Thanohar, Noisiel
Alarion Province, Lyran Commonwealth
31st December 3122 It was New Year, or Hogmanay as the people of Skye called it across the Lyran Commonwealth, including people on Noisiel, would be taking holidays and celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of the next but not the Triple Zeros for a unit trying to establish itself there was no time for holidays. During the past month they had begun rescue operations helping those in need, taking in patients onboard the DropShip Nathan James, the Hammersley had begun assisting local police with patrolling the world’s seas, and they had begun running cargo across the world.
In the wilderness of the Rhegan Mountain Range Dean Gallagher, his wife Lara and his two brother Chase and Lochy were all trekking through the purple and red trees with Dean and Lara high above and Chase and Lochy below. They had been called out to a climber who had called in an SOS after falling and possibly breaking their legs.
“All I’m saying is it’s a new world, a new place we should spread our wings a bit and see where we’ve settled.” Lara said smiling as she followed Dean she was in her late twenties, athletic and had short blonde hair up ahead was her newlywed husband he was slightly older than her, a muscular build and had short slightly receding dark hair. They had, had this conversation a dozen times before she was far more carefree than he was.
“I get it Lara, but this is what we do, this is what we’re good at. We are spreading our wings this whole thing is an adventure.” Dean said glancing over his shoulder, he was more realistic in his thoughts than his high dreaming wife but he did love her ideas.
Before Lara could respond they heard the faint muttering from someone below “Rescue One to Rescue Two” Dean called into his radio “I think we’ve found them, almost exactly where they were expected to be.” He said glancing over the edge seeing those in need, one thing this proved was that Noisiel had a well-developed satellite network. “I’ve got two folks one male and one female looks like the blokes got leg injuries.” He reported “we’re going to set lines up here and work our way down to them.” Even as he’d been talking Lara had been setting up descent lines and rigging herself up to go down to the casualties. “Lara…” he began but she silenced him stepping closer so they were almost touching.
“Dean, we might be married but I’m the logical choice. If I get into trouble, you’re strong enough to get me up.” She said leaning in kissing him before jumping off the edge abseiling lower towards them.
“Hey, how you doing? I’m Lara” she greeted as she joined the two climbers.
“I think his legs are broken” the woman answered
“We’ll get sorted and outta here in a jiffy.” Lara said getting closer to the man who was drifting in and out of consciousness. “Dean, Lara, I’m going to stabilize him here then we can move them. Looks like internal fractures, I’ll immobilize the legs. They are probably going to need air-lifted.”
“Yeah understood” Dean replied “Rescue One to Rescue Base, Vince we’re going to need a chopper for an airlift, one casualty and one other.”
“Roger that Deano, we’ll get Heidi out to you.” Vince replied confidently from the Nathan James.
“Rescue One to Rescue Two, Chase set up some guide lines in case you need to come up to Lara. Heidi is coming out to evacuate the casualty.” Dean communicated with his brother below.
“Sure Dean, we’ve got visitors…” he said moments later another voice came over the radio.
“Rescue One, this is TOAD Four-Two, do you need assistance?” The female voice asked, her voice was clearly synthesized and coming through a suit’s transmitter.
“Negative, TOAD Four-Two, we’ve got everything under control thank you” he responded without another word four Battle Armoured troopers leapt from the treeline below using their jump jets, as they flew on the fiery jets their armour appeared to change colour.
“That is one impressive lady” Chase said over the radio as the Battle Armour squad moved on.
“Keep your mind on the game, Chase” Dean cautioned watching as the Battle Armour disappeared into the trees, he guessed that they were from the Armoured Toads, the garrison force hired by the planetary Duke for defence and for his game’s security. Dean realised with all of the opportunities here he may have just as much trouble keeping his people together than anything else.
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While the ground team were introducing themselves to the people of Noisiel in a good way the Hammersley was introducing itself to the more unsavoury types. “Full ahead, stay on them!” Commander Mike Flynn the ship’s commander, a man in his early forties, directed the three-hundred-ton vessel after several small craft which had prayed on a local pleasure cruiser, taking the crew and passenger’s valuables. “Stay on them” he commanded leaning forward in his chair “XO, send a challenge have them stand down!” He said glancing to his left to his wife Lt Commander Kate Flynn, they had served together for years and when they chose to make the jump from Australia’s Naval Militia to Mercenary life, they had decided to tie the knot as well having a ceremony onboard the ship literally a week after Dean and Lara had with the rescue team.
“Yes, sir” the blonde-haired woman in her late thirties responded while they were on the ship they acted as colleagues and they trusted each other completely.
