A New World Begins

Delivering a lobster…

Will glanced at his phone to check the time as Nat strolled into the Duty Office and handed him a cup of coffee and a burger, the smell of freshly fried onions causing his mouth to water. It was still only three thirty. Noah wasn’t due to relieve him until four, and everyone else wasn’t due to get up until six.

“It’s okay, you can finish your shift early, Will. I’ll take over here. Try not to wake anyone when you go back, let Noah sleep too.”

Will took a huge bite from his burger. “Where’d you get this, Nat?”

“The National Guard cooks are setting up a night service over at the dining room. Now the Guard are mobilised for aiding the civil powers, they will be working 24 hours a day. They’re preparing to augment our kitchen staff at breakfast, lunch and dinner, but they’ll also provide additional meals throughout the night so that the Guards will get fed any time they come back here to replenish supplies. Our squad can make use of it too, we’re on 24-hour shifts remember.”

“Wow, Travis is going to love that!”

Nat laughed. “I’m sure he’ll try and stretch the supply chain to breaking point. Anyway, did you get a chance to talk to Boots? He said he’d be awake early and you could call him.”

“Sure did, Nat. We ran through some stuff together, and he was right too about the comms. I called up the survey scan data we took from Travis’s plane and it actually had coverage all the way out to the township we go to. I did a plot from the fire station – you know, the one near the strip mall with the diner and Mr Miller’s Tire Shop – and it had line of sight down most of the roads and valleys for several miles around. If we were to set up a forward comms station there, we could talk back to here on a HF net and keep in touch with all the work parties on a local VHF net. Plus, we’d be sat alongside the fire-fighters and they already have links to police and ambulance, so we’d have a pretty well integrated comms net.”

“Sounds good. I guess I don’t need to ask if you can set up a, er…”

“Forward Integrated Communications Node, Nat. It’s no big deal. The Communications Specialists here with the Guard are already on the case, we’ve sorted out how to link their kit with mine, patching through to the Fire Service’s net won’t be a big issue either. We already had a brief discussion with them by phone, they’re up for it…”

“I guessed as much, Will. Get yourself off to bed now and get some sleep. When everyone gets up at six, tell them to head straight over to the kitchen and get fed alongside the Guard before coming here. We’re going to be busy soon.”

* * *

At a quarter to six Nat folded his laptop, tucked it under his arm and wandered upstairs to the Situation Room that Jackson had set up for liaison with the National Guard. As he expected, Jackson was just settling down at the desk in the corner ready for when the Detachment Commander and his two Second Lieutenants arrived at six.

“Morning, Jackson, good to see you up bright and early. My guys will be on duty shortly, I’ll get one of them to bring your breakfast over if you like, so you can stay here when the Guard Officers go for their breakfast. You might like to have a look at this...”

Nat opened his laptop and placed it on the desk in front of Jackson.  “This email and the attached map are just in from my pop. It’s a summary of what he’s briefing the National Guard Commander on at State level right now. Laying out his priorities. It’ll get cascaded down to the platoon based here in the next hour or two. While the Guard officers are away getting their breakfast I’ll have Artilleryman, sorry, Corporal Noah Mason, come up here and plot all those routes with priority for ploughing on your situation map over there. You can then get Noah to make up location stickers ready to put on the places you want to deploy working parties to. He’ll colour code them so you can see at a glance if they’re at an old folks’ home, or pharmacy or whatever, and he’ll keep a log of which Cadet Officer is in charge, how long they have been out, what radio frequency they are on, if they are likely to need supplying with food and all that kind of logistical stuff. Plus, you’ll have radio contact available to pull them back here instantly if you need to.  You can rely on Noah completely, he’s good at detail. Obviously, you can brief the Commandant but no need to tell the Guard Platoon’s commander how we know all this, he hasn’t got a clue who I am. It could be useful to keep it like that for now.”

* * *

At seven thirty, after sitting in on the briefing in the Situation Room, Nat gathered Bensinger squad around him down in the duty office by the front door of the pavilion as the National Guard went about their newly assigned duties.

“Okay, guys, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for. The Guard are preparing to move out in their trucks to begin clearing the roads in the local townships and then down to the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh. They’ll be rolling out in about a half hour. We have our tasks to do. Noah, I’m assigning you to stay in the Situation Room and act as Jackson’s assistant. Keep the map plots and duty lists up to date, and be his eyes and ears, plus his link to the radio down here. You happy with that?”

Noah nodded. “I can do that.”

“I think you ought to have some assistance. Can you think of two more reliable cadets, perhaps from your artillery detachment, who you can rely on to help you out so you can maintain a 24-hour watch? They’ll need to be good on the radio, staff this front office and also help out up in the Situation Room when you need a break. You’ll be in charge of them.”

