A big, big mess

A Big, Big Mess

Foreword

Green, the jungle was all green. From the trees to the small insects in
hiding, from the birds to the marshes and the leaves on the ponds,
everything was green. Dark green, light green, emerald green, even the
rain looked green.

And as the sky was darkening, the jungle erupted in deafening noises,
where only the fittest would survive the night.

But here and there, the thunder was broken by silence. Ghosts, white
and quiet, gliding through the jungle, oblivious to their surroundings,
moving to unknown destinations, moved by unknown motives. White on
black, white on green, white on gray?.

The gods of profit were smiling upon the factory.

Gray upon a gray sky, with the gray workers moving between the gray
barracks.

One of them seemed to hesitate, turned back and went from the road into
the forest, for obvious natural reasons. Not far, a few meters, in fact
just the distance between life and death.

Death itself was not unknown in the factory. Not a lot of them could
hope finishing their contract alive. But not like that. Fear entered
the hearts, and uneasiness crept into the barracks.

On the other side of the continent, the high buildings were no longer
shadowing the straight avenues. And the shoppers had deserted the malls
for millennia. But there, in this remote cave, a noise unheard of
during the last age scattered the little animals. One by one the red
lights appeared on the wall, and a language forgotten by the very
walls, was spoken again.

The gods of profit ceased to smile, and their anger was dutifully
relayed to the proper level.

Dearest Auntie,

I know you hate me when I call you that, but after all those years, you
don't mind, do you? Anyway I would not mind if you could use your nice
handwriting on the attached expense report. You did not expect me to
travel below deck, and I'm sure I lived up to your expectation.

More seriously, I have been welcomed most warmly by your director here,
Gary something (I know, I know, Gary Montag), and he seems a nice
fellow, if he could refrain speaking continuously and dropping numbers
like a "above expectation" machine gun.

Was I really supposed to go working the first day? Yes, urgency, SOS,
incomplete reports, unaccounted expenses and workers replacement stats
skyrocketing. I go, I go. But I'm not sure that a facility tour in a
luxury transportation with ice gently floating on a colored (and tasty)
liquid with a (very) nice person pouring it counts as work.

The workers list helped a lot during the team introduction. They were
thoroughly impressed with the "and how is your son Bob doing now in
College? ", and "I'm sure that Nancy is counting the days", the usual
demagogic stuff. Yes it pays the bills. But you should review it
because at least three of them looked blankly at me (you know like when
you asked me..., forget it) when I sympathized with whatever private
hell they were going through.

And you'll be proud of me! I even asked a bright question during the
medical facility walkthrough: "And Dr Kay, you have the cleanest,
whitest and emptiest hospital of the know worlds. Must be the safest
operation of Auntie in the known universe". No, I did not call you
Auntie, you should know better. But why do you pay a full medical staff
for nothing? Must be a side of your rich personality I haven't touched
yet.

As ordered, I'm filling that daily report after a grand state dinner,
and just before going to bed. No, just forget it. I owe you only the
sunny side of my life.

Your respectful, and dedicated Nephew

Dear Auntie,

I was wrong on the last part of my previous report. You do own my
nights too. But why awakening me at 00 dark just to tell me that ALL
workers information are accurate, and that not using properly something
as simple as a list was a proof that evolution never touched me ?

But as I said, I owe you my life. In fact in the real sense of the
word; you just saved it! At precisely 1 HST the room where I was
supposed to sleep peacefully was vaporized at a temperature closer to
the sun than you normally want to sunbathe. Montag was adequately
white, as it was the first accident happening in that facility during
the last geological age. At that temperature, no remains of the girl
would ever be found.

And I'm not entirely sure we would have found any. Growing up fast,
hey!

I could not believe that a human being could become whiter than Gary
when I took over the security from him. And after our little chat, I'm
sorry to say that he will remain so until full decomposition. He
apparently had no clue on any wrongdoing and he was confusing the
little assassination attempt with your birthday party fireworks. I'll
have to go with a kinder attitude with the workers, as you sure wish to
keep the quota on line. But as our recently departed friend Gary was
still with us during the probes, it was really tough to stop them from
describing how many cookies they stole from their mother's
kitchen.

My second tour of the facility was greeted with less enthusiasm (wonder
why? I still know how to crack a good joke). I took the whole day going
through production, from end to end and backward again. If I have to go
again checking an endless list of numbers, comparing them to your
global statistics...I'll do it for the boundless love I have for
you.

NOTHING, not a single discrepancy in the numbers, not even the usual.
Yes, even your most faithful foremen do cheat on the edge you know. So
that's the unusual. Too clean, too quiet, too normal. Yes, you think it
too: why the fireworks if I could not find anything? I'm sure I would
have been much slower in my inquiries if not for that blotched attempt.
If not the production, where do you suggest I should look for?

