Pax

Pappy facepalmed.

"It's good to hear that the fight wasn't real, but the attention you were attracting was. Do you mooks understand the meaning of low profile? Now get your paws off me...and stop calling me sarge, dammit! I am a Master Chief in the United Earth Aerospace Force. You see JJ you give him a blow in the temple for me, I'm too angry at you pups to look at you."

 

"You see JJ you give him a blow in the temple for me, I'm too angry at you pups to look at you."

I thumbed my forehead, and nodded at Pappy, "Understood chief."

I then sauntered over to where JJ stood, "Mate, I got into **** for that. What was it about? What was your plan?"

 

I was starting to have a little bit too much fun with the 'fight', so much that I took too long to end it. As soon as I saw Sarge waving off a pair of guards out of the corner of my eye, I knew my plan was blown to space dust and my gamble to assure our cover was lost. I knew he was a good military man, but he had no concept of finesse.

"Aww s***," I moaned, pushing David off with an effortless shove and standing up to meet the chewing out I knew I was going to get, not even bothering to try and signal the Chief away.

The onslaught of words and spittle, laced with far too many connotations to the UEAF to repair our cover, left me unfazed from the acceptance that we were royally ****ed. As the Chief and David headed to the loading dock, I turned to the bombshell I had convinced into being my accomplice.

"Sorry," I shook her hand, sticking a small roll of bills into it, "Didn't quite go as planned. Fortune on you miss," I said, jogging off after my superior.

In the ship's head, I was washing off the spray tan with it's removing solution, now a useless and soon-to-be itchy disguise, when David approached me. "Mate, I got into **** for that. What was it about? What was your plan?"

"Well," I sighed, turnning off the tap to face him, half of my face still a deep tan, the other a startling white in comparison, "It was supposed to deepen our cover. If the spies had access to survailance, very likely, they probably knew who we were the minute we got onto the station, almost a certainty, and would also have noticed us dressed in civvies and boarding on a civilian shuttle headed for one of the most inhospitable stations to tourists in the system, too good of a chance. If they did all that, then our operation would be comprimised. They'd know that something was up, use resources on Europa to tail us to Star Wolf and then onwards to wherever we're headed after that." I kept my voice in a level monotone, but I was visibly deflated.

"The idea was to make it clear we were not the same people who had gotten onto the station only a day before. We didn't know eachother, I had a 'wife', etcetra, etcetra. If we were lucky it would've thrown any spies that had survailance off our trail until we reached Europa and dropped off the grid. But obviously, that didn't work too well."

OCC: It would be retarded funny if the blond bombshell woman was the spy.

 

Trin walked to the transport feeling pretty pissed off for being berated for something she had no part of. Somehow, everything I do is wrong. What the ****? But she fell in behind the rest of the crew and moved towards the transport.

As she she entered the the transport, she heard the tail end of a one-sided argument between Gunthar and David, sounding like David was on the losing end. Good. Deserved for pulling **** like that. She leaned on a wall nearby and watched a disgruntled Gunthar come charging on by, not noticing her off to the side, which was certainly for the better. David came out to meet his idiot in crime JJ soon after. There better not be any more of that crap. I better listen in to make sure. The two didn't notice her leaning on the wall off to the side.

JJ told David what the original purpose for this mock fight was for. And you expected that to actually work? She couldn't help but speak her mind at this point. It was a decent plan with a few major flaws.

She approached the two slowly, and coolly. "The plan might have worked if maybe...I don't know...at least one other person knew what was goin' on. You left everyone hanging and now on Gunthar's bad-side." She didn't want to chastise him for the incident, but there really wasn't anything good to say. "What did you expect to really happen?"

 

Before David replied, Trin joined in on the discussion, "The plan might have worked if maybe...I don't know...at least one other person knew what was goin' on. You left everyone hanging and now on Gunthar's bad-side."

I raised an eyebrow, Gunthar? Who, Pappy?

"What did you expect to really happen?"

"Not an intervention by the Chief, that's for sure. I'd only thought of the plan a few minutes before we were to board, how could I have communicated with all of you guys without raising suspicion on the cameras?" I sighed an leaned against the wall.

"Whatever, we'll just need to be discrete when we get to Europa. All in all, no harm done. We never really had a cover to begin with..."

 

Whatever, we'll just need to be discrete when we get to Europa. All in all, no harm done. We never really had a cover to begin with...