Noah glanced at Will. “Maybe Artillerymen Hawke and Kier, do you think, Will? They both know about using a radio and I can teach them the SDR stuff.”

Will nodded. “Yes, they’d be good. And they’ll both be keen to help.”

Nat smiled at Noah. “Okay Noah, once we’re done here, you get a message to them and have them come over here to help out. If you need any extra authority to get them assigned to you just ask Kyle to clear it with their dorm senior.”

“Got that, Nat.”

“Will, I’m relying on you to set up a Forward Communications Node just like we discussed earlier. We’ll follow on behind the Guard, give them, say, an hour’s lead to get the first roads cleared, then we’ll head straight to the Fire Station. We’ll be in the Humvee. Have you got all the kit you need packed ready to go?”

“Yes, Nat,” replied Will, pointing to two black Pelican cases to one side of the door. “I borrowed those from the Guard. Got everything in them.”

“Okay, good. Travis, Shane, you’re coming too. We’ll help Will set up his antennae and stuff like that at the Fire Station and make sure we can establish a comms link back here to Noah. Once that is done, we’ll start fanning out from the Fire Station, testing how good the local VHF comms links are and logging which roads have been cleared. We’ll feed that back to Will, who’ll relay it to Noah for plotting on the maps upstairs. At that point Jackson will be able to begin the process of deploying working parties forward. They’ll all go first to the Fire Station to log in with Will and get assigned call signs on his net, then they can get out onto the streets and do their tasks. The three of us out in the Humvee will roam around acting as liaison and keep popping back to the Fire Station to check in with Will and maybe give him a break from time to time. Everyone clear what they are doing? Any questions?”

“Clear, Nat, no questions,” said Will.

“Same here,” said Travis. “If I can have the keys to the Humvee, I’ll go and start it up, get it warm inside, check its oil and water are topped up, fuel too. We’re going to be relying on it.”

“Good thinking, Travis. Shane, can you lend Travis a hand?”

“Sure can,” beamed Shane.

“One last thing, guys,” said Nat. “The next few days are going to be long, and they could be tough. We’ll have to work hard, and work long hours. We’ll all have our tasks to do, and they are all important. All I ask is that you do your best, and make sure you keep safe. Don’t hesitate to speak up if there’s something you’re unsure about, or get a bad feeling about. Okay?”

“We’re good, Nat.”

“Okay, to your duties, Squad… Fall Out!”

As Travis and Shane grabbed the keys to the Humvee and almost ran out of the office, and Will went off in search of the Guard’s Communications Specialists, Nat turned to Noah.

“You happy, Noah? You’ll be acting as the lynchpin in all this, holding the entire operation together. Keeping the guys out on the ground in touch with Jackson and the whole operation running smoothly. I know it’s a lot of pressure, but I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think you were up to it.”

“I can do it, Nat. It’s straightforward, and Hawke and Kier are pretty good. I’ll keep them in line now I’ve got my acting Corporal’s stripes.”

* * *

“Hello Zero, Hello Zero, this is Firefox, over.” Will paused a moment and waited for the crackling to cease, was about to press the ‘Transmit’ button again, when the speaker burst into life.

“Hello Firefox, this is Zero, send, over.”

Will smiled at Nat, Shane and Travis, and the half dozen firefighters gathered around him. “Not bad, huh? Comms established on first transmission. That sounds like Artilleryman Kier.”

“Hello Zero, hearing you loud and clear. How me, over?”

“Firefox, you are loud and clear too. Confirm arrival at Forward Operating Base. Over.”

“Zero from Firefox, we are at FOB and preparing for tasking. Data channel will be up and running in minutes ten. Over.”

“Roger, Firefox, will await data contact on alternative means. Archangel is currently up in the Situation Room. Will advise him that contact is established on HF and await instructions. Over.”

“Roger, Zero. Firefox Out.”

Will put the microphone down and looked up at all the faces staring at him. “That was definitely Artilleryman Kier. He says Noah is upstairs. They’ll let him, and Jackson, know we have established a communications link. I’ll get the laptop set up next and running a data channel back to the Duty Office.”

“Archangel?” asked Nat.

Will smirked. “That’s Noah’s call sign, Nat. Ark, as in Noah’s Ark, and as he’s liaising with Jackson, who lives up in Heaven, he’s an angel, so Ark-angel. Get it?”

“Bloody obvious, really,” said Travis, mimicking Craig’s accent and making Shane chuckle.

Will frowned at Travis as the firefighters grinned. “So, regarding callsigns, Nat. College is Zero, obviously, and this location is Firefox. When you detach, in the Humvee, you’ll become Fox Mobile. Clear?”

“Clear, Will,” nodded Nat.

“Then, as individuals, you and Travis are Fox One and Fox Two respectively. Shane is Snow Bear. Basically, down to hair colour and what that girl Mandy, Craig’s friend, said about you, plus the Indian name Shane got.”

