately, and then kill that idiot."
Location: In the air, en-route to City 17 CitadelOne, or Kate, as she liked to call herself, stared out the window as the dropship she was riding in soared over City 17. She looked back at her other five squadmates, each of whom had their own secret names: Jackie, Kazi, Cassie, Karen, and Sarah. Names among soldiers were often heavily discouraged though, so they only referred to themselves by name in private, and not on the standard communication channels.
Suddenly, the dropship began to tilt to one side, meaning it was changing course. Kate raised her head curiously and asked, "Pilot, what's the problem?"
The pilot tilted his head to listen in on the radio traffic, and soon replied, "New target. We're headed there right now. I'm patching you in to your mission controller."