I know your total honesty, and I could swear I never met anybody more
trustworthy than you, but if (by pure chance) there would be a part of
your operation you just forgot to tell me about, I think it would be
the perfect time. Not that I am not enjoying myself immensely, but
running like a chicken with no head could have serious consequences for
your quota by lack of any remaining workforce.

I look forward to hearing from you. Your respectful, and dedicated
Nephew

Auntie, Auntie!

I cannot believe what I just received! You cheat! I thought it was not
possible in a million year! And you dare expose your beloved and
(almost) virgin nephew to the dark schemes of a (not too) old Lady. But
a big question remains unanswered: it still does not make any sense!
Even if all your books are fixed, from production machinery stats, to
workers organization, why targeting me? And why sending me for
something that mild?

So I have decided to start from scratch and review in details what we
have learned as of today:

1. A shift leader send you a very confuse message and disappear

2. A workers replacement list three times the normal

3. A bored nephew of yours happens to be in the vicinity

4. The above nephew survives barely although he found nothing

Looks grim.

I have now the transcript of our dear Dr Kay interrogation.

- Dr Kay, this is for our records, a discussion on all information you
may have on this facility.

- Yes

- You know who I am and who I represent?

- Yes

- Very good; as witnesses, we have Mr. Bull and Mr. Pitt, friends of
mine, and the dear Gary, formally Director of this place

- Does it...he have to remain here? We could place him in a bag
or...

- In order to save money, our beloved CEO has decided that body bags
will hold two. Any suggestion for a companion for Gary?

- Nnnoo, no problem, a simple remark

- Very good, now up to the point shall we? Have you noticed anything
out of the ordinary during your time here (one year isn't it)?

- No, this is a fairly standard operation, well equipped, even as far
away from all civilization, as we are.

- Dr Kay, you have an outstanding track record with PhD all over the
wall, and you choose to remain here?

- Your aunt...our CEO, made me an offer I could not resist.

- I see (cheating taxes only Auntie were you?)

- I'm here to improve workers health using up to date technology, so we
can improve their well being and distribute our procedures to other
places.

- Would you care to elaborate?

- Oh, nothing fancy, vitamins, better training...

- Really? (Was I sarcastic enough Dear CEO?)

- And it's working, as yourself have noticed, nobody sick in the
hospital. And as injuries are almost fatal in this environment, the
place is very quiet.

- So, Dr Kay, you only got high marks from our Boss?

- Yes, and adequate compensation; but now that you tell me..

- Something coming back?

- Yes, it's about the high fatality rate, it started 6 months ago, and
I remember Gary...uh...Mr. Montag mentioning something strange in the
records...

- The hospital records?

- No, accounting

- Any more specific clue, Dr Kay?

- May be it will come later

- OK, thank you very much Dr Kay for your time, and let me know if
anything specific comes back to you.

- Thank you

- Oh, don't forget to send somebody for Gary; he is going on the smelly
side.

As you see, the Doctor was quite useless. Vitamins, hey! One day you
should tell me more, around the fire with our great grand children
dotting on us.

Your respectful, and dedicated Nephew

Dear Aunt

They missed me, but not Dr Kay.

When they did not see her this morning, a helper found her in her room,
more precisely, in her room, her dining room AND her bathroom. Strong
vitamins if you want my opinion. So now, instead of accounting records,
I have to move to medical and research records.

In fact I'm going to take a day off, because I would not dare looking
at your vitamins supply without your blessing. It seems they are quite
far away from the philosopher's stone, as for extending life.

And the surroundings, all that jungle, deadly insects, poisonous
liquids are so tempting. May be I'll found some lovely ruins from a
long gone xeno- civilization which will make me famous outside of my
usual group of friends.

Best Regards

Auntie Dearest

What the hell is going on around here? I almost became a patient of
dear Dr Kay. Or even better, join Gary in his bag (he does not snore,
does he?).

I had decided to travel light. Four armored transports with twenty four
heavily armed guards, my two buddies and four recreational creatures.
And we were going to the ruins! Yes you forgot to mention them, and I
thought I was making a good joke?.So a sunny day, good company and good
food, with a cultural alibi, your dedicated Professor Smith. The guy
was younger than I thought, but as he told me, crawling in unsafe,
dirty places put an age limit on the field activity. I never
interrogated him because he arrived so recently here, and beside an
extensive culture on foreign dusty artifacts, he is barely able to eat
by himself.

