CH24
Kate is holding Amanda tight while the other women move up and join her, surrounding Amanda.
"It's alright sweetie. Sshhh, you're okay. Everything is fine." Kate tries to soothe her. Kate wipes away some of Amanda's tears. "Are you ok? We didn't mean to scare you. You're fine sweetie."
"You, …. You're, ….. How, ….. All of you?" Amanda stutters out.
Kate holds out her left arm and thinks 'Deactivate Chameleon Circuitry' and her bracer comes into view. Everyone but the boys does the same, since they don't have one.
Amanda's eyes bug out and she is obviously holding her breath as she looks at everyone's exposed bracer. Then she turns to look into Kate's eyes.
Kate looks right back. "Are you okay sweetie? Have you never met anyone else?"
Amanda just shakes her head, though the tears are beginning to stop.
"You've been on the Evergreen haven't you?" Kate asks her, still looking in her eyes.
Amanda nods. "A long time ago. I was just a kid. Mom and dad took me."
"You've never been back again, have you?" Kate asks her but she's pretty sure she already knows the answer.
Amanda shakes her head.
"Do you have a communication disk?" Kate asks still looking in her eyes.
Amanda gives her a puzzled 'I don't know what you are talking about' look.
"Rick." Kate calls out.
"I'm ordering one now." Rick tells her, as he whispers to Lucile to have it delivered.
"Come on sweetie come sit with us." Kate guides her over to the sectional and sits beside her with Alexis on the other side.
"You know the people on Evergreen are from another planet, right?" Kate asks her.
Amanda nods her head. "My parents told me but I really thought it was just a story. It was so long ago. I was just a kid when I was there. It didn't seem real anymore. I haven't used this (holding up her left arm) in such a long time. I barely remember that it exists at all."
Amanda turns in Kate's arms to look at Alexis. "Are you, ... I mean you are not."
"My father and I were born on another planet and traveled here on the Evergreen." Alexis tells her, terribly afraid of what Amanda thinks of her now. "I was just a baby at the time. I grew up on the Evergreen."
"And I married her father and have had four children since then, with a fifth on the way," as Kate places a hand on her tummy.
Amanda turns to look at Jenn and L. "Yep, half-human and half-alien." L tells her. "And our children are part alien."
"I could care less. I love my wife and I love my child. I don't see where what planet you are from has anything to do with who I give my heart to." Tom tells her; he gets a teary eyed kiss from L.
Natalie steps up in front of Amanda. She kneels down in front of her and takes Amanda's hands in each of hers. "I know we've given you quite a shock sweetie, but we're not really that much different than you. We simply know a little more about our history than you do. We live and we love just like anyone else."
I'm happy that my sons found someone to love and love them back. Human, alien or half-alien doesn't matter to me. Next to my husband Kate is my very best friend. And I think you'll find that once you are part of a big family like this one, there just isn't anything like it.
We go on vacations together; we are over here constantly to have dinner together. Rick and Kate can and do travel to their daughters' homes to see them, my sons, and their grandchildren. …. OH MY GOD! I'm a grandmother!" Natalie stops talking and her eyes bug out. "I've got two grown sons and I'm pregnant." Natalie is freaking out.
Kate starts laughing since she had done just the same thing not that long ago.
"What are you laughing at girlfriend? You're just as pregnant as I am." Natalie chastises Kate.
"Yeah and if memory serves, it was your idea so that makes it your fault." Kate tells her.
"My fault. I'm not the one who had sex with your husband sweetie." Natalie counters.
"Eewww mom, TMI." Don tells her.
"Just how do you think Jenn got pregnant son of mine?" Natalie counters, turning to look at him while still holding Amanda's hands.
"Um, teleportation?" Don teases. That gains him a punch from Jenn, followed by a giggle from Amanda.
"We can teach you how to use your bracer. I think you'll be amazed at what it can do for you and to your life." Natalie turns back to Amanda to tell her. "Some of us live in Seattle, not New York."
Amanda looks puzzled. "And you all flew out here just to see me?"
"Well I'm not sure what my husband uses or what model the girls use, but I use the model A3000 "Super Sweeper" broom. But I sit side saddle since I'm a lady of quality." Natalie teases.
"You're a witch Aunt Natalie?" Levi joins the conversation.
"I knew it! You know what this means?" James joins in now.
"That she's made of wood." Levi answers.
"Let's build a bridge out of her." James responds.
"No let's burn her." Levi has a better idea.
"Yes, yes! Let's BURN her." James states all excited.
"She turned me into a newt." Levi states.
"A newt?" Amanda asks, somewhat skeptically.
"I got better." Levi whispers his reply with his head turned down. "Burn her anyway."
"BOYS!" Kate puts an end to this trip down Monty Python Lane.
"Yes mom." They both say in unison and stop talking.
"This one better be a girl or I'm in big trouble." Kate whispers. Both Alexis and Amanda giggle, followed by a snicker from Natalie. "And you better be having triplets or I'll disown you." Kate directs at Natalie.
