Sturk was very good at his job… but the tremors from his explosives ripping the cavern ceiling to pieces were still felt some distance away.

"Get crews in here to haul away all the pieces!" Sturk bellowed in the general direction of humans in construction gear "I want it all cleared an' gone as quickly as possible – don't get too close to the wreck and you should be fine!"

"Throw it all off th' side" one man decided "It ends up in the shallows then… easier to lift it out an' take it away from there. Might need these ...people… to get our gear lifted down here, so if someone could just show them what we need...".

Since General Tareg was still present, he just grunted once before lifting heavy construction vehicles down to the cavern floor by mentalism. Anyone who could see watched closely, or at least as closely as they could before they found local Kingdom soldiers or one of the First Five – all of whom were now present on Earth.

"Radiation levels are barely above normal levels for these hoo-man people, lord" Sholah told Kurth "Old or not, the reactor chamber shielding must still be effective – until personnel approach more closely. Will you or Kasan Rybak be required to lift sections of the wreck to orbit by mentalism?"

"Even I cannot do that, Sholah" Kurth reminded his wife with a smile, rumbling very softly "I can handle the weight, at least if the sections are small – but I don't have the range. Kasan Rybak has the range… but can't handle the weight. We know these friends of Crichton have mentalists among them… but I expect they will cut the wreck into sections capable of being lifted by bulk landers. What can be salvaged will be salvaged, and what cannot will be dumped into this system's sun for safe destruction".


~It will be done as you say it will confirmation~ Amara told Kurth ~General Tareg told me this. We have many pilots who can fly bulk landers, and this will be good training time for them. Should we need any of the Five for your special skills, I will tell you personally~

~Good~ Kurth decided, smiling a little as he felt Amara's strength in her communication telepathy ~Is there equipment, maybe archaeological artifacts, that should be retrieved before unsafe material is retrieved? query~

~Mister Olak tells me such things were removed, catalogued, and copies made some cycles ago~ Amara told him ~I suspect he did much of that himself – his thoughts showed a notable level of smug satisfaction when we talked about this~

Amara heard a more than slightly smug rumble in her mind from Kasan Rybak – when he explained why, Amara shrieked with excitement before disappearing from the main sick bay and reappearing beside Olak at the First Landing site.


"The Norwegian situation looks to be well taken care of" Harrigan told his generals and the governor "Only thing we'll need to remember is making sure Chief Eng sends down his people to take care of the reactor in hazmat armour – that place will be pretty rank after this many cycles, so it gets cut out and moved up to orbit and then shoved into the sun. No more problem".

"Kalish know they might not be able to go deal with that themselves" Tovak told everyone "so I got them either finding more hazmat armour or fixing what we already found – and plotting tolerances if we have to send people down in the heaviest PA. We should be able to do that unless the reactor vessel itself has cracked and spilled the contents all over what's left of the decks. Sturk – if I'm busy when it comes time to deploy our tech crews, you're in charge of safely disposing of that reactor and any others like it on board".

"I can handle that" Sturk assured everyone "Keep someone up here near a comm with tech manuals close by in case I need to ask about stuff, though".

"We found Chaplain Larris as well" Troll added, one of only three non-officers at the meeting "He's close to mandatory retirement and he's up in some half-frozen drenhole – so we need arctic-weather people, or people confident enough they can handle anything, frozen or not".

"I talked to General Trannak about that a little while ago" Harrigan replied "We can roll in that short-term contract we got with that. One ship goes up there… and drops off everyone involved with why we're seeing the chaplain before heading off on the contract. I gotta be on standby up here… we might get a chance to go on a bit of a tour down in Israel somewhere, it's a condition I go if that ends up happening, there's intel people I knew gonna be there".

"So..." Lazarus thought aloud "Skulker command will need one ship… you'll probably want one even if you don't need one, Harrigan… and we'd better have one on standby in Norway along with the bulk landers. We get all this sorted quick and we can still make an appearance at RED FLAG in time for our small craft pilots to have some fun".

That got the laughter Lazarus expected it would, along with some speculative thinking from Harrigan.

What's going through his demented brain this time… Lazarus wondered That it's the most crazy idea I'll have heard for a while I don't doubt… I'll ask him about it after the meeting, then I'll see if it'll get our guys and girls some good training time in as well as being bat-plok insane.


Amara was chattering on excitedly to Olak every chance she got while the First Landing site was being cleaned up, which Olak was pleased about if mildly irritated as well.

~It is tremendously exciting, yes ((confirmation))~ Amara told him ~I have never met such a long-lived individual of any species before, did you know that? Even my teacher in mentalism, Deress, is not as old as you are – and his species can be very old indeed if they are fortunate and careful~

~((amused laughter))~ Olak replied ~I'm glad my life holds as much interest for you as it does, Amara… two of our other leadership representatives are older than any normal human as well, these being Karl's grandfather and one other whom you have not met so far. Karl's grandfather is 140 of our years old, for example… although he has the energy of a person about a tenth his age most of the time~.

~((laughter))~ Amara replied happily ~It will be good to talk to him as well, mister Olak. I should record the history of this Kingdom colony for our archives – perhaps then others will know where its founding members ended up and how they arrived and settled here~


"I see, General..." a tough-looking but badly-scarred Kalish man said once Trannak stopped talking "I could use the challenge, to be honest… while there have been things to do, this looks to be more what I was trained to do. Who will be leading this mission?"

"You will be in charge of ground forces, Commander Kaisan" Trannak replied, nodding once "Contract conditions dictate a low-impact mission where possible, both myself and the one who issued the contract prefer this – but don't hesitate to do what's necessary. Just make sure it doesn't point back to us or the one who issued this contract".

Kaisan nodded, after which he asked "Will Master Kamara or any of the other senior Masters be accompanying my commandos on this mission?"

"Only if you want them to" Trannak replied.

"Who will command the overall mission and any air forces, General?" Kaisan asked with more wary interest.

"My wife will command the mission and be pilot in command" Trannak replied, rumbling softly but proudly "She knows you have more experience on the ground than she does, she will need your advice there… but she is most skilled in the air, with flying. Be assured that should you need air support, or even retrieval, she can provide it".

"That is a relief, General" Kaisan replied, choosing his words carefully "I do not know your wife – though I do know she is of my people. It is good to know she has skills we can use".

Trannak nodded, smiled, then added "My Amara has useful skills as well, Commander Kaisan… should she be available, she will come with you for special support and to assist your medical staff. There will be some others going with you – but they will not be part of your mission. My wife will make a brief stop to deploy them where they need to be, after which your mission will proceed".

"She is a Master as well, I hear" Kaisan said "if a comparatively junior one at this point. Well, well, this should be… interesting...".


Kaisan smiled briefly after General Trannak had left, after which he strode into a training room not far from his personal quarters. A number of Kalish in military uniform turned to face him and bowed briefly before returning to their training – he bowed back before watching for a few momens, then calling "COMMANDOS!" at the top of his voice.

"Sir!" they replied, though without stopping their training (which Kaisan approved of).

"We have been assigned a mission, commandos..." he told them "All of our small detachment will be involved, though I am not yet sure how many of us will be able to log combat time".

"What are we needed for, sir..." one young man asked "and when do we deploy?"

"Support and retrieval" he explained "We are to find a small detachment of troops under the authority of one of the major powers of this world – after which we will see to it that they complete their mission and return to their deployment base".

"Will other forces be assisting us?" a female commando a few cycles older than Kaisan asked.

"If you mean forces outside our Irregulars… no" Kaisan told everyone "If you mean will others from our unit be assisting us… yes".

Kaisan waiting until soft chatter speculating on who might be coming had been going for a momen or two before he said "Master-Doctor Amara Moratha will be deployed with us to assist the ship's medical orderly and to provide… special support".

"I know what that means!" one of the younger commandos said, nodding her head "The Master-Doctor is a mentalist! If she is coming, why are infantry even being deployed at all?"

"Because the Master-Doctor is a mentalist – but not all-powerful" Kaisan replied, staring at the young woman who asked the question for a few microts before adding "She has combat skills as well as her more well-known skills… her father is our General, he will have made sure his daughter is not too specialised and can assist others in many ways".

Kaisan was pleased to see his commandos relax a little when he revealed that information.

Good he decided While I prefer to be given a mission and then left well alone… at least here support staff deployed along with us are useful and not incompetent drannits only after status advancement from gaining combat time.

~I am skilled in other things than mentalism ((confirmation))~ Amara told Kaisan in his mind ~Just as you have told your commandos. Mama told me she will be doing the flying for you, Commander Kaisan – this is good, mama is one of our best at flying larger craft and will do well. Since mama will be with us, I will stay here and assist our troopers in Norway until you reach your first deployment location – which I am told will be a military facility named Nome which houses aircraft and other forces. Once you reach that point, I will arrive at your location by mentalism and we will proceed~.


Much to Lazarus' surprise, Harrigan decided to take a mark-3 Stryker rather than a pterodon-class destroyer or the First Light.

"We'll be going to Jerusalem, Israel" Harrigan told everyone as soon as the Stryker made atmo "Under Kingdom readiness levels most of Israel would be at a level 4 alert – so we're going in full battlegear".