The jungle extends for thousands of kilometers around the facility, and
like all the jungles of the universe it can be compared to a lot of
very vivid images which make so beautiful posters in travel agencies.
But as everybody sane knows, they are hot, smelly, noisy and dangerous.
I had some problem concentrating on Smith lecture, with all the
distraction on hand. They were ruins, so obviously not very clean and
Smith was still unable to determine if their origin was indigenous or
not. Who cares?

The "lost" city had an unusual map, with long straight avenues, and
square buildings whose original height is impossible to gauge. Smith
explained that the inhabitants had created some "settlements" outside
of the main "city". Some unidentified places had apparently religious
functions, which is what archeologists say when they have absolutely no
clue.

Smith was here for his paper on "City Transportation in Outer Rim Alien
Civilizations". I advised him strongly to put a nice "alien" lady on
the front page, and to hint on the back that transportation was linked
to sexual behavior. You never know, it may even be true,
somewhere.

After lunch near a nice swamp (a recreational or religious swamp Mr.
Smith?) our guide decided to use our transports to look at one of the
outer settlements, and if possible bring back some artifacts. To find
it, we decided to follow the "roads" linking the main construction
center with the outside. These were merely jungle tracks of a lighter
color, ending up in a sort of clearing.

As soon as we were clear of the place, the four transports were gunned
down by a very heavy and precise defense system. And I can assure you,
as alien as you or me! Being in the last transport, we managed to avoid
destruction but left with two days of ration, liquid and five light
arms. So be it for a holiday. In summary seven people without
communication and barely enough food. The decision was simple: going
back to the main dig camp, roughly were we had our lunch. That's where
the rescue teams will start their search. And search I'm sure they
will, having no intention to explain to YOU why a second attempt on my
life was successful. You are known for your understanding for mistakes
to the widows and orphans of the people who failed.

They came at night. Grey on a dark background, gliding noiselessly
though the jungle, and driven by hunger. The good point was their lack
of speed, the bad was?.all the rest. They killed two guards in five
seconds and a girl in the next minute. Shooting erupted all around us,
and I had to scream to have everybody regrouping around me, with the
civilian inside and the armed in circle. At least we could avoid
friendly fire.

They came in waves, and even burnt horribly, they were able to rise
again and come back. Their shapes were those of normal beings but the
only light came from our guns, so it was difficult to watch
closely.

At dawn I was standing with Smith, Bull, one guard and a girl. In the
little trailer salvaged from one of the ships, we put one attacker
corpse, and we made our best to the city. We arrived at the dig almost
at the same time than the rescue team.

I file this report and I'll sleep for a week.

Oh, a last thing, the corpse I brought was looking exactly like one of
the workers who did not respond to my nice comments on my
arrival.

Sincerely yours, your ever faithful nephew.

From: Group Accounting Division

To: Group Executive Committee

Subject: NGC 20543 Audits

As per your last instructions, we are starting the general audit
procedure of the above mentioned facility.

Item
Base Value
Vs Group
Vs Industry

Production size
Level 3
107\%
138\%

Workers population
23,247
107\%
74\%

Workers Compensation
Adequate
100\%
67\%

Housing
Jungle type
104\%
43\%

Food
Basic enriched
N/A
Conf.

General expenses
TBD*

Workers Replacement factor
High
125\%
304\%

Injury level
3
3\%
7\%

* The general expenses data will be available shortly, as information
is not presented according to company guidelines. Many sub-categories
have been added and no detail cross-reference available.

After reviewing the numbers, it appears clearly that without an on-site
visit we will not be able to complete the detailed analysis of the
General Expenses items.

Highest regards

Henry D. Pickford III

Committee Chairman

My Dear Mummy

You will not believe the incredible luck I just had! After my last
little mistake, I really thought that my promising career at the
Accounting Division was over, after only six months. I know that Daddy
pulled a lot of strings to get me that job after the very low grades I
got at the final exam (oh, by the way the Headmaster told me how
pleased he was with the new Library), and I know how understanding they
have been (adding a special "A" for community improvement, when I mowed
the lawn, and another one when I put back the machine undamaged).

Yes, sending the accounting report to the tax people (the email system
is very, very complicated you know) and having my customer arrested
with a ten pages indictment was not fun, so when the Accounting
Division Head called me, I was sure he would yell at me and put me
dusting the archives.

Instead, I was greeted with a very big smile and a large drink.

- Harry, my dear friend, I can call you that, yes?

- Yes, sir?.

- How is your father these days?

- Very well thank you

- Well, well, well; now I would like to detail your next
assignment

- You are not cross with me for the Delta file mistake?

- No, absolutely not, it's our duty to expose the wrongdoings of our
worst customers

- I feel relieved Sir.

- Good, good, so this next assignment is extremely important for our
Company, but for you it will just be a walk in the park. You are going
for an easy and short trip??.

