The Director's Daughter: Part Two Of The Freelancer Saga

Chapter 2

Carolina activated her helmets headlights as light beams all crisscross the floor as the troopers and civilians all slowly move in a straight line as Carolina allows herself to lose her focus as she then snaps to attention when she sees a contact on her radar. She held up her hand and everyone stopped as she switched on her thermal to see a cold aura surrounding a body. "Hey Wash, turn on thermal."

Wash comes up beside Carolina, "What the hell is that?"

"I don't know, but I am about to find out." Carolina goes up to the thing to see a Cryopod with a fogged up glass. She brushed off the glass and she reeled backward. 

Wash ran up to her as he looked in the Cryopod  and took a step closer. "Is this who I think it is, the original, the real one?"

Carolina nodded, "Yeah, this is definitely the real one, look at the ID on the pod. It is Allison Church. The best freelancer but also the one who was no matter how hard she tried, doomed for failure. This is the one and only real Allison Church. This is my mother. I knew she was sent out with full honors by the UNSCMC but I never realized where they put her pod. And now, Ugh, we need to keep moving. C'mon Wash. We cant let Hargrove's forces catch up to us."

After Carolina got back into line the whole cave was filled with a low rumble as the mines went off and their old base blew up. About 2 hours later Carolina went down a path that  was narrow and she saw a large cavern beyond it. "Got us a place Wash, but I don't know how we can get the vehicles through. We can always dig pits for the vehicles and use them as sentries if we have any more AI fragments to use to control the guns. It is dark but it shouldn't be too much of a problem to set up some flood lights and light the place up."

"Good find Carolina, alright troops, set up all of the essential facilities such as the infirmary and the barracks, then set up a computer that we can hook up to the vehicles to use them as turrets, and then finally we need to create an SOS ping repeated relay that Hargrove won't be able to track but one that the UNSC fleet can track. Then finally i will set up a rotation for the sentry watch with Kimball. Then finally we can rest. Let's go!" Wash stood and watched as the first generators and floodlights came on to reveal a massive cavern with a rainbow assortment of crystals that were glowing softly on the ceiling. "Hopefully we can find a way to stay alive. "

Carolina set up a relay and set up the SOS message and then encrypted it as she sent it out to where it could only be located by the UNSC. "I hope to hell this works. If it doesn't, we are all dead anyway. And Wash, the Director is coming to our aid with a new ship. I should have told you sooner I know but, he has 3 other freelancers with him. And any chance to see our friends again is a chance i am willing to take."

Wash then looked at Carolina and he stood there unsure of what to say. Finally he sighed, "Carolina, we need all the help we can get, but just make sure you remember how the freelancers tore each other apart. Remember what he put Epsilon through. I trust your judgement. Now let's go talk with Kimball and go set up the rotation." Wash patted her shoulder as Carolina saw the pits for the vehicles being dug as the first scorpion battle tank was rolled into the pit as the soldiers started to fill in the pit to protect it. She saw two more scorpions and 3 warthogs left with a solitary ghost that they were using as the sentry. 

Kimball stepped out of the infirmary, "Lets get 3 flood lights in front of the turrets to blind them. Set them to maximum light but only turn them on when you see Hargrove's forces." Kimball turned to the freelancer duo. "We have on hell of a setup but what if it isn't enough? Can we really win?"

Carolina stepped forward. "I don't know whether we can or can't but would you rather run or fight for your planet to save the rest. We have civilians here. We can't let them be killed without at least trying to protect them. A great man from long ago once said 'Fight for something, rather then live for nothing.'  These people, soldiers and civilians alike all believe in you and look to you as a leader. so now you have to embrace it fully. You are a great leader and these people trust you. If you need help at any time. Ask. And if at any time you don't feel like you are the best leader, go to who you think is the best one and ask for their advice or ask them to lead. If you don't see anyone else, then go with what will save the most lives. I believe we can get through this. We just have to hold out. So lets set up the rotation, Wash and I will take the first shift."

Wash looked at his mission clock as he allowed his mind to stray and he thought of the Dakotas. He couldn't help but think of something South told him. Wash dozed off in his Scorpion as he dreamed of South.