Martin

Magic Army

Martin walks with a heavy stride with one hand covering his jaw. This morning while checking on the preparation of the shuttle he was piloting today he ran into a crew member caring a long bar. It had caused the rip. He looked around for Gordon his aide, but the youth could not be found. When he asked, someone came up and said that Gordon had been taken to a counseling session. Martin could feel the chill fall on him. He always trusted Gordon, but today...he shakes his head. Today will he ever trust the Youth Leader again.

Just before entering the door to skin repair office he stops. He takes the hand from his jaw and rubs his neck. He thinks to himself, just one step through the stupid door. Why he feels the reluctance he cannot say. Jack and Nancy have always been there for him. However, the nagging feeling that they must push their movement forward bothers him. Are they ready?

He walks in and over to the desk to check himself in. The stiffness in his neck feels tighter and he also realizes that he is biting his lower lip. He takes a deeper breath, this day was coming and he has always known that. What is the resistance to a regime and that of overthrowing a government. Are they truly the same. When is to much, just to much.

Nancy comes in with her ever ready smile and says, "Ready Freddy? Heard you nicked yourself."

"Ready Freddy?" He cocks his head for a moment. "Someone has been watching human television." Then he laughs.

"You know it dude," Nancy says while holding one hand up with the middle fingers down.

He gives her an incredulous look, "What is that?"

"You know rock on. I have Youth Corp doing this all of the time now. I even had a Youth Leader do it once." She laughs, "I guess we need to do a little repair work on you. Unless you want to show a little skin." Nancy then gives him a wink.

Martin gives her a quick smile in return; he feels a little lost though. "Yes, please. Do you have a few minutes?"

"I can't; I am in charge of taking care of the Youth Leaders for the next few weeks. They are going through something, a bit of...I don't know what to say. They have been coming through since yesterday with small nicks from their counseling session." Their eyes lock for a moment, they know what is going on with the Youth Leaders; and after them the rest of the Youth Corp. "Anyway, I have both Aaron and Andrea coming in today to assist me. However, Jack should be here momentarily as I was notified you were on your way down. Just a heads up, he was taking a break, but for you."

No, sooner do the words come from Nancy's mouth than Aaron and Andrea come in. Aaron has a Hispanic look and Andrea is a very tall slender young woman. Martin cocks his head, both of then he decides are likely between eighteen and twenty. Unknown to them they are likely going to be left here when the colonization plan is rolled out for all to know. Their schooling is happening on this ship as well as their training in skin care. He feels for them; most likely they have family and friends left behind; people that they may never see again. Sadly they could bring very little and have brought only what they were allowed to bring from home. He is feeling more like any staff member under twenty-one is a possible victim to being left to colonize. It did not matter if they were in Youth Corp or not. His hopes are that the Regime will be brought down and the colonization will not happen. Still he feels the movement is trying to accomplish too much, with to few people.

All Martin can do is give a grin and sit down awaiting assistance. He can't go down to the planet without his face fixed, besides he has time and it won't take long to fix. After awhile a storm trooper comes in guiding a rather dazed looking Gordon into the room. "Gordon, how are you doing?"

At first Gordon looks at him blankly, "Hummm?"

"Are you alright?"

Suddenly Gordon's stance straights and he brings his fist to his chest. "Hail, to Our Great Leader. Let me always be in his service, and may my last breathe be in service for him." He brings his fist down, but continues to stand stiffly until the trooper guides him towards a room that Aaron has indicated will be the room his repair work will be done.

Nancy looks almost embarrassed. "I am so sorry you had to see that. They are having moments of passion, confusion and fatigue...then back to passion, confusion, etc." She shrugs.

Then Jack enters the room, "I was notified you needed a little repair."

Martin stands and Jack looks at the small scratch before speaking again. "Won't take, but a few minutes." He slaps his hands together, "Let's get it done." He then walks away with Martin following him to not only their sound proof room, but one that is monitor free.

Jack points at the chair and Martin sits. They sit quietly as the repair work is done. Finally Jack speaks, "You really need to be more careful. Seriously, did you do this on purpose?"

"No, guess I am accident prone." Martin makes a sweeping gesture towards the door. "Are they all like that?"

It is now Jack who turns and stares at the door, "Sadly, unfortunately; yes."

"They are now totally converted?"

"It appears so."

"First, the news person. Ah, cameraman. The news announcement about earth scientists in some sort of conspiracy; then the arrest and execution of clan leaders. Lastly conversion on the Youth Corp. What can happen next? Making it hard to make plans with everything moving in all of this drama at one time. Security is an all time high and I doubt it will lessen now with what looks like human resistance will becoming into play soon. They are most certainly preparing what with putting guns in young humans hands."

