The Scarman Enigma

[Robert Merlow]

Emergency Command Center, Liberty Embassy
Planet Kurile
Sigma-17 System / Federal Republic Space

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

Personnel were scurrying about as Merlow entered the Command Center. Officers and politicians from all branches of the Liberty hierarchy were running about the room, trying to ascertain what exactly was going on outside. An EM Pulse had very recently hit the building, effectively disabling all of the outer defense systems and enabling whoever was attacking them access to the building. The soldiers posted outside hadn't reported in, probably due to radio failure, and those inside found that communications with the outside world were jammed.

Merlow walked over to the communications officer, Ensign, any luck with contacting Freedom Fighter command?
She shook her head, No Sir, we've got nothing on any of the channels. The internal comms still work, and I've already notified everyone to bunker down in their sectors.
Good. See to it that protocol is followed. He shifted his focus from the comms station to the head security officer, a Marine Lieutenant Colonel.
Colonel, status?
Sir, it's not looking too good. Our perimeter sentries haven't reported in, and the soldiers we have left inside just aren't enough to secure the building in the event of an invasion of the Embassy. We can hold, but not for long.
Get all nonessential personnel into the shelter and have the men barricade the possible avenues of attack. Booby trap them if you must, but be sure that you leave yourselves a way out.
Yes Sir. I'll tell the men.

*BOOM*

An explosion rocked the building, shaking it violently and throwing everyone to the floor. Merlow hit his head on a screen and fell to the floor, the world fading out around him...

FADM's Quarters, Tuatha de Danaan
In orbit around Planet Los Angeles
California System / Liberty Space

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

Merlow awoke with a start, blinking real hard as everything began to come back into focus. He was in bed, next to his girlfriend Sarah. They had been dating for the last few years, ever since the reinstatement of the Liberty Freedom Fighters in their last universe. This was months before the Bretonian Conflict. Despite the battles for the the both of them, on and off their respective battlefields, they remained together through everything.

He tried to rise slowly, attempting not to wake her. He failed. She held onto his arm lightly and started mumbling.
What is it now? she mumbled into his ear, I can never escape that damned beeping...
I don't know, he said, now sitting up, but it's never anything good.
She gave a deep sigh, Well, be quick about it. I don't have much to do, you know.
He leaned down and gave her a kiss, I know. I'll be sure to be quick about it. He rose out of bed and walked to his closet, choosing his BDUs from the clothes on the rack. Dressing himself appropriately, he retrieved his weapons from hidden compartments in the closet. Strapping them on, he looked himself over in the mirror
You look like hell, he thought to himself, Try sleeping sometime, will ya?
With another quick kiss to Sarah, he left the room, met in the hallway by Seras.

What's the problem now, Lieutenant? He asked as she passed him a datapad.
Sir, Admiral Scarman is in sickbay. she said with a somber tone.
Wait, what!? he said, pausing in the hallway for a moment, How did he--?
Dr. Sagisawa says it was plasma-affected debris from a ship's engines. The wounds aren't lethal, but they certainly incapacitated him. General Serov is there, along with Captain Wade. They brought him back about thirty minutes ago.
Merlow looked over the datapad passed to him, absorbing the information, Sayne, he breathed, that bastard was responsible for this?
He caused quite the stir on the surface, Sir. We should have sent a HiME detail down with them.
Merlow shook his head as they approached Sickbay, That was my call to make. I thought that they could handle themselves there, apparently I was wrong...
The door slid open, revealing the clean, blue-white interior of Sickbay. Scarman lay on one of the numerous beds in the recovery ward, the console at the foot of the bed giving constant readings of his condition. His head wound was sealed with faux-skin and a single IV protruded from his arm, hooked into the console. Serov stood next to Dr. Sagisawa, speaking with her while Victoria Wade sat in a chair next to Scarman, a worried look on her face.

Doctor, status? Merlow asked, approaching from behind.
Ah, Admiral, good to see you're awake, Dr. Sagisawa greeted, turning to face him, Admiral Scarman's wounded but stable, his wounds were pretty serious. He shouldn't of stood so close to the ship's exhaust.
How long will recovery take? he asked, quite concerned.
Well, with that IV in him, it shouldn't take more than a few hours. The nanites should do the job quite well.
Rob, interrupted Serov, I'm not liking this at all. Sayne came out of nowhere and managed to penetrate Senator Scarman's estate.
I know, Merlow replied, I read over the report. Any recommendations?
We issue a security detail for Admiral and Senator Scarman. Plainclothes Sadukar and a few HiME should do the job.
I'll let you handle that. Merlow approached Captain Wade, Captain, are you alright?

---

Commander in Chief of the Migrant Fleet / Former Fleet Admiral of the Liberty First Fleet
Second Survivor of the Mentat Program.
We must give and take with good measure. Give too much, we become complacent. Take too much, we incur the wrath of our own. Tread Lightly.
--Supreme Bashar Robert Merlow--