IGNITION

© 1999 Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter One

“Wake up sir.”

Wound in his sheets, another nightmare turned dream turned... something having ruined much needed rest Major Hadrick Martin opened his eyes. “Time?” he whispered hoarsely.

“Oh three thirty six sir.” the marine standing next to his bed answered. “It’s a hot one sir, they want you in Ops yesterday.”

“Got it, wait on me. Be five” he responded, bailing out of bed while ignoring the fact all he had on was a sheet. Marines weren’t much body shy around other marines, not normally. True to his word he was lacing up a freshly shined pair of combat boots less than five minutes after his bare feet hit ice-cold concrete. Grabbing a waiting shirt he motioned, following as the marine headed out. He was still tucking in his shirt as he walked into Ops.

“Major Hadrick” the night officer, a Captain he noted, called while waving him over to a small bank of displays. “We’ve got a problem and I want your opinion.”

Hadrick stopped next to the officer, ‘Osaka’ he noticed with a glance at the blue & white Space Force name tag. Turning his attention to the displays he tried to focus, rubbed his eyes and tried again. “What am I looking at Captain” he asked. Without a reference he was unable to make much sense of what he saw.

“Japan’s Tomokie Space Center Sir. The new one they built on Shikoku island three years ago. That’s a Spring Breeze sitting on that pad, six men, three thousand pounds of cargo to low earth orbit and its ready for launch.”

“A first step transport, aren’t those people awful close for a launch?” Hadrick asked.

“Those people, as you put it sir, are members of the Red Brigade. They’ve taken over launch control and most of the base. There’s only one person in the capsule right now a Technician who was making last minute checks. Launch was slated for two hours and forty minutes from now. There’s maybe six people on the gantry itself. That’s RB’s ground assault on the launch vehicle your looking at and if they get it, their going to be in a very strong position for something we may both not like.”

 “Understood Captain, but Japan’s thousands of miles away so what can we do?” ‘And why did you wake me for this’ he asked himself.

“Nothing there, but if they launch that things slated for the Transfer Station. Japan’s military is trying to get in but its an uphill battle. As you know there’s no stand off weapons on the station Major, rumor that ships carrying weapons meant to defend against this very kind of action. Japan and the UN have asked for our help, the Russian’s are in the wrong orbital position right now and don’t have anything ready anyway, they won’t for days.”

“Someone chatted to the wrong people” Hadrick observed. “And you want what me for?”

“There a rotoroc sitting on pad four right now. It’s ready for launch, crew of one, six passengers. It’ll dock at Freedom Two thirty minutes after leaving the ground. From there a fast pass to the main station. Team will get there twelve to fifteen minutes before that bird does.”

“And you want me to pick a team Captain?”

“No sir” Osaka admitted. “Your commander does, you’ve got nineteen minutes before that rotoroc’s engines burn so I suggest you move while I start making calls.” He found himself talking to thin air.