“Vessels currently leading us this is the Patrol Ship Hammersley, heave too and prepare to be boarded.” She said sternly into the vessel’s radio trying to get their attention but the three smaller craft continued to run.
“RO” he said to the radio operator “contact local police forces, inform them that we are pursuing the criminals they are ignoring our calls and we are engaging them with warning fire." He then turned to the weapons console “Buffer, main guns salvo over their path. Show them that this isn’t a simple Silverback they are playing about with.” Flynn ordered, the Silverback was a common hydrofoil in use by planetary militias, the Adelaide was almost eight times the size of the small craft.
“Yes, sir!” a well-tanned male said smirking as he lined up the targets and sent a volley from both Light Autocannons fitted to the turret on the front deck over the speed boats path, still they continued.
“Captain! I’m seeing something on the aft deck of the lead boat! Rockets!” One of the watchmen, Two-Dads, called out he was young and inexperienced but he wasn’t wrong, even Mike could see it two of the passengers had shoulder carried two-tube launchers.
“HARD TO PORT!” Flynn ordered seeing the rockets leave the tubes, four rockets incoming on the Hammersley each able to blow open the ship’s hull. “AMS engage, at will!” He called out as the four rockets flew in on the patrol ship the Hammersley was equipped with an anti-missile system on either side of the ship. High on the ship’s sleek structure the radar guided machine gun swatted three of the four rockets out of the sky moments before they struck showering the deck in shrapnel the fourth slammed into the ship’s side exploding.
“FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!” Automated alarms rang throughout the ship following the rocket impact.
“Damage to starboard side, Damage crews to your stations!” Sarge the chief engineer called out, crew including the XO filed out of the command to assist in damage control efforts as two of the enemy boats came back past the Hammersley firing the machine guns as they went causing more damage and cutting down one of the crewmen.
“Buffer sink them!” Flynn ordered; the front cannon opened up again as did the two twin machine gun turrets either side of the ship. Rapidly all three of the craft were cut to shreds by the ship’s guns. “Targets eliminated” he said looking at the commander “sir, permission to go below and help with the fire.”
“Granted” Flynn said the Hammersley was a small ship, everyone needed to pull double, sometimes triple duties to keep her operating at peak efficiency. Having only been on planet a month Mike Flynn was already seeing there was plenty of work for a patrol ship to do, if they could survive the current crisis.
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As the chaos happened on the sea other elements of the Triple Zeros continued to work flying over the Island of Thanohar just as the sun was beginning to go down. Wheezer was sitting in the left co-pilot seat of one of the Triple Zero’s Cobra VTOLs having just completed a cargo run to Bethany’s Warf. As with all his pilots Wheezer was putting in hours and learning how to control the large aircraft, they were just banking left over the Asterion Sea when Wheezer saw something along the coast.
“What is that?” He wondered seeing a series of blinking lights levelling the aircraft to get a better look, it looked like airfield running lights but there wasn’t an airfield on their maps. Watching the lights Wheezer saw the pattern repeat a second then third time in sequence.
“We’re heading off course” the other pilot said
“Just a little, let’s have a look” he suggested the other pilot didn’t object. “I have control” he said turning the jet aircraft along the coast quickly closing on the airfield, it looked abandoned with the airfield overgrown. Three of the hangers looked dilapidated while the one closest to the lit-up cabin looked in better condition. “Tango-Zulu-Six to airfield, permission to land.” There was no answer but Wheezer could see a couple of building height lights and there were lights on in one of the shacks. “Someone’s home but they aren’t talking.”
“We don’t have any reason to get involved” the other pilot said
“Com’on Mills where’s your sense of adventure? There could be someone injured down there and we are in a great spot to lend some assistance if they need it.” Wheezer suggested, two of his medics were in the back acting as crew chiefs. “And we need an airfield.” He said as the aircraft orbited the airfield, he could see what used to be a DropShip landing zone and the runway looked strong and wide enough to take a DropShip landing. “We’re going in”
“I can take it” Mills suggested his hands hovering over the controls but not taking control.
“Got to learn at some point” he said bringing the aircraft around so it was lined up with the runway, although the Cobra was a VTOL and could land vertically it was easier to use the runway, “wings steady and engines to landing setting” Wheezer said as he flicked switches first the closes two engines to the cockpit and then the next two moved so they were angled at forty-five degrees rapidly slowing the pace of the craft while maintaining its height.
“Now remember, this is a jet at its heart, she’s built for short or vertical landings but you’ve still got to start descending a lot quicker than you’re used to, so bring the power back to seventy percent.” Mills cautioned Wheezer bringing the power back bringing the craft onto the landing pattern.
