WCGW Chpt 55

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==Chapter 55 - What Could Go Wrong==
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3 November 3041
Joshua (Former Outworld System)
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Master Sergeant Harold Croyle cussed and threw his helmet down into the massive hole dug into the center of the third hill. Starting at the very top of the small hill they had dug down 35 meters until they had reached the grade of the plains and they had barely hit any rocks at all. It was almost as though someone had deliberately created this hill as a diversion and to waste time while at the same time make the digger look like a fool. His radio crackled "We hit that damned hard rock stuff at hill four sarge."
He keyed the mic "On my way, start digging the thing out, same as on hill two." Thank God, he thought. He looked up at the engineering vehicle crew. "Get over to hill four, leave this like it is, screw it."
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6 November 3041
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They had excavated an area twice the diameter of hill two's and down 40 meters. Crews with makeshift brooms had been sweeping the sides looking for the same sort of square they found on the depot. There was literally nothing but stone, but unlike hill two, this one was extremely bumpy and more natural looking. Master Sergeant Croyle cussed under his breath before saying "Go get the last two Mining Mechs and start drilling into this damned thing."
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13 November 3041
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They were on their last rock cutter; all their drill bits were burned up. The Mining Mech had burrowed in over 25 meters, not quite halfway when the rock cutter hit something metallic. The operator carefully moved the rock cutter side to side and up and down to slowly expose whatever it was he had hit. After an hour he had exposed a 3 meter by 3 meter metal plate. "Sarge, I got a metal plate in here." Then he slowly backed the Mining Mech out of the tunnel he had dug. Once the mech had cleared the tunnel, Master Sergeant Croyle entered the tunnel, using a flashlight he shined it up on the metal plate. He focused on one area that was fairly clear and it looked like some letters. "Douglas, go get a damned grinder and flood light down here. Carefully grind away the rest of this rock shit."
Three hours later, the cussing that came from deep in the tunnel could be heard a long way off. Master Sergeant Croyle threw his helmet and flashlight out of the tunnel as he got back into daylight. Captain Gweneth Rolando watched the show for a second "What did we find?"
"Better see for yourself, Captain." Master Sergeant Croyle replied, picking up his flashlight and holding it out to Leftenant Colonel Mitchell.
Reaching the metal plate, Captain Rolando turned off the flashlight, the metal plate was actually a plaque and well-lit by the flood lamp. He read the plaque:
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Greetings to whoever found this plaque
You have just wasted your time
Better Luck Next Time
Courtesy of the
2597th Engineer Brigade
Star League Defense Force
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She started laughing so hard she had tears freely flowing down her face as she finally exited the tunnel. She wiped the tears away and looked at Master Sergeant Croyle and his exhausted people "Well, you have to admit, it is a cute trick."
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