Welcome to Gaia! ::

((Armored Personal Carrier))

Emma giggled. "I get that all the time. I've had about four years of training, mostly in simulators, but the last year I was placed in charge of my training squadron. They transferred me over here, because i turned sixteen about a month ago, and they thought I was skilled enough to handle frontline duty." Even though every word Emma had said was true, Steven would have a hard time believing her between the goofy grin and the shaking and bouncing about. In all seriousness, however, the hyperactive reflexes were not just the effect of the coffee, they were part of what made her such a good pilot, though the coffee did lessen her control over them.

***

Kai watched the various Soldiers in his squad get up and get ready to board the APC's, and he looked over them all, having a generally good feeling about them. The mission, however, was not something he looked forward to. Close quarters with desperate Drathonians was suicide unless you were experienced in dealing with them. This new kid, Dante, Was worrying the Young Captain. Kai had lost men before, but they had all been either repatriated convicts, or professional soldiers, Most of whom were distant. There didn't seem to be any distance with this eager kid, willing to fight and die when he could have lived a life of safety back in the Altresian empire, or aboard one of the rimworld colonies that had been missed by the lizards.

And yet here he himself was, Actually Younger than Dante, thinking of the soldier as someone so much younger. In a way, that was true. This kid hadn't seen the kind of vicious, violent, gritty reality of warfare, had not Been nearly killed more times than a person cared counting, as he and Gallhager and Hendlow had. Though his early past was as horrendous as evryone else's, he didn't have the brutal recent history of the band of marines command had decided to lump together.

Once Jack was on his feet, Garrett followed the group toward the APC, feeling rather nonchalant yet again. When he laid eyes on the new engineer, he even managed a genuine smile. He was walking circles around the APC, inspecting it, and looking nervous as a lab rat. Finally, he went inside and the demolitions expert followed. "Hey, engy, what's your name?" Garrett was standing with one foot outside the APC, one in, and a hand gripping a hold on the ceiling near the door.

Thomas squeezed in past Garrett. He didn't fit well in the enclosed space of the APC; he was simply too large of frame. Terrifyingly so, in fact. He would've been claustrophobic, but he wasn't claustrophobic, so it didn't bother him. It probably would bother whoever was sitting next to him, though; he'd be encroaching a little on their seat.

Kai Herded the other soldiers in the squad into the APC, Patting Hendlow on the back before entering himself. "Go easy on him, He's a bit green" The captain whispered to the Demo man, before giving Dante a swift smile and seating himself. As soon as Garrett got in, Kai would have him close the door and the APC would be off, to trundle toward the enemy base. It would be a long drive, nearly four hours cramped in the back of the vehicle.

Garrett laughed and then nodded. "Yeah, he's green alright. Like ******** Terra, he's green." With everyone inside, he closed the hatch and planted his a** in the seat beside Jack, smirking. He pounded twice on the wall behind him. "Let's get moving! We've got lizards to roast!"

Then he looked at Dante a second time. To Kai, he said, "You sure we should bring fresh meat with us? You know how hot the field gets when we're around. You think he'll even last the first hour?" Then he realized he was probably scaring the s**t out of Dante.

"No offense, engy, but this squad always ends up in the most intense situations, and I'm willing to bet a kid straight out of basic isn't exactly likely to survive. Just a matter of the facts. Don't let it bother you. You keep your a** behind Jack and you'll be fine."

Jack grinned. "I doubt standing behind me will improve his chances of living. Try this kid-" he said, pointing to Thomas, "according to him, he's a great human shield."