Disclaimer: All characters, names, settings etc belong to their respective copyright holders, only much of the convoluted plot and a few characters and some objects are mine.
Chapter 4 – A new player returns to the game
General McGeoch stared at the reports, Night Wolf Command was…functioning, which was the only way he could put it.
They already had ground units out assessing the situation that was quickly hotting up in Britain and overseas.
The report from the newly established and what was more staffed 'Sorcery Division' lay on his desk along with multiple other requests and forms to sign.
Death Eaters, Voldemort and the Ministry continue to prosecute, detain and execute all persons who are not 'pure wizards'.
Death Eaters and leader Voldemort have been witnessed torturing and killing civilians both within magical communities and in mainland Britain, sporadic attacks have been taking place through Northern Ireland, France, Russia, Germany and Spain.
Ministry of Magic UK has set new rules for aurors….
General McGeoch set down the report and picked up his own copy of the 'Night Wolf Encyclopaedia' which was a large folder with different pieces of paper, odd shapes and bad photocopies and everything, it was the how to, and the go to guide to most of the work they were doing, despite Winter's briefings it was still a lot to take in and accept on a day to day basis.
Aurors: Part of Ministry for Magic UK, the Law Enforcement arm of the Ministry for Magic, witches and wizards trained to combat any threat made to the magical world.
The General picked up the report again.
…has set new rules for aurors they have been given orders to detain or kill any 'dark creatures', there are now speciality teams out hunting on full moon nights.
Surveillance teams have reported that auror 'hit squads' are storming known werewolf homes and safe houses eliminating all who inhabit; before full moons, despite the counter measures many have in place.
McGeoch slammed down the report, they had as many trained teams out there as they could made up of UNIT personnel that had been added to Night Wolf's ranks, and other members of the magical community and others who Winter and Andrew thought could help.
But these teams still needed a commander out in the field, someone who could easily make decisions based on extraordinary odds and fantastical events…and most of those that could cope with it had already been sequestered to parts of Night Wolf or were in charge of their own squads at UNIT.
General McGeoch sat back and signed a few more requisitions, they were for extra materials, extra equipment everything like that.
Night Wolf Command used a lot of resources, but they were setting up a whole new command, a research, development and training centre of operations, which both Geneva and the British Government were willing to fund, just the latter not officially, not since they saw the EV project and their request for 'plausible deniability', now Night Wolf dealt with the armed forces.
McGeoch looked at another report it was actually from normal UNIT business but they had forwarded him a copy 'just in case', it had involved the Doctor which had meant a full security sweep of both facilities, Night Wolf was something UNIT didn't want the Doctor interfering in.
But it had come of nothing, it was an extra-dimensional incursion, the prisoners were being interviewed at the moment as they seemed to possess some sort of magical knowledge which could assist Night Wolf in its current situation.
But there was also another name that had looked familiar a Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart, that name was familiar in a lot of UNIT training manuals and basic background briefings.
And was just the sort of person who could help with the situation that McGeoch was facing, someone who would no doubt be able to command a unit and liase with Night Wolf Command, and after his recent taste of UNIT again…
--/
Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge Stewart walked through the UNIT building in London, it was for the most part an unassuming building on the bank of the Thames, it had had many, many refurbishments since he had commanded here, he was being led by a young second Lieutenant through the dark grey corridors, he motioned through a door which read 'Conference Room 2'.
Inside it was light lit from some high windows, a large round table dominated the room, two Generals were waiting for him, he saluted before taking a seat opposite him.
"I was just reading a report, Brigadier about your recent adventures." The first General whom the Brigadier had met before he realised.
"General?"
"Lake Vortigan, Morgaine, magic." The General…General McGeoch smiled at him.
"Generals…I was already debriefed…"
The second General smiled and nodded to McGeoch.
"Brigadier…I'm here to…offer you a job."
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart laughed, he had been happily not in UNIT for several years even after his 'encounter' with the Doctor whilst he was teaching he didn't get the want to go back.
"I'm retired General…despite my recent action…why should you want an old soldier like me?"
"You're not that old Brigadier…and for this battle you are what we need…"
"Battle? I'm sorry General I didn't see any Daleks landing outside…"
"Or Cybermen crawling out of the sewers?" The General countered with a smile.