Little cover is a Hell of a lot better than no cover. Trin was overly dissatisfied with the answer she received, but knew arguing would be fruitless. Instead she just brushed off the comment and leaned back against another wall nearby, locking her foot down so it was nearly comfortable to be there like that.

"Hopefully we can be discreet enough on Europa. It could turn into a mess, or absolutely nothing, which would be an almost worse option, if we aren't discreet enough. We'll see what happens though. It probably won't be that bad." What's with the optimism? I'm not cheery. She couldn't figure out that her mind was telling her to make friends with the people she was with on the ship. They could help her some day. Maybe that day would be sooner rather than later, but that's for fate to decide. As far as she thought though, it depends all on herself.

 

"Whatever, we'll just need to be discrete when we get to Europa. All in all, no harm done. We never really had a cover to begin with..."

"Hopefully we can be discreet enough on Europa. It could turn into a mess, or absolutely nothing, which would be an almost worse option, if we aren't discreet enough. We'll see what happens though. It probably won't be that bad."

I nodded.

"Whoever's calling the shots must be pants on head retarded. Instead of sending spies with actual covers that they've developed, and have false proof, they send us! I get the feeling good looks don't get us as far as it does in the vids for this spying milarky," I sighed.

"Sorry Trin. Your right, I was stupid. No more buggerising around. We don't pull anything else and things will hopefully be fine." I bowed my head respectfully, acknowledging my stupidity.

 

Whoever's calling the shots must have their head lodged up their ass. Instead of sending spies with actual covers that they've developed, and have false proof, they send us!

Trin turned towards David. "I'll agree with that to no end though. Unless there's something the spies can't deal with that's waiting for us. I have no idea." Could they be sending us in to spring an enemies trap? Are we the bait for the fleet to spring upon?

Trin then heard his apology and it snapped her out of her worries and thoughts.

 

"I'll agree with that to no end though. Unless there's something the spies can't deal with that's waiting for us." Or something they don't want to waste their well-trained spies on... is that good(cakewalk assignment), or bad(we're merely pawns)?

A chime sounded, warning passengers to find their seats in preparation for the beginning of the voyage. "Well, enough conspiring in the Men's room, lets go strap in." I led the way out and to our seats, following the assigned seats on my ticket. Some of the rest of the team was already there, I grinned but offered no explanation for what happened.

If someone is curious, they can ask.

 

Nathan sat down in his seat and strapped in...

"So... what was up with that fight you guys had... It actually looked a little realistic..." he asked Carter and JJ.

 

"So... what was up with that fight you guys had... It actually looked a little realistic..."

"I insulted his wife," I jerked my head at JJ.

"Nah mate, just kidding, all fake. Ask Mr Braniac here if you want the details he was the mastermind," I explained nudging JJ.

 

"Nah mate, just kidding, all fake. Ask Mr Braniac here if you want the details he was the mastermind,"

Nathan turned his head to JJ in hopes of an explanation, that fight had caused a lot of attention, not exactly the best thing in an undercover mission...

 

Nathan looked at me expectantly, curiously and with a bit of concern it seemed.

I sighed, "How many times will I have to repeat it I wonder... There was a good chance we were seen by the spies on the station, both arriving and when we'd depart. New Midshipmen leaving so soon in civilian clothing on a civilian spaceliner? It'd take a numbskull to not figure something was unusual and have a tail waiting for us on Europa. The fight was my attempt to confuse them a bit. Not very successful, eh?" I gave a pointed glance at the Chief.

 

"Oh, makes sense now. So, does the chief know what your plan was or does he just think you were making complete asses of yourselves?" asked Nathan. He turned and the chief's expression basically answered his question. The chief looked pissed, no longer his cool self, but instead a huge frown across his face and menacing looking eyes.

 

The civilian transport liner is not luxurious, it is a cheap ride and you can tell that the Aerospace Force has been very frugal with their budget. The bays are cramped, crowded, you have to share it with immigrants from Earth. Many of them sound sick, many are coughing, loudly. Some of them will be staying on Europa, some are only using Europa as a way station (because Europa is an icy world, it’s resources make it a common stopping point in the system). Some of the immigrants are on their way to another system, or have nowhere to go but can't stay one place for long because of wanderlust.

You and the immigrants are not the only passenger on the liner, some vermin have hitched a ride too. Luckily the extermination drones catch all the rats, but the smaller bugs always seem to find a way to sneak in.

