They took the stairs to ground level and walked out the backdoor of the building. Two buses waited there to take them to the helipads located in a far corner of the base. They boarded the buses quickly and soon were on their way.
The buses delivered them to the helipad area where they dismounted. As they walked toward their CH-47 Chinook helicopters, their pilots waved at them. Colonel Roman, Major Thompson, and Sergeant Major Cowen angled towards one chopper in particular.
"Hi ya, Frodo! Hey, Lu! How are my favorite helo jockeys?" Marcus greeted Majors Fred Hills and Luella Mingus, the pilots who most frequently transported the colonel. He shook hands with them.
"Howdy, Colonel! We're fine," replied Mingus, the more outspoken of the two. "Just finishing up the pre-flight check, sir! You can board whenever you're ready. We should be airborne shortly!" Marcus nodded and left them to their work. He gathered the rest of the personnel who would accompany him on his helicopter and signaled everyone to climb aboard the aircraft.
Marcus took his customary seat near the front of the cargo bay just behind the pilot’s position, belted in, and donned his communications headset. Since he had a few minutes, he closed his eyes and tried to relax for a few minutes...but his mind wouldn't let him. Too much going on, he thought. Get back just in time to work on another bunch of reports, meet with Teresa for bit, then draft the agenda for next week’s battalion senior staff planning session, then dinner with Teresa and Julian. And tomorrow's that briefing that Teresa and I have with Colonel Cord Morgan from the U.S. Army. Busy, busy, busy...
Roman was jarred from his train of thought by the sound of the right-side personnel hatch being closed. The two veteran pilots quickly buckled into their seats and plugged in their comm lines. "Everyone belted in and ready to rock and roll?" asked the voice of 'Frodo' Hills over the helicopter's communications system. Everyone checked in and reported they were indeed ready to fly. Hills acknowledged their reports and gave his co-pilot the signal to fire up the Chinook’s engines.
Moments later, with rotors twirling rapidly overhead, Hills and Mingus lifted their large helicopter from the deck and into the clear, Arizona sky. Two other CH-47 cargo helicopters lifted into the air, followed seconds later by two AH-64 Apache Longbow attack helicopters that would fly cover for the flight. The five aircraft soon reached their cruising altitudes and turned their noses northward towards the Verde Valley and the ASGuard's newest base approximately 100 miles away. Colonel Roman thought back on the decision to build the new, primary base northeast of Cottonwood, Arizona.
The location was pretty much in the center of the state and ASGuard troops could be deployed by helicopters or ground vehicles in any direction and reach their destination fairly rapidly. As part of the decentralization project, the Verde Valley provided a population center ideal to help with the project. And, the terror attacks a little over three-years earlier had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the major cities were prime targets for attack! Despite the vast amount of money spent on upgrading the old armory in Phoenix and adding new facilities there, the headquarters of the Arizona State Guard needed space for growth. Thus, ASGuard HQ would be moving to the Verde Valley in the near future.
The influx of jobs and new residents boosted the economy of Cottonwood, Sedona, and the other surrounding cities and towns in the Verde Valley. An area northeast of Cottonwood along State Highway 260 had been purchased by the state and new office buildings, barracks, hangars, and other facilities were going up at an accelerated rate. The 1st Battalion, its personnel, vehicles, aircraft, and other equipment, had moved to the new base the month before and were operating on a field deployment basis while awaiting the completion of their new facilities.
Roughly thirty minutes after takeoff, the helicopters were lined up to land on the new ASGuard helipads north of Highway 260. Hills and Mingus brought their CH-47 in for a smooth landing and soon its rotors were winding down.
Marcus thanked the two majors for the safe flight and walked through the aircraft toward the aft cargo ramp. He grabbed his duffel bag and B-4 bag along the way and carried them from the helicopter to the bus waiting to pick up the new arrivals. Once everyone was aboard, the buses transported the ASGuard troopers to their temporary quarters.
