A Drink Of Starlight

Noon, everybody was at the new vehicle Brett had managed to buy just outside the hotel. An early 2020’s Toyota 4Runner. Brett was carefully packing their bags in the back so as not to cause any damage to the contents, while Paige stood behind him ‘supervising’. “Please put mine in last man, I have delicates in there.” Owen can hear her pleading.

“How long of a drive to the base is it?” Owen asked as he walked over to join the team.

“Bout an hour and a half, looks like Cam already claimed shotgun.”

“That means I have control over the stereo,” Cam called from the front passenger seat with a mischievous smirk in the rearview mirror.

“Man if you play Kidz-Tunez for an hour again I may just kick you right out the door,” Brett laughed as he put the last bag, Paige’s, in the back of the SUV.

As the last door closed Brett put the gear in drive and the team was on their way, wheels on pavement, for now. Not too long into the drive Brett calls out,” I could use a bite, anybody else?”

“I could eat,” Cam looks up from his phone.

Owen hears Paige’s stomach rumble beside him, “I think it’s unanimous then, let's get some food.”

“Mm have I ever told you guys about the time Owen fell into a swamp in the Amazon?” Paige asked through a bite of her cheese burger.

“Seriously, THIS story,” Owen rolled his eyes.

“This oughta be good, let’s hear,” Brett slaps the steering wheel.

“Well we were walking a tight path trying to get to some ruins that were first reported right, as we’re following our guide some kind of wasp flies right into his face,” Paige recounts, “I’m behind him and I see the whole thing go down, his arms go up waving and you can see the balance begin to shift, next thing you know he tries to take off and runs right into the swamp, he came up with all sorts of algae hanging in his hair, I couldn’t help but bust up laughing at him right there. That’s when I knew we would be the best of friends. That was our first mission together right Owen?” She says as she pats him on the shoulder.

“Unlike the rash I ended up getting, I haven’t been able to get rid of her since,” Owen laughs.

“Whatever, The University lets you hand pick your teams, that’s why I keep getting dragged out to who knows where,” Brett said, “Man I wish I had been on that team, just imagining the look on your face as you came out of that water has me in tears.”

“If you hand pick your teams how come this is only our second mission together then Owen?” Cam poked.

“Availability my friend, any time I asked you were already on a mission, believe me I tried.” Owen said, “Besides it’s only been a few missions now I’ve been allowed to pick the team members, I think they’ve had Paige and I together for so long due to chemistry and familiarity with work.”

Although this being the second mission the four of them have been on as a team Owen felt a sense of closeness he hadn’t felt on any of his other teams. He was glad to see that the addition of Cam, although quiet at times, was a great fit. He knew Brett and Paige would get along from past missions. All had their various reasons for joining and staying with The University but this was the closest Owen felt to family in a long time. He looked at each team member in turn and couldn’t help but smile at witnessing the joy expressed throughout the cabin as everybody shared stories.

“Say what made you want to work for TU?” Cam asks Brett.

“Man that’s a long story, for short though,” Brett started, “I was an Orphan, bounced from home to home, didn’t really ever have a place, anything, or anybody to call my own. So, I went the path of destruction, I joined the Army in search of war. Tried everything, sex, drugs, gambling couldn’t find anything to really get the job of self destruction done. Was a damn good soldier though, squad got captured at one point. We were blindfolded and taken to some cave in rural Afghanistan. I managed to free myself and the whole squad, we subdued the insurgents but in the process their computer equipment was destroyed. So with just the clothes on our backs and the cover of nightfall I was able to lead us back to base just with the stars. It was then I started believing my life was worth a damn, I guess someone else noticed too. Not too long after TU came calling. Said they only wanted the best of the best, some real CIA type stuff. Now here I am.”

“Damn that’s rough man, I guess I never really knew to ask with how upbeat and boisterous you are but although your life was hard, I’m glad it led you to this, you’ve been more than a teammate to me over the last couple years, you’ve been a true friend.” Owen said as he put his hand on Brett’s shoulder.

“The past is the past, I’m truly glad destruction ended up not catching up with me,” Brett said.

“Alright Cam, your turn” Paige said.

“That’s a tough speech to follow,” Cam said to lighten the mood, “My story is more simple, I rebelled against traditional parents, they wanted me to follow in my dad’s footsteps and become some famous scientist, I didn’t so I joined the Army. Parents threw a fit and disowned me, haven’t spoken since.”

“And now look at you, a secret rock scientist,” Paige teased as Cam shook his head giggling.

“Man, The University really loves its loners,” Owen said.

“Now that I think of it, the only people in The University I know with families, the families are also part of The University,” Paige remarked.

“Secrets are easier kept inside the company is my guess why they operate that way,” Said Owen.

“Heads Up, gate ahead,” Bret called out.

“Credentials ready everyone” Owen reminded everyone.

They pulled up to the gate and Brett handed the Security Forces member the stack of identification badges provided the previous day. The guard scanned the badges with his barcode reader and handed each back one by one. When the last badge was handed back Owen asked for directions to the building where they would be meeting with Jettison.

Brett pulled the vehicle up to the building bordering the flight-line that the gate guard had marked on a map for them. Mark was standing outside next to a gate leading onto the flight-line waving for them to pull up to it.

