Home and Native Land: Joining the Dead

[x-dominion.livejournal.com]

Backdated due to computer issues.



The huge conference table had never seen such a grim group of men and women arrayed around it. They were still in their damp formalwear, none of them much interested in the official post-funeral reception in the main auditorium. Instead, in clusters of two and three, they had made their way upstairs to the conference room that Alpha Flight had been born, in order to determine how it might now have been killed as well.

Minister MacDonald sat in his usual chair, but he was wan looking and somber. The weight of the losses had fallen heavily on him, and there were already rumours that the Prime Minister's Office was distancing itself from the once popular Independent.

Beside him, and looking no less grey sat the Hudsons. Of them all, they were closest with each of the candidates for the new Alpha Flight, and it was friends as well as their program that died horribly. Mac Hudson especially seemed hard pressed to draw his eyes up from the table, staring dully at the polished wood.

The rest of them trailed around the table from there, even Madison despite his injuries. The funeral had stunned them, dulled them into a grim tableau. The door opened, and the last piece of the program stepped inside; Director Malcolm Colcord.

The tall white haired man was famously known for his cold self-control. But now, his lips were pressed into an white angry line, and his face matched the paleness of his beard. He stepped at the head of the table, his eyes lashing across the table.

"Good afternoon. I wish this meeting could have been in happier circumstances." He said, his deep voice filling the room. "I know that some of you still are not aware of the full details behind the loss of our probationary Alpha Flight relaunch."

He stopped, pressing his hand against the table top. "Officially, the team was killed when the CH-149 Cormorant returning from a training exercise north of Bathurst Inlet was caught in a sudden storm front on the way back to the staging area in the North West Territories. The storm caused the Cormorant to develop intake problems, and the pilot lost control of the helicopter. The crew and five of the seven Department H personnel were killed in the crash." Colcord took a deep breath and continued. "The truth is that the team was actually ambushed inside a radar station outside of Bathurst Inlet and were killed in action. Only Madison Jefferies and Colonel Eugene Judd escaped the station, and Colonel Judd is currently in critical condition. Their transport was destroyed by a rocket propelled grenade while on the ground, killing the crew."

Colcord ended, and looked at them, sweeping the table. "Considering the panic this news could cause, the PMO and the Ministry of National Defense has decided that the fictional crash will remain the official account of the events."

"That's just great." Logan said, wishing for a cigar but not exactly wanting to push people right now. He wasn't an Alphan but he was close to those who were and he was still fighting down an urge to mount up and go put some pain on the people who murdered his friends. "Any ideas who fired the RPG?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.

"No. In fact, we have no idea who was involved in the ambush, or even why." Colcord looked grim as he atoned his responses in an sepulchral voice. "Our forensic teams have been over the site extensively since the ambush. We've collected a large number of 10mm shell casings. According to our experts, the rounds were privately made, so we have no manufacturing or distribution leads to follow. None of the rounds contained a viable fingerprint. The fragments of the RPG round identify it as a PG-7VR warhead fired from an RPG-7 launcher. Sadly, both the warhead and the launcher itself are widely available on the market, and virtually untraceable due to the number of manufacturers in Asia and the Middle East."

"10mm ammo and an RPG. That's high-end for a terrorist." Garrison sat, turning his Stetson over in his hands as he considered the information. "Obviously someone put some time into this. What's so valuable in a, what, radar station? What else is there?"

"Nothing." Colcord replied, and a murmur ran around the table. The Director sighed and waved at Mac, who came out of his numbed stillness with a jolt.

"What? Oh, right. Yeah, Garrison, the radar station is part of NORAD's Distant Early Warning line of 58 stations in northern Canada. Since 1991, only about a third of those stations are online at any one time, due to improvements in radar technology and budget conditions in the US. About forty of the stations are remotely rotated on and off 'watch status' to support the major installations, and to make sure they remain in operational readiness."

