Comm-Link #011

Day 4,168, 12:45 • Published in Ireland Japan • by Violence Seth

Last Episode: Comm-Link #010
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Sandy Macleod's Encrypted Logbook: I was woken up in my quarters by a sharp electronic buzzing siren. It's so irritating and impossible to ignore. The bases lights had been all turned on and where alternating between red and white. That meant we were either under attack or someone needed medical attention immediately. I'd only heard it twice since Dr. Assouley had hired me. Once it was just as a drill and the second time was when the O'Malleys had been brought back, from G*d knows where.

There was a commotion downstairs so I quickly got dressed and leaned over the second floor balcony to see what was going on. It was Base Commander Mac Allistar. He was being propped up by Esposito and Mick. He was bleeding from his stomach and pale as death. Dr. Assouley came down swiftly from his offices. I could only faintly hear what they were saying. Something about Petrov going missing in the Balkans after surgery in a city called Stip.

The Commander had got separated from Quigley as regular "Fay-Rom" soldiers hunted him down after catching him trying to board a Cargo plane home. The medical team, including Dr. Payne and Dr. Macallisar helped him on to a stretcher. Commander Mac Allistar barked that Quigley was deep in the field and needed help. He was carted away to the Medical Ward which had luckily just been upgraded and stocked. Dr. Assouley ordered everyone back to their respective quarters. As soon as I began to undress, his wife Dr. Rachel Assouley ordered all Medical and Research staff to the Medical Ward over the bases inter-comm. My heart was beating hard in my chest as I wondered if Mac Allistar was going to be okay.


Muldoanich, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Day 4168, 17.00 eRT

Dr. Rachel Assouley tasked me with Commander Mac Allistar's aftercare. He was stable but had undergone intense surgery and looked pale from blood loss. Even in his weakened condition he looked so, well he looked like a Greek Statue. His features were so fine. His body, although bandaged up, still revealed his taut muscles. I placed my stethoscope on his chest. I could hear his heart beating slowly. Bizarrely, he became conscious, I don't know how. Perhaps the sudden coldness of the steel on skin? He snatched my wrist, quick as a snake. I felt his crushing grip on my arm and seen a cold, deathly stare in his eyes. "Where am I!" he growled, pulling me toward him.

He released me, seeing I was no threat and I quickly backed off, knocking a tray of food over that'd been left for him. "I'm so sorry Commander!" As I cleared up I caught a glimpse of him stretching. He was astonishing to look at. He seemed magnanimous, his eyes softening and a slight smile rising on his perfect.. He didn't seem to care I’d woken him. "I'm sorry, you gave me a bit of a start there Doctor. What day is it? How long have I been out?" I couldn't answer at first, he had me tongue tied. I cleaned up the mess I’d made as quick as I could then muttered he had been out for a day and Dr. Assouley was waiting to hear from him. "What about Quigley?" I couldn't answer him, I felt my cheeks turning red. I just exited the room to alert Dr. Assouley that the Commander was awake.


Mac Allistar was full of vitality despite his three gut-shot wounds. He had all the others at base around him constantly. Even the "Reprimanded" O'Malleys. They went diving, spear fishing and a dangerous game they'd invented aptly called "Danger Kiting". They'd strap themselves to a parachute and try catch the wind to get airborne. Bonus points seemed to be awarded for landing on the Island unharmed. Most of the Medical and Research staff that tried landed dangerously into the rocky sea. The Rasa Blank commando's made light of it. Mac Allistar had no problem guiding himself home once he got airborne. I looked for hours through the massive murky, wave trashed windows, leaning my arms on the balcony 'til they went numb. Esposito invited me along a few times but I told him I’d a tonne of work to do. In truth I was afraid of being around Mac Allistar.

Later one evening, about three days after Mac Allistar had come back, the Commandos all sat around the commons drinking. I spied from the balcony. The whole crew where assembled there, all except Quigley. They were drinking what they called "Blank Slates". Soon they were drunk and telling tales no one would believe if they hadn't spent time with them. Esposito survived an avalanche in the Alps and still got his man. The O'Malleys told the horrid tale of Petrovs torture, well the girl one did anyway. When it came to Murph he seemed upset. "Quigley is out there alone, away from us, his family!" he said angrily.

