Chapter 26- "Who Overcomes" Part 1

**Cabbage Patch** · Jan 31st, 2012, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by looney

The most interesting thing to me while they were dealing with Puck was Puck referring to the post commander (yes, post not base) he kept saying Colonel. As was pointed out earlier in this thread, the post commander for NTC and Fort Irwin is a one star general. I really hope this unit ends up being a bunch of AWOLs and turdbags that got there late and started acting like they were in charge.

CPL Puck is an MP wearing a Fort Irwin patch. That means he's probably assigned to the Fort Irwin Garrison (as opposed to the OPFOR or the Operations Group) and he reports to the garrison/post commander, who is a colonel. That colonel reports to the Commander, National Training Center, who is a one-star general.

BTW, "the Weed" refers to the Fort Irwin base hospital, Weed Army Community Hospital.

**Cabbage Patch** · Jan 31st, 2012, 12:15 PM

I wonder who else was evacuated to Fort Irwin?

When Michael asked his guard what the situation was at Fort Irwin that soldier, Private Thomas, said "It's whoever's stationed here still, sergeant. This is the place where they send..." at which point he was cut off by Corporal Puck. Send who?

Then another soldier recognizes the ID number from the helicopter? The only way a group of Army MPs would recognize a Coast Guard helicopter is if they had either seen it before or had been alerted to be on the lookout for it.

These points makes me think that Fort Irwin was an evacuation site during the outbreak. It may be the place where the Coast Guard took the first arrivals to the Colony, or maybe it was transporting high value evacuees from Los Angeles.

My personal theory is that Fort Irwin is where the government took people who were doing research into the zombies. A group from Radon Labs was evacuated out of LAX, but one helicopter, the Coast Guard Pelican, never arrived. It was carrying vital equipment/supplies/research, etc. and everyone has been alerted to look for it. The Tower survivors didn't know what the cargo on the helicopter was, and left it sitting on the pad at LAX. This necessitates a trip back to LA to retrieve the cargo.

**Adventureless_Hero** · Jan 31st, 2012, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cabbage Patch

I wonder who else was evacuated to Fort Irwin?

When Michael asked his guard what the situation was at Fort Irwin that soldier, Private Thomas, said "It's whoever's stationed here still, sergeant. This is the place where they send..." at which point he was cut off by Corporal Puck. Send who?

Then another soldier recognizes the ID number from the helicopter? The only way a group of Army MPs would recognize a Coast Guard helicopter is if they had either seen it before or had been alerted to be on the lookout for it.

These points makes me think that Fort Irwin was an evacuation site during the outbreak. It may be the place where the Coast Guard took the first arrivals to the Colony, or maybe it was transporting high value evacuees from Los Angeles.

My personal theory is that Fort Irwin is where the government took people who were doing research into the zombies. A group from Star Labs group was evacuated out of LAX, but one helicopter, the Coast Guard Pelican, never arrived. It was carrying vital equipment/supplies/research, etc. and everyone has been alerted to look for it. The Tower survivors didn't know what the cargo on the helicopter was, and left it sitting on the pad at LAX. This necessitates a trip back to LA to retrieve the cargo.

Ooooh...I like this theory! I do believe that answers lay at Ft. Irwin. I'm hoping Michael digs for answers and doesn't just fall into line as a soldier once more. If there is someone there who out ranks him, what will become of Michael as a leader?

**Grognaurd** · Jan 31st, 2012, 01:24 PM

Good Post CP!

The Colony had MP5's.
The repaired Coast Guard Chopper had MP5's
Victor or maybe Marcus said there were rescue choppers in and out of The Colony's location early on.

So, let's tease this apart some more.

Would the Coast Guard be issued MP5s? I do not know. I figure standard side arm. With a special issue of long rifles if required. An MP5 would not be out of the question, but I do not know. Just sits wrong with me. I would want an MP5 in close quarters (SWAT) or trying to be discrete (Secret Service). But, damn, a sailboat. That is even more up close and personal than a building and I think I would lean towards side arm. Does the Coat Guard do close assaults or call for backup?

To make things more curious, one of the MP5's from the colony had a suppressor. Could be an addon, but the MP5 does have a suppressed model. This sounds even less like the Coast Guard.

Something about this chopper makes it stand out. The coast guard must have multiple choppers. Why would Thomas and Puck remember this number? Spec Ops under a "False Flag"? Not a false country, but a false agency. The CIA used paint some of the spy planes as NOAA; The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I do not know. I think the cause of this is conspiritorial. Not "natural" like a metorite in Night of the Living Dead, accidental release of virus (28 days later) etc...

**kidmuncher** · Jan 31st, 2012, 01:34 PM

The guys at Fort Irwin recognize the number on the helicopter. I seem to remember that when the helicopter was found at LAX there was a comment about it being used in the initial rescues, and took this as a reference to the rescues that were happening at the colony

Do you think the people at Fort Irwin were involved in the rescue effort and they know about the colony? It makes me wonder if that's why the soldiers seemed cautious of the tower survivors--maybe they thought they were from the colony.

Given that the tower survivors have had more casualties from human threats than from the "things," you'd think they would be a little bit restrained in showing their excitement when encountering another survivor group. Especially Kelly and Pegs, who were at the colony. Given that experience, I thought Kelly's comment about getting laid was a little out of place. Michael did seem to be appropriately wary though when he wasn't willing to surrender his rifle or show them their weapons cache.

**ReeceJM** · Jan 31st, 2012, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by cupcakezombie

I just realised something. The Fort Irwin guys recognised the chopper when they landed. This is the Jolly Green Giant from the airport, which means that at some point this chopper either went to or came from Ft. Irwin. I am guessing that it was possibly a fuel run if they went to the airport, and Michael and crew might have to answer some questions about how they came to be in possession of it.

