The Recovery (reboot) [IC] - M

The Recovery

New Civic, humanities great hope. It's great walls separate it form the rest of the outside world. Another set of walls separate the inner city from the outer. And, closer to the center on a plateau, where once was just more flat land, stood the Recovery Force Head Quarters. Full of Helicopter pads, barracks, other facilities to train and garrison a reasonable force.
Outside the city law for towns, and some settlements beyond that.

On occasion a helicopter landed or took off from one of the landing pads on the plateau, transporting units and supplies for efforts to reclaim the land.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lieutenant, now Commander, Terish Shepherd sat at his desk going over personnel files.
He was just given a command and had to put together his own team. There were no rules to what rank needed to be in his team, but he needed people with experience. Sadly, most people with experience are already in a team.

He sighed. All he had was rookies, too green to do anything.
He went back to skimming the personnel files and come across one that was very interesting.
He rubbed his chin in thought. "Why hasn't anyone snatched you up yet?" he wondered allowed.
He set the file into a 3rd pile before continuing through the rest.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gesha was just getting done at the ballistics range when she was approached by an officer.
"Private Grace." The man said. It didn't sound much a question.
"Yes sir." She said, standing straighter in front of the man.
"You're to report to Commander Shepherd's office at 1300."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Private Redfeather." Came a commanding voice.

"Halt!" rang out the guard's voice. Jasmine froze. How did the guard see her? "Who goes there?"

"What do you mean, 'who goes there?'," grumbled the rider, ambling down the road.

"Jacob," the guard scowled, taking a step back. "Any sign of her?"
"That's a dumb thing to ask," Jacob scowled. "Do I look like I have a trussed-up demonspawn morlock tied to my horse?"
"The spark lord is gonna be pissed."
"Gonna? He's furious now! Finally ready to vivisect her, and she ups and vanishes on him."
"So you're up here to avoid his tongue?"
"No! They think they spotted her headin' south, and want younger men to join the hunt after her."
"Oh! So..."
"So I said they oughta get you, too."
"You're all heart, Jacob."
"Naw, I'm just too old and feeble for 'em," Jacob sighed, sliding out of the saddle. "Figure all I'm good for is to watch some rickety bridge in the middle of nowhere, just in case it's a trick and she's goin' west."

Slipping off the saddle bags, he handed the reins over. "So best you head on down, and good huntin'."
"Action at last!" the guard grinned, climbing into the saddle. "Try no to die of boredom, old man."
"Yeah?" Jacob spat, shaking his fist at the guard's back as he turned to go back down the road. "Try not ta break yer neck!"

Jacob laid the saddlebags over the rail of the bridge, then picked up the spear the man left behind and leaned back, clearly bored.

Jasmine kept still, listening. Maybe Jacob would fall asleep?

It was about a minute or two later she heard some rustling in the brush closer to the road. Jacob must have heard it too, because he jerked to life, pointing the spear.

"If that's you girl, you better give up now!" he thundered. "I'm too old for all this!"
"At least you're alert," the guard sighed, stepping out unto the road."
"Zack? Why aren't you riding hard back to the town?"
"Had to make sure you weren't trying to help the girl. She did that healin' on that granddauther of yours."
"So you think that'll make me turn my back on the Spark Lord? The town? What kind of man do you think I am?"
"Sorry, Jacob. I..."
"Did I ask for some dab burn apology? Every minute you spend her jawin' away at me is another minute she's headin' south. When you catch her, you can get me a beer."
"Done!" Zack grinned, releived.

Jasmine could have cried. Old Jacob was sharp and saw everything. She didn't dare move before the sun went down, and she'd have to go upstream to cross the river.

She forced herself to relax, hearing the hoofbeats of the horse as Zack went down the road and Jacob settled back in his spot leaning back against the bridge.

It was over an hour later before old Jacob straightened up and stretched, setting aside the spear.

"The thing I hate about guard duty in the middle of nowhere is there ain't nobody around ta watch the bridge iffen I have ta take a few moments in the bushes," he complained. "Anyone could just come along and help themselves to my dinner. Oh well, nothing for it."