So the following day, I was en route to an exiting mission (traveling
first class!) to look into some simple accounting system. Adventure
with a big A. I shall make you proud of me.

Your beloved son.

My Dear and Beloved Aunt

Following your instructions, I have gone through every single file of
Dr Kay. Everything seems in order, but that was the look and feel of
your accounting?.I have just found a short list of patients, with what
appears as legitimate illness and legitimate medicines. Now the medical
team was composed of 135 helpers, 45 nurses and 12 MD, with the help of
a 15 admin staff. For the workers population, it makes sense, if you
add all the latest technology available in the lab.

But you should know that you pay your staff extended vacation. The
calendar was mostly empty. All the patients were referred to the staff
for treatment, and absolutely none of them were under Dr Kay
supervision. You generosity is well known, but you'll never cease to
amaze me.

Now I do appreciate your sense of humor, added to the political finesse
of Pickford. "Delta file" Harry! When I'm asking for an experienced
auditor! With a father like Harry's with political connections and
unsavory links, it's the best CYA I have ever witnessed.

Now what is the bottom line? You don't want me to find anything, and
I'd very much like going on with my vacation.

In summary, I'm now going to supervise Harry, and let him dig out the
rest of that story.

Sincerely yours, your ever faithful nephew.

My dear Mom

Thank you so much for the pair of sleepers and the nice embroided
pillow. You know that on the other side of the universe, basic
amenities are not right away available.

The facility where I have assigned is mostly an extraction/treatment
plant where a very enthusiastic team makes the best of an exiting
challenge; I have been given a detailed tour, with the Director
recently promoted, his predecessor having apparently reached the time
for retirement. I was told that he even got a special treat for his
return home. You should have witnessed the happiness of all the people
I met. They would die to meet their goal.

I have been given two aides (can you imagine, for a junior!), but I'm
not sure they are up to date with the latest audit methodology, and
they don't really talk, may be due to the weight of their body armor. I
have noticed that when we enter a room, all conversation stop for a
second, before people starts cheering on me. This mission is really a
dream made true.

But I haven't told you the best: I have been assigned to work under the
direct supervision of James IV, yes THE nephew of our respected
Chairman. He told me that HE would do everything in his power to help
me on my mission, and that the company was putting a great deal of hope
on me. The only thing I did not get was his referring of me to others
as DFH. A nice nickname. May be when you get to that level they give
you code letters. And you see immediately that you are part of the
group, as they are all laughing.

After the welcome reception, I immediately started my work by checking
the numbers of paperclips with the inventory records. You cannot
imagine how many of them are used, and when I enter a place with my
helpers, I insist to check all places where the little devils are known
to hide. And it's so pleasant to see the full cooperation from
everybody. It's just that the noise of the armors engines is a little
disturbing.

Your Harry who loves you

From: Internal Security Division

To: Group Chairman &; CEO

Subject: NGC 20543 Audits

Level: Level 5/Encrypted/FYEO

Following your instructions, we have started the audit of the above
facility.

The special agent Heinrich Finder has been assigned to the case. It's
our understanding that he will report directly to you, and be given all
resources needed to the completion of his mission.

He is starting immediately by checking all HQ connections with NGC
20543. Depending on his first results he may be assigned directly in
the facility under full cover.

We understand that the level of security for that mission is above the
current rating of your nephew James.

Highest Regards

T.P.N.

Chief of Group security

From: Heinrich Finder

To: Group Chairman &; CEO

Subject: NGC 20543 Audits

Level: Level 5/Encrypted/FYEO

I have been checking all available HQ information on the above facility
and it appears that on the surface it is working with utmost
efficiency. The production quota is met regularly and it's not unusual
to have a worker completing alive his tour of duty and enjoying a well
deserved retirement.

The first standard procedure is to check the freighter base to verify
if raw and processed materials are the only passengers.

From the HQ data, the only possible smuggling from NGC 20543 would have
been alien artifacts, but Dr Smith reports on the ruins did not involve
anything special or of particular value. I did ask for a second
opinion, under cover of a museum inquiry, and all the specialists
interviewed confirmed the lack of originality of the dig site, and that
counterfeit "alien" stuff would be more valuable.

In fact the only promising results were supposed to come from a special
underground building, but when the first pictures were sent, they only
showed uninteresting religious artifacts.

I have spent the last week interrogating the various managers, and I'm
pleased to report that only minor smuggling operations were active, and
all of them involving interim stations (NGC 20543 being at the end of
the line).

I have ordered the replacement of the managers involved, and made sure
that the example was understood by the rest of the staff. Our internal
statistics show that the next audit will be needed in 3 years 7 months.
I'm sending a memo to HR to start the training of the future
staff.