This is a excellent point

well spotted.

**Litmaster** · Jan 31st, 2012, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Cabbage Patch

My personal theory is that Fort Irwin is where the government took people who were doing research into the zombies. A group from Star Labs group was evacuated out of LAX, but one helicopter, the Coast Guard Pelican, never arrived. It was carrying vital equipment/supplies/research, etc. and everyone has been alerted to look for it. The Tower survivors didn't know what the cargo on the helicopter was, and left it sitting on the pad at LAX. This necessitates a trip back to LA to retrieve the cargo.

Great thinking, Cabbage Patch... I had the same idea yesterday but you one-upped me with the additional theory about the Star Labs group. Any evidence so far that Star Labs was evac'd out of LAX? Also, I couple of things about this that weren't mentioned:

Misc. Thoughts about Irwin as Evac Site

1. My initial thinking was that it was named as an evac site after the outbreak, and that all available choppers in the LA area were made rescue vehicles. About the #1420... I'm not sure how choppers are numbered, but maybe Irwin was designated all choppers numbered from 1000-2000 or something. This might explain why the number was recognized. The other explanation, as CP wrote, was that the guys at Irwin were on the lookout for this specific bird.

2. LAX and the old park at the Colony were two of the evac sites that were hastily set up, but perhaps only a few birds actually got people out before all was overrun and dissolved into chaos. I still think the 1420 bird was just attacked by Eaters before they could get a full load off the ground (destined for Irwin), which would explain the soldiers being puzzled as to why this bird finally showed up, months late, and with different passengers than they were expecting. Also, there is the lingering issue of 'who killed the other guys', which Mike and the boys will have to answer.

3. If some birds did succeed in evacuating people before all was overrun, then it's possible that some people at Irwin could have been flown out from the colony area before it became the colony. Maybe some of them even know Saul's mom.

4. So why haven't any of these other birds been up in the air looking for survivors, if Irwin is indeed an evac site? The only two answers I can think of is that there's no pilots or there's no fuel. I think it's the latter situation at Irwin.

5. One more thing not mentioned: anyone else notice the kind of laid-back reception they got upon arrival at Irwin? Very different from the harsh in-processing they got at the Colony, right? In fact, none of the army guys seemed to know what to do with visitors, which tells me that they probably haven't gotten any new visitors in a long time. Also, the absence of some strict in-processing procedure tells me that the natural isolation of the base has also kept them safe from Eater attacks.

**IamPaul** · Jan 31st, 2012, 02:59 PM

Great episode. I am now at a crossroads. I think I am more excited about the Saul/Victor Storyline. The Ft. Irwin one sounds like another colony, but I guess we will soon find out. I think that the body with all the ID's on it was maybe Kalani. Victor did act as if he would not recognize anyone or thing at the tower. I was hoping that Saul was hearing Burt or Angel climbing out of rubble, then it turned out to be that damn cat! Cannot wait until next week fellows!

**Leedo2502** · Jan 31st, 2012, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Arthur LaMarche

Good Post CP!

The Colony had MP5's.
The repaired Coast Guard Chopper had MP5's
Victor or maybe Marcus said there were rescue choppers in and out of The Colony's location early on.

So, let's tease this apart some more.

Would the Coast Guard be issued MP5s? I do not know. I figure standard side arm. With a special issue of long rifles if required. An MP5 would not be out of the question, but I do not know. Just sits wrong with me. I would want an MP5 in close quarters (SWAT) or trying to be discrete (Secret Service). But, damn, a sailboat. That is even more up close and personal than a building and I think I would lean towards side arm. Does the Coat Guard do close assaults or call for backup?

To make things more curious, one of the MP5's from the colony had a suppressor. Could be an addon, but the MP5 does have a suppressed model. This sounds even less like the Coast Guard.

Something about this chopper makes it stand out. The coast guard must have multiple choppers. Why would Thomas and Puck remember this number? Spec Ops under a "False Flag"? Not a false country, but a false agency. The CIA used paint some of the spy planes as NOAA; The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I do not know. I think the cause of this is conspiritorial. Not "natural" like a metorite in Night of the Living Dead, accidental release of virus (28 days later) etc...

I'm no expert on what the USCG isues its guys but an MP-5 makes perfect sense to me. If you are doing searches of a ship and what-not the last thing you'd want was a rifle or even a carbine. An MP-5 is great for walking through the narrow passages below decks and the 9mm round is good since it won't be bouncing around as much as a 5.56 round would. Now a silenced one... that would definatly not be standard issue.
Wouldn't it be great though if this were some nafarious plot cooked up by the Coast Guard... the branch that is shunned by the others dropping the zombie plague on the world... that would be Bond-esque.
But I am sticking with the "False Flag" idea that I posted when we first ran into the Helicopter all those episodes ago... The Coast Guard is seen as the "Freindly" branch of the Military, when you see a soldier all his swag on using his knife hand point and carying an assault rifle the normal civilian reaction is to be weary... but when you see a guy that done up like a dude in the USCG with a smaller sub machine gun wearing a navyblue jumpsuit and coming out of a heliopter that isn't "Scary looking" you give him a little leeway and you might even jump on that bird to be taken to "Saftey" (muhahahahaaa!).
I'm thinking the two Joe's on the helipad either knew someone that was on that bird when it went back to LA or that they were told to be on the look-out for it, which would be why the private remembered and the corpral didn't... corprals usually have a chip on their shoulder from having all the responsibility on a SGT. but none of the pay.

Great episode, I can't wait til next week!