by F. E. Arliss
They circled slowly away from the building while ‘the hulk’, as Chloe was secretly calling him now, calmly secured a set of earphones over his skull, strapped himself in and then assisted her with the unfamiliar harness. Chloe couldn’t hear a thing that was being said. The rotor’s noise and the shock of what had happened had her staring out the window at the now clearly listing building. With a hand over her mouth to slow her breaths, Chloe gazed in horror at the sight below her. People, looking like ants, poured from the building onto the streets. Police cars with sirens blaring screeched to a halt and Officers shouted at people to gather further down the road, out of harm’s way. It was chaos! “Oh dear God,” Chloe thought, “Please let those people I hurried down the stairs, get to safety! Oh please God, help them to be safe,” she whispered in her mind’s eye.
Slowly, Chloe came back to her senses. Glancing around she saw another set of earphones, or she supposed, it was called a headset. She awkwardly placed it over her ears. She still couldn’t hear anything. Sliding her fingers along the headset until she felt a switch, she flicked it, sound flooded through. Now she could hear the conversation that Hulk was having with someone on the radio. Actually, it was many someones. Chloe could identify many different voices through the radio. All of them seemed to be speaking calmly and Hulk was issuing orders to many of them. He was also answering a lot of questions.
Finally, one of the voices said, “That’s enough on-site recon for you Colonel Reinegaard. Return to base Alpha and await your shuttle to Orbit Guard battle cruiser Borden. Do you have your assigned female support officer with you?”
The Colonel glanced at the extremely pale, very pretty, young woman across from him. She smiled slightly, though from a slightly stiff, bloodless set of lips, as though in an attempt to assure him that she was fine. He narrowed his eyes, thinking. “Well she had gotten the others to safety, and had come back for the secretary. When he’d dragged her after him, she’d obeyed without hesitation and kept up, even though it was clear she was badly winded. She’d do," Leo thought. “I do, sir,” the Colonel stated. Leo supposed chance had chosen her for him.
The chopper banked hard right and flew off towards the south. Chloe had no idea where they were going, but it was clear they weren’t staying in St. Louis. She thought wistfully about a couple of the belongings she’d left in her bag in the hotel room. Oh well, it was all an adventure anyway, right? Right, she assured herself!
Chapter 7
Assigned Fiance
On the two-hour flight to what turned out to be Alpha Base Orbit Guard on the coast of Florida, Chloe had cried a few silent tears after the shock had worn off. She’d finally figured out from the comm chatter and the marking on his collar that this was the Colonel she had been set to interview with. He had magically produced a bottle of sweet tea, which tasted awful and which she’d drained in just a few minutes. “Good for shock,” he’d grunted at her. She’d spent the last thirty minutes of the flight slumped in the hard bench seat, trying to clear her mind for when they landed. She had no idea what was coming next. Colonel Reinegaard had switched over to her com after signing off with Command, introduced himself, and simply told her to rest. They’d be landing in about two hours and continuing on to their post. He hadn’t told her what or where this post was. She supposed it might be the frontier, and if so, she had a long trip ahead of her and tried to prepare herself for whatever was to come by meditating. She’d learned to meditate as a teen to try and keep some equilibrium in the chaos that was a large family of seven, in a small house in Misery. Breathing and meditating had saved her sanity many a time.
Leo realized some time into the flight that the girl across from him was meditating. Well, that was a good sign. At least she wasn’t some basket case who didn’t know how to calm her mind and come up with some resilience. Command had asked for her name, and he’d told them he’d give them all the pertinent information when they arrived. He didn’t know her name, her rank, or her career. He was going purely on gut, and circumstance. So far, he wasn’t disappointed. She’d handled herself well, been actively helpful, and seemed now to be handling the shock and fear with a very pale, slightly trembling countenance that she was managing to keep under control. Plus, she was pretty, very pretty. It could have turned out worse.