Mac Allistar walked into the middle of the group. He held a tank shell of their "Blank Slate" cocktail up. "Quigley, you skinny gobshite. You try-hard poet, you beautiful soul.. We salute you, hard as rock and quick as wind, you'll come home to us. Now, everyone, say the words!" Mac Allistar pointed to each and everyone of them 'til they stood. "Blank Animo, Blank Corde, Blank Meam!" The other commandos repeated the words and they drank. "He'll be back, he's a Rasa legend!" piped up Liam, drunkenly. Mac Allistar nodded then sent everyone of these master soldiers to their quarters with a wave of his hand. Esposito caught my eye, I thought no one could see me in the gloom. He walked off back to his quarters. I kind have wished he didn't though, but that's Men for you.


I was about to fall asleep when I heard someone crying. It echoed throughout the corridors so I couldn’t find out where it was coming from at first. I heard a bang from the infirmary. It was light’s out in the base, but I had to investigate. I went forward in the darkness but the sobs turned into shrieks, like a banshee’s wail. I doubled back to my room and picked up a torch and a dull flick knife from my drawer. I came across a very skinny girl, dressed in our Medical garb. She was sitting in front of the Infirmary door. “Hey there, What’s your name?” I asked softly, clutching tightly to both my torch and flick blade.

“Leonora.” she said in an odd accent I couldn’t place. “Why are you up Leonora? You know these folk. They won’t like it, are you..” She stood up. “F*ck them and what they think!” she hissed defiantly. I could see junkie bruises, on both arms. “Heroin?” I asked, turning the light away from her. She nodded. I used my I.D to open up the infirmary. I lay her on one of our beds. “No one told me you were here Leonora. I’m so sorry.” She just nodded, clearly in a state of anguish. I set her up with a light Morphine I.V drip and fixed her finger to a heart rate monitor. I stayed with her until she was asleep. She was in one of the most expensive Black site bases in the world and yet the poor girl had simply been lost in the shuffle. As I stroked her hair, pondering my own role in all of this the base siren suddenly shrieked again. Same as when Mac Allister had returned. I made sure Leonora was still asleep, then ran towards the Commons.


“Quigley, has been captured.” Dr. Assouley was standing over the commons from his office balcony. He looked like a phantom as the dim lights swelled from red to white. The commandos began shouting but Mac Allistar and the scary female O’Malley calmed them down. “He was captured by Goshawk in the field. Now they want to trade.” His voice echoed. “Trade what sir?” asked Mick, in his whispery voice. “To trade Petrov back to them O’Malley, you idiot!” Dr. Assouley was uncharacteristically angry. All the O’Malleys shrunk into the crowd. “Tell them they’ll have their prize if Quigley is unharmed.” Mac Allistar was so assertive. “Ghost, Butcher you’ll lead the parlance. I don’t care what or who you bring, just keep them there until you see Jackdaw. Valkyrie, Blind Fox, Silent Fox, take out their snipers and mount their positions. Weapon procurement on site. Remember, if you miss a single one of them Jackdaw is dead, understood!?” The O’Malleys nodded. “Doctor, we need to call in Raven for this. Spare no expense, we need her.” Dr. Assouley nodded. “Dismissed!” the Commander barked.


I went back to my quarters quickly. He had to hear about this. I knew I could get in terrible trouble but this was the reason I was here. I needed to tell him or he'd become suspicious. Anyways, I knew he'd believe me. At least this time. I routed through a different Comm-Link so I wouldn't raise suspicions. I picked Dr. Assouley’s wife Rachel's Comm-Link. It buzzed for a while. “Ah! Hello Rachel, this is a pleasant surprise!” I hit the link with three short bursts and one long one. “What are you doing calling me!” I waited a while to think of a “coded” way of relaying the info. “Petrov is in Rasa care, play fair in the switch.” He hit three bursts back then one long one. I hated lying to my Father, the "good" Doctor Fogarthy but Rasa Blank has become a home to me. I’d hate to see anyone come to harm. Speaking of which, I’d better check up on Leonora. Signing off.

Sandra Ann Macleod, Medical Technician
Medical Nano-Biology Department, General Operations
Rasa Blank


Created by Cat Sith and Sethesin