"I have full battlegear at all times, War Commander..." Rekketh said, happily and more than slightly smugly "I recommend that anyone else wishing to be similarly well-prepared should do as I do and get the change".

"That's why you're here, mister" Harrigan replied "No matter what plok any local officials try to pull on us, while you're here we got heavy support".

"Very heavy support" Karl agreed, standing beside Rekketh "The best kind".

Harrigan let everyone laugh a bit, then added "We're mostly just here for a bit of a tour, maybe a chit-chat with their political number two and a big man in their civ-intel, the Mossad. Not sure yet if there'll be stuff for anyone to do apart from that, but I'll let you know if there is".


Caseya smiled when she was told she would be commanding the mission.

I have done many interesting and hard things for my friends here she reminded herself as she sat in the transit car but here is where we know beyond doubt how much I have learned. I must keep a clear mind at all times, combat troops will be depending on the crew to provide useful information and on me to advise them. I must remember all that my Trannak and Captains Rulok and Lirak have taught me.

~Mama ((love))~ Amara said ~You will do well, mama. I will translocate to your ship once you reach your first deployment location. At the moment I am learning many interesting things about the First Landing location in Norway along with those people here with Scarran ancestors – mister Olak has inherited the longest span of life from his Scarran ancestors along with his mentalism, mama, did you know that?! There are others with long lives here as well, mama – but not as long as mister Olak's~

~((Happiness, interest))~Caseya replied over the link ~You will have so much to tell me when we get back, dear daughter. For now I must proceed to the loading dock containing the pterodon-class warship I have been assigned for this mission~

Caseya was pleased to see the bridge officers she knew from flying First Light at the loading dock to greet her.

"Good, good" she told them "We will proceed inside. If any of you know the most efficient route to the combat information centre, you should lead the way".


"Hearin' ya" Harrigan replied when Caseya's call was relayed, as the Stryker's copilot called Israel's Prime Minister's office to advise them of their landing "As far as I'm concerned you're good to go" before he grinned where the bridge officers could all see before adding "General Lazarus – release the kraken!" and laughing for a momen or two until the Havoc's comm officer cut the call.

Lazarus shook his head from side to side, his facial expression clearly saying Here we go again… to anyone with even a little skill at reading body language, before he commed Caseya and told her "Loading dock containment field on… doors opening… and you're cleared to proceed. Just keep an eye out for bulk landers heading to Norway from the main flight decks and you'll be fine".


While Kalish technical specialists could not proceed far inside the wrecked spacecraft at First Landing, they could help at the site generally and did so in large numbers.

"I can barely feel even the most slight tingle from radiation" one told Sturk "and my medical record lists me as being more radiation sensitive than average".

Sturk scanned her for accumulated radiation anyway, and nodded with satisfaction when the readings were within safe limits.

"You are within safe limits" Sturk confirmed for her "Remember to wear a standard-type radiation suit should you be needed in the wreck's outer corridors… and the heaviest hazmat armour if you are needed when the reactor is extracted for safe disposal or if you are needed in the inner corridors".

"I am medically prohibited from entering the reactor chamber or its immediate surroundings, sir" she replied a little mournfully "I regret I cannot assist in the cleanup effort when we reach that point".

"Then you can help oversee this disposal operation" Sturk decided, tapping on his PDA keyboard "Your personnel record shows you have management skills – once the operation proceeds far enough to prevent you being involved directly, you'll join me and your management skills will be both used and tested".

"STAND CLEAR!" one of the many explosives techs bellowed, after which charges were detonated and a chunk of wreckage separated from the rest of the wreck. General Tareg signalled for those working with him to stay clear until the dust had settled, after which they got back to disposing of the rest of the rock which used to be the roof of the cavern.


Caseya flew the Kraken slowly and with care, keeping formation with almost a dozen bulk landers as they entered atrmosphere.

"Good..." Commander Kaisan whispered, standing behind Caseya and to treblin "While it is certainly not required… it hides the ship from any sensors capable of scanning the orbital space range. Since we cannot use the cloaking shield, I am told, while making atmospheric entry, this is the most effective method we can use and remain hidden".

"It is, Commander" Caseya confirmed, though she kept her attention on the controls "Both Captains Rulok and Lirak have told me that, as has the Sub-Commander. The heat generated by atmospheric entry means the cloaking shield is largely ineffective, at least for the short period while making entry – I prefer not taking unnecessary chances and proceeding this way when we have the chance to do so" before pointing to the sensor displays and adding "See, they are keeping formation around us as we descend to further obscure our sensor footprint".

"Ah, so that is what the earlier manoevreing was all about" Kaisan replied "With them surrounding us like this, our likelihood of detection shrinks again".

"It, as General Lazarus says, 'muddies the waters' " Caseya replied "We could, it is true, have proceeded as before – but my Trannak and the Sub-Commander, as well as General Lazarus, have all instructed me at length to use the options that minimise the risk of detection the most".

Good Kaisan decided with relief Commander Caseya has been trained to fly carefully and with caution. I do not understand everything relating to air operations… but it is good to see the pilot in command on this low-impact mission is not straight out of training.

Kaisan watched Caseya perform her duties at the CIC pilot's consoles and listened as she called out orders to others, and he smiled briefly as he saw the Scarran and other non-Kalish personnel respond to those orders promptly.

Good he decided with approval It is as the War Commander told me on arrival, skill and rank are respected. Species is a matter of little to no consequence.

"Confirmed..." Caseya called over comm, getting Kaisan turning his head slightly "Our cloaking shield is now… active. You may break formation and proceed according to your own orders".

Caseya waited until all the bulk landers had turned to fly towards Norway before announcing "The bulk landers flying with us are now on their way to Norway. We now proceed according to our own orders. Those personnel being dropped at our next location should now gather anything they need to take with them".


Harrigan's own landing in Israel met with more interest than he thought it would – especially when Karl and Rekketh jumped out with him while the Stryker was still airborne.

"Yeah, that's mostly showing off" Harrigan admitted when an officer asked him about it "Only big guys an' girls like the two here with me can do it, too".

"If any of our paratroopers tried jumping unassisted from that height as you did they'd likely break their legs" she replied, to which Harrigan nodded.

Another officer came forward, identifying themselves as command staff before saying "This way, sirs – our CO and a number of other officers are waiting for you in the officers' club. I don't know if any of you have eaten traditional Jewish food of any kind before...".

"I have" Harrigan replied "though not for a few years. My guys aren't fussy eaters, they'll eat anything and everything – usually quite quickly, too".


"Coming up on final approach, captain..." one of the CIC crew called.

"Nome AFB..." Caseya called on the frequency she'd been given "Irregulars forces are inbound to your location. Have you received the information we were told had been sent by General Jack Crichton?"

"We hear you, Irregulars" a human voice replied "There's a spot marked out for you right at the end of one of the runways… if that's not big enough, just set down anywhere you can fit, the ground's a bit rough right now. Hope that's not an issue for you".

"This craft is capable of landing on almost any surface" Caseya replied "I see lamps on the ground, marking out an area right at the end of a long stretch of hard surfaced ground – this is our assigned landing location?"

"Confirmed" the voice replied "Not gonna be a problem?"

"This craft has vertical takeoff and landing capability" Caseya replied "Should you not have other craft preparing to take off, I will land my craft there now".

"Cleared for landing, Irregulars" the voice replied.

Caseya passed that on to the crew, adding "Should those going outside require it, you should put on insulated clothing now – external temperature is very low here, non-arctic personnel will have difficulty performing their duties without this clothing. Once we land, the first officer has command until I return. That will be all" before manoevreing the Kraken to avoid the majority of runway space and lowering the landing pads.

"Successful landing" Caseya called to the CIC crew "Officially, the humans Jane and Troll, along with Harek, will be leaving this ship. Should a small number of others wish to do so, I am not opposed to extending landfall privileges – though it would be preferable if you can speak the human language we know at at least a conversational level".

Caseya was relieved when only three people asked to go with the official landing party – these being Commander Kaisan and another commando, plus the bridge security officer. Once his relief had taken over that position, he nodded to Caseya and said "We can proceed now, Captain – I expect the Commander and his commando will be on the drop deck already, with the official landing party".

"One moment" Caseya said, holding up a hand briefly before comming Amara.


"I hear you, mama" Amara replied "Should it be permitted, I will return here after we have finished our work – there is still so much to learn about the people here and their history".

"I am sure there is" Caseya replied happily "You can tell us about it once we are back on the Havoc – where you should add all you have learned to the main archive as well. I am in the combat information centre on the Kraken at this microt – there is clear space all around me, easily enough for you to translocate should you wish to do so now. We are about to leave the ship and find our point of contact among the human personnel here".

Less that ten microts later, Amara appeared right in front of her mother.

"Good, Amara" Caseya reminded her "You remembered to put on combat uniform and body armour. I do not know if your cold tolerances required you to wear insulated clothing...".

"I have it" Amara assured her mother as they walked down to the drop deck "The humans we know tell us this region of the world is noted for being extremely cold… as is the region where we are going to do our work".

