Recovery of the Lost Satellite

At the Adventure Team Headquarters, the AT Commander and Mike review the final test information for the new Adventure Team vehicle, the OMTEV (One Man Tracked Excursion Vehicle) - the replacement for the Escape Car.

AT COMMANDER: "Ok Mike … so we will try out the new One Man Tracked Excursion Vehicles this week. They should be ready for us to give them a good Testing."

MIKE: "Ok, Commander. I'll have the team put them through the same qualification runs we put the Escape Cars each year to recertify them. And then we will come up with a few new twists."

AT COMMANDER: "Great Mike. That will give me a better feeling about them. I particularly want you to put the new plasma laser version of the OMTEV through its paces. We might need to use the laser and I want to be able to trust it."

MIKE: "Hmmm …. Ok. Can you give me some details on it? This is really the first I have heard anything about it."

AT COMMANDER: "Well … I can tell you what Dr. Sydney has told me. The laser is level-adjustable and can fire up to a 100 Gigawatt laser burst. That is why we need an especially equipped OMTEV to handle it. We had to add extra power generation capability to the vehicle to handle it. Even so, at full power, you only have about 10 seconds of sustained fire power. Anything over that and you risk imploding the laser generation coils."

MIKE: "Wow! Even so … that is a heck of a lot more firepower than we have ever had!"

AT COMMANDER: "You can say that again, Mike. I hope we can …"

Suddenly, klaxons blare out and the main communications screen appears on the computer monitor.

On the screen, is the President of the United States.

PRESIDENT: "Commander, we are in need of your team's special - skills in recovering artifacts. NORAD tracked a failing Russian nuclear powered communications satellite one month ago ... we lost contact with it as it entered into the atmosphere over the South Pacific."

AT COMMANDER: "Ok, sir ... so you need us to find it for you?"

PRESIDENT: "No, we know where it is Commander ... we found it yesterday … it is on one of the islands of the Federated States of Micronesia."

AT COMMANDER: "Ok Mr. President ... but I don't understand why you need us then..."

PRESIDENT: "Our country is currently having - difficult - discussions with them on another topic. I do not believe they would be - receptive - to us landing a team of people under the United States flag. That is why we were hoping a more - neutral - organization such as the Adventure Team could go in and retrieve it. We anticipate it is leaking radiation - so it is a definite environmental hazard."

AT COMMANDER: "We'll get that satellite, sir."

PRESIDENT: "Thank you, Commander. We are sending you the needed information over secure link now."

Open at the AT Command HQ. The AT Commander is briefing Section Commander Robert.

AT COMMANDER: "So, Robert, here are the details ... the satellite is located on this island in this location. It is HIGHLY radioactive, so you will need your radiation gear. Remember, you are traveling light so you can get in, get the satellite, and get out. Our chief goal here is to protect the local population from radiation poisoning. Get in and get out."

ROBERT: "Yes sir. What gear will I have?"

AT COMMANDER: "You will be airlifted in and use the AT Escape Car to get to the location, retrieve the satellite, and return to the pick up zone. We expect this may take you a few days ... pack as light as possible, the Escape Car won't carry much."

ROBERT: " Yes sir. I'll get right on it ..."

AT COMMANDER: "Good Robert. You leave at first light for the island."

10 days later
In the communications center ... in coming voice-only transmission
from AT Operative Robert on the missing satellite island ...

John is at the communications gear when a desperate SOS comes in from agent Robert.  John immediately calls in the AT Commander ...
ROBERT: "... Oh no ... I never saw it! I can't get away ... the Escape Car isn't fast enough! It is gaining ... no .... ahhhhhhhh!"

AT COMMANDER: "Robert. Robert! Are you there? Robert! Come back ... we lost some of your transmission ..."

JOHN: "Sir .. the transmission is terminated at the source."

AT COMMANDER: "This doesn't look good. What the heck was he talking about? "I never saw IT." What is "IT"? All right, gather Team One together in the briefing room in 30 minutes. We need to find Robert and that satellite!"

20 minutes later in the briefing room ...

