Airic and his squads returned to the same base they had departed from, and had just walked into the same Barracks that they had left 18 hours earlier with all new gear and equipment that the rest of the base got a good look at as they walked from Portal Control. Airic's was the most obvious, as it was clearly not even Human design let alone manufacture when.
He had barely gotten it off when General Kerrigan entered wearing his very own version of the alien bracelet and was amazed at what it could do. "Do you understand what this means?" Keriigan asked excited.
Airic looked at him as the other smiled and looked at eachother before looking at Airic. "It means we are going to take 48 hours for this debriefing, and go to one of the planets on the list of Vornak Bases to try and establish contact with them. During which time you and the rest of Special Operations will figure out how to begin making our own versions, and deploying the units we already have as defensive squads on the planets we have colonies and bases at." Airic said as Kerrigan smiled.
"It means we have a chance to turn the tide of this war." Kerrigan said ad he poured himself a drink, as well as everyone else there. Even the kids were poured one, as he knew they had earned it. It also wasn't the first time Airic had drank thier toasts, despite the fact that he wasn't a fan of most of what the men drank that was alcohol. "A toast, to the Pgoenix Squad." He said raising his glass as they all copied him.
Airic smiled as it was the first time for most of his school friends, and you wouldn't find an alcohol on the shelf that was under 120 proof. "General, we need to talk." Airic told his as he chuckled.
"Debriefing will be at 0700, and apparently the Senior Council has discovered our secret. They are aware it is use that is General Falcon, and has been leading these annual missions for the last 6 years." Kerrigan said. "All 5 of them will be in attendance."
Airic looked at him with a smile. "How much do they know?"
"Not sure, but that they know you are Falcon is enough. The stories in the service about his exploits are legendary after all, and I know for a fact two of them have mentioned him in the past."
"Well I guess I will show up in dress uniform than." Airic said with a smile as the cat was out of the bag. "This should make life interesting."
"It should indeed, especially since it is not an honorary rank, nor are any of your medals. That alone is likely to catch thier attention." Kerrigan said pouring another as Airic walked over and stopped him from pouring anyone else one.
Airic opened a cabinet that only he and his father had known the code to, and pulled out three bottles of BlackBerry brandy that Airic actually liked. "Gentlemen, it is time for a proper toast." He said as they each sat thier Connor the counter and he opened the first bottle before filling them all. "Today we have avenged my father, and opened the next chapter in the war with the Krillin. Let us hope it leads to many more adventures, and that we all survive to tell the tale." He said raising his glass to them before they all took a drink and this time the other kids didn't nearly puke from the taste.
The next morning Airic was in the common area of the barracks when Emily came out, and was clearly stunned at all of his ribbons and qualifications. He had nearly every qualification there was outside of the special forces, and he even had some medals that soldiers went their entire lives not earning.
"Are all of those real?" She asked him as she sat down still tired.
"As real as the adventure we had yesterday, they are just linked to my undercover profile just like yours will be. You lot will spend the day at the range with Wolf getting your firearm qualifications today while I am in this debriefing. Once we graduate the cover profile and your own will be merged, as will your rank." Airic told her as she smiled.
"How old were you the first time?" She asked him.
"When Butterfingers took us through the red portal?" He asked and she nodded. "It was 2 days before my 7th birthday, 6 years ago." He as he remembered it was now his 13th birthday today.
"When is your birthday?" She asked as she realized she knew almost nothing about him.
"Today actually." He answered as Kerrigan entered and smiled.
"Good you are awake and ready. Do we need to go over what to expect?" Kerrigan asked him.
"It is just the military council isn't it?" He asked as he drank the last of his coffee.
"Yes, the 5 members of the military council." Kerrigan replied.
"No, I attended several of them with dad." Airic answered as he looked at Emily. "You should go back to sleep for awhile, you have about an hour before Wolf comes to wake everyone up for the range." He said before he followed Kerrigan out of the barracks and into the Administration building.
The 5 were sitting in their seats when Lerrigan escorted him in, and it was clear that they were not expecting him to enter when they summoned General Falcon.
"What is the meaning of this?" Councilor Williams demanded. "Why have you brought Cadet Lieutenant Airic Carter here?"
Airic smiled as he looked at him. "Did you not summon Lieutenant General Falcon to appear at this date and time?"
"We did, but why would you appear here in that attire?" Councilor Bash asked.
"Because for the last 6 years, I have been operating a Covert Operations team during the summer with my father under the code name General Falcon. Other than that, I assure you my uniform is proper." Airic replied as he looked at them. "Shall we continue Gentlemen, or is there some issue you would like clarified first?"
