One Step Closer

Posted on Mon May 21st, 2012 @ 1:22pm by Commodore Samantha York & Private 1st Class Trent Kushner

764 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Subjugation
Location: In the Mines
Timeline: Day 32

ON

Sam was pleased with the recent success in finding her lost crew, but she was still frustrated that it was taking so long. And she still hadn't found Damon.

She was prowling through a new area of Sector 2 when she turned a corner and saw one of the Calypso's Marines. "Trent?" she asked softly.

"Now isn't a good time." He dismissed, thinking it was one of the locals looking to get on good with the Sec Three's. "In fact, you may not want to be here right now." His attention never swayed from the far entrance of the green zone.

"And why is that?" Sam asked, not deterred.

"Listen, just buzz off...wait." The voice seemed really familiar to him all of a sudden. He turned to face the woman. It took a number of seconds to piece together the voice with the lady standing before him. "Sam?" He asked unsure of himself.

"Trent," she said, relieved that it was really him. "I'm happy to see you." She slipped silently to his side. "What's going on?" she asked, indicting the entrance to the green zone.

Trent shot three men closing their position a hard stare and shook his head, waving them off. The trio relaxed a bit and turned away as they concealed their weapons once more.

"Ma'am." He said as he glanced back to the entrance. "This place isn't safe for you." He turned to her "What sector are you in?"

"Sector 5. It wouldn't be the first sector that's not safe for me," she replied wryly. "What's going on here?"

"Best way to describe it? A very large gang war that spreads three sectors." HIs hand went to the chest wound he had sustained not long ago, a reminder of who's side of things he was on. "This wont be like the territory scraps that happen everywhere else with a handful of people involved. We are talking dozens upon dozens of people being involved at once in a confined space." He felt like that notion needed explaining. "I assume you know about it IED's?" He motioned to the back of his head. "They didn't start getting installed until around when Sector 4 was being filled up. These people have been in here longer than anyone else and have had plenty of time to build resentment. Since they can't do much against the guards, they take out their frustrations on each other instead. With no IED's and not enough guards to stop them, we are looking to tear each other apart en-masse.

"Yes, I'm aware of the trouble. It's led to some of the other Sector Bosses to take ... liberties. And, since it takes some of the focus off the first three sectors, the guards encourage it." She paused for a moment before answering his other question as she'd seen the effects of the IEDs on more than one occasion. "Yes, I'm aware of the devices."

She was going to ask if Trent had seen Damon in the last month, but suddenly she knew where he was. "He's down below, isn't he? Sector..." She paused to think. "15?"

Knowing that didn't really help her much. It was the most inaccessible and hostile of the sectors. And she had to get through half the others to get to it. If she could even get TO the sub levels. The access was through sector 1 and that was about to erupt into civil war.

"I know he's alive. Is he okay?" she asked.

Trent felt like a deer in the headlights but did little to show it. He focused all of his mental capacities on his task at hand here in Sector 2 as a scout. "Listen, Samantha, I don't want to get your hopes up."

The truth was, Trent DID see the Commander a few days ago when he was on work duty in Sector 15. It was brutal down there, nothing like the conditions on the upper levels. Everyone down there was...rough. It was only a quick glance, but Trent was sure that it was Damon. He was shuffled back up top to his Sector before he make contact.

"Even if he was down there, those sections cycle out a lot of people." He didn't want to make clear his meaning.

"All the more reason to get him out, wouldn't you say?" She shook her head. "Never mind. Come to Sector Five. It's safe there. I'm gathering the crew as I can. Join us."

Sam watched Trent for several moments. "I'll be waiting for you."

OFF

Captain Samantha York
Commanding Officer

PFC Trent Kushner
Marine

 

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