Chapter 1 Shadow Moon

Finally, after two months of holding the Alliance Forces, they sounded a retreat. As the Alliance turns and retreats, I heard “Lieutenant,” quickly I look over to see Sergeant Hammer.

“What is it Sergeant”

“Sir, command is sending a shuttle to pick you up, they want debriefed on the battle.”

“Very well, Sergeant I want you to come with me, need you to organize a resupply for the platoon.”

When I look out at what is left of the platoon, some of who survived often surprises me, like private Willey, he was a timid and often seen as somewhat cowardly, that reminds me… Private Willey is still meant to receive the Independent Star. I will take great pride in presenting, him with that.

“Sergeant Hammer”

“Yes Sir.”

“When we get to Central Command remind me about Private Willey.”

“Check Sir.”

“While I got you here, call the platoon to formation.”

“Will do Sir.”

I walked to the platoon and Sergeant Hammer took her place with the Platoon. “Phantom 309 at ease, I would like to congratulate each and every one of you. These past two months have been hard, but we sent those cowardly Purple Bellies packing. We have been through a lot together. I have witnessed this platoon come together as a unit. The death of Lieutenant Warsaw was hard on us all. I have seen soldiers grow into true fighters of the Independence. For my first command, I could not ask for a better group of soldiers. I have seen some conquer their fears; others rush of to fight when they should stay put. A Private made second guess my first impression. This individual, I first thought to be cowardly, and then display an act of bravery. While under enemy fire, charged to rescue Lieutenant Warsaw. He picked him up and ran 950 meters to medical. This soldier, Private Willey front and center” The platoon gasped in shock as the private walked forward. “Central Command has informed me that General Westland will be coming to present the Independent Star one of the Army’s highest awards, and also I have been approved to promote you to Corporal. This is for your bravery in trying to reach Lieutenant Warsaw.” As Corporal Willey stood there, I offered him a well-earned handshake. “Corporal, looks like you are going to be in charge for a while.” As I looked up I seen the shuttlecraft was descending. “Corporal the platoon is yours, give them a three days off.” Upon handing the platoon the Corporal, the sergeant and I headed to the now landed shuttlecraft.

When I entered I heard a familiar voice, on I have not heard sense being assigned to Shadow. “Sergeant Hall, Corporal Hammer what I are you doing here, I was for a Lieutenant and Sergeant.”

“Corporal Acer that is right, I received commission on the battlefield after Lieutenant Warsaw tried to move while taking heavy fire. So what do you say we get off this rock and go find out if there is anything else that General Westland wants shall we.”

“Alright Sir, you might want to hold on,” with that ol’ Ace took off like whirlwind. No, doubt trying to prove how good of a pilot, he had become.

“Ace, what are you doing”

“Sorry Sir, but you might want to hang on breaking atmo in five, four, three, two, and one.” As Ace said one, the planet below lit up in a bright fireball flash, and tossed the shuttle about. As I looked out the window, then a silent scream of terror swept over me. Then all at once, I sapped to. “Wong Ba Duhn. Ace take us back down.”

“Sir I can’t.”

“I don’t want to hear I can’t, Ace my platoon is down there I need to see if there are survivors left.”

“Sir, sensors are not detecting any, I am sorry but getting a message to report to Command”

As I sat there, the thoughts of what happened plagued me. My platoon was gone taken by the Alliance, and they will pay….and pay they will. Then all of a sudden, the silence stopped “Sir, Sir we are here.”

“Oh, very well, give me a quick moment would ya.”

I sat in that shuttle for what felt like an eternity, which ended up being only a couple of minutes. I then proceeded to General Westland’s office.  When my hand touched the doorknob, I awoke in a cold sweat. I quickly looked around. I caught my breath a few seconds later. Then realizing, I was in my cell. Just then, an alliance fed opened my door. “Prisoner chowtime, move it.” I got up still covered in sweat, and wiped my brow.