“How was the drive in?” Mark asked as Brett pulled up to the gate.

“Little long but not too bad,” Brett said, “sure could use the stretch of the legs though.”

“Let’s get you to the plane then,” Mark turned to a standing pin pad, input a code and the gate slid open, “Tail number CA-002, it’s the big one sitting just to the south, there will be someone there to direct your vehicle on the plane.”

“You want a ride over there with us?” Brett asked.

“Thank you but I need to go grab my things, I’ll see you over there.”

“Copy that chief.” Brett rolled up his window, placed the placard on the dash and drove through the gate.

Brett spotted the plane they were set to depart on and turned to head that direction, “He wasn’t kidding when he said the big one was he? How does that thing even fly?” He asked bewildered. As he pulled up to the open back of the plane a man in a flight suit approached the window.

“Afternoon, I’m Schmitty, I’ll be your load master for this flight, I’ll direct you up and in where we want ya,” he pointed in the direction of the ramp leading into the plane cargo bay, “at this time I’ll ask all but the driver to step out of the vehicle.” By his direction Cam, Owen and Paige got out and stepped aside. While they stood there waiting another individual approached them.

“Hi, I’m Major Corvus, you can call me Crow, I’ll be your pilot this flight, I’ll try to keep it as comfy as possible but no promises.” He clapped Owen on the shoulder, “C’mon let’s get you settled while they get your vehicle strapped in.” He made a gesture to the three suggesting that they follow him and they obliged. “You guys can hangout here and get situated,” Crow pointed to a row of seats at the front of the plane as they stepped in, “I’ll be in the cockpit with my partner if you need anything, meantime bathroom and snack bar is right over there,” He pointed to a corner of the bay with a door in the wall and a storage locker next to it, “help yourselves, it’ll be a long flight.”

“Thanks,” Owen said as he settled into a seat and leaned his head on the headrest.

Paige plops into the seat next to him and says, “I hope we can get into our bags in the car, really would like to grab my headphones out of my bag.”

“I’m sure Brett will work something out, at the very least he’ll grab our bags for us if we can’t get in.” Cam says as he takes his own seat in the row. As if on cue Brett strolls over.

“Hey guys, it’s all strapped in, I left it unlocked incase you need in for your bag or to lay down on the bench seat for a nap.”

“What about peace and quiet?” Paige asked.

“Peace maybe, quiet is a no, windows down for pressure changes in flight.”

“I suppose that makes sense, when can we go grab our things?” She followed up.

“Sooner the better would be my rec, they’re loading their last pallet now then buttoning up to get ready for take off.”

Owen looked around and watched the crew of the aircraft make their final prep for take off, someone testing the tension on a strap, a pair of people reading off a checklist standing near a pallet, he looked over and saw Schmitty with a tablet and got up and moved over to him. “You have the flight details there?”

“Sure do, what can I help you with?”

“How long of a flight can we expect?”

“Well if we were doing a straight hop it would be about 18-20 hours but we’re making a pit stop in Hilo, HI for refuel and resupply,” Schmitty stretched, “Man am I glad for that, 20 hours in one of these cans is a rough time, can only sleep for so long, glad they’ve gotten us Wi-Fi, I can’t believe we ever survived without internet on military planes.”

“Oh cool, how long will we be in Hilo for?”

“Could be 6 hours, it could be a day or two, it’s really up to you guys is what I’m being told,” He poked at his tablet, “Looks like whatever company you guys are with got you and our whole crew a week in one of the resorts nearby, man I love the perks of being in the military sometimes.”

Owen looked over at Mark who gave him an approving nod then returned his attention to Schmitty, “Have you been to Hawaii before?”

“A couple times to Maui for pit stops, never been to the big island before.”

“Ok well did you want to visit and explore a little?”

“I wouldn’t mind that at all sir.” Schmitty smiled.

“I’ll talk to my team and we’ll see just how long we want to hang out there for, I’ll let you know.”

Owen walked back to the bench seats and sat next to Cam, “Ever been to Hawaii before?”

“Just for work.”

“What the hell, how has The University never sent me there before?” Owen leaned his head back.

“Far as I’m aware only one mission has ever been sent there, and I was the lucky fella that got sent.”

“Everyday more and more I realize I should have tried to get teamed up with you sooner.”

“Ha! Well hopefully this team stays pretty permanent,” Cam laughed, “why do you ask about Hawaii?”

“We’re making a pit stop there and it seems the crew has been informed it’s up to us just how long our stay is.”

“Hmm, I don’t think we should tarry here for too long but a few days does sound nice before we don’t see any green for who knows how long , have you talked to the rest of the team yet to see what they think?”

“Nah not yet,” Owen replied as he looked between Brett and Paige, “University has paid for a week in a resort and I’m sure I know what the other two would want but since you’re the newest top the team figured I’d start with you.”

“Let me guess, Brett would say one maybe two days and Paige wants to explore so she would try to squeeze as much time out of you as she could?”

“Hit that right on the nose,” Owen laughed.

“My vote is three days, gives plenty of time to explore and it’s not exorbitantly long.”

“I was thinking the same thing, a good middle ground between get up and go and aloof over there,” Owen stood, “Care to join me on the team meeting where I break the news?”