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Chapter 4 New Orders Friday 24 May, 2009
This will be my last entry to my diary, starting tomorrow I will be starting totally afresh, everything that I own now, aside from a few personal items will cease to exist and I will be starting my training aboard Orbital-1. It’s amazing, for the past 5 years the news has been filled with stories of the incredible rescues and attacks on human rights offenders by these people. All that the media know is the name, the “M Military”. Of course, now I know more about them but I know I’ll still have a lot to learn about these people. I guess I should start my new life by recapping my old one.
I’m, that is, I was Sergeant Alistair McDonald, part of the Highlanders. After fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan during the ‘War on Terror’ I had picked up a large number of citations, medals and other awards for one thing or another, I’ve never seen it as anything but doing my duty but I guess the brass think it keeps morale up. It was just a normal day a couple of weeks before my tour ended, sitting in a local cafe with the locals like I always do when everything changed.
“What these ‘freedom fighters’ don’t seem to realise is that if they stopped attacking everyone because they want us out then we would all be able to go home much sooner, they can’t see that if they’re attacking their own people we have to stay and defend you.” I said to the man behind the counter while I ate my sandwich.
“Yes, I admit that I will be happy when the military patrols have gone, oh don’t get me wrong I like the soldiers like yourself fine, but the idea of living under constant martial law is…distasteful to me. I know that my friends feel the same way, that is why they have taken jobs in the new police forces. Did you see the public response last week to the bombing? Fifteen killed when the terrorists attacked the recruiting station, the very next day there were more than forty people there. I hope that some day soon we will be able to work freely without fear.”
“Me too, Mustafa, woah, I gotta get back to base,” I said suddenly noticing it was eleven o’clock, “I’ll see you again tomorrow!”
“Sergeant McDonald?” I heard as I approached the barracks.
“Yes, private…” I paused while I read his nametag “Owens, what can I do for you?” I was well known as a bit of an agony aunt to a lot of the young troops who had just been brought in.
“Sir, General Greggs wishes to see you in his office immediately.”
“Ok, thank you private.” I replied, and started to the administration buildings where the General’s office was located. ‘It has to be something big, the General rarely spoke with troops directly, usually he got the officers to refer everything down to our level.’ I thought to myself. Without knowing it I’d been standing outside the office for a few moments while I was thinking to myself. Knocking the door, I entered and stood to attention.
“At ease Sergeant.” The General said, not looking up from the laptop he was working on. After a few moments more he shook his head and addressed me. “Sergeant, it would seem that your conduct has caught the eye of some rather…influential people.” Handing me a sheet of paper I recognised as a transfer order, he sat back as I read it.
Her Majesty’s Armed Forces 1st Highland Regiment May 20, 2009
Sergeant Alistair McDonald, 1132701, of the 1st Highland Regiment, Inverness, currently serving in Pakistan is hereby transferred to classified duties effective immediately. He is to report to the Ministry of Defence building, London no later than May 22nd 2009.
Field Marshall Green
“’Classified duties?’” I asked when I looked up, “What does that mean?”
“It means, Sergeant that not only have I never met you, nobody has, or I suspect ever will. When it comes to orders from this high up, you don’t ask questions.” He gave me a look as if to say ‘this is big, do as your told and don’t say anything’. “Well, it seems as if you have new travel plans. Pack your gear and meet Lieutenant Parks by the gate in ten minutes. You are not to discuss your transfer with him or anyone else. Dismissed.”
I came to attention then turned around and walked out of the office. Re-reading the orders over and over on my way to the barracks thoughts kept going through my head as to what I was going to be involved in. stepping into the barracks I was greeted by the troops.
“Hey sarge, you leavin us?” One of the privates who I had served with since we were both posted here asked when he saw me packing up my things.
“Yup, new orders today.”
“Where you going? I thought you only had a couple of weeks to go before you went home?”
“I can’t say where I’m going, I just have to go straight away.”
“Can’t say? Hehe, what are you joining the SAS now or something? Is that it?”