"Unless the captain requests otherwise..." Commander Kaisan called, once everyone was on the drop deck "then we should all draw combat equipment and weapons if we have not done so already".

"Since the attacks Stateside..." Jane replied "we're required to go properly-equipped for all landings by order of the War Commander".

"I have pistols suitable for the changed, Jane..." Caseya told her "and my Kalish blades. Does the War Commander require I take a rifle as well?"

"The directive says 'ready for combat' " Jane replied "As far as I know he's left the details on how we do that up to us".

"I recommend you take a rifle as well, captain" the security officer suggested, getting a nod of agreement from Kaisan as well "It may not be needed… but I expect news of the attacks elsewhere on their territory will have reached the military if not the general public, so our need to protect ourselves to the fullest will be understood even if some of the officers don't like it".

Kaisan thought for a few microts, then took a more compact rifle from the drop deck armoury.

"It is much like the compact light slugrifles" he told Caseya "which you have been trained to use before. This one uses the standard-type rifle ammunition from the bigger rifle used by the Force… but the need to save space and weight required the removal of the grenade launcher. It has sighting systems useful for both changed and unchanged personnel" before testing her to see that she knew the controls and that the target-tracker uplink systems were in good order.

"All OK" Kaisan decided "We are ready to proceed".

A small group of personnel are here to meet us Kaisan decided, before smiling briefly even if none of them wish to come too close to our ship. Understandable… though I personally would not mind if they came at least a little closer.

~We will be well ((assurance))~ Amara told Kaisan ~I have scanned the surface thoughts of all humans present before us, Commander – they are curious, some are wary. The biggest concern by two of those present is if we intend seizing this base by force for the duration of our mission~

~We have no orders to do any such thing – that I am aware of ((caution))~ Kaisan replied over the two-way link ~As far as I am aware, existing base operations here are to continue while our work here proceeds and my own mission stages out of this location as well~

~Yeah, that's what Harrigan told me~ Jane added when Amara linked her in ~We're here to talk to a few people while Commander Kaisan does his thing – and he only needs safe landing space here~


"President Netanyahu..." Harrigan greeted a familiar man standing in front of him "Good to see you in more ...familiar territory. Is the general beside you who I think he is?"

"If you mean, War Commander..." that man said "am I the General who was your late comrade's commander… then yes, I am".

"Thought you were, General" Harrigan replied with at least a little relief "Not used to putting names to human-looking faces these days".

"Who are these two enormous personnel beside you?" the General asked with astonishment "I have not seen anyone of such a size anywhere I have been – even your American NBA basketball players are not so tall, and far less bulky if it comes to that".

Harrigan evaded a little answering the question, telling them how to identify Scarran ancestry before adding "These two are in our Bloodstar corps – bit like the US Marine Corps most of the time. Both special-ops certified".

President Netanyahu just nodded as he examined both of them, while the General's brow crinkled in thought as he pondered Harrigan's words before doing the same as his president.

"I don't know when you last ate" the General said once he realised he wasn't going to get a truthful explanation concerning Rekketh and Karl's size "but there are tables set aside for you in the officers club if a meal seems like a good idea".

"Food is always a good idea, General" Rekketh replied in strongly-accented English "Especially when I don't have to cook it for a crew shift myself".

Once the General stopped thinking about things along the general direction of How on Earth does he fit behind a kitchen counter – let alone lift a teaspoon without crushing it? the group proceeded at what for the humans was a fairly swift pace to the officers' club.

"It seems to be as it is in the Kingdom, Karl" Rekketh decided "Male and female officers treated only according to rank and not gender – which was not the case in the American sector, nor your own home sector".

"True" Karl admitted "From what little I know of Israel, this is primarily for practical reasons – this is a small country and they need every available soldier they can get. I'm sure it was done for political reasons as well, but who cares about that...".

Neither the General nor President Netanyahu could understand the two men since they spoke in Old Scarran, but they smiled when Rekketh's nose started twitching as they got closer to the serving queue. The kitchen staff were both surprised and a little frightened by Rekketh's rumbling, but laughed when Harrigan explained about that.

"I can forgive the colder climate, sir" Rekketh told Harrigan "if we keep getting fed like this wherever we go on Erp...".

Harrigan laughed before saying "Yeah, me too, mister! Food's usually pretty good here – nothing like the US, at least not when we're getting traditional Jewish food. Dunno from what part of the country or which subculture, I never got that far into that side of things here".


"Welcome to Nome AFB, all of you" an officer, far to the West and in a much colder environment, greeted the Irregulars landing party "I'd lay out the welcome mat – but I doubt any of you want to freeze your asses off out here. Let's get indoors an' have a drink or two"

"Forgot how fekking cold it is even through thermals" Jane told the others "Let's get inside quick".

"Not the worst I have experienced" Commander Kaisan replied, lowering his hood and removing his thermal balaclava "but far from Kalian climate levels, I do know that".

"Hah!" the Charrid security officer replied, grinning and posturing for the locals who could see since he was only wearing a short-sleeved fatigue top, cargo shorts, and trainers "Reminds me of home! Warmer than there… but not uncomfortably so...".

The officers' club was nearly full when everyone arrived, with conversations filling the air even as the Irregulars' guide came inside – they stopped briefly while people close by stared at Harek's enormous bulk for a few seconds, then got back to wherever they were before.

Their guide tried talking to the kitchen staff to arrange food for everyone several times before he turned and shrugged.

"Think I can help you there, mister" Harek replied, before grinning and screeching as loud as he could for several seconds.

Everyone started in surprise at Harek's considerable vocal volume once their hearing worked properly again, while Harek grinned at the guide again before saying "Better get started before everyone starts talking again, mister".


"Clear the site" Sturk told the nearest human "Unless your human workers have radiation suits, it's not safe for them to continue while we see to lifting the central section of the wreck to orbit… not that there's lot of danger, but it's still a risk best avoided".

"I hear ya" the man said before passing the news to his foreman "Not like any of us need to be on site now in any case, some of us are going down to the shallows and we're gettin' at least one ship coming in as well".

Sturk nodded, mostly with relief, before calling Talannah in orbit.

"Acknowledged, mister Sturk" Talannah replied "Not a lot of wreckage could be salvaged… but we have managed to save some useful material, if not as much as my John or I would like".

"We'll need maybe...six… bulk landers, Sub-Commander" Sturk decided "for a trouble-free and cautious lift. I'm glad the ship was a small one, to be honest – we'd be here for far too long salvaging a frigate, I know that. Looks like the ship was a smallish freighter with a few modifications".

"I expect Amara has found out a lot about the Kingdom personnel and how they came to settle here" Talannah replied "I'll make sure she adds all of it to the archive before we return to the Territories".

After Talannah discommed, Sturk called the bulk lander flight crews.

"Anyone needing to come outside needs hazmat PA from this point on" Sturk explained "Precautionary really – but we've cleared off a good deal of this sector of the nearby town over this already, let's not slow down by forgetting our own protection, yes?"

"Everyone's suited up, CS" one Scarran replied, using the accepted shortform for Sturk's rank "Just as well we have more landers on-mission than safety needs though, we've never used the rescue nets before – even less in this way. Make sure you get yourself protected as well, by the way...".

"Hah" Sturk replied, grinning just a little "I'll be well within tolerances as long as we do this without breaching containment" - before he looked up to the sky and scanned for heat patterns.

"Confirmed, that's us" the pilot replied when Sturk called heat traces in "Sounds like you only just found us, but at that range I'd not have thought your stuff could find us at all".

Sturk laughed again before activating his PDA's beacon, and only a few momens later every one close by could hear bulk landers coming in on final approach.

The Kalish on supervisory duty nodded when she saw someone waving to her and smiled when she saw hazmat PA had been brought for her. The Scarran tech helping her get in rumbled briefly when she bowed slightly to him before climbing inside the suit and chuckled a little when he saw her excitable expression when she tested the suit briefly.

"All OK" she reported, before – with only slight hesitation – giving orders to all the other techs in armour. Sturk watched and nodded, only needing to assist a few times higher up on the hull (each time he did so, every Kalish who could see him watched closely and chattered to each other about what they saw).


"The chaplain's probably in his office" the Air Force PR officer assigned to the Irregulars at Nome explained "or maybe at the chapel. Unless you lot got other orders, we'd better get out of here now".

The small gathering, led by Jane, followed their guide back outside and over to a building they were told housed base administration.

"Think he's in the chapel" a private replied when Jane asked "He's had a few over there for a chat the past week or so – dunno if anyone's due to go see him today, but you might find him there if you catch him before he does his rounds".

"I am well" Amara told Harek with a smile when he asked if she could tolerate the weather "I may not have your change, my Harek, but I can tolerate this level of cold".

"Good..." he replied with relief, rumbling softly "To be honest… I am more concerned for aunt Jane, since she is a standard unchanged human. Neither you, me, or your mother will be particularly bothered by the cold, the Kraken's security officer is arctic-world born… and Commander Kaisan and his commando don't seem to be bothered by it any more than we are".

Chaplain Larris was sitting in his study at the chapel, reading, when he heard the Irregulars talking outside as they came closer.

