Not This August
Chapter 8
Island International Airfield
The Colony
"Doc, I think we need a few more times around the island and a few more practice hovers. Do you, I mean, really, do you think this is such a good idea?"
"Hideki, we've gone over this again and again. Honestly, you sound more like Penny every day. The Major agrees that it will provide an element of surprise as well as a secure method of transporting small groups or infiltrators behind enemy lines should it come to all-out war. We need to utilize this type of aircraft and you should appreciate that."
Sheldon was the only one who called Bomber by his first name and Dawn Wells by her rank. It was just his way and Bomber knew no amount of cajoling would change his mind, not about names and titles or about flying the UH-1b, late of the Michigan National Guard. It was just the way it was.
The Colonial Air Force was the proud owner of 4 UH-1b Hueys as well as one Chinook that everyone but the Doc referred to as 'the shithook'. Added to the Providers and the modified civilian aircraft that had been left on the island, they had an air force comparable to many pre-Choker nations.
They had enough fixed wing pilots or 'pilots in training' to fly all available aircraft given another month or two. Unfortunately, there was only one 'pilot' capable of flying the helicopters.
Dr. Sheldon L. Cooper had learned to fly fixed and rotary wing aircraft courtesy of Microsoft's 'Flight Simulator' in the comfort of his living room back in pre-Choker Pasadena.
He'd flown a rickety old Cessna from the Island clear to Galveston. The less said about that landing the better.
He flew the hangar queen Provider dubbed 'Colonial One' from Texas to the Island.
"Okay, Doc. Once more around the Island then a few touch-and-goes and then one more attempt at autorotation and we'll call it a day."
"Alright, Hideki, but this time, try not to strangle the cyclic stick and pay a bit more attention to the rudder pedals. I've read that flying 'out of trim' is considered bad form."
Bomber, the current 'pilot in training', gently lifted the collective until the beastie achieved ground effect lift and then eased the stick a bit and began forward progress.
"Very good. Now let's take her up a bit and try that autorotation once more," said Sheldon from the command seat. He was very pleased with his friend's progress. It was always good to have a backup. He glanced at his watch and frowned. He still had two more trainees to push through the program and he was running out of time.
He and Penny were scheduled to man the server line at the cafeteria tonight and he hated being late.
Two weeks earlier, David Hampton's 'Irregulars' had attacked and totally destroyed elements of the New Order that had been lying in wait to ambush the Colonial delegation heading south to the meeting in Gaylord. The delegation's small convoy would have been decimated but instead it was the fate of the New Order.
What few prisoners had been taken had been 'vigorously interrogated' and then taken across the lake to the Door Peninsula and marooned. The Colonials had no intention of wasting manpower on a prison camp. Not a single member of the New Order force had escaped to warn the New Order of what had happened.
Lansing, Michigan
Capital of the New Order
Two weeks earlier
"Leader, the head of the delegation from the Colony is on the radio asking where our delegation is. What should I tell her?"
After a long pause, Leader Dyson responded coldly, "Tell the bitch – tell her we've had logistical problems but we'll meet at the Straits in two weeks to finalize their proposed agreement. Make it sound like we're disorganized and lack resources."
He wanted to know what happened and why the 'delegation' wasn't now dead or on the way to his interrogation cells.
Gaylord, Michigan
Town Hall
"…and our transportation is limited and…we suffered mechanical failure. I am sorry. Leader Dyson says he and a small contingent of our people will meet with your Council at the Straits in two weeks. Is that acceptable?"
"This is Councilor Winkle…wait one."
She turned off the radio and leaned back against the Humm-V they'd ridden in from the island. She's been shocked at the sight of the New Order's burned out personnel carriers and trucks at the ambush site. More than that, she was pissed off at being played by this 'New Order'. She hated being wrong in front of Sheldon Cooper even if he refrained from saying 'I told you so'.
"What can we do in two weeks' time, Shel? If Hampton's information is right – we are terribly outnumbered in terms of manpower and equipment. Maybe we should try for an alliance instead of – "
"You would ally yourself with those animals?" he growled back and snatched the microphone from her hands.
"This is Sheldon Cooper. One vehicle with the delegation is authorized to drive north of Gaylord to Michigan City and the town square. ONE vehicle. Noon in four weeks' time. The extra time should do you well in terms of maintenance on what equipment you do have. Do not fail to arrive on time. We will only wait an hour for you, so it would behoove you to get an early start."
In Lansing, the message was clearly understood. The Colony thought they were calling the shots.
Dyson paced around his office, angry at the disrespect shown himself and the New Order. Calming himself, he turned and smiled coldly.
"Alert the Head of the Spear for deployment north in advance of the 'meeting'. Have what armor we have ready to deploy with them. It is time to end this farce. Send those new 'irregular' troops up the lake in the boats we commandeered and have them attack the island at the same time we pin down their forces at the Straits."
"We will take their little island paradise from them and then make it into our own forward operations base. Today the Straits. After that, the entire state will be ours for the taking."
He walked to the map of the United States and centered his hands on the Straits and then swept one down across Wisconsin and Minnesota, the other down through Indiana and Ohio.
"We will grow in numbers and resources and expand our reach even beyond those states once we crush those bugs and their so-called Colony."