“I can’t say, Logie, drop it” I replied, getting firmer at the end,
“Is that it? Our sarge is gonna be a commando? Huh?”
“Just drop it, private.” I replied harsher than I intended, emphasising the private.
“Woah, yes sir” he replied, and returned to his bunk to tidy up.
I hated to pull rank on anyone, let alone someone I’d been serving with since the beginning of this conflict but I knew he wouldn’t let up and would never believe that I really could not discuss it. I’ve always been pretty casual with my troops, even in exercises I act more as a Private than a Sergeant, I’m the same as anyone else over here and pulling rank always makes me feel that I’m treating them like a lesser person.
Stepping out of the barracks I saw the Land Rover idling near the gate with a Lieutenant leaning against the bodywork dragging on a cigarette. As he saw me approach he dropped the cigarette to the ground, crushed it then walked over to me.
“Sir, Lieutenant Parks. I’ll be driving you to the airstrip.” I placed my baggage in the back of the vehicle and sat in the passenger seat.
“Finally going home, sir?” He asked as we were driving through the town
“Sort of, I can’t talk about it. I’ve not seen you at the base before, you just transferred in?” I asked, trying to change the subject
Smiling, he replied; “No sir, I’m Field Marshall Green’s usual driver, I’ve been sent out here just for you. I’m sure as hell I don’t know what you’ve done to get such treatment but the Field Marshall is pulling every string he can to get you back ASAP. I guess he thinks I can get you back faster.”
A mixture of confusion and surprise took over my face, what the hell had I done that was so special? First I get transferred, two weeks before I go home, nobody I’ve met knows or is telling me what I’m going to be doing and now I find out that one of the highest ranking officers in the army is pulling out all the stops to get me back to Britain as fast as possible, even down to giving me his personal driver?
Fifteen minutes later we arrived at the airfield, and without even having to show ID or orders we were allowed straight in and to the airside, and drove straight into the hold of an A400M sat at the end of the runway. As soon as the vehicle had been secured and we had been seated the ramp started rising, before it was even closed I felt us start to roll.
We touched down at Heathrow airport just after 10pm and as soon as it was clear, Lieutenant Parks backed the vehicle out of the plane and we were met by four police motorbikes, taking up positions on each corner of the vehicle. Parks looked at me with a ‘Who the hell are you?’ expression before following the first two bikes out of the gate. We made record time across London’s streets with our police escort and were soon pulling up outside the MoD building. No sooner had we pulled up to the kerb, two Lieutenants opened the door, one guided me into the building and the other took my baggage. Within a minute I was standing in front of a large oak door with a well polished brass plaque reading “Field Marshall B. Green”. One of the Lieutenants opened the door and announced my arrival.
“Sergeant McDonald reporting as ordered Field Marshall” I said as I stood to attention in front of his desk.
“Dismissed Lieutenant, at ease Sergeant, please take a seat.” The Lieutenant closed the door as he left and the Field Marshall addressed me.
“Sergeant McDonald, Alistair?” He asked, I nodded my reply. “Alistair, your record has been exemplary. You have received more commendations for actions above and beyond your duty than some regiments do combined.” Before I could begin to start the usual ‘just doing my duty’ speech he continued “Don’t give me that bull about doing your duty, you know full well that you have performed acts that most soldiers would never even think of and have saved the lives of many colleagues. Now it seems that you have attracted some influential attention. Tell me what you know of the M Military.”
Shocked by his request following the influential attention remark a million thoughts ran through my head before I managed to answer “Just what I’ve seen on the news and in dispatches, they appear out of nowhere, overpower armies of guards and generally kick the ass of anyone who is doing something to hurt others, why do you ask?”
