The Mission - TTS-2022 (Just 4 Fun)

The Mission

Recon missions were becoming quite ordinary and routine it seemed this season, and coming up with 'nada' more often than naught. The latest intel claims there was seen a downed bird about 10 klicks outside our subterranean city.

This was to be an RGR Mission, (Rush - Grab - Return). The Queen herself wished us success which was very exciting and I couldn't wait to get back home and give the good news. This was also going to be Juniors first mission and I wanted to see his face when I told him.

My mate greets me at the door and rubs her face up close to mine; "Did you hear the news," she asks "the Queen is sending out a mission!"

The look on my face must have been noticeable as she backed away a bit, "Does Junior know yet" I asked? "Oh yes, he's been waiting for you to get back so he can tell you, so play along with him... please?" I nodded my head, and heard the thunder of feet coming though the entry-way.

As Junior comes running in, he nearly knocks everyone around in his excitement. "Calm down Junior and come tell me what has you so excited?"

"Did you hear, did you hear, did you hear the news?" I glanced over to his Mother, "why no, I haven't heard anything, so tell me what has gotten you so riled up?"

"It's the greatest news of my life, the Queen has authorized a mission... a "RGR" mission too... isn't that fantastic?"

"Yes it is Junior and about time too if you want my opinion, thanks for telling me." I gave his Mother another look, she was smiling and gave me a small wink of approval. "Tell you what, why don't you and I go in the next room for a little one on one talk." Junior was up and scurrying promptly before I had finished my sentence.

Sitting down and looking at my overly-giddy offspring, my how he's grown in such a short while too. "Now listen up" I begin, "there's something I need to tell you, but I need you to stay calm, can you do that for me?"

"You bet I can, you can tell me anything and I'll be very quiet."

"That's great Junior. Now I wish to share something with regards to this RGR Mission. As you already know, the Queen herself has made this a special mission as our food stores and supplies are down considerably and so the City is in need of everyone to pull together more than ever. So the 'age of participation' has been lowered by one year to increase our odds of success, it looks like your going to go on your first mission... what do you think of that?"

I first noticed that his feet started trembling, then his body began shaking almost violently with excitement. "Do you mean it, I mean do you really mean it, your not just pulling one of my legs?"

"I'm dead serious my boy, your going to be joining 1000's of others and myself in this upcoming RGR mission." My blessed young one couldn't contain himself any longer and jumped up and ran out of the room to find his Mother to share this wonderful news with her. I half expected him to be screaming for joy as he dashed out of the room. And that feeling apparently wasn't going to disappear any time soon either. His giddy excitement lasted not just through dinner and a bath, but also for the first several hours while we all tried to sleep. To be honest I guess we were a bit anxious also as my mate and I both had trouble getting a good-nite's rest.


The following morning after a large breakfast, Junior and I took a long stroll to a secluded place that not many knew existed, "I'm sure your wondering about why I brought you here. And to be honest I haven't been here since my Father brought me on my day I was eligible for the 'age of participation'. It seems very fitting that I share with you what he shared with me. And I'm telling you right now that regardless of what you may have heard in whispers, we are and have been in an ongoing war with giants for almost a 100 years."

"Oh I've heard the rumors, but come on.... Giants? You would've been the last person I'd thought would've subscribed to any ridiculous rumors or 'conspiracy theory' ."

I could see it in his face, that look of total disgust a child gets when they're so upset they want to yell or scream. And then the memory hits me like a ton of rocks... I had done and said almost the exact same thing to my Father. "Why would you tell me something like that on this special occasion?"

"My boy, I know how it sounds, I pretty much reacted the same when I was told about it by your grandfather. And although I went along with it, I never believed it. Then one beautiful sunny day we were out foraging for food and we found it, fresh and plentiful and we secured supplies and food to last us for many month's. Then out of no where, three 'Giants' with heat rays started exterminating our tribe. If you were caught in one of their beams, you were toast.... literally!"

My Son, though listening to me, wasn't interested in hearing his crazy father spin wild tales of mythical creatures with ray-guns, so I just kept talking. "We probably lost over 500 souls that day and the only reason I survived was because during the panic I crawled into a large crack and avoided getting burnt. When I and the survivors made it back to the City we were rushed into an area I never knew existed and we all had to swear an allegance to the Queen that we would never reveal the actual events of that day. A cover story was created 'for the good of the City', out of fear that the truth would spook off those that had reached the 'age of participation', might not participate at all."

Junior couldn't control himself, "Seriously, what is wrong with you, why are you telling me this, do you not want me to participate? If that's the case just say so."

"Keep you from participating? Absolutely not, it's a privilege and your birthright to be able to participate. Participation is the only way the City can survive, we 'have to participate'. Look I know this is sounding like something you'd hear from some crazy nut, but it's your Dad and you don't know how to handle it right now. So let me just end the madness your going through with a few words of precaution before going on your first mission. Stay close to me, if you suddenly get to an area where the sunlight is quickly darkened out by huge shadows or you start seeing flashes of bright light that you'll try to immediately find overhead shelter of some form... Please... for me?"

"Sure Dad, what ever you say, you just try and keep up with me."


The time had come for us to get to the downed bird, you could feel the vibrational energy building up and then like a lightening bolt 10's of thousand brave souls charge out from the city. What seemed like hours passing became almost hypnotic as all of us just continued running to our main target. Then the first blast came from above and to our left, then another from ahead creating a wide pathway of destruction right towards junior and myself. I tried to yell for Junior to find cover but all sound was overwhelmed from the screams from our friends, neighbors and clansmen as they were all getting incinerated. Without a miracle happening, we were doomed.

A tremendously large clamor of clanging and a large booming unrecognizable voice traversed the skies.

"OK kids, don't make me bang on this skillet any longer it's time to eat some lunch. So put those magnifying glasses away for now.... those ants will still be around when your done filling your stomach's"

The End?

What an awesome version of the theme!

a reply to: JohnnyAnonymous

Good one JohnnyA.

Spam

a reply to: JohnnyAnonymous

That was entertaining, Johnny! You caught me out at the end... I was on a totally different wavelength throughout, thinking we were in some futuristic post apocalypse world.

I need to read it again to see if there were any nuances that pointed to an ant colony.

originally posted by: Encia22
a reply to: JohnnyAnonymous

I need to read it again to see if there were any nuances that pointed to an ant colony.

There's really only two (perhaps) give-aways
Johnny