Snippet #2317013

On board the Redemption
Two weeks before the Salient arrived at the Arcurus System.

James lifted his wrist and with is other hand typed in a code allowing him speak through the ships intercom. "Attention crew, this is Commander Walker. We will begin our decent into New Sydney shortly, prepare for turbulence. Once we have arrived I will expect everyone to report to their post and obtain their mission briefing from their direct superiors." And with that the commander switched the comm link off and walked over toward a nearby safety rail, holding onto it tightly with one hand as he observed the decent patter on the screen in front of him.

As the ship began to shake from the turbulence, the commander glanced at his hands, steady. his mind lingered on thoughts of his wife back home. Shortly after they lost their son in the accident, after funeral and the crying, James notice a slight trimmer in his wife's hands. At first it was subtle, but as it got worst as time went on he convinced his wife to consult a doctor. The results showed nothing was physically wrong with her, it was post-traumatic stress disorder. James was reassigned shortly after her diagnostic. Maybe I left too soon. He thought as gripped his free hand into a fist.

---

Nataliana walked briskly to the common room just outside the living quarters. As she arrived, the ships internal intercom buzzed before James voice came through.

"Attention crew, this is Commander Walker. We will begin our decent into New Sydney shortly, prepare for turbulence. Once we have arrived I will expect everyone to report to their post and obtain their mission briefing from their direct superiors."

Another short buzz from the intercom and the message was over. Nia looked around at all the soldiers, some were still playing their card games, a few stopped what they were doing and looked at the lieutenant. "Right, you head the man." she said walking over to the main computer terminal, typing a few words and and pressing her hand against the screen as it scanned her prints. Immediately the things in the room began to static and disappear; the dart board and the darts, the pool cues and the balls, the playing cards, they all disappeared.

There were a few moans and complaints from the men, but the room quickly quieted down as the entire room began to shake, "Tighten up. were heading into the atmosphere ." Nia yelled as she took a seat nearby. The several moments of turbulence soon past and the ship was sailing smooth again. The lieutenant stood up to address the room again. "Alright gents, we have a job to do. I need every one in here now." she shouted towards the living quarters, a few more men walked into the commons. the part of the ship served as the common area and living quarters for all the marines, making it an ideal location for their briefing room.

Nia waited for everyone to join in the commons before continuing. "Let see, I'll be calling the names of the unfortunate ones that will be joining me for a stroll on the surface. Two four man squads, and i don't want to hear any complaining on who didn't get to go. Commander picked these names himself. Joseph it be the leader of the second squad." she motioned to one a black officer leaning against the wall. "Henry, Ricky and Conner, you three will be with Joseph. Gabriel, Frank, and Pete, you guys are with me." Several men looked around the room at the soldiers whose names were called. Nia knew why, if she got to pick the men going, she wouldn't have picked to newest members for this mission. "Alright, if I called your names, gear up and meet at the drop off in 30." She said before turning to leave, before she was able to make it to her room she heard Ricky voice.

"Drop off? what's that?"

A few men laughed loudly as Nia tried to hide her annoyance. "The Orbital drop station. the location at the back of the sip where we... get dropped off. We on a classified mission, a transport ship is to public. we'd need air clearance. The rest of you shits are on security rotation." She said before entering her quarters and shutting the door behind her.