That voice sounds familiar he decided as he heard the edge of Jane's voice I can't remember quite where I've heard it before… but I know them.

Amara stopped and tried to scan the chapel with hypersense to find the chaplain, but shook her head when Jane turned to face her.

"I do not know why, aunt Jane..." Amara told her "but there is a blanket of power around this building. Not hostile, at least not as far as I can tell… but strong enough that I cannot see inside by hypersense. Why might this be the case, aunt Jane? No human can be a mentalist without help from uncle Doctor Nrakal and the War Commander".

Jane just shrugged, but added "Wait, Amara – if the chaplain's coming out, he might know why you're sensing a block 'cause I sure don't know".

"I was wondering if it was you, Jane..." chaplain Larris called when he came outside "I hadn't heard that any former members had been transferred here before – if you're not on classified duty, how long are you staying?"

"Harrigan's working somewhere else, chaplain" Jane replied "He'll be coming this way before too long, though – I'm here to sort a couple of things out, he wants your help with something. Something like what you helped with before, before you ask".

Chaplain Larris smiled, after which he urged everyone inside the chapel – until Amara asked him about what she sensed earlier. The chaplain stiffened a little when Amara explained how she knew what she knew, but nodded and explained what the chapel was used for.

"Ah, a place of refuge and teaching" Amara decided "The power I sensed earlier is from the one you serve? It is protection for you? Might you petition the one you serve in order that I may enter? I do not know if your patron likes mentalists or not".

"You can come in, miss" Larris replied, nodding "All are welcome here. I am… well, I am what you would likely call the teacher. But if we have anything to discuss, we should do that inside – my study has a heater".

Amara's eyebrows twitched a little as she entered the chapel, but nodded once she was inside.

"I can tell I am being watched by… other beings" Amara told the chaplain when he turned to look at her "But I can also tell these beings are not hostile to me… at least not at the moment".

Chaplain Larris smiled before talking to her a little while the others found their way inside his study – Amara found it all tremendously interesting, telling him a bit about Deress and his sanctuary in return.

"Before you get into a theological debate, Amara..." Jane called, chuckling a little "with the chaplain, let's get down to business".

"We should do this" Amara agreed "We should do this now".

"I am surprised..." Chaplain Larris said once Jane finished explaining "as I was when Harrigan asked me to perform his marriage ceremony… but I am not opposed to performing one again. Are you asking for this for yourself, Jane?"

After Jane stopped coughing in surprise, she took a few deep breaths before shaking her head and saying "Not me, chaplain, no! Amara here… and the ginormous young man Harek there".

"That's me" Harek said, walking across and lifting the chaplain's chair (with him still on it) up to eye level "I'm Harek".

"You look at least a little familiar, young man" chaplain Larris thought aloud "though for the life of me I can't figure out why".

"He's Harrigan's son, chaplain" Jane replied, which brought a look of total surprise to the chaplain's face for a second or two before he asked Harek to put his chair down again.

"Yes, I am surprised mister Harrigan had a child" he replied when Harek asked him about that "I'll need to talk to your parents, mister Harek...but that doesn't need to happen right away".

"Dad's working right now" Harek explained "Most of those you can see right now will be staying here for a while – I don't know who's on support duty for them, but there's people on stand-by to make sure they stay safe while the ship here right now goes off on a short job".

"I am Amara's mother" Caseya announced proudly "Amara's father is working at the moment, but he will be here when the marriage ceremony is performed – as will I".


"Understood, sir" a voice at a base somewhere not too far from the Russian border with China said before swearing under his breath about the weather "They will be coming here?"

"Eventually" the voice on the other end replied "They've been told to retrieve the teams sent from your base – whether they do that after making contact with you or before is entirely up to them" before the radio transmission cut out.

"Mister Viktor has people who like him in Moscow, it appears" the man called to several others once he reached his office "His friends think we do not need to know where he is or what he is doing… so it looks like mercenaries have been sent to get him and make sure he fulfils his orders".

"Better them than us, to be honest" one voice replied "The weather outside's fucking horrible right now, even for this shithole".

"You're going out if I tell you to, comrade!" the first man barked, before snorting and adding "Let's see if Moscow sent rich idiots from the West or real soldiers capable of picking up a rifle the right way first time without injuring someone...".


"Satellite nav is fucked and one of you geniuses put a hot mug on the map right where… well, where I think we're supposed to go… last time we took a break for food" a man in winter camouflage and thermal clothing groused "For now the radio still works, so once we find somewhere to make camp I'll call back for orders".

"Copy that, corporal" the only man without his hood raised replied "With our map being a complete mess we need someone to drop new batteries for the nav, a new map, or both. For now we better eat… whichever one of you calls base for help can get them to drop a few more MREs along with more batteries" before scanning the landscape through his rifle's scope.


"Not a lot's changed from when I was up this way last time, then" Harrigan told the Mossad officer with him "All the usual guys getting uptight an' trying to change people's minds for them".

"That's right" he replied "There's a few targets of interest moving around right now, but so far none of our sources have given us anything we can act on".

"Get us something we can use and I'll see about putting my boys and girls on the trail" Harrigan suggested.

The Mossad officer nodded before leading them all inside the communications office, after which he ordered half of them out before making almost a dozen calls.

"One of my people knows someone in Al-Jazeera" came a voice after a few calls "I can pass on his details if you need him".

"A reporter" the Mossad officer said, in the same tone Harrigan thought he'd use for maggot "Well… if they get us something we can use, that's what counts. If they cross us, I'll make sure they go down as well..."

The General muttered in Hebrew (which only Harrigan could understand among the Irregulars, and that only barely so) for a few minutes before his cellphone bleeped – Harrigan signalled Kaisan, who nodded to the commando with him, and they spliced themselves neatly into the call with the Mossad officer.

"You've done well" the General said "I can act on that in time for it to be useful".

"It was not easy finding out what you wanted to know!" a voice replied in accented Arabic "I need more money – if only to make sure my assistant cameraman keeps his mouth shut!"

"I'll take care of your assistant cameraman for you, don't worry about that..." the Mossad officer replied, grinning where Harrigan could see until he saw Harrigan listening in on his own PDA "The people working with you beside me are on the line… you can tell them anything you can tell me, you will tell them everything you told me...".

"Save us all the trouble and time and just speak English" Harrigan snapped when he couldn't make sense of the man's accent or language.

An American the reporter decided One with an odd accent, perhaps from their southern states where they speak even more oddly than the Jews do before asking where Harrigan was from.

"You don't need to know that" Harrigan replied "What you do need to know is that I'm a friend of your friend, the same friend who's helping your problems go away – so when you help me you help them too. Got it?"

"I am hearing you, yes" the voice replied, after which Harrigan gave a thumbs-up to the Mossad general "My friend wanted me to find out about certain people… one will be where I am before too much time has passed, speaking to a large gathering of the faithful. Someone I am sure you do not like very much at all".

"We like finding out stuff like that, mister..." Harrigan replied "Can you tell your new friend about it, hmm? Can you gimme a name, a time, a place?"

"If the information I was given is correct..." the reporter replied "then Jawad Nasrallah will be speaking" , before giving rough directions and slightly more precise GPS coordinates.

"I dunno about your old friend..." Harrigan replied, thinking fast "but your new friend would certainly like to have a word with him. I'll send one of my guys to make arrangements to speak to him, I can't get away from the office… ".

"If I get you what you need, then I'd better get what I need" the reporter replied "I need to make arrangements of my own!"

"You'll get what you're owed, no need to worry" Harrigan replied "I'll pass what you just told me along to a friend of mine, they're in charge of dealing with this now – don't you worry about a thing, they'll take care of you" before pointing to Karl.

"I am here" he told the reporter "I have put the location you gave into my GPS. How much time do I have to get there and ensure I find the best place to watch and hear Mr Nasrallah speak?"

"He comes tomorrow" came the reply "If you're not in my country already, get yourself here by the fastest means you can steal".

Karl grinned at everyone before telling the reporter "On my way right now – I'll see to it you get what you've been promised as well".


Amara talked to Harrigan with much interest and at length once he commed Nome.

"It's news to me that you can sense anything like that, Amara" Harrigan told her "You might not be able to use your usual comms inside if that's the case – but don't worry about it too much, the chaplain's good, he knows me".

Amara called chaplain Larris over, and he talked to Harrigan for some time before telling him "Since you only sent a small gathering, I'll see to it that they get quarters in the BOQ".

"I'll send a bulk lander down once their ship goes off on other business" Harrigan replied "They can sleep in that, it'll have anything else they need in it as well – I'm out of town for a day or two, show 'em the sights an' get 'em fed till I get there".


"Negative on the map, copy that" the Russian with the radio said "At least you can get spare batteries out to us… can you put a few MREs in the box as well?"

"Moscow's sending a few reinforcements to you, you missed a check-in" the base radio operator said, cutting the soldier off "no, I don't know who they are or how long it'll take for them to get there, no one here knows since we're not cleared for what you're doing".

One of the console operators in the Kraken's CIC heard the transmission and attempted to find out where the transmission was coming from, while another called Caseya.