AT COMMANDER: "... so, that in a nutshell is the assignment. In summary: get to the island,   find operative Robert and the missing satellite, and get out. Gear will be extensive ... this time I'm not as concerned about us being seen as I am with us being SAFE and getting everyone out in one piece. You'll have the ATV and the Escape Car replacements - the OMTEV. Commander Bradley Scott will lead the team. He'll need representatives from the Science and Rescue divisions. Any questions?"

Silence fills the room ... so the AT Commander concludes

AT COMMANDER: "Ok .. get to it men. You leave at 04:00 tomorrow morning."

The next day, 0600 hours ... on an island in the Federated States of Micronesia ...

JAMES: "Commander - I am picking up something on the radar and the bio-metric scanner ... not moving ... metallic with possible organic presence ... this   MIGHT be the missing Escape Car. About 200 yards off to our right."
COMMANDER: "OK folks .. let's see what that signal is."

COMMANDER: "Let's approach carefully ... no telling what this could be."

COMMANDER: "Let's hold it up here. James, Jane, and I will investigate."

The three AT members approach the object and realize it is in fact their missing teammate. He has been attacked and is nothing but a bloody skelton now.

JANE: "Wow. His blood was sucked out ... and look at the puncture marks in the clothes ... almost like it was done by fangs."

JAMES: "Commander ... I don't see anything on the monitor right now ... but I WILL   keep an eye out for whatever did this. It shouldn't be hard to find."

COMMANDER: "Good idea, James. Let's record this spot ... we'll pick up Robert's  remains and the Escape Car on the way out. Let's get going."

JAMES: "Commander, we are coming up on the Satellite ... about 1000 yards ...   but the bio-metric sensor is picking up a HUGE organic ... moving around the satellite."

COMMANDER: "Thanks James ... we will have to investigate before sending the whole team in. Jane, you come with me .. let's scout this out."

The Commander and Jane go nearer to satellite (from camouflaged position) and see the giant spider around the satellite.

JANE: "Man .. that is ONE BIG ARACHNID!"

COMMANDER: "Yes .. and it seems to be guarding the satellite for some reason ... we will have to get rid of that spider to retrieve the satellite."

The Commander and Jane return to convoy. Discussions begin ...

COMMANDER: "We will have to get rid of that spider somehow. Any ideas? I do not think we have the firepower to kill it!"

JANE: "We probably don't want to kill it anyway, sir. This is an incredible chance for us to study - first hand - the affects of radioactive mutation. If we could capture it, we would be busy studying and analyzing it for years!"

JAMES: "I think I have the solution for that, Jane. We brought several nets for  securing the satellite and transporting it. One of those nets is this steel-mesh net here."

James pats the net rolled up on the ATV.

JAMES: "What we could do is lay this mat out on the ground, hook some electrodes from it to the battery terminals on the OMTEV I am using. We could zap it into submission. I have a portable battery pack we could use to hook up to the net - keep the creature in the net for transport - and just rezap it if it begins to regain consciousness. What do you think?"

COMMANDER: "Sounds like a plan .. but how much juice will we need? Can the OMTEV handle it?"

JAMES: "More than enough, Commander. I will calculate what I think is the required voltage and then set up the computer programming to do it. In the meantime, let's setup the net over there (James Points). Oh, and one last thing ..."

COMMANDER: "Yes?"

JAMES: "... Someone has to decide who the bait for the trap will be."

Hushed silence falls on the team .. then they begin working. the net is setup, the wires are run to the OMTEV, James programs the computer, the Commander decides he will be the bait. The team is done, the trap set ... time to spring it!

COMMANDER: "Ok ... everyone ready? Here I go ..."

In the meantime, back at AT headquarters, the AT Commander has received an important message form the President of the United States

COMMANDER: "Mr President, we called you to ask if you can help us out with some more information on this satellite."

PRESIDENT: "I figured you would call, Commander. We have just received some news that we were about to forward on to you. One of our Russian operatives reported this is NOT a run-of-the mill communications satellite. It is no communications satellite at all. It is an experimental space-born Earth   Targetable laser. The nuclear generator in the satellite was there to boost the giga-wattage of the solar-fed laser."

COMMANDER: "Well ... that WOULD explain the high radiation readings. But why do I feel there is something else?"

