Once Upon The Stars (old thread)

[CNCRaymond]

Where do you find the time? Nice story PCP.

[mlmbd]

Atrocities, The two stories are 'excellent'. Well thought out, extremely interesting, well told and captivating. I have only one criticism. And let me preface that with; I mean no offence in anyway. After all you are the writer. I do not wish to cramp your style. OK, the two stories are very long. Might you make them smaller? Just more of them. It might lead to more people reading and enjoying your work. Just a thought. Again, I mean 'no offence'. I did love reading them, and await further additions!

mlmbd

[sachmo]

Engrossing stories, Atrocities! Very nice!

[CNCRaymond]

Keep it up.

[ December 30, 2002, 23:59: Message edited by: CNCRaymond ]

[Atrocities]

Thanks guys.

I agree the segments are a tad long. I will break them up more.

The problem is when I start to write, I often keep writing until the story naturally pauses. Then I leave it for a day and come back to it. I try to proof read it the best I can, making changes and adding or deleting stuff until I think its suitible for posting. The Last chapter, The Appointment, was written in about 3 hours, and I apologize for its length. It was just a great rush to write it, I wanted to keep it all together. In retrospect, I should have ended this segment sooner.

I am glad that you all enjoy it. It is a lot of fun, and a nice diVersion to be writing again. Even if I am learning as I go. Most of my writing has been in the techniqal field where I had three people under me proofing my work. My spelling and gramer skills were often the butt of many office jokes.

But my skill to turn out a complete manual, sop, etc was unserpassed. But my spelling and grammer skills sucked horribly.

Einstine could not remember his own phone number, but he knew where to get it. (The Phone book.)

[Atrocities]

A Dangerous Game
Part 1

�I don�t understand.� Said Dr. Mentor as he stood in the Operation tent before a holographic image of General Green. �I asked to speak directly with the Prime Minister.�
�And as I have explained to you Dr. Mentor, the Prime Minister has asked that I handle your request.� Replied the holographic Green.

�With all do respect General, my team discovered this object, and we feel that our continue involvement is warranted. After all, we are some of the best scientists on the planet.� Comment Dr. Mentor.
�Of that I have no doubts Doctor, but this is now a matter of Global security an-�
�With all do respect Gener-� Interrupted Dr. Mentor.
�And your continued involvement is no longer required Doctor. In fact, once the Regional Military Commander and the team from the GEC arrive, I expect you and your team to depart the site.� Continued Green in an angered tone for having been interrupted.
�But General, surely you can understand our desire -�
�If you continue to press me Doctor, I will have you and your entire team arrested and held indefinitely.� Green interrupted. �And if you refuse to vacate as directed, not only will you be arrested and detained, but charged with violating Global security. Now do you understand me Doctor?� Asked Green in a venomous tone.
Dr. Mentor simply nodded yes.

Even though these men were separated by thousands of miles, each other could see the other man in front of him as if he were standing there in the flesh. Mentor thought to himself �if only he were here, I could throttle him in person.�

