1.16.2

Target Acquired

Astrid nearly fidgeted in anticipation of their next operation by the time Dell announced, a week later, that he found a promising candidate: a private detention center on the coast of planet well away from commercial trade and traffic.

“Better yet, you’ll never guess what they mine there,” he cheered triumphantly. He pushed a datapad across the War Room table to the captain. “Aside from the elements in the water, I mean.”

“Why don’t you tell us all and end the suspense?” Rue prodded.

“Quartz crystal,” Dell beamed. “My guess is it’s the same kind of crystal your pendants are made from, Astrid. You were right, they are getting lithium from minerals, as well as the sea. But it can’t be a coincidence they’re sitting on a quartz mine.”

“Why would they care about sitting on Channeler resources?” Rue questioned.

“Why wouldn’t they? Probably seems like a convenient bonus. Bad guys love irony.” Tenya rolled her eyes.

“You don’t really call them ‘bad guys’, do you?” Astrid asked.

“We do when they’re bad.” The chief winked.

“Anyway, the quartz isn’t the point. It has all the other markers,” Dell continued. “The nearby ocean is rich with minerals. In fact, so much so that wildlife is sparse, and they’ve only identified a few species able to live in the environment, so harvesting from the tides has been easy.

“The facility is owned by a private company. The workers are all convict-laborers, and the roster for the prison seems to mostly pertain to felons that have a military or combat history, like mercenaries.”

“Makes sense,” Anders agreed. “Those men are chosen to mine because they’re ripe for physical activity. But it’s an easy pool to employ if you’re looking for basic ground troops. Offer them an out to join your cause, arm them and pay them, and most would jump at the opportunity.”

“It gets better,” Dell insisted. “When the facility was first built, it specialized in producing the radioluminescent equipment early ships and stations used for construction crews and underwater gas lines. It’s even equipped with,” he paused to look at Astrid proudly, “its own refinery.”

“Is it still under control?” Karth asked.

“No one’s reported it going rogue,” Dell replied.

“Maybe they don’t know.”

“Or maybe they do, and they’re turning the other cheek out of an alliance’.” Captain London spoke up. “Good work, team. We have a heading. I’ll notify Hammond and call ahead.”

“You’re going to tell them we’re coming?” Tenya quirked a groomed brow.

“We’re just an op squad looking to conscript a few grunts to fill our ranks. We’ll offer a couple prisoners pardons if they want to join,” Captain London responded slyly. “It’s not unheard of. Either the administration denies us entry and we know something is up, or they let us right in the front door none-the-wiser.”

“Who do you want on this, Captain?” Karth asked.

“Karth, Anderson, Thompson, and Hale. Gear up for going groundside. Armor on this time.”

“Sir?” Rue scowled at his declaration.

“On standby, Rue. I’m going to need you to lead the second team if they get caught in there and need reinforcements.”

The soldier looked like she wanted to argue, but instead she clamped her mouth shut and folded her hands behind her back with a nod.

“Get in there. Verify their allegiances. And if it is our target, shut it down from the top and we’ll call in a ship from the Third Fleet to occupy the facility until the situation is under control.”

“Aye, aye, sir.” Karth acknowledged.

The captain departed to the Bridge to issue his orders, and the rest of the team huddled for strategy talks.

~~~

Astrid and Tenya fastened each other into their armor while the Aldebaran neared its destination.

“You’re not really mad about the questionable conditions under which you were recruited, are you?” Tenya tightened the straps between Astrid’s back plates with a tug. “’Cause you know, we could all get in serious trouble for that.”

“Serious trouble like ‘put to death’? Or just a few months in a brig somewhere?”

“Don’t be like that. You’ll be able to do a lot more with this opportunity than we will.”

Tenya’s hands fell away, satisfied in her work. Astrid conceded.

“I know.”

Her friend handed her a hair tie and Astrid threaded her ashen pink hair behind her head.

“You don’t want to go back, do you?”

“No.”

“Okay,” Tenya, though clad in her hard-shell lavender gear, still managed to stick her hip out with attitude. “Just checking.”

“Smartass.”

“Oooh, the girl swears!” Tenya teased while she claimed her rifle from her stash and lashed it into place. The chief slammed her locker shut and leaned her shoulder against the door.

“I can swear.” Astrid latched her own heavy pistol at her hip and followed suit.

“I don’t know. I think you’ve been spending too much time with Rue.”

Astrid nearly snorted. “I doubt that.”

“You ladies ready?” Karth, donned in his own equipment, stalked with Anders to the head of the cargo ramp.

“Let’s do this.” Tenya and Astrid joined them.

The Aldebaran descended on a rounded concrete pad by the seaside of a mountainous strand.

“What planet is this?” Astrid asked while the ship settled.

“Thedes,” Anders answered. “Or MI-776d, depending on who you ask.”

“‘Thedes’ it is.” Tenya tied her curls away from her face as well. Just in time for the cargo bay door to slide open at its seams. A rush of briny wind whipped into the hold.

A purple dusky morning greeted the troupe as they tramped planetside. Once outside, they paused to take in the sight of crashing waves, and ocean all the way to the skyline.

To the west, greenery spotted the barren mountains in scant clusters. And between, two massive cylinders flanked a rectangular building with few windows. Large pipes pumped water to the compound, and all around the base of the cylinder structures, a faint green glow streaked upward in an evenly-spaced pattern, to light the way.

“Son of a bitch,” Tenya snickered. “Alright, no one tell Dell it’s actually glowing.”

“You know I can hear you, right?”

“Shit.”

In his laughter, Anders took notice of Astrid, who stared off into the water’s horizon and to the warming sun that peeked from behind it.

“Hey, you okay?”

She shivered against the wind on her neck. “I’ve never seen an ocean before.”

“But you’re the one who knew all about the lithium and stuff,” Tenya remarked.

“I’ve studied, seen pictures. But I never…” Astrid swallowed. “It’s so massive. I mean, it’s so big. How does it not swallow people up?”

“It can. If you aren’t careful,” Karth replied.

“Can you imagine… centuries ago when people had to brave oceans like that for weeks or months in nothing but wooden sailing ships?” Astrid resisted a shudder. “No wonder so many died. How did they talk themselves into something so terrifying?”

“Says the girl who traveled across the void of space in a tin can to get here,” Tenya pointed out.

Karth came to set a hand over the Channeler’s shoulder, and though she could not feel it through her armor, she knew he squeezed.

“Come on, Sailor. We’ll go sight-seeing some other time.”

Reminded of their mission, Astrid turned from the vista of sunlight bouncing on the water, and toward the prison ahead.

“I kinda thought it would be bigger.” Tenya sized up the squat building that served as the heart of the compound.

Smooth cement made up the walls, stained by sea salt and stormy weather.

“It probably goes underground,” Anders guessed. “It’s easier to control the inmates if they don’t have to leave the grounds to work the tunnels.”

While they approached the massive double doors at the first set of fences, Tenya and Astrid fell in line behind Karth and Anders. They kept their weapons holstered when a set of guards in light armor came to meet them at the gate.