“We neutralized the threat with mortars. An inspection of the target area indicated that four of the twelve attacking personnel were at one time, professionals. One was a former member of the Jasmine Panzer Brigade who mustered out six years ago. A Captain Semenko.”
Galen said, “Any prisoners?”
Sevin narrowed his eyes a bit. “No.”
“Thank you, Master Sergeant. Anything else?”
“I sent a text report with video support to Tad. Pretty much what I’ve just said.”
“Roger.” Galen gestured at Tad.
Tad said, “Out,” then waited a moment to hear the connection from Sevin end before he turned off the 2D projection and put his personal communicator into the top left pocket of his coveralls.
Koa said, “I’m going to go through Seventh City transmissions and signals to see if I can piece things together from their perspective. I’ll have a full analysis by 0600.”
“Good.” Galen nodded at Tad.
Tad said, “We’ve alerted a Hellcat tank company and will send them out through the tunnel at 0400, then stand them down for crew rest until noon, then pass them off to the operational control of Sevin at that time.”
“Good, very good. Spike?”
“I’ll stay up. I’ll get you out of bed at 0600. Twelve hour on-call shifts?”
“Sure, I’ll split it with you. But anything I need to know about, wake me up.”
“You got it.” Spike leaned back in his chair.
“Karen?”
“Well, the tap line has a valve at the top of the tunnel. I’ll send two armored fuelers from Brigade trains up top and attach them to the Hellcat tank company. And I’ll brief Chief Polar.”
Galen stood and the rest stood along with him. “Very well. Is there anything else?”
Galen waited a moment, looked into each face, then said, “Dismissed.”
Chapter Nine
Galen met up with Tad on his way to the chow hall for breakfast and they sat in the last booth nearest the exit. The sturdy metal building was complete, but was still serving canned rations.
Galen pulled the heat tab and waited. “So, pretty quiet last night?”
Tad removed the lid of his food container and punched out the perforated spork. “Yes, real quiet. But I did get a pretty good analysis from Chief Koa.”
“What was that like?” Galen pulled the lid off his breakfast container and punched the spork out and stirred his scrambled eggs.
“Well, Seventh City forces have claimed a brilliant victory over our horrid, oppressive, murderous regime. The video of our dummy outpost getting ripped apart by their gun trucks is all over their news. The part where the gun trucks were obliterated is, of course, not shown. But they show their crews dancing around their trucks in victory, celebrating. Not sure if anyone cares that the battle scene is right after sunset, and the victory scene is around noon time.”
Galen shrugged. “Let them have their fun. Are they planning anything else?”
“Well, it’s not certain yet.”
“What?”
Tad swallowed his eggs. “They put in a bid for a mercenary unit to support their rebellion.”
Galen stuck his spork into a cube of Spam. “That’s their right, as a rebellion. Wonder who they’ll get?”
“Not sure. Would you take their contract?” Tad drank his milk.
“Not just no, but hell no.”
Tad finished his chow and ran his finger around inside the container to get a few more pieces of food. “I hope they get somebody just tough enough to give Sevin something to do.”
Galen stood. “I don’t think there is such a unit. The entire Mosh invasion didn’t keep him amused for very long.”
They dropped their used containers in the recycler on the way out of the chow hall. Tad swept his left hand forward at waist height and said, “Come check out my ops center.”
They walked to the spaceport terminal and followed a narrow interior corridor wedged in between the souvenir shop and the snack bar. At the end was a plain steel door, which Tad opened and held open for Galen. Galen descended the steps and opened a second door, which led in to the main area of the operations center, an eight meter square room with three meter high walls and a sturdy steel conference table surrounded by eight metal folding chairs.
A Corporal stood from the command chair and said, “Good morning, Sergeant Majors.”
“Carry on,” said Galen.
There were two control terminals on desks along each side wall, a technician seated at each, and a fully functional command chair at the head of the table, facing a full-D view screen on the wall of the entrance door. Behind the command chair was a metal door, which Tad opened.
“My office, and beyond that, my quarters.”
Galen said, “Just like Alamo.”
“I like it. How long before they get things set up on the mountain?”
“About a month. That’s also when we start training the EugeneX security people. Are you going to move then?”
Tad sat at his desk. “Yes. I’ll have to hand this place over to range control to track training. Chief Mortinson is slotted to handle that.”
Galen sat on the couch and put his feet on the aluminum coffee table. “Well he’ll do a fine job. Doesn’t he retire after this contract?”
Tad said, “Yep, if he wants too. Maybe we can change his mind.”
“Not likely. He’s got a house paid off, his wife, three grown kids and five grandkids on Mandarin. He’s applied to work part-time at the armory at the welcoming center. And I’ve approved his retirement already.”
“Buzzkill. Okay, have you looked at that logpac plan your girlfriend turned in?”
“Karen? No, first I heard of it.”
Tad said, “That’s good, that she’s keeping personal separate from private, running her ideas through proper channels.”
Galen said, “She’s my logistics officer, she works for me.”
“Well she pitched her plan through Spike, your executive officer, last night while you were not on call. It was the right thing to do, and helped avoid an appearance of impropriety. She’s being professional.”
“All right. So what’s her plan?”
“She wants to have combat after-action logpacs stacked in the tunnel, along with transport. That gives the supplies greater protection and keeps them closer to the units, so during an emergency they can get up top faster.”
“And what’s the down side?”
“The builders will have to widen a section of the tunnel.”
Galen thought for a moment. “How long will that take?”
“About three days.”
Galen calculated a quick cost-estimate in his head and realized it would be negligible. “Okay.”
“Spike already approved it.”
“Well I might as well climb in that command jump ship and go home. You all don’t need me for anything.”
“Hey, calm down, hero. We need you to make decisions when Spike’s asleep.”
Galen laughed and stretched out on the couch. “Want to go up top?”
Tad said, “What for?”
“Check on Sevin, see what he’s up to.”
“All right.” Tad keyed his personal communicator. “Hey driver, how long to have the skimmer ready?” a pause, “Okay, meet me in front of the Brigade conference room. Bring a Vehicle Commander and a laser gunner and lunch for five; I’ll be riding in the back with the Commandant.”
Tad said to Galen, “We’ll leave from in front of your place in fifteen minutes. Let me get my war gear on and I’ll walk over there with you.”
Galen sat on the right seat in the back of the skimmer, Tad across from him, the laser gunner standing up between them, far enough forward to not be a nuisance to conversation. The skimmer entered the tunnel.