1 Lieutenant Masako

The planet of Dra'as Gormud was a spectacular sight.

More accurately, a lack of spectacular sights.

There were no rivers, forests or even animals anywhere on the planet's surface.

Instead of life, the planet looked like it had been wrapped in a cocoon of grey rock as far as the eye could see. Only occasionally interrupted by large grey blocklike buildings that looked like they were carved out of the rock itself.

The science ship; Hermes descended past its barren and cloudless atmosphere which was heavily protected by a network of powerful laser arrays that could slice through the hull of a starship with the ease of a knife through butter and patrolled by a fleet of dreadnoughts.

A dishevelled drooling brunette woman stirred and then awoke in the passenger area of the ship.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

"You fell asleep just before we cleared the black hole," a serious-looking bespectacled man responded without looking up from what he was typing.

The text from his screen could be seen through the reflection in his glasses. It read 'Top Secret Field Report'.

"Lieutenant Masako, do you have access to classified material?" Colonel Lyn asked.

"No. Why do you ask?" Lieutenant Masako answered as he quickly closed the report he was reading and turned his gaze to Colonel Lyn.

"No reason. It would've been helpful if you did. Have you finished the research I asked for?" she asked.

"I have," he replied with an upward inflexion that sounded like he was asking a question and not answering one.

"Tell me what you found out about the siege of the Boettia," Colonel Lyn said.

"The siege of Boettia was a brutal prolonged military blockade by the UN forces on the Akkadian Empire led by Commander Herman Wrath," May said. "The blockade became one of the longest and most destructive sieges in history, and it was possibly also the costliest due to the number of casualties which were suffered throughout its duration. In the twenty-fifth century, some historians have classified it as genocide due to the systematic starvation and intentional destruction of the planet's civilian population."

"Good. Did you also pull up details of the battle of Triskelion," Colonel Lyn replied.

"No need, every recruit must know about the biggest defeat in Federation history at the hands of the Akkadians," the Lieutenant replied. "Why do you have your aide researching mundane military history?"

"It'll come in handy later on," Colonel Lyn said as she stood.

***

Colonel Lyn got up and made her through the cramped hallway to the bridge of the moderately sized starship and was greeted on arrival by a cheerful pilot with a salt and pepper beard assisted only by a droid in the co-pilot's seat.

"Colonel Lyn, I'll have to drop you at a landing port a few miles away from the facility itself as a security precaution," the pilot said. "The warden will have someone pick you up and bring you the rest of the way."

"Thanks, Frank. I love you," Colonel Lyn said with a smile.

"Save that for the inmates, I'm sure they're dying for some female company," Frank said. "Apparently, researching Enjarian artefacts wasn't dangerous enough for you. You had to accept a mission to come here of all places just to see him."

"I'm going to miss your jokes when I'm being eaten by him," she replied. "I see that you've found a co-pilot."

"The stories of him eating people are most likely a rumour and yes, this is my new friend, Link. Thanks for introducing us," Frank said tapping the head of the cyborg at his side to his visible discomfort. "He doesn't talk too much and he's very reliable. He's perfect for me."

"Get a room you two," she said. "I'm not dead yet and you're already cheating."

Link was more droid than a person. The only parts of him that had some human flesh were a quarter of his face, limbs, neck and back. He touched his forehead and gave a quick bow of the head to greet Colonel Lyn. She winked at him in recognition.