Chapter 8
Requesting Permission to Restart
01/12/2503
17:50
"…Well when I first saw the report I didn't believe it. But here is living proof, 'the' Colonel Thomas Radford, Creator of the MS Project, is alive and
well." The General of the UED Army, General Hayward said. There were thirteen people seated in the base headquarters conference room. The ten
man investigation team, consisting of the GOA, General Staff, The Secretary of Defense, and a Civilian Scientist, had arrived just thirty minutes ago.
During those thirty minutes, they confirmed that the large robot in Los Antares' Main Hanger was the Real RX-01, and that I was indeed 'former'
Major Thomas Radford. I responded to the GOA's statement, "well I sure hope I'm alive and well, General. Now in the four hundred and eighty five
years since my disappearance, has anyone figured out how or why I suddenly disappeared from Yuma on 10/24/2018?" Dr. Sanford, the Civilian
Scientist answered, "Colonel, Despite the four hundred and eighty five years of investigations, we have only come up with theory's and that's all."
"I see." Dr. Sanford continued, "However, there is one theory that came up about two hundred years ago that seems to hold up very well and
that's the theory of TDH's or Temporal Displacement Holes." I responded, "Temporal Displacement Holes? Okay I know that the word 'temporal'
means having to do with time, correct?" Dr. Sanford acknowledged, "Correct, because as the investigations continued it was found that there have
been similar incidents like yours both before and after your disappearance, but neither before nor after your disappearance did any thing remotely
close to what has become know as the MS Project incident ever happened, I mean things like trees, road signs and small scale things have
disappeared and have reappeared after a random amount of time and at random locations. But the MS Incident was the only large scale
disappearance ever and was the longest disappearance ever. So that's why the TDH Theory stands up so well. Also, the total amount of similar
cases is numbered at seven. Five before the MS Incident and one after it which occurred seventy years after the MSI." One of the Generals from
the General Staff chimed in, "The MS Incident investigation team concluded that the reason for the disappearance of the RX-01 was a reactor
malfunction because the reactor design and materials used were new and relatively untested. That and the "then" unknown blue ball of light that
consumed the RX-01 and two military transports, was the sole reason that MS Project was cancelled indefinitely." I pondered what I had heard for
about two minutes. The next one to speak was Major Salinas because both she and General Salinas were there. "Um General Hayward, if I may
ask something please?" "Go ahead Major." "If there have been similar incidents like the MSI, why wasn't there an investigation regarding them,
sir" General Hayward chuckled for about half a second before saying, "four words major, Cover-up and superstition." I then said, "Cover up and
superstition, Sir?" "Yes, Colonel. The incident after the MSI was covered up because they didn't the public to panic thinking that soon every one
was going to disappear. The first five were regarded as hallucinations or ghosts. As you probably have heard, the MSI was the only one to make
world news." I nodded. After about two minutes the Secretary of Defense said, "well I think that that's all. It is good to see that you are alive and
well. Just be aware that the general public will eventually catch on to your being alive. Just be aware of that." "Yes, Sir." Everyone started packing
the papers and stuff when I suddenly said, "Uh, General Hayward?" "yes, Colonel?" "Um…Uh…nothing." The general then sighed heavily and said,
"Colonel, I do not like it when someone gets my attention and then takes back what they were going to say. Please, say it." I hesitated for a
second and then said, "Um, with the generals, the staff and the secretary of defenses permission, if after thorough and surgical precision testing,
would it be in way possible to restart the MS Project, Sir?" I heard Madison gasp quietly. General Hayward looked around at the staff and then the
SOD. The SOD nodded and the general then said, "Permission granted to conduct testing on the RX-01. The testing will be monitored very closely. I
will rescind the cancellation of the project and put it on hold status, however, final approval to restart the project will come from the UED President,
after he reviewed the results of the testing. Understood?" "Completely sir, thank you." After the staff and the SOD left and the GOA myself,
Madison, and General Andrew Salinas were left. Andrew walked up to General Hayward and whispered something. I couldn't hear them. Madison
asked me, "What could they be talking about, sir" I looked over to her and then back to the generals and said, "I don't know." After about five
minutes they were done speaking and we went to the hummer while the general went to his transport with the other generals. As Andrew and
Madison were taking me back to the officers barracks, he revealed what was said between himself and General Hayward, "Madison, who is the
next best person on your team under you?" "Um…Major Pelly. Why?" "I was just asking because you will need to find a good person to take over
as the bases Chief Medical Officer." I asked the General for her, "Why is that sir?" "Because she is transferring fields. She is now going to be a
Lieutenant Colonel and Brigade XO for the First R&D Brigade for Los Antares." She was shocked. The sergeant the was driving interrupted,
"Begging the Generals pardon I could not help but overhear your conversation, but there is no First R&D for Los Antares or anywhere else in the
UED, Sir." The General responded, "You are pardoned Sergeant and you are correct. The First R&D will be forming in about one to three weeks." I
was somewhat shocked, but I kept my cool when I asked, "who is going to be the BC, Sir?" "I'm looking at him." That shocked the rest of me. but
he wasn't finished. He looked to toward the front, "Sergeant?" "Yes sir." "what I'm about to say, you cannot repeat. Is that clear?" "Crystal, Sir."