"I hear you" she replied, raising a hand to alert the others "Their initial deployment zone should be in the archive – do your best to find out where they are now. Should you not be able to do this, we will attempt comm contact on the frequencies given to us once the ship is airborne".

"Mister chaplain" Kaisan said once Caseya had discommed "For now, we must be leaving – we have work to do. Harek and the humans Jane and Troll will remain here, additional support for them will be landing shortly".


"So we don't get another map" the Russian NCO told his soldiers once he finished scanning the landscape "We might get more batteries… and it looks like Moscow's sending someone to babysit. Before anyone asks, we won't know if they're useless or not until they make contact – let's just hope they brought food, I think the rations we got came out of a World War 2 storage depot".


"Kraken is airborne" Caseya told Harrigan once they reached cruising altitude "As stated in the mission directives, we will remain cloaked unless secure communication requires otherwise. Signal operators are, even now, deciding where our objective made their last transmission".

"Just get your eemas over there while you do that" Harrigan ordered "We weren't told for sure, but I expect they're on the clock with what they're doing and can't wait forever – so find them, help them, and don't make it too obvious. Big H out".

"Fastest cloaked speed" Caseya ordered her copilot "to the initial location given in mission directives. Once we reach an acceptable location we will make contact with our target and decide how we can help them fulfil their orders. Remaining mission requirements are in the archive. From this point on, all personnel on the initial drop team should collect any equipment they need and prepare for deployment".


Karl found a spot where he couldn't be seen – then turned his cloaking shield on and made as fast a takeoff as he felt safe doing.

"Heading to target" he told Harrigan on comm once he reached cruising altitude "It shouldn't take too long to get there, even accounting for not going flank speed – I need more flying practice before I do that while ...working".

"Fair enough" Harrigan replied "As long as you get there on time, that's fine. We'll decide what to do about the support personnel once you're done – you should have his phone number in your mission data if you need it".

"I'll call him once I cross the border" Karl decided, watching the nav on his PDA as he flew and talked.

Since Karl wasn't flying too quickly, it took longer than the reporter liked before he made contact again.

"I had to avoid a MiG" Karl told him, cutting him off "No, I don't know whose it was. Be assured it's not following me now".

"Good" the reporter replied with relief "Workers are building a platform now, Mr Nasrallah must either be arriving early or have something very important to say if he's not simply speaking from the back of a truck or the home of one of the faithful on that street".

The call dropped out for a few minutes – when Karl called back, the reporter said "I wondered if you were calling back at all! It appears the time of arrival has been changed – you may not get the best position to see him".

When Karl found out the new start time, he growled briefly before discomming and advising Harrigan.

"Yeah, it might be a bit of a problem" Harrigan replied "Probably means they think the guys I'm with are after him – so he's gonna have bodyguards looking out for him as well as a lot of support from the crowd. You'll likely have to make a lot of mess to keep their attention off you for long enough to grab your new friend and get back here – did you at least get his get out of Lebanese jail money before you left?".

"In a belt pouch, sir" Karl replied "No danger of it getting set on fire or lost".


"First waypoint" one of the console operators aboard the Kraken announced "The target's initial deployment location should be less that fifty kilometras ahead – but is surrounded by trees on a steep hillside. I would not think someone is there to support them, but in case there is we should consider decloaking briefly and scanning the communication frequencies we were given".

"A brief scan only" Caseya insisted "Mission requirements require a low-impact mission, which we cannot provide if anyone sees us. As long as the short-range comm mast is operational, we will descend to low altitude before deploying the mast and listening for one momen. If we hear nothing, we continue towards the second location we were given and continue listening from higher altitude beyond the sight of anyone on the ground. For that portion of the mission we will be uncloaked until we reach the second location – it is a sensitive and classified location, and no one can know our target personnel or our personnel were there. If we fly high, we will not be seen by human personnel, and since this craft is a stealth vessel we will not be seen on human sensor equipment".


"The faithful are gathering" the reporter told Karl when he next made contact "Unless you can get to the roof of any building on this street, you may not get a good place near the platform".

"I'll find somewhere, don't worry about that" Karl assured him "If you are putting the address on television I will be able to watch it live, yes?"

"Yes" the reporter assured him "Al-Jazeera has given me orders to do exactly that".

"Copy that, mister" Harrigan said when Karl told him "Yeah, we got told about the change of time by another little birdie. Looks like you're gonna get on TV, mister – normally I'd advise against that, but this guy's gotta go, so don't worry if you gotta make a mess before you leave".

The Mossad General looked at Harrigan's slightly-mad grin in amazement.

"Your man can handle this?" he asked "For all I know there might be thousands of Hezbollah fighters there!"

"Keep your eyes peeled to the screen" Harrigan replied "There's gonna be a good show on when my man gets there – guaranteed".


"The initial deployment zone is here, captain..." a console operator told Caseya "but there are no personnel present. I would suggest that this was simply a location suitable for our target personnel to be deployed by rotorcraft like those we have been told about and seen in the archives".

"I expect so" Caseya agreed, nodding once "We will climb a little higher, beyond visual sight from the ground, and we will continue to scan the frequencies we were given. Field communications will be encrypted, but our computer here can decrypt them".


The Russian radio operator was very surprised to get a call on their assigned frequency, more so that the speaker was speaking English – but their NCO wasn't too surprised and just snorted before taking the handset and asking "You are here to help with our… little problem? I don't know why reinforcements were sent, we only needed a new map, new batteries, and MREs to replace the pig swill we got sent out with".

"We are here to help you, you are correct" Caseya confirmed "I am glad you can speak this language, none of our personnel can speak yours. We do not have batteries compatible with your own… but we do have navigation equipment we can use to assist you. If you can give us your precise location, I will deploy troops there".

The Russian NCO quickly went over the situation as he saw it in his head.

OK, so no batteries or map he decided but whoever these people are, they have navigation equipment which they will use to help us on our mission – and they are prepared to deploy troops as well. Let's hope those troops aren't badly trained idiots fresh out of training and then this might all go well.

Amara passed the man's thoughts to her mother.

"It is good, Amara" Caseya replied "This man is focussed on his mission, his reason for being here. He is glad others have been deployed to assist him, even though he does not know who we are or who sent us here. Has he asked for anything in his thoughts beyond navigation assistance?"

"Not yet, mama" Amara replied, shaking her head "Perhaps you should ask him, mama – if we have anything we are permitted to share with them, we can bring it with us".

"I don't know if you've got rations" came the reply when Caseya called again "but we'd appreciate enough for three meals for four personnel".

"We can provide this" Caseya replied "Both food and water. The initial ground team will bring it with them".

"Some fucking good news!" the radio operator laughed once he told his NCO "We might have a few extras hanging around and getting in the way, but they're bringing food and water with them! I don't know how long it'll be before it gets here, but let's eat anything we have that's edible right now!"

"Make camp" their NCO ordered "Clean your weapons. Once we're ready, I'll call them in – but since I don't know who's coming, I want everyone ready to fight when they arrive".


"I'll take squad one with me" Kaisan told his commandos "I want the rest of you ready to drop whether you're coming with me right away or not – we may need you in position to cover the retrieval, there may be soldiers at the target site which we can't deal with – none of us know until we arrive. Make sure your PDAs all work and have good network links to this ship and to the Havoc".

"All OK, Commander" squad one's specialist trooper told Kaisan "Will we need a Reaper to deploy us, or will the Master-Doctor deploy us by special means?"

"I will deploy you by special means" Amara told them with a nod "To preserve security, I will deploy you two kilometras behind their location and you will move to them on foot. I will guide you in with my mentalism – Commander Kaisan knows about this, but since I have seen all of you and scanned your surface thoughts all of you will be able to communicate with both this ship and each other securely and I can help navigate should your PDAs become nonfunctional".

Kaisan watched his commandos all prepare themselves for deployment, whether they were in the first wave or not.

"All OK, Captain" he said once everyone was prepared to his satisfaction "Squad one will deploy with me, squads two and three should be prepared to deploy should we require additional personnel".

Amara projected, by mentalism, the area where the Russian troops were deployed. Once Kaisan nodded, she added their own deployment location plus a suggested course.

"We'll move as fast as we can consistent with safety, captain" Kaisan told Caseya "I do not know how well we will be received, nor do I know if any of those we are to reinforce are injured. I would ask that the Master-Doctor be ready to assist should we need protection or if those we are to help require medical attention".

"I am ready" Amara replied "Commander Kaisan and squad one, please prepare for unconventional deployment".


"We're ready here" the Russian NCO replied when Caseya advised him reinforcements and supplies had been dropped "Copy your authentication code".

"We have food and help coming in" he told his troops "They've been dropped about 3.5 kilometres behind us, between our current location and our initial drop site – so their desire for more security gets us time to get ready here as well. I have an authentication code to use – so if anyone sees anything people-shaped coming our way you get me up to deal with it. I want all of you on guard when you're not cleaning your weapons – or eating, assuming you have anything worth eating".


"On target" Karl called, startling the reporter when his phone rang "The street looks pretty full. I can see a few things I'd prefer not to see, but nothing I can't avoid".