�Additionally Dr.� Continued Green in more civil tone. �I am placing you and your entire team under a non disclosure directive. Any violation of this directive will result in your immediate incarceration. I need not remind you that in the event this should occur, your incarceration will be for life.�
�I understand General.� Replied Mentor as he boiled inside. �No one here shall discuss this discovery with anyone who does not have top secret clearance.�
�Make sure your staff is so instructed. Green out.� With that General Greens holographic image disappeared. Mentor raised his hand indicating he wanted silence as he switched off the holo-com. When he lowered his hand, Nina Smith was the first to speak.
�That bastard! Who the hell does he think he is threatening us like that?� She demanded.
�He is the Military Adviser to the Prime Minister.� Replied Dr. Ramzies sarcastically. �He might as well be god for all the good it will do us.�
�Are you both finished?� Asked Dr. Mentor politely as he looked first to Nina then to Dr. Ramzies. �I have someone else I can call.� He added a second later.
�You heard him Doctor. You will be locked away for life.� Nina said in concerned voice. �If you talk to any one about this.�
�I do not believe that our request for the Prime Ministers intervention was ever received by the Prime Minister.� Dr. Mentor said as he sat down. �I know Robert Benton, and I know that he would never ignore a request from me. If he was going to turn our request down, he would have done it personally.�
�Are you sure Brook?� Asked Dr. Ramzies.
�I am sure of it.� He replied.
�Then who will you contact? The official channels all lead to the Office of the Military Advisor?� Asked Nina as she to took a seat.
�I will call John Lesser, the Director of the Space Exploration Division. He has a Level Five security clearance so I will not be in violation of General Greens directive.� Dr. Mentor said as he eased back in his chair a bit. �If any one can help us now, it will be him.�
�I hope your right Brook, or else it will be the end of your career.� Said Dr. Ramzies.
�Don�t worry Bill, I have known John for many years. He has the Prime Ministers ear.� Dr. Mentors tone was calm. �I will contact his office in the morning. Right now its to late. Besides, I suspect that our friend the General will have ordered our satellite uplink suspended or at the very least monitored. So in the morning I will take one of the Snow Marshals down to Davenport and make the call from there.� With that he stood and moved to the tent entrance. �I suggest both get some sleep. I think tomorrow is going to be a very long day.� He smiled at them both then existed the tent.

It was time for some food and what sleep he could force his mind to drift off into. The trip down to Davenport would take about half an hour if the weather holds. If it did not, then the trip would take longer. He figured that at best possible speed, the Regional Military Commander and the GEC would be on site by the end of the day tomorrow. He would have to work fast in order to secure the support of the Prime Minister. He hoped he was right, and that Bob Benton did not known of what was going on here, if not, all was lost.

�What do you think will happen Dr. Ramzies?� Asked Nina as stood and prepared to leave the tent.
�I think that we are all in over our heads. I know General Green. He is a very dangerous man, and I for one will be surprised if we don�t wake up tomorrow and find ourselves lying face down in a snow drift with a depleted uranium shell in our heads.� Deep down he was more scared than he had ever been in his entire life. He knew that even if he and the team left the site, they would all eventually end up dead within a matter of months. He had heard stories of other discoveries where the scientific teams were wiped out. He knew of what had happened to the research camp at Pennington, and of all the people murdered there. There was no way that the military was going to let them simply walk away from a find of this magnitude. If that object out there proved to be a space vessel, and he sincerely thought it was, then it was a death sentence for them all. At first he had held out hope that the military would view this discovery as nothing more than a lost city or something, but now with General �Psycho� Greens involvement, all of there lives were in grave danger.
�I�ll see you in the morning Bill.� Said Nina simply as she left the tent.
�I hope so.� Replied Dr. Ramzies as he followed her. �I really do.�

***
�Why do we not have a team on site by now?� Asked General Green very angrily as he and a few of his trusted aids walked together down the main hall of the Military Advisors to the Prime Ministers building.
�Our team is in play now and will be on site by mid day tomorrow. They had to prep for cold weather deployment, and that has taken sometime.� Replied a lanky and weaselly looking Lieutenant by the name Jasper Elise. �As for the Global Engineering Corp, well they are not as efficient as we are. They had to first process the request for assistance, then notify Global Command to seek permission to excavate on an unknown object. From-� Green waved his hand in the air.
�I get it Elise.� Quipped Green sarcastically. �I want all of their satellite uplinks redirected to one of our secure facilities.�
�That has already been taken care of sir. All sat-com communication from the science team at the Victorian Glacier discovery site and their adjacent base camp site will be processed by General Wilson�s and her staff at Andover Base.� Said Sergeant Ruddy Arnold, a man who looked more like a fish than a human.
�She is on your list of loyal officers sir.� Commented Elise hoping to capture back some of the lost brownie points that Sergeant Arnold had just scored. Elise despised any member of General Greens staff who interfered with his agenda to get his nose as far up the General *** as humanly possible. And Sergeant Arnold was his chief competition in that regard.