Hudson scrubbed his face. The man obviously hadn't gotten much sleep in the last week. "Station Bravo Tango Eight was due to come online during a simulated attack drill at Cheyenne and failed to do so. There's a repair crew normally sent out to the station in the event it doesn't come on, but I heard about it and thought it would be a good training exercise. We haven't done a lot of Arctic field work so far, and the logistics of deploying to a remote severe environment to make technical assessments and repairs was a useful opportunity for them." While his voice didn't waver, it wasn't hard to see who Mac blamed for the deaths on the team.

"It has since been determined that the reason for the radar outage was a short in the UPS system, which caused the station to shutdown the remote powering sequence." Colcord furthered. "There's certainly nothing in the station worth killing for. The technology is quite old, there are no access codes to the general NORAD system, and the rest of the station consists of some offices, a small living area, log storage and some stocks of emergency food and supplies. In short, we can't fathom a reason that the station itself was the target."

"So, you're suggesting that something else was?" Lil asked slowly, speaking up from where she sat beside her husband. Madison was lost in oblivion again , twitching occasionally, and it took all of the blonde woman's resolve to focus on the conversation instead of him.

"Yes. Alpha Flight." A stir rippled through them, and Colcord held up one hand. "There is no certain evidence, but it is the only thing that makes sense. The station itself has no value. It would have taken a remarkable coincidence for a group to have simply been in position, with enough firepower, to happen upon the team."

"Wait, I made the suggestion to us only a couple days before the ambush that we send Alpha Flight." Hudson interjected. "We discussed the last minute nature of the training being laid on. If someone sabotaged the radar station, they could have only expected the normal repair team, not us."

"That would be true, unless the individual or group involved had access to the knowledge that Alpha Flight was being dispatched, along with the location and the timing." Colcord replied.

"So you think it's an inside job." Logan said flatly. "Either the repair crew, or someone in Alpha." he added. He sniffed the air, trying to get a read on what was going on in this room. Too much didn't make sense. He'd be -damned- if this was some sort of an inside job. Alpha didn't work that way.

"Sadly yes, and no." Colcord said cryptically. They couldn't fail to notice the three uniformed Canadian Forces servicemen who had stepped into the room, or the suddenly graying of Minister MacDonald's face. "There was a security leak that sent the details of the training mission to the public. Minister?"

Robert MacDonald rose, and with great sadness, looked over to Walter Langkowski. Mac's right hand researcher looked merely puzzled at the sudden scrutiny

"Dr.Langkowski. You have had extensive correspondence with a woman you met on an Future Design forum named," He fumbled with his papers "DrAmyDC, oui?"

"Uh, yes..." Walter pushed up his glasses and scratched his nose. "She's a researcher for the Smithsonian. Wait, I mentioned meeting her at the last security interview. Director, you said she didn't represent a security risk!" Langkowski was starting to sound slightly panicked.

"I know, Walter. She isn't."

"Then--"

"Following the planning meeting, you emailed her through your Gmail account to say that you'd be free for a few days, since most of the people you work with would be out of the office." MacDonald's pace was almost glacial, and so far nothing had violated security, but the entire room felt the impending event, charging the air like an expectant thunderstorm

"I've done that before."

"Yes." The Minister almost looked sad as he read verbatim from the page. "I can't tell you how happy that I'm going to be looking at the photos from the Koln International School of Design's graduate show this weekend, instead of freezing my ass off in the Arctic repairing fifty year old radar kludge."

Walter went sheet white. "I-- but I, I only told her I was glad to look at the show." His voice went plaintive. "I never said-- Mac, I never--"

"Never stopped to think what kinda fucking idiot you are!" Lil spat as her palms slapped the surface of table and she pushed out of her chair. Only Madison's twitching fingers on her arm kept her from lunging at the researcher. "Your fucking flirting got our people killed and put two more in the hospital including my husband!"

"That's enough." The Director's voice was calm, but underlined with steel. It was sufficient to stop both the attacks and the protests of innocence.

"Mac-" Walter turned desperate eyes on Hudson, but Mac only turned his head away with a slight shake.

"Dr. Langkowski, we're aware that there was no malice in this, but communicating top secret information over an unsecured third party email service is completely against our security protocols. We've spoken with the Minister of Justice, and we all feel that charges would be... unwise. However, your security clearance is revoked, and you are terminated as an employee of Department H effective immediately.

