Eric Olafson, Midshipman 57

Part 57: MAO AND HANS

Commander Fleming had taken them to the Security command center after they had made it planet side in a shuttle following the Captain’s yacht. Ultra Marines and black ops teams of the most elite special forces units in the Union worked together to keep the VIPs safe. Joint command of them had General Alycia Lichfangh.

Mao had had the same basic security training than all the other cadets and Midshipmen and he had rotated into that department to deepen his skills and knowledge. His declared goal was to become a Ship weapons specialist, a Tactical Systems Officer but the Navy believed in in cross training and it was especially evident during their third year.

This was Security and Counter terrorist activity of the most professional level. It was way beyond his league. He tried to be alert as possible and learn as much as he could. The Soldiers and Special Ops beings treated him with great courtesy, there was an atmosphere of split second readiness and a level of professionalism he had not experienced anywhere he felt more than a little out of place. Hans was in his element and it showed. He knew the teams and units and what they did, he understood every world of their conversations heavily laden with terms that meant little to him.

Hans explained to him.” Pluribus the planet is by and large a peaceful world and there are actually very few known security threats. Of course that does not mean there are none. This is a world of many billions and it is a great target for any enemy of the Union. The Diamond Ball is is like no other target to anyone wishing the Union harm as all the important leaders are in one spot. It is tempting and attracts more crooks, assassins and terrorists than any other event, but these are specialists and they do this sort of thing for a long time and today the first Narth that joined the PSI Corps team are here as well.”

“So what are we going to do?” Mao asked.

“Nothing much actually, we are part of the visible security. Meaning we stalk around outside a little so the spectators and guests can see us. It’s called impulse threat deterrent, like if someone in the crowd suddenly gets the idea to throw an egg or something at one of the guests, wants to jump the barrier to get an autograph or a grab a piece of clothing as a souvenir. It also gives the participants a sense of security, because they never going to see much of the real security work behind the scenes.”

“What if someone attacks from space?”

“There isn’t an armed ship of unknown origin within a light year and not only the Devi but several battle groups are in the system, not just for the parade but for security. To all this you add the system defense forces, Ultra long range TLC sniper cannons installed on a net of deep space forts and of course UMBRELLA, all Pluribus can be placed under a Para Dim Shield at split second notice. The Assembly, the presidents residence and the Crystal Palace are also separately equipped with strong shield generators.”

Mao looked around.” With all that they sure don’t need all this, but it is nice to know everything is safe.”

“The legendary TSI chief Cherubim once said. The enemy will always find a way, and there is always a weak link in any system. So it is our job to make sure we find the enemy first before they find a way in.”

Mao shrugged and said.” I am going outside and walk around a little. Doing that deterrent thing and maybe I can slip by the kitchen and see if I can sample some of the food, purely out of security reasons of course, if that is okay.”

Fleming who stood nearby listening to the latest brief turned and nodded, showing he had followed their conversation as well.” Go right ahead Mr. Mao and later once the party is almost over we are usually allowed to demolish what’s left of the buffet. There is always tons of stuff left!”

That was promising outlook for Mao and he went outside. A cool sea breeze brushed over his exposed face as he walked on a wide ledge circling the Crystal palace underneath the main level. His suit showed him the locations of other security personnel. He knew there were at least hundred Marine snipers deployed on camouflaged hover platforms all around the place and he wondered in how many target optics he was at the moment.

Huge color changing spotlights were submerged all around the crystal palace and bathed the shimmering construct in dazzling light. It was actually quite pretty.

He sat down at the ledge, let his feet dangle almost 500 meters above the actual water surface and then Mao activated his visual recorders and hoped he could send some of the visuals home so his father and his tribe could see some of this. Whenever Mao send a Visual home, his entire tribe led by Mao Pappy Vouza, his father would travel by steam ship to Papua Town and the Hotel owner would bring the Visualizer outside and play it for them.

Mao had been to one of these Events during his vacation before he started third year. He still loved all his family and his father, but the exposure to the Universe had changed him and he knew he would never really fit back in.

Before he left, his tribes mud huts, with Oagga Palm leaves looked big and perfectly alright, when he came back he found them small, shamefully primitive and dirty. He enjoyed the trip with the White Puff, one of the Steam ships at first, but then took off with his flight belt, making the trip in twenty minutes instead of seven hours. when he was a kid he found the Steamships marvelous and huge. Now he thought how primitive and slow they were. Someone who traveled across many light years aboard something like the Devi had a hard time to get excited about a rusty steam powered ship.

As he returned to the Academy for his third year he found he had more in common with an Alien Spider and a chrome machine being than with his family. His brooding thoughts vanished as he thought about Krabbel. This loveable creature and the rest of the Olafson gang had grown closer to him than his tribe.

The voice of his suit interrupted him.” User alert! Systems detected the power up cycle of a Mossberg Shrap Gun Type 18, 581 meters below us.”

“Some security guy of course.”

The highly intelligent system responded. “No Mossberg Shrap Gun type 18 has been issued, the weapon is not Union standard Issue since 4855.”

Mao blinked at Hans symbol on his retina display and established a two way link.

“My suit thinks someone activated a weapon that is not standard. Most likely one of the special forces guys, I am going to check it out though.”

Hans responded.”Okay just make sure you don’t get shot by a trigger happy Spec Ops Marine and keep your Friend-Foe differentiator signal on. I linked to your suit and check on your scanner data.”

Mao pushed himself off, brushed the helmet over his head and closed the face plate. The suit automatically activated an aerodynamic optimizer force field around him.

Part 58 »