I am creating a complete history and story of Shepherd Book so that I can explain to my satisfaction how he became who he was as well as explain his history that was hidden in the telling of the firefly serenity story. As a tease and prelude to a more comprehensive story I hope to publish at least as fan fiction this should give everyone an idea of the capabilities of our good Shepherd, enjoy. (FIRST DRAFT)
The Rescue Operation
Mr. Evans was asked to rescue someone, someone important to the cause. He understood his chances, slim ones they were, but felt he could get-r-done so he volunteered. He was flown into a jungle like territory deep behind enemy lines outfitted with a small pack for bare essentials, a combat knife and a hand gun with just enough ammo while being not enough.
He was flown out to the planets farthest reach where atmo just began to become the very black of space, the planetary transition point, where he would make a drop. He wore a disposable breather so the lack of breathable air would not kill him and he wore a skin tight form fitting suit that would hold in his body heat, at least they said long enough to reach the ground. They use to call this stuff, “Halo Jumps” back in the day on the Earth that was but the term being lost to history in the new Verse made the Halo Jump into a Free-fall High Atmo jump. Survival of such jumps made them scarce in use.
The ship hovered, the bay door opened and Mr. Evans stepped up to the edge and without so much as a twitch of hesitation jumped. His ascent would speed up until he reached a safe deployment altitude to open his chute. His helmet, also disposable, shook and he could feel the air whistle past as his speed increased until the whipping wind passing became a typhoon like roar just outside his head. He maintained close watch on his altimeter and when he reached his deployment altitude he triggered the small explosive necessary to force deployment under the stress of his speed and the atmo’s pressures of the speed, his mass movement as it translated to power and force created in his ascent.
When deploying from a hight free fall atmo jump the most danger is present and the individual making such jumps and deployments can either be rudely and harshly buffeted until safe drop speed is attained in a very short period of time or they are literally ripped into pieces by the passing atmo whipping and pummeling the jumper.
Mr. Evens chute deployed, he rocked and rolled, he stabilized and then checked his navigation to reach his final destination that would place him in relative proximity to his target. He went through his tentative plans for when his feet touched ground knowing fully well the best laid plans when executed tended to fall apart so he considered his alternatives in case truth became reality.
The absolute best part of a high atmo fee fall jump was how simple, safe and gently touch down is, his feet gently settled in an open patch of ground surrounding by a thick Forrest of trees with plenty of ground cover he would use to remain undetected. He had surveyed the area on final descent and now took stock of his surroundings to ascertain his state of relative security, safety and possible detection by the locals and the locally assigned enemy combatants. After determine his status as safe and secure he removed all the disposable drop gear, opened his pack and dressed in his camo clothes and donned and secured his knife, pistol, ammo, etc. snug against his body to eliminate any potential noise making the gear would present while on the move.
As an experienced individual Mr. Evens moved swiftly, silently and with deadly intent as a result of being literally behind enemy lines and exposed to potential enemy deadly threats. His study of the area, his study of the locals as to their social and cultural systems and his extensive knowledge of the ground forces he would encounter allowed his awareness to achieve a critical level of sensitivity that he could evade and avoid patrols and dangers often encountered in combat. He instinctually came to know that although his ability and awareness were top notch that like plans, his best efforts would be subjected to the unpredictability and chaos that is life and is combat.
The goals he set for this mission were to get in quietly, find the target and then exit to the pick up point while not exposing or announcing their presence. This meant his primary weapon would be his combat knife and his ability to move silently while avoiding exposure and detection. If he encountered any forces that might, may or could be a threat he would kill them by sneaking up from behind, grabbing the mouth and chin while turning the head and pulling it back exposing the neck and throat, stabbing the stiletto like blade into the side at the junction of the jugular, stabbing in and through one side of the neck to the other then finally ripping outward and away exposing the neck and providing an opening that would allow the fastest bleed out possible while maintaining a hold over the mouth and keeping the body in check so the enemy could make no sound form the throat or by death throes and body thrashing, etc.
The enemy encampment was surrounded by a natural barrier of the foliage, trees and shrubs with entry points guarded by their sentries. It had tents and huts forming a circular wagon like formation with a central area within where enemy forces gathered and went about their business. There was just one wooden structure set off from the encampment with space open surrounding and guards in a vigilant state guarding the entrance. It became obvious to Mr. Evans that his target was located in this structure from his observations over a period of time. Most of the encampment remained well away from the structure and only two or three persons would approach, enter and leave. He understood his observations and adequate time would provide him the strategies and tactics necessary to breach the encampment, the wood building and reach his target while also creating what would be required to exit the building and encampment, etc.
Plan in place, continued observations would not provide any significant benefit and the three guys entering and leaving the wood building were becoming more frequent and in the last visit it lasted about one minute. Time to act is so close you can smell the danger, feel the beginnings of the adrenal rush and the mind becoming a heightened sense of awareness and readiness.
The time to move will be that darkest of periods before the dawn of the day so Mr. Evans moved silently back and away from the compound to find a place to rest. He had developed over time and through experience a sense of time regardless of where he was on planet or even when running an operation on another planet. He found a niche between two trees with bases a couple of feet apart and surrounding by dense foliage and bushes.
Mr. Evans settled back on his haunches and began his deep diaphragmatic steady meditative breathing that would allow his mind to relax and rest while his lizard remained alert and ready to trigger the body into action if necessary. All a matter of time, training, practice and most of all accumulated experiences.
