Two Years Later
Earth drifted through space upon its perfectly appointed axis, gliding around the sun, and twisting within itself, giving day and night to both sides. In the northern mountains of the United Kingdom, Base Superior rested its garrison and crew as the early morning dew settled and wet the green grass of the valley, as news of the slaughter of The Axiom and her adjoined vessels had never reach them. An alarm clock abruptly began screaming, a scream that jolted a young man from his bed with dull sleepy eyes. Sitting on the side of a small cot bed in a long room with nineteen others stretched down the perimeter of the room on both sides. The lifeless lights began to flicker awake, with great effort the man squinted into the dull room and rubbed his eyes before giving off an audible yawn as he saw the other cot bed sheets beginning to move and moan under the abrupt appearance of white light, quickly getting brighter. Getting sleepily to his feet, the man dressed himself in blue patched military fatigues with a white vest, his dog-tags swinging lazily with his sluggish movement "Come on, lads, get up... chow time." said the man in a deep voice, Now standing in front of his mirror that was hanging just to the wall at the side of his little white cot. The reflection showed a stocky man with short brown hair, a small fringe that would never stay down, rebelliously curling up. Clean shaven and a small scar above his right eyebrow. Satisfied with his reflection he began walking down the small corridor in the centre that was flanked by the nineteen other cots. Picking up a security baton, he began banging the ends of the cots shouting 'get up' as the other men began to moan loader, some muttering and swearing under their breaths. Solomon, almost at the end of the corridor of beds was stopped by a sudden low repeating short buzz from the other end of the room, he looked over to see a red flashing light from the terminal from his officer's desk next to his cot. The room now fully illuminated, ten beds lined up at either side of the room, all brilliant white, not a single stain showing. The floor, a grey tile covering the full room and the walls; a grey steel colour bearing a different propaganda poster above each cot. All the other nineteen men now awake and making their beds neatly. As Solomon finally reached his command console, a message had been delivered to him.
Lieutenant Commander S. Gordon: Orders Class Six.
Captain Commander K. Sinderman requests your presence. you are requested to join a meeting at Briefing Room Seven with General E. Ken. At 08:00
Captain Commander K. Sinderman will await your arrival at Briefing Room Seven. Only upon arrival of both parties will the Room be open to you and the Briefing Commence.
Also, be advised, you are receiving a V.I.P. from your meeting.
Regards,
Synthia Garragh,
Command Secretary Grade 4, Sector Alpha – Delta
"Briefing Room Seven?" muttered Solomon under his breath with a worried look creeping across his face. "where the hell is Briefing Room Seven?" he asked himself. Solomon began to remove his blue fatigues and dress himself in his Officer's Base Fatigues, Olive Pants with Black attachment straps and a black t-shirt covered by an olive jacket with more black attachment straps. Before leaving, he instructed his men to prepare the room for inspection and get some breakfast. Picking up his portable command console and searching for the unknown briefing room from his officers desk, easily the finest and most cared for piece of equipment in the First Company, First Platoon's quarters. Mahogany wooden desk and chair with a soft cushion that, even though, not fastened down, never left the chair, the lads knew not to mess with an officers cushion, especially an officer's cushion from West Yorkshire. The desk had multiple draws down either side, each with a separate lock, a hard wide desk slab with sides that folded in on themselves and curved up to meet the tall back board of the desk. Finally discovering that Briefing Room Seven is only two floors above him, he set off to meet with his Captain Commander. Sinderman stood at the mouth of the briefing room door in a long grey metal corridor, a proud stern man, reaching his fiftieth year of age and sporting sides of grey on his otherwise black full head of hair. His uniform spotlessly clean which was usual for his proud appearance. He greeted Lieutenant Gordon with a nod before speaking through a forced smile and a fake Yorkshire accent "Ey up, lad. Looks big! Calling both me 'n you in like this. I 'ope you 'aven't been lookin' at stuff you sh'un't be on that, there console!" Solomon forced a nervous laugh whilst clutching his console tighter under his arm and replying with an exaggerated Southerners accent "no sir, nothing bad sir, just government secrets and naked ladies, sir." both men shared a natural laugh and the tension was lowered just before it was raised again by the door to Briefing Room Seven slide up effortlessly and a young lady stood in the threshold.
"Gentlemen. The meeting will now commence" her voice, soft as silk, softly glided through Solomon as she beckoned them in and motioned them to take a seat with her hands. The room: small and grey much like everything else in the base, a simple metal table sat in the centre of the room bearing six chairs, two of which had been pulled out for the men by the woman. As the men sat, Solomon glanced at the woman and gave an impressed smirk to Sinderman, who returned a serious look and a quick hidden shake of his head without the girl noticing, "General Ken's daughter..." he whispered as the girl filled two mugs with black coffee. The girl wore a white blouse and a navy-blue pencil skirt. Her hair flowed blonde past her shoulders; her sides tied behind her head to keep them from interfering with her eyes. Before Solomon could respond to Kyril, the door opened again, and an aged General entered the room. General Ken had served in the military his whole life, now an aged man, his uniform had begun to not fit him as it once did. His once slender build now beginning to expand at his waist. "Gentlemen." said the General as he stepped over to his chair looking around the room with a raised eyebrow, and then gave his daughter in a disproving look. His daughter caught this and spoke defensively "It's all Synthia could get me on such short notice Pa-pa, I'm sor-" General Ken held his hand up and she immediately silenced. "My Daughter, Gentlemen. Meet Sandra. She began her term here a week ago and she still calls me dad..." he said with a playful sigh and shake of his head with his eyes twinkling at her.