Operation Pacifica: Preparations
by Lieutenant Geier, TRES Corps

 "Any questions?" asked CP.

 Silence greeted him.

 "Good" said Samhain, "Let's move."

 Geier rose, saluted, and left the room.  He had never been on an
  actual operation, and was getting awfully hyped about it.  He almost ran,
  although he restrained himself at the last moment, to his quarters.  Once
  there, he pulled on his weapons belt, lochaber axe on the right, .357 Magnum
  on the left.  He then placed his throwing daggers on the front.

 "Now where did that lockpick go?" he mused in his deep voice.  He
  started to rummage through his locker, until he found it behind a year-old
  issue of Boardwatch.

 "Lockpicks.  Never leave home without them."  He chuckled at his
  own joke and stuck it in his boot.  He stood up, and checked the ammo in the
  Magnum.  Sufficient.  He then walked over to his bed, and intoned a prayer:

 "Heavenly Father, I now venture forth onto the field of battle.
  Let not mine emotions get the best of me in the field of battle.  Mine quest
  for revenge against the Purple Bastard shalt not fail, with thy blessing.
  Father, I miss thee.  Know that now canst be mine chance to avenge thee." He
  then recited the Lord's Prayer and left his quarters towards the point where
  the TARAVs would be beginning the trek towards San Francisco.

 When he arrived, a few minutes later, it was about 10 minutes until
  time of departure, so he used the time to clean his lochaber. As he was
  wiping the handle off, he looked up and saw the rest of his comrades
  approaching.  He put his lochaber back on his belt and saluted them all.
  When they had all arrived, CP stepped to the front and barked out orders as
  to who went in what carrier.  The assembled Jihaddi ran to their assigned
  vehicles.  As Geier hopped into his assigned TARAV, and took a seat in the
  back, he realized he didn't see who the driver was.  Then he heard a voice
  over the intercom.

 "This is your pilot speaking, thank you for flying TRES Corps
  Airlines.  Please fasten your seat belt, as we will be departing for San
  Francisco shortly.  Thanks again, and enjoy your ride."

 Waves of laughter issued from the troops at that message, and not
  even Tim could stifle a chuckle.  As the TARAVs began to move, Tim's pulse
  began to race, and he started breathing rapidly.  He realized hemight
  hyperventilate right there.  Telling himself, it's just another mission,
  it's just another mission, he soon calmed down.  By this time, the caravan
  of TARAVs was roaring on the road to S.F.  Tim looked out the window, the
  landscape disappearing in a blur.

 Have patience, he thought, the battle will come soon enough.

(end segment)