Colonel Roman was quite impressed with the new types of temporary facilities being used by the U.S. military and national and state guard services. Tents had been replaced by containerized cargo-habitat modules, also called cargo-habs, which were upgraded versions of the ubiquitous cargo containers of the 20th Century. Cargo-habs had become popular in the early 21st Century for their multi-purpose usage. The modern versions were made of a composite material that was stronger than the steel and aluminum materials used previously. The composite materials could be cut or “welded” using molecular cutting/fusing devices that had been developed by Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration (DARPA) a few years before and only recently released for wide-spread use. Cargo-habs came in two standard sizes: 10 feet wide X 20 feet long X 10 feet high or 10 feet wide X 40 feet long X 10 feet high. The upper and lower sections of each cargo-hab contained service channels or passageways for electrical wiring, heating and cooling ductwork, built-in heater and air conditioning units, water and waste piping, electrical wiring, and other service systems. Once the cargo-habs were properly positioned, small utility robots (called channelbots) could be programmed to enter the service channels to make the necessary connects for each type of service.
Cargo-hab transportation and construction work could be handled easily by the new M2121A Heavy Hauler Transports (HHTs) which could pull massive amounts of cargo on specialized, heavy-duty trailers. The HHTs were also equipped with heavy duty cargo arms, cranes, and booms to lift the cargo-hab modules into position. Each HHT was powered by hydrogen which could be produced by DARPA’s new mobile hydrogen generation plants.
Marcus and the others carried their gear into the temporary field headquarters and dropped them next to their desks to be picked up later. Roman asked the Officer of the Day if his wife, Lieutenant Colonel Teresa Roman had returned to the base yet. The OD checked the roster on her tablet computer and shook her head in the negative. Marcus sat down behind his desk, drew out his comm unit, and called his wife. Teresa answered his call immediately.
"Hi, Marcus! I'm at our house changing into my uniform. Esther is with Julian and he's down for a nap, so I should be on my way shortly. Be there in about 15 mikes," Teresa reported professionally. With that out of the way, she whispered, "See you soon, Honey!" After terminating his end of the call, Marcus turned on his desk computer and began to wade through the perpetual pile of "paperwork" he dealt with on a daily basis.
He was reading through a report when LT COL Teresa Roman, chief medic for the 1st Battalion, knocked on his open door. "Come in!" Marcus called out without looking up from his computer screen. Teresa marched from the doorway to a position directly in front of his desk and came to attention.
"Sir, Lieutenant Colonel Roman, reporting, sir!" she said briskly as she snapped a salute.
Marcus' eyes jerked up from the screen at the sound of his wife's voice. A smile played across his face as he rose, returned her salute, then walked around the desk. He didn't stop next to Teresa but continued across the office floor to the door, which he promptly closed! Only then did he take her in his arms and kissed her.
"I missed you!" Marcus said to her when the kiss broke.
"And I missed you!" replied Teresa. "Julian missed you, too! He kept asking when you were coming home."
"I was only gone for a couple of days but it sure felt longer. Now I understand what Mom and Dad went through for all those years," Marcus said thoughtfully. "How did things go today with the lawyers and the bankers?" He pulled a chair around his desk to be closer to his chair and the couple sat down facing each other.
Teresa sighed, gathering her thoughts. "It was tough! Everything was in order. Abuelo Ernesto and Abuela Isabel made all the proper arrangements a long time a
go. But...it was tough knowing that I was closing one more door on my grandparents' lives. They left everything to me. Well...us really! Their house, bank accounts, stocks and bonds...everything! Abuelo Ernesto added a codicil to his will to provide a college trust fund for Julian! He even arranged for all the taxes to be taken care of." Marcus watched Teresa's face closely and leaned forward to hug her as she began to cry. She was still grieving the loss of the grandparents who had raised her and would for some time yet.
"Let me finish this agenda I'm working on, then we'll go pick up Julian, and go get some dinner...okay?" Marcus asked. Teresa nodded and leaned back in her chair. Marcus turned back to his computer and resumed typing, never one of his best skills.
