Here's chapter two of my second story. Please read it and let me know what you think?


Chapter 2

Back at SHADO control, Colonel Alec Freeman was monitoring the UFO that had slipped into the atmosphere moments before Hunter’s accident. It’s speed was increasing and it’s destination had become clear. Freeman wanted an exact reference so he could launch the Mobiles as soon as he could. He stood behind Keith Ford as he finished his cup of coffee.

“What’s it’s speed now?” he asked.

“Speed sol. Decimal 2.6 sir.” Ford replied calmly. “I have a fix on it’s destination.”

Freeman headed towards the table map that was situated behind him and began to map out the co-ordinates.

“Where is it heading?”

“Area 4546 Grid reference D.” Ford answered.

Freeman marked the area on the map and made a serious gesture on his face.

“It’s heading for the Columbian Mountain Range. Where is Commander Straker?”

“He’s in his office sir.” Keith replied. “He’s talking to Alan Hunter.”

“The Interceptor pilot that pulled the stupid stunt?”

“That’s right sir.”

“Okay then Keith,  Alert SHADO ground forces and have the Mobiles ready for flight?”

“Yes sir.”

“I just hope that the Commander is being reasonable with our cocky pilot?”





“What the hell did you think you were going to accomplish!?” Straker barked as he walked around Hunter, with his arms around his back.

Hunter was paralysed to the spot. His face was covered in plasters and nerves had invaded his body. He was completely paralysed to the spot and found it difficult to answer the furious and often scary Commander.

“I thought I could—“ he muttered.

“You thought!?” Straker interrupted, his bellowing tone, dwarfing Hunter’s quiet voice. “What did you think you could’ve done? Huh? You had no missile to fire at the UFO, yet you still insisted on following the craft, disobeying orders and damaging valuable SHADO equipment!”

“I had to try something sir?” Hunter replied, trying to hide his dignity. “I wasn’t going to let that UFO get away like that? That’s the whole point of SHADO isn’t it?”

Straker sat back down behind his desk and lit a cigarette.  After taking a huge puff of smoke, he fixated his glare on the young pilot and continued.

“The point is that you shouldn’t have tried anything!” He went on. “You know fully well that an Interceptor can’t operate in the Earth’s atmosphere? So tell me! Why did you do it!?”

“I don’t know sir.” Hunter muttered, lowering his head to the ground. “I was just confident.”

“I know. That’s just your problem! You’re too confident.” Straker replied. “And look where it’s got you?”

“Sir, I only acted out of training and intuition.” Hunter stated, as he began to stand his ground against the middle-aged Commander. “I did what I did because I wasn’t prepared to let that UFO go like that!”

“Is that so!?” Straker replied as he stood up to level with Hunter. “Well I’m going to do this based of my Intuition! You’re going to report to Doctor Schroeder for psychiatric tests and I’m temporarily suspending you from Moonbase duty until the results come back positive. I won’t have that incident repeated again is that understood!?”

“Clearly sir.” Hunter replied, sounding guilty and defeated.

“Now you’ll report to the Medical bay in twenty minutes. The doctor will be expecting you.”


Hunter nodded at the order and turned towards the doors, which opened to reveal Freeman standing on the other side. Glancing at Freeman’s un-sympathetic expression, Hunter dragged himself towards the medical bay.

Freeman to a seat opposite Straker and provided the Commander with the details on the situation.

“We’ve tracked that UFO.” He said. “It’s heading for the Columbian Mountains in Tennessee. Lieutenant predicts that it should land somewhere in the valley between the mountains. I’ve dispatched the order to have the Mobiles flown over there immediately.”

“Very good Alec, but I have an idea.” Straker replied, as he pointed his fingers to form a pyramid. “Delay the carrier flight by an hour.”

“You think that’s wise?” Freeman asked, raising an eyebrow. “That UFO could cause a threat in that area?”

“Maybe.” Straker replied. “But we can’t have the Mobiles gallivanting around the area without a man in Command? And Foster is due to take his shift on Skydiver in an hour.”

“I’ll do it then?”

“No Alec. I need you here. No, I have a better idea. Have Hunter proceed to the airport after his psychiatric tests. He’ll take the Mobile’s out.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me? After that stunt he pulled, he should be fired.”

“True, but I’m going to dismiss the incident if he can pass a test that I’m now initiating. I’m going to have Hunter carry out the search in a dangerous, rocky area. A place where he can’t be confident or cocky. A place where he’ll have to use his training and sense in order to survive the sheer drops and unstable roads.”

“I see where you getting at? If he passes the test, he’ll have learnt a lesson?”

“Exactly. He’s a good pilot. He just lacks discipline, just like Foster did at the beginning of his career.”

“I’ll get onto the airport right away.” Freeman said as he headed out of the office. “I trust that you’ll be monitoring the operation?”

“Of course, but I’m not going to intervene unless it’s vital.”

“Will he be completely on his own?”

“No, I’m going to send Mark Bradley with him. It’ll be his fifth tour of duty anyway.”

“I’ll alert him and de-brief him with the situation.”


Freeman left Straker alone for the next few hours. It was going to be a tense search as it was going to be the first time that the Mobiles were going to comb the dangerous Mountain roads. However, for him personally, it was going to be exciting as he loved to see his staff learn a lesson from their actions. It made him feel good to be a Commander.






Hunter had been in the medical bay for over fifteen minutes now after his ordered exam from Straker. He sat patiently at doctor Schroeder’s desk as he could the doctor chatting away to someone from his office door. He was anxious to see the results from the number of short stress tests that he had taken just moments before.  He sat there, scrunched over the desk and rubbing his hands under the table nervously. Schroeder returned to is desk after his some what mysterious chat by the door. As the middle-aged doctor sat down and threw a thin report folder on the desk.

“Your results have come back negative for any stress levels.” He said cheerily. “you’re physically and mentally healthy. However, I’ve just been notified by Colonel Freeman. You’re to go to the airport at once. Straker’s placing you and Bradley in charge of the search.”

“What?” Hunter asked in astonishment and confusion. “I thought Straker was going to give me the high jump?
“Maybe he’s had a change in heart?” Schroeder joked, gesturing Hunter to leave. “Good luck? I’ve heard that those Mobiles are difficult to operate over rough terrain.”

Hunter just nodded and smiled as he left for the exit. He wasn’t keen to operate the Mobile unit, but he believed that it was his only chance to prove Straker that he could stay in the game, so to speak. Maybe Straker knew that anyway? Maybe he wanted to see if he was better at operating on the ground than in an Interceptor? He just didn’t know?