"OH GOD!" Jim whispers. His remark almost puts Don and Tom down on the floor laughing their heads off. Jenn and L only giggle.
Natalie looks like a deer in headlights. This however, is just enough to get Amanda to relax a little and start laughing followed by Alexis.
Natalie decides to get the topic off of being pregnant, especially since the thought of having triplets scares the crap out of her. "How about we have lunch and give you time to think. I'm pretty sure we have dropped a bomb on you." Natalie stands and pulls Amanda with her still holding Amanda's hands.
"I think that's my cue." Rick states and heads for the kitchen to finish what he had started.
Kate just stands and gives Amanda a quick squeeze and a kiss to the cheek and heads for the kitchen.
"How many do you plan on making Rick?"
"Why do you have a number in mind?" Rick replies still working.
"Well." Kate pats her tummy. "OH! I guess I better double it" Rick replies, only to see Kate point to Natalie. "OH Right. Triple it is."
Natalie and Kate eat the last few that were left over. "Just so you don't have to use up a piece of Tupperware and store it in the fridge," Natalie explains. "SURE," is the only response she gets.
"Amanda, when was the last time you used your bracer? I presume someone taught you at one time." Rick asks.
"Not since my parents died. Even having it seemed more like a dream then actually using it." Amanda answers.
"Then I guess we'll just have to teach you. Won't we pumpkin?" Rick arches his eyebrows a few times.
"The Dome?" Alexis asks. She gets a nod from her father.
Alexis gets up from the dining room table and takes Amanda's hand. "Come on, I'll teach you."
"It's okay sweetie. Alexis knows what she is doing. She helped teach me." Kate tells Amanda and gives her a quick kiss to her hair.
Alexis pulls Amanda along and heads for the front door. "Come on, this is going to be soooo cool!"
As they reach the front door, they are out of sight of everyone else. The rest of the group can hear "HOLY, ... !" in Amanda's voice, and then nothing else. They are both gone.
"Oh to be a fly on the wall for that." Rick chuckles.
"Lucile?" Kate calls out. Lucile is quick to show herself. "I think Amanda is already on information overload. It might be best if we wait to introduce you to her. I don't want to scare her off. She's good for Alexis and I don't want to lose her."
"I don't think she's scared mom. Shocked certainly but not scared. And I think Amanda wants sis around no matter what we do." L makes her opinion known.
"I would tend to agree Kate. She is definitely shocked. When she gets back from the Dome we might be able to tell if she is still shocked, scared or if she's adjusting better than we are giving her credit." Lucile provides her opinion.
"Okay, we'll wait. In the meantime, all of us being here was your idea. What have you got for us or need from us?" Kate is interested.
"Natalie brought up the topic and I wanted everyone's insight on how to handle it. I wanted your help in designing a breaching pod." Lucile tells them.
"Breaching pod?" Jenn is lost and by the look on L's face so is she.
"You want to figure out how to board one of the Honji Sinhindrea capital ships," Natalie guesses.
"Correct. I know the pilots of the fighters and bombers could go EVA from their ships in a boarding attempt. However, they are pilots. Marine pilots granted, but not skilled in close quarter fighting which is what will be required. No offense guys." Lucile informs them with a nod to Don and Tom. "I thought a squad of Rangers or something similar would be better. A group trained to take a ship."
"It's not like we have a ship to train on. No one has ever tried this before." Jim counters.
"True but you do have units that have been trained in house-to-house combat. This should not be much different than that. It's just that we have very limited information on Honji Sinhindrea soldiers." Lucile tells them.
"Um, how limited?" Jim asks.
"Well, ...None really." Lucile actually cringes.
"That's not possible. My people have had POWs, if you will, long before now. I'm sure they have been interrogated and studied." Rick states. He sees the look on Lucile's face. "All of the information is locked up and not available on the Evergreen isn't it?" Rick is now downcast. "Damn it!"
Lucile just looks sad with a sort of 'I'm sorry' look on her face.
"And you want us to help you with this 'breaching pod' like we did for the fighter?" Don asks.
"Yes. That and what to equip the men and women who will be doing the boarding. Remember, this will be a ship out in space. It may already be open to vacuum or weapons fire may cause sections to become open to vacuum during combat." Lucile agrees and informs them of one of the hazards they will have to compensate for.
"Since all the files are locked up, we will also not know what they will be armed with." Jim states. "How about we start with the Ranger squad and go from there?" Jim offers.
Lucile replaces herself with a standard male soldier without gear or uniform.
"Desert or forest camouflage on board a ship isn't going to be much help. Is there something else?" Jim starts with.
"Quantum Stealth. It was manufactured by Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corporation out of Canada. A Cooper McCalman used it on a recon-type mission at the opium/heroin processing plant in Afghanistan after it was destroyed as part of a mission by the UK to find out what was going on near one of their bases." Lucile provides.
"Great, let's see it." Jim asks. "Oh, very funny Lucile." Jim is amused as all that remains of the soldier is his head, hands and boots.