Chapter 2
August 21st
Verde Valley, AZ
The next morning found Colonel Marcus Roman back at his desk. He was wearing his dress uniform, instead of his usual battle dress uniform, because he was expecting a visit from a high ranking U.S. Army officer on official business. Teresa was waiting in Marcus' office and was also in dress uniform. The officer was there to brief Marcus and Teresa specifically.
A few moments later, a chime sounded from Marcus' desk, signaling an incoming intercom message. Marcus pressed the intercom button on his desk and replied, "Yes?"
"Sir, it's Thompson. There’s a Colonel Tori Dennings to see you, sir," the battalion's executive officer said.
Marcus cast a quizzical gaze at Teresa. They were expecting a Colonel Morgan. Still, Teresa nodded that she was ready so Marcus said, "Go ahead, Major Thompson. Show the colonel in, please!"
"Yessir!" Thompson's replied before the intercom cut out.
Marcus and Teresa rose from their chairs to greet their visitor. There was a knock on the door then it swung open. Major Tommi Thompson stepped into the room first, holding the door open for Colonel Tori Dennings, U.S. Aerospace Force, as she entered. Dennings crossed the short distance between the doorway and a spot just in front of Marcus, where she came to attention and saluted Marcus before speaking. Marcus promptly returned her salute.
"Colonel Roman, I'm Colonel Tori Dennings, U.S. Aerospace Force," she said. Roman looked closely at Dennings. He saw a tall, muscular woman with short cropped, dark hair and skin, and dark brown eyes. The colonel's uniform reflected someone who had served for many years in the old U.S. Air Force before it was renamed. Marcus had heard of Colonel Cord Morgan and his brother, the general. They were famous for their escape from South Korea after it had been captured by the North Koreans and their return home to a divided America.
"Colonel Dennings, welcome to the Arizona State Guard," said Colonel Roman with a smile. "Major Thompson, thank you! Colonel, may I present our chief medic...and my wife, Lieutenant Colonel Teresa Roman." Colonel Dennings smiled at Teresa and shook her hand before turning back to face Marcus. Major Thompson took that moment to exit the room and close the door.
"Thank you, sir! A pleasure to meet you both!" the Aerospace Force officer said with a smile.
"Please, call us Marcus and Teresa," said Marcus.
"Excellent, I'm Tori, by the way," Dennings responded.
Marcus nodded then waved with his hand for the woman to take a seat. Once the three of them were seated, Marcus asked, "So please tell us, Tori, how can we be of service to you?"
"Marcus, Teresa...I have been sent to speak with you on behalf of a special government project and to offer you both an assignment. Before we can go any further, I must ask that we secure this room for a high security briefing," Dennings said, all business once again. Marcus felt himself liking this no-nonsense officer.
"Very well," said Marcus. "Teresa, will you secure the door while I close the cover the window?" Teresa nodded to Marcus and went to lock the door. Marcus lowered a hinged shield down over the window glass and latched it into place.
Marcus and Teresa took seats across a table from Dennings then Marcus punched in a series of codes into a keyboard on the table before him. A low-level hum, more felt than heard, issued from special speakers around the room, effectively isolating the room sonically from the outside world. "Good enough?" Marcus asked.
Dennings nodded, drew a tablet computer from her briefcase, and said, "Thank you! Now I need you to both read the document on this tablet and then sign and thumbprint it, if you wish to continue with the briefing." Marcus looked at Dennings more closely. Wow! he thought to himself, this must be some really high level shit! He accepted the tablet, read the document quickly then signed and thumbprinted it. Then he passed it over to Teresa. Her eyes grew wider as she read through the document. When finished, she looked at Marcus for a moment, then signed and added her thumbprint before passing the tablet back to Colonel Dennings.
"Excellent!" said Dennings as she put the tablet back into her briefcase. "Now we can begin." She pulled a small portable 3D projector from her briefcase and placed it in the center of the table. Next, she inserted a small data block into the projector's data port. A 3D image suddenly appeared in the air above the table.