"Good, you are here" he replied "I can see trucks with large guns mounted on them, I can see many of the faithful with personal weapons. There might be other things, but I am a reporter and not a military strategist – I don't know where anything else might be. If anything else is here at all".

"Good, you see what I see" Karl replied, before disconnecting the phone call and comming Harrigan.

"Cleared to proceed, mister" Harrigan replied "Over to you".

"Get Al-Jazeera on the big screen" Harrigan told anyone who was listening "We can see what happens as it happens".

Once that was done, Harrigan commed Karl and said "We got the TV on here, so make it good, you're gonna be famous".

Karl took off from the rooftop that could barely hold his weight, activating his cloaking shield when he was barely a couple of feet in the air.

Ah, there he is Karl decided I'll drop right down on top of him, squash him like a bug, then kill everyone else I can – I'll see just how good all these new things are before the War Commander orders me to retreat.

"JAWAD NASRALLAH!" Karl bellowed at the top of his voice while that man drew breath to continue speaking "THE KINGDOM COMES FOR YOU!" - after which he cut his flight repulsors and dropped like a stone, decloaking barely twenty feet above the ground.

The thousands of Hezbollah soldiers and local residents watched in horror as Karl's enormous body hit Jawad Nasrallah's head and kept going, crushing him to a pulp. Before anyone could even try to draw a weapon, Karl rose out of the hole in the platform and set about the dozen bodyguards on what was left of the platform with his bare hands.

By that time, Hezbollah fighters in the audience had levelled automatic rifles and fired – which Karl promptly ignored until he breathed fire over about fifteen metres of crowd, scorching every fighter within current range to a crisp before sweeping cannon fire from all four guns in a 180 degree arc over everything he could see.

"RPGs! RPGs!" a loud voice barked. Karl didn't even activate his shield – and while four rockets did hit him, none penetrated his stage 3 carapace although one caused minor damage to his head (but didn't damage his eye as the LAW did with Harek in West Virginia). Other Hezbollah fighters continued to fire any weapons they had with them.

Karl fired at any location he thought would cause more panic or cause Hezbollah members to be crushed in a panicked stampede.

"What in Allah's name is that unholy monster..." the reporter whispered in shock, before reporting everything that Karl did as he did it.

Over the next hour, Karl strafed and burned anyone he could see holding a weapon – with all of it going out live on Al-Jazeera television.

"Mister Sturk, mister Rekketh" Karl called on Irregulars' frequencies "They're bringing in more people and some vehicles – I can deal with it alone, but there's enough for you two as well if you want to come".

"I'll call Amara" Sturk told him "Rekketh's with the War Commander. While I'm not a mentalist, I expect both of us will need to be airborne if we're being deployed right into combat".


"Do it!" Harrigan said, while Rekketh ran right through the door without opening it first and taking off as soon as Sturk commed in and told him to.

"Amara..." Sturk called over comm "Karl's called for reinforcements – I need you to deploy Rekketh and I to airborne attack positions so we can assist Karl".

Amara did exactly that as soon as she sensed both men were airborne – and smiled when both men kept their deadlock zones off for long enough for her to see they had appeared either side of Karl as he prepared to make another attack run.


"Watch your footing..." Kaisan told his commandos as they ran "Keep pace but be careful. There should be a trail not too far ahead – if terrain gets smoother we'll pick up the pace a bit more. We are needed, and we are not needed here".

Amara scanned the Russian campsite before telling Kaisan "They are deployed in a defensive formation in good cover. The personnel we are to assist, judging by both deployment tactics and numbers, are special operations troopers like your commandos".

Amara scanned the Russian NCOs uniform before passing the images to Harrigan.

"Spetsnaz sighting confirmed" he told Talannah, before telling Amara "Special-ops guys for sure. When our guys come close, make sure you're ready to calm them down so they see reason – they might be a bit twitchy".

Amara advised Kaisan and the commandos by mentalism.

"Slow up a little" Kaisan decided "We are close to our target – for all I know they may have someone with an extreme-range sniping rifle who can target us already".

One of the other commandos pointed out how the trail curved around the hill ahead of of them.

~Confirmed~ Kaisan signalled ~I will take point, you four should approach above me on the hill, off the trail. Do not approach until I make contact and the authentication code is exchanged~


All three stage 3 men kept formation as they flew down the street low and fast, setting the street and everyone in it on fire – to which Karl added cannon fire whenever he could see any target worth the effort. The entire main street of the town was either on fire or covered in wide craters, buildings were falling down from the heat or from cannon fire, and both power poles and gas mains were either falling down or exploding.

"The whole place is a mess" Rekketh said "Time to go in case this bunch of scum have larger anti-aircraft missiles!"

"I have a reporter to retrieve before his building gets fried" Karl replied "I should be able to get to him without help".

Rekketh nodded, after which he and Sturk headed back towards Harrigan.

"I thought you had forgotten I was here!" he shrieked "The fire is coming too close to this building, I have to leave and so does my assistant!"

"I can barely see you" Karl replied "If you are where I think you are, the flames are about two floors below you and rising fast".

"Two floors?!" the reported shrieked "Get us out of here!"

Karl simply flew straight in through the wall, and while that did nothing for the emotional stability of either man the reporter simply called "Over here – I have the recording in my pocket! My boss won't like losing the camera, but better it than me!"

"He is the one who caused all this damage!" his assistant shouted, pointing outside "Who brought about the martyrdom of one of the leaders of the faithful! The resistance will not like it when I te-" before Karl took careful aim and fried the reporter's assistant.

"I seem to have more faithful friends than you do, boy" the reporter muttered, after which he told Karl "We had best leave while we can – you can give me what I was promised once we aren't likely to get burnt alive".

Karl slung the reporter over one shoulder, then took off and followed his PDA as soon as Harrigan activated his beacon to give him a course.


Kaisan crept around the trail as carefully as he knew how.

"I can see you… I think..." the Russian NCO whispered on comm, saying where he thought Kaisan was "but you move too well for me to hear you. If you have a torch with you, flash it three times – when I see you do that, I'll do the same. When you see me do that, come closer until you see me on the trail and give the authentication code".

"Coming forward" Kaisan replied before discomming.

I was seen, if barely so Kaisan told himself I know I concealed myself well, so either these soldiers are equipped with functioning night vision goggles or they are simply very well trained and know the techniques to find someone in dim light without assistance.

~((Confirmation))~ Amara replied when he alerted her ~I have told mama. Mama says you should continue as planned~

Commander Caseya trusts me to make a good plan and ensure success Kaisan decided with relief and approval Perhaps if I do well on this mission and my commandos do likewise, we might be permitted even basic access to the change – I do not know entirely how I feel about that, to be honest, but if it helps me support others and fulfil my orders then I will put my own concerns aside for the greater good.

Kaisan did not have to proceed much further before he saw a person-shaped lump beside a tree. He flashed his small torch three times at the lump, and only snorted briefly when he heard muffled and brief swearing before he heard a very soft and badly accented voice call "Code is Kraken".

"Authentication is Havoc" Kaisan replied.

"Proceed" the Russian called "I am Senior Sergeant Viktor...no one need know my family name here, so let's just get down to business".

Viktor smiled when the other four commandos appear from behind bushes and trees up and down the hillside and came to Kaisan.

"Good..." Viktor said in badly accented but clear enough English "We have enough time for a quick meal… if you brought anything with you worth eating".

"We have food for you" one of the other commandos confirmed, which got all the Russians coming closer "It is field rations, but they are good and they are safe for you to eat. We have brought trail food known as food cubes for you all as well, and we have water".

The Kalish were very interested to see that one of the squad still had tea in their pack, and talked quietly but happily to each other as they shared their opinions of it.

"These are hot rations designed for Scarran people" Kaisan told the Russians when one of them tapped the tin they were given suspiciously "They are good for human people to eat".

"So that rubbish we lifted off American television was true, then" the Russian radio operator said "Did your leader buy things from Russia?"

"Some food" Kaisan replied "More alcohol of the type identified as 'vodka' ".

"You will like that" another of the Russians promised with a nod "Especially if you got premium brands and not cheap slop".

"Our leaders know to only buy premium brands" another of Kaisan's commandos replied "I expect alcohol was immediately sent to secure storage in accordance with our War Commander's general directives, but perhaps we might try some later. After we have finished our work".

"After work" Viktor agreed – he nodded in grudging approval toward his now-empty hot ration can.

"The fact you brought hot food is welcomed" Viktor said "even if it was rations. We live off the land when we need to, but we all prefer to avoid that where possible".

"Where should we be going?" Kaisan asked, getting the conversation back on track and activating the navigation function on his PDA "Here is where we are now…. there is your initial deployment zone…".

The radio operator gave a string of numbers, adding "Coordinates for GPS. If you can use that".

Kaisan nodded and entered the coordinates – the map view moved ahead before settling on a new area.

"Reconnaisance imagery is not current" Kaisan advised Viktor regretfully "The survey run which produced that imagery occurred perhaps two of your months ago".

"I doubt that camp looks like that now, correct" before his brain finally kicked in and he asked "Human people? Your months? Just who are we dealing with?"