Nat smiled. “I think we get that…”

* * *

It was almost two in the afternoon when Nat climbed back into the driver’s seat of the Humvee and turned to Shane and Travis. “Time to head back to the fire station guys, we could do with a hot meal and I can send a briefing back to Jackson on how the working parties are doing out here. We’ll probably swap over crews too: let Will have a chance to come out on the ground and one of you can replace him for an hour or two on the radio systems.”

“No problem, Nat,” said Travis as he jumped into the front passenger seat while Shane climbed into the back and donned the radio headset. “I think that was the last of the work parties we just checked up on, wasn’t it? All with good communications back to Will at Firefox. I don’t mind doing an hour or so on the comms if you want to give Will some time on the ground. You never know, he might even try getting a link up to that TV news helicopter we saw earlier.”

“Some of the work parties even had communications back to college through the phone system too,” added Shane. “Not all the cellular masts are down.”

Nat fired up the engine and began to ease the Humvee out of the pharmacy car lot where they had just been checking on a work party, led by Sergeant Quinn, that was busy clearing parking spaces and a route out to the main road that had been ploughed an hour or so before by the National Guard. They were about a half hour drive through the lightly falling snow from the fire station that was serving as their forward operating base. Normally, it would only have taken them ten minutes to get there, but the road was still covered with a layer of freshly fallen snow despite having been ploughed and Nat wasn’t taking any risks.

As Shane rummaged in his pocket for a candy bar he was sure he had left, his headset bleeped and then Will’s voice broke over the air.

“Hello Fox Mobile, this is Firefox, over.”

“Firefox, this is Fox Mobile, send, over,” responded Shane.

“What is it, Shane?” asked Travis.

“It’s Will, let me talk to him. Don’t interrupt.”

“Fox Mobile, can you confirm your location? I may have a tasking for you. Over.”

“We’ve just left the pharmacy at Surrey Oaks, now inbound to your location, Firefox. ETA is minutes two-five. Over.” Shane paused, then asked Nat, “That’s right isn’t it, Nat? We’ll be about twenty-five minutes before we get back to Will?”

“Yes, I guess so,” confirmed Nat. “Does he want us there sooner? I could push the pace a little bit, but the roads are still slippery.”

Shane switched the radio output to the cab speaker and pressed the transmit button again. “Hello Firefox, this is Fox Mobile. Fox One confirms our ETA with you is minutes two-five. Over.”

“Roger Fox Mobile. Do you think you could divert to the junction of McKinley and Stratton? There’s an ambulance stuck there. McKinley has been ploughed but Stratton is a minor road and won’t get ploughed for quite some time, possibly not even tomorrow. The ambulance needs to get through though. The despatcher is asking if the Guard can spare someone to help it, but the nearest plough is miles away. I said you might be able to get the Humvee through to them sooner and assist. Can you check with Nat?”

“We’re on it, tell him, Shane,” said Nat as he turned to Travis. “Travis, can you plug in the co-ordinates of McKinley and Stratton to the GPS? I think it’s just a couple of miles from here, off the turnpike, but the GPS will confirm it. Shane, get Will to tell us all he knows. What’s the ambulance doing, where is it going, is it an emergency, all that sort of stuff.”

Travis started to scroll through the GPS system’s menus as Nat began to drive a little faster and Shane got back on the air, keeping the circuit open over the cab speaker so both Nat and Travis could hear too.

“Firefox from Fox Mobile. We’re heading to McKinley and Stratton. I’ll let you know our ETA when Travis has set up the GPS. Fox One asks what the ambulance is doing. Where does it need to go? Is it an emergency or just routine?”

“Copy that, Fox Mobile, I’ll mark you as responding and let the ambulance crew know to stick with their vehicle. They were about to abandon it and set off on foot to their destination.”

“According to the GPS,” butted in Travis as he finished inputting the destination, “We’ll be there in about ten to fifteen minutes. It’s not all that far off, just the other side of Stratton Park, that’s the park near the strip mall we go to on our days out. Where Kyle sometimes plays football with Lee Miller and his friends.”

“I thought I knew it,” said Nat. “We’ll be there soon. Everyone belted up?”

“I am,” said Shane.

“Fox Mobile, this is Firefox. Despatch says the ambulance is outbound to an emergency call. There’s a pregnant lady needs taking to hospital. The call came from a neighbour who is a nurse and is helping out. They say can you get there fast?”

Shane, Travis and Nat all looked at each other but for a moment said nothing.

“Maybe we should rush there slowly,” said Shane, after a little thought. “Let the ambulance crew get there first, even walking. They are better at delivering babies.”

Travis grinned. “Rush slowly? We need to get there fast, Shane. Besides, there’s nothing to delivering babies. I’ve helped deliver lots of calves. It’s easy. Even the difficult ones don’t take long. Just reach inside, put a rope round the front legs and haul them out.”