The 5 men looked at each other and shrugged. "Hiw did this entire operation begin? Surely yournfsther wouldn't have taken a 6 year old to a dangerous planet." Williams said not believing it for a second.
"Quite correct councilor, as my father was not the initiating cause of the first operation 6 years ago. While on vacation to a green planet with me, he was summoned to a planet that the base had come under heavy attack from Elite Monsters, and was summoned to lead the evacuation effort. Than Captain Kerrigan was ordered to evacuate me back to Earth and safety. During the confusion at the portal, we traversed the portal to the planet that was being evacuated just as the portal was untethered at the other end. My father gathered the first team, and mounted a rescue mission of both me and the other refugees. 6 days later we were reunited, and returned to Earth none the worse for wear. You can read the full details in the mission reports." Airic answered.
"Is this statement accurate General Kerrigan?" Councilor Derrick Todd asked him.
"Yes sir, it is sir." Kerrigan replied.
"So the other 4 reports are accurate as well?" Williams asked the two of them.
"Yes sir, we would never lie on official reports." Airic answered automatically.
"Why are you here Cadet?" Williams asked.
"Sir, with all due respect, my Lt. General title is not honorary, and my rewards and qualifications can be checked with the testing center. Therefore it is appropriate at this time to refer to me as my Military Rank of Lieutenant General, and not my civilian rank of Cadet Lieutenant. To answer your question, I am here to avenge the death of my father by traveling through the portal to the planet he was killed and liberating it." Airic told him bluntly as the 5 councilors looked at each other.
"How can a 13 year old have the qualifications to serve as a Lieutenant General?" Councilor Sharp demanded.
"He has passed every evaluation required to hold the rank, and has lead men into combat on several occasions. In fact the mission he referenced to avenge his father has already occured this year, and the wealth of knowledge discovered we have barely scratched the surface of despite 3 research teams being dispatched. You will have the reports within 48 hours as required from all officers that took part in the mission." Kerrigan answered with a smile as they looked at each other again.
"Just what kind of beast was it General Falcon?" Sharp asked.
"It was a Necromancer from another species, that left behind a vast trove of knowledge and equipment in a hidden base 500 miles from our own. In fact, from what we have been able TJ determine so far, it will advance our knowledge and technology by atleast 150 years, as well as given us the location of 27 other planets that we have yet to discover." Airic told him as he pulled out one of the guns and allowed them to see it.
"General Kerrigan, I understand General Carter approved expeditions 1 through 5 during his lifetime, and cannot be questioned about his motives now. Who in the active military authorized mission 6?" Councilor Williams demanded.
"I did at the request of General Falcon sir. He contacted me with suspicions that we were not dealing with a normal creature based on his review of security tapes that we had. After further analysis it was determined he would be the perfect field Commander for the mission, and it was approved under the same criteria that General Carter himself used to approve missions 2 through 5." Kerrigan responded slightly amused that they were surprised by this.
"This turn of events is disturbing General, truly disturbing. A 12 year old child commanding troops in the field is not something that this army should have ever allowed." Sharp said.
"All due respect sir, this 13 year old has been commanding troops since he was nearly 7. If not for him I myself would not have survived the first mission, and I know of atleast a dozen high ranking officers that would gladly join any mission that this young man lead. In fact the last mission was volunteer only, in which 2 entire divisions volunteered to go on. In the end only 2 platoons departed, and not a single man was lost despite the amount of creatures they faced and killed." He said as the 8 squad commanders brought in over a dozen crates of soul Crystal's that had been harvested and collected from the planet.
The looks on thier faces as thousands of crystals were stacked in dozens of crates shocked them as all 8 Colonels stopped and saluted him before moving to stand behind him was telling for the Military Council.
"Colonel Simmons, is this not below your paygrade?" Councilor Sharp asked.
"No sir, especially not when you have summoned my current commanding officer to answer for missions that each of us volunteered for. Respectfully, you will find my cover is Wolf." He said as thier eyes widened as they saw the patches indicating who each of them was and what thier cover was.
"This is definitely interesting, and for now we will close this inquiry. However we must insist that no further operations are allowed to be performed without approval from this council." Sharp said.
"Request authorization to travel to an unknown planet where a possible friendly alien race resides." Airic said as he stood. "It is not a mission that has any hope of succeeding without my involvement."
"Why is that?" Williams demanded.
"Because the information was received from a member of this same species before he perished in our last mission, due to the abilities I myself posses. Without me there, the men will not be able to prove they have had contact, and will also not be offered the same protection as I will be. As such, Inrequest permission to lead a reconnaissance team to this planet in an effort to make contact and establish peaceful relations." Airic answered.
"Mission Approved." Williams said knowing his argument was valid. "Dismissed."