The three servicemen went to stand behind Langkowski as he shakingly got to his feet, his mouth agape in shock as he looked around the room at former co-workers for support. Only Colcord met his gaze as he slunk from the room.

"I'm sorry, Walter." The Director said, before the door was closed behind Langkowski. "I wish that was the only bad news to impart."

"For fuck's sake, Walt." Logan growled. "Bodies in the ground for a piece of tail? That's weak." he said. Something wasn't right here - Walt's smell was all over the map - but he wasn't real inclined to be generous right then. Later, he'd go track him down, pump him full of beer, get the real story.

Maybe hang his guts from the flagpole.

"So what else you got for us?" he asked the slightly shocked bodies still in the room.

"In light of what's happened, I've decided to terminate the Alpha Program, effective immediately." Colcord forestalled the reaction with a motion of his hand. "Please, let me finish. The Minister and I had a long discussion, and considering the failures of the last two incarnations of the program, it is unfeasible at this time to try and rebuild from this tragedy. James, I've made arrangements that everyone from your team will remain with Department H, but we will be reassigning their duties for other initiatives."

Garrison took a breath and caught Colcord's attention. "Sir, there are a number of trainees and--"

"I understand where you're headed, Inspector Kane. Gamma and Beta Flight will not be effected by this decision. However, Beta Flight graduates will simply be offered reserve status. Both the political and operation risks involved in attempting to reform the team are too great." Colcord's voice dropped, and he looked down at the gleaming tabletop. "There have been too many lives lost."

"And how many more are going to be at risk without a first response team?" Lil challenged. All the anger that had been focused at Walter drained from her face and she was now looking as pale as her husband. "Sir, you can't do this! We worked too fucking hard!" She had worked too hard. Gut punched for the second time since she'd arrived home, the blonde woman felt even more of her future slipping away. "You can't cancel the relaunch."

"Mrs. Crawley-Jefferies, I'm well aware of the efforts that have been made for this program. But this is the second time it has failed in a complete fashion. There are only so many times the government is going to try a failed solution before it becomes times to re-examine other options." Colcord said, and it was Minister MacDonald who spoke next, directly to Hudson.

"I'm sorry, James. The Prime Minister's Office was clear. The party will not support the Ministry in trying to continue with the Alpha Flight program. I've tried to negotiate, but-" The redfaced man shook his head tiredly. "There are other programs that they feel are more promising. That don't have the political... baggage of Alpha Flight."

"Baggage _my ass_." Logan growled. "Anything else is gonna be starting over. From scratch. It'll take years to ramp up. Years in which Canada's uncovered," he said. "Take what you have left and form a new team, absolutely. But shitcanning Alpha's just dumb." he said.

"Canada hasn't had an operational Alpha Flight in over five years, Logan. And when we did have one, it was hardly the most effective solution even then." Colcord pointed out, with a kind of grim finality. It was true that Canada had been focused on putting three teams together for this year, and the lack of immediate need and record of failure were combining to kill the program. "The RCMP and the Department of National Defense are looking at integrated programs which could use Beta Flight graduates as part of their own established units, something like an extension of the American SHIELD program. Regardless, the Prime Minister was very clear. After ten years of development and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment, all the Alpha Flight program has to show for its efforts are five dead Canadians. He won't support it, and I have nothing to show to persuade him otherwise."

"What happens next?" Kane voice was quiet, but it cut through by virtue of asking the question that everyone had been considering. Colcord looked over to the Minister, who sighed heavily.

"We have considered the options available. Department H will continue to operate as normal, without the development mandate for Alpha Flight. Those resources will be divided up depending on the final decision on how to replace the program. Obviously, all existing members will retain a reserve Beta Flight status, and for those of you without positions in Department H, we will look for offers inside the system that will best suit you. Inspector, the Superintendent and I have spoken, and we feel that your association with the FBI is valuable enough to continue for at least another year before re-evaluation. For now, your position with Xavier's is no longer a Department H priority. We've notified Professor Xavier already to the changing situation. The government wishes to continue to keep a dialogue open with him, but it will be through other channels from now on."

