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Mother Confessor:

Sitting on my bunk reviewing my worn training manual, the Sergeant comes and sets beside me.

“Hey cherry, can I ask you something” , Sergeant Nimix addresses me casually. For a moment I am taken aback by the tone in her voice, as it is mild and even. Stark contrast to the growling and barking she normally inflects during exercises in my training.

Closing the tattered book, and placing it on my lap, “Yes, ma ’am, I will try to provide sufficient answer” , I reply back looking at her hard features in the soft light of the barrack.

“What are you playing at” , she leads with a question.

Taking a breath she continues, “You seem to be above the average for the most part as far as new recruits are concerned. Though you do need to work on a few things such as your physical performance, and use of a Terran 10 mm assault rifle. But it is the other parts that seem out of the ordinary. Like the exceptional cleaning skills you exhibited. Both in the simple task of scrubbing the bathroom, and stripping, cleaning, and putting the weapons back together. Hell, I am still puzzled how you managed to shoot the targets at the range so well. Even after telling me it was your first time doing so. What do you have to say about that, cherry” , she ends her curiosity on a question in need of answer.

Taking a deep breath, and placing the book on the firm pillow. I turn my torso to confront her inquiry more directly.

“Well Sergeant Nimix, as for the cleansing of the bathroom, I have spent many years having to keep my own dwelling in a perpetual state of sterility. So scrubbing down the facilities is as they say child’s play to me” , I divulge to her.

Looking into her interested gaze further I explain, “I will admit that I was ill prepared to engage at the firing range, but I seem to have compensated for my inexperience rather well would you not agree?”

She nods her acceptance of the fact as she had already witnessed this, and the targets in my footlocker will hold the weight behind that fact.

“As for stripping, cleaning and rebuilding the weapons, I was going off the basic principals outlined in the manual” , making a gesture toward the abused book as I reference it.

“Paying attention to how each part as I removed it from the whole mechanism. Setting the pieces in a numerical fashion so as to not mix them up, and rebuilding the whole in a short amount of time due to memory on the break down, and the order I had place the parts in” , I concede to the bewildered Sergeant.

“Though I do aim to improve in the arenas with which I falter. Other than that, I am not playing at anything, ma’am”, I continue my point on the matter, “ As for what I wish to specialize in, I should like to be an armor pilot. Though I should like to learn a little bit of everything as I go about my term of service.” Concluding with my overall goals.

A silence hangs between us a minute or so as the Sergeant takes in the information.

“That’s good to know cherry, thanks for clearing things up for me” , she asserts her understanding of my endeavors, “ Well better hit the sack cherry, another big day tomorrow. Thanks for the chat too,” she tells me, as she lifts her hard frame off my bunk. I watch as she lumbers off to her own bunk.

After she disappears from sight, I lie down after replacing the manual back in the footlocker. Letting my body go heavy on the firm mattress beneath me, as I slip into the darkness of slumber.

Marckus:

Having fulfilled my last obligation of my business for the evening. The message was sent to the recovering General. Informing her of the small Captain, and to expect him at 0600 in the morning. As well as informing her that he is under her directly. Something tells me that she will not be too pleased by this, as she detests the Greys. I have no idea as to why she despises them so much. For whatever the reason, I am sure it is a reasonable one.

Checking my messages before heading off to my bunk. I had received a message from Graxis. Asking about what I am looking for in the Saturn System. Well I suppose I should pay him a little visit. Much rather be resting at this hour, but my business for the evening is not quite complete.

Closing the window on the console. Taking a moment to pause before getting up from the chair. Pushing aside the beckoning of sleep. I stand up, and begin to make my way to the Captains quarters.

Graxis:

Setting at my console, mulling over the next planet in line. Sipping a mug of tea, with my feet on my desk. I know what is afoot to a degree. Something from the Saturn system is going to aid in the move of the Ober-Commander. Naturally I should like to figure out what it is. At the very least where it is. Startled mid way through the motion of taking another sip of tea. A brisk knock breaks the silence. Nearly causing me to spill the hot beverage on myself.

Who could that be at this hour? Placing the steaming mug on the desktop. “Enter”, I bark at the door. Still visually inspecting the Jupiter System intently.

The door opens and the party outside it enters.

“So Captain, you really want to know what I am planning”, a familiar gravelly voice asks firmly.

“You could say that”, I reply back, following it up with, “Where and what are your looking for between both the Saturn and Jupiter Systems?” I listen to him approach me in the silence. Stopping just behind me.

He starts, “Pull up the Saturn System. I will run it in order for you. As fun as it would be to run through it in reverse. It will make more sense to start at the beginning.”

Following his tip, I pull up the Saturn System. The image of the large ringed planet hangs in the air. Making the many satellites look miniscule in comparison to the gas giant.

“Pull up Dion”, he says. Punching the indicated commands into the console. Retrieving the mug of tea afterward.

“What exactly are we looking for”, I ask, taking another sip off the mug. The small moon now dominating the air, being chased by two smaller subordinate moons.

“Well Captain”, the other leads,” there is a private science facility on or very near that body. “

Hmm, I hum thoughtfully aloud. My eyes scanning the spinning bodies in mid air above the desk. Cleverly hidden away from prying eyes this place must be. Nothing comes up when I prompt my consol.

Taking another draw on the mug, thinking about how to find the facility.

Settling on the fact that there seems to be nothing on the surface of the main celestial body. I draw my attention to the two smaller rocks trailing it. Pulling them more into to focus on the map hanging in the air in front of us. Turning each over, end over end. Searching for the point of the facility in question.

“This might be a stretch, but this is proving to be useless”, I say to the Ober-Commander.

“Not entirely”, he returns,” this narrows it down to the smaller bodies. We just need to actually look for it with our own eyes. That is the only way to find the science institute. The flip of a coin as to whether it is on Helene or Polydeuces. That is the only problem left.”

He may be right. Taking a swig of the half empty mug, I consider the proposal. Still staring at the three dimensional map hovering in luminescence before us. Turning it off, and swiveling to face the other.

“This is just a quick stop before we head to Jupiter”, I ask him looking into his gaze.

Nodding he replies,” Then the fun begins, Captain. Should throw a wrench into the Confederations works. Well at least those of their military science division. No more after school side projects for them.”

Ah yes, another piece of the puzzle falls into place. Of course it make sense now. It seems he is going to make an implosive move on their science facility. Hell of a gamble in my opinion. Although I am sure there is a secondary strike on the external of this as well. Should like to entertain the premise of this diabolical endeavor as it unfolds.

Marckus:

Taking my leave of the Captain after divulging my plans in short. The night begins to wear on me as it progresses onward to the early morning. With that bit of business concluded, all I want now is to sleep. The boots feel heavier than usual on my feet as I make my way back to my quarters. Each step feels as if my legs are trying to wade in mercury that is slowly rising.

Finally back in my quarters, I collapse on the bunk. Hitting the padded surface hard. I do not care. I quickly descend into the beckoning blackness.