Temple of S.A.R.A.H. 5: Debug Mode by Ben Winston Read Free Book Online Page A

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    “H as anyone figured out what the hell we’re doing this far north?” Sergeant Mars asked the assembled NCO’s from B Company, 1/504 Para-Infantry, 82nd Airborne, United States Army. “Did the President decide to annex Canada or what?”
    “Can it Mars, you know damn good and well that we wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t a reason for it,” First Sergeant Plenke said. “Now, as if I didn’t know the answer already, has anything changed from yesterday’s meeting?”
    “No ‘Top’, nothing’s changed,” Mars replied, using the common nickname for a First Sergeant.
    When the rest of the Non-Commissioned Officers, or NCO’s, replied in kind, Plenke nodded. “I thought as much. By the way Mars, I’ve heard there are two battalions of Marines up here too. I think that’s bullshit though since there isn’t room for all of us up here, and this is the only airport this far north.”
    Sergeant First Class Ballows of the first platoon nodded at his superior. “Well, there’s gotta be some of them up here cause my boys ran into them when we was setting up our perimeter. They got it worked out without calling in the officers though.”
    “Why didn’t you tell us yesterday Joe?” Plenke asked. “Any idea how many there are?”
    “One battalion from Twenty-Nine Palms, Top,” Captain Knoblock said as he entered the small tent.
    “AH-Ten- SHUN !” Mars called out first. Everyone stood rigidly.
    “As you were!” the officer said. “Let’s get them loaded up, Top. We’re heading out!”
    “Yes Sir, can I ask where we’re goin’ Sir?” Plenke asked.
    “Other than ‘north’ you wouldn’t know what I was talking about Top. Just get them loaded up, I’ll have the XO brief you in flight.” He turned to the assembled platoon sergeants. “Each of your platoon leaders will brief you on your areas of responsibility and what we can expect when we hit the ground. Gentlemen, regardless of what you might have heard, this is real. Unless the XO or I tells you differently, this is not a training mission. Get to your aircraft and prepare for drop. Flight time will be about an hour and a half, so make sure everything is set.”
    “Yes Sir!” They are echoed.
    “Dismissed!” Knoblock said, letting the NCO’s get out of the tent and run for their own platoon areas.
    “What’s really going on, John?” Plenke asked.
    “You’re gonna love this Bill,” Knoblock replied. “It seems E.T. has come down and has laid claim to a part of the Northwest Territories. We’re up here in defense of Canada to evict them.”
    Bill Plenke snorted. “Why? Ain’t nothing up here worth fightin’ over!”
    “Actually, this area is literally floating on oil. Our problem has been getting to it, since putting roads in is nearly impossible, and the water isn’t deep enough for ships. Either way, it’s not for us to decide. We have our orders, and we have to follow them.” John Knoblock replied.
    “E.T. huh? Same guys that did the orbital stuff?” the First Sergeant asked. While they were talking the men had been packing up their few belongings and getting them ready to be loaded on the plane.
    “So I’ve been told. I just hope our weapons will be effective, otherwise this could be a real short mission!” He pulled out a map. “Look here Top, we’re going to be dropping in here, with the rest of the battalion creating a barrier between this small airstrip and the aliens. We will have to hold that airstrip no matter what, since that will be the only way for us to get supplies, and when the time comes, this is where our ride home will be.” He pointed to a small icon labeled ‘Discovery’ on the map about seventy miles north of Yellowknife and the Great Slave Lake.
    “We really need to be careful up here. It would be far too easy for someone to wander off and get lost. At least its summer time and we don’t have to worry about how cold it gets up here,” the Captain outlined.