From her seat, Lil shook her head as she gripped the edge of the table like a drowning person clinging to a life preserver. "Sir, I'm sorry, but this is bullshit!" She was going to skin Walter and turn him into a throw rug the next time she saw him. "'Offers inside the system? ' Alpha was the offer!"

"Mrs Crawley-Jeffries, I believe I said that was enough." Colcord said with a cold finality, his eyes locked on hers. Despite his age, there was something powerful in Colcord's glare, and it was more than enough to quiet the room. "Alpha Flight was not a prize for you. It was a government initiative that the Prime Minister can no longer defend in Parliament. In short, the elected representatives of the Canadian people no longer trust the program or you people with Alpha Flight. Minister MacDonald, at considerable cost to his own tenuous political position, has prevented everyone from being terminated immediately. Be grateful that you and your husband still have jobs."

"Does the mean the BOX program is going to be involved?" Garrison asked carefully, aware of how close Colcord was to tipping over into fury.

"No. It was tied to Alpha Flight once it became apparent that only Mr. Jeffries' powers were what allowed the machine to work properly. The cost of reconstructing it would be enormous, and Department H simply does not have the resources to allocate to starting from scratch. Members of the BOX program will be transferred to our normal robotics research groups." Malcolm Colcord stood up, and smoothed down the front of his suit. "There are no pleasant repercussions from this, I'm afraid. If there was another option available to continue with Alpha Flight, I would do so. But without political support of the program, funding, and some answers about why the deaths occurred, it is a choice between it and the rest of Department H."

Those were his final words before stepping through the door and leaving the stunned room. Minister MacDonald muttered a few words in James Hudson's ear before he followed with nothing more than a sad look to the rest of them. Now only the stunned group remained.

Gripping her husband's trembling hand harder, Lil continued to seethe. Grateful, she was not. A desk job, security, training new Gamma or Beta recruits seemed her only options with her lack of education and none of them all that appealing. "What now?" she hissed through her teeth at those who remained, not liking the way Madison was fidgeting beside her. Had the news of the BOX program's demise somehow penetrated the haze he'd been in since the attack? "We can't just roll over and play de-" Lil swallowed hard then frowned apologetically. "We can't sit here and do nothing."

"She's right. We can't." Logan said with a look towards Lil. "We mount up, bring some backup and some supplies, and go find whoever it was who put our people in the ground. Figure we might start with Walt, sweat him, find out if this is a frame or if he's the one we want." Logan mused.

"Whoa, whoa." Kane put his hands up, trying to placate things. "I want answers as much as anyone, but sweating Walt Langkowski? What the fuck is that poor bastard going to tell us? If he was dumb enough to mention the trip up to the Arctic, which isn't like Walt but not outside of the realm of possibility, who ever was monitoring his email was doing it remotely. He's not going to know anything, whether or not he was the leak."

Garrison shook his head, trying to fit the information together. Who ever did this had killed Alpha Flight dead, which meant it had to be their priority in the first place. But who would be targeting the team in the first place. "The Director is right. As long as it remains a political decision, Alpha Flight is dead, and we can't do a damn thing to change that. So what we need to do is change it from a political question. Who ever got to the team wanted them out of the way. Why? What's the motive? Is there something bigger in Canada that they're planning to hit and couldn't risk the team getting involved? We need information before anything else. Mac--"

"Oh, I just know what you're going to ask. Garrison, there's been an RCMP forensic team up at the radar station since the military declared the site clear." Hudson leaned back tiredly. Heather shot a sideways look at him, and he sighed. "Alright, I'll make some calls. Heather has the details on getting up there. Maybe there are some answers you guys can dig up. Technically, you're still on detached duty until everything goes through the ministry."

"Thanks Mac."

"That goes for all of us?" Lil asked. Madison wasn't well enough, of course, but the rest of them. "I ain't gonna stay here while there's a hunt to find the fuckers who did this." To Alpha Flight. To their dead teammates. To Puck, her future and to her husband. They'd all be avenged and she'd help doing it even if it meant leaving the technopath who was twisting the ring on her left hand, pulling it offer her finger and sliding it back on like a distracted child for a day or two. "When can we leave?"

"Better question." Logan interjected. "Why are we still here?"