Grounded

Posted on Wed Feb 27th, 2019 @ 8:19pm by Captain Kevin Hawkins & Brigadier General Nathan Wolf

Mission: A Brand New Day
Location: Stargate Command

The drive to the complex was almost to much for Hawk as he soaked in the information of the project back up and running. The years of them digging and unearthing so much from the Cheyenne mountain complex, then rebuilding it up in technology, security, and man power. It was a well hidden but completely obvious set up. The idea of having an alien device built into a mountain complex designed for a missile but decades ago completely converting things to be for the Stargate program. It was an exciting thing to say the least as it was the most kept secret on the face of the planet. And now Kevin was part of the whole thing. Deep down... he was truly feeling like a kid. He looked forward to it and seeing it all up front.

The entrance onto the base was similar to the Area 51 program being escorted into the facility and security checked. Once they got into the elevator, the still silence crept in and caused Kevin to change from excitement to concern and nervousness. after a couple decks, they moved to a new set of elevators which meant a new set of security checks and personal belongings left in lockers by security forces personal. Once cleared, the three made their way into the next set of elevators and down even more. This time, the elevator stopped from time to time, and base personal would start to enter and exit. Most were air force, but some where just civilians, and one or two other branch service members. He just nodded and watched as they continued down.

"This is our Floor," the master sergeant spoke up and both the major and captain stepped off to find more security staff, but this time, armed. The narrow corridors only allowed for two or three to walk side by side, forcing the Captain to follow the two so to allow others to pass them. Nonetheless, he was ok with this as he took in all that was around him. But it didn't take long before they walked up a set of steps into a control room filled with computers, servers, civilian and airman running things. There was constant chatter, as they did their work. But what they all weren't staring at was what caught Kevin's eyes as he looked to his left. Passed the computers, there in front a blast proof glass was the large device he had only seen in reports, but no pictures. All he could draw in his mind was nothing close to what he saw before him. He was sin total shock and awe.

"Captain," the voice of the master sergeant broke his focus as he looked over at her as she gripped his shoulder. "General Wolf is waiting for you up in his office."

"Right..." he noded as he started for the spiral stairs quickly taking in the view of the stone alien device. He had heard about it for so long in reports, and was able to test out some of the reverse engineered technology that he a part of him felt like he had been part of the program for more than just the past hour.

At the top of the steps, he found a long conference table and several chairs and off to the right was the blast window overseeing the room with the alien device. He moved to the window as the two that had escorted him left after telling him to wait for the General. Below was a large metal ramp that took teams through the gate. Above was what looked like a long arm like device which had multiple uses being installed. It looked like it wasn't fully installed, but the applications once it was done could be practically anything.

When Hawkins entered his office, Wolf rose and offered his hand. "Welcome, Captain. I'm Brigadier General Nathan Wolf. When the inmates let me, I run this asylum known as Project New Dawn. Though from your file, I understand you were connected to the old Stargate Program, so you're at least a little familiar with what we do here. Please, sit."

After shaking the man's hand, he nodded and took the offered chair. The general was as relaxed as he would have expected a pilot officer, but he wasn't going to completely act like a fool. ”Just the death glider portions. The egg heads are trying to reverse engineer the tech to make something of our own, but you know how that is, sir," Kevin replied as he looked around the office real quick before focusing soley on the man.

"Well, Captain," Nathan said. "You'll be happy to know that we've gotten a break in that regard. It's possible that a functional US military version of a Goa'uld Death Glider just got closer to being a reality. Maybe you'll even get to fly one. Until then, let me tell you why you're here. We've reorganized the teams since the days of the old Stargate Program. At Project New Dawn, we use six person teams instead of four. Four or five military personnel and one or two civilians for a total of six members for most missions. One of those team members needs to be a pilot, but a pilot with ground combat training, one that can move and work well with men and women from the special operations community, who will make up the rest of the team. Since you worked on the Death Glider project before, you're at least somewhat familiar with Goa'uld flight tech, which is one of the reasons I specifically asked for you. You'll have several responsibilities on the team. Along with regular team duties, you will, obviously, be responsible for any actual piloting that needs to be done, whether that means stealing a craft for a quick escape, stealing a craft to provide air support or close air support, or whatever else might require a pilot's skills. But I'm not going to lie to you. You're going to spend a lot of time on foot. Can you handle that?"

