Chapter 18 – Unexpected Orders

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;

He turns it wherever He wishes.

Proverbs 21:1

Reassignment

The distant hum of the transport ship’s engines provided a constant backdrop as Wade, Jay, Mayumi, and Bikram settled into their new quarters. The sterile, metallic surroundings of the military vessel were a far cry from the alien environment they had recently escaped, yet the four Marines found little comfort in the familiar setting.

“13th Expeditionary Unit,” Wade muttered, wincing as he shifted on his cot. The bandaged stump where his right hand used to be throbbed painfully, and he could feel the heat of fever radiating from the wound. “I still can’t believe they just scrapped our Ranger School plans and didn’t even give us a chance to recover.”

Jay nodded, his usual jovial demeanor subdued. “Yeah, feels like we’re being shuffled off to some backwater assignment. Out of sight, out of mind.”

Mayumi, who had been quietly reviewing their transfer orders on a datapad, looked up with a frown. “Echo Company, 1st Platoon. Doesn’t say much about our mission parameters. It’s all pretty vague.”

Bikram, ever the pragmatist, shrugged. “Maybe it’s for the best. After what we’ve been through, a quiet posting might be exactly what we need.”

The four Marines exchanged glances, each knowing that ‘quiet’ was the last thing they wanted or expected. The weight of their shared secret – the horrors they had witnessed aboard the Skravak ship and the subsequent cover-up – hung heavily in the air between them.

As the transport ship carried them towards their new assignment, none of them could shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a much larger, more dangerous journey.

Corpsman Martinez approached Wade, medical kit in hand. “Time to change that dressing, Private Kovacs. How’s the pain?”

Wade grimaced as Martinez began to clean the wound. “Still there, but the fever’s worse. Any chance of getting that prosthetic soon?”

Martinez shook his head. “Not until we get this infection under control. I’m doing what I can with our limited supplies, but you really need a proper medical facility.”

Suspect Orders

The briefing room of the ISC Vengeance buzzed with nervous energy as the newly assigned members of Echo Company’s 1st Platoon gathered. Lieutenant Jordan, a square-jawed officer with piercing green eyes, stood at the front, his expression grim.

“Alright, Marines,” Jordan began, his voice cutting through the murmur of conversation. “I’m not going to sugarcoat this. We’ve received our operation orders, and they’re… unconventional, to say the least.”

Wade, Jay, Mayumi, and Bikram exchanged uneasy glances. They had only been with the unit for a few days, but already they sensed something was off.

Jordan continued, “We’re to conduct a deep insertion into Sector 7G, a known hotbed of Skravak activity. Our objective is to neutralize a suspected weapons cache and gather any available intelligence.”

A holographic display flickered to life, showing a desolate, rocky planetoid surrounded by a dense asteroid field. “We’ll be deploying via drop ship, with minimal support from the Vengeance. Once we’re planetside, we’ll have approximately 48 hours to complete the mission before extraction.”

The room erupted in a chorus of concerned murmurs. Gunnery Sergeant Rodriguez, a veteran of multiple campaigns, Pulled Lieutenant Jordan aside and said under his breath, “Sir, with all due respect, this is suicide. The asteroid field alone would make extraction nearly impossible, let alone the Skravak presence.”

They exchanged worried glances and Jordan’s jaw tightened and said in a low but firm tone, “I understand your concerns, Gunny. But these orders come directly from Navy Admiral Blankenship. We don’t have the luxury of questioning them.”

As the briefing continued, detailing the specifics of their approach and planned assault, Wade leaned over to Jay. “This doesn’t feel right,” he whispered. “It’s like they’re sending us on a one-way trip.”

Jay nodded, his expression dark. “Yeah, and I can’t shake the feeling it has something to do with what we saw on that Skravak ship.”

Mayumi and Bikram, overhearing the exchange, shared a look of grim understanding. Whatever was going on, they were now caught in the middle of it.

Launch and Abandonment

The drop ship, a Thunderhawk-class assault craft, shuddered as it exited the Vengeance’s docking bay. Inside the cramped troop compartment, the Marines of 1st Platoon checked and rechecked their gear, the tension in the air apparent.

Wade lay slumped against his EVA gear next to him in the troop seat, his face pale and sweating from the fever. Jay, noticing his friend’s discomfort, gave him a reassuring pat on his good arm. Across from them, Mayumi and Bikram sat in silence, their faces masks of concentration.

Lieutenant Jordan shouted over the din. “Alright, people. We’re on our own from here on out. The Vengeance has been called away on urgent orders. We’ll proceed with the mission as planned.”

A collective groan rippled through the compartment. Private Chen, a fresh-faced recruit, voiced what everyone was thinking. “They’re just leaving us? That figures! And right in the middle of Skravak territory.”

“Stow it, Chen,” Gunny Rodriguez barked. “We’re Marines. We adapt and overcome.”

