Author: Red Falcon
Email: PantherMate@aol.com
Category: not too sure
Disclaimer: not mine, never have been, never will be
Spoilers: afraid not this time
Summary: not gonna tell, this was done in hopes of breaking a mental block sorry
HELPLESS
By Red Falcon
"It's coming in now, sir. The feed is going to be a bit jumpy and filled with static but we will be able to hear and see most of what's going on." Lt. Roberts said.
The satellite image came online with a loud squeal and static filled hiss. There was a rumbling crunching sound of incoming and outgoing mortar fire. "Is anyone out there? Can you hear me? We're in real trouble here." A tentative voice called through the static.
"We hear you, what exactly is going on over there?" the admiral asked. He figured that whoever made the call got the wrong number, or whatever it was that those satellites used, and got them instead of a local command post.
"What isn't going on, sir? I thought I was calling base command. We're in trouble here. There have been quakes for the passed three weeks. Last night there was a report of a massive rock slide that hit one of the villages our team was patrolling, I don't know if they got out in time. SHIT! FUCK! Get everyone out of there; they're trying to break through the perimeter."
The admiral picked up the phone and put in a call to those who would know when or if help would arrive. He wasn't too happy with the results of that call but didn't say anything as the picture settled down and became clear again. Neither man could see too clearly into where ever the transmitter was set up, it was too shadowed, but they could see movement and the fires that were burning out of control.
"Damn that was too close. They're getting bolder, I don't know how much longer we can hold out before they over run us." The voice was back, still in shadows but definitely back.
"What's the situation now?" the admiral asked.
"They've been driven back but they'll regroup and try again soon. We've lost six more and a dozen are wounded. We're running out of time, sir." the shadowed voice said. There was a loud wracking cough as dense smoke drifted through the bunker. "If help doesn't get here soon, we're gonna lose the hazmat bunkers."
There was another round of loud explosions that came through the transmission. The sound made it through the admiral's office door. Tiner opened it carefully and was stunned to see the live action of combat on the admiral's monitor. He backed out of the office, without closing the door and made a dash for Commander Rabb's office.
"Sir, I think you should see the admiral now. Lt. Roberts is in there and they are, I don't know what's going on, sir but there may be trouble." Tiner said. It was a good thing that Colonel MacKenzie was also in the room. "All right, go on back to your desk, we'll be right there." Harm said.
They exchanged looks and then headed for the admiral's office. When they reached the open door both officers were struck silent by what they could see on the monitor.
"Those bastards, they're after the hazmat bunkers. They want the weapons we confiscated." The shadowed voice said.
By then, the bunker where the transmission was coming from had a large hole blown in one wall. A running fire fight could be heard in the distance. There was a massive fireball seen. It was so bright that it blanked out the camera for a few moments although sounds could still be heard. Everyone in the admiral's office, half a world away from the desperate fighting, could only look on in helpless frustration.
"Sir, what's going on? Where is this coming from?" Harm asked.
"I'm not sure. Whoever it is must have dialed in a wrong code or something. Where ever it's coming from, they're in deep." A.J. said.
"Sir, are you still there?" the voice asked.
"Yes, we're here. What's happening?" A.J. asked.
"I'm stuck; when the bunker blew I got buried some. I can't get through to anyone beyond the mountain range. Can you try, sir? Someone's got to get here before those other bunkers blow or
nothing's gonna survive."
"I've already put in a call, there's fighting all over the place. The higher ups think it's a coordinated assault." The admiral said. He knew that no one would get there in time to do any good but didn't want to say anything out loud.
"It probably is. We've been taking down a lot of chemical weapon's makers in the last few weeks; our bunkers are bursting with the crap we've taken. No one's come to take it off our hands and now this."
"We'll keep trying; someone's bound to be close enough to get your people some help before it's too late."
"I hope so, sir, I don't want to die in this hole."
Before anymore could be said there was a high pitched whistle, then a ground shaking rumble that seemed to go on forever and then a painfully bright light. "Oh god, they've hit bunker twelve. It's on the far side of the compound but it has the worst of the stuff we've found."
All they could do was watch the spectacular blaze in wonder. "It's going to spread and we don't have the man power to stop it now." The voice said. The camera tilted and wobbled as it was moved. "Sir, you've got to order an air strike. Get them to drop high explosives, anything that burns hot. They've got to burn this place to the ground and then burry it."
They could just make out the faint image of a young soldier trapped under the rubble of the bunker. "We'll get your people out and then burn it." Harm broke in.
"There's no time, the fire is spreading. Building eight is about to go. Just do it, you can't take the chance that this stuff will get out of this area."
The admiral was on the phone relaying the current situation to the SecNav, knowing full well that the trapped soldier was right. It would be a holocaust if that stuff got into the atmosphere and spread.
"We're dead anyway; you're just saving us from suffering."
A.J. approached the monitor again, "It's done and the planes should be there in twenty minutes. We'll stay with you as long as we can." He said.
"Thanks, sir, it's not like any of us wants to die but there really isn't any choice now. And the choice between what's in those containers and drums or a quick fiery death from a bombing run, well sir I'd rather die quick if it's all the same to you. I just wish it didn't have to happen. Damn I was going home next week too, this really sucks." The young man said.
"War usually does. Can you give us a report on your current situation?" the admiral asked trying to take the young man's mind off what's about to happen.
"The ground has been shaking for the passed three weeks. Lt. Miller has been worried about the containment integrity, especially the bunker floors. The Lieutenant died three days ago in the first
assault. We've been hit on and off ever since the engineers finished the last bunker but it got worse after we started bringing in that stuff. . . . Oh god this stuff burns. It feels like my skin is on
fire." He couldn't help but cry out.
"They'll be there soon just hold on a little while longer. You've done a fine job and it's almost over." The admiral said.
Three more explosions rumbled into the night and over it all the young soldier could hear the roar of incoming fighters. "Oh thank god they're here! Don't let these bastards get away with what they've done to us. You've got to stop them. Avenge us sir. Tell our story to whoever will listen. Don't let this happen again."
There was a series of powerful explosions that shattered the night even more than the previous blasts. "Isn't it beautiful, sir?" that was the last thing that young man said as the bunker he was trapped in blew up.
Half the JAG staff was gathered in the admiral's office. They just sat there in stunned silence as static filled the monitor. No one knew what to say, what to do. All they could do was reflect on what they had seen and be glad that they were together. The war on terror had just escalated.
The End