WCGW Chpt 26

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==Chapter 26 - What Could Go Wrong==
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8 May 3041
Inner End (Federated Commonwealth)
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Adept Collin Wellings had followed the large man from the warehouse to a smaller warehouse district. He could not get even close to this particular warehouse because there were so many people there. He watched from almost a 1/4 mile using binoculars. He watched a game of football being played by very obvious soldiers. Others lounged in chairs, some cooked over large outdoor grills, while even more people flowed like a constant trickle in and out of this warehouse. 
Every now and then, when a side door was opened and he was already on target he could get a glimpse inside, the one very good look he got he saw clearly a rack of rifles near at least one cot. He counted at least 6 small outposts manned by two people under various trees surrounding the warehouse and immediate field next door where the football game was played. After watching for what seemed an eternity, he finally saw the large man exit the warehouse and take a seat at an outdoor table. He was joined by another, older but rock-solid looking man, followed by another man, who was very pale looking who was chewing on something in his mouth. A younger man carrying beers joined them at the table. Who the hell were these people?, he thought. He had assigned another ROM agent to watch the large warehouse. He did not have the assets to tackle this group, and he wondered if he should risk a move on the large warehouse.
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Jessica Hammel had also assigned watching the large warehouse to another MIIO agent. She had followed Adept Collin Wellings until he had parked, while both watched the large man from the first warehouse exit the jeep that had picked him up at a smaller warehouse that was literally teeming with people. Very fit people. She had made a call, having another agent keep tabs on Adept Wellings while she returned to the office to start searching records on these buildings. Currently in her office, she had run the lease on the smaller warehouse, and it was leased by a Chester Pullman, who had also leased the larger warehouse. Another agent had visited the local agent handling the rentals. A mere flash of his ID had gotten them a copy of the leases, the bank account the most recent lease extension had been paid from. The account was registered to a David Mitchell. Another visit, this time to the bank had gotten them a copy of David Mitchells ID.
This name was known to the local MIIO and was easily cross referenced. A customs report on the impoundment of an Invader Jumpship and Intruder Assault Dropship for piracy. A David Mitchell had turned over 53 suspected pirates on arrival at Inner End. Several local MIIO agents had taken part in the interrogation of the pirates. During their short investigation, they had pulled David Mitchells records from the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns. She read the moderately sized file. Resigned his commission as a Captain. Passed over for promotion several times, even though his combat record was excellent. Several of his fellow Company commanders had voiced he deserved awards for his actions, but every one of them was shot down by the Battalion Commander. Who also wrote a harsh fitness report on Captain David Mitchell. She saw an addition to MIIO's local file on him that David Mitchell had filed the paperwork petitioning the Federated Suns for possession of the impounded pirate ships. Well, that was a rare move. She made a note to find out the status of the petition and also who the previous owner of the ships was. Where is he now, she thought.
She searched David Mitchell in the computer and got several quick hits from the local travel agency. Seems he used this travel agency in the past and recently. Breed, she flipped his file back open and saw that was where he was stationed when he resigned. Booked passage to Sevon, Outworlds Alliance and shelled out quite a bit for a fast passage. Roughly two weeks after arriving on Sevon he then booked another passage to Inner End, again shelling out for an express passage ticket. Two weeks after arriving with the pirate vessels, he then booked another express passage to Sevon, OA. Whatever he is doing, he is spending quite a bit on express passage, she thought.
The people at the warehouse he was paying for look and act military. He is former AFFS. Curiously she pulled travel arrangements from the same travel agency for Breed to Inner End. Bingo, there were 28 passengers with 2 tons of cargo that had arrived on Inner End November 3040. So, a platoon had joined up with him. But there was way more than a platoon at that second warehouse, looked like a full Battalion. Was the AFFS/AFFC conducting some sort of operation out here covertly? Have I tripped over something way above my pay grade? If so, she needed to notify someone because they have attracted ROM's attention.
Back at the warehouse/living quarters, Sergeant Major Pullman said "That fancy smancy pencil pushing lawyer Captain Mitchell hired came thru. We have the Invader Jumpship and Intruder Assault Dropship, they are registered all legal like in Captain Mitchell's name. Chief Zuniga, we have to take possession of them within the week, as in put a crew aboard or we start paying some serious storage fees."
"As fun as it has been down here, I do miss my old girl. I will take the crew up to her tomorrow afternoon. We have some work to do on her anyway." Chief Vincent Zuniga replied
Corporal Nathan Davis spoke up, "Sergeant Major would it be okay if I went up also? Now that we have the Intruder, I would love to get that recovered holo rig installed and running. Until we get a good look at it, we have no clue where to go next. Plus, I saw it run drive three, if only for a few seconds. If it can run drive three, I bet those recovered computers can run the other two drives also. We would then have all the information we need at our fingertips."
"I don't see why not Corporal Davis. Corporal, I think you have earned Sergeant by now. But if you're activating that fancy super-secret gizmo up there, we are gonna have to post guards up there to." Sergeant Major Pullman looked over his shoulder and half yelled "Captain Rolando, need you over here."
It took a few minutes for Captain Gweneth Rolando, towel wrapped around her, "Yes, Sergeant Major?"
"Sergeant Davis here is going up to the ships tomorrow to do some work. We need an armed detail aboard those ships at all times. Make it platoon strength. Work out a rotation and duty schedule for your company. No more than a week up there. Unlike Zuniga, we like firm ground under our feet." Sergeant Major Pullman said
"You got it Sergeant Major." Captain Gweneth Rolando said as she spun and quick walked back to where she had been sunbathing. Dropping the towel, she stretched and laid back down. 
"Lord have mercy. I am a filthy dirty old man. She is young enough to be my daughter." Sergeant Major Chester Pullman said with a sigh.
"It sucks getting old." Chief Zuniga replied, his eyes also on the long line of women sunbathing in the afternoon sun. Without moving his eyes, he said "We are going to need more crew to man those ships Sergeant Major before we go anywhere for any length of time."
"Working on that Chief. Dammit Jackson, move the hell out of the way!!!!" Sergeant Major Pullman yelled as his view was blocked.
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New Avalon (Federated Commonwealth)
Command Sergeant Major Vernon Grimes, AFFC Department of the Navy, had grumbled quite a bit when he had gotten the message from Sergeant Major Chester Pullman back in February. But he had called in some markers, and markers had to be honored. It had taken a few weeks, but he had gotten what Sergeant Major Pullman needed, and made the arrangements for transport. They should be arriving on Inner End mid-June. It had cost a few of his own markers to make it happen though. He finished typing the message to be encoded and transmitted to the Inner End militia Sergeant Major, one of the few active-duty postings in a militia unit. He would decode it and hand deliver the message to Pullman.
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Hand Delivery Only by You
For Sergeant Major Pullman (Ret) 2286 Outer Ring Road, Inner End Space Port Warehouse 8E
Following will arrive per your request:
2 Jumpship Pilots
4 Dropship Pilot
1 Navigator
34 Space Crew
12 Aerospace Pilots
4 Specialists (you got them for no more than 3 months after arrival, they are TDY, still active duty)
Take care of my people, even recently discharged, they belong to me. Found the best I could to join you on whatever your doing out there. But from the requested specialists, it's dangerous. Keep your head down. You owe me a beer and some stories.
Vern
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