"This is what he will look like while wearing this material." Lucile assures him. "When Mr. Cooper McCalman was using it, the manufacturer had not yet produced a thread to make a suit using this material. So in his case you also saw all the thread used to stitch his suit together." Lucile explains.
"So you're telling me this stuff will render someone invisible?" Jim asks, not believing her for a second.
"Correct. It is also supposed to work against someone with night vision or infrared vision." Lucile confirms.
"Okay. How about a hat?" Jim asks. The soldier's hair disappears.
"A ski mask?" Jenn asks. Only his eyes and lips remain. "Better." Jenn comments.
"Flak vest?" Jim asks. "Well that went to hell" They see a conventional flak vest hanging in mid air.
"Can you make the outer material of this stuff." Jenn asks. And the flak vest disappears.
The 2nd GEN IOTV uses a plate carrier to allow soldiers to shed up to 15 pounds while keeping vital organs protected from 7.62 caliber, armor-piercing rounds. The IOTV still provides protection from flame and shrapnel. The side plate carrier is adjustable to provide better comfort and protection. The soldier's quick-release cable is covered to prevent it from being caught during egress. The medic cable is contained in a canal to keep it in a comfortable position. This cable enables a medic access to a wounded area without completely removing a soldier's body armor.
"Gloves out of this material?" Jim asks and the soldier's hands disappear. " Open finger so he can use his weapons better?"
"Backpack to hold explosives or other gear or equipment?" Jim asks next. "Make the shell out of the same material." He watches as the backpack disappears.
The assault packs are too small for longer missions and the 72-hour ruck is too big. The new ruck provides a midsize solution – with added benefits. Its detachable harness allows paratroopers to access the pack after they are rigged for jumping without compromising pre-jump inspections.
"He needs a weapon." And Jim laughs as now there is a weapon floating in air. "Type of weapon?"
The SAR 21 replaced Singapore's licensed version of the M-16, and has gained a reputation among gun experts as one of the best "bullpup" assault rifles—where the action and magazine are behind the trigger—on the market. It has a smaller overall profile than the M-16, without sacrificing barrel length (the shorter the barrel, the less accuracy at longer ranges) and significantly more manageable recoil, due in part to the weapon's center of balance. The recoil tends to drive directly back against the firer, instead of pushing the barrel upwards.
All of this is useful in an assault rifle, but particularly for urban warfare, where more compact weapons are crucial to maneuvering indoors, and where close-range, fully-automatic fire is more common. The SAR 21 has a Kevlar cheek plate to deal with chamber explosions occurring next to the user's face, a regular safety issue for bullup weapons. It's also one of the few assault rifles in the world equipped with an integrated laser aiming device.
One or more of the squad could have the Corner Shot. It is a brutally simple contraption: a modified gun that, thanks to a hinged frame, under-the-barrel camera and handy video screen, allows the user to shoot around corners. Currently, there are three versions available, each with a different weapon at the business end of the frame—a pistol, a compact assault rifle or a 40mm grenade launcher. The device is designed for urban environments, where the ability to peek around corners with impunity is useful, but being able to open fire while behind cover is even better.
With the Corner Shot Launcher, the concept is the same, but the result is less subtle. Essentially a sideways-firing rocket launcher, it allows the user to aim with the same kind of integrated camera and video screen, and fire a massive 60mm round into an enemy vehicle or reinforced position, such as a bunker. This device, which could be an overwhelming weapon in urban engagements, is a collaboration between Israeli and German defense firms.
"How about a belt to hold ammo, radio, etc." is Jim's next question.
Tactical Assault Panel – This panel is another key piece of the new combat load. It enables soldiers to carry more magazines with wider distribution – and mobility equals survivability. Eight single pouches can be configured to carry either 10 SAR21 magazines or six magazines with other gear such as the Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio, or MBITR; the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver, or DAGR; The design also reduces the soldier's profile.
The Falcon II® AN/PRC-150(C) is the most advanced military Type-1 HF radio available today, setting the standard for reliable, long-range High-Frequency (HF) communication on the battlefield. Designed to provide soldiers with secure voice and data communications, even in the harshest conditions, thousands of AN/PRC-150(C) military HF radios provide continuous coverage in the 1.6 to 60 MHz frequency range and have been deployed by US and coalition forces enabling them to stay connected to mission critical information during missions where line of sight communications are not an option.
Leading HF technology - Harris sets the standard for reliable long-haul HF communication for tactical requirements
Software-defined platform – enables adaptability to changing mission requirements through software upgrades
Security to meet the mission - Type-1 and coalition COMSEC enable the highest security possible while maintaining critical interoperability
Assured high-quality voice and data – combination of MELP technology and serial tone modem ensure maximum quality and range even over poor quality channels
The AN/PRC-150(C) features Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) and high performance Third Generation ALE (3G) to provide superior linking and error-free data performance
Advanced frequency hopping – ensures consistent, secure communications even in the presence of jamming
Military-grade durability – Field-proven design meets MIL-STD-810G requirements