Part 9 – Journey to Parous II
As soon as the United was loaded, Damien boarded with Carter and a minimum bag with enough clothes for one week.
Two hours later, while they were on the training-deck, Steven was working on the punching bag while a humanoid robotic held it.
Lara ran on the treadmill, she always used it on speed level five point five, and Jackie took to the step-climber, somehow, going up made her feel good.
Damien decided to go a few rounds with Matt, the jab that Matt swung at him was soon deflected, and Damien used the momentum to throw Matt against the wall.
Matt landed on the wall only to see Damien swing at him, Matt pushed himself off the wall and threw his arm at Damien which was caught.
Damien then grabbed Matt's arm, and twisted it into an arm lock, Matt simply fell into Damien's legs, freeing his arms, and separating them both.
The buzzer then sounded as Damien jumped to his feet, as he held out his hand to Matt, Matt grabbed it and was pulled to his feet.
"Nice job boss," Matt said, "Our training seems to be paying off."
"Yea," Damien said as the two unwrapped their hands, "Training we should be doing as a team."
"What more do you want me to say," Steven asked as he removed his boxing gloves, "I'm sorry, you know I like to sleep in."
"Yes I do, Steven," Damien said, "You like to sleep in, and work at your own pace. That would have worked back on Earth during the summer when we were in school."
"I know we're not in school," Steven said, "We're not on Earth, and it's not the summer."
"Do you know we also have a higher responsibility now," Damien asked, "And I'm not talking about the Alliance."
"You mean us as Rangers?" Steven asked.
"Yes," Damien said as the five friends joined in the center of the training room, "Being a Ranger is a bigger responsibility than any of us could have hoped for. The literal fate of Earth is in our hands now, and we slack off, we don't just lose, the Alliance loses, and so does Earth. That's the goal we are trying to accomplish, getting Earth back, and beating the Serpent Empire."
"I haven't lost sight of that," Steven said, "But sleeping in doesn't mean I'm slacking off on my duty to the team."
"I know that Steven," Damien said, "But that's not the point. The point is that Carter is considering taking disciplinary actions if you don't start coming to work on time."
"And what did you have to say on the matter," Steven asked.
"I might be your CO, but I'm still Carter's subordinate," Damien said, "I can only make a formal argument. In the field, I might have absolute autonomy, when it comes to the policies, I have almost zero power. If Carter decides to go forward and prosecute you, I can't do a damn thing to stop him."
There was a chime followed by the bridge's communication officer, "Bridge to Sergeant Winters."
"Winters here," Damien said.
"We have a message coming from the colony," the officer said, "It's Supreme Commander Cruger, he wants to speak to your team."
"Route to the holographic generator it in here," Damien said, as the team stood in formation, Supreme Commander Cruger appeared in front of the team, "Attention!"
The team saluted the Commander who waved his hand and spoke, "At ease," he said, as the team stood at ease, he took a moment to look at their attire, "See you just got through with your workout."
"Yes, sir," Damien said.
Cruger then held up a small piece of paper, "Sergeant, would you explain this," he asked.
"Commander, you have to believe me, I knew nothing about this until recently," Damien said, "If I did, I would have done anything to talk my father out of this."
"I don't blame you for this Sergeant," Cruger said, "But if you have anything that would help me, I'd be most grateful, and I might even put in a good word with the Council."
"One thing you should know Commander is that my father is relentless," Damien said, "Make one mistake, and he will find a way to use it against you."
"Thank you, Sergeant," Cruger said, "Good luck with the operation," Cruger then saluted the team, "Cruger out."
"Thank you, sir," Damien said as Cruger's hologram shut off, "That could have been worse."
"Alright," Steven said, "I'm gonna get some grub."
"Steven, I…" Damien began before he was interrupted.
"Sergeant Winters," the communication officer said.
"WHAT!?" Damien asked.
"Another message from the colony," the officer said, "It's from your mother and sister."
"For petty sake," Damien said as he walked over to the wall, and picked up a disposable towel, "I'll take it in my team's quarters."
After returning to Earth, one of the crew's quarters was designated specifically for the Ranger's use. The room was a twenty-foot-feet circle with five beds, and separate showers for the boys and girls.
The beds were standard-issue beds with a memory-foam mattress that was covered with a leather-like waterproof material.
Damien walked over to the desk, and opened the message from his mother and sister, "Hey guys."
"Hey," Maria said, "We haven't heard from you all day."
"Sorry mom," Damien said, "I forgot to tell you guys, we've been deployed."
"You forgot," Ellen asked, "You forgot to tell your mother and little sister?"
"I'm sorry guys," Damien said, "But it was a last minute thing, it's a simple showing of the flag for a week."
"A week," Ellen and Maria asked at the same time.
"A week is an awfully long time for a patrol," Maria said, "Is there something we should know?"
"No," Damien said, "Even if wanted to tell you, I'm not at liberty to do so. It's Alliance military procedure not to discuss details about an ongoing operation while on duty."
"Is there anything you can tell us," Ellen asked.
"Don't worry," Damien said, "I'll be back."
"Alright," Maria said, "We love you."
"I love you both," Damien said as he kissed his hand, and touched his mother and sister on the screen.
As the transmission cut, the communication's officer contacted Damien for the third time, "Bridge to Sergeant Winters."
"This better be important Corporal," Damien said as he looked at the intercom.
