Aberrant: Stargate Universe - Major Ashley Logan

[Mr Fox]

"All airmen report for briefing in 5. All airmen report for briefing in 5." The speaker in the mess hall announced loudly. Troopers all over the room began to stand and move to dispose of the remains of their meals. Why did it have to be now, thought Sgt Elijah Simms. They couldn't have waited ten freakin minutes so he could eat more than three bites of his meal? He sighed and stuffed a large bit of roast in his mouth and stuffed a roll in his pocket before depositing his tray above the garbage can. At least the folks here ate well if not in peace. He bumped into another airman moving through the door. He tried to say he was sorry, but caught himself realizing he still more than he could swallow easily. He just shrugged an apology and the other man nodded in sympathy.

The other man looked at his tag and said with a bit of an accent, "I am Mark Jacobs, on loan from the Israeli army, and don't worry I haven't been able to relax for a full meal yet and I have been here for three days. Did you just arrive?"

Simms nodded swallowing the bite at last. "Yes Sir Lieutenant. I just got here a couple hours ago and just stowed my gear before they showed me to the mess. Any idea what this is about?" He just got a shrug in return from Jacobs.

From behind them a female voice said, "They will tell us in 2 minutes and thirty seconds, I suggest you hurry, they don't like it when we're late."

The two men glanced behind them and stiffened at the sight of the oakleaf on her collar. They said in unison but very different accents, "Yes Major."

Major Ashley Logan smiled to herself. "New recruits," she muttered They were always the same no matter what branch of the service or what country of origin.

The three were among the last to take their seats in the briefing room with 15 seconds to spare. Right as the clock ticked the last second Major Samantha Carter strode through the door followed by the base commander, General Jack O'neil. Major Carter took the podium.

"Welcome to Stargate command. I am sorry your arrival has to be under such circumstances, but we are critically short of airmen. Three SG teams were lost offworld two weeks ago. Two were struck down by an alien artifact, and a third was ambushed and either captured or killed while attempted to secure the same artifact. We believe at least two members of SG4 survived and are being held captive by the group responsible for the ambush. We are making every effort to find them and hope to have location within the next few hours. When we do we intend to rescue them and arrest those responsible. We believe the group to be an organization that pretends to be an agency of our government, however, the agency was disbanded a year ago by Presidential directive. Those remaining are rogue agents that did not surrender as ordered. They are highly trained and dangerous but we believe we will have the element of surprise. As you know we have the Prometheus which has Asgard beaming technology and when we have located their lair we will be able to beam in at multiple locations almost simultaneously." She paused a moment to look the audience over, "We will be issuing as many of you as we can the Zatt guns. These are non-lethal stun weapons, however, a second shot against the same target will kill. Your orders are to take them alive if at all possible, however, you are authorized for lethal force in the defense of your life or that of one of the captives."

She gave everyone a moment to process that, the finished, "I know some of you have not yet had an opportunity to train together and that is a liability, but you were all chosen to be here before this current crisis. I have every confidence in you all, and I will be there leading you." She stepped back from the podium to let the General speak.

O'neil was a man of few words, "We are going to get our people back. Dismissed."

As O'neil and Carter walked out of the room, he could be heard to say, "I thought that went well. I was inspiring, right?" Carter just gave a smile and an an amused shake of her head.

Being the ranking member of the assembly once O'niel and Carter left, Major Logan stood up and address the others. "Some of you have just arrived and don't know your way around yet. Find a buddy and make your way to the armory and gear up. I want Flack jackets, sub-voc mics, Ingram Mac-10s with 90 rounds each, and either a side arm or a Zatt if you are lucky enough to be issued one. Once we are equipped we will drill for two hours, no live ammo loaded in weapons during the drills. Move!"

Logan lead the way a good pace with her erstwhile companions Lt. Jacobs and Sgt Simms at her back moving like an honor guard.

Three hours later the raw recruits were looking something like a professional team as they were dismissed by the Major. "Get some rest, and some food and be ready. The minute they get that location we are Go."