When the door opened, the Major and the Master Sergeant were going at it about discipline. 518 saw Corparal Vorn and Kryff Reisen looking at him. It struck him as funny that Kryff and he now had the same rank and hair-cut. He pointed them out and grinned at him. Kryff put his hands on his hips and ignored him. The Major turned, and 518 snapped to attention and saluted, "Warrant Officer 518, reporting as ordered,SIR!" Major Talm Kuroda saluted back and said, "Everyone fall in. This is all of us Marines on board! That's right! We aren't different branches anymore! No more MI-ESWAT, or SASN troopers, or Colonial Security--we are all now officially USCOMM Marines! The few and the proud...very damned few on this ship! ONE SQUAD, a sergeant and me! Damnation." Master Sergeant Jin Tkarro said, "Sir, with all due respect, it could be worse. We could all be officers and not one enlisted in the crew." Major Kuroda burst out laughing. "Alright, Sergeant, you got me there! Alright,then...Introductions are in order. We'll go around the table clockwise, starting with me." "Major Talm Kuroda, from Trashtown, in Taru City. MOS is gunnery, tactics,leadership, and pistol marksmanship. Next?" 518 swallowed and said, "Warrant Officer 518, from Floating City 64, spent most of time in Taru City. MOS is Force Recon, Special weapons and tactics, Search and Destroy, and heavy weapons. I was a platoon leader for ten years under Dokka Tkarro." Vorn, the fellow Scav next to him smiled and said, "Corporal Vorn, late of the SASN, from Shalmiraine. My MOS is infiltration,communications,demolitions,recon, booby-traps, and security systems. I was a spy for the Shalmiraine Scavs for twenty years. Ten years before 518 became the leader of the Scav recon platoon I was infiltrating." 518 muttered to him, "I still owe you a punch for that,you rat!" The Major looked surprised, and waved to Kryff. "Warrant Officer Kryff Reisen, off of FLoating City 64, also known as Novo Paradisio. Was security there until I made a political stand. MOS is heavy weapons and tactics. Some demolitions and leadership training. Had gunnery last year and scored really high in the tests. That's it, I guess." The next one was the rapier slim girl with rainbow skin. "Corporal Neon. From the wastelands. Mos:Sniper,Recon, Interrogation, Prisoner handling, assassination, infiltration and telepath." Jin said, "Master Sergeant Jin Tkarro, from the Wastelands. MOS is hand-to-hand, contact weapons, small arms, basic tactics. Also a drill instructor at the academy for ESWAT for four years. I get things done." All the other enlisted at the table nodded and there were some comments along the lines of, "Yep", "That's for sure", "Kick ass--take names", and "No kidding". Major Kuroda said, "So much experience and such low ranks? How come?" There was a lot of looking around and shrugging. Finally 518 said, "Sir? We use a looser and more open command and control structure than most military structures like. So we run into problems with the higher ups that determine promotions." Talm Kuroda nodded grimly and said, "Thanks for telling me the truth. I know why the higher ups assigned me here. I'm the squeaky wheel. They hope I get greased, here." He continued, "On to the mission to rescue downed pilots from Hel, and recover alien weapons from said place, as well." They blinked at him in shock and dismay. Jin growled, "WHAT? Are we abandoning the Measure and her wingman on that Asuran Battlecruiser? There are SCOURGE on that ship! She needs HELP!" Major Kuroda snapped, "That's not our mission any more. the X-2 is carrying two squads of Powered Armored troopers to help her, and that is a HELL of a lot more 'HELP' than we got!" ALL the enlisted people in the briefing room looked grim and angry. No one mentioned mutiny, but they all thought it. --TO BE CONTINUED!!--