The next step will be the HR department.

Respectfully

Dear Mom

I have filed a detailed report to my boss about the lack of control of
the paperclips, and I got an immediate reply praising me for my
accuracy. He told me that he will submit my findings to the Santa Claus
Committee for further analysis. James (yes Mummy he let me call him
James!) became flushed with excitement, became red and almost dropped
his glass. I must be on the right track.

He did drop his glass when I told him that none of the medical
equipment on the list could be found in the hospital. But the Doctor in
charge, Dr Wilkins, (recently promoted also) assured me that I was
confused with kitchen implements. I asked James if they served genes at
dinner (a gene splitter must be used to cook genes, no?). James slapped
my back so hard I was unable to breathe.

The following morning I was told that Dr Wilkins decided also to retire
(he seemed young to do that, but may be these assignment count double),
and that James was expecting me to join him for a picnic outside the
facility.

The Company is really generous with its staffers. James decided to
offer the picnic to at least half of the security personnel, and he
even told me that what was looking as heavy weaponry would only be used
for a great fireworks. Now I'm not sure how I'll be eating the picnic,
as they put me into a very large motorized suit (jungle fashion
apparently) remotely controlled so I could relax and enjoy the
scenery.

I'm sure that my next letter will be full of details on a colorful
excursion.

Your beloved son

From: Internal Security Division

To: Group Chairman &; CEO

Subject: NGC 20543 Audits

Level: Level 5/Encrypted/FYEO

We have received from our agent a memory dump of his last inquiry. We
have absolutely no idea of his whereabouts, and as the dump is
encrypted for you, we have no way to open or format it before sending
it. We are sorry to be unable to put it in a proper way, but it seemed
a matter of urgency.

Highest regards

T.P.N.

Chief of Group security

From: Heinrich Finder

To: Group Chairman &; CEO

Subject: Enquiry Memory Dump

Level: Level 5/Encrypted/FYEO

Iced Coffee with ketchup: the ideal combination for a bright morning.
Will be needed if I want to find anything. In ten years I never saw
such a puzzle. I feel something, and my feelings never failed me. But
nothing beside petty thieves. From the information at hand, none of
this justifies two attempts on James, whatever he may be. And there is
something, big.

HR. Resources is the right word here. Wonder why they don't merge it
with procurement or waste disposal. At least the records are well
kept.

- Nancy, I need your help with my research

- Yes sir

- Please, Heinz will do. The problem is that I'm not sure of what I'm
looking for

- Heinz, why don't we start with the general employees'
background?

Nancy is the Director of HR security. Level 2, but an impeccable
background. And my recommendation will be an asset for her.

All employees are screened, more for any link with the competition than
for any criminal record (who with a sane mind would go working in these
conditions?).

Nothing in their life. But may be I should look at their
after-life.

- Nancy, what happens with the dead?

- We used to cremate them on-site, but with the outcries of two years
ago, we have to ship them back and give the body to the families.

- Must be awfully expensive

- Yes

Now with the very high death rate of NGC 20543, that must account to
quite a cargo load.

I brought with me all the data from the freighter terminal, so we start
looking at them.

Bingo!

The number was almost insignificant, due to the fact that Bodies, even
in great numbers weight nothing compared to cargo. But on every
shipment, the allowed load was filled, but did not check with the
average body weight plus merchandise.

- Nancy, where are the bodies going?

- The Company has a huge funeral site, where the corpses are processed
and given back to their beloved ones

- Must be touching?.

First stop, a small bar, where "friends" of mine will provide an
adequate cover and worker license. I have the strong feeling that it's
better than relying on the Office supplies.

Company Funeral Parlor! Larger than any shopping mall and much more
crowded. The noise, screams, cries are unbelievable. Thousands of
families members go through the process. Which is fact is pretty
simple: bring the "notification of death" to a very bored clerk, with
any kind of ID which will never be checked (who would steal a corpse?),
then wait for your number to be called, get the box, sign a paper, get
a paper and present it to the counter when the "anticipated termination
bonus" will be given (they do check ID's there?.). Death does not give
any right to the end-of-contract bonus.

My first day was exhausting. As the new guy, I had to move the corpses
from the arrival chamber, to the cleaning facility, where they will
make sure that no lethal, known or unknown organism was left.

Midnight, the proper spook time for unauthorized visit. I planned it as
an orientation session, just to get the look and feel of the place. I
had spent hours on a legit reason for my visit, and the guard at the
door did not raise his eyes from his program. Why not? Who would steal
corpses?