“It’s Lieutenant, or Sir I am still an Officer,” I said with sternness. I got a quick second to look over his uniform. “Got that, corporal.” A smirk quickly glanced across my face as I spoke to the fed in discuss. Together, the days and nights blended, until one day. News of the defeat at Serenity Valley swept through the camp at a speed that made wildfire look the snail. The routine of life in this camp often makes me wish I were still on the battlefield. The days bring peace as I recall the people I met. Then the night brings the terror, the terror of what happened on Shadow, and the loss of my platoon. Gore am feds, bouncing around here celebrating. Like, they have reason to be happy. Those purple bellies think they can aggravate me anymore than they have already. Makes a riot sound like a good idea.  I might even be able to use that to help some of us Browncoats escape. With the news of how the Army held Serenity Valley, reached even us here in Purgatorio. The shattered details about Serenity Valley, granted even though it was a defeat, I know the Independent Coalition will not surrender. Those of us on the cellblock have been whispering the details, right under the feds noses. Word of a Sergeant Reynolds and the Bullets and Bayonets had given us hope that the war might end soon. Now the news of their defeat has brought a somber feeling, to all of us. Sergeant Hays is getting me some home brew; he says it will help me sleep at night.

I returned to my cell, finding the present left by Hays. I slowly enjoy the glass Hays left, the idea I might sleep a full night is refreshing. However, I need to start working on a plan, a plan to get out of here. The longer I stay is one more reason the Alliance has given me not to sleep at night. I have been here to long, I need to get back to Verbena and back to Bell.

I started watching, evaluating, and planning the perfect escape route, there was a hole in the laundry room floor. The Alliance put a cover over it. Wait a second, Hays works in the laundry. I sat there for the next hour working out the details, waiting for the feds to open up the day room. This morning was different I slept through the night. The nightmares still there, still real, but I am sleeping more. I have to get some more of Hays brew.  Finally the sound of buzzer, that that announces the start of the morning day room.

I sat at center table, gave a signal to Hays. He walked over and motioned a few others to sit around us. The accompaniment of people playing cards and drawing provided ample cover as Hays and I planned. I said to Hays, “I need you to use your contacts over on Block Three.”

“Please Sir, tell me what you are what your planning.”

“Hays, I am going to get us out of here. That however will not be easy. First, we need to locate the hole in laundry, the alliance seal. Then we will need to rig the locks, so we can open them, that means the laundry as well.”

“Sir, how do you even know the hole is there?”

“I overheard some feds talking about how they dropped a cover on it instead of filling it properly. They hurried the job to avoid to issues with their command structure.”

“So, then what happens next Sir”

“That is where your contacts in Block Three, comes in. Once everything is in place, give them the queue to start rioting. Then when the feds rush over to Block Three to stop them, we make a break for it. Should bye us a window from three to five minutes. That depends of the reaction time and how big of a fuss everyone over on Three makes. That means we will need to move fast. So the cover needs to located and ready to open. Everything goes right you, me, and about eight others have a chance to get out of here.”

“So, I locate, open, and prepare the opening in laundry, and during this time, who is going to be fixing the doors that will be making it possible to for us to make the break?”

“I don’t know anyone who can do that, so I am going to need someone who can help. That will mean they are going to take a spot in the group that escapes with us.”

I spent that few days watching my fellow Browncoats. Must be careful, not sure if everyone here isn’t some Lun Dong Shi informant. I would hate to think that one of my fellow Browncoats would tip off the feds to an escape plan, but still caution is called for. Little did the feds know, I was commissioned on the battlefield, which landing An Officer with a cellblock of enlisted P.O.W. Perfect set up to run interference with the feds. I keep the enlisted people men inline, which keeps the fed presence to a minimum. So on little oversight by the feds is my best opportunity.

Been very slow this last week, I noticed one of the men on the block. He works maintenance, could be the perfect recruit to help with the escape. With that maintenance, job the chance of him turning on us increases. I am to going to keep an eye on him next couple of days. Hays has yet to find the hole. Still I have to get out here, I was out of the army when I was brought here. My war was over, and still to be fought. I have to get back to Bell. She is it, the one the special person the Alliance cannot take from me. The look in her eyes when I left for the war has become the only thing to keep me going. Thanks to Hays, I have been able to sleep at nights. The nightmares keep haunting me. That bright flash of swallowing darkness still plagues the night.

