Microstory 1941: Uneven Trident

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Myka: So, what is this formation called?

Reese: It’s called the Uneven Trident. The center tine is only responsible for heading for the objective. The two tines on either side are responsible for protecting them.

Myka: Why are we farther behind the right tine?

Reese: They’re responsible for protecting the leaders. We’re responsible for protecting them as well as the leaders. This is the standard configuration for a six-person team on an extended journey, as opposed to a specific raid.

Myka: It’s funny that you have all these different arrangements, yet fugitive agents generally work alone.

Reese: We like to be prepared, for anything.

Leonard: *click, click, click*

Reese: They found something. Head on up there. Wave your girls over there too. I’m gonna run a fifty meter radius perimeter sweep.

Myka: *approaching Leonard and Freewoman 3.* What is it?

Leonard: The footsteps stop here, and then there’s this thing.

Myka: What is it?

Freewoman 3: Some kind of pattern in the sand. Pretty large, by the looks of it.

Myka: *straightening her posture as much as possible* What does this look like to you, Freewoman 2? I’ll give you a hint; it was in that movie we watched last week.

Freewoman 2: *getting a better look too* It kind of looks like a crop circle.

Leonard: *placing an ear on the ground* It may be my imagination, but I think I hear...machinery?

Freewoman 4: Maybe it’s their ship.

Leonard: They didn’t come in a ship.

Freewoman 3: There’s nothing out here. We’re so far away from any sort of semblance of civilization, if you’re hearing anything, it’s manmade. Or alienmade, as it were.

Reese: Y’all seein’ this? It’s big. It’s really big. More than a hundred meters wide. I stepped on it. There’s something different about the ground where it’s been depressed. It’s...harder, like there’s something buried just underneath.

Freewoman 3: If we think there’s a ship buried just underneath the ground, there must be a way to access it. What do we do, try to open it?

Leonard: Why is everybody lookin’ at me?

Reese: You’re the closest we have to a resident alien expert. What do you think? If we find a door, should we open it?

Leonard: If we find a door, yeah, I guess that’s why we’re here, right? At least that’s why you and I are. The rest of you can leave now to protect yourselves.

Myka: We’re staying. Six-person team, right?

*the other free women cock their guns*

Reese: Are you legally allowed to carry those firearms?

Freewoman 2: Nope. *points her gun at the ground* Wanna fight about it?

Reese: Not at this juncture. Welp. This triangle is precisely where the footprints end, so I’m guessing it’s the entrance. Let’s see if we can’t figure this out.