Shane looked alarmed. “I don’t think babies are like calves, Travis.”

“This is our big chance, guys,” interrupted Nat. “Shane, can you get Will to pass a message through to college, tell him to brief Noah and get a message passed to Jackson and the Commandant, tell them we’re responding to an emergency. A real emergency. Let Kyle know too. Then get Will to pass the same message to my pop. He’s got a back channel to do that. Got that?”

“Got that, Nat. I’m on it.”

As Shane began talking to Will over the net, Nat was talking with Travis. “Did you do any winching with Sergeant Anders? Or towing? When we get to the ambulance, we might need to push on ahead of it, the Humvee can get where an ambulance can’t and make a path, but we’ll need to be prepared to drag the ambulance through any bad bits or drifts.”

“Not here at college, Nat,” said Travis, “But I’ve driven and winched and towed our SUVs back at the farm for a couple of winters. I know what to do.”

* * *

It wasn’t much more than ten minutes later when the Humvee swept along McKinley highway and came, slowly and carefully, to a halt alongside an ambulance. The ambulance was stood facing a deep wall of snow that had been built up by a plough that had cut across the intersection with Stratton Road. Two crew jumped out as they arrived, an ambulanceman and an ambulancewoman. Both had ‘Paramedic’ flashes on their sleeves.

“Boy, are we glad to see you,” began the man. “Despatch said the nearest Guard unit was at least an hour away.” He paused, looking at Nat, then Shane and Travis, as they disembarked from the Humvee. Before he could say anything, Nat spoke up.

“Yes, the Guard are. We’re cadets from Allegheny College. We got here faster. We can help before they get here. Where do you need to be, Sir?”

The two paramedics exchanged glances. “Well, not far,” said the woman, “Just a couple of miles, maybe two and a half, along the road here, but as you can see it’s totally blocked to us.”

“We can get you there,” said Nat. “We can push through the snow, the Humvee is good for that, and we can tow you through any drifts.”

“I’m not sure we have the time for that,” said the man – ‘David’ according to his name badge. “Details were sketchy from Despatch, the lines are bad hereabouts, but I think we need to get there pretty quickly. Apparently, the baby is a little early. Wasn’t due until next week.”

Nat thought for a moment, then asked, “What equipment do you need from your ambulance? Can it be detached and go in the Humvee? I could get both of you and your kit there in the Humvee. It’d save time dragging the ambulance behind us. My guys can stay here with your ambulance, wait for the Guard and a plough to arrive, then bring it up to you.”

The two paramedics looked at each other, thought for a second. “Well, pain control and diagnostics kit would be key, followed by some drugs if needed and then the incubator, yes, we may need the incubator. It’s portable.”

“Did you say there was a neighbour, a nurse, already on site?” asked Nat.

“Yup, sure did,” said Anne, the female paramedic. “He’s been looking after the patient as best he can but doesn’t have much in the way of equipment with him.”

“I’ve got an idea,” said Nat. “Are you happy with giving Travis here your First Response Pack? He can ski on ahead – we’ve got skis on the top of the Humvee – and get it to the nurse. Travis is fast. That should help out. I can drive you both there in the Humvee along with any bigger kit you need to grab from your ambulance. We’ll get the Guard to pick up your ambulance and follow on as soon as they get here. The important thing is that we’ll get you to the patient long before the Guard can get a plough here.”

The paramedics exchanged thoughtful glances. “I guess it’s irregular, but I don’t see a better option.”

“Okay, that’s the plan. Travis, get your skis on and grab the First Response Bag. Get the address and get on your way. Shane, help the paramedics get what they need as I squeeze the Humvee round and past the ambulance. Then get your skis on too once we’ve loaded the Humvee, and follow in Travis’s tracks, help out when you get there.”

“I can boil some water, Nat,” said Shane. “They always need water boiled in the films.”

Travis laughed, causing the paramedics to laugh too when he said, “We’re meant to be helping deliver a baby, Shane, not a lobster.”

A few minutes later, Travis, the First Response Bag slung on his back, powered off over the drift and was soon hurtling into the distance on his skis. Shane assisted the paramedics gather together some equipment, including a portable incubator, and load it in the Humvee, then strapped on his skis and followed, a little more tentatively, in Travis’s tracks.  Nathan and the paramedics locked up the ambulance and climbed into the Humvee.

“Okay,” said Nat, “If you’ve got everything, let’s go. I wouldn’t be surprised if Travis is already there by now. He’s really good on his skis.”

Nat put the Humvee into ‘Drive’ and began to ease slowly forward, its large, chunky tyres, powerful engine and four-wheel drive allowing him to doze through the drift and then on through the knee-deep snow beyond it with seeming ease.

