The Broken Peace

The Western Star settled on the landing pad with a jolt. Once the crew secured the craft, the boarding ramp lowered. McMillian stepped off the ship, looking for ground transports to take their cargo to Training Base Delta. After a few minutes delay, the first transport arrived. She approached the driver, "Did winter arrive?"

"Not with the sun so bright," he replied.

"Alright, men, get the cargo unloaded." McMillian asked the driver, "There should be two more trucks; where are they?"

"Delayed, but they'll be here soon. Security around the city has been tight, so we had to take different routes."

"Fine, let's get the first truck loaded." An hour passed before the truck was fully loaded. By the time the crew finished loading, the two other trucks arrived. The crew loaded the next truck as the first one pulled away from the dock.

The second truck was nearly loaded when three men approached. "Hey, what's going on here?" asked a large man carrying a datapad. "We're not scheduled for any deliveries. Who the hell are these people?"

"We're unloading our ship's cargo," McMillian said.

"Not with these guys, you're not. Where's your union cards?"

"Union cards?" she asked.

"Yeah, ships using this dock will only be unloaded by Dock Workers United Union members. According to this datapad, there are no deliveries scheduled for today."

"I'm sorry. We arrived early and were told it would be no trouble to go ahead and unload."

"Who told you that? It's a hefty fine for using unauthorized workers. Now, either you show me some authorization papers, or I'm reporting this to the port authority."

"Sir, my apologies. This is our first time here and-"

"Doesn't matter, lady. Off-worlders are expected to comply, and ignorance is no excuse. Are you the captain of this tub? If you are, it's your responsibility to be in compliance."

"Again, my apology. I have some paperwork inside that will clear this matter up.

"There better be a lady, or the port authority will impound this tub."

"If you will follow me, sir." She led the man inside the Western Star. As they entered the corridor to the cargo hold, McMillian turned on the man with her weapon drawn. Two shots rang out, and the man crumpled to the floor. Stepping over the body, she returned outside. Without a word, McMillian gunned down the two startled dock workers. "Get the bodies put away. The rest of you finish loading the trucks."

Two hours later, the trucks were loaded. "Climb aboard the trucks," McMillian ordered.

"Lieutenant, what about the ship? Are we just going to leave it here?"

"In a few days, it won't matter."

Near sundown, the trucks arrived at Training Base Delta. Once the trucks were parked, dozens of personnel began to unload the crates on the trucks. McMillian asked one of the men closest to her, "Where can I find Colonel Larkin?"

"The command bunker is over there, ma'am."

McMillian went to the bunker. The guard allowed her entry after she showed her identification. Inside, a corporal showed her to Colonel Larkin's small office area. "Lieutenant Carmen McMillian reporting, Colonel."

"What have you to report, Lieutenant?"

"The weapons shipment has been delivered, sir. It is being unloaded now."

"Good, anything else?"

"Yes, sir. Captain Federov said to begin Operation Case White."

"Case White? Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. Begin Operation Case White."

"Come with me, Lieutenant." Larkin led McMillian through the command bunker until they came to a map room. Inside, Nigel Baptiste and several other MLA officers poured over the map's details. "General Baptiste, the time for the General Offensive has come."

"Now? Are you sure?" Baptiste asked.

"This is Lieutenant McMillian. Tell him what you told me."

"Captain Federov ordered Operation Case White to begin," McMillian responded.

"But we are not ready. Several positions are only partly manned. We need at least another week."

"You have forty-eight hours, General, to prepare your forces. Case White must proceed whether you are ready or not."

"We will have to pull forces from the secondary objectives to make up for the loss. It will set back our timetable."

"No matter. The Anatolian troops will be spread too thin to respond to the majority of our attacks. The day of liberation is at hand, General. It's too late to back out now."

"Louis, Catherine," said Baptiste, "send the signal to our troops. We attack in forty-eight hours."

Darren yawned for the third time as he stood his guard post along one of the service roads outside Gelenion. The two others with him manned a light-machine gun but otherwise acted as disinterested in their post as Darren. Few tried to pass through this area since the Anatolian crackdown began weeks ago. Most traffic was confined to supply trucks and the occasional passenger vehicle.

"Stop yawning, will you? You're making me sleepy," said one of the others.

"Take a nap, why don't you? It's not like anything happens here anyway. Watson can handle the MG."

"Right, and take the chance one of the brass shows up? No thanks."

"Have it your way. Do you have a cigarette?"

"Why? None of us smoke."

"It's a good time to start. At least it'd take my mind off being out here."

"Darren, are you the hero type?"

"No, but this is the fourth day I've had to watch this outpost. Most traffic has been stopped for days."

"That's right, and since then, the number of attacks has lessened. That's worth a little boredom to me."

"So, are you still seeing that Petty Officer? What's her name, Starling?"

"Sterling. Petty Officer McKenna Sterling, and yes."

"Yeah, she's a-hey, look alive, we've got an arrival," Darren said as a small passenger vehicle rolled to a stop at the checkpoint. Darren approached the vehicle, seeing the young, attractive, blond-haired woman driving the car. "Where are you going this evening?" he asked her.

"Hi, my mother called me, saying my father was taken to the hospital. She says he was having a heart attack," she said. Her voice was in a near panic.

"Is that right? What hospital?"

"Gelenion Regional. They specialize in cardiac patients. Please, I need to get through."

"Sure they do. I need you to step out, please. Dietz, scan the car and make sure she's not carrying anything."

The young woman complied. She fidgeted as the Anatolian soldier began to scan the car.

"You look awful nervous," Darren said to her.

"I'm sorry. This is not like my father. He's never sick, so when mother said he was in the hospital," she said, without finishing her thought.

Dietz used a portable scanner to check the vehicle from the front to the rear. The scanner's beam traced every line of the car's construction. "It's clean. No weapons detected."

"Too bad. Well, go on then. Hope your mother gets better."

"My mother? No, my father."

"I see. Well, alright, carry on."

The blond woman drove through the checkpoint and on toward her destination. She arrived at a small home in a housing district in Gelenion. After parking the car, she exited the vehicle and knocked on the door. "You're late," a man said as he waved her inside.

"There's a checkpoint on the service road now," she said.

"I take it they didn't find anything."

"No, they used a simple hand scanner and didn't even bother to frisk me."

"Sloppy. Where is the explosive compound?"

"Taped to my body, so do me a favor and be gentle when you remove it."

"Since when do you like it gentle?"

"Since I've got explosives taped to me."

"No worries. Without the detonators, this stuff is harmless. Are they still in the car?"

"Yes, hidden in the same place as before. Did you receive the word from higher up?"

"Yeah, the clock's ticking. Our guests will be here by eight tomorrow evening. We attack the consulate two hours later."

"Good, let's get this stuff off me. After that, you can take the rest off."