Looking out of the porthole you can see amazingly bright points, like stars, but closer and brighter; you know that they are the torch type fusion drives of starships. The fusion drives are so powerful that they are like small suns, a danger to commercial ships and any planet in range of their exhaust. The torch drives are limited when in an inner system for that reason, it also makes it very difficult for starships to hide from an enemy.

 

A woman walked by, offering drinks to everyone. Grabbing a plastic cup of water, Nathan was about to take a sip when a he noticed a small brown thing at the bottom... A cockroach flew out of the cup and left Nathan. He had just lost any slight appetite he had left...

 

I lounged back as best I could in the cramped seat and thought about the spy we were going to take down. Earning his trust... That was something I reckon I could do quite well. I was a good actor, I was confident, and good for a laugh. I cracked my knuckles, and frowned, I still didn't like this task at all. I was many things, but I wasn't a liar. I hated deception, being strung along, betrayed, and thats what I was going to do to someone else.

I closed my eyes, and whispered to my comrades, "So, whos gunna be doing the talking to this spy?"

 

"So, whos gunna be doing the talking to this spy?"

Depends who has the most in common with the spy. If the spy knows everything about how things work, probably Arc or Jerrome. But, I wouldn't talk too much about the spy, people could be listening... talk about something else, something civilians would talk about." replied Nathan.

 

Trin got as comfortable as she could in the seats. She had never actually been in a civilian transport, and didn't think much of it.

So, whos gunna be doing the talking to this spy?

"I'd rather we find out who they are and shoot them behind the knees. Seeing them try to run then might be a little amusing." And interrogating them would be even more interesting. Trin was a rather cold person to begin with, but when it came to underground enemies such as these, whom she put on the same scale as common ship boarders, there was no saving them. "...maybe torch their skin with a welder till they told us everything we needed to know." The reality was that she would whole-heartedly consider this as an option if it was presented to her.

She then heard Nathan's response and shut her mouth. How could I let myself go like that? God dammit.

 

I nodded at Nathans response, and winced at Trin's cruel methods.

"But really, if this is the UEAF's chance to uncover an entire spy ring, why are they sending a bunch of boots who will more likely than not, botch the whole thing," I murmured. I was sure no one could hear.

"I know I've said this before but it really doesn't make sense. Somethings up. Maybe this is an incredibly long and overdone training excercise?"

 

Trin had already agreed with David's statement long before he had said it now. What are we here for? She thought about it for a few seconds. "Are we an expendable recon? Maybe we're going in in civilian clothing so that the UEAF doesn't have to take any blame for it, but assure them of the martian's intents. Maybe we're not supposed to come out of this alive." She made sure no one was listening in other than David, and possibly Nathan. "But if that's the case, I'm going to make for damn sure I make it out of there alive...and return the UEAF their favor." If that's the case, I'm going to burn every last ****ing one of you.

 

"...Maybe we're not supposed to come out of this alive."

Good point, remember, in the beginning, they didn't want Pappy coming with us... Then again, Carter could be right, this could just be one big training exercise," Nathan added.

 

"Good point, remember, in the beginning, they didn't want Pappy coming with us... Then again, Carter could be right, this could just be one big training exercise"

I laughed outloud, then returned to my low voice, "Unlikely. Think about it, why would the UEAF want us dead? We're new boots, boots that the UEAF is desperate for, and we haven't done anything that would warrant a shady 'no return' mission. More likely someones just been put into a position of power because they have tits the size of asteroids, and are mind blowing in bed."

 

Trin turned and looked at David with a more serious and annoyed face than she had given in a long time. You dumb ****ing punk. Why can't you get anything beyond the little you're being told? Whatever just find some whore to **** on Europa, and stay out of the rest of our ways. It was finally established as she eased back down into her seat and prepared to take a short nap for the flight; she wasn't going to find any way that she would like David.

 

"Unlikely. Think about it, why would the UEAF want us dead? We're new boots, boots that the UEAF is desperate for, and we haven't done anything that would warrant a shady 'no return' mission..."

"True, but what if we are nothing but a distraction or bait? They don't care about us, we're just some new boots, we're perfect for 'bait'... Just, don't lose your head if anything goes wrong and we might find out exactly why we're being sent..." replied Nathan. The lights slowly went dim and he noticed that the majority of passengers on the ship had fallen asleep. He'd already slept a bit, but there wasn't much else to do so he shut his eyes, waiting for what seemed like years to get some sleep.