�When our team arrives on site, I want all of the scientist placed into custody. Who is commanding the team that is being sent up there?� Green asked as he and his staff entered a conference room.
�A Captain Macmillion O�Connor is the team leader.� Replied Elise before Arnold could speak.
�Is he a team player?� Asked Green as he took a seat.
�As far as we know, he follows orders.� Replied Elise.
Green looked at Elise as if he was going to shoot him right where he stood. �Oops dropped the clip on that one Elise� thought Arnold to himself as he tried in vain to suppress the smirk on his face. �Even I knew better than to answer that question.�

�He follows orders.� Green said simply as he slowly stood and started moving toward Elise. �For your sake Elise,� Green was now standing directly in front of Lieutenant Elise, with his face less than an inch from Elise�s. �he had better follow orders.� Greens eyes were among the most intense of any mans when he was angry, and from the look of his eyes now, he was extremely angry. Green only wanted people he could trust doing his bidding. When that did not happen, Green became very angry. It was up to his staff to ensure that his desires were followed to the letter when carried out. In Greens opinion, to trust this mission to someone who was an unknown was an unacceptable risk. A genuine screw up that Elise should have prevented. As Green stood face to face with Elise he considered smacking the idiot for allowing this to happen, but after a few seconds of glaring angrily at his junior officer he slowly began to calm down and backing off returning to his seat. Over all, Green liked Elise about as much as he like any *** kissing brown nosing SOB, so taking him down a peg or two every now and then would do the little weasel some good in the long run. Green had no doubts that Elise would weather the embarrassment and come out the other side a wiser man. One day he would make a fine General provided he did not continue to piss Green off.
�Lets get this briefing over with, I have plans this evening.� Green ordered sharply as his staff began to take there seats.

[ January 07, 2003, 10:53: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

[David E. Gervais]

Atrocities, you just keep on ticking. I like the cat 'n mouse plot going on there. I look forward to the next part.

..you're on a roll, but is it Swiss?

Cheers!

[Atrocities]

A Dangerous Game
Part II

�Dr. Mentor may I come in?� Asked Dr. Ramzies as he stood outside of Dr. Mentors tent.
�Certainly Bill.� Responded Dr. Mentor.
Dr. Ramzies entered the tent which was moderately lit by a small chemical lantern. Dr. Mentor was sitting at his desk eating a mystery meal, the popular name for packaged food rations.
�What can I do for you Bill?� Asked Dr. Mentor as he ate.
�I don�t think we can wait until morning,� Said Dr. Ramzies, �to head out. We should leave now.�
�We can�t leave until the morning the Snow Marshal doesn�t arrives with fresh supplies until then.�
�Doctor, by the time that Snow Marshal arrives, this camp will be in a military lock down, and you will not be able to leave.� Said Dr. Ramzies as he took a seat in one of the camp chairs that Dr. Mentor had in his tent.
�Don�t be paranoid Bill.� Commented Dr. Mentor in a slightly irritated ton.
�I am not being paranoid Brook. I am being exactly what I should be, concerned.� Dr. Ramzies leaned forward slightly, before continuing. �I know General Green, and now that he is involved, our lives my be in serious danger.�

Dr. Mentor looked up at Dr. Ramzies and he could see that Ramzies was not drunk, crazy or otherwise adversely affected by any mind altering substance. What he was, was scared, and it showed.
�Tell me Bill, why would you say our lives are in danger?� Asked Dr. Mentor with genuine concern in his voice. One thing that Dr. Mentor had come to learn over the many years that he and Bill Ramzies have been friends was that if something was serious enough to give Bill the jitters, then it was damned serious.