“Girl, do you have a name?” Leo asked, switching on the comms again. The blonde raised her face to him, quirked one eyebrow and said, “Girl? Well, boy, do you?” That was a good sign he thought, she’s still got some spunk left in her. “We’ll be arriving at the Florida launch site soon. We’ll need to give your name, rank, serial number, and send ahead messages that we’re together,” stated Leo.
“What do you mean, we’re together?” the girl asked, staring at him.
“As Forward Commander of all personnel on Orbit Guard’s frontier, I’ve been tasked with assuring that the first contingent of female personnel, are accepted onto the frontier bases. We need to present a united front, so that all the soldiers on the station accept the women we bring up. We’ll be doing that by working together, as a couple, to set an example for the troops,” Leo said without making eye contact with her. His headset was suddenly in need of some serious fit adjustments.
Chloe swallowed, staring at the scarred hulking countenance of the man before her. “Did he mean what she thought he meant? Surely not. Why would they be working together as a couple? Calm down, she chastened herself. It’s just because she was the new counselor. Oh, ok, she reassured herself. That made sense. “A pleasure to meet you Sir,” Chloe said. “Thank you for your help back there at the building. Do we know any updates about the situation? How many casualties? Who caused it? What happened?” she asked, the remembered trauma causing her voice to wobble a bit.
It wasn’t hard to stare at him, she thought. He was quite good looking and the scarring didn’t really bother her. Back home in Missouri, farm accidents happened all the time and people lost fingers, legs, arms and hands to all manner of tractor and equipment accidents. Plus, there were a lot of vets where she came from. War wounds of all types decorated the men of her rural community. One simply got used to scars and amputations of all types. His facial scarring, which appeared to continue down beneath the collar of his shirt, looked like a burn to her. She’d seen some really awful ones on a few returning vets back home. She wondered if he didn’t want to look at her because he was afraid she’d look shocked at his scars. Or maybe he was just shy, though his bossiness really didn’t jive with that case scenario!
With an internal sigh of relief, Leo raised his head to stare at her in return. She was a surprise, this slightly tousled honey blond. She hadn’t flinched or so much as batted an eyelash at his ‘couple’ statement. Nor did she seem distracted by his heavily ridged scars. She just looked him in the eye and talked. Not exactly a first for Leo, but in the female category, pretty much a first. Even his own mother had looked away when she’d spoken to him.
“We do have some updates, but more are coming in every minute. We’ll have a better idea once we land. Again, what is your name and rank?” he asked.
“Oh, sorry sir. My name is Chloe Sedgewick. I’m the new counselor and Commanding Corpsman attached to the frontier. I believe my rank is Lieutenant, Sir,” she said a bit uncertainly. “I’m not sure what the interview this morning was for. Would you fill me in, please?” she asked.
Ahhh, Leo thought, she’s not as calm as he’d believed and she didn’t understand what he’d intended with his earlier comments. Plus, she was the damn counselor. Gods of Vodka, he was going to have to be more direct. Here we go, he thought. “I meant exactly what I said before, Lieutenant. We are to work as a couple. An engaged couple. In order to establish an example of acceptance and collaboration with the new incoming female support staff. The interviews this morning, were in order for me to find someone that would be compatible with my style and personality. Circumstance has dictated that that person is you. You were calm in a high stress situation, you helped others, and you foll
owed orders. Plus, you are the only one with me at this moment and we’re on our way to the frontier. From this point on, you will work in conjunction with me to incorporate the female staff into the station and set an example for the other women about how best to acclimate to their surroundings. I suppose it’s also fortuitous that you’re also the new Commanding Corpsman and counselor,” Leo stated looking her directly in the eyes. “Perhaps that will also allow you to settle into the role as my help mate more easily.”
Chloe just gaped at him. What the hell, she thought! Did Orbit Guard just assign her a fiance? And without even asking her permission? “Gee, I didn’t realize that my contract ran to allowing Orbit Guard to run my personal life, too!” Chloe wise-assed. “What if you’re not my type?”
