The Proto-Spartan Project: Armored Taxi Service

After everyone--save for Chris and Jay, who were on guard--went to the mess for the end-of-the-day meal, the sergeant explained that after sundown, the following day, the entire team would be lifting off to go rescue the rest of Tom and Simon's group. Simon caused a slight stir after realizing that Tom had revealed their bunker's location, but he eventually died down.

After considering how many people would have to be evacuated, along with one portable life support machine that one of the refugees required, Jordan said that the Pelican would also be carrying their Transport Warthog to seat most of the team. All the evacuees would be situated in the ship's bay, and Kevin, Keigan and he would be in the cockpit. The entire operation would be done at night, to provide a bit of cover. Jordan also explained that he was hoping that tomorrow night would be most ideal, since they were expecting a thunderstorm, which might help hide the Pelican. Tom questioned the wisdom of flying in those conditions, but Kevin assured him that the Pelican would be perfectly safe.

Jordan concluded the meal and conversation saying that after the pickup is complete, the group would wait back here at the base for two days, then would fly out of atmosphere to rendezvous with the scheduled UNSC ship.

The next day, the team spent most of the daylight hours preparing for the evacuation. Tom asked Jordan if there were any other UNSC teams that could help, but the sergeant slowly shook his head.

"Sorry, the only other team stationed here was PRT: Beta. And we lost contact with them over a month ago..."

"Why?"

"We're pretty sure they were KIA..."

"An entire team?"

Jordan paused for a second, "Not to speak badly of their team, but their sergeant was never the best tactician. I figured he blindly walked them into an ambush..."

Tom worried a bit to hear that Jordan's team was the only one still around to watch their entire city, and was also bothered to hear the only other team had been led by a fool...but he took some comfort to know that this sergeant was making many preparations to avoid trouble.

Tom walked off to find Simon, leaving Jordan standing by himself. Jordan reflected with a grimace that he left out the fact that Beta Team's last transmission came from within a Pelican. But his thoughts were soon diverted, Tyler was now complaining to him that he couldn't find a crate of C-12 explosives.

"What in the world do you need explosives for during a rescue mission?"

"...In case we need to blast our way into the bunker...?"

"I think we have more important things to worry about."

Tom walked into the common room, where Simon and his temporary beds were; Simon was laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Tom sat down on a couch and looked at his friend.

"What 'cha thinking about?"

Simon blinked a bit and turned to see Tom, apparently not even realizing he was there. "Oh...hey...eh, nothing..."

Tom tilted his head a bit and figured he knew what was bothering Simon. "Don't worry Simon, tomorrow morning we will be right back here with all our other friends and survivors." Tom remembered with a pang that none of his family was in the bunker...he knew that the same went for Simon.

"You really do like these guys. Don't you?" Simon said bluntly.

"Who?"

"These soldiers." Simon made a gesture as if he was indicating some group of unseen soldiers standing in the room with them. "You really trust everything they say."

"Simon...you've got to remember, these people are still people, just like us. I really cannot imagine that they would take advantage of us now."

"I know. Not now....but once we're 'rescued' we become bargaining tools. We will become hostages to be used as leverage in some fight with the Insurrectionists."

"Simon. We're not Innies, we're not going to be used as leverage."

"We might as well be Insurrectionists as far as the UNSC cares, if you don't pledge your undying allegiance to Earth; to them, you're just another obstacle on their way to interstellar conquest."

Tom was almost in awe of Simon's newly apparent single-mindedness, "Look..." Tom said with a sudden sternness that was uncommon for him, "I'm sick of all this anti-UNSC shit. Look, I know that you lost your dad to them, but he chose to be an Insurrectionist, and he left Platumen over two decades ago, you were only three! You never knew him...and all of a sudden, when you found out that he died two years ago, you all of a sudden hate the UNSC and all it stood for. Why don't you finally let go of the stupid past...we've got enough crap now just trying to survive. You can worry about your so-called vengeance when you're dead." Tom stood for a moment, red faced and out of breath, but his anger was nothing to his astonishment that he hadn't even fazed Simon. Tom turned around and walked outside to help with the setting up.