�Did you ever hear about what happened at the research center in Pennington?� Asked Dr. Ramzies.
Dr. Mentor thought for a moment before answering. �I vaguely remember that the entire staff and their families were killed by a chemical agent that had accidentally escaped from containment. Something to do with fertilizer if I recall correctly. Why do you ask?�
�I was there.� Relied Ramzies simply.
�What?� Asked Dr. Mentor in surprise. �What do you mean you were there? That�s impossible, all life there was lost long before a Contamination Team could arrive. The military had even made an official report confirming that they had found all of the scientist and their families dead about two days before the contamination team arrived. So how could you have survived? Wait, you were in the military at that time. So you must have been part of the military relief group.� Dr. Mentor asked as he pored himself a hot cup of lacto berry juice and offered to pore a cup for Dr. Ramzies. �Here have a cup of lacto berry juice, it will help to calm you down.�
�Thank you but no. And yes Doctor, I was part of the relief group.� Replied Dr. Ramzies as he rubbed his hands together.
�The scientist there did die from exposure, that much of the official report is true, but what they died from and what had happened to their families is not.� Ramzies was starring off into the distant past now, his attention was fixated on another point in time. Dr. Mentor knew the look, it was the look that a person had when they had kept something secret for far to long time. �Tell me what happened Bill.� Prompted Dr. Mentor as gently as he could. �Tell me what you know about Pennington.�

A horrible look of despair had begun to creep acrossed Ramzies face as his eyes began to hardened. Obviously the memories he carried with him were ones that no man should be burdened with.
�When we arrived on site, the scientist were already dead. Many of them had escaped the research compound only to die in the arms of their loved ones hours later. It was a horrific seen strait out of hell.
My team was ordered to remain on the outskirts of the compound while a sweeper team conducted the search. They reported finding many people dead, and twice as many alive.� He paused for a second as if remembering some finer details before continuing .

�We were there about thirty minutes or so when the order came in to.� He paused for a second as if the memory were to difficult to recall. �We were order to kill every Last man, women, and child in Pennington. We were told that they had been exposed to a biological agent, and that all of the survivors were carriers of a virus that would kill every living thing on the planet in under a week if only one of them were to escaped from Pennington. Our orders were to prevent that from happening at all costs. So our commanding officer gave us the order.� He paused for just a second. �The order to kill them all.� Ramzies rubbed his forehead for a few seconds before finishing.
�However after it was all said and done, the rumor mill was alive with the news that our Commanding Officer was given counter orders to ignore Global Commands original orders to render aid .. We were later told that the rumors were untrue, and that the Colonel had acted alone.� There was a brief pause of silence before Ramzies continued. �The funny thing about rumors is that they are often true. You see, the only way to prove that a countermand order was sent was to have a log of it. Which the Com Officer would have had, however, the Com Officer died in a transport accident two days later, and with him, all digital records of incoming and out going communications.� Ramzies looked at Mentor and flashed him a knowingly suspicious look.

Dr. Mentor looked upon Dr. Ramzies in utter horror. He could not believe what he was hearing. �The wholesale slaughter of nearly a thousand people at the hands of the very military who were sworn to protect them, was an unthinkable act of betrayal.
�The military murdered those people?� He asked after several long and dark seconds. Dr. Ramzies simply nodded yes. �Oh my god Bill, tell me you did not follow that order. Tell me!� Demanded Dr. Mentor as he stood and walked over to his friend and knelt down beside him.
�My God Bill tell me you personally didn�t have anything to do with that order.� He demanded gently.

�Oh God no, I would never follow such and order. In fact several of us refused to follow it as it was an illegal order. For refusing the order, I was relieved of my command and placed under arrest. I had to sit and watch my men kill those people without any regard for the right and wrong of it.� Ramzies voice was beginning to crack a bit as he spoke. �They simply shot them down, pilled them up, and burned the bodies. They followed their orders without question.� It was apparent to Dr. Mentor that it was hard for Ramzies to have witnessed such atrocities without the power to stop them. Ramzies was looking down at his own feet now. A true sign that he carried with him the horrors of an unwanted memory.

�Bill, who would give such and order and why?� He asked as quietly and gently as he could. When Dr. Ramzies looked back up, Dr. Mentor could see the wetness and pain in his eyes.
�I refused to obey the order.� He repeated with sincere emotion. �But many men followed them. They massacred those people without mercy, and it was all covered up.�
�Who gave the order Bill?� Asked Dr. Mentor quietly once again.
�The order came from my Commanding Officer, Colonel Carl Wilhelm, who gave him his orders I only discover about three years ago.� Ramzies took in a deep breath before continuing. � You know, They court marshal the Colonel for giving that order. And with him, all of the men who followed his orders. He was the worst commanding officer I have ever served with, and I was glad to see him go to the gulag.� Ramzie looked directly at Dr. Mentor with utter conviction in his eyes. �But many of the men who followed his orders should not have been court marshaled or sent to the gulag with him.� .