There was a stoney silence over the comms. Leo held her gaze. Nothing showed on his face. “Am I your type?” he asked flatly. “Enough so that at least you can act the part over the next two years?” The Colonel wasn’t sure where that statement had come from. Maybe her lack of aversion to his scarring had given him a glimmer of hope.
Chloe sighed. What a day this has been, she thought to herself. Plus, I was just thinking that he wasn’t hard to look at. So far he didn’t have much personality, but he wasn’t a real prick either. He’d been great back at the scene of the disaster too. So, he was at least not a total jerk, stupid, fat, or a coward. He already had more going for him than seven-eighths of all the guys back home in Misery with just that list. What did she have to lose, she wondered?
“Sure,” she said. “You're attractive enough, though I do have a few requirements,” she mumbled, looking at him from beneath lowered lashes.
“And what would those be?” he asked, never breaking his stare. His throat felt tight.
“I’m to be treated like the fabulous woman that I am. I’m sick of people taking me for granted,” Chloe stated raising her eyes. “I’’m smart, hard-working, funny, and kind. Not to mention, not too hard on the eyes. So, I demand to be treated with respect. I expect you to ask my opinion before you just decide things for me, the way this engagement pretense was decided. We’ll be a team, not a one-man show with a trophy girlfriend on his arm. Deal?” asked Chloe. “Plus, no mauling me about physically without my consent. I’m not agreeing to sleep with you unless I decide I want to.”
Leo was surprised by Chloe’s comments, but didn’t let it show on his face. Sleep with her, he thought! Holy hell, he hadn’t even gotten that far in his own mind, but she’d gone there without hesitation. “I agree to those terms,” Leo stated calmly. “Does the ‘mauling you’ physical bit mean that you’re afraid of me? And does the ‘sleeping together’ bit, mean you don’t find me completely unattractive?” he asked, trying to keep his face from showing his now hopeful consternation.
Chloe glanced up at him. “No, I’m not afraid of you, and no, I don’t find you completely unattractive,” she said easily. “Shall we just take all that as it comes then?” she asked matter-of-factly.
“Yes, we shall,” returned Leo. “We’ll be landing in 10 minutes. Get your game face on.”
Silence reigned over the comms.
Chapter 8
Launched
The launch site was pretty barren. There was a large metal hanger type building set in the middle of an enormous field of scrub brush and sandy dirt. The entire place looked to be surrounded by some type of tall rusty-metal privacy fence. Large trucks pulling parts, tubes, and other objects she couldn’t identify, trundled along the perimeter. Four-wheelers criss-crossed the dirt field like ants carrying eggs. In the center, a large platform braced a rocket-like projectile and attached to the the underside appeared to be some type of shuttle. Chloe assumed this was the shuttle they’d take to get into orbit in order to board the ship Borden, then onward to the station that Colonel Reinegaard commanded.
Their chopper hovered over a dirty red X on the forecourt of the launch area, spraying dirt and sand out into the humid air. Several men in uniforms ran out to meet them, shielding their faces with their forearms. The Colonel leaped out, turned and extended his bulky arms toward her.
“Might as well go with it,” Chloe thought. And leaped toward him with all the nonchalance of someone who expected to be caught and protected. Leo caught her with ease and swiveled to set her behind him so that most of the rotor wash from the chopper blades got him instead of her.
“Not bad!” thought Chloe. “He’s actually fairly gentlemanly. He’s starting to stack up quite favorably.”
They were ushered into the metal hangar where they were met by a General with one star on his collar. “I’m General Stinger,” he stated. “I’ll be taking your information before you are cleared to board the shuttle for launch. What is your fiance’s name, rank, serial number and professional title, Colonel?” his searching gaze roved over Chloe’s rumpled form.