“Gear down” Wheezer said flicking another control as he closed on the runway, he continued to power down gradually allowing the aircraft to come in for a landing. The craft struck the runway and it began to run along the runway he gently applied the brakes bringing it to a stop on the uneven runway. “Right, I got us into this so I’m going for a look around.” He said jumping out of the seat heading into the rear compartment there his two flight nurses Haley Roberts and Crystal Highway waited.
“What’s the story?” Crystal asked as he entered the rear compartment.
“No answer on the radio, but there are a few lights on so someone could be hurt, we’re going to take a look, take your ready bag just in case.” He suggested
“See Crys, he takes me to the nicest of places” Haley said squeezing past Wheezer kissing him on the cheek. As the three of them headed out they grabbed blue jackets with red piping and florescent patches on the shoulders and elbows.
The three of them headed across the overgrown runway to the one building that was lit up, entering they found a man who could have easily been in his seventies sleeping at his chair. “Erm… hello” Wheezer said quietly introducing himself giving the man a small shake to the shoulder. “Hello, are you alright?”
“Sir, can you hear us? My name is Crystal can you tell us your name?” Crystal Highwater asked softly, she was a member of an Australian tribe of nomads who descended from a mixed Inuit/Aboriginal which had left Terra during the Star League era after their lands in Canada and the original Australia were encroached on by Star League Defence Forces who wished to expand their military ranges. Putting their finances together they had travelled deep into the Lyran Commonwealth landing together on the world of Australia where they had remained ever since. Crystal had been one of the last to agree to join the Triple Zeros as her heart and mind still called for her to be on Australia with her people and the spirits of her ancestors.
“I’m Elliotte… Elliotte Want” he wheezed, he was clearly ill “I am the caretaker of this base, what are you doing here?” The groggy man asked
“We were overhead, there was no answer to the radio, we thought we would check if everything was alright.” Wheezer explained glancing around looking for anyone else.
“Are you here alone?” Haley asked as she checked Elliotte’s blood-pressure.
“Officially, yes it’s my airfield” he said “I’ve been looking for tenants for a while but it needs a lot of work, you see and I just don’t have the time. And the Grey Boys have no interest in helping out.”
“The Grey Boys?” Wheezer asked but Elliotte appeared to be back asleep again.
“He’s very weak, Wheezer” Crystal said “he seems to be lacking in fluids at the very least” she explained as she and Haley were setting up a fluid drip.
“Ok, I’m going to check out the other hanger.”
“Be careful” Haley said concerned to him as the two shared a look before he walked out of the room heading over to the newer looking hanger.
The distance wasn’t far, Wheezer noticed as the natural light had dissipated the newer hanger had significantly more light around it than anywhere else on the base. As he approached, he saw two men in grey camouflage fatigues exit both were armed with rifles and looked far fitter than Mr Want did. Moving closer the rifles were lowered into their hands although they weren’t aimed at Wheezer “Hi guys, wondering if you can help me?”
“Who are you?”
“Captain William Heaseman, I’m a pilot for the Triple Zeros, we didn’t get an answer on the radio and found Mr Want who doesn’t look very well.” He explained carefully keeping his hands visible and stopping walking towards them.
“The Old Man never does look after himself.” One of them commented
“Mr Want owns the airfield, we own this hanger and rent access to the facilities.” The other one said. “If he needs medical support, we’ll look after the base for him when he returns.”
“Does he have any family? Where does he stay?”
“No, the Old Man is on his own, he has a couple of wild dogs, we’ll make sure they are fed though.” The first trooper said.
“That’s good of you” Wheezer said honestly surprised they were that interested. “Well, I don’t know if we’ll have to evacuate him yet… if we do, do you have a communication frequency?”
“No, trust we’ll be here as will The Old Man’s airfield.”
“Great” Wheezer said taking a step backwards keeping his eyes on them. “Well just in case your bosses ask I’m Captain Heaseman of the Triple Zeros, we’re contracted by the Planetary Governor for Search and Rescue and medical assistance.”
“If Mr Want needs assistance, we’ll look after his property” the other soldier repeated obviously trying to be reassuring “there’s no need for him to worry.”
“Thanks for your time” Wheezer said knowing he was getting nowhere he headed back towards where he’d left the two nurses and Elliotte Want. “The Gray Boys are going to look after the airfield for Mr Want if you need to evacuate him…”
“I’m… going nowhere” Want slurred his words, even Wheezer could tell there was something wrong.