�Some orders should not be followed Bill.� Said Dr. Mentor quietly but soberly. �When they are, those who follow them must accept the consequence of having done so.�

Dr. Ramzies looked away once again before speaking. �I don�t necessarily disagree, but many of those men were just kids fresh out of training camp. They didn�t have the experience to know what orders to follow, and what orders not to. I tried to make that clear to the investigation team, but they would not listen. They slapped a silence directive on all of us with the clear understanding that we would be sent to prison for the rest of our lives if we ever discussed what had truly happened at Pennington.� Ramzies looked back at his friend. �We had to sit by and accept the official Version that everyone was found dead when we arrived.�

By now Dr. Mentor had taken a seat in one of the empty camp chairs and was now contemplating the horrible story his friend had just recounted to him.
�Bill, why were those people murdered?� He finally asked after a moment or two.
�I didn�t know who had really given the order or why until years later. It was a fluke really that I even found out.� He cleared his throat before continuing. �I was assigned to the Military Records Division after I was shot, when an order came down to purge all records dealing with the Pennington Investigation. It just so happened that I was the lucky bastard assigned to purge those records.� He cleared his throat once again as he slowly began to recover his composure.

�I took the liberty of reading those files and that�s when I came acrossed the name of the man who officially gave the order to kill those people. It was a Brigadier General by the name of Lamar Strider. The investigation team uncovered the communication he had with Colonel Wilhelm after a brief interview with the Colonels Communications Officer, Captain Victor Nezbit. The same Communications Officer who died in a transport accident while in route, with evidence, to be deposed. Oddly enough, on that same day, Brigadier General Strider was found dead by the Military Police when they showed up at his home to arrest him. Evidently the General had committed suicide rather than face the music. With Striders death, there was no one else to officially blame except Colonel Wilhelm. However, as I read further, I discovered that Brigadier General Strider while under direct interrogation by Military Intelligence, had mentioned the fact that he was himself only following orders.�

Ramzies rubbed his eyes a bit and once again cleared his throat. �You know, that lacto berry juice sound good now.� He smiled at Dr. Mentor who reached over and grabbed the pot of lacto berry juice and a cup. As he pored Dr. Ramzies a glass Ramzies continued telling his story.

�In the investigators notes, but not his official report, he mentioned that Strider gave him the name of the man who had given him the order to order Colonel Wilhelm to kill those people.� Dr. Mentor offered him the glass of hot lacto berry juice and he accepted it and took a drink. �The Brigadier General said that the order had come directly from General Green of the Military Research Division.�

�I see. So you feel that our lives are in jeopardy because of single investigators unofficial note, taken from a man under investigation for a high crime, that General Green had directly given an order to commits mass murder?� Asked Dr. Mentor skeptically.
�No Brook, I feel this way because those people were witness to the results of an accidental release of a biological weapon. Those people were killed because they survived. They were never exposed to the agent, nor were they ever carriers of any virus, they were not sick therefore not a risk to anyone except those who wanted to keep the project a secret.� Stated Ramzies as strongly as he could.

�A biological weapon? How is that possible? Biological weapons research was outlawed by the first accords of the Global Alliance over twenty years ago.� Dr. Mentor could not believe what he was hearing.
�My God, the thought that the Global Alliance was researching biological weapons against its own laws is just to horrific to contemplate. Who would authorize and run such a program?� He asked.