“My name is Chloe Sedgewick, Sir,” Chloe said with a glower. Indicating with her thunderous countenance that she could answer for herself. “I’m a Lieutenant, and also the Commanding Corpsman and Counselor for the station. I’ve got no idea what my serial number is, Sir. You’ll have to have someone look that up.”
Leo’s stoney mouth quirked up slightly at one corner. People were going to have to get used to his fiance. She was definitely a bit of a fire-cracker and he could now begin to see what qualities she possessed, besides her advanced degree, that would make her a good Commanding Officer. She didn’t back down. He liked that about her. Chloe was no nonsense and would put the high-adrenaline, macho soldiers of his ranks on notice that she was to be respected. It was exactly what he needed in a partner. So far, so good, he thought.
General Stinger grinned at Chloe as though her retort had amused him. He cleared his throat and said, “If you’ll wait here Lieutenant, one of my officers will show you where to clean up and bring you a uniform to change into. We’ll also get your photo for a clearance badge and a name strip for your uniform. As your bag was left behind in St. Louis, we’ll also provide you with whatever other necessities you desire.”
“Colonel if you’ll come with me, we will, of course, offer you the same privilege. And I’d also like to bring you up to speed on the intelligence coming in from the incident in St. Louis, and give you access to comms with your ships and station,” stated General Stinger.
Both men strode off toward a door in the far wall, leaving Chloe to glance around her. The cavernous space was full of high-tech equipment spreading as far as the eye could see. Turning to gaze toward the front of the hanger she saw a short woman barreling toward her. Cropped dark hair with streaks of grey in it, spiked out in all directions from the woman’s small head. She wore combat boots and a grey engineer’s jumpsuit. A grin spred across her sunburned face. “Hi, I’m Lacey Diggs,” she boomed.
“No one would ever believe that that tiny body, held such a big voice!” Chloe cracked in a return greeting, smiling widely. Somehow, she just knew this woman was going to be her friend.
“Ha!” Lacey barked, eyes twinkling. “No one would believe such a good-looking girl would be engaged to that ugly Colonel of your’s either.” Chloe’s mouth flopped open. “Wow, news travels fast!” she gasped. Lacey and she rolled their eyes at the same time, then burst out laughing at the matching gestures.
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and ship shape,” Lacey said. “I’m the only woman on this launch pad, and an aerospace engineer. Since there’s only us girls here right now, I’ll be helping you get ready to launch into your joy ride through space!” she sniggered. “Actually, you’ll probably puke if it’s your first time. Just try not to puke on anyone or anything. You can short out the equipment or ruin your sex life, one of the two, or both!” Lacey wise-cracked.
Chloe knew she’d met a friend for life. “I bow to your greater wisdom, oh Yoda,” she said with a smile.
“Hey, I’m waaay better looking than Yoda,” Lacey grinned back.
Thirty-five minutes later, Chloe was clean and dressed in a trim-fitt
ing black uniform with her name on the breast pocket in gold letters. A clearance badge hung from her neck. Checking her appearance in the small mirror in the lady’s locker room, Chloe had to admit that the severe cut of the uniform actually flattered her. Her tousled honey-blonde hair, bundled into a loose messy bun at the back of her neck, made her look even more fragile and ethereal that she had before.
Lacey had given her a small compact with concealer, blush, and an eye-shadow in it. And a small sample tube of mascara to cap it all off. Supposedly, she’d be able to buy whatever she needed for her personal care at the tiny commissary aboard the cruiser. She would definitely be asking Leo if there were actually feminine products available at this so-called commissary - or had any of the men even thought to stock those things?
The lightweight mesh boots they’d given her were really pretty comfortable. Though the thought of the impending launch was making her stomach do tiny flips of growing alarm. The idea that she was completely alone and dependent upon the Orbit Guard and Leo for everything, suddenly had her chastising herself for being an idiot at going along with all of this. What was I thinking? she fretted. “Oh man, I am sooo in the deep end. This is probably going to be a disaster.”