WCGW Chpt 121

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==Chapter 121 - What Could Go Wrong==
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23 May 3043
Wokha (Former Outworlds System)
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Colonel David Mitchell stopped at the end of the tunnel and looked out over the large chamber. He counted 63 skeletal remains within his immediate line of sight. He held up his hand. "Everyone stop where you are and stay here. Captain Croyle, start cutting down trees and get everyone that can swing a hammer building coffins. They were SLDF so I am sure every set of remains has an identification tag, individual graves need to be dug and marked. These people deserve a proper burial before we start stomping all over down here. Colonel Rolando, post guards down here. No one but senior command is allowed inside until I personally say so."
After seeing that his orders were being carried out, he walked to where Lieutenant Colonel James Woodall and First Lieutenant Nathan Davis stood at the door to the Security Room. A quick look inside and he could see more skeletal remains. "Excellent work, both of you. We remove the dead and bury them before we open the flood gates to the troops or start moving around too much. But we can do a tour of the base." Colonel Mitchell said as he pulled out the small radio "Chief Caldwell, bring down a jeep. Bring Lieutenant Colonel Dortman with you. No one else."
It took fifteen minutes before both pulled up in a jeep. When everyone was loaded, Colonel Mitchell said "Let's take a tour very carefully of this base." He pointed to one of the other tunnel entrances which had a large "4" painted next to it. "Let's find tunnel one and we will go down in order. Head left, Chief."
Carefully dodging any skeletal remains, Chief Caldwell turned the jeep down Tunnel "1" and stopped a short way down as they started seeing normal person sized doors along the tunnel walls. Everyone piled out and took different doors, Colonel Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonel Woodall and First Lieutenant Davis took the first door on the right marked "First Battalion, 200th Royal Light Horse Command". Opening the door, they could see two skeletal remains, one wore had a faded arm band that said "Duty Officer". The large room with multiple desks had several doors leading off from it. They did not explore inside further.
Chief Warrant Officer Caldwell and Lieutenant Colonel Dortman took the first door on the left marked "Alpha Company, First Battalion". They opened the door to a single large room with several doors leading off from it. Before they entered, they heard. "Let's load up and head to the end of the tunnel, I am sure we all know what we are going to find if we search deeper inside."
Everyone piled into the jeep and traveled down Tunnel "1" until they could see into the chamber at the end, and it took everyone's breathe away. Standing silently in their bays were rows of Battlemechs, each painted in olive drab colors. A quick count revealed the large Mech Bay held 36 Battlemechs along with quite a few support vehicles. "As much as I am sure everyone wants, we are not going inside further. Let's go look at the other tunnels."
Tunnel "2" was quickly identified as "Second Battalion, 200th Royal Light Horse" and they carefully traveled to the end which also revealed another 36 Battlemechs standing silently in their bays.
Tunnel "3" was identified as "Third Battalion, 200th Royal Light Horse" and once again a large chamber held 36 Battlemechs inside their individual bays.
Tunnel "4" was identified as "Regiment Support, 200th Royal Light Horse" and the large chamber at the end contained at least 100 vehicles, possibly more.
Tunnel "5" was one of the longest and they stopped when the tunnel ended at another massive door, a normal steel door said, "Port Control". Curious they opened the door which revealed several skeletal remains but a massive plasti-steel window. They all stood looking out into an even more massive chamber, the floor held massive rails that led from the center back into massive recesses. There were six recesses and five held a Dropship, all the same type from a visual examination, but no one could identify the type. They all shared stunned looks before Colonel Mitchell silently pointed to the door.
Tunnel "6" was identified as "3328th Hover Armor Battalion, 200th Royal Light Horse" and the tunnel ended at a chamber holding 36 Hover Tanks that no one could identify.
Tunnel "7" was identified as "4287th Infantry Regiment, 200th Royal Light Horse" and the tunnel ended at a chamber holding what looked like Hover APCs.
Tunnel "8" was identified as "Aero Group, 200th Royal Light Horse" and the tunnel ended at a large chamber holding 18 Aerospace Fighters in their bays. Painted lines on the floor were easily identified, every airport ever built had them and they all led to a large door at the far end of the chamber. Six of the them were easily identified as SL-26 Samurai Medium Aerospace Fighters.
Tunnel "8" was identified as "2597th Engineer Brigade" and ended at a large chamber that contained over a hundred vehicles and even some ConstructionMechs. It was the last tunnel, each separated by at least 100 meters. They did not investigate any of the doors leading off the individual tunnels, all knew what they would probably find behind those doors. After they returned to the main entrance, Colonel Mitchell said "We get the remains removed and buried. Until that is accomplished, access is controlled. Only then to we really figure out exactly what we have found."
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