The sounds of the night lulled his mind into that meditative state enhancing his already significant ability to rest and relax while alert and aware. His comrades in arms began to spread the rumor that he was psychic and earned the reputation that his capabilities were unmatched anywhere and with anyone.
Snap, his eyes opened and his mind felt a slight push of adrenaline that put him on alert so he assessed his current status and felt confident that it was just reaching that time, the time to put his plan into action. He moved off swiftly and silently to reach a new site for observations before making a move. As he began to enter into the compounds zone for defense he used his peripheral vision with direct vision for confirmation to observe, detect and assess the situation in the compound with a bit extra focus on the wood building used as a detention center.
Everyone, except the bare minimum of security, were sleeping the soundest sleep of humans that comes at this time of night or pre-dawn, the darkest and sometimes coldest moments before the warmth of the sun reaches the edge of the compound. The guard for the prisoner was not as alert as needed, he was in all probability lulled into a state of relaxation simply because no one has ever gone this deep into their territory and tried to infiltrate the camp - really lazy but to Mr. Evans advantage.
Moving in a circular pattern to the compound he moved around silently to reach a point directly behind the wood structure making it almost impossible for anyone to see or detect his presence without moving to the camps border and behind the structure. Once he positioned himself behind the building he took a quick look and assessed his current status. Being solid he then placed his ear to the wall and listened. He heard labored breathing as if the target was possible either injured or simply exhausted but determined it was a fitful sleep. Mr. Evans, familiar with the targets dossier, felt a modicum of confidence that when he entered the structure he would not waken the man and if he did the man would remain silent while observing and deciding what the new presence and possible threat might be.
The next few minutes would speed by as if a flash from a bolt of lightening, Mr. Evans moved around the side of the building, peeked by the corner to determine the guards position and awareness, moved rapidly up to his side and reached around his neck to grasp his mouth and chin and the moment after he dragged him bleeding out from the neck around and behind the building then back to hide the now dead body in the brush and foilage.
Running silently back to the front door while checking the encampment out to see if anyone heard and woke, he then silently opened and entered the wood structure taking quick looks around the room and finally settling on his target lying at the rear wall on a cot. The man’s head was up and his eyes on Mr. Evans who placed a single finger to his lips to signal silence.
Mr. Evans moved to the cots side, bent down to whisper and asked the man his condition. The man indicted no injuries, tired and hungry but able to move on his own. Mr. Evans signaled he should follow and moved off to peek out the front entrance when he noticed one of the three apparent interrogators moving toward his location not yet noticing the guard not at his post. Mr. Evans signaled the man to remain still and silent then he slipped out to stand guard at the entrance just a moment before the approaching man looked up then back down assuming he accepted Mr. Evans as the guard.
When the supposed interrogator was just a few steps away Mr. Evans, knife in his hand hidden slightly behind his side and back, flipped his arm and hand throwing the weapon under handed into the man’s throat then he quickly stepped up to the man while frozen and bleeding grabbing his head and twisting hard to break his neck. He dragged the body and hide it with the guards.
Mr. Evans cautiously walked back to the front of the building scanning the area and when he was certain no one else was awake he opened the door and motioned for the man to come out and join him.
Mr. Evans and the man crept silently back out behind the building and they moved off into the trees, foliage, bushes and brush toward the new exit route he had planned out. He figured if no one woke early in the camp and noticed the guard missing or if the dead interrogator was not missed by another who could be awake it meant he and the man had about a half hour to put distance between themselves and the compound.
A suddenly blaring sound resonated across the Forrest reaching Mr. Evans ears causing a momentary pause, he turned to the man and spoke, “We need to move fast but not so fast as to create enough noise to attract someone to our direction of travel. Stay close behind me.” Mr. Evans turned and moved off to follow the direction chosen to escape.
The compound was making enough noise to mask any made in their running escape and since he and the man actually used the dead bodies to mask thier passing and obscuring the tracks while causing followers to become hesitant to disturb the dead, their fellow soldiers. He turned and he and the man kept up a solid quick pace.
Upon hearing the roar of engines Mr. Evans detoured to take a path closer to the trees and their cover. He spoke quietly while moving to let the man know they had started up a craft that would be used to search from above to see if they can spot their course and possible cut them off or drop some ordnance down on their heads. The man spoke to Mr. Evans, “They won’t, I was captured with their understanding I had some critical information they were ordered to obtain at all costs so they will try to capture me again but as to you, not so much.” Mr. Evans gave a slight nod of his head then resumed the pace and path toward freedom.
Mr. Evans and his charge broke free of the Forrest after avoiding the air search and feeling good and confident they found no trace of thier passing in the vastiness of the large forrest they had arrived at one of the predetermined extraction points. Mr. Evans reached into his gear pouch and removed a disposable one-time signal device that would send a signal to the craft staged to pick him and his target up.
He hit the signal button, took refuge at the edge of the clearing with his target and waited. Needless to say, the extraction was almost flawless except as they gained altitude one of the search craft noticed and took up the chase. The pilot of the ship had a little secret that would leave the chasing enemy dumbfounded and wondering what the hell happened. He hit the booster and disappeared so fast the chasing pilot would wonder if they had ever seen an enemy ship at all.
STAY TUNED
