Free Scifi Romance: Solaris (Paranormal Alien Space Romance) (Fantasy Interstellar Military Short Stories) by Linda Mathers Page B

comfortably. Cassie's parents sensed they needed privacy and excused themselves to the kitchen. Once they were alone, Jason began the interview.
    “For starters, why the Landers?”
    “I've always admired the Landers. Your job seems so adventurous and exciting. You get to explore new planets,” Cassie answered.
    “It's not all excitement, you know. It's dangerous and important work. We are the ones who decide if a planet is fit for human life and if we can actually make a new home on it. You think you can handle that?”
    “I can.  I studied hard my whole life for this.”
    “You are going to be our Science Officer and double as Medic if and when we need one. But don't think you can just take samples and do lab work. You need to be in top shape just like everyone else on the team. Can you handle that?”
    “I've exercised all through University. If I wasn't doing school work, I was on the Gym Deck.”
    “Good. Be at Landers HQ at 0500 hours tomorrow. We are coming close to an uncharted planet. You are going to be getting the crash course.” 
    With that, Jason stood up and left the apartment. Cassie continued sitting, stunned. She couldn't believe just the day after volunteering for the Landers she would be part of a landing party. She thought she would have to endure months of training before being allowed on a planet's surface. 

Chapter 3.
     
    Cassie was nervous and excited all at the same time as she woke that next morning. She showered, got dressed, ate breakfast, kissed her parents good-bye, and rushed out of the apartment. She half-walked, half-ran down the halls of Solaris . 
    The living quarters were situated in the very center of the ship, with thousands of different halls and corridors leading to the thousands of different sections of the ship. If Cassie hadn't grown up on the ship, she would have gotten lost.  However, she knew this ship like the back of her hand and headed directly for Landers HQ located in the belly of the ship, closest to the hangar where the Landers stored their landing shuttle. 
    When she arrived at Landers HQ, she was greeted at the door by Jason and another Lander with a Nordic sounding accent who introduced himself simply as “Lars”. 
    “I'm the Operations Officer here. I basically go over all the data we get on the planet from the Science Officers on the Lab Deck and decide if we land, where we land and what we do when we get there,” Lars explained.
    “Come on, Cassie. Let's go meet the rest of the crew,” Jason said, leading her into Landers HQ.
    Cassie was stunned by what she saw inside. Against the far wall were screens and monitors covered in pictures and maps along with lists of relevant information. Lars walked in the room and began to take notes on everything on the screens. To her left was what she could only call an “arsenal” hanging on the wall. Guns and various other weapons of all shapes and sizes were displayed. She saw three soldier-looking men taking different weapons off the wall and looking them over. In the center of the room was a large round table surrounded by chairs. Already sitting at the table was another woman. Jason walked Cassie over and introduced her.
    “Cassie, this wonderful woman here is Jennifer O'Reily. We