In reply to Thomas Walker (msg # 178):

Ken thought for a moment.  "Ok, leave the rest behind here.  They can catch up later."

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 181):

"Better we get dead than the rest of them."

He put his pack on and picked up his rifle.

"Let's go."

Ken nodded and motioned the others back before heading off with Thomas.  They would approach the hill carefully and do a recon from there before moving on.

"It looks like it's the waiting game for us," Ollie whispers to himself before heading back to the vehicle. There he waits anxiously while listening to the comm.

In reply to Oliver Oliphant Oksasaellllozae (msg # 184):

Neva chuckled at Ollie's comment.  "Feel like I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go."

She went back to the vehicle with Ollie and sat down on (vs in) the vehicle.  "So I guess we guard this and keep an eye out."

Neva looks around to see if there is a better place for them to place the vehicle to hide it a bit better.

Blake keeps an eye peeled in the direction the snoopers went in.  Any kind of cover, he uses it.

Linus is content to potter around beside their vehicle, enjoying being outside on a new planet.

In reply to Linus Spruance (msg # 187):

Hanno seemed a little put-out by Linus's casual attitude. He tried not to be too hard on the guy. It's not like you needed to be skilled at hiding or concealment on a Navy ship!

"Linus, if you're going to be outside it's good to stay close to the vehicle under the camouflage netting, but keep your head down and stay in one place. That way you won't bring attention to yourself or the G-Carrier, right?

"Blake is over there. You keep watch in that direction. I'll keep a watch to the rear." He pointed where he thought Linus could do some good.

Their G-Carrier seemed hidden well enough in some trees under a camouflage net. The ex-Scout knew his business in that regard.

Around them the night seemed still and cool, with insects buzzing quietly about. It was about 0100 local when Ken and Thomas reached their position overlooking the base, five hours before dawn.

Out on the hill, using Scout PRISS binoculars, Ken and Thomas noted multiple vehicles. There were 2 200-dton ships parked on crude landing pads, one definitely Kalamanru's private ship, the yacht Golden Dreamer. The other was a free-trader. Alongside them was a 50 dton modular cutter. On a different series of pads were four military single-rotor helicopters, a double-rotor helicopter, and two VTOL jets that could be either for reconnaissance or light combat. Ther were also various ground trucks and jeeps. None of the vehicles seemed to show signs of warmth or being turned on.

There were several prefab buildings and huts, 2 larger ones by the landing pads likely being hangars and workshops. Half a dozen more were in a cluster.

While they were surveilling the base, Ken noticed a patrol coming in from their flank. It was a dozen men, heading for the hill. Not moving cautiously, in single file along a trail, and moving at a normal pace.

Ken examined the site with his binoculars for a while, using the recording function to capture the information for later.  He pointed out first Kalamanru's ship and then the approaching patrol.  Keeping his voice down his whispered.  "Let's move closer and see if we can't get into some of the smaller huts.  That is where they'll likely have their hostages if they have any." He glanced to the flank.  "Let's move out before the patrol gets close."

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 190):

Walker looked to where the patrol was moving, and nodded, without saying anything.

Seeing Thomas' agreement, Ken policed the area carefully and then headed off toward the main grouping of huts.  He chose a path that would give them as much cover as possible from both the hill and the base.

The patrol actually looked like it was heading for the hill. Likely to set up some knd of watching post.

Making their way through the undergrowth and sparse clumps of evergreen type trees, Ken and Thomas made it to the perimeter of the base. The trees had been cleared away as well as the waist-high bushes. There was a chain-link fence and regular spotlights, but these seemed intended to more keep away wildlife than determined intruders. They could see a few places where the lights didn't quite overlap and at least one drainage ditch where the light didn't penetrate.

Ken looked about and then pointed to the ditch.  "Let's see if we can get into the perimeter that way.  What do you think Thomas?"

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 194):

"Looks like the best way.  Assuming it's not mined." Thomas whispered back.

"You want to go through first, and I can cover you?  Then if we get surprised, I can shoot out lights and kill whomever is looking at you?"

Ken shook his head and shrugged in the darkness.  "If it's mined we're screwed and certainly dead.  Still, they might do so.  They certainly have enough security around the place fora  military base.  I'll watch for trip wires and such."  He started forward, confident of Thomas' sniping ability.  Ken moved carefully, looking for trip wires.

There was a heavy metal grating set in concrete where the ditch went under the fence.

After some thorough checking, they determined there were no tripwires, alarms or mines. The concern seemed to be more about animals and not human infiltration.

Ken shook his head... "Wire cutters..."

Blake has a quiet look at his watch, does a quiet sigh ...  Waiting is a bitch, but then, he's not one of those sneaky types either.  And goes back to watching his section of the perimeter.

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 198):

They had brought a set of wire cutters, so cutting the fence wouldn't be a problem.

Fishing about in his pack, Ken remembered the wire cutters and proceeded to cut a small hole in the fence near the ditch.  He was careful to cut it so that it could be folded back up in place in order to fool a less careful observer that the fence was intact.

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 201):

The two men made it onto the base undetected.

In front of them were the two large hangar buildings. Off to the right were what was probably the HQ buildings. To the left was the motor pool and barracks. Beyond the hangars were the landing pads with the parked spacecraft and helicopters. Beyond that was an airstrip for fixed-wing aircraft.

Ken looked about and then pointed toward the HQ buildings.  If anything was to be discovered it was likely to be there.  For a moment he wished he had a platoon of commandos from the Marines to go down and sabotage the aircraft.

"Let's go toward the HQ Thomas," he whispered.

In reply to Ken Jenkins (msg # 203):

Walker took out the binoculars, and watched the HQ.  He also looked around at the other buildings.

"You think he's there?"

In reply to Thomas Walker (msg # 204):

There were no lights on in the HQ or the barracks. The only light was probably from a security office at the main gate.

Using their NVGs they could see a pair of sentries hundreds of meters away across the concrete landing strip, moseying along heading away from them.

It was cold out now. There was no moon but the stars shone brilliantly overhead in unfamiliar constellations.

Thermal indicated there was probably a heat source in the HQ building. They couldn't tell if it was a person or how many, but the building likely wouldn't have been kept heated if there wasn't someone inside.