* * *

“Eight hundred sixty-seven, sixty-eight,” counted down Anne, sat alongside Nat, as they slowly edged along the road, the houses’ mailboxes still just visible above the snow. Almost there.”

“That must be it,” said Nat, pointing ahead. “See, the house there, with the red door. It’s got a couple of sets of skis stuck up as markers in the front garden. Good thinking by my guys. I’ll park up right outside it. Told you we’d be here in less than a half hour.”

As Nat halted, the two paramedics disembarked, grabbed some of their kit from the rear of the Humvee and began to wade through the deep snow towards the door of the house. Nat grabbed the radio microphone, pressed ‘Transmit’ and called in to Will.

“Hello Firefox, hello Firefox, this is Fox One, over.”

“Fox One, go ahead, over.”

“Firefox, Fox Mobile is now on site at eight seventy-three Stratton Road. Wait out for further SitRep.”

“Roger Fox One.”

Nat stowed the microphone, shut the Humvee door and began to push his way through the snow towards the house. The house door was opening and the two paramedics were being ushered inside by a very excited looking Shane. Shane glanced over to the Humvee, saw Nat and yelled out.

“It’s a little girl, Nat!”

Nat pushed on as fast as he could, arriving at the door almost breathless, and stumbled inside. Shane closed the door quickly.

“Got to keep the heat in, Nat.”

“What happened?” asked Nat. “Did you and Travis have to help deliver the baby? Where’s the nurse? Where’s Travis?”

“I’m here, Nat,” came Travis’s voice, followed a moment later by Travis himself emerging from the kitchen with a large tray bearing mugs of coffee. “Grab a coffee.”

“We got here fast,” said Shane. “Stuck our skis up outside to show where we were.”

“There was a mix up in the comms,” said Travis, picking up the story. “The lady actually had the baby a few hours ago. The nurse from next door helped out. He said it was a straightforward birth but a week or so early. The lady’s husband is a pilot with American Airlines, he’s due home this weekend to be here for the birth but the baby decided not to wait. The snow meant the lady couldn’t get to hospital for the birth.”

“The nurse actually called the ambulance because he wants the mother to have a proper check-up in hospital, not because the baby is ill. The baby is early but only a week and doing fine,” said Shane. “Something about the mum has low blood pressure though and dizziness. He wants to make sure there’s no internal bleeding.”

“With the First Response Kit we brought, the nurse was able to check the blood pressure properly, give the lady some medicine and do some tests,” continued Travis. “We’re just keeping out of the way to give them some privacy now the paramedics are here to do more tests. The baby is real cute. I’ll just pop through and hand out coffees.”

“Coffee is the only thing we needed to boil water for,” smiled Shane.

Travis knocked gently on the door leading into the lounge and waited until it was opened. A man, probably in his late twenties, stepped out and closed the door behind him. He took a coffee from the tray, placed it on a nearby shelf, then took the tray and went back into the room with it. A moment later he returned and closed the door behind him.

“Hi, I’m Adam Hart, a neighbour and, fortunately, a nurse,” he said. “I gather you’re the one in charge of these two? You’ve got more stripes than they do…”

Nat stepped forward, removing his cap and holding out a hand. “I am indeed, Sir, pleased to meet you. I’m Nathan Bauer. Cadet Sergeant Bauer.”

Adam looked him up and down. “Any relation to Deputy Governor Bauer? You have the same hair. He was on tv just a few minutes ago giving an update on the snow emergency. Looks like the Governor’s Office called it right this time, got ploughs deployed early and the National Guard helping out on time for once.”

“The same family, Sir, he’s my pop,” said Nathan.

The door opened again and Anne, the paramedic stepped out, nodded politely to Nathan and then spoke to Adam.

“Looks like you did a pretty good job, Adam, especially since your speciality is trauma care and not obstetrics. Mrs Thomas speaks very highly of you. I agree with you about the blood pressure though, it does seem a little low and I think you’re right about a hospital observation period. David, my colleague is just running a few more tests but really, I think we ought to be looking at a hospitalisation, at least for a day or two.”

Anne turned to face Nathan as Shane and Travis crowded in close to him, eager for more news. “Guys, we ought to be transporting Mrs Thomas and young baby Thomas to the hospital for a check-up. Any news on how long that plough might take to get here?”

“It’s still at least an hour away,” said Nat, and then it would take some time to clear a route down Stratton to the door here. How urgent is the need to get to hospital? Would it help if we drove the lady back down Stratton to the ambulance in our Humvee? Which hospital are you wanting to go to?”

“Ideally, we’d want to go to Magee.”

Nat screwed up his face and looked at Travis and Shane. “That’s right in Pittsburgh centre. At least an hour away in normal times, even after we get her to the ambulance back at McKinley, and could take way longer than that in this weather. Lots of the roads might still need ploughing and some will be blocked by abandoned cars.”