I have been keeping an eye Mr. Maintenance for a week now. This means it is time to see if he is on the level, or not. Means I need to Hays on board, to be my control subject for this test. This morning was different as the buzzer to open the dayroom sound and my hand met the door. I was taking back, and remembered entering General Westland’s office.  Walking into the Office I offer the General a firm, disciplined salute. “Sir, Lieutenant Hall reporting as ordered”

“Carry on Hall; I got word of what happened on Shadow. It was a tragedy, my condolences on the loss of your platoon.  Your actions fixed what your predecessor almost cost us Shadow. Therefore, your battlefield commission went through, you are an official officer now and you are here by promoted from Second to First Lieutenant. Now another matter seems your term of service is up. Now the question remains, do you wish to stay and continue the fight with the Alliance, God knows we can use a good officer like you.

“Sir, I gave two good and loyal years to the Independence. Truth be told, at this point all I want to do is return to the lady who is waiting on me, back on Verbena. I have been away from her to long as it is. Lord knows she never wanted me, to leave in the first place.”

“Sense I can’t talk you into staying, I can at least give you this.”

The General handed me a small maple box, the top had an inlay of silver depicting the cross of the earth that was, the corners, and opening was covered in gold. I opened it up, and looked inside. I heard the General once more

“The Star of Valor Lieutenant, for your actions and leadership in the face of overwhelming odds. You stepped up turn the tide of battle, which many in the command room had thought lost. Further your actions inspired Private Willey”

“Corporal.”

“What was that”

“It’s Corporal Willey, I was authorized to promote him before I reported to you”

“No, I mean what was that Lieutenant. Are you trying to interrupt ME as I talk.”

“Yes Sir, guess I am. The anger in my voice was noticed “Corporal Willey” gave his life for the Independence. While I was being shuttled up here, I had to watch my platoon, MY PLATOON get wiped out in front of me SIR. So lets’ give the Corporal the respect he is due.”

“Well then you inspired the Corporal to risk his own life to try and rescue Lieutenant Warsaw. With your skill behind a rifle, you supply dead on cover fire. That made the only way the Alliance could move was backwards. Now word of Shadow is spreading and uniting Browncoats across the Verse. So your platoons death while tragic, maybe what it takes to stop the Alliance.”

“With all due respect, SIR My platoon is not propaganda.” Then I a rage of darkness silenced to room. Before I knew it, I was looking down at the General. “As you already stated my war is over. So I am going home, I am going back to Bell.”

I walked out into the dayroom; Hays walked over with an extra tray of formed and pressed protean. They feed the stuff to us, day in and day out. I should have been home now; guess wearing my issued overcoat to stay warm is enough to be arrested anymore.  I did not even get a chance to show my discharge papers.

“Sir, Sir hey you with us this morning”

“I should have been home by now”

“What Sir”

“Oh, just in my own thoughts for a moment”

“Sir, I found it” Hays said in a whisper

“Good, I need you for a test. To see if the maintenance man is on the level. What I want to you to do is moving anything related to the escape plan to my cell. Then I will tell him that you are planning an escape. Then wait, if the feds come looking for any plans then we find someone else.” I replied in a whisper.

“Not a problem Sir, I will let you know when everything is ready to proceed.”

Hays wasted no time in getting his cell prepped to throw off the feds. While I arranged a chance meeting with the new recruit to the plan. Then the perfect opportunity arouse. We bumped in to each other as we headed to the breakfast protein ration.

“Oh, sorry about that, I am the Lieutenant”

Yes Bishop Hall Phantom 309, stationed on Shadow. Liberty Station, to be exact. Awarded the Star of Valor, for holding your ground in what seemed impossible odds. So yes, I know who you are.

When he finished I was taken back some. “Seems you have the advantage here, you know who I am. How do you know who I am?”

“I am Sergeant Walters, I process your discharge. I also know that your activity on Shadow had been classified. Seems the Alliance had a top-secret program there, which they refused to acknowledge. So command buried it, then spun a propaganda campaign around the incident. Stating the alliance bombed Shadow for other reason then, they could.”

“So I caught wind of an escape plan. Have you heard of this.” I leaned in and whispered softly.

“Lieutenant I was one of the people who blocked the view, as you made the plan with Hays. So to save you, your next question, yes I am in.”

Over the couple of weeks, Walters and Hays made their preparations. I studied the reaction time, of the feds. I even shared some of the brew I got from Hays to get a couple of the other prisoners drunk, and rowdy. Hays, Walters, and I planned events to keep the purple bellies busy. Everything from a fight in the mess hall, to medical emergencies, even attacks of the feds. Many Browncoats tried to volunteer for that part.