PRESIDENT: "We have received reports form some of our Middle East operatives that a terrorist organization is coming after it too. Your people need to be VERY careful - don't take any unnecessary chances."

COMMANDER: "Yes sir, Mr. President. Understood."

The Commander call in the head of the Para-military team, Joe Johnson, on the secure channel  and explains the situation to him ...

COMMANDER: "So, in summary Joe, you need to get your team to that island to protect our extraction team. You are only about 20 minutes away right now .. and by the way, if possible, capture the terrorist operatives. But above all, DO NOT LET THAT SATELLITE FALL INTO TERRORIST   HANDS!"

JOE: "Understood, Commander. I'll take Mitchell ... we have some new sniper dart weapons we would like to try out. This sounds like the perfect opportunity. We'll be in the air within 20 minutes."

15 minutes later, Joe and Mitchell are on the AT Little Bird headed for the  Federated States of Micronesia.

PILOT: "Captain Johnson - we are about a mile form the satellite."

CAPT JOHNSON: "Ok, put us down here Sandy. We'll take it from here."

They set down in a secluded area of the island, near the team, but not alerting anyone to their presence.

JOE: "Ok Mitchell, let's double time it. We need to get to that satellite ASAP."

MITCHELL: "Got you boss. Right behind ..."

Meanwhile, back at the location of the downed satellite and its mutant protector.

The Commander goes out into the clearing where the net is located and fires his revolver into the air.

The spider wheels and heads for the commander.

The commander runs over the net and stops just beyond it. The spider keeps coming.
COMMANDER: "Ok James ... now. Now, James. Now would be a good time ..."

James presses a button on the keyboard just as the spider hits the grid. Smoke curls up .

COMMANDER: "Well, that was close. Let's bundle him up, retrieve the satellite, and get the heck out of here. James, get into the radiation gear and take the  ATV over to the satellite. You others follow me and we'll get our new pet trussed up!"
James loads the satellite into the shielded storage box and into the OMTEV cargo trailer.

JAMES: "Ok Commander ... that should do it."

COMMANDER: "Great job James! Let's load it up and get out of here!"

       Joe Johnson and Mitchell quietly take up positions guarding the Adbemture Team just in case ...
Just then, bullet shots ring out. Appearing nearby are heavily armed terrorists!

TERRORIST LEADER: "Thank you very much, Adventure Team. You have saved us much work!   We will relieve you of this now."

COMMANDER: "Are you out of your mind???!!! Do you realize what this is? This communications satellite is leaking radiation! It can kill you! and hundreds - or even more! - of others!"

TERRORIST 2: "Oh we know EXACTLY what this is, you ignorant fool. This is no communications satellite but a high-powered space born laser system!  And the nuclear plant in it will give us enough nuclear fuel to make hundreds of back-pack bombs! We can send our operatives to the United States, England, France, Germany - all of your allies' cities! And we can wreak havoc!"

JAMES: "NO! The populaces in those countries would be terrified into passivity!  No one would go the cities .. the cities would become ghost towns! The global economy would be devastated!"

TERRORIST LEADER: "Terror? TERROR????!!! You don't even know the meaning of that word  yet! With your media's wonderful propensity to film and display everything on the news and in the newspapers - even those cities we do  not hit will be devastated! We will bring the infidel-laden Western World  to its knees!"

All of a sudden, the terrorists begin falling over. It is over in less than 5 seconds.

COMMANDER: "I would say our tactical team is around here somewhere."

Joe and Mitch emerge, cuff the terrorists, and revive them.

JOE: "Right here Commander. I'd say these new anesthesia darts work."

COMMANDER: "I would say so. Joe, chain them up, load the on the ATV ... and let's head home! We have some packages to deliver to the US government."

JOE: We will stay here sir - the heavy lift copter is coming soon to take the satellite and the terrorists back to AT Headquarters.  There will be two more to pick up your team sir.  Several government agencies will meet us back at AT Headquarters.

COMMANDER: Ok Joe ... sounds like a good plan.  We will meet you there.

End of "Recovery of the Lost Satellite"

The Adventure Team Will Return In
"The Spy Amongst Us"