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Chapter 42

Chapter 42

 January 29th, 2158 (Station Time)

The walk to the campsite was a blur.  It was dark, there was thick fog, and other than the additional pressure of the air, it seamed like any unfamiliar spot of land on Earth.    Even the air pressure was beginning to feel normal after having spent a good portion of the last few weeks in training to come to Clotho Three.

The short distance of a few kilometers passed quickly with the assistance of the mech suits.  The augmented vision of the headgear highlighted the designated spot to set up camp.  Once they reached the destination, the two engineers of the team began to organize the set up of the base camp with an efficiency that the Special Forces members would find enviable.

The first part of the base camp to be set up was the Laboratories and working stations.  This area would be built from three of the collapsible rooms that Josh had designed.  The rooms had been designed to fit together in a square pattern.  The first three rooms were all connected together to form an L shape.

The next room set up would become the storage space for the compound.  Once erected and attached to the other three rooms, the compound took on a square shape.  The pallet was moved into this storage space, and the group began to carefully unload all of the equipment.  The scientific equipment was moved into the labs and the rest was organized in the storage space, to be unpacked later.

The storage room would also be were the mechs would be stored while not in use.  Logan and the five scientists wouldn't be using the mechs too often, but the Security members would be wearing their mech every time they were on active patrol.

Logan parked his mech in its designated spot in the room, and climbed out.  Leaving his control suit on, he slipped into a baggy cotton overall that he would be doing most of his work in.  This would give his control suit some protection while setting up the labs, and allow him to get back into his mech without having to redress himself later.

Logan assisted Manuel in unpacking and moving all of his stuff to one of the lab rooms.  The labs were fairly spacious, allowing for several work stations to be set up.  Logan set up several lab tables, a couple computers, and a portable rifrigaration unit.  Meanwhile, Manuel meticulously organized several expensive pieces of equipment and tools.

After Logan had finished setting up all of the basic lab gear, Manuel thanked him for his help and told him he could finish everything else by himself.  Logan left Manuel's and passed though the lab were Eamon was currently berating Suke, for mishandling important equipment.

After quickly assessing that he could do nothing to help, Logan quickly passed through the area.  Not finding anyone in the storage room, Logan climbed back into his mech and continued out of the compound.  Taavi, Chuck, and Nassor setting up a drainage system, which would move water away from the compound.

Logan watched in silence for a moment, before Josh joined him.  "I could use a little help setting up the next four rooms," Josh said watching the soldiers work.

Logan nodded his head and together they reentered the storage room and unpacked the four remaining rooms.  Once the rooms were outside, they began to set them up.  The compound was now an elongated rectangle, two rooms deep by four rooms wide.

Just as Josh and Logan were finishing up the final room, Manuel exited the compound wearing his mech.  He found Taavi, who stopped helping with the drainage system and joined Manuel.  The two then walked away from the compound in search of scientific samples to collect for study.

Suke was now assisting with the drainage system which was now almost complete.  After having finished setting up the final room, Logan once again found himself watching the others work.  Josh had entered the compound and the exited with what looked like netting of some sort.  Chuck began to assist Josh in pulling the netting over one of the rooms of the compound.  The netting made the room look like any number of large round rocks that they had passed on their trek to the base camp this morning.