"Sorry about this Sergeant," the officer said, "But it's Major Grayson, he said to join him and Lieutenant Mitchel in the mess hall as soon as possible.
"Tell him I'll be right over," Damien said as he stood up, walked over to his closet to grab his uniform, and then over to the bathroom to take a shower.
After a quick shower, Damien proceeded to the bridge where Carter was waiting in the captain's dining room with Ryan, "Sergeant, glad you could join us," Carter ushered Damien to the seat across from Ryan.
"Thank you, Major," Damien said as he took his seat across from Ryan and picked up his water, "If you don't me asking Major, why'd you ask me to join you two?"
"Isn't it tradition for a Captain to dine with his senior staff," Carter asked.
Once Damien heard 'senior staff' come out of Carter's mouth, the water he was drinking when down the wrong hole, and he started coughing, "Easy there," Ryan said, "We don't need you choking on us now, Sergeant."
"Sorry sir," Damien said, "But, Senior Staff? I'm a Sergeant."
"That may be the case in the eye of the public," Carter said, "And while I still refer to you a Sergeant, you should know your responsibilities as a Ranger elevates you to a spot almost equivalent to Lieutenant Mitchel here."
"I wish I had known that sir," Damien said as the chef brought in the fish the chef had in stock, "They glossed over 'Being a Ranger 101' at the Academy."
Carter, Ryan, and Damien let out a small chuckle, "That's not the only reason I brought you here," Carter said, "I wanted to give you a head's up on the planet we're going to," Carter handed Damien a tablet.
Ranger's Quarters, two hours later…
"The planet is called Parous II," Damien said, "One giant ball of sand in the middle of a solar system mostly populated by gas giants. This place stays dry almost the entire year, save for one month out of the year where there is enough water to conduct desert survival drills."
"Enough water to drink," Matt asked.
"Enough that we don't have to bring water," Damien said, "Shouldn't be a problem. Once we arrive, we're going down to the planet where the researchers will conduct various experiments on the astrolabe."
"And us?" Steven asked.
"We're going to conduct combat drills," Damien said, "Work on the way we operate as a team."
Two days later…
"Tents," Carter asked as he checked his tablet.
"Eight tents," Damien said, "Four for the crew, one for you, one armory tent, one science tent, and one bathroom tent."
"Pitons," Carter asked.
"Check," Damien said.
"Trash bags," Carter asked.
"About fifty bags," Damien said.
"We're set," Carter said as he put his tablet away, when he slid on his Alliance beret, he shouted, "ALRIGHT! MOUNT UP!"
The crews mounted their shuttles which were smaller versions of the Mega V4 save it was painted Alliance Blue with accents of Gold instead of yellow and black.
Damien took the flight controls while Matt took the weapons, Lara the scanners, Jackie the communications, and Steven the navigation.
"This is Shuttle Aquarius," Carter said into the communicator that came down from the co-pilot's panel like a CV Radio speaker, "All Shuttles report in."
"This is Shuttle Gemini," the pilot of the carrier shuttle who would be carrying down the supplies said, "Standing by."
"This is Shuttle Virgo," the pilot of the troop shuttle who would be carrying the troops down to the planet said, "Standing by."
"This is Shuttle Libra," the pilot of the scientific shuttle who would be carrying down the science equipment and astrolabe, "Standing by."
"All shuttles are go," Jackie said at her communication's console, "Scanners report calm conditions at the landing site."
"Good," Carter said, "Get clearance from the bridge, and prepare for departure."
Jackie tapped a few commands on her console, and once she got a reply, she turned toward Carter, "Bridge has cleared us for departure," she said, "Hanger bay doors opening."
As the hangar doors opened, Carter put his hand on Damien's shoulder, "On your move, Red Ranger," he said.
Damien powered up the engines, and grabbed the controls, "Here we go," he said.
As the shuttle lifted off the hanger bay floor, Damien eased the controls forward, and once the shuttle was out of the hanger, he pressed on the throttle, sending the shuttle towards the planet's surface.
"Anything on scanners," Carter asked.
"Nothing so far," Jackie said, "Seems the Serpent Empire doesn't know about us."
Several hundred light years away…
"Ssso," the Sergeant Es'ka said as he poured Ilustria a cup of tea, "Misss Ilussstria, how did…"
"Pleeease, just Ilustria," she said, "Ms. Ilustria sounds so… formal."
"Ok then," the Sergeant Es'ka said, "How did you come to ssserve the Emperor?"
"I was brought before the Empeeror as a lowly Human," Ilustria said, "I had been a prostitute in Egypt before a gggracious Es'ka found me and brought me before the Empeeror's mother who gggranted me this poweeer."
"I'm glad he did," the Sergeant Es'ka said as he sat in front of her, and raised his own glass, "To the gloriousss Empire."
"And those that serrrve it," Ilustria said as she gave the Sergeant a smile that sent his heart rate through the roof and out of sight.
As the Sergeant went to take a sip of his tea, his hand was shaking so much he poured a small amount that was hot enough to burn a hole through his pants.
"OOUUCCHH," he screamed as he jumped up, patting that spot on his outer-left thigh.
Ilustria giggled as the Sergeant finally cooled off his leg to turn around and speak, "Ssso, isss there anything elssse I ssshould know?"
"For starrrterrrs," Ilustria said as she walked over to the Sergeant, and took his hand, "I'm not marrried."
"How about I ssshow you the bessst view in the ssship," the Sergeant asked.
Guess what happens…