The Landfall Campaign (The Nameless War) (83 page)

Red line, The:
Standard terminology for the outer edge of a planet
’
s Mass Shadow, thus the closest to a planet that a ship can make transition in or out of jump space.

Scram:
To shut down a nuclear reactor rapidly in an emergency.

Silent Running:
A state in which a vessel powers down and reduces all emissions to avoid detection.

Skipper:
Unofficial term for officer in command of a vessel. As such can apply to officers of virtually any rank.

Tample:
Carbon based oxygen breathing life form with both Lizard and Insect characteristics. Broken down into seven separate and competing. Star Nations the Tample were the second sentient race to be encountered by humanity.

Locations and Personnel

Deimos:
Luna Class Flak cruiser

Captain Ronan Crowe

Commander James Hockley

Lieutenant Colwell

Flying Officer Alanna Shermer (pilot D for Dubious)

Hood:
Admiral Class Cruiser.

Commander Faith Willis

Commander Alex Horan

Chief Engineer David Guinness

Warspite:
Warspite Class Battleship.

Vice Admiral Paul Lewis

Staff Captain Tim Sheehan

Captain Holfe

Douglas Base:
Battle Fleet Installation Landfall

Rear Admiral Alfred Eulenburg

Brigadier Sebastian Chevalier

Staff Captain Gillum

Marine Robert (Rob) Jowlett

Alice Peats (civilian language expert)

Damien Demolder

Mantis:
Predator Class Destroyer

Commander Berg

K7:
K Class Courier

Jeff Harlow (Journalist)

Lieutenant Douglas Driscoll (Commanding Officer)

Situation vacant
:

Operative Required, post includes:

Full training

International travel

Slight to moderate chance of death

No allergies to animals preferred.

Jennifer Graham has a dead-end job, a grotty apartment and a boyfriend who was last seen skipping town with every cent she owned. An ordinary life, until the night a tall dark stranger breaks into her home, and offers her a job. A secret organisation wants Jennifer, why they will not say, but introduced to a world of myths and monsters, for Jennifer the race is on. Can she learn enough about this new world - and herself - to survive it.

The Job Offer

by Edmond Barrett

excerpt

Jennifer was already awake when her alarm clock went off. She
’
d gone to bed early because she didn
’
t have a reason to stay up. After washing she went to her apartment
’
s tiny kitchen and took out the box cereal. She started to pour some out then stopped and checked how much was left in the box. There was about a single portions worth left, Jennifer looked at it was for a moment, then went and check her purse. There was twenty five dollars left, Jennifer sighed and poured the cereal back into the box.

Leaving her apartment Jennifer met her new friend - a big dog that seemed to have moved into area; she been a bit nervous about it when it first came up to her, it
’
s tail wagging but since then had got used to it following her to work. As she offered her hand it sniffed hopefully, then looked up, it
’
s tail wagging.

“
Sorry mutt, I didn
’
t get any breakfast either.
”

It gave a snort, almost as if it understood, then took a few steps and looked back at her.
“
Yes, you
’
re right, time to go.
”

Darren, the duty manager was just opening the shutters of the little AP Supermarket when Jennifer arrived. No one else had arrived yet, but that was pretty normal.

“
Hey Jen,
”
he greeted her,
“
That damn animal again? We should call animal control to get rid of that thing.
”

“
It
’
s not doing any harm,
”
Jennifer said as she looked back at it, the dog wagged its tail.

Once they we inside Darren immediately headed for the office in the back while Jennifer started to open the till while keeping an eye on the door to let the others in.

“
Jen,
”
called Darren,
“
Ethan
’
s called in, he
’
s not going to be in.
”

“
Of course he isn
’
t,
”
she muttered before shouting down the store,
“
What is it this time, drunk, stoned or couldn
’
t be bothered to get up?
”
But Darren had already disappeared back into the office leaving Jennifer to mutter angrily to herself. Jennifer had been working in the store for nearly a year and half, long enough to become one of the store
’
s best workers. Not that too hard. The morning shift was mostly composed of the employees that were useless but didn
’
t quite manage to get themselves fired. Even Darren fell into that category, but at least he could be bullied into signing off on her overtime. The rest of the morning shift trailed in, varying degrees of late. By the time the doors opened, Jennifer had got the deli counters set up then Darren made another appearance.

