Bright Horizons

Chapter 3

08 April 2042

Kyle stepped out of his car and stood looking at the huge machine rumble along just a few hundred yards from where he stood. Over twenty feet tall and weighing close to 3,000 tons, these machines dwarfed even the mobile artillery pieces that he was so familiar with.

He shook his head in amazement. If the shuttle movers were this impressive to him now, what had people thought of them sixty years ago when they were first used?

Kyle looked towards the shuttle hangers and saw four movers coming to the launch area and three heading back to the hangers. Tomorrow would be a busy day at the center; four launches in twelve hours.

He pulled his duffel out of the back seat and crossed the parking lot to his new home for a few weeks.

An airman at the desk welcomed him with a smile and voice that reflected the sunny, bright Florida day.

“Welcome Colonel, what’s your assignment code?”

“CO of Tango 37 group.”

“Your team is in the East Building, sir, just past the pool. We have assigned the entire second floor for you, and that includes a secure briefing room. I will call General Thibodeaux and let him know you have arrived. Here is your passkey and your room is 204.”

“Thank you, Airman,” Kyle said as he took the guest brochure and passkey that the airman offered. He pulled his duffel back up to his shoulder and strode off to check out his quarters.

Several people were lying out at the pool, and a blonde woman was swimming laps. A quick scan told Kyle that none of his team was out there. Out of the corner of his eye he caught some motion and was able to see a curtain at a second floor window quickly come to a rest.

A slight smile crossed his lips. He was so proud of his team; they weren’t going to be taken by surprise.

As he entered the stairwell, he heard movement up and down the hallway. Major Diane Kitch greeted him at the top of the stairs.

“Good Afternoon Colonel, I hope your trip went well.”

“Thanks Major, it went fine. I always enjoy the drive down.” Kyle started walking down the hallway. “The whole team here?”

“Dolsen should be getting here this evening, she hit a connection issue in Chicago, but everyone else is here,” said Diane as she kept pace with him.

“Great, let me throw my gear in my room and I’ll meet you in the briefing room. Which one is mine?”

“Next door on the right, sir. The briefing room is two down from there.”

Kyle used the passkey to open the door and look in. Bed, two chairs, a table, a sliding glass door that he knew opened onto a small balcony. Closet and bathroom doors. TV and dataports.

The room had a distinctly un-military feel to it; like looking at a cheap, but nice, motel room.

Kyle dropped his bags on the bed and went back into the hallway.

“Everything ok, sir?”

“Yeah, seems fine. How is the food here?”

“The terminal has a decent snack bar if you want some junk, but stay away from the officers club. I don’t know what they think is acceptable “steak”, but that’s not it. Four pizza joints deliver and two Chinese places. Since we are restricted to camp, don’t know any local restaurants. Oh, and of course there’s a couple of fast food places.”

Kyle smiled and grunted. She knew he hated fast food.

Diane turned and opened the door to the briefing room. Inside were the other 10 people he had been expecting. A few doughnuts had survived the wait, and the smell of decent coffee wafted through the room.