"That took longer than I thought" another commando murmured, after which she said "You are correct in assuming we are not human people. Be assured that whether we are human or not, we are skilled soldiers with many of your years combat experience and will be a great help to seeing you fulfil your orders".

"That will do" Viktor replied, nodding once more before telling everyone "Crush and bury the tins. Fill in the latrine pit once everyone who's needed it has used it. We can't stay here".


The reporter in no way like flying by means of being slung over Karl's back and said so whenever he could until Karl came in to land.

Once he stopped vomiting, he held out a hand – Karl passed over a number of notes which the reporter examined and said "Egyptian pounds… not what I asked for, but it'll do".

"It had better..." the Mossad General whose voice the reporter remembered well called "Whether I like you or not, you came through when we needed you… we'll hide you a while, then put you back somewhere that lends credence to the idea that you managed to barely escape after the attack" before escorting the reporter down another corridor.

"Nicely done, mister" Harrigan told Karl "Good to see you're not too proud to call for support when needed" before looking to one side and seeing President Netanyahu and another man in a suit walking towards them with a box.

"While we may dislike contracting outsiders to fight our enemies for us..." the President said "You did so very well. In accordance with your unit scale of fees… here is the payment required. It is not all of one type of accepted payment material… but from what you told me at the UN, this is preferable in any case".

Harrigan looked inside the crate for a few minutes, then nodded before saying "In your case, President Netanyahu, I think I can take your word for everything being there. We're wanted for other stuff stateside again, but we'll keep an ear to the phone in case you need us before we go home".

"Sturk, take that back to our Stryker" Harrigan ordered, passing Sturk the box "Nice to see you all here, but it's time for us to go".

Everyone who could see the base runway watched the enormous Stryker take off until it flew out of sight.


One of the Russians called a Kalish over before pointing at something ahead – he nodded before passing news to Kaisan.

"Agreed" Kaisan said "A guard post not on our reconnaisance imagery. Only two personnel – so if we nullify both of them simultaneously we can proceed. Terish, Kalt – nullify those soldiers".

The Russians watched with interest as the Kalish proceeded to kill the soldiers ahead of them.

Energy weapons? Viktor wondered as he saw the brief flash from the pulse rifles That I did not expect. Even Americans can't do that yet, even less make one than can handle Russian weather for long enough to be useful. At least the flash was not too bright or long-lasting enough to alert other enemy soldiers close by.

Viktor said nothing, just nodding and pointing – Kalt nodded back before taking point and leading the way.

"Yes, my commandos only needed to see the terrain map once" Kaisan told Viktor proudly "We all saw the map, we all will remember it until the mission is over".

"Perhaps we should pick up the pace a little more" Viktor replied in challenge "I know it is cold… and it is now raining quite heavily… but unless your electronics are not waterproof it should not matter".

"Pick up the pace!" Kaisan called "One Kalish beside one of the Russian humans!"


Harrigan's mark-3 Stryker was approaching Nome as a bulk lander was preparing to take off to support the Irregulars there.

"No need – for now" Harrigan replied "If you want, feel free to send someone down on a touch-and-go so we get a few goodies for the Stryker's galley – and for my son's wedding ceremony".

"We will bring food for that, sir" came the reply "Martha has asked if she can be considered for support staff serving food for that event – I will send a galley supervisor as well, but unless her parents do not wish her to spend time on Erp due to safety concerns I think she could go".

"If your ma an' pa say you can go, Martha..." Harrigan told Martha "then you can do that. Since you got special stuff, I want you to keep an eye on everyone – I know you're better at cooking than fighting, but you can give support if needed where no one else can".

"I know this" Martha replied, nodding agreement "Despite achieving more at galley work, I do well at defence training as well, uncle Commander – if not as well as Sherenka".


"Havoc..." the most senior bulk lander pilot called over open comm "Reporting successful atmospheric exit with the reactor plant from the wreck at First Landing. Improvised lifting materials are working as intended – for now, at least".

"Acknowledged" Talannah replied "Disconnect any means you used to get your cargo to orbit – then give it a push outsystem. I doubt pushing the reactor into this system's sun will cause any harm at all – but I am not an astronomer".

It took almost twenty momens, but both Talannah and Lazarus were pleased when the lander's pilot called "It's gone, reactor's heading outsystem – if a little slowly. Radiation was a little on the high side, looks like containment was starting to fail – looks like we turned up at just the right time".

"Yeah, that's always nice to hear" Lazarus added "Talk to the human waste removal people down there, Sturk as well… I'm not sure if any of you will be needed for further clean-up or not"

"We will scan for traces of any remaining radioactive material" the team supervisor replied "Should any be found, we will sanitise the area thoroughly. Any further site cleaning-up can then be safely left in the hands of the human workers there".

Olak and the rest of Kingdom leadership were pleased to hear that.

"Good..." Olak told the supervisor, in Scarran "We're glad to hear the site should be clean. We'll likely have to allow building there now, there's no getting around that – but if we can keep the Prime Minister on our side then we should get a percentage for the Kingdom and a small commemorative statue or plaque for all to see".

"You keep all that, mister" Harrigan told Olak once the call made its way to him "I know we helped you a bit here and there… but you lot never forgot who your ancestors were, and while there's no way the Kingdom can really thank you for remembering us this is a good start in seeing you all taken care of".


"We're officially across the border" Viktor told Kaisan softly as they walked "The map says the border's somewhere about here, anyway, and the GPS seems to agree. Our intelligence can only give us a guess as to where any enemy field camp might be… so we'll have to be careful".

"Just so" Kaisan agreed, nodding.

Eighteen hours later, they still hadn't found a trace of the main field camp – although two more sentry teams had been nullified.

Kaisan was about to call for a recon flight from the Kraken when Terish raised a hand.

"Some distance away" she explained when Kaisan asked if she'd seen or heard anything "Speech in a human language I do not know".

"Which direction?" Viktor asked "Roughly, anyway? Just point if you have to".

Terish did that, holding her hands in a cone shape – Viktor raised his eyebrows in surprise at this new signal, although he understood it.

"If we are where I think we are" the Russian radio operator guessed aloud "then the target location is somewhere on the western edge of the area we were told about. If they've got the personnel to deploy sentries this far out, we're going to have to be careful – I'd say the Chinese might be setting up a staging post for future incursions into Russian territory, either alongside or instead of an intelligence gathering facility".

"Fyodor, go ahead and find out where that camp is" Viktor ordered "and be careful about it. I'll be bringing the rest of us along behind you … but I won't risk blowing this mission from getting a two-man patrol spotted. They find one , they might just assume someone got lost – as long as you don't get too close to their camp".

Fyodor nodded, checked the magazine and chamber on his rifle, then checked a small compass and the map before heading off.

"Come on, everyone" Viktor ordered "That much lead time should do it. We won't proceed as fast as Fyodor did, but we need to be closer than this when he does find something meaningful".


Soldiers and private base staff at Nome watched as a bulk lander arrived and started offloading supplies to the Irregulars – a few of the soldiers got a little too close, which the Kalish supervising the landing took as permission to get them assisting in carrying heavier cargo to Harrigan's mark-3 Stryker.

"Sometimes..." he told them, chuckling a little "it is not wise to show too much interest in a new thing or new people, did you know that…?"

"Come on..." one soldier gasped as he and three others carried something particularly heavy "Let's just get it done! I hear what sounds like bottles in there – these guys might even be bringing booze in, so don't drop it!"

The lander's copilot came forward, rumbling softly.

"Good..." she decided, nodding "The humans like hard labour in cold weather about as much as I do – but since they believe there are good things which they might share with us in their box, they are proceeding with speed but care".

"That was a box containing alcohol, sir" the Kalish told the copilot "The human soldiers were correct, if only by accident. Do we have changed personnel with us to supervise the humans' alcohol consumption?"

"Apart from Martha..." the copilot replied "we have Captain Lirak and we have have Specialist Trooper Rekketh. I am told Command Specialist Sturk can tolerate the climate here but prefers to continue with his work aboard the Havoc".

"Specialist Trooper Rekketh is one of the cooking staff for this event" the Kalish revealed, nodding "I expect the humans here will find that an interesting new thing, sir – it was surprising enough when Aunt Aya reported seeing him in a galley preparing food well despite his extreme size, I know that".

The copilot nodded and rumbled briefly before heading back inside the bulk lander again.


It took a while before Fyodor found even slight signs of the presence of other people – but eventually he found footprints, and then he heard voices.

Crap! he thought No way I can comm the others to tell them about this without getting myself found and killed!

~I can hear you~ Amara told him ~I am with the people supporting your mission, did you know that? Should I communicate what you have found to your leader ((interest, confirm/deny))~

Fyodor took a while to decide an actual person was communicating with him, and eventually managed to communicate to Amara that this was a good idea.

Viktor found communication telepathy to be as unusual as Amara expected him to – but she decided he is adjusting to it far more easily than the other one did.

"Hmph..." Viktor snorted, trying to focus enough to tell Amara to show the others what she showed him.

