Galen elbowed Tad and said, “This is something. They really are serious about keeping this entrance secure.”
Tad said, “Don’t act so surprised. You approved all this.”
“Yes, but seeing the plans and seeing it for real are entirely two different things.”
“I just hope somebody attacks, that would be cool.”
Galen elbowed Tad again.
Chief Polar announced, “The ceremony will begin now.”
Sevin called his troops to attention and the civilian workers stopped talking among themselves and turned their faces toward the platform.
Chief Polar said, “First, let me introduce Master Sergeant Karen Mitchell, the Jasmine Panzer Brigade Logistics Officer.”
Karen stood behind the lectern and said, “Thank you all for your hard work and dedication, I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done and I thank you in advance for all you will do in the future. The tap line from Factory Nine went better than I could have ever imagined, getting it done in less than a week was nothing short of a miracle. And the tunnel, I love this tunnel. Than you all, thank you very much.”
Karen sat, Tad stood. “Ladies and gentlemen, as many of you already know, I am Sergeant Major Tad Miller, your Brigade operations chief. I’m the A-hole who keeps bugging you with taskings and chores that keep you busy. But it all serves a purpose, the purpose that allows this Brigade to provide you with subsistence pay now and contract shares when this is all over. I’ll put this out now because I know, many of you either haven’t heard or didn’t much care at the time. Our mission is to construct defenses, train EugeneX security and military forces, and then get the hell out of here. And as of now, there are only three hundred and eighty seven days remaining on this contract. In three hundred and eighty nine days, we’ll all be back on Capella counting our money.”
Tad sat, Galen stood. “Master Sergeant Sevin, At Ease.”
Sevin faced his troops, “At Ease,” then faced back forward.
“Okay, everybody relax but listen up. Here’s the deal.” Galen rolled his shoulders and took a deep breath. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this because it might jinx it, but things will slow down in a couple of weeks and you’ll start to have some free time. The nearby town hates us and has gone into a state of rebellion against us and EugeneX, who owns this whole planet. So Factory Seven Complex is not such a good place to spend your money or your free time. That’s why I put it off limits. But we’ve put together what I think is a decent little down town area near the spaceport terminal, between it and your barracks, that every one of you should be able to enjoy.”
Galen heard Tad whisper, “Get on with it.”
Galen reached into the lectern and pulled out an oversized aluminum gavel. “I hereby declare this tunnel, Open for Traffic!” He slammed the gavel down on the lectern and left a bit of a mark in its polymer surface.
Sevin called his troops to attention and dismissed them back to their regular duties, and the construction workers went back to their machines. Then Sevin met Galen on the platform. “Nice speech.”
“Thanks,” said Galen. “Any contact with those indigs?”
“Just some snooping and probing. I think they’re smart enough to know what they’re looking at so they’re staying away. But I’m not letting them see everything, I’m just showing them enough to make them think twice.”
“Well technically they’re rebels defying the ultimate authority of the owners of this planet. Namely, me. But that changes when the EugeneX administrator gets here and I doubt they care about anything that happens outside the crater. So stay cool and ignore the rebellion as best you can.”
Sevin smiled. “You got it, Smaj.”
Galen helped Karen into the skimmer and then sat in the vehicle commander seat.
As the skimmer approached the tunnel, Galen noticed a strong breeze coming out of it. “Hey Karen, did they turn on the exhaust fans?”
“No. The air flow is natural. The air enters the tunnel down at crater floor level and flows up to here, like a chimney or smoke stack. They’ll install some airflow fans later, to ensure air quality as a safety measure for slower vehicles when traffic picks up. And some lighting. But we’re fine for now.”
The second trip through the tunnel seemed faster, although Galen knew it was probably a little longer, going against the air flow. In the pitch dark, Karen reached forward and held Galen’s hand and he clasped both his hands over hers. His wrist chronometer vibrated.
He looked, the face illuminating itself in response to his sudden movement. A message from Corporal Slaughter: your bed is here.
“We get comms down here?”
Karen laughed. “Yes. The tunneling machine needed nav data and left a cable as it went. It relays comms all through the tunnel.”
Galen said, “Our bed is here.”
“Good, now I can stay with you.”
The skimmer emerged from the tunnel and traveled back to Galen’s building. Galen helped Karen dismount. Only then did he notice that the skimmer driver was a woman. Hard to tell, with full gear on, but her voice gave it away.
The driver said, “We good, Master Sergeant?”
“Yes, Diane. I’ll be here the rest of the day. See you back at my office in the morning.”
Galen held the door of the building open for Karen. She walked in, went up stairs and looked inside Galen’s room. Galen eased past her and looked at his new bed. It was Queen size, memory foam mattress, and its top surface was sixty centimeters off the floor. He sat.
Karen said, “It looks good, but we need sheets, pillows and a blanket.”
“Let’s go shopping.”
Karen’s face brightened for a moment then she said, “Where?”
“The warehouse. I ordered bedclothes too, they must be there.” Galen hung his helmet and combat vest in his closet but decided to keep his pistol belt and sidearm on. He grabbed his patrol cap and held it in his hand and said, “The full-gear restriction for inside the crater ended yesterday.”
Karen took off her gear, hung it in the closet next to Galen’s and pulled her patrol cap from her pants left cargo pocket. “I got the word.”
They left the building and turned left, walking between several other barracks buildings until they were behind the warehouse. It was really the first of six spacecraft hangars built alongside the tarmac, but was being used as a warehouse. A cargo boat was backed up to its front door and forklift bots maneuvered in and out, stacking cargo in the warehouse. A Corporal with an electronic clipboard met them at the entrance.
“Something I can help you with, Sergeant Major?”
Galen said, “I have a box in here somewhere. From Ostreich Home Furnishings.”
The Corporal looked at the clipboard and said, “It’s along the left wall, one third of the way, to the back. A green container about ten centimeters thick and a meter square. Mass, twelve point six kilograms.”
“Thank you.” Galen went to get the package. Karen stayed with the Corporal. Galen returned with the package and sat it on the floor so he could sign for it on the clipboard. “You’re doing good work, Corporal.”
“Thank you, Sergeant Major.”
Galen lifted the container onto his shoulder and set off walking back to his room. Karen walked alongside, examining what she could see of the label.