A friend in need...

[Frank McLynn]

May 29th

Adrian Morton was worried. He didn't worry often, but now was one of those times. He lit a smoke and paced around infront of his desk.

How long has he been out there?

The thought wasn't a comforting one.

That message could have been sent a week ago or more... He could already be dead for all I know.

That was less comforting. Adrian looked over the report again, looking for clues, ideas, locations... anything to help sort this mess out. Any soldier knows you lose friends sometimes, and Adrian wasn't any stranger to that. Grace Callahan had been his mentor, drinking buddy, and closest friend. She was gone.

Ain't gunna happen again Adrian... Can't.

He glanced back at the report once more.

=======================
Incoming Transmission
=======================
Receiving....
Decrypting....
Translating....

From: Major Carl J. Anders
To: Hellfire Legion HIGH COMMAND EYES ONLY
Subject:
----------------------------------------------------

Good news and bad news. The good news is Meallan Dagon is somewhere in Colorado. Where exactly, I don't know. His systems seemed to be fried. He said that his life support should be online for at least four more days. I think anyway. The bad part is before his comm systems are down and he said that we have a Class Alpha 7 security breach. What that is, I don't know. But I'm betting it isn't good. Attaching comm logs. Major Anders out.

[29.05.2011 02:30:47] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: This is Sta***********STATIC**********agon of the Hellf************STATIC***************y day! May day! My shi****STATIC****
[29.05.2011 02:32:11] [HF]-Carl.Anders: *Taps his commlink* That sounded an awful lot like the Colonel.
[29.05.2011 02:32:17] [HF]-Carl.Anders: Colonel? You out there?
[29.05.2011 02:32:41] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: *******STATIC*******usted! Need supp*****STATIC*****gational computer is down and the engines are de*****STATIC*****
[29.05.2011 02:33:04] [HF]-Carl.Anders: Colonel, can you give me a location set?
[29.05.2011 02:33:48] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: *****STATIC*****ow where i am.*****STATIC*****vigational comp is down.
[29.05.2011 02:34:43] [HF]-Carl.Anders: Navigational Computers down
[29.05.2011 02:34:49] [HF]-Carl.Anders: That sucks.
[29.05.2011 02:34:52] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: Life support still func*****STATIC****lert HC for a class Alpha 7 security breach.
[29.05.2011 02:35:16] [HF]-Carl.Anders: That doesn't sound good. Want me to send out a rescue team?.
[29.05.2011 02:35:40] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: ******STATIC******ck this piece of comm******STATIC*******
[29.05.2011 02:36:48] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: Just aler*****STATIC*****for a Alpha 7 security breach. My life su*****STATIC****** still funct****STATIC***** four days
[29.05.2011 02:37:52] [HF]-Carl.Anders: *Sighs* Got it.
[29.05.2011 02:37:57] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: *****STATIC***** energy batteries.
[29.05.2011 02:38:24] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: *****STATIC****omm link is going do****STATIC****
[29.05.2011 02:38:28] [HF]-Carl.Anders: I suppose.
[29.05.2011 02:38:40] [HF]-Carl.Anders: Comm link going down? Crap.
[29.05.2011 02:38:42] [HF]-S-MealIan.Dagon: *****Signal ended*******

Enemy casualties;

None

Legion casualties;

None


Encrypting....
Sending....
Logging....

=======================
Message Stored
=======================

It could have eased his mind, but it didn't. At least Meallan had been responding, after a fashion.

It's only Colorado Adrian... Only Colorado. Only a few hours. Nothing more... He's out there Adrian.

Morton stubbed out his cigarette, and stored the message on his datapad. This was a second chance for him. One lost, one to find. He walked down the coridor to the comms room.

"Meg, I'm gunna need you to put a tracer on this. See what tri-angulation data you can get on the transmission."

"Adrian, I can't, I mean... Everything's got to be cleared with..."

"Screw clearance, this isn't Hellfire business. This is mine damnit."

The young comms officer just looked at him sternly, her eyes the very picture of disapproval.

"Just do it Meg."

"I'm gonna be forwarding all this to the Star Colonel, you know that, right?"

[color=#FFFFCC]"Yeah yeah, keep your nose clean."

- - - [color=#FF6600]- - - -

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<span style="font-family:Impact"><span style="color:#FF6600">ADRIAN<span style="color:#FF0000">_morton</span></span></span>