Chapter 2

Alex just sat there a moment in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, they had to gather information on a genocidal race with superior technology? There were only 4 of them! He looked around to see everyone else's reactions. Sean looked just as shocked as Alex, staring openmouthed at the man who had announced it. The muscleman didn't have such an obvious reaction, but he looked surprised as well. The women however just stayed a blank slate, no emotion at all showing on her red-framed face.
The man let that sink in, and then continued "To do this, you will be outfitted by ONI with special weapons and vehicles, as well as an insertion craft." He grimaced slightly, "The make and whereabouts of which, has not been disclosed to me."
Not ONI then, as Alex had thought. Maybe from the local garrison? But that didn't seem to fit him either, he'd have to find out about that later.
"Tomorrow you will be introduced to your operational supervisor for this mission, as well as given a more detailed" He grimaced again "briefing on your mission. Now, do you have any questions?"
Sean just sat there for a second then jumped out of his seat, and started yelling at the suited man. "Yes I have a question, you guys dragged me out of my house back at Earth, knocked me out, crio freezed me, and the next thing I know I'm on a planet that doesn't even deserve to be called a colony, and I want to know why!"
"You know very well why Sean, very well indeed. If you want to know specifically why you were brought here, then I suggest you talk to the supervisor you'll be meeting tomorrow. They haven't told me anything." He looked like he regretted saying that, and gave them the time and place of tomorrow's meeting, quickly leaving afterward.
Sean was still standing up, having a look on his face that Alex could only say looked, thoughtful. Alex got up, and asked Sean if it was true what he had said about being taken from his house.
"Yes." Sean replied "They knocked down my door, scaring my dog half to death, then they hit me with something, and I blacked out."
"Well that's odd, and they didn't say anything to you on the trip here?"
"Nope. Although I was only awake for a few minutes, between when I woke up, and when they put me to sleep in crio."
"Do you have any idea why they would do that to you?"
He paused a moment, then said that he couldn't think of one.
Alex left it at that, not prying any further, as he seemed to be getting uncomfortable.
"Well we should probably get going." Sean said "Do you know where we're supposed to sleep? And what happened to the gorilla and red?"
"No I don't actually, and I'm not sure where they went. They must have left right when the man did."
They left the hall, where a man was waiting for them as they stepped out.
"Right this way please." He said "We have your bunks set up for you." He led them down the hallway, crossed through two more buildings, and finally arrived at a room. It consisted of two bunks, and a desk. "We're having your things brought to you. You should get them soon."
He left, and they prepared to go to sleep. A bit uncomfortable at not taking a shower, as had become a daily routine before bed back at the outpost, Alex took a little longer than usual to fall asleep, when he did however, he fell asleep thinking about why Sean's hair was so long. It was because he was a civilian. His thought was not that though, it was wondering why a civilian was there, and why he had been dragged there from Earth.