BY: Gladiator
After
a quick stop at the base cafeteria, Jason returned to his bunk.
It was late, the officers meeting didn't get over till almost midnight.
He figured he better try and get some sleep.
There was no telling when the Dragon's next strike might commence, and he
wanted to be rested when it came.
Wallart
had returned with Edwards to the officers’ barracks. "Brandy?" Edwards asked as he took out two glasses.
"It's imported from New Olympia."
"Sure, why not, I've got a headache all ready."
After a few drinks, and after a few more drinks both men retired for the
night.
Jason
was up early the next morning despite his unrestful sleep.
He had a funny feeling in his stomach.
He decided he as very hungry and would go on down to the mess hall.
Maybe he was just nervous. As
he entered the hall, he noticed his commanding officer at another table. He looked a little more pale than usual.
Wallart flagged him over to sit down after he got a tray full of the
cook’s daily slop. Just as Jason
was about to shovel in a mouthful, a voice came over the PA system.
"Attention all base personnel, attention all base personnel, an
important announcement will be made at zero eight thirty in the main compound.
All off duty officers and men are expected to attend.
Repeating...." "Hmmm... You
have any idea what that's about?" "Nope,
don't know," Wallart replied. "But
I can almost guarantee it's not going to be good."
The
hour of oh eight thirty came, and several hundred personnel assembled in the
main compound awaiting the announcement. Edwards,
the base commander appeared on a staging area.
"As of 0500 today, Comstar managed to punch a clear comm packet
through the Dragon's jamming interference.
I'm afraid I have some bad news. Hanse
Davion is not coming."
The
news hit the men and women of the AFFS like the shock waves from a sun going
nova. "The Combine has
achieved unprecedented success in the conquering of worlds across the border,
and with the logistics involved with running a multi-planetary campaign, Hanse
was forced to deter our reinforcements to defending other worlds still under
siege. Hanse is sending us a
mercenary company, no word though on when it should arrive. That was all. I
just wanted you all to know our current situation here on Arture 4.
This facility must not fall to the hands of the Draconis Combine.
Latest recognizance indicates a lot of forward movement in the rear of
the Combine's ranks. The Dragon
could strike at any time. We must
be prepared for an onslaught..."
Edwards
continued speaking, but Jason was caught up in his own thoughts.
Hanse was not coming? How
were they possibly going to win against an enemy who had them outnumbered almost
five to one? Hanse knows how important this facility is, why would he send
us just a single mercenary company? And
then the answer came to him. Wolf's
Dragoons must be coming, the mercenary unit with a true appetite for
destruction.
Perhaps we still have a chance!
|
 |
Go Back to Story Base 7 Table of Contents
