The Warren, Her First Visit
28 Dec 2023MdN
An incomplete teaser for something in the works.Chapter 1
"The Warren!" said the Director as she walked through the door, "they're hiding him in the bloody Warren."
She'd heard stories about this maximum security prison in the heart of the Federation. The rumours were vile.
"Will he talk?" she asked not needing to confirm who they were talking about.
"You know better than to ask that, Helena."
Indeed she did. Trained to withstand interrogation, she could hold out for a week, perhaps. But this was a scientist, he wasn't a soldier, he would have no hope to cling to. He would cave within hours, most likely already had, she realised.
"How long have they had him?"
"His ship crashed a week ago, no survivors is the official line."
They weren't planning to hand him back then, this was bad. The crash was thought to be a genuine accident, but some opportunist Federation officer had seen the possibilities.
"And we're sure he survived, that they really do have him?"
"Undoubtedly," was the response, he flicked a photograph onto the screen, "we have that cess pit watched for exactly this reason." His head fell into his hands in frustration. "128 is where they secretly torture 'dead' Imperials; we're not even sure the Empire knows that." The director looked exhausted. "They never come out again."
That was part of the rumour she'd heard. Once you enter The Warren, your life is effectively over. Like a human black hole, how these rumours surfaced was not a matter to concern her right now.
She'd met the scientist once, she remembered. He gave a lecture to her class during officer training. Typical science-type, no social skills, like a fish out of water on a military base. He'd looked terrified the whole time, she recalled.
Well now he faced something terrifying to justify those fears. He'd sing like a canary. No shame in that of course, most men would. But he could sing all he liked, it wouldn't be enough. He wasn't coming out.
"How damaging could this be?" asked the young Lieutenant.
"Very fucking damaging," he screamed at her, thumping the desk in despair.
Advanced weapons technology, that was his specialism. Most of his work would never be known or understood by anyone else. Helena could not begin to imagine what was stored in his head. The Federation would kill for ...
Not in this case they wouldn't, they'd keep him alive as long as possible, she realised. Pumping out every last drop of knowledge.
"Helena I hate to do this," the director stared into her blue eyes.
"I need you to silence him before they make him talk!"
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Chapter 2
"Okay boys, listen up," Lieutenant Helena Stone stood before her troop of 30 very special soldiers.
"Yes boss," came the chorus from her men. Wearing her trademark cream vest top and blue cargo pants she looked every inch NOT the special forces officer she was. The only clue being the dog tag hanging around her neck.
"Who's up for a suicide mission to save the princess from the ugly monster?" she asked them all.
"That's what we do boss," came the reply with a chuckle.
"Which princess is it this week?" asked another in mock boredom.
Seconded to the Director of Operations of some non-existent agency answering to nothing but shadows in Alioth, Helena was in her element. This was her kind of war fighting, not that there was a declared war. Nothing done by her and her boys actually took place. There would be records hidden away in the archives, but those wouldn't be seen until long after her death (natural or otherwise).
It had taken a while for her boys to accept her.
A female officer in units such as this was still unheard of.
A single mission was all it had taken, no one doubted her then.
Today, a few missions later, they would follow her into the fires of hell, which was just as well considering she was about to ask them to walk into The Warren.
"We bring him out alive," she stressed.
"And if that isn't possible?" asked Sargent Clarke.
"Then I shall kill him myself," she whispered, "but we shall not fail!"
"Stonger Together," came the Alliance cry from the floor.
Everyone else responded in kind: "Stonger!" they yelled.
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Chapters 3 onwards
This bit needs more work :-)
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Chapter X
As the Asp pulled away from Grant's Claim, Helena looked back at the entrance to the mines, sitting anonymously on the surface.
"One day," she started, her men looking up at the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"One day I shall return here and unleash hell on these Federation vermin!"
"Fucking A, boss" came the chorus.
"We'll be here with you," promised Clarke, "just tell us when."