~((praise, agreement))~ Amara told him ~I heard your communication clearly over this link. I will show the others with you – but you should be prepared to speak with them over this communications type and tell them it is not an attack against them nor bad for their health~

~Calm DOWN ((insistence))~ Viktor ordered everyone over the telepathic link ~I know it feels strange, but – strange or not – we have strong communications which our enemies cannot detect. We're going to make the most of that, and we're going to do so now. If our … communications officer… could link Fyodor in as well...audio and video if that's possible...~

Amara smiled as she sensed the Russians' reactions to being linked together over communications telepathy.

~See?~ she told them ~You can see the things your friend Fyodor sees! I have made sure his audio and video appears in your vision as an inset picture with his name on it, did you know that? When you talk to him, he will see your faces and hear your voices the same way~

~Keep this link active~ Viktor asked firmly, if slowly ~If you can provide a real-time link with Fyodor, I want it up and running until we reach him. If your own soldiers could keep pace with us, we will proceed~

~We will ((assurance, mild irritation with the cold))~ Kaisan replied ~I am Commander Kaisan, and I lead the ground forces assisting you, mister Viktor~

Viktor felt considerable relief when the video and audio stayed active, though he was pleased that the video was minimised to a very small picture and Fyodor's voice was much quieter.

~Yes, I am transmitting what he smells as well~ Amara confirmed when Viktor asked ~At this point, only you have deduced that this data is there~

Amara communicated this new turn of events back to Talannah as soon as Viktor started giving deployment orders again.

~Stop, Fyodor! ((image of Viktor holding up his hand))~ Viktor told Fyodor ~Since it seems like I'm hearing every tiny thing that's coming through your ears… take a second or two to decide if that's Chinese soldiers you can hear up ahead!~

~((mild disorientation))~ Fyodor replied before he focussed enough to communicate properly ~((live audio of Chinese voices, extremely faint)) ((sound of vomiting, much closer and louder))~

Amara could tell Viktor wasn't pleased Fyodor's mind was having difficulty with communications, so she told him ~Not all people find communications telepathy as easy to adapt to as you have done, for religious reasons or medical reasons or simply personal preference. You are adapting to this new communication type fast and well ((praise))~

Amara felt Viktor's pleasure at being praised in front of his troops – she smiled at that before reporting it to Talannah, Trannak, and General Tareg.


Up ahead, Chinese voices were discussing their mission and their orders in the largest tent in the centre of the camp. While the camp did not have fencing around it, there were other ways to make sure no unwelcome guests entered - foremost among these a deep covered trench and small land mines.

Fyodor crept close enough to hear voices, but reached for binoculars when he decided he couldn't see what was going on – since Viktor was linked in, he saw it all as well.

~Field camp~ Viktor told Fyodor softly ~Quite a big one, but still just a camp~

~((video, showing Fyodor holding a small land mine)) ((mild disorientation, coughing))~ Fyodor replied ~This new talking's making my head spin one way and my body another! ((audio, Fyodor drinking water for a second or two)) Found that mine barely a minute ago. Doubt it's the only one around here~

~Be careful digging those stupid things up, mister~ Viktor ordered ~You and I both know they need careful handling even at the best of times~

~((video, showing the mine upside down with a paperclip in the safety hole))~ Fyodor replied ~((feelings of nausea and disorientation, coupled with relief at them being over in less than a minute))~

Nauseated or not, Fyodor tried creeping a little closer.

~There is a fence~ he told Viktor over the link, forcing his nausea down ~((video, showing sharpened stakes formed into fencing around as much of the camp as Fyodor could see))~

This Fyodor may not be handling adjustment to communications telepathy well, or indeed even with speed Amara decided but he is the only one of those Russian humans who seems to have deduced that anyone linked in can send video and audio which they have seen and have in their memories~

Amara praised Fyodor for that by private link, and while the surprise of the private link nearly cause Fyodor to fall over, Amara could tell from his surface thoughts that he was pleased to have found out something both new and useful.

~Should you wish to~ Amara told him quietly, calming his surface thoughts and bodily reactions so he didn't vomit again and could focus properly on the mission ~you can send anything you can sense the same way – audio, video, smell, or touch. You could, if you were taught how, send any feelings or instincts you have as well. Teaching you this would take more time than we have, unfortunately~

It was dark by the time everyone else in the group caught up with Fyodor, by which time he had been forced to retreat a short distance to avoid being seen by a guard patrol inside the camp.

"NVGs work, but I still can't see shit in there" Fyodor replied "We should have asked our new friends to bring their NVG, it can't possibly be worse than ours".


"I hear, Amara" Caseya replied when Amara told her mother about it "Should you wish to, you may deploy by mentalism to their location – since our part of our mission orders permit this if required. Be sure to be properly protected against the cold and against combat".

Amara smiled and told her mother about her armour and the weapons she chose to bring with her before disappearing from the Kraken's CIC.


Kaisan smiled briefly, even though the Russians raised their rifles when Amara appeared out of nowhere right beside Viktor.

~I am the one proving the special communications links, did you know that?~ she told Viktor ~I sensed and read the surface thoughts of your scout, showing that your night vision equipment was not working as well as required. Should it be needed, I can look inside that camp with my skills and show you all what I see~

"Now you can tell everyone else that, whoever you are" Viktor decided, waving for everyone to lower their weapons – once they had done that, Amara explained (quietly, which Viktor was relieved about) and fairly quickly (which Viktor was even more relieved about) with normal speech, since she could speak English well and without much of an accent

When Viktor waved in the general direction of the camp, Amara took one deep breath before extending her hypersense over the camp.

~Galley tent~ she told everyone ~Multiple accomodation tents. One large tent in the centre – the commanding officer's personal tent ((query)) ? Perhaps for communications?~

~((feelings showing interest in the inside of the biggest tent))~ Fyodor sent accidentally, whispering "Didn't think you'd be able to read that.." when Amara turned to face him, nodded, and said "Yes, I can look inside that tent and show you what I see if your leader permits it".

Everyone saw a number of portable computers, maps, and other intelligence material distibuted around several tables. Other equipment, which Fyodor told Amara was communication equipment, was linked to one of the computers and to something outside the tent on the opposite side of the camp – which Viktor decided was a satellite uplink even before Amara extended her hypersense again and proved it for him.

Everyone was surprised when Amara scanned the entire camp and displayed an overhead view of where she decided everything was.

~((feelings of danger focussed on several cloth covered lumps))~ came from the remaining Russian.

~You believe those hide dangerous things?~ Amara asked him, getting back a very brief and static-laden video of cloth covers being thrown off crew-served weapons before he fell to his knees, closed his eyes, and tried as hard as he could to clear his head and stand up.

"Do not worry, Vladimir" Amara told him "I could read your surface thoughts and view what you sent to me well enough to understand that you believe those cloth sheets may hide semi-portable weapons that may be turned against us" before probing several of them with hypersense and showing everyone what she saw.

"Heavy machine guns" Fyodor decided before spitting on the ground "Going to make getting in very hard indeed, especially since we're supposed to just find out what's going on here rather than just blow the place up along with everyone in it".

Amara looked inside the tent again, and when the radio operator inside wasn't looking she translocated a small book he had on the desk in front of him back to her, which she then gave to Viktor and asked "What is this book for? I moved it from the communications tent in that camp to us in case it was valuable material you may find interesting".

"You can move objects..." Viktor said with suspicion but also interest "from place to place. Do not worry about Mr President over there, he came from a superstitious family. I expect you can tell how I feel about that kind of thing as well… but right now it is useful, and to be honest I find it more interesting than I do suspicious or dangerous".

"We need to get inside that camp" Fyodor reminded everyone "Preferably inside that big tent! Do any of you new ones have any amazing ideas how we're going to manage that when we're on the wrong side of ten to one odds without explosives or RPGs?"

"It'd be doable if this latest arrival can move people like she moved that book" Vladimir said a little sourly "To be honest I didn't even think it was possible to move things like she moved them until barely a minute or two ago. Trying to move people like that would probably make her head explode – or ours".

"Moving people this way is possible" Amara told them "Moving people to precise locations so they are ready for combat is possible. For security purposes, I will not tell you why this is the case nor how I know it is so – but you can trust me that you will be exactly where you need to be, where you need to be there..."

"Not facing the wall of that tent with the muzzles of our rifles stuck up our noses?" Fyodor asked.

"Facing the right way" Kaisan confirmed "Our special support has many useful skills… some of which you know about, many more of which you will remain ignorant of until it becomes necessary to reveal such important knowledge".

"I don't need to know that kind of details..." Viktor said, before turning to the rest of his team and hissing "and neither do any of you! What does concern me is can our newest helper move our entire force inside that tent ...where I tell you to move us ...at the same time?"

"I can" Amara replied, carefully omitting the fact she could move far more than their entire force that way "Without endangering my health or your own. This includes making sure we can leave safely again afterwards".

"OK, last meal before we go in" Viktor decided "No one leaves anything on the ground to show that soldiers were here. If you need to relieve yourselves, just make sure you bury it properly – I'm pretty sure our new reconnaisance caught a dog or two in there".

Amara asked Viktor a few questions about that, and after she looked around the camp she said "Those animals will not be able to smell me – and as long as I am with you, I can mask your presence from them and from people as well if required"