“
Jen, the boss left a note, some stuff got delivered late last night. Looks like it got as far as being logged and caged, can you start putting it out?
”

If she
’
d said no Darren probably would have sloped off and asked someone else. Part of the reason the morning shift was so useless was that people quickly realised Darren had all the people management skills of celery. But Jennifer actually quiet liked shelf stacking, it was a chance to allow her mind to wander. So for the first hour she slowly worked along the rows, empting one cage after another.

The boxes of instant Raman belonged on the top shelf of number two row. At full stretch, the space she needed to get the last box into was just out of reach. She looked around but there wasn
’
t a step anywhere is sight. Frowning she tried again to reach, slipped and suddenly boxes of Raman were cascading down around her. Sighing Jennifer started to pick them up.

“
Need a hand?
”
A customer, a man stooped over and started to pick the boxes up, Jennifer started to mutter thanks then did a double take. He was tall, when he straightened back up he was able reach the top shelf with ease, he was certainly better looking than most men in the neighbourhood, clean but unshaven and wearing a battered looking long coat.

“
Thank you,
”
she said, noticing his bright blue eyes.

“
You
’
re welcome.
”
he gave her a toothpaste ad bright smile.
“
I don
’
t suppose you know where you have the teabags?
”

“
Sorry, I don
’
t think we sell them.
”

“
Ah truly I am in an uncivilised land,
”
he said lightly before strolling away, a basket grasped casually in his hand. Jennifer watched him go with curiosity.

The rest of the morning went quietly enough with only the usual aggravations and a visit from a friend.

“
Jen, come on. It
’
s just lunch,
”
asked Dillon. A fellow employee in the store, he wasn
’
t supposed to be in until the afternoon, but he
’
d bounced in to persuade her.

“
Dillon, I can
’
t afford lunch today,
”
she replied shaking her head.
“
Anyway, I had a big breakfast.
”
Her stomach chose that exact moment to prove her a liar. 

“
Come on Jen, my treat?
”
he persisted and Jennifer hesitated. Dillon was one of the few people in the store that knew of her money problems, and its cause. But then Dillon was a good friend, except he wanted to be more.

“
Come on.
”

“
Alright,
”
Jennifer relented,
“
make it the place across the road. I
’
ll join you in a few minutes.
”

The coffee shop across the road was a small place, privately owned rather than part of any big franchise. It had opened about the same time Jennifer started at the AP Supermarket, and since then it had just about managed to stay financially afloat. Jennifer knew a couple of its staff and until recent months, had treated herself to lunch there once a week.

Walking into the coffee shop Jennifer looked around for Dillon, he was sitting near the window and waved her over.

“
I
’
ll get it. What you want?
”
he asked as he got up.

“
Whatever you
’
re having will do,
”
she replied.
“
Thanks Dillon.
”
As she took off her coat a movement in corner of the shop caught her eye. It was the helpful customer leaned over the table, reading a newspaper. She thought about it for a moment then got up and walked over to him.

“
Hello,
”
she said.

He looked up puzzled for a moment then recognised her.
“
Hello Jennifer,
”
he replied.

“
How do you know my name?
”
she asked slightly flustered

“
Nametag,
”
he said pointing.

“
Oh.
”
Jennifer suddenly felt more than a little foolish.
“
I just wanted to thank you for your help,
”
she added quickly.

“
Ah not problem,
”
he said,
“
of course if that had been a bottom shelf you would have been on your own, harder for me to get down that low.
”

“
You
’
re English?
”
she asked, finally recognising the accent.

“
Well British Subject if you want to be technical; I
’
m Douglas.
”
he waved her towards an empty chair.

“
What is it you
’
re doing here?
”

“
Holiday actually.
”

“
In Chicago? This bit of Chicago?
”
Jennifer asked puzzled as she sat down.

Douglas grinned.
“
What can I say, I decided to go off the usual tourist trail. Everyone assumes that when you do that, you need to go to some jungle somewhere where you can get shot at for tuppence. I decided to defy all convention and come here instead.
”

“
You can probably get shot here as well.
”

“
Ah a bonus. Now if I could only get a decent cup of tea in this country it would tick all the boxes. Ever been to my crowded little island?
”

“
No, I
’
ve
…
I
’
ve never been out of the States.
”

“
You should. This country has some very worthwhile sights but so does the rest of the world.
”

“
I
’
d love to but
…”
Jennifer trailed off into a shrug.