“It’s not life or death urgent,” said Anne, “But I’d feel a whole lot happier if we could get her there as soon as we can. Taking her back to the ambulance in the Humvee is certainly okay, she’s fit enough for that, but it will be a little uncomfortable for her. It’s the issue of potentially becoming stuck in snow again on the rest of the journey that’s a worry.”

“We’d go the whole way with you, we won’t let you get stuck,” said Nat decisively. “We can ferry you, Mrs Thomas and the baby to the ambulance, make the transfer, then I’ll come back here for Travis and Shane, then set off behind and catch up with you. I’ll need them with me I case we have to do any winching or digging. Unless…”

All eyes settled expectantly on Nat as he began to turn something over in his mind. After a moment, he turned to them and said simply, “I’ll fix it. Get you there faster. Just let me go make a radio call. Can you get ready to travel?”

“We’re nearly ready,” said Adam. “We were just preparing for the arrival of the ambulance when the message came back to us that it was stuck in snow.”

“Okay,” said Nat. “That’s good. Can you carry on getting ready? Shane, Travis, come with me a moment back out to the Humvee. I ‘m going to need your help.”

Nat led the way to the Humvee and jumped inside as Travis and Shane crowded round the door.

“What you planning, Nat?”

“That big open space over there, Shane. The edge of Stratton Park, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Are you two up to speed on what Will and Noah said about what they learned about helicopters when they went on that trip to the artillery depot? How to help them land? I’m going to get us a helicopter.”

Shane looked at Travis. Travis looked at Shane.

“They told us what they did, Nat, but we haven’t done it. Just heard about it.”

“We’d need to mark out a space clear of obstacles,” said Travis.

“Point out the wind speed and direction,” added Shane.

“Don’t wear any hats or loose clothing or stuff that could blow off and get sucked into the engines,” continued Travis.

“Sounds like you know enough,” said Nat. “Grab your skis, head over there and finding a big clear space as close to here as possible. Get a GPS location for it then one of you bring it back to me. I’ll call Will.”

“We still have those big fluorescent signal panels on the Humvee roof, Nat,” said Travis. “We’ll take those too. And the pegs to hold them down so they don’t fly away.”

* * *

“Firefox from Fox One, Firefox from Fox One, over.”

“Firefox receiving, send, Fox One, over.”

“Firefox, I need your help. My cellphone’s dead at this location. Can you get a message to my pop on the back channel? It’s urgent. He’ll answer it, or get it answered.”

“Can do, Fox One, I have that number for your pop’s office. I can link you direct to it, you don’t need me to pass a message. Give me thirty seconds to re-assign the microphone, jiggle the IP settings and place the call through my laptop. Over.”

There was a series of clicks and buzzes, and the sound of what seemed to be a table being kicked, then Nat heard the ring tone of a phone coming through the headset. After a couple of rings it was answered.

“Pop? Nat.”

“Hi, Nat. Is this urgent?”

“You sure bet it is, pops. I need you to get me a helicopter. For a medical flight to Magee Hospital from Stratton Park.”

“Okay, I’ll get the Guard or the police department on to it. I’ll pass you over to one of the Guard liaison staff here. You could have gone straight to them instead of coming through me, unless there’s a bureaucracy problem. Need me to kick someone’s ass for you?”

“No pop, this is different. It’s not a dire medical emergency, but it’s something you want to be seen doing. I don’t want an Air Ambulance or a National Guard helicopter, I want the TV news station’s traffic helicopter…”

* * *

The tension in the editing and transmission control room at KWT-TV was palpable. On one wall a huge bank of monitors was displaying synchronisation clocks counting down the seconds to the point at which they would start transferring output to the other stations who were about to take a syndicated feed from them, including CNN, Fox News and SKY. Pacing back and forth before a second wall of monitors were the control room chief and the station owner.

“Ten seconds to go, people, let’s make this snappy. Get me that intro shot lined up for the studio feed and ready to run. I need it now. I said NOW. Then as the anchors come on I want the screen behind them filled with the on-board shot of the helicopter circling the park and landing, make sure you get those big orange square signally things in view. Visuals, people, VISUSALS! Then cut to the shot of that blond cadet carrying the baby to the helicopter. I need the screen to linger on him for a good five seconds. He’s every mother’s son. Got the clean-cut all-American look. When the reporter gets out of the helicopter and steps to the side, switch to the other cadet and paramedic leading the mother to the helicopter and helping her in. Zoom in on the faces. I want emotions on display. EMOTIONS! Pan back. Use that shot of the close-up of the pilot, cut it in with the sound of the engine getting noisy. Then the pictures of everyone backing off and then snowstorm kicking up as the helicopter lifts off. Get our logo on it PROMINENT. Everybody needs to see it’s OUR helicopter. Then give me that tracking shot of the helicopter heading off downtown before we cut back to the reporter and do the interview with the Bauer kid. Where’s that goddam footage from downtown? Do we have the hospital arrival yet?”

