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His friend Jessica sat down beside him. Brett didn't notice.
"Hello Brett" Jessica said.
Brett turned his head to see who it was. "Oh, hey Jess. How are things in sickbay?"
Jessica sighed and said "Not bad, a few bumps, bruises and cuts here and there, a broken arm, leg... the usual when a beam turret fires at you."
Brett chuckled at the comment. "How's John? I haven't seen him in a while."
"He's fine. He's helping co-ordinate the wreck crew on the bridge. He's gotten a request for a transfer to the GTI (Galactic Terran Intelligence)." Jessica said with a slight droop in her otherwise happy mood.
"Is he planning on taking it?" Brett asked
"He's considering it. I don't know. I hope he doesn't but then again I hope he does. I'll miss him but the GTI would be a great promotion for him and he deserves it." Jessica answered.
Brett laughed at the idea of it being a great promotion. "A great promotion? The GTI? Yeah right!"
"How would you know?" Jessica demanded to know.
"I used to be in it!" Brett smiled
"Oh, yeah right. You. In the GTI." Jessica clearly didn't beleive him.
"Laugh all you want, it's the honest truth." Brett said.
"Tell me about it then." Jessica got ready for a story.
"Alright. But it is a breach in GTI protocol to tell anyone outside it about missions and such.... but since you won't believe me until I tell you, I'll breach it. Do you remember the Hammer of Light? That terrorist group that attacked us during the Great War and stole technology?" Brett started
"Yeah.... you mean..." Jessica's eyes widened
Brett nodded. "Yes, I was the leader of the elite team that fought them. The team was not a myth."
"I've heard some people say that you guys won the war." Jessica informed him
Brett laughed again. "No, we didn't win the war. We just insured it."
"Why did you leave?"
"I left because of the suicide missions they sent us on. To them, we were expendable. It's not the case with the GTA."
"Why didn't you leave after the first suicide mission then?" Jessica failed to see the logic.
"Because if I'd had quit, I would have "disappeared". It was a promise they made to us. I considered it a threat. So, after the Hammer of Light was disbanded, I quit to return to the Galatea. When it was destroyed at the battle of Deneb while facing the Lucifer, I was transferred to Saturn Space yards to help design some bombers and help with the construction of the Colossus. Once she was commissioned, I was transferred to her. And here I am today." Brett finished. "But I try to keep a low profile so I just keep it all to myself. I don't go after glory."
Jessica started at him some skepticism. "And I thought you were a boring person who liked to be alone all the time..."
"I've lost a lot of friends during the missions and I like to think of them once in a while."
Just then, Kat joined them. "Brett, we need to get to the conference room. It's urgent, you too Jess."
The two looked at eachother and got up to get to the conference room.
Commander Stacey was standing facing out the window when the trio arrived. Ashley was already there as was John.
"This is serious, isn't it." Jessica said as she looked at Stacey.
"Nothing is urgent unless it is serious." Ashley said.
"Take a seat people" Commander Stacey ordered them with a serious tone. Once everyone was seated, he continued. "We have just received word that a rogue band of GTA officers took over and stole a GTAC (Galactic Terran Alliance Capital ship) Orion class warship."
"Oh great. Is someone trying to copycat the Hammer of Light?" Brett said sarcastically.
"Actually, yes." John said
"What?" Brett said loudly.
Jessica looked at him, knowing how hard it must have been to hear that the Hammer of Light got back together after all his team's hard work.
Kat and Ashley didn't understand Brett's frustration. Commander Stacey filled them in on the story. Jessica looked at her.
"How did you know that?" Jessica wondered
"Because I, too, was in the GTI. I am the one that sent him on the missions." Commander Stacey said.
"How could you?" Jessica demanded "How could you send one of our good friends out on.." when Brett interrupted her.
"It's not her fault. She was threatened the same way I was. I don't blame her, I understand her more than anything." Brett looked at his commander.
"Oh... sorry Stacey." Jessica said
"It's ok. Now back to business. We have been given the task to re-taking the ship." Commander Stacey said.
"I say we take it out and those Hammer of Light traitors for good!" Ashley implied
"You don't want to do that." John said
"And why not?" Ashley turned to face him.
"Because Mary-Kate is their leader." He answered.
"What?" Kat said
"You heared me. Mary-Kate is their leader." John repeated.
An eerie silence enveloped the room. The four of them knew Mary-Kate very well. She is Ashley’s sister and the rest were great friends with her and now they found out she was a new enemy they would have to take down. They couldn't turn down the offer because anyone else might kill her if she resists.
"How are we supposed to capture a ship whose shields are second only to the Colossus?" Kat wanted to know.
"That's where Jessica and Brett come in. You two have to create an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) bomb to take out their shields long enough for our bombers to go in and destroy the shield generators." John said.
"Oh! And I thought this was going to be complicated." Brett smacked his head with his right hand.
John dismissed the comment.
"What about Kat and I?" Ashley wondered.
"You guys will be in charge of training 5 wings of troops for the job. Create a simulation flight with the specifications in this folder and fly it. Use every simulator on the ship so that all the pilots are flying the simulator mission at the same time. Kind of like an Internet game. I'll be free to help should the need arise." John said.
"How long do we have?" Jessica wondered.
"You have 1 week." John told them.
"Make no mistake people. This is a mission of high importance. They have told us to use any means necessary to eliminate the threat of the Orion. You will all have to get used to the fact that you might have to take Mary-Kate down. If the bombs can not be created in time, we will have no choice other than to use some tsunami missiles to take out the entire ship and all the people with it." Commander Stacey said.
"How many on board?" Brett asked without taking his gaze off the table.
"1000 terrorists. 3500 innocent people." Commander said in a low voice.
"Oh man." Brett said. He looked at Jessica and held her hand to try to provide some comfort to her.
"If we get the bombs by the deadline, I want to be on the boarding party." Brett said
"Me too" Ashley demanded. Ashley had the most right to be there since she was Mary-Kate's sister.
"Alright. Kat, you will be in charge of providing cover for the bomber. Once the EMP bomb has been deployed, get someone to escort it back here and you will then be free to destroy any and all fighters." Commander Stacey said
"Yes ma’am"
"Good luck to you all. Dismissed"
Everyone didn't get up right away. All anyone could do was just sit there and stare at eachother, trying to let it all sink in.
Ashley slowly got up and left the room. Soon after Kat, Jessica and Brett did the same. This was going to be a mission they would not soon forget.
