Game Plan

[Cassie Granger 0]

Game Plan

A Silver/Granger Log

 

Silver had a lot of questions, and they were all legit. So did Cass and the rest of the teams who pretty much blundered their way through the mock up, scratching their heads. The basic five Ws - who, what, where, when, why - plus the how were missing, so how could they make any sense out of what they were looking at... unless the major didn’t know either. Yet. When he sent them out it was more of a get out so I can think look than a go to it one.

 

Ishiiu’s expression was the exact opposite as they settled in for the briefing. A mix of relief and apprehension met her gaze as Cass glanced around before taking a seat. Ishiiu pulled up an operational plan on the monitor behind him and took a stance to the right.

 

“Take a look at the board, gentlemen,” he began. “This file’s been encrypted to your personal network drives, where you can study it in detail on your own time. We're looking at an extraction of intel agents. Normally this would be a job for the first-string guys, but we're closer so it’s time to step up our game.”

 

A hand-wave at the monitor brought up a split-screen - a familiar star system on one side, planetary target on the other - while the other hand picked up and activated a laser pointer. Background shuffling died on the spot; the laser beam shifted from point to point on the screen as he spoke.

 

“Word is our agents were following up on rumors that several MIAs from the battle of Vulcan have turned up on the local slave market. Tracked our MIAs to this location,” his pointer triggered the screen to zoom in on a planet in the system, “and crossed the border back in November. That was the last message their handler forwarded before she went missing under suspicious circumstances. Company’s still investigating. Independent sources have since verified that our MIAs were in the area near the border at some point.

 

“Two days ago the Company received a distress signal from their agents, used only for emergency extractions. Triangulated to this location, just inside the border.” The split-screen zoomed in on another planet, an isolated group of buildings materializing in dense vegetation.

 

“We know the signal's legit. It's been verified, but thanks to a convenient computer glitch caused by the handler’s panic code, the Company can't read their files. We don’t know who the agents are, so you won’t be able to identify them visually or verify personal info. The geeks say they're working on it. For now, you'll have to detain and question everyone on site. Sole confirmation will be a pre-set challenge and password known to the agents.

 

“We also don’t know their condition, so be prepared to carry them out.”

 

Ishiiu’s eyes met Cass straight-on, then shifted to Gage. “Ensign Silver, welcome to Alpha team. You, Granger, Momoa, and Gonzalez are the extraction team.

 

“Questions?”

 

Major Ishiiu’s gaze swept the room before it stopped at Gage. “That work for you, Ensign Silver?”

 

Gage smirked faintly. “Yes, sir.”

 

“Carry on,” he said, then fixed his eyes on Cass, a tick of his head calling for a private conversation.

 

“Sir?”

 

“Exactly how much do you know about Ensign Silver, Sunny?”

 

“Quite a bit less than you do, Major, not having dived into his record. But I will say this. He might be ‘Fleet, but he’s SEAL. You don’t get through that without the chops, sir. Rumor is he’s seen quite a bit of action.”

 

“Rumor,” Ishiiu repeated, as though mulling it over. One hand rubbed across his chin, regarding her for a minute. “Trust him with your life?”

 

“Wouldn’t be here if I didn’t, Major."

 

“Very well.” His expression remained concerned, but then he always had that direct, piercing, no-nonsense look about him. Cass figured you didn’t make FORECON* CO without it. Still, she half wondered what bothered him - short of Silver's smart-ass attitude, of course. But they all had attitude, some more so than others. It was a basic qualification for new guy survival after BUD/S.* Minus the smart-ass part, unless you wanted to be choked out, or worse...

 

“Carry on.”

 

Gathered and waiting for Cass, the other members of ‘Alpha’ team were conversing out of earshot. Probably scuttlebutt, given the way their sudden laughter ended when Cass approached. Gage didn’t bother trying to check a yawn; it didn’t look like he could have if he’d tried.

 

Cass took an easy stance to listen.

 

“Okay.” Gage glanced at his watch and briefly rubbed the back of his head. “I need sleep. We’ll meet back here in about four; do some PT,* get some range time, do some immediate-action drills, and start in on the basics: small-unit tactics, CQB,* combatives, the works. Get it?”

 

“Yes, sir,” came the universal response.

 

“‘Got it’,” Gage corrected with a feigned cringe. The team just stared at him in confusion.

 

“SEAL thing,” Gage joked without much success, and then adding a cool, “Hooyah,” he strolled for the exit.

 

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*FORECON - Force Reconnaissance

*BUD/S - Basic Underwater Demolition/ SEAL

*PT - Physical Training

*CQB - Close Quarters Battle