“Not yet, boss. We might get it live on air.”

“Okay, people, let’s go, we got CNN and the big boys waiting on us. Syndicated nationwide. NATIONWIDE! No slip ups. THREE, TWO, ONE, GO LIVE ON SYNDICATION!”

***

“Good evening and welcome to the main evening news here on KWT-TV. I’m your host, Tim Matthey as usual and co-hosting with me tonight is Lorna Delville, familiar to you all I’m sure as our resident ‘eye in the sky’ traffic reporter and outside events specialist. Lorna, welcome, nice to see you down here on the ground for once and boy, don’t we have a story for our viewers tonight?”

“Thanks, Tim, good to be here. And yes, we sure do. Viewers will know we’re always first on scene, reporting all the news that matters in Pittsburgh and surrounding counties, but today we were actually out there making the news in a daring emergency medical flight...”

“Lorna, that sounds amazing. Take us right back to the start. I gather things started out with a routine traffic reporting flight charting the progress of the National Guard ploughing the main routes into Pittsburgh…”

“Yes, that’s right Tim. We were over the suburbs checking out the emergency services responses to the ‘Lakes Dump’ and preparing footage for tonight’s traffic reports.”

“Lorna, for our viewers who may not always see the traffic features, can you just remind us who’s up there with you? I’m guessing you don’t do the flying yourself, is that right?”

“That’s right, Tim. Our main pilot is Horst Hammel, who’s ex-USAF, we usually call him Hammy Hamster, all the kids will know that, they love his daily quiz. Up too, operating the cameras and all the broadcast equipment, was Todd Caffrey.”

“That’s great, Lorna, and don’t we have some amazing pictures for our viewers? Can you talk us through them? Beginning with the moment you got a personal call direct from the Governor’s Office as you circled over Scott Township…”

* * *

In the Situation Room back at Allegheny College, Noah eased between several of the National Guard officers who were standing staring at the TV screen next to his map board and gently tapped the Commandant on his arm.

“Cup of coffee, Sir? Captain Davis?”

Both Jackson and the Commandant turned and took a cup of coffee from the tray Noah was holding out towards them.

“Thank you, Corporal Mason, that’s most welcome,” said the Commandant. “And cookies too, I see.” He turned and smiled as Jackson took a coffee from the tray. “I think the service here in your Situation Room beats any hotel I’ve ever stayed in, Captain Davis, and as for the map plotting and log books, well, I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a call from the Pentagon asking for tips…”  Noah beamed and stepped away as several more Guard officers and a handful of NCO’s crowded into the room. Jackson leaned over to the Commandant and spoke quietly.

“This is the bit where they interview Sergeant Bauer. They re-run it every half hour on the news bulletins…”

On the screen, the TV station’s helicopter could be seen disappearing into the distance as the camera panned back to frame Lorna Delville standing next to Nat. She waited a moment for the flurry of snow kicked up by the rotor downwash to subside then turned to face Nat.

“With me now is Cadet Sergeant Bauer from Allegheny River Military College. Sergeant Bauer, am I right in thinking that you’re Governor Bauer’s son, and the organiser of this daring medical emergency rescue mission? Can you tell our viewers a little more about it and how you called upon us here at KWT-TV to help you out?”

“Sure ma’am. That’s right, Deputy Governor Bauer is my pop. But I’m not the real hero here. That credit belongs to a big team of people, yourself included. I’m just the one fortunate enough to be here on the ground to sweep up all the glory.” Nathan smiled broadly as Lorna laughed, then he turned to face the camera directly, paused for a moment.

“I’m sure most people hereabouts know of the Military College at Allegheny River. Everyone knows how it prides itself on academic excellence and sporting prowess. How it prepares students for the highest offices in the military, in government, in business. But the college is far more than that. It’s a part of the community here and so when the snows struck, we were happy to step up and play our part when then Governor’s Office declared an Emergency. Our Commandant immediately suggested the College host a snow ploughing detachment of the Guard ready to tackle the main routes in the northern suburbs.”

Nathan paused for a moment, smiled again, then continued. “Following on behind the Guards and their snow ploughs, we’ve had working parties out, all co-ordinated by our senior cadet, Cadet Captain Davis. We’ve been, clearing the access roads and car lots at churches, old folks’ residences, pharmacies, medical centres. Obviously, it’s only a little compared with what the Guard can do, but it all helps, and lets the Guard concentrate on the main routes.”

“It sure is much appreciated, Cadet Sergeant,” said Lorna, trying to take back control of the interview. “Now, how did things change this afternoon? What made you place the call to your father requesting help from us here at KWT-TV?”