White doors, white corridors, white rooms, white attires. With their
mask, people were gliding like ghosts. A spook disguised as a ghost!
Got it? Whatever I'm looking for must me IN the corpses. Yes, I'm as
bright as you are. The main problem is accessing the "cleaning"
chamber.

A small puff of gas and one of the "Cleaner" gets a good night sleep.
He won't remember a thing in the morning. I thought the badges would be
at least DNA coded, and I had prepared myself for the possibility. Not
even a picture! So here we go!

Imagine a big factory with hundreds of automated machines like big
ovens, though which the bodies went, spending around 10 seconds and
out. I expertly put one out of order and started "fixing" it.
Nothing.

May be the corpses are tagged and the conveyor will respond to it by
sending them to a special system. I had analyzed them with various
devices the previous day, and no electro-magnetic signal registered.
The dispatcher was at the entrance of the room, but I watched it for
hours without noticing anything out of the ordinary in its
movement.

I could have yelled of frustration the whole night. So instead I cooled
down with exercises and rang Nancy. She was still up and game.

I'm reviewing now all data. If I had to smuggle "something", where
would I put it?

It hit me like a bullet! Clear, bright, just under my nose! I know now
why Gary Montag was surprised, why the bomb in James room, the savagery
of Dr Kay death and why the "religious" artifacts. Still no idea of the
"what", but the "how" and "why" are crystal clear.

But the guns and the jungle ghosts don't fit in. I have to go there to
find out.

End of Recording

Dirty Auntie

I'm switching to real-time, despite of the cost. You would not miss the
excitement on-line, would you?

Let's call it "Operation Cover Up" or "Saving Private Auntie", shall
we? Couldn't you just cheat on taxes like everybody else? It would have
saved me starting a little private war, instead of doing?..whatever I
like to do. Somebody should have told you that the Jung-Hellfire treaty
on sentient beings bio-engineering was NOT a paper toilet brand, but
something that the whole known universe was eager to enforce.

So your research team here was not happy to clone deceased workers and
tamper with their natural abilities, like replacing the football
statistics with endurance. Dr Kay started a big plan of her own in a
special location where she moved most of the medical equipment for
"safety" reasons. She was apparently paranoid enough to protect it with
military grade defense systems, provided by you she claimed to her
staff.

And as I know you did not, may be one of your lovely competitor thought
of "helping" you with those with the research. Anyway here we go.

Dr Wilkins was kind enough to provide me with the exact coordinate,
which by chance are nearby the little incident I went though the other
day. The security forces are not the army, but I hope they will be
enough. The first issue at hand is the location of the surface to air
defenses, as the radar just shows jungle signature and no buildings; If
we could remove the stealth field, it would help.

I have the feeds from all groups, so you can select any on-going
operation.

Sniper #3

What a mess. The stealth force field is now tampering with the
orientation equipment. Relying on the sun for positioning! All is
quiet. Even the sound amplifier does not record any animal noise.

Ghosts, everywhere. Like walking corpses. After a minute of panic I
realize that all three of us are still in one piece. Bloody hell, they
can't go though the armor. Ashes you were, and ashes you will be.

Another group. This time, no hesitation. From ghost to cinders.

I'm getting the feeds from the four other groups. Same problems, same
solution. We should not be too far away now.

The armor is heating up and moving very slowly. I'm getting signals
from the ambulatory sub-systems.

Their blood, it was in their blood. It's attacking the motors. I have
to get out of that case before being buried alive in it. Ok done.
Ghosts, again, they?.

Field Command

Attention all units. We just lost two out of four snipers units. DO NOT
let the ghosts come too close. Vaporize from a distance.

Sniper #1

And the defense systems will not register the higher signature of our
weapons? Good luck. Now I'm getting a faint signal from ahead. Here we
go. First line of defense.

Surface to air one and two destroyed.

Sniper #4

Surface to air three and four disposed of.

Field Command

Transport strike one, this a go, repeat this is a go.

Harry

Oh Mummy, I wish you could be here with me. This is a magnificent
firework. You should see the orange balls blooming, and the precision
of the ground transports moving in with a definitive grace. I did not
tell James, but I'm sure he is rehearsing a show to present back
home!

I'm quite happy of the sound filters, as they should try to avoid all
this unnecessary shouts and explosions. Canon fire in a musical piece.
What a strange idea.

Captain Hellis

The snipers did a great job. I suggest a post mortem bonus for the
family. None survived the attempt. The ground defenses are composed of
automatic land based systems plus floating auto direct mines.

Calling air strikes on coordinates Alpha 45, repeat Alpha 45.

Done, three hundred meters cleared. More mines, more?

Harry

Captain Hellis had a great part. He should have been used more in the
script. May be James prefers small individual parts to avoid the star
syndrome. Or may be he would like to be the only star; but I won't
repeat that.