�The program was under the supervision of the Military Research Division of the Alliance Global Command. In other words, one Lieutenant General Green.� Dr. Ramzies just looked blankly at Dr. Mentor as he continued speaking.
�He gave the order to kill those people to cover up what it was the military was researching their. General Green couldn�t take the chance that one of the scientist may have told his spouses or kids what they were really developing at Pennington. So after the accident, he gave the order to have them all exterminated to keep the program a secret.�
�All of this was in the files you destroyed?� Asked Dr. Mentor unbelievingly.
�All of that and much more. When they sent down the files for the Pennington investigation, they sent everything they had on Pennington, including all of the top secret documents, communications, chemical lists, non official and official investigation reports, and other documentation, you name it, it was there for the reading. The whole works from day one through the cover up.�
�Why did you not go public with this information?�
�Oh I tried, but there was no way to smuggle any of the documents out of the building as we were all stripped searched each night before we left. So I did the next best thing. I placed them in another file, one only I know the name of, and re-routed it to the archives for permanent storage at the Military Archives Complex. That was about three years ago. Right afterwards I resigned my commission and joined your team.�

�Why are you telling me all of this Bill?� Asked Dr. Mentor politely.
�Because I know what kind of man General Green is. He is someone willing to kill to keep a secret, and it does not matter to him who dies so long as his orders are followed.�
�I don�t understand?�
�Damn it Brook, if that thing out there is what we think it is, then that is one hell of a military secret to keep.� Ramzies was becoming angry now.
�I don�t think that that object out there is what you think it is. In fac-� Ramzies interrupted him as he stood suddenly and spoke in an angrily razed voice.
�Cut the crap Brook, you know damn well that thing out there is a space ship. You might have Nina fooled, but I know you. Your just not willing to publicly admit your conclusions.� Ramzies was pointing now in the direction of the object under the ice.

�Bill sit down.� Said Dr. Mentor calmly. �Just take a seat and relax a moment.�
�Damn it Brook, we don�t have the time to just sit and talk. We have got to get going before the Military gets here.� Ramzies said as he bent down to look his friend in the eyes. �If we do nothing and just sit here hoping that they will let us help them, then I am certain they will kill us all.�

Dr. Mentor looked long and hard into his friends eyes, he had known Bill Ramzies for nearly twenty years, long before he ever joined his research team. He knew that his friend was right, he could not explain it, but he knew his friend was right.

�Very well.� Said Dr. Mentor as he stood and started gathering his things. �We can use one of the cross country Polaris transports to make the journey over the ice plains to the south. It will take us about four days to reach Davenport.� Dr, Mentor said as he slipped his coat on.

Ramzies simply stood there for a second thinking about there situation now that he had convinced the Doctor to go, he did not think the Doctor himself should go.

�Sir, with all do respect, you should remain here, and send Just Nina and myself.�
Looking at him in puzzlement Dr. Mentor asked. �Why?�
�When the Regional Military Commander arrives, he will be expecting to speak to you. If you are not here, he will order a search of the area, and with their Sky Prowlers, they will spot us in a second on the openness of the ice plains.� Dr. Mentor looked at him for a moment and Dr. Ramzies continued.
�They won�t get concerned about Nina and I being gone for quite sometime after they arrive. And if when they do ask, you simply tell them we were injured and sent to Helen for medical treatment before the discovery was made.�
Dr. Mentor looked at his friend for a few seconds before nodding his approval.
�Get Nina and leave as soon as you can. If what you have told me is true, then the success of your mission to Davenport my well save all of our lives.�
Dr. Ramzies smiled at Dr. Mentor and started for the tent opening.

�Bill .� Dr. Mentor said as he reached out to shake Dr. Ramzies hand. �Gods speed and good luck my friend.�
Taking Dr. Mentors hand in his, Bill Ramzies spoke. �Be careful Doc.� With that and a smile, Ramzies let Dr. Mentors tent to find Nina Smith.

[David E. Gervais]

Aaaaaaaagh, a cliffhanger! I can't wait for more! As you can see I have mixed emotions right now! But that's a good thing.

Cheers!

[tokche]

damn you!!! why can't you finish the damn story! now im held in suspense waiting for the next post!!! it is a great story so far, but why must you leave all of us readers in suspense like this!!! cant wait for the next post from you. =)