"Yes…"
"Have you perhaps noticed the attacks, houses burnt down, houses belonging to quiet people, families who were part of the community, perhaps unknown deaths no sign of death, except they were…"
The Brigadier nodded slightly, Doris had pointed it out to him, he'd thought he was being paranoid, seeing a conspiracy when there wasn't one, it sounded like some of the counter stories they had come up with when he was in charge of UNIT, himself Benton, Yates and the Doctor and Jo or Liz Shaw sitting around with a mug of cocoa trying to come up with a plausible explanation for why there was a mass recall on daffodils, or why shop dummies had come alive and killed people…
General McGeoch passed Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart a few sheets of paper.
"Sign that and we can speak further."
The Brigadier looked down at it.
"What is it?"
"UN amended articles." The other General stated.
"I already have the highest security clearance."
"This is higher than the standard high security clearance Brigadier."
Alistair carefully read through it, it was the standard sort of UN clearance wording, but with a lot more sub clauses he got to the end and signed it.
"Does this mean you're willing to join us Brigadier?" General McGeoch asked slowly.
"I'm willing to listen…"
"You've recently encountered Morgaine who supposedly used magic…"
"She was from an alternate dimension though Generals…."
"Yes…however there is also magic…here on Earth…" He smiled "And I'm not talking about hats and rabbits. There is a war being fought on British soil…and UNIT…in particular my command is the one who has to deal with it…"
The Brigadier listened calmly as the list, the details in fact everything that this Night Wolf was involved in did, and tried to help with, even before the General was finished he'd decided he wanted to join up again…Doris might not be pleased, but she always said he was most happy when he'd been in UNIT and that 'even joining them for one adventure had made him seem 20 years younger and put life back into him'.
"General…I'm willing to join you, to help any way I can…it's a bit surprising…the next thing you'll be saying is we've got space ships ready to fight off the aliens before they touch down…" He laughed, General McGeoch turned to the other general receiving a nod.
"Actually Brigadier…you might as well know…"
Later, after being brought to Night Wolf and watching the footage of the EV20, the Brigadier felt like he needed a drink, he already had one in his hand he and General McGeoch were sitting by the fire in the General's office.
"A bit of a shock Brigadier?"
"Just a bit sir…so that was what that meeting…"
"It had started somewhere before that, but your testament as a UNIT veteran helped…as you can see while we appreciate the Doctor's help…he does pose a threat to this command and the projects under its purview…"
The Brigadier nodded, he valued the Doctor as a friend no matter what face he wore. But he remembered the looks the research boys used to give the Doctor who would sometimes go out of his way to disable alien technology stating 'you humans already have enough bombs to crack this planet in half…and I would kindly like you not to try, while I'm on it thankyou Brigadier…'.
Of course whenever he'd challenged the Doctor he'd always said 'That's why I'm around Brigadier…' despite the fact that when he could leave he did, he returned his companions, more often than not and had helped out more times than they could count…obviously someone had counted and realised UNIT needed a safeguard…but the ship was way beyond…
"How was it built?" He'd been given the background to the Highlands facility, but he didn't ask questions till he saw it…
"Combination of alien technology and normal technology…we're using EV20…I think they're coming up with a name now for her, well they're going to use her to find other materials so we can built more..."
"For defence?"
"And exploration…"
"But the cost…?"
"That's the thing, and the size, we're already looking for outside help…"
"The Americans?" The Brigadier said with some distaste, after Bill Filer the Americans had shunned any UNIT involvement preferring to deal with any problems themselves. They'd also laughed as Britain's Mars program and space freighters preferring to stick with their 'Sky Lab Research Facility' not that that had been a success.
"No, definitely not…" The General said immediately. "After everything no…but since their Space Lab fell onto Australia they've been distancing themselves from the Americans, Professor Wynne, the chap in charge of the facility has been putting together a proposal with Geneva, they think it can work."
"To construct space ships?"
"To construct a whole other construction facility, for larger ships so the reports say…"
"Larger?" The Brigadier couldn't believe it, the ship he'd seen, well it was as big as some alien ships.
"So the designers say EV20 is the smallest they can go, to fit in the required armaments engines and whatever…and with the next ships they will need more home built technology, our equipment's bigger than the Dalek's so its bigger."
"That was a Dalek…"
"Recovered saucer, I've got a report somewhere from one of my team which is looking into a projected energy laser for hand held use…"
"Like the Dalek's ray…?"
"Yes…except even if we did build it, you'd need a truck to carry the power…"
"Well enough talk…when do you want me to start?" the General smiled, the Brigadier was probably only a few years younger than him, but seemed to have limitless energy.
"Sleep on it first Brigadier, let it all sink in, we've got a chopper standing by in the hanger."
"Hanger?"
"Tomorrow a full tour and a full debriefing and then you'll learn all…"