“He needs to go” Crystal confirmed
“You get anything other than The Gray Boys?” Haley asked curiously
“Not a huge amount” Wheezer admitted “some sort of military unit, not sure if they are a house unit or mercenary but they seem to know Mr Want well and are quite fond of him. I think we can trust them and if he needs more help than you can provide then we don’t have much of a choice.”
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Thirty minutes later they were airborne again with the two Cobra pilots in command of the craft while Wheezer sat in the third seat. In the rear area Haley and Crystal were continuing to look after Elliotte Want. The night had closed in rapidly and the pilots were flying on instruments when a communication filled the speakers. “Hammersley to Rescue Base, ship status operational” which was the good news, the voice sounded strained, tired really. “We need an emergency evac. We have two injuries from shrapnel and or bullets and another from severe smoke inhalation. Fire is out; we can return to port on our own steam.” He reported the term ‘steam’ was as old as humanity being on ancient Terra, the ship produced no stream.
“I’m sorry mate you’re outta range of our choppers.” Vince said regretfully “I’ll see if I can get a police boat out to you.” Vince Marchello replied from the Triple Zeros DropShip/basecamp.
“Negative, negative, I need these people airlifted ASAP.” The Radio Operator on Hammersley replied there was more urgency in his voice “They will need care while being transferred to shore.”
“Mills, answer them, we can do it” Wheezer said to the pilots.
“Wheezer, we’re not configured for an airlift, we’ve got no hoists and jet engines are not good hovering on a deck like Hammersley’s we’ll melt it.” The pilot argued, his priority was the protection of his aircraft, as Hammersley did not have a landing area it would be virtually impossible to transfer patients directly. “I want to help but I don’t see how.”
“We have a loading ramp, they have transfer boats, put us just above the water and your ramp in the water.” He suggested rapidly “their transfer boat runs directly into our hold and we already have two nurses back there.” He suggested.
“You already have a patient back there!” The other pilot exclaimed; “you’ll have a speeding object coming into the bay and no way to control it.”
“We’ll make it work; the patient takes my seat here. I’ll have the nurses in the doorway and I’ll be in the bay.” He suggested coming up with a plan quickly.
“You’re off your head, Captain.” Mills said but he didn’t refuse, Wheezer was right the water looked quite calm it was maybe doable, instead he reached up to the radio control “Tango-Zulu-Six to Rescue base…” he called glancing at Wheezer “we have a plan.”
The Cobra orbited around the Hammersley several times while the crew of the Patrol Ship moved their casualties into a small speedboat which was carried on the rear of the craft, it was then slowly lowered into the water. “Tango-Zulu-Six moving in, Hammersley have your boat stay clear of our bay until we’re in position.” The pilot said “Wheezer, Fulcrum, we’re going in.” He said on the ship’s intercom behind them in the cockpit was the ill Elliotte Want and one of the nurses while the other was braced nearby.
The thirty-ton VTOL lowered down to the water below with the four engines in the vertical position as they hovered roughly eight metres from the surface. In the rear Wheezer lowered the ramp into the water. Once it was locked in position the Hammersley’s small boat tried to board the ramp, on its first run the small boat was forced to abort missing the ramp completely. “Watch the damned engine thrust boys and girls” Fulcrum said as he and his co-pilot tried to hold the craft in position, jet powered aircraft should not hover over this low over the water, even calm water.
Trying again the second time the small boat tried to board the VTOL it only got about halfway up the ramp before losing too much speed and slowly slipping back into the water. “We need to go lower!” Wheezer shouted back above the noise of the open door. In the cockpit the two pilots exchanged looks and nodded lowering the aircraft to four metres in height. Luckily the night sea was calm otherwise the VTOL engines could have been caught by a large wave. This time the transfer boat accelerated at speed towards the cargo bay entrance, Wheezer realised almost too late that it was going to make it and ran back into the rear of the Cobra as the boat entered the bay. Unfortunately, he wasn’t moving quick enough and the boat struck his back propelling him into the Cobra’s internal bulkhead knocking him unconscious.
With the boat onboard Fulcrum gunned the engine power and climbed rapidly while raising its cargo hatch “Tango-Zulu-Six, to Rescue Base…” he struggled realising what they had managed “Rescue Accomplished…” he said hearing Haley shouting Wheezer’s name, the captain was obviously injured “We have five casualties onboard, inbound to Rescue Base.” He finally reported cutting the transmission he shared a smile with the co-pilot, so much for a standard cargo run.
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Topic: Triple Zeros - Answering the Call (AU with thanks story) (Read 1907 times)