Therefore, I watched and I watched the feds; I did more the watch, I studied how they responded. How they moved and reacted to the situations I had staged, as I figured. So we tested and probed the feds movement in the facility became increasingly harder. I also noticed that feds workload also increased. So I had arranged for the hostilities to come to a minimal. Just enough sporadic events, to keep the increased workload upon the feds.

Therefore, under my guidance we waited. Playing games, toying with the feds, watching them dance like a doll, on a string. Walters, and Hays kept me informed as we, wore the feds down. The next months, we treaded carefully not to draw attention to ourselves. All the while, watching bringing the moral down until even the feds that once were meticulous in their duty now, just do what barely required.

Hays found me one morning. “Sir, is it time?”

“It is.”

“So, what time do we move.”

“This evening, Fifteen minutes after block three, has returned to their dorm. That will put us closer to the laundry.”

“I shall let my people know, they are prepare to help us.”

“Make sure Walters knows of the change.”

“Sir, do we have to take Walters?”

“What, Hays yes we must take Walters, we couldn’t have made it this far without him.”

“Sir its Walters, I believe he may have let the plan slip”

“Hays, No one that has helped me so far is getting left. You got that, no one.”

“But, Sir.”

“Wong Ba Duhn, No this is not a conversation we are having. Because nobody, and I mean nobody is being left. Got it.”

“Copy that Sir” I heard the discontent in Hays voice. Immediately I began to wonder if Hays would go turncoat on me.

“Hays are we going to have issues.”

“No, Sir”

“Look, I not know what issue you have with Walters, but I recommend that you put them behind until we get out of here. Now Hays I need you to focus on the plan. Walters, and myself need you to come through for us. Plus, there are seven other Browncoats that we can help get out of this Ai Yah Tien Ah.”

“Right Sir, forgive me for suggesting otherwise.”

That turned out to be the last of the conversations we had on the topic. The rest of the day we went about our business. Walters, Hays, And I went to the lunch ration like normal. The air of betrayal seemed to linger as sat there. The waiting for everything to kick off seemed to drag on. Time began to drag seconds seemed like minutes that turned into hours, the eternal moments tick ever slowly by.

Then in the time between Lunch and Dinner, then what I feared would happen did. The prisoners on block three kicked off their brawl. First thought I had, Hays screwed with the plan. But no time for that now, now is time to run.

The feds took off for block three, as I had hoped. Walters, Hays, and I flung our doors open. Seven other Browncoats joined as planned. Walters lived up his part as hoped, and what had been plan A and was put to the back burner, was in place to save us.

With the doors unlock we slipped out and headed to the laundry. The exit off our cellblock seemed easy enough. The staged riot was buying us the time we needed. All the feds where trying to lock cellblock three down. My contingent and I started down the hall to our freedom, and Bell waits. The Laundry door did not open as planned.

“Walters, what happened I thought this door was fixed.”

“Sir, seems another maintenance crew, brought it back to fed standards.”

“Walters I need that door open, I don’t know how much longer the fight can keep the feds busy.”

“Not to worry Sir, I got it. It’s open. Lets’ get out of here, if Hays did his part.”

“My part is done” I heard Hays proclaim. While the to be freed Browncoats moved the cover stone to their freedom, I keep watch for returning feds. Then I heard Hays say “Sir, we got it open, time to go.” I replied “Get everyone out first, I will make sure the feds don’t find out what is going on.”  As Walters and Hays made it in to the hole, I heard it. The silence, on cellblock three sent a chill down my spine. Then in that split second, I did the only thing possible. I pull the cover stone back over the hole. Then closed the Laundry door, behind me Bell in that moment I thought I might never see again. I knew I had to get away from the Laundry area before I let the feds know I was around. I slipped through the halls so quiet I startled a mouse. Stealth I learned in basic, might just save me one more time. Then I slip around a corner and there was six alliance feds. I thought about fighting, but the odds not in my favor. Then I decided to rabbit. The alliance gave me about twenty feet, before taggin me with a sonic stun gun. Next I remember, I was waking up in a segregation cell, the aches in my body meant to make me think twice before miss behaving again.