Leisurely, he left behind the saddlebags and his spear, striding into the nearest bushes, which rustled for a few moments then went still.

It had to be a trick. He was trying to bait her to reveal herself! Did she think she'd fall for that?

She waited. There was no way she was going to fall for... he was behind her.
"Get goin' girl," Old Jacob muttered softly, eyeing the road. "Don't try ta thank me, ya don't have time for it."

He turned and walked away.

Claire had been busy grooming Nila. They didn’t have these kinds of bugs in her village, and they all loved getting into Nila’s feathers. After picking out a particularly large one, she scratched Nila under the chin and gave her a kiss on the nose. Nila made a low chirping sound and slowly wagged her tail.

“Private Redfeather.” Came a commanding voice. Claire whirled around, at attention. Behind her, Nila straightened up.

“Yes, sir.” She answered.

"You're to report to Commander Shepherd's office at 1300." He said. He eyed the raptor a moment before saying, "As you were." And left.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Gesha headed to the barracks when she was allowed to leave. Today was a bit of a rest day, she was grateful.
Was this the day? Was she going to the field? She very well hoped.
She went to the bathroom to look herself in the mirror. Proper as usual.
This was another reminder of how much things have changed, and she gritted her teeth a little at the thought.
It had been worked into her head how things were meant to be, she knew it was needed, but she hated their methods.

She sighed. If this was the call, she couldn't wait to see what was out there.
She looked over at the clock in the barracks. 1145. They'd be calling lunch soon.
She walked out of the barracks and put her hat on as she stepped into the open.
Things were about to change a little more.

“Aye sir, Commander Shepherd’s at 1300.” Claire gave a quick look to the sky and nodded. The man turned and left, and Nila pushed Claire’s shoulder with her snout. Claire smiled and turned back to Nila, brush in hand. She resumed grooming Nila, all the while picking out the foreign bugs and talking to the chittering dinosaur. The sun had moved directly overhead before she was done with all the broken ends in Nila’s mane.

She could have stayed there forever, but her stomach grumbled. She gave another glance to the sky. It was approximately 1245.

“Oh crap!” Claire scrambled out the door to the mess hall, before skidding on her heels and untying Nila from the grooming station and putting her back in her stable. With all the grace of a hippopotamus, Claire skidded through the mess hall, hardly getting a balanced lunch. She sat down fast, ate faster, and was out the door like the wind. If the others were giving her odd looks, she didn’t know or didn’t care much. With 5 minutes left, Claire stood outside Commander Shepherd’s office, red in the face.

Gesha walked up calmly right behind her and blink. Had she been called to Commander Shepherd's office, too?
"Uh, hey, Redfeather, right?" Gesha asked, "Sorry, I'm Gesha. Were you called to Commander Shepherd's office as well?"

She looked a little rushed, she wondered if she was alright. She herself felt well put together, but she was a bit nervous herself. It could be anything for all she knew.

Claire blinked at the fox-eared girl.
“Yeah. Do you know why?” She scratched the back of her head. Nila was getting anxious in her stable, and Claire wasn’t there to comfort her. Utahraptors were built for wide-open plains, not small wooden compartments. She sent a wave of calm out to Nila, but it wouldn’t work for long.

As she waited to be called, she rocked back and forth on her heels. Her eyes drifted to the ground, where they fell upon a line of ants marching back to their mound, each ant carrying a crumb or piece of leaf.

She shook her head, "nope," She says, "not a clue."
She then knocked on the door and a muffled "enter," could be heard from the other side. And Gesha walked in.

Standing by the window, looking out, was Commander Shepherd.
He turned to see the two privates walking in, and he gave a small sigh before taking a seat at his desk as Gesah stood at attention.
"At ease," He said, "I suppose you're wondering why I called you two here." He picked up Gesha's personnel file and took a quick look. But it was only to make him seem more at ease than he already was.
"You're being called to the field. As of today, you two are under my command and will be reporting directly to me from now on. I'm still gathering up the rest of my team, so we'll not be shipping out just yet. Any questions?"