On the platform deck of the W.A.F headquarters, five hundred troops stood in multiple rows. A platform deck was long and wide enough to accommodate such regiment sizes including vehicles. The steel platforms, rectangle in shape, served as a runway for the vehicles without the hover technology. Shuttles, of the hover jet design, could park in one of the magnetic docks and then use the auto-launch. Two benefits the dome protection offered was that no wind blew over the platforms, and that artificial lighting controlled the 'day and night' timings.
With an exact personal body height of two metres, General Kern looked at the top of each soldier's hat during his start-of-week inspection. The troops' black uniforms came in two styles, parade suit and combat. The five hundred Troops on parade today was not the complete force, but just those under his direct command. In addition, troops manned the defence dome platforms. Kern walked along the line of troops on parade, accompanied by the Adjutant who served as his assistant.
When standing next to Kern, who with his peaked cap and grey trimmed hair emitted a strong aura of authority enhanced by the smell of his leather trench coat; the Adjutant was sure he was not being recognised as a holder of his rank. But instead lowered to the same rank as the troops in front of them being inspected. After the parade was over and Kern and his Adjutant had left, the Company Commanders dismissed the troops. Kern retired to his office and awaited his Adjutant for the weekly schedule briefing. The door elevated above head as the Adjutant entered.
“General, permission to go ahead with the agenda is requested.” The Adjutant asked.
“Granted. Go ahead.” Kern instructed in a mundane tone.
The Adjutant continued “General, you have a scheduled visit to the Hospital Dome Ninety Seven this week. The exact appointment date and time remains for you to confirm.”
“That is fine. Any other events of higher priority scheduled?” Kern asked.
The Adjutant answered “No, General, but we have one issue which you need to know of before the hospital visit takes place.”
Kern enquired “And what is that exact issue Adjutant?”
“The Hospital Director has submitted a report that an outbreak of a virus has occurred, and that the infected patients are in a quarantine ward. General, do you consider it safe to keep the appointment?” Asked the Adjutant.
The General announced “Adjutant, we will still make the intended visit. At the hospital I shall interview the Director and thereafter decide on a plan of action. And I will demand an explanation why the report did not reach me earlier.” with an accusing look at the Adjutant as he spoke.
Kern added “Adjutant, make the transport arrangements. And get me the wrist chip statistics for last month – the Holiday Resort Dome reported a drop of twenty percent! I want to know which activities occupied this twenty percent. Did they do overtime? Did they shop?”
The Adjutant found out before that Kern had purchased many shares in the holiday resort companies. And so paid a special interest in ensuring that the resort was always full of guests. He wondered why Kern continued to scold him for the slightest mistakes and now because of the virus outbreak! If he had not had warned the General, Kern might not be any the wiser. And been even more angry had he visited the hospital not knowing of the disease in advance.
The Adjutant asked “Any other orders General?”
“Yes Adjutant, I have decided that due to the seriousness of the virus outbreak, we will visit this afternoon. Make the arrangements for the meeting on the platform deck at fourteen hundred hours. Nothing else for now.” confirmed Kern.
The Adjutant made a swift salute, turned on his heels, drove a boot to the ground and marched out of the office. He was an expert assistant and had made the transport booking and made sure that the escort guard contained adequate troops. The Adjutant now stood on the central platform marking, fifteen minutes before the appointment, to make sure everything was in place for the General. At five minutes past two in the afternoon, never on time as usual, Kern travelled to the platform deck by elevator. As always, he put on a stern face when in front of subordinates – he had a repute of being a ruthless superior to support. Although the General had spotted his Adjutant, he stood still and waited for the man to hurry over and report that everything was ready. The Adjutant had booked the transport and escort troops and felt sorry for the over-worked hospital staff who could not prepare for the visit.
“General, the transport and escort troops await orders.” confirmed the Adjutant.
At the same time as the T.T.V's (Troop Transport Vehicles) landed on the platform. A T.T.V held the form of a rectangular block with a cockpit at the front. The beige steel shell hosted a sliding door on the left side, which enabled bulk entry from troops or cargo if converted.
With the escort troops on board, Kern complimented “Excellent. Now get on board.”
Crouched and holding his hat on his head with one hand, the General ran to the T.T.V's entrance and continued through to the cockpit.
To keep pace with Kern the Adjutant had to run. Upon Kern's arrival in the cockpit, the T.T.V Commander, while in radio contact with the rest of the convoy; switched on the hover jet and typed the destination coordinates into the navigation console. He closed the steel side door from within the cockpit and launched the vehicle to embark on the planned journey.