Nat smiled at Lorna and then returned his attention to the camera. “Mid-afternoon, when I was out with a couple of cadets in our Humvee, we were contacted and asked if we could help a team of paramedics reach a young lady out near Stratton Park who had just had a baby. Naturally we did all we could and the paramedics were soon at the scene.”

Nat turned to face the reporter once more. “You know, I think we should recognise that no matter what the conditions, the medics and other emergency services are always out there, doing their best for us all.” As Lorna nodded, but before she could speak, Nat turned back to the camera.

“The medics decided it would be best to take the lady and her baby to Magee Hospital in downtown Pittsburg. It’s the best there is. Just for a precautionary check-up. That would have been one long and uncomfortable journey in a Humvee of course, and at that point we weren’t even sure if all the roads en route had been ploughed. So I put a call through to ask if an air ambulance might be available but we found they were all busy on tasking. That’s when I thought of KWT-TV. When I was a kid I always used to tune in to the traffic reports and daily ‘Kid’s Quiz’ that Hammy does to get us to guess what building he’s looking at from the air.”

Nat smiled and turned to face Lorna again. “I guess that’s what inspired me to phone pop and ask if he might be able to cut through the bureaucracy and ask ‘the traffic lady’ if you and Hammy could be our Hambulance.”

The TV cut back to the broadcast studio.

“So, Lorna, that’s how our very own ‘Traffic Lady’ and Hammy got a call direct from the Governor’s Office asking for help,” said Tim. “How did you respond?”

As everyone else listened intently to the tv, learning how the helicopter had been guided in by the cadets and the reporter and cameraman had disembarked to make space for the mother, baby and a paramedic, the Commandant leaned over to Jackson and spoke quietly.

“Bauer nailed that interview. Took total control of it. Next time somebody asks why we teach a ‘softy subject’ like media studies here, just point them to that footage. Make sure we get a copy.”

Jackson smiled. “Already been done. Corporal Mason has it on his laptop downstairs, direct from Corporal Brookes. He’s going to save copies to USB sticks. He’s already sent Cadet Hawke to get some from the IT store.”

Jackson and the Commandant turned back to the tv.

“Lorna, the cadets with you look very young. Is it right that they’re just fifteen years old?”

“That’s sure the case, Tim, and Sergeant Bauer himself is only sixteen. Isn’t that right, Sergeant Bauer?”

Nathan smiled again. “That’s right, ma’am, but college teaches us to be resourceful and never shy to do our duty, for country and community. That’s every bit as important as getting straight As in class or being a good sportsman. Maybe more so…”

“Cadet Sergeant Bauer, this is Tim here direct from the studio. Might I ask you a question on behalf of our viewers, that I am sure they are all dying to know. What are your plans for when this over, and you graduate from college? Will you be following in your father’s footsteps? Running for Governor when you’re older?”

Nathan casually reached up and appeared to adjust the broadcast earpiece in his ear, then smiled once more to camera. “Good to speak to you, Sir. Did I hear your question right? What are my plans for the future?” Without waiting for confirmation, Nat continued. “Right now, Sir, my plans are just to be where I’m needed, helping my cadets do what the local community here needs us to do. I’m sure it’s what my pop would want, allowing him and the National Guard to concentrate on the bigger picture, to get this great city moving again. Beyond that, I’m applying to the Juilliard after I graduate in a couple of years. Then maybe start a jazz band…”

“Now that’s just great to hear, Cadet Sergeant Bauer. Talented in music too, along with your sister, as I well know. I had the great pleasure of being at the Governor’s Christmas Concert just a few weeks ago and …”

Nathan smiled and interrupted. “I’m sorry to break in, Sir, but I’m afraid it’s going to be getting dark here very shortly and I’ve promised that we’ll drive Miss Delville and your cameraman back to KWT-TV Headquarters. It’s the least we can do, considering we just hijacked Hammy and his helicopter.”

Nathan raised a hand and waved, smiled and then took out his earpiece. The camera cut quickly to Lorna.

“Hi Tim. I guess that ends our interview with the Governor’s son, Nathan Bauer, but boy, what a day it’s been. KWT-TV swooping in to save the day for Mrs Thomas and her adorable baby girl and we’re just hearing that Hammy has safely landed in the car lot at Magee. Before I hand over, as I’m sure you’ll be wanting to cut to Magee any moment now, I just need to say one more thing to our viewers. Just before we came on air, Cadet Sergeant Bauer passed on an invitation from Allegheny River Military College to visit them and film an ‘access all areas’ special for next week’s ‘Lorna at large’ feature. I hope you’ll all join us then to take a look at what goes on behind the closed doors of what promises to be a fascinating school. This is Lorna Delville, signing out for KWT-TV. Tim, back to you in the studio while I go catch my ride with three handsome young men…”

* * *