Changed: Outbreak

Chapter 10: Setting ships

[Lui's pov]

"Sierra sixer-one-one, give me a sitrep. Over." The radio speaks out once every three hours, and I swear the person behind this radio doesn't tire out. "This is Sierra sixer-one-one, we found the target. The civilians that were carrying the distress signal emitter claims to have found the transmitter at an abandoned industrial plant, and it has pointed us to right where the target is. Awaiting orders. Over." I stated, replying over the radio before letting out a sigh. Here I am, standing next to the ship named Sierra, and Scott is standing next to me. He's looking at me with his head tilted. An expression of worry and concern is presented on his visor.

I raised my left paw and gave a thumbs up to Scott, and Scott lets out a sigh of relief. "Sierra sixer-one-one, this is Sergeant Frost, you're now ordered to secure the site for any survivors and intel. Gather as much information you can find. Clock is ticking, and you have less than 24 hours left before immediate extraction. Give me another sitrep after ten minutes. Over." Sergeant Frost? This is the first time within the transmission that the person behind the radio spoke out their identity. Good intel. I wonder if Doctor K is on his way here.

"Sierra sixer-one-one, copy that, over and out." I replied before looking at Scott. Scott's visor is now showing a content expression. "Wow, I'm glad you are able to survive that. This is third sitrep, and the next one is after ten minutes. Do you need water? I can fetch you some from the box that Doctor K gave us from his return earlier." Scott asked and I nodded in response. The Protogen quickly ran inside the ship, leaving me alone outside. The hot temperature of the landscape, and the blinding lights from the rays of sun. It is all I feel and see being in the middle of the wasteland.

I then noticed a figure approaching from the distance, and I was able to recognize the figure once it got close enough to be identified. It is Doctor K, and he is pulling another crate. It seems the crate is attached to a rope, and Doctor K is dragging the crate using the rope. Doctor K stands close to me as he pants. "I need to catch my breath... That long journey got my two legs tired and sore."

Doctor K quickly removed his gas mask, and followed by him removing his lab coat. He handed me his lab coat, and I noticed the fur of the white wolf being brushed by the wind. Doctor K has a muscular body, I must say. "D-Doctor K! When did you get here?" I turned to the voice on my left, and it is Scott. Scott is holding a bottle of water, and he quickly approached Doctor K, forgetting that I asked for the bottle of water.

Scott immediately gave the bottle of water to Doctor K, and he quickly opened the bottle of water to drink it. The entirety of the bottle water is consumed fast, and the empty bottle of water is thrown to the sand. "Thank you, Scott. This should be my last trip before I send you two to the stars on the ship. I prepared more canned food and bottles of water inside the crate I'm dragging, and I've also engineered something using the schematics Scott discovered. It will be useful for us to be able to communicate to one another. The equipment is in my lab coat pockets."

I curiously reached into Doctor K's lab coat before pulling out two modified walkie-talkies. "Another walkie talkie? But I already have one." I asked and Doctor K pointed at the walkie-talkies I'm carrying. "Those are specifically tied to one channel only, which is our private channel that is also specially modified to relay from insane distances. The radios, however, cannot be adjusted to listen to another frequency. It is stuck to your private channel. This is to prevent for others to detect our radio activity." Doctor K explained, and I simply nodded in acknowledgement despite not understanding a single technical word he just said. A radio just for us. Interesting.

Doctor K then points at the lab coat I'm carrying, and I handed it over to him. Scott stands beside me as Doctor K dresses up. Scott took one of the walkie-talkies before speaking through it. The other walkie-talkie I have on my paw soon spoke out what Scott just said. "It works, that's one thing for sure. Where's your radio, K?" Scott asked as he turns to look at Doctor K, who is now dressed up in his lab coat with the gas mask strapped on his face. "I have one back at the laboratory. It's a military ham radio. One of Scott's unfinished projects, that is somehow functional now. Still unfinished however."

"Sierra sixer-one-one, sitrep." One of my radios spoke out, and I quickly answered it in panic. "This is Sierra sixer-one-one, a portion of the control panels had been tampered, specifically the distress beacon. There are no bodies of the crew around the site, nor any retrievable important documents. The ship has been completely scavenged. Awaiting orders. Over." I replied as calm as possible before letting out a sigh of relief. I noticed Scott has his right paw raised up, giving me a thumbs up. Doctor K is standing beside Scott, and he gave a nod.

"Your orders are to RV at your LZ and exfil back to base. I will be reporting back to Lt. for you return. I'm sure he will send someone to welcome you here back. I wish you safe travels, Sierra sixer-one-one. Over."

"Roger that. Thank you. Over, and out." I stated before finally letting out a long sigh. I have survived once again. I swear I would eventually give out and pass out from answering these calls. "So it wants you back now. This is our goodbyes, physically. We'll keep in touch verbally from here and out. I should also tell the others of your departure when I get back to the laboratory. Don't forget about the crate that I dragged all the way here. It would be a shame to see it being left behind despite all the efforts I have made." Doctor K chuckle before bringing the crate closer to us. Scott carried the crate with both of his arms effortlessly, as if it's a piece of cake for him. "Goodbye, Doctor K."

"Goodbye, and safe travels to you two."