"On behalf of President McPheron and General Kent Morgan, I am here to offer you an opportunity to join Project Foothold, an Ultra Top Secret project. You were recommended for this assignment by Colonel Cord Morgan of the U.S. Army who is familiar with your military records. Colonel Morgan was called away late last night and regrets being unable to brief you personally. So he asked me to brief you on the project and answer any questions you may have. You are not allowed to discuss this briefing with anyone else outside this room. After the briefing, you have one week to decide whether or not to join the project. If you join, your current ranks will be transferred to the U.S. Army. Your son will be allowed to accompany you, if that is a concern," Dennings paused for a moment to let what she'd said sink in.
"If you decide not to join the project, you will remain bound by the secrecy agreements you just signed," Dennings continued. "If you have no questions at this point, I'll begin the briefing?" Marcus and Teresa shared a quick glance at each other then signaled Dennings to begin the briefing.
Over the next hour, the holographic program outlined Project Foothold. It stressed the threats the People's Socialist States of America and the ever-growing Islamic Global Caliphate posed to the new United States of America. It then described some recent scientific discoveries that offered the U.S. a chance to save a significant number of its citizens and thus continue the republic at a safe location. To Marcus and Teresa, much of what the program described seemed like just so much science fiction. They asked several questions and Dennings answered as best she could.
A short time later, Dennings asked, "Do you have any more questions?" Marcus and Teresa looked at one another again then shook their heads at the Aerospace Force officer. "Again, you have one week to discuss this amongst yourselves. I remind you to do so only in a secured facility. I'm sorry for the inconvenience but this project must remain in the black…total security blackout! Once you've made your decision, you may contact me at this number." She turned off the projector, removed the data cube then stowed them both in her briefcase and locked the case. She then pushed a business card with a telephone number on it across the table to Marcus.
"If you want to join the project, call this number and simply say, 'Okay!' If not, just say, 'No thanks!' It's as easy as that!" Dennings said with a smile.
Marcus and Teresa sat silently for a moment. Finally, Marcus spoke for them both, "We'll contact you within a week and let you know what we decide…one way or the other."
Colonel Dennings rose from her chair and extended her hand to Teresa. After shaking her hand, Dennings repeated the process with Marcus. "Regardless of how this turns out, it was a distinct pleasure meeting you both. You and your friends here are doing a terrific job and I understand that President McPheron follows your Arizona State Guard quite closely! Thank you for your time!"
Marcus unlocked the office door and he and Teresa walked Dennings out to her vehicle. They shook hands again then Dennings climbed into the back
seat of her vehicle and left. The Romans returned to Marcus' office, closed the door once more, and spent the next hour discussing the briefing. Given the seriousness of the information they had just received, it wasn't surprising that they didn't reach a decision quickly.
**********
The People's Palace
The District (formerly Washington, D.C.)
Sherrill Carrington, President of the People's Socialist States of America, lay sprawled on the massive bed, deep in the thralls of sexual ecstasy. To her left was Jamie Baggley, Secretary of Education, and buried face first in the presidential loins was Eloise Hutchins, Secretary of Health. Carrington was indulging herself with one of her infrequent threesomes. Ah, no rest for the head that wears the crown, Carrington thought to herself between waves of pleasure. Finally, she gave herself entirely over to her pleasure.
The sudden ringing of the Red Telephone next to the bed interrupted Carrington's sexual release. The phone rang three times before Carrington was able to disengage herself from Baggley and Hutchins, who soon turned their attentions to one another. Carrington reached to the nightstand on one side of the bed and lifted the receiver from its base.
"This is President Carrington!" she said, ignoring the moans coming from behind her.
"Sherrill, it is most delightful to speak with you this evening!" said a man's voice with a heavy Middle Eastern accent. "I pray I did not interrupt anything important?"
"No, no, Mahmud! It is indeed a pleasure to hear from you! Please allow me a moment to clear another call." said Carrington as she reached out with her empty hand to slap her two female bedmates across their buttocks and wave them to the door. As the two ladies in question were in the midst of deep “negotiations” with each other, it took Carrington a moment to gain their attention and get them moving. Finally, the two disengaged from each other, gathered their clothing, and walked toward the door.
The Arizona State Guard Trilogy Page 39