"Yes, these are obstacles that were not counted on, but we must remember our goal. So many working towards our goal at home and they are counting on us to do our part. Things will not become easier. No, not all."

Martin frowns deeply, that last remark sounded very much like a warning that the worse was still to come. He decides to brush the matter from his mind for the time being. He leans forward as Jack holds up the mirror. He nods, "Looks good."

Jack sighs deeply as he begins to pick up skin creams and place them back in the cabinet.

"I am not taking the shuttle out for another hour and since I interrupted your break-time," Martin's voice then becomes a bit louder with each word. "I am,...I must admit...addicted to chaffee. Now we can have the Earth equivalent..." He laughs, "Let's go get some coffee!"

"Coffee?" Then Jack throws his head back and laughs, then he shakes his head in amusement. "Coffee it is. I only have a short time, but it sounds like a plan. Never had any, but I have heard that it is this planet's chaffee." Then his tone takes on a serious note, "Remember, no talking about...well, you know."

Martin stands and puts his jacket on, next he smiles and puts his hands on his hips. "Ready?"

"Yes, I will let one our staff know to finish the cleanup."

Martin walks out of the skin room and awaits Jack. While waiting another trooper comes to the room, he nods at Martin and enters. A few minutes later Jack comes out followed by the trooper who had guided Gordon into the room earlier. The thoughts of Gordon are hard to accept. He likes Gordon, the young man had a lot of potential. Once upon a time he would have liked to see if he could have involved Gordon in the planned uprising against their Great Leader. His thoughts from earlier are now confirmed about Gordon, the young man can never be trusted; in fact he will need to be careful around him.

Jack comes out and laughs, but there is no humor to his laugh. It feels staged as the trooper walks past them.

Martin gives him a smile, "Coffee time, I am looking forward to trying it out I heard as well that..."

Jack cuts him off and nods towards the trooper who had walked past them. He appears to be arguing with someone. Then tall trooper shifts his position and they can see it is the Youth Leader, Brian. Then both of them leave together; apparently still arguing.

"Well, that is one stubborn trooper to argue back to an officer," Jack says with a bit of humor in his voice.

"Youth Leaders, are not truly officers of this military. They have their own division. He is an officer in the Youth Corp." Martin then points to the elevator and they stride slowly towards it. "Besides that Youth Leader should be written up for the way he appeared to be confronting that trooper."

"Military is military. No, matter the age or education or whatever division or kind of military; of said individual; they are in the military." Jack smiles, but the smile is quickly gone as the solemn tone comes to him, "Actually, I guess they are weapons."

Martin nods wordlessly. There is nothing he can say. It was always a plan to take ten year old's and guide them as Jack said into the Regime's best weapons. Now they walk quietly from what was to be a moment of fun and now has become a time of sadness. What else bothers him is if he and Jack are drifting apart in what their resistance should be. Jack is going by plans that made more sense before they left on this mission to Earth. Now Martin watches as Earth and its people are at the mercy of the Great Leader. The reality of why the Great Leader has supposedly sent them here is truly lost on him. However, one thing is clear to him the Great Leader can be ruthless and he has devoted followers like John and psychopaths like Diana to do his bidding. Maybe the Fifth Column plans of overthrowing the Great Leader need to be taken one step at a time; not something done in totality. They have not the resources at home or on the ships to do what is needed to actually succeed in doing everything at one time. That also, included if they were to find an army of humans to work with them. He is beginning to think that they may never be able to take the Great One down with the resources here on the ships and home. They really will need a magic army. He smiles and shakes his head.

Jack sighs, "What is funny. I can use some funny, kind of feeling like...what the young ones say; a downer."

The elevator door opens and they walk down the hall. Martin says nothing as he is still lost in his thoughts. Suddenly Jack grabs his arm and he is jerked to a stop.

"Are you okay?"

Martin laughs again as he peers into the room where the earth coffee is being served. It is new and the room is full. "Okay, okay." He can't help himself and he laughs again. "You know," He says with a slight smirk, "We just need a magic army."

All Jack can do is tilt his head in wonderment as to what Martin is trying to say.

"When I find he magic army I will let you know." He can't help himself. What is a magic army. Tiny people riding mystical creatures using magic. Or giant monsters able to breath fire.

"Okay, Martin; magic army. I'll be on the look out for it as well." Jack serves himself and Martin each a cup of coffee.

Martin is still smiling and murmuring, "Magic Army, Magic Army; give me my magic army."

Someone next to him laughs, "I can use one of those magic armies, too."

Others begin to laugh as well as the comment races around the room as people are chuckling about the magic army. In fact, others begin to suggest what a magic army would be made of.

Jack turns to Martin. "Master, just give us that magic army." They both laugh as they know what they would use a magic army for, and it is a whole lot different than what the others in the room would use it for.