Thr field trip from Hell

Chapter One

"You're slouching again."

"Apologies, Sir!"

"Cadet One, what seems to be the problem? You never act this way in front of a superior."

Cadet One hesitated. "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

Lieutenant Nine nodded. "Granted,"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm nervous for my first trip into the field. I've never left Voyager Echo before, and I don't know what to expect. Do you think I'm prepared, sir?"

The superior officer waited for a small group to pass by before lowering his voice and giving the younger cadet an honest answer.

"Listen, when I was in training, I also felt ill-prepared before going out on my first field mission. What you need to understand is that we wouldn't take you out of this place if we weren't confident in your skills."

Cadet One smiled, encouraged by Lieutenant Nine's words as the former continued:

"Now, I was born on our homeplanet and was more experienced in ship travel, but that's why we made training harder on you. You don't have the advantage of knowing what it feels like to be on a planet. You are ready for this, and that's why you were picked to go on this mission out of all the two hundred other cadets. ...Well, it's true that since you are a Cadet One you automatically get a position, but if we thought you were a liability or a danger, we would not let you go."

The Cadet nodded in understanding and stood up straight. "Thank you, Lieutenant Nine. I'll work on my stance."

Lieutenant Nine stepped back, saluted the Cadet, and continued walking down the hall. The Cadet stood in place for a little while, contemplating what he was told, before he walked the opposite way.

Cadet One walked quickly through the bright halls of the ship, a newfound spring in his step. He made his way to the transporter room so he could take his place in the mission line up.

He was the last one there, so he quickly took his place among the other six Cadets chosen for the mission. He didn't recognize any of them, but he instinctively trusted them, because he knew there was a reason they were also chosen. They all waited on the loading dock for their superiors to arrive, and it wasn't long before three Lieutenants and the Commander walked in to address the group. Out of respect for the Commander, they all stood to attention before he spoke.

"At ease," the Commander stated.

The Cadets stopped saluting.

"Cadets, for this expedition you are all being re-assigned your numbers because, if successful, we will be forming a new scout team that will be in charge of planet contact for the Voyager Echo. Understood?"

"Yes, Commander." In unison, all the Cadets saluted the commander and awaited their new numbers, despite being slightly shocked at this news.

As far as Cadet One knew, this was strictly a one-trip mission to test their skills, not a test mission to see if they were fit to be the new scout team.

Why do we need a new scout team? He wondered. What happened to the old one?

He thought a moment more before the Commander snapped him out of it.

"Cadet One."

"Yes Sir."

"You will not be given a new number, because One is already what you are. You are the head of all two-hundred other Cadets and as we all know, the first of the crop gets picked first for special missions. You will be the leader of the other cadets."