Call Sign: Control

Astra Yardley
"Peaceful, grateful, joyful, ohm...mmm." Inhale good health and happiness. Exhale negative thoughts and expectations." Astra thought to herself "this one always gets me. How can I NOT have negative thoughts when things don't go as expected?! Shake it off Astra" she mumbles aloud. Just then a call from Central Command pierced the quiet scene snapping her from the debate she was currently involved in with herself. Good timing! She's satisfactorily refreshed and ready for duty! And off she goes with the utmost confidence in herself and her crew, ready to take on their next assignment. To those around her it may seem she has confidence to spare. What they will never see is the degree of "fake it until you make it" she relies on to effectively exude that level of confidence. Astra’s life is filled with stories of marked success, ultimately catapulting her to her current position at WASAP academy. She maintained a 4.0 plus GPA throughout the entirety of her school years, graduating valedictorian of Acadia military Academy, and Magna Cum Laude at Logistical Engineering Command School. Astra Yardley was born to be successful. The progeny of a pedigreed family of both body and intellect. Raised to be prepared to take the reins and to blow the socks off any competitor she faced. Astra excelled in physical activities and sports, captain of every team, shattering records, outperforming, and outshining all others. Setting herself apart from others and quite often lived her life apart from others, at the top, alone. Grade A, straight A, type A. Never allowing her innumerable accomplishments cloud her understanding that hard work was the single most important factor contributing to every success she earned. Astra learned early on that being in control was essential to her success. When she was in control, she could do anything. Her outstanding achievements led her to secure the final coveted seat on a research team of a brilliant and world-renowned geologist, one Dr. Reginald Octavius Conrad Kang. Every soldier in her squad vied for the chance to procure the position to research at the site of the infamous Majamoa Volcano but it wasn’t a surprise to anyone when she got it. The real surprise would be unearthed at the mission site where horrific secrets were meant to stay hidden. " Let's get moving everyone! There's no time to waste!" New data suggested the volcano was becoming increasingly unstable. The team rushed to their designated areas, instructed to quickly coordinate efforts with the outgoing team allowing for a seamless transition. “We don't have much time to collect this data!" This was only one part of Dr. Kang's research, a facade, created to cover up something disturbing and more sinister by far. While Astra and her cohort went to work collecting samples, recording temperature changes, documenting shifts and gas properties, a clandestine operation was simultaneously underway. Astra had a gut feeling that something wasn't quite right. She noticed disregarded protocols, codes ignored and rules unenforced. Red flag after red flag. Not one to question authority, Astra reassured herself that due to the nature of the perilous situation, everything couldn't possibly be perfect. She was probably just manifesting her own issues as her level of control was presently scant. But the overwhelming sense that something was very wrong increased, showing no sign of capitulation. What was going on? As luck would have it, Astra caught a glimpse of Dr. Kang's first assistant, thinking no one saw her, disappearing through a concealed doorway. Astra quietly crept behind at a safe distance, staying unnoticed. They descended a steep stair-like passageway jutting from the wall of the volcano, the distance of a kilometer or so. Finally at the
bottom, she stood in shock by what she saw. Hundreds of people! What were they doing here? They were enslaved, locked up, shackled in metal chains in what appeared to be a forced mining expedition! She heard rumors of rare jewels being recovered from dormant volcanic sites, but she never imagined this! "Focus Astra!" she exclaimed. She needed to get control here, she needed to take the reins! She watched as Kang's assistant retrieved some hard drives and various other computer parts before fleeing back up the staircase ahead of the impending eruption. But what of these poor souls? Did she intend to leave them to their demise? Astra was not about to let that happen! She quickly radioed to base requesting emergency transport to evacuate them. She then went about freeing the prisoners from their chains and proceeded to lead them out of the volatile volcano. The ground began to shake violently and started to give way and the crowd screamed in terror! Astra steadied herself and continued ushering them toward safety to the south side of the island for evacuation. Just as she confirmed the last of the prisoners were headed in the right direction, a hysterical young woman ran up on Astra. "Please help! My siblings, they never made it out!" Astra told her to go with the others, promising to find them and went back in. It wasn't long before Astra found the frightened bunch, scooped them up, turning right back around and once again out of the volcano! She scanned the entire landscape, finding no signs of life, only an unmanned helicopter. Astra decided to commandeer the chopper, promptly securing the siblings before lifting off. Safely in transit, Astra radioed to base
"This is Alpha Yankee 4, what's the status of rescue transport from pad 4?"
Alpha Yankee 4, this is FLP Station zero-two, say again?"
"FLP Station zero-two, this is Alpha Yankee 4 requesting emergency evacuation status."
"Alpha Yankee 4, credentials?" {data transmission} Credentials confirmed, please hold, … Alpha Yankee 4, there was no request for emergency transport from that location, over."
In that moment Astra realized she was carrying the only survivors from that underground prison. Help would not come for the rest; they were left to their doom. "No request for emergency evacuation?! What the hell happened?”
Meanwhile, Dr. Kang went about the business of closing the chapter on this expedition, recording the following information.
1) site & location 0-29.22.5 searched & cleared before eruption. Nothing of value found or recovered.
2) all subjects organically terminated.
.... but Dr. Kang was wrong, on both accounts.