“Sergeant, you are now being given a choice. This is a major decision and will most definitely change the rest of your life, there is no going back.” I was getting a little apprehensive now, more so as he continued, “I cannot go into details, but I can tell you the choices; you can go back to regular duty, you will be returned to the 1st Highlanders until you retire, or you can accept this transfer. I can tell you that you will be transferring to the M Military, but no more unless you accept. There is no need to answer now, but we will need it by tomorrow. For tonight you have been booked into a hotel nearby, the Landie is still outside, you can take that for tonight. Report back here at 18:00 tomorrow, dismissed.” I sat there in shock for a few moments before coming to my senses and walked out of the room. I signed out of the building and got handed the keys for the waiting vehicle.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that I’d been given a suite at the hotel I had been directed to, but as I reached the room I didn’t have time to appreciate it as I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Before I opened my eyes I was expecting-almost hoping to see the ceiling of the barracks that I had woken up staring at for the last two months. ‘It has to have been a dream, I’m in Pakistan, I’m going home in two weeks, nothing unusual.’ I thought to myself. “Damn.” Was all I uttered when I saw the clean hotel ceiling above me. Looking around I confirmed that I was indeed in a hotel. As I stood up to check outside, just in case I’d somehow managed to check myself into a hotel where I was stationed I realised I was still fully dressed in my desert camos, I had simply entered the room and fallen onto the bed from the exhaustion of the journey and what had been dropped on me by the Field Marshall. There was a note under my door when I started towards the bathroom, it simply read
Sergeant McDonald, a uniform has been left outside your door.
Lieutenant Parks
Glancing around the room I realised that I hadn’t seen my kit since I arrived at the MoD building. I opened the door and gathered the uniform before heading into the bathroom for a shower. Stripping off I set the shower to a nice hot level and relaxed under the stream thinking about the decision ahead of me.
I was still confused and undecided when I lay on the bed and flicked on the TV.
“A car bomb exploded today after crashing the gate to Bangrah Base in Pakistan, killing seventeen.”
My attention was immediately snapped from my thoughts to the TV, Bangrah was where I was stationed just the day before.
“A vehicle loaded with explosives crashed through this barrier early this morning,” the local reporter stated from a position outside the familiar entrance, “the driver was shot and killed as he crashed the gate however the vehicle continued at full speed across the parade ground and crashed, exploding into the barracks. Official reports state that fifteen soldiers inside and two more outside were killed immediately by the explosion. This is only the latest attack on British military bases by the Al’Fa-wahd forces in the region. That have, with today’s attack now claimed the lives of more than seventy British servicemen in Pakistan. Reporting for BBC news from Bangrah Base in northern Pakistan, Anna Roll.”
I sat speechless on the bed for a short time, realising that at the time of the attack I would have just gotten off duty and would more than likely been in the barracks myself. If it hadn’t been for the sudden transfer I would more than likely be dead now.
On the way to the MoD building after a day of lying in the hotel room thoughts were still running wild through my mind. ‘I have one more six month tour of duty then I retire, do I really want to start all over? In one year I’ll be back on civvy street, but what am I going to do? I joined the Army straight from school, I have barely any useful qualifications and for half my life I’ve been in the Army and there’s no way I could get another job, not at my age.’ That’s when it struck me that I’d enjoyed my time in the Army but after it was over there was no choice.
“Good evening Sergeant.” The Corporal behind the desk said as he opened the door. “Field Marshall Green is waiting for you, go right in.”
Nodding, I stepped through the door and walked to the office. I took a moment to compose myself before knocking and entering the office.
“Good evening Sergeant.” He greeted me, mirroring the Corporal at the front door, “Have you made a decision?”
One final moment of contemplation confirmed my decision, “I’ll do it.” I nodded.
“Excellent.” A new voice behind me spoke, turning I saw a man sat in one of the old armchairs dressed in a black skin tight rubber suit, whom I had somehow missed when I walked in. “We thought you would. Please place your hand here.” He said, offering what looked like a tablet computer, “It will commit your choice and permit us to divulge more information on your future assignment.” Without hesitating I put my hand on the device, and after a slight tingling sensation and a high beep the man tapped a few places on the screen and smiled. “Congratulations Sergeant McDonald, you are now a member of the M Military. Later today we will show you your new home base, for now I will brief you on our history…”
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