974 Words. Sorry about the difference in chapter lengths. I never know when to cut them. I think the next chapter will be really long, but it all goes together.
Chapter Six, Transfer 2: Feeling the Heat
"Sergeant, our country has different customs," said Professor Abid cautiously, "do not dismiss her because of her gender."
The sergeant shook his head. "This is an insult," he spat. "They treat us with so little respect. Someone like…that…on the inside of our secure communications. This is a disgrace and I will report it at once."
He took a step toward the door but Becker blocked him.
"Go ahead," said Jess calmly. "I have clearance…from both governments."
"You lie."
Jess looked right at the sergeant and said firmly. "I do not." She held his gaze, being careful not to blink first. She kept her voice even and unemotional as she said, "I realize that I may not be what you expected…"
Becker chuckled.
"However, I was not hired for the way I look. I have this position because no one does it better than I do."
The sergeant raised his eyebrow. "That is a bold statement."
"It is," said Jess. "It's also true."
Becker smiled. "It is."
The sergeant studied him. "You are a military man."
"I am," he said.
The sergeant looked Becker over. "I do not take you for a fool," he said. "You are…bold, but not foolhardy, I think."
Becker said nothing.
The sergeant looked back at Jess, then back at Becker. "You trust this…woman," he said to Becker.
"I do," said Becker.
The other soldiers scoffed, but the sergeant held up his hand.
"I don't expect you to trust me," said Jess. "At least, not without cause." Suddenly, her face on the computer screen was replaced with various scenes from Yemen.
Raptors ran and jumped over a broken, crumbling stone wall. Goats, chickens, and people fled in terror. Some didn't make it to safety.
A smilodon snarled and hissed while twenty or so villagers poked at it with farm tools. It backed up, falling into the anomaly it came from. The villagers cheered.
A young woman washing clothes in a river was pulled down by a gigantic crocodile. The water then turned red as the clothes floated to the top alone.
"I wasn't playing inside the station systems, you know. I was getting information to help your people," said Jess' voice over the images. "You have worse things to fight than me."
The sergeant abruptly laughed. "You would not be a challenge."
"Want to bet?" asked Becker.
Jess appeared back on screen. She giggled. "I'm too far away. Plus, the captain has me well guarded."
Becker raised his eyebrow.
"I meant, you have the ARC guarded, Becker, not just me. Anyway, as you can see...um, Sergeant…your country is under attack, but not from me," said Jess.
The sergeant, looking far less mean, thought about her words. "My government knows you've seen this footage?"
She laughed. "It's not so easy to hack into state security. Yes, they let me into their system. They asked me to find something to stop the bloodshed. Your president was actually quite emotional," she said, then, she added pointedly, "and very respectful."
"You spoke to the president, himself?" asked Sabban, impressed.
Jess nodded.
The sergeant sighed. "I will not bother him then."
Jess smiled. "Good." She looked at Becker who was looking at her with pride. She blushed. "Now, um…back to business. These attacks I just showed you are only a few of the ones we have information on and unfortunately, they are over a large distance."
"Villages are spread all over the area," said the sergeant. "Many tribes are self contained."
The professors nodded. "They run themselves pretty much alone," said Abid.
"Then it's crucial that I help you," Jess said. "I can find the villages with the most activity. Plus I've sent data from our ADD to your scientists so they can determine where the most immediate danger lies."
Professor Sabban nodded. "I was just looking at it," he said. "There does seem to be three villages that have the most recurring anomalies and creature activity."
"We can post sentries at the other villages," said the sergeant.
"Or you could mount motion-sensor cameras," said Jess, "that will switch on when movement is detected. The beauty of the camera is that if something else triggers it, like a creature not from an anomaly, it will switch off once the activity stops and switch back on for new activity. You can place several all around the perimeter, guarding the entire village."
The sergeant rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "That is no solution. We are a poor country. We do not have such cameras."
"You will in a few hours," she said, smiling.
Becker smirked. "Is another care package on its way?"
"Yes, but I'm sorry, Captain, this one is for the people of Yemen."
Sabban laughed.
"I do not understand," said the sergeant. "Who will pay for them?"
"The ARC," said Jess. "Don't worry. The expense has been approved by our director."
Becker smiled. Good ole Lester.
"I've ordered hundreds of the cameras and they're being flown in as quickly as possible," said Jess. "They're battery operated and easy to use. You can teach the villagers to mount and operate them. They have built in software that automatically relays information back to a computer here and in the ARC branch at the capital."
"We then send our resources to those areas," said Abid. "That's genius."
"Aw…I don't know about genius," said Jess, blushing, "but I appreciate the compliment." She smiled.
Becker smiled and looked at the sergeant. "Well? Do you still think this…girl…is incapable of the job?"
Jess looked at the sergeant. He held her gaze then smiled. "Maybe not," he said.
"Maybe? I'm sorry, Sergeant, but you're going to change your mind," Jess replied.
"Am I?"
Becker chuckled. "Oh, yeah. Definitely."
The soldiers laughed softly but stopped when the sergeant held up his hand.
"We shall see."
Jess smiled. "Yes, you will."
End of Chapter Six