I walked into the mess hall with my shoulder-length brown hair in a
ponytail. "Hello Cookie," I said.
	"Let's see, 1500, already ate lunch, should be on duty, ah, you're
going on a mission," he informed me, "So, you want the usual?"
	"That's why I came here, with cheese this time, please," I said as
Cookie started up the fryer, and got out the ground beef, half of a pound.
	I was finishing my cheeseburger when I arrived at the briefing room.
Captain Henry was standing at the head of the room and seated in chairs in
front of me were Lieutenant Mengele, Corporal Preston, Private Dagger, and
Sergeant O'Donnel from my squadron. From Gamma squadron there was First
Lieutenant O'Muirdagh. Captain Henry started:
	"While Captain Jose finishes his burger, I'll start off.
	"This is a mission to a medium sized asteroid in the Kuyper belt,
it's about the size of Charon," he continued as I almost sat out my burger.
Not the Kuyper belt, anywhere but the Kuyper belt. I hadn't looked at the
packet that Captain Henry gave me about the mission briefing. He continued,
"You are to get of the jump ship and carry Lieutenant O'Muirdagh to fifty
meters outside from the base, there, you will take off your gear and all six
of you will walk to where we think the base is.
	"You have to take off your gear fifty meters outside the base because
if you didn't, the scanners would pick you up. Since you have to leave your
gear, that also, unfortunately means you will be defenseless," Captain Henry
elaborated.
	Almost immediately, Crow started shouting, "Defenseless! This is
absurd! Tom, tell him, tell him this is insane."
	"Crow, it's the mission we have and the mission we will do. That was
what you knew you had to do when you joined the Exofleet. Plus, Crow, you
don't see the pilot complaining. You're always saying how wussy they are, but
are wussier then they? You will go on this mission, Crow, as you have been
ordered," I commanded.
	As I left the briefing room I went up to Captain Henry and said,
"Adrian, I think you read my profile when I came aboard, and then you would
know that I wouldn't much like going back to the Kuyper belt."
	"I know, the training exercise, but, unfortunately, I can't assign
anyone else to command this mission, the crew of the Normandy and the exo
frame pilots wouldn't know what to do on the ground like this, and Crow isn't
ready for command of a mission like this. I need you for this mission, please
Tom. Or, how about this, if you go on this mission, you don't need go onto
calisthenics, deal?" he said.
	"Deal," I said as I shook his hand.
	"Alright people, you know how to do this! With the exception of Lt.
O'Muirdagh. Let's get on board people!" I put on my last piece of armor,
"Here comes the fun part," I muttered to myself as I stepped into the gray,
mechanical pod. Let's go.
	After we landed, I got out to see Crow and Dirk starting to lift
O'Muirdagh. "Crow! What the hell are you doing? I am the commanding officer!
You don't even breathe when I am not around! Do I make myself clear!" I was
mad as hell at him.
	Crow, at this point, tuned very sheepish, (seeing that I am VERY
loud), and started to speak: "Sorry Captain, we were just testing to see if
the plan would work, sorry," while Dirk on the other hand became defensive of
Crow:
	"He's an officer! I can see you shouting like that at some Cadet, but
an officer! That is uncalled for!"
	I exploded, "Uncalled for! I will tell you what is uncalled for! And,
for future reference, you will only speak when I let you! Now get behind me,
before I blow you're little freakin' ass to little bits!" I was really
starting to stress already, "Crow! Get over here!" He complied, "watch your
back, okay?"
	We picked up O'Muirdagh and activated the jump systems. The rest of
the landing party followed, a little behind us.
	When we came 75 meters outside of the base, I looked at Crow and
pointed down, he nodded. We then shifted O'Muirdagh from his arms to his
waist, and landed, with a thud. Maybe I shouldn't have had that last
cheeseburger.
	With us all gathered 5 meters outside of the scanner field, I started
to explain, "At this point, we all have to take our armor off, except
breather masks, of course, but we will not be able to bring weapons, Crow,
shut up. Then we march the 50 meters to the base. The reason why the scanners
can't pick up our person, but can our guns is because it's a sucky scanner.
	"We will then use a small pack Kristin gave O'Muirdagh here, and get
into the base, I'm not quite sure what it does, but Kristin assures me that
it works. Hopefully, we can lay the charges, and O'Muirdagh here, flies us
out on one of the pirate shuttles, that's why he's here. Let's go!"