Hi, sorry, this is suuper short. I've been busy with my life, and I won't be able to update for 2-3 weeks. I hope you enjoy this tiny snippet. :)

This all belongs to Marissa Meyer.

Corporal Greene rubbed the crick in his neck and straightened, looking around. Upon not seeing anyone, he swore rather violently. He didn't understand why he had to be cooped up in this dingy laboratory that seemed to suck the air out of his lungs. A country boy. he was used to spending every waking minute out under the blue sky working the fields. He had joined the military his first weekend out of school, expecting the same life (as well as a generous scholarship). Then why was he here. babysitting a bunch of crackpot scientists?

It wa some hushed up government project, he thought, judging by how stern and quick working his normally placid commanding officer was acting. Something in the sky, or in space. This was of no interest to a 19 year old man who thought that all life came from Earth's bountiful soil. But here he was.

He had been strictly told to watch the stodgy old man with thin gray ahir and a coffee stained lab coat, and immediately call his higher up when results came through. He had been assigned this station three days ago and there had been no results. Just sore necks and sterile air. His uniform was beginning to feel suffocating and itchy, his gun belt heavy. He was just starting to feel a little more comfortable when a hoarse voice rang out to him from across the (cramped) room.

"Erm, Corporal Greene, was it? Would you be a good man and help me wth this for a moment?" It was the scientist, yelling while still bent over some sort of scientific contraption the corporal couldn't identify. A fancy microscope? Impatient, the old man beckoned him over. At this Corporal Greene hastened to follow his orders.

"Here, see this knob, boy?" the old man, Krycek the name tag read, said, loosely pointing a gnarled finger to the side of the strange machine.

"There you go. Could you please turn it clockwise while I pay attention? Yes, good," Greene shook his head when Dr. Krycek had turned his head. All these doctors assumed soldiers were dumb rednecks. It was true of most of Corporal Greene's division, but he had a sudden desire to show the doctor that he was wrong. Quelling his commander's voice echoing in his head, he tentatively decided to question the scientist.

"Uh, sir, what exactly are you working on? Broadly," he gulped, as one craggy eyebrow rose.

"Interested, eh? Well, I'm looking at speed of sound reflection on different organic and manipulated materials. Added in are different levels of gravity…" he dropped off as his eyebrows crept up again. Greene wasn't expecting him to stand up abruptly, and look him intensely in the eye. The old man's eyes were bloodshot behind their hazy blue.

"Go tell them, boy. That's what your job is isn't it? Tell them I've found it," his tone wasn't exasperated and slightly condescending anymore. It was hard, and there was a tinge of sadness- or maybe exhaustion- beneath it.

Greene thought of asking, but simply saluted and walked as fast as he could down the narrow, airless halls. He heard Krycek mutter one last comment before he left the room.

" They're so much closer than we thought,"

Sorry again for length, and not being able to update. Reviews would be awesome, if you are able.