Seizure Part One
	Cookie prepared breakfast for the crew of the Normandy in his usual
manner. The meal was fairly normal, offering the crew a choice of eggs, hot
or cold cereal, or waffles with ham, sausage or home fries on the side.
Everything was back to normal after his little side trip to asteroid outpost
fourteen, and Cookie couldn't have hated it more.
	"Lieutenant, we have finished preparing breakfast and the crew is
beginning to arrive."
	"Thank you Ramses, go help with the serving. I'm going to begin
cleaning the main ovens."
	"Is everything alright, sir?"
	Cookie had long ago accepted the fact that he would never get Ramses
to stop calling him sir. "Why do you ask?"
	"You never assist in cleaning. In fact the chief chef on any ship
rarely assists in any cleaning."
	"True enough, but I need a change."
	"Then perhaps you should ask to be reinstated as a pilot. Based on
the recent update to the kill roster you are more than qualified, even with
the artificial leg."
	"Of course I am, but the regs require that pilots be free of any
serious physical defects, including artificial limbs. The fact that I can fly
rings around whole squadrons doesn't matter."
	"Perhaps they would make an exception because of the war. We have far
more e-frames than we have pilots."
	"Trust me, any request to be reinstated to the flight roster will be
quashed by the admiralty. Now get back to work."
	"Yes, sir."

	"Doctor Rhodes, may I speak with you?"
	"Of course Ramses."
	"You remember my name, I am impressed. We spoke only once before."
	Karen grinned. "During the crew physicals. It's hard to forget the
only Neo-Sapien on the ship."
	"Of course."
	"Is everything alright? I'm not an expert on Neo-Sapien biology but I
thought you rarely, if ever, got sick."
	"That is true, I am not here to speak to you about any physical
ailments, I wanted to know if you would recommend allowing Lieutenant Macchia
back on the flight roster. He is in excellent physical condition and, as his
recent performance indicates, possesses superior flying abilities. He would
be an asset in our future campaigns."
	"I agree and would be more than willing to try and get him
reinstated, but I doubt that the Captain would agree. His approval is also
required and the two of them are not exactly friends."
	"Their confrontation in the main mess hall. I was present for that. I
doubt that the Captain would be willing to grant any request of Cookie's
after that. Thank you for your time Doctor Rhodes."
	"Any time Ramses. I wish all my patients were as easy to help as
you."
	Ramses face curled into what was for him a quizzical expression."But
you were unable to assist me, Doctor."
	"It was a joke, Ramses."
	"Ah. Very well then. Goodbye, Doctor."
	
	Dinner that night consisted of a choice of London broil, spaghetti or
poached salmon, with a choice of mixed peas and carrots, mashed potatoes,
rice or creamed corn on the side. Dessert was either pound cake, chocolate
pound cake, chocolate swirl pound cake or chocolate, vanilla or strawberry
ice cream. The majority of the kitchen staff was present during the
preparation of the main meal.
	"Ramses, Brian and Jim, start on desserts. Everyone know what you're
doing?" There was a general nodding throughout the group while Ramses uttered
his customary, "yes, sir." Cookie grinned, "Love that enthusiasm. Get to work
then."
	Twenty minutes into the meal preparation the ship began to move.
"Looks like we are underway. The last shuttle crew must have returned. We'll
be back at Io soon."
	"Can't wait for it. Did I mention I have a gir..."
	Brian's comment was cut of when the Normandy was rocked with an
explosion.
	"What the hell was that?"
	"We were hit, aft quarters with a heavy missile." Cookie made his way
to the mess hall's window. The ship was rocked by a few more impacts and the
power flickered. "This is bad."
	"What is it, Lieutenant?"
	'The frigate. When I was in the belt we encountered a frigate. It
just ambushed us."
	"How did they hide a ship that big? Not many asteroids are big enough
to hide a ship that big."
	"It is likely that they used a number of asteroids in orbit of the
frigate to confuse our scans."
	"Ramses got that one right. Why aren't they still firing? We've lost
power. Oh shit."
	"What is it?
	"What's happening, Cookie?"
	"They're not firing because they just launched shuttles. They're
going to try and board us."