He looked back at me and said, "and, If the President approves, You will be in charge of the forming the 1st MS Brigade with you as its
commander." That just made me freeze. The next one to speak was Madison, "Sir, Why are you making me Brigade XO?" "Because you and the
Colonel here have the most knowledge of the MS Project than anyone alive. Its true that I should use a Goliath commander to fill the XO spot but I
can tell that the RX and anything similar is going to be a lot different than a Goliath." I spoke up, "Uh, Sir. You lost me after the first Goliath. I may
have been briefed on policy and history of the UED, But I know crap about your military forces." "Oh I'm sorry. The goliath is a mechanized infantry
unit. It has the same characteristics as your mobile suits, but it is much smaller and lacks firepower. Look it up sometime, maybe you can use some
of the goliaths systems and incorporate them into the RX." "I'll do that."
-Ten minutes later-
"Computer, please display information regarding the UED mechanized infantry unit Goliath." –beep-beep- the goliath was a two-legged
mechanized walking unit that looked similar to the AT-ST from the Star Wars movies. It was equipped with 20mm auto cannons and hellfire missile
packs and it had room for one person, the pilot. It has a basic targeting and radar system that was designed to search and acquire targets from
five hundred yards. I was thinking that was pretty short range for a mechanized infantry unit until I read that it was because the goliath was used
primarily for anti-air defense and heavy machine gun support for ground infantry. After looking at the specs for the goliath I pulled up the other
types of units that the UED used. The units included the Marine, which was the primary fighting infantry unit, the firebat which was a flamethrower
unit, the medic and SCV which was the primary construction unit. I then moved on to the armor units which included the vulture speed bike, the
goliath and the arclite siege tank. The aerial units included the wraith attack fighter, the dropship, which was the unit that picked me and those
soldiers up when I first arrived in this amazing time, the valkarie missile frigate, the explorer class science vessel, and the behemoth class battle
cruiser. What was confusing was that there was no info on the disappearing soldiers who arrested me. I figured there files were classified because
they were in the Special Forces. I looked up at the red digital clock above the screen. It read 18:43. Max was taking a nap so I decided to take one
to.
01/13/2503
03:58
I must have been very tired because Max and I slept until four in the morning. I looked at the clock and decided I would do some morning PT. So I
got out of bed took off my BDUs and put on my PT Uniform. While I was putting it on I noticed a package just inside the door. I went over to it and
picked it up. It had a barcode and my name on it. There was no return address. So I opened the package and found a blue and yellow reflective
vest inside. On the back it had UED Army on it. On the front was a patch that read "COL RADFORD." Also inside the package was a letter that read,
'Tom, I figured you're going to do PT sometime, so I got you a reflective vest and some running shoes. The PT area nearest you is the basic training
area. Here are the directions. Hope to see you there.' He made a hand drawn map. It also had a time written on it that said 0430. The PT Field was
about five minutes away. Inside the package was another reflective vest that looked like it was made for dogs. On both sides it had WO1 MAX. I
guess the general pulled a few strings if he was able to get permission to have Max be a Warrant Officer. "Max?" max woke up, stretched, and
came over to me. "Look max. You have been promoted." I then put the vest on him and he wagged his tail. I then finished putting on my PT
Uniform, put on my vest, and we went out. I didn't put a leash on max because I knew he would not run off. We went downstairs and walked out.
The morning air was crisp and inviting. We walked down the road past the area mess hall and past the area administration building. We arrived at
the PT Area where a few drill sergeants were getting loosened up. When the drill sergeant in charge saw me with a dog, he started to walk over
to me. I think he was about ready to chew me out, but when he saw my patch he saluted and called, "GOOD MORNING, SIR" I saluted back and
said, "Drill Sergeant, were you about to chew me out for having a dog here and be honest." "Yes I was about to because I thought you were
another sergeant at first but then I saw your patch a saw that you are a Colonel." "You're forgiven this time, drill sergeant. Now get back to
loosening up before everyone else gets here." He saluted and said, "YES SIR." He went back to the platform at the far side of the field.
04:28
Several Platoons of Soldiers started to come on to the PT area. As the fifth platoon was getting situated, general Salinas drove up in his hummer
and walked up to me, in full PT Gear. I saluted him and said, "Good morning, General." He saluted and dropped his salute and said, "Good Morning,
Colonel. I see you brought Warrant Officer Max with you." "Yes sir." "How did you sleep?" "Well enough that a short nap turned into a good nights
rest. I closed my eyes at about 1830 and woke up at four." "Ha-ha." Well were about to start, lets go." "Yes Sir. Oh where's Madison?" "Still
asleep." We all went through an hours worth of PT, including push-ups, sit-ups, flutter kicks, side-straddle hop, etc. and all the while max sat next
to me, never barking. After the all that was done the drill sergeant in charge dismissed the platoons. The general, Max and I went to the hummer
and the general drove me to the officer's barracks so I could change. I decided to wear ACU's since they were comfortable. After I changed, I
cooked a breakfast of eggs, hash browns, some bacon, toast, and Orange juice. Max got a double helping of wet dog food. After the
hearty meal, I called the motor pool and asked if they could send me a hummer. After we got ready we went down stairs and waited for the
hummer. When it got there the sergeant driving asked where I wanted to go I told him base headquarters. When we got there, the general was
just pulling in to the parking lot. We walked in together and he said, when we got to his office, "Tom, I just go the official notice. MS Project restart
is a go."
