Homecoming: Part One: The Mission
	
	Cookie watched his opponent carefully. He bluffed a alright right and
when the expected block came he spun his bulk into the body of his opponent.
He slipped his right arm over the should of his opponent and flipped the
opponent over, jumping as to follow and land with all of his weight on the
arm.
	"Right arm broken." The fighting drone intoned. Cookie brought his
left hand up under the chin of the drone and struck upward, suddenly. The
drone's neck snapped. "Neck broken. Combat terminated."
	Cookie stood up and went to the computer to reprogram his opponent.
"Nice fight, Cookie!"
	Cookie spun toward the voice, shrinking into a fighting stance. Chief
Konig was standing near the gymnasium door. "You move pretty good, for a big
man. Try programming the drone for more speed. You'll find it a tougher
opponent then."
	"Don't sneak up on me, Chief. I might have to do to you what I did to
that thing."
	"What? You're not going to put me on quick meals?" The chief was
smirking. He was enjoying finding out what the chef did in his free time.
	"No, I only do that if you tick me off in the mess. Down here for a
late night workout?" Cookie picked up his towel and began drying his head.
	"Yup. Have to keep in shape, you know. Can't have the ships chef
outshining me at the next batch of physicals. I'll have to be in pretty good
shape incase I ever have to go into hand to hand combat with a Neo." Rick
stepped inclose to get a better look at Cookie's head. "Hmm, you might want
to buff it a bit longer, I still can't see myself."
	Cookie threw his towel at the chief. One more wisecrack like that and
I'll have to show you I can handle myself against more than just drones."
	"That, my good man, sounds like a challenge. In that case, I'll have
to say you should be careful when shining your head. You seem to have erased
your hair."
	"I hope you fight better than you insult, little man. Don't worry
about me tearing you limb from limb. The Doctor can put on some replacements
for you." Cookie told the computer to put the drone back into storage and
clear the fighting mats. "Seriously, don't worry, I won't hurt you. Much."
	Rick took a fighting stance on the corner of the mat. "Don't worry,
you won't hurt me. At all."
	Cookie moved into position and the computer's tone signaled them to
begin. As Cookie circled around another tone went off. This was the alert
tone. Both the combatants nodded to each other and stopped. The Normandy's
executive officer's voice came through the speakers. "Attention. Will the
following personnel please report to the main briefing room: All members of
Sierra Three Platoon, all members of Gamma Squadron, Security team Alpha,
Lieutenant Konig, and Lieutenant Macchia. That is all."
	"Awright Cookie you got lucky. Any idea why they want you at this
thing?"
	"Hmm? Oh, they're probably going to launch an offensive They want me
to go and cook."
	Lieutenant Konig looked doubtful. "Why would they also call a full
security team then?"
	"Maybe they're establishing a lookout station and want additional
personnel. Whatever it is, we'll find out soon."
	Rick could tell that Cookie wasn't really talking to him. The chef
was lost in something else. "You're right. We'll find out soon enough."

*****************************************************************************

	Cookie and Rick were the last to arrive at the briefing room. They
were dressed in their regular uniforms, Rick bristling with weapons and
Cookie in the standard crew uniform. Captain Henry was at the front of the
room standing next to the main computer and the large screen. The commanding
and executive officers of Gamma squadron and Sierra Three Platoon were seated
at the table along with Commander Xanatos and the Ensign in charge of
security team Alpha. The rest of those present sat in the seating at the back
of the room. Cookie took one of the remaining seats at the table. Rick sat
down opposite him.
	To the surprise of all those in attendance Captain Henry sat down not
in the main seat but in the seat opposite Commander Xanatos. Admiral Kirwan
came out of what was normally the Captain's ready room. "Now that you're all
here we can begin. As you may know the fleet is trapped outside of the
asteroid belt. While all of our ships were ready for a prolonged campaign,
shortages are beginning to become a problem. We have, however hit upon a
solution."
	The computer screen zoomed in on a section of the asteroid belt. "We
have a large number of listening posts in the asteroid belt. The Neos were
unable to take them out because their locations are a top secret and we
suspect that the records were destroyed by command before they were captured.
Each base is designed to operate for ten years without resupply. They were
resupplied on our way through the belt to hit the Pirate Clans. If we combine
the resources from the listening posts with our current supplies we can solve
our supply problem until we can get fully functional hydroponic gardens setup
on Io base.
	"The Normandy is going to go to this region of the Asteroid belt,"
the computer focused in on a narrow section of the belt, "to recover the crew
and foodstuffs from three of these bases. Gamma squadron will handle the
evacuation of outpost number 7. Security team Alpha will be going to outpost
number 12. Part of Sierra-Three platoon will be going with Gamma squad to
assist them. The rest will be going to outpost number 14. That's where
Lieutenant Macchia comes in. He served on outpost number 14 and will be going
in command of the expedition."
	The jumptroops in the back of the room stirred at that. Captain Tom
Jose stood, "Sir?"
	"Yes, Captain?"
	"I'm not comfortable with taking orders from a chef."
	Captain Henry stood as well. "Admiral, with all due respect, while
Lieutenant Macchia is a competent officer he has never been n command of
anything except a mess hall. His experience at the base will be valuable and
he should go along on this, but in an advisory capacity, not as the mission
commander."
	The Admiral looked at them both for a long minute. "Captain Jose, I
don't care who you're comfortable taking orders from. If I see fit to put a
junior maintenance technician in command of you, you will follow his orders
as if they came from me. If I put Lieutenant Macchia in charge of you, you
will give him the respect he deserves."
	"Captain Henry, Lieutenant Macchia graduated at the top of his class
in Officer School. He has battle experience and understands the specifics of
this mission, including the transportation of foodstuffs. The decision has
been made. He is in command of the mission."
	"You will be provided with three cargo shuttles. The Normandy will be
going out without it's shuttle and drop ship. If there are no further
comments you depart in eight hours."
	Captain Jose stood again. "I just want it on the record that I object
to your decision. If this comes down to a firefight I don't want to be taking
orders from a cook, sir."
	Cookie finally stood. "Don't worry captain, I won't give you any
demeaning orders. I won't order you to, say, shine my Medal of Honor. Or my
Purple Heart, Or my Combat Badge,. Or my Silver Marksman Badge. Or my Gold
Hand-to-hand Combat Badge. With palm leaf clusters. Three of them. Don't
worry, Captain, I won't have you do anything demeaning like that."
	"That's enough, gentlemen."  Admiral Kirwan folded his arms for
emphasis. "The Normandy departs in two hours. Dismissed."
	Cookie was one of the last to stand. Instead of leaving he appraoched
the Admiral and shook his hand. "No chance for me to get back aboard the
Vigilant for a while this time."
	"No, only one homecoming for you this time. You ever going to tell me
how you got your computer records changed?"
	"Not any time soon. Give everyone my best."
	Captain Jose heard the exchange as he left the room. "He's the
Admiral's friend. No wonder he's in charge," he whispered to Lieutenant
Mengele.
	"You want me to go with you to help with Cookie or with the e-frame
jockeys?"
	"Go with the e-frame jockeys, unless the mission CO has other plans
for you. I'll see if I can get Captain Henry to override the Admiral's orders
once were away from the Vigilant."