"That's the plan, sir," the captain nodded as he took in a deep breath before continuing on. "I assume there were other reasons for picking me... IF you don't mind me asking." He knew that he had gotten some ground training, and survival training covered his minimum requirements to handle field work, but it wasn't close to the tactical skills of special forces members in the branches. Still, it didn't hurt. He had made friends, over the years, in security forces to give him actual hands on training with several different types of weapons and qualifications to add to his list of capable skills, but actually using those things in a deployed location never was something he had received. Now, he had his chance.

Nathan frowned. "You fishing for compliments, Captain? You're a solid pilot, you're familiar with Goa'uld tech, and some people believe that you probably won't get everyone killed when you're on the ground. Is there something I'm missing? Do you have a secret skill I just have to have that isn't in your file, or if it is, that I missed? Knitting, perhaps? Crochet? Flower arranging? Poetry? Calligraphy? Remember, even the samurai had to learn poetry and calligraphy. I think they even learned flower arranging. It was thought to make them well rounded. So don't be shy, Captain. Spit it out."

Nathan paused. When he didn't get a reply, he went on. "You're here, Captain, because you're a ballsy pilot who has both the technical knowledge and practical skills to fill a position I need filled here. What happens next? Well, I guess that's up to you, right? Okay, we'll get you an on-base room you can use for now and for when you're on standby or when you just need to crash here. Security has a list of approved housing resources in the area. If you want something off-base you're authorized to look for it. The usual allowance for off-base housing will be provided with location adjustment if you choose to live off-base, same for off-base sustenance allowance, again, with location adjustment. Welcome to Project New Dawn, Captain. I expect great things from you."

The captain looked the general over unsure what had just happened but then again, he didn't know much of the General. This still wasn't the first time seeing a higher ranking officer acting such ways with him. Kevin wasn't the most ideal officer in the services, he was still unwilling to let that stop him from advancing.

"Well, General, I honestly wasn't looking for a compliments, but I'll take them," he smirked slightly as he shrugged. "I have my uncle's home which i can live in for now but I can make sure security allows the area and home. Otherwise, I thank you, sir, for the welcome." He paused as he felt he was about to be pushed out, he started to ask questions. "If you don't mind me asking, sir, how long has the stargate operational again?"

"Officially?" Nathan said. "About a week. They've been testing it for a bit before we got here. Probes only. We didn't have any Intel on the situation out there at the time and didn't want to risk sending teams through until we were sure we both had the gate working reliably and that we were prepare to meet and deal with armed hostiles. Oh, and if it's your uncle's house, I'll have OSI sweep it for listening devices and check out any neighbors. So...go ahead and stay there for now, but be very careful about what you say to who. Be vague about your job here, or feed them some technobabble bullshit that makes you sound like your job is incredibly boring. Meanwhile, I'll have OSI come by ASAP and sweep the house, and I'll have them put a rush on checking out any neighbors. We'll also set up a secure line for you there and trick out any wifi networks you've got in the house. We'll get you a new cell, a more secure one. You can stop by Cyber Security for that before you go, and like I said, they'll come by your uncle's place a trick everything out for you."

Nathan grinned. "Don't worry about my barking at you, Captain. You handled that pretty well, which is important. If you'd taken that personally and gotten defensive or belligerent I'd have started worrying that you'd be a problem in the field. Some of the aliens we interact with think they're gods and that we're barely worthy of notice. If you can't handle being insulted by me, if you can't keep from taking something like that personally, how would you handle, say, some who who thought they were...Anubis talking to you as though you were dirt? No, you did good, Captain. I'm damn glad to have you here with us. Alright, I've got work to do and you've got to get settled in. As soon as the team gets back, you'll get to meet them. Your dismissed for now."

With that, Kevin stepped up and stood at attention in respect real quick before relaxing and nodding. "Sounds good, General," he responded and stepped out of the office back into the conference room. He looked out at the stargate before him and the technicians below. He was truly here, now on the front line of exploring the galaxy out there. This was going to be good.