As the drop ship pushed deeper into the asteroid field, the reality of their situation began to sink in. They were a small, insignificant speck in the vast blackness of space, with only each other to rely on.

Jay caught Mayumi’s eye. “Remember when I said I’d rather be back on the Skravak ship sipping stasis fluid?” he said with a grim chuckle. “I’m starting to think I was right.”

Mayumi managed a weak smile. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

The tension in the compartment was suddenly broken by the sound of the cockpit door sliding open. All eyes turned to see a figure emerging – a figure that was decidedly not part of their platoon.

The Unexpected Stowaway

The man who stepped into the troop compartment wore the unmistakable insignia of a Marine Major General. His salt-and-pepper hair was cropped close to his skull, and his weathered face bore the scars of countless battles. But it was his eyes that commanded attention – piercing and intelligent, they swept across the stunned faces of the platoon.

“At ease, Marines,” he said, his voice a gravelly rumble. “I’m Major General Redside. And we need to talk.”

The compartment erupted in a flurry of movement as the Marines tried to grapple with the general’s presence, the confusion evident on their faces. Lieutenant Jordan pushed his way forward, his expression a mix of shock and indignation.

Jordan standing at the ridgid position of attention, stammered, “General, sir, We… we weren’t informed of your presence. What’s going on?”

Redside’s mouth twisted into a grim smile. “What’s going on, Lieutenant, is that we’re not following Admiral Blankenship’s orders. Not today.”

A ripple of whispers spread through the platoon. Wade, Jay, Mayumi, and Bikram exchanged meaningful glances, a spark of hope igniting in their chests.

The General’s eyes locked onto the four Marines. “Corporals Kovacs, Ringler, Kato, and Rana. Front and center. Yes, that’s right Corporal. Lieutenant, Gunny, get up here and help me pin these stripes on them. This is probably the last good news we’re gonna hear for a while. “

As Jay, Mayumi, and Bikram moved forward, Wade struggled to get up. Redside noticed his condition and approached him instead.

After pinning the new rank on the four, Redside turned back toward the rest of the stunned platoon. “Alright, enough with the formalities. What I’m about to tell you is highly classified,” Redside addressed the platoon. “These four Marines recently survived an encounter with a Skravak vessel. An encounter that certain elements within our government would prefer to keep quiet.”

He turned back to the four. “I need you to fill in the gaps for your fellow Marines. Tell them everything.”

Wade hesitated, the admiral’s threats still fresh in his mind. “Sir, we were under strict orders not to discuss what happened.”

Redside nodded. “I understand your hesitation, Corporal. But I’m giving you new orders. The safety of the Confederation depends on what you know.”

Slowly, hesitantly at first, then with growing confidence, Wade, Jay, Mayumi, and Bikram recounted their harrowing experience aboard the Skravak ship. They spoke of the human captives in stasis, the alien hunters, and the advanced technology they had encountered. As they talked, the faces of their fellow Marines transformed from confusion to horror to determination.

When they finished, Redside stepped forward again. “What these Marines encountered is just the tip of the iceberg. We have reason to believe that the Skravaks are engaged in large-scale abduction and experimentation on human subjects. And worse, that elements within our own government are complicit.”

The compartment fell silent as the weight of his words sank in.

“That’s why we’re here,” Redside continued. “Our real mission is to find another Skravak vessel, board it, and gather as much intelligence as we can. We have 24 hours once we disable the ship before our extraction window closes.”

Private Chen raised his hand tentatively. “Sir, what about the Navy? Won’t they realize we’re not following orders?”

Redside’s expression darkened. “As far as the Navy is concerned, you’re on a suicide mission. They don’t expect you to return. Which gives us the element of surprise.”

He looked around the compartment, meeting each Marine’s eyes in turn. “I won’t lie to you. This mission is dangerous. Maybe even more dangerous than the one you thought you were on. But it’s necessary. We may be the only ones who can expose the truth and protect our people.”

Lieutenant Jordan stepped forward, his earlier confusion replaced by resolve. “We’re with you, sir. What are your orders?”

Redside nodded, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “First, we need to find our target. Pilot,” he called towards the cockpit, “set course for the outer rim of Sector 7G. We’re going hunting.”

As the drop ship changed course, the Marines of 1st Platoon began to prepare for a mission unlike any they had trained for. Wade, despite his weakened condition, found himself at the center of it all, his recent experience suddenly invaluable.

“Well Corporals,” Jay muttered to his friends, “looks like we’re going back into the belly of the beast.”

Wade nodded grimly, fighting through the fog of his fever. “This time, we’re ready for them.”

The Hunt Begins

The Thunderhawk dropship glided silently through the vast expanse of space, its sensors sweeping the area for any sign of Skravak activity. Inside, the Marines of 1st Platoon had transformed the troop compartment into a makeshift command center, with holographic displays showing real-time data from their search.

Major General Redside stood at the center of the makeshift command post. Next to him, propped up on an improvised armchair to make him more comfortable, Wade monitored the sensor data and hooked into the platoon comms channel. Fighting through the haze of his fever, he moved his mic toward his mouth, “Radio check, over.” Jordan and the other team leaders responded, “Lima Charlie, out.” Corpsman Martinez hovered nearby, keeping a close eye on Wade’s condition.

“Remember,” Redside’s voice crackled over the comm to the recon team, “we’re looking for anything out of the ordinary. Unusual energy signatures, unexplained gravitational anomalies, anything that doesn’t fit the normal pattern of space traffic in this sector.”

Wade, his voice weak but determined, looked up at Redside. “Sir, what if we can’t find a ship in time? Our window is pretty narrow.”

Redside’s expression remained impassive, but there was a hint of concern in his voice. “Then we adapt, Corporal. We’ve come too far to turn back now.”

Suddenly, one of the pilot’s voices cut through the low hum of conversation. “I’ve got something! Bearing zero four seven, mark three two. It’s faint, but there’s definitely an energy signature that doesn’t match any known Confederation profiles.”

The General was on the comm in an instant. “Good work, Chief. That’s our target. Set an intercept course, but keep us at maximum sensor range. We don’t want to spook them.”

As the drop ship adjusted its trajectory, an intense sense of anticipation filled the compartment. This was it – the moment they had been preparing for since leaving the Vengeance.

Jay, busy checking his gear with the recon team, paused to look at Wade. “You know, a month ago, if someone had told me we’d be voluntarily approaching another Skravak ship, I’d have said they were crazy.”

Wade nodded weakly, a wry smile on his face. “Semper Gumby, bro. At least this time we know what we’re getting into. Well, most of us do.”

“Do we?” Bikram asked, his voice low. “We barely survived last time, and that was mostly luck. Who knows what we’ll find on this ship?”

“Ain’t no such thing as luck Bik.” Jay chimed in. “We have God Almighty on our side. The Bible says in Isaiah 41:10, Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”

Mayumi placed a reassuring hand on Bikram’s shoulder. “Whatever it is, we face it together. All of us, and the Lord.” she added, looking around at their fellow Marines.

Wade managed to struggle to his feet and asked the general if he could pray and ask God’s blessing on their efforts. Redside motioned his approval toward the platoon, closed his eyes, and bowed his head.

Wade, in the loudest voice he could muster, said, Let’s pray Marines. God Almighty, you know the evil that we are about to encounter and the evil that is behind it. We ask for your wisdom and protection as we bring light to a very dark situation. Be with us in Your strength, I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN.

Lieutenant Jordan approached, his face a mask of determination. “Alright, Marines, one more run through. We’re going to approach using the asteroid field as cover. Once we’re in range, our three veterans and myself will exit the back ramp at high speed as we pass as close to the Krav’s ship as possible. We’ll EVA to the ship and use the same entry point they used last time – the waste disposal system.”

There were a few grimaces at this, but no one complained.

“You’ll be positioned in the Thunderhawk outside scanner range waiting for our comms. Once inside,” Jordan continued, “we’ll disable the ship and bring the rest of the platoon in. We’ll split into teams. Alpha team, under my command, and Corporal Ringler, will push forward towards the ship’s central control systems to gather intel. Bravo team, led by Gunny Rodriguez and Corporal Rana, will secure our entry point and set up a fallback position. Charlie team, led by Sergeant Curry and Corporal Kato, will focus on gathering intel in the aft where the stasis tubes and cages were on the first ship and, if possible, locating any human captives.”

They all nodded fully knowing the cost of failure.

Redside nodded. “Corporal Kovacs and I will coordinate from here. His experience will be crucial in guiding you through the ship.”

As the Marines made their final preparations, checking weapons and sealing suits, Redside addressed them one last time. “Remember, Marines, we have 24 hours from the moment we disable that ship. Every second counts. What we find in there could change the course of the war, maybe even the future of humanity. Let’s make it count.”

The platoon responded with a thunderous, “OORAH SIR!”

The drop ship’s pilot’s voice came over the intercom. “Sir, we’re approaching optimal insertion range. Standing by for your order.”

Redside looked around the compartment, meeting the eyes of each Marine in turn. He saw fear there, yes, but also courage, determination, and trust. They were ready.

“All right,” he said, his voice firm and confident. “Let’s go make history.”

With that, the Thunderhawk surged forward, emerging from the cover of the asteroids on a direct course for the unsuspecting Skravak vessel. In moments, the recon team would be boarding, stepping once again into the unknown.

As Wade prepared himself for the challenging task of coordinating the mission remotely, a verse from Proverbs that he had just memorized came to his mind: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

He took a deep breath, sat up straight, and focused. Whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever horrors they might face, he knew that his faith, his training, and his comrades would see them through. The hunt had begun, and now it was time for the hunters to become the hunted.