The show is moving further away, and I can't see clearly. Oh by playing
with the little buttons, my armor is now free. Trying to get a better
view.

Field Command

Loss are now 23\%. What do we have here? What are they protecting?
Never saw anything like that since?never in fact.

Good news, main building in view. DO NOT damage it.

James

I don't remember any Company with such a defense system. It bears the
signature of the federal forces. But in that case we would have seen
some marines troopers and I would not be here describing our
victory.

From a distance, it looks like a small building with a kind or power
generator and a small barrack.

WHAT IS THAT? F? Harry is loose on the battlefield and entering the
main building. I thought his armor was restrained.

Commander, secure immediately the facility and GET HOLD OF HARRY.

From: Heinrich Finder

To: Group Chairman &; CEO

Subject: NGC 20543 Audits

Level: Level 5/Encrypted/FYEO

I had no time to give advance notice of my trip here. I have used a
lawyer cover to justify identity and authority. I had the feeling that
it was not the time for too much subtlety.

But in fact the whole team is so traumatized by the recent events that
they do not care any more who is asking what.

I have started with James arrival and his first hours in the facility.
In fact what is strange is that he never invited any girl in his room
the first night, but when he woke up to answer your call, he sent a
message to a clerk to wait for him in his room. The guy was never to be
found or heard of.

Now we have two possibilities; one is obvious, but James tastes never
went in that direction. The other is a business link.

In fact I'm now convinced that the purpose was severing the link. Your
nephew was never a target, but his "associates" Bull and Pitt arranged
for a cleaning session. Of what?

The clerk main job was to send the corpses to their beloved family
home. Yes, that was the link. The missing link now, if I may.

I went to the clerk station to retrieve all relevant data. Absolutely
clean. No surprise there. But I don't know any low level ops who does
not keep any "insurance" somewhere, just in case. If not, 75\% of the
mystery literature would not have been written.

Bull (or Pitt) never found it, because the clerk changed room the day
of his death. It's in the previous one, behind a closet (?) that I
found the records.

The body bags. They were tampered with somewhere, and given back to be
used. Back home the bags were simply disposed with in a special trash
can?.and picked up outside of the morgue. Simple, elegant,
straightforward, James is simply a genius.

Nothing in those records explaining the content of the bags, but I
think we have enough for an enquiry at that end. I'm betting for drug,
it has the look and feel. Yes feelings again.

As for Dr Kay, your nephew in fact was a little afraid that she would
remember more of Gary's remarks. And Gary was surprised to see that
body bags arrived in pieces and had to be finished on site. So some
cleaning was in order. But of this I'm not entirely convinced. A bomb,
a walk in the wood, yes. A torture session? Do you know if Dr Kay had
other associates?

The source of the bags apparently comes from out of the base, and I
think that the "dig" in the ruins, along with the "religious" artifacts
need further attention. It appears your Nephew is waging a kind of war
not far from there, so going undetected may be tricky.

Dear Mom

I had never visited a movie set before. And as they were all busy
reviewing their rehearsal, I was free to explore. You cannot imagine
the level of realism they are now using. Everything looks real, even
the computers are working.

They do have also very realistic special effects: in one of the
corridor I was met with five "monsters" all white with dirty teeth and
all. At exactly three meters they disappeared in a burst of flame, with
a small indicator blinking in my suit: 3 MJoules/reloading What it
meant, no idea.

I spent some times playing around (I'm sure the set will be dismantled
after the shots), and I even succeeded getting a message from a
computer: Core Dump/Resetting after that all went blank.

I did not like at all the various "bodies" and "monsters" lying around
in almost every room; too realist, even the smell. But on a wall in the
largest office, some documents and pictures were not written in any
language I recognized. But it is a set remember, and they only need to
finish the details which will be in front of the camera.

As I was still alone, I exited by the rear of the building, where I
found some vehicles in fairly good shape. And not fake!! As nobody
likes to have me underfoot (I remember Daddy in the office?.), I will
pay a little visit to the nearby ruins, and the dig site.

Dear Aunt and Chairman

We are finishing cleaning up the mess. The official story will be that
Dr Kay was running an illegal drug ring, and that all people involved
have been dealt with. Heavy weapons look nice with drug dealers. Try to
find some "proof" of drug dealing on your side. Should be easy.

The lab was deserted, with all computers empty (automatic wipeout when
we attacked apparently). I have given instruction to destroy all the
bodies (for fear of contagion), bring back all legitimate equipment to
the hospital, so our records will be clean again, and destroy the
rest.

Hopefully somebody took care of Harry and moved him out of here. He
will be a nice witness, if needed. As soon as somebody will explain to
him, that no, it was not a movie.

I'm going back to the factory awaiting further instructions.

Your ever faithful Nephew

Dear Mom

This will be my last message from this facility. Hopefully our next
meeting will be face to face and I look forward to being cozy at home
again. Adventure, yes, but not too much. And I'm afraid I got a cold
here.

The last present I have for you is James scenario for a detective
story, or I should say the conclusion of it. I wanted to save it for
our reunion, but I know you like those stories so much than I can't
wait to send it to you.

Apparently James was using also the ruins as a set, but for different
sort of stories. Not war, but more detective, police mysteries. When I
arrived at the dig, I saw a small vehicle like mine already parked in a
remote corner, near some steps going down under one of the old
building.

The underground was honeycombed with various tunnels and passages, but
only one was lit adequately. I followed the light for some time, with
my armor engines only noises (no idea how to get out of this thing, but
at least I had air conditioning and water). After a small walk, I heard
some voices and more light. I think I triggered a display of the last
scene recoded here.

- Whooo, who are you?

- No cause for Panic here, Dr Smith, I'm just the Company lawyer doing
some cleaning

- Sorry, you frightened me with that armor

- You may not know, but there seem to be a war outside. It seems over
now.

Two men were facing each other. One, just climbing out of an armor like
mine, with a dark suit, and the other, taller but thinner, with an
outdoor tempered jumper. The room was fairly large, with a generator,
some strange equipment, and crates over crates of white powder. On the
other side, a pile of bags, the size of an average body.

- So this is it Dr Smith. Nice archeological discovery. Where are we
supposed to pray?

- I made the find two years ago, during my first trip here. I went back
home with some samples and documents. It took me six months to find out
their value, and go to James with it.

- Assume I know nothing. If I need to defend the Company, I need the
base information.

- The former inhabitants of this planet had a high level of drug
addiction. Despite brutal law enforcement, they were unable to stop it.
I have found the plant used, and a little genetic tampering made it
effective for us.

- Dr Kay tampering?

- No idea. May be. She was a genius genetician, totally amoral, but I
was not involved there.

- Who had the body suit ideas?

- James

- I knew it?a real genius of a kind.

- So you know everything. We have limited the people involved, the
plant is coming from the other continent, processed and integrated in
the suits here.

- Any incriminating records which could used against you?

- The computer over there is not linked to any kind of network to
minimize the risk.

- Good, thank you.

- What do you suggest I do now?

- Close your eyes

- What!

And as anybody could have predicted, the "lawyer" pulled up a gun of
some sort and Dr Smith was history.

I don't understand what happened after that, because I'm fairly sure I
was never involved with the recording. My armor must have made a small
noise, and the guy, who was walking toward the computer turned around
toward me with his gun leveled at my chest.

- What the hell are you doing here?.

He started to press the trigger and I got another message on my armor
screen: 0.5MJoules/reloading. And poof, the display stopped and the man
disappeared. I hope they won't put too many special effects in the
final movie, because it's quite annoying.

I checked if the computer was real too (it was and I got the same
message), and I decided to bring back some souvenirs (don't tell Daddy
please). I found again the strange writing on some documents and
decided to leave.

I may have taken a wrong turn at some point, because I entered a sci-fi
set I had not seen before. A vertical circular pond of water, was
hanging on the wall, so real I could see myself like in a mirror, with
seven red light around it. After a few seconds, the lights turned off
and the "water" disappeared.

I just had the time to get some other souvenirs, before a big red
message appeared in my armor: Bomb Detected/Emergency Program Override
and the armor started to move back by itself at an incredible speed and
out we went.

I heard a low rumble and some dust went out of the opening; at that
point I decided that I had enough of the show-business.

A big big kiss from your beloved Son.

Dear Aunt

Time to go home. I have recovered Harry in good shape, and he is so
exited to see his "mummy"!

Your lawyer was nowhere to be found, but you should know that an
unfortunate accident happened in the dig site. Dr Smith was apparently
also on site. Must be tough on you, all these faithful employees
leaving like that.

From: Major Operations Monitoring

To: Federal Security Chairman

Subject: NGC 20543

The inquiry on the above facility is now complete. Thanks to our
operative there (yes, the same one than the Delta company operation),
we have enough data to put a definitive end to that company illegal
operations.

- breach of the bio-engineering treaty

- drug dealing

- tax evasion

They should keep quiet for some time.

We have not finished the translation of the xeno documents found on
site, and we still have no idea of the purpose of the now destructed
alien artifacts. The recording show a kind of high energy quantum
surface.

Dr Kay allies may have come from a more distant place than previously
anticipated.

Best Regards

Larry K Doppler III

MOM Chairman