with. How she would get that chance? She still didn't know.
She didn't need to check her watch to know what time it was. Her schedule was so perfect, so rigid, that as she crossed the twenty lap marker she knew she had ten minutes to Reveille. She took a different path then, crossing towards the center of the cement to where the three rows of fighters waited. They were F-70s, the latest and greatest, the first and only fighter developed entirely during the timeline of the war. They were incredible machines, radar avoiding, maneuverable, and faster than fast. She had flown over two hundred missions in hers without incident, registering more hits than any of her squad mates. They called her "Swooping Death" because of her favorite move, a crazy high-G maneuver that made the entire fighter rattle like a snake. It was a move that none of the other pilots were even willing to try. Swoops for short. She liked the full name better.
She approached her fighter, putting her hand against the cold metal side and lowering her head. A quick prayer to her parents, her mother dead from cancer, her father killed overseas after he joined the war effort. Another prayer for keeping her safe and alive, and a third a wish to see her way to the stars. It was all she had wanted for as long as she could remember.
"Second Lieutenant Asher."
The voice came from behind her left shoulder. She flinched a little, surprised by it, and then slowly turned around.
"Yes, sir?" She didn't recognize the officer standing in front of her. He was older. Tall, with salt and pepper hair and a nice smile.
"My name is Colonel Buford, I'm a liaison for what we're calling Project Olive Branch."
"Where did you come from?"
He smiled. "Originally? Idaho."
She returned the smile. "No, sir. I mean, I didn't know we added another head."
"Technically, you didn't. I arrived a few hours ago from Camp Alpha."
Camp Alpha was the base closest to the main wreckage site. She felt her heart begin to beat faster.
"Oh. Isn't that a weird time to be traveling, sir?"
"It is, but I have my orders. Anyway, I had heard from your XO that you like to get up early, and seeing as how my visit is sensitive in nature, I thought it was best to strafe you from the darkness."
"An ambush? How long have you been watching me?"
"Long enough to know your form is perfect, and I mean that in every non-sexually harassing way." He reached into his pocket and unfolded his data board. "Your combat record is impressive."
"Thank you, sir."
"So is your physical training. Black belt in three... no, four different martial arts?"
"It's like learning multiple languages. It gets easier the more you know."
"You're also an accomplished cellist?"
"That's an overstatement, and trust me, I'm nowhere near as perfect as your docket is making me out to be."
"Modest, too. I understand why he recommended you."
"Who recommended me, sir? For what?"
"Your squadron commander, Captain Johns. He thought you would be an excellent candidate for Olive Branch."
"What's Project Olive Branch?"
He glanced down at the board. "Sorry Lieutenant, I don't have enough time to go into detail, and in any case you need to tell me you're interested before I can get you security clearance. All I can say right now is based on what Captain Johns told me, this is straight up your alley."
She felt her heart pulsing, her body tingling from excitement. If Colonel Buford was here from Camp Alpha, there were only so many possible reasons. "I have to tell you I'm interested, before you can tell me what I'm interested in?"
"You gotta love the military."
"I do, sir. I'm interested."
He glanced down at the board, tapped it a couple of times, and turned it towards her.
"We don't have time for you to read the whole thing. It basically says keep your mouth shut, there are no guarantees, we're not responsible if you die, etcetera. Sign on the red line, and you'll be transferred to Alpha by tomorrow afternoon."
She put her finger to
She didn't need to check her watch to know what time it was. Her schedule was so perfect, so rigid, that as she crossed the twenty lap marker she knew she had ten minutes to Reveille. She took a different path then, crossing towards the center of the cement to where the three rows of fighters waited. They were F-70s, the latest and greatest, the first and only fighter developed entirely during the timeline of the war. They were incredible machines, radar avoiding, maneuverable, and faster than fast. She had flown over two hundred missions in hers without incident, registering more hits than any of her squad mates. They called her "Swooping Death" because of her favorite move, a crazy high-G maneuver that made the entire fighter rattle like a snake. It was a move that none of the other pilots were even willing to try. Swoops for short. She liked the full name better.
She approached her fighter, putting her hand against the cold metal side and lowering her head. A quick prayer to her parents, her mother dead from cancer, her father killed overseas after he joined the war effort. Another prayer for keeping her safe and alive, and a third a wish to see her way to the stars. It was all she had wanted for as long as she could remember.
"Second Lieutenant Asher."
The voice came from behind her left shoulder. She flinched a little, surprised by it, and then slowly turned around.
"Yes, sir?" She didn't recognize the officer standing in front of her. He was older. Tall, with salt and pepper hair and a nice smile.
"My name is Colonel Buford, I'm a liaison for what we're calling Project Olive Branch."
"Where did you come from?"
He smiled. "Originally? Idaho."
She returned the smile. "No, sir. I mean, I didn't know we added another head."
"Technically, you didn't. I arrived a few hours ago from Camp Alpha."
Camp Alpha was the base closest to the main wreckage site. She felt her heart begin to beat faster.
"Oh. Isn't that a weird time to be traveling, sir?"
"It is, but I have my orders. Anyway, I had heard from your XO that you like to get up early, and seeing as how my visit is sensitive in nature, I thought it was best to strafe you from the darkness."
"An ambush? How long have you been watching me?"
"Long enough to know your form is perfect, and I mean that in every non-sexually harassing way." He reached into his pocket and unfolded his data board. "Your combat record is impressive."
"Thank you, sir."
"So is your physical training. Black belt in three... no, four different martial arts?"
"It's like learning multiple languages. It gets easier the more you know."
"You're also an accomplished cellist?"
"That's an overstatement, and trust me, I'm nowhere near as perfect as your docket is making me out to be."
"Modest, too. I understand why he recommended you."
"Who recommended me, sir? For what?"
"Your squadron commander, Captain Johns. He thought you would be an excellent candidate for Olive Branch."
"What's Project Olive Branch?"
He glanced down at the board. "Sorry Lieutenant, I don't have enough time to go into detail, and in any case you need to tell me you're interested before I can get you security clearance. All I can say right now is based on what Captain Johns told me, this is straight up your alley."
She felt her heart pulsing, her body tingling from excitement. If Colonel Buford was here from Camp Alpha, there were only so many possible reasons. "I have to tell you I'm interested, before you can tell me what I'm interested in?"
"You gotta love the military."
"I do, sir. I'm interested."
He glanced down at the board, tapped it a couple of times, and turned it towards her.
"We don't have time for you to read the whole thing. It basically says keep your mouth shut, there are no guarantees, we're not responsible if you die, etcetera. Sign on the red line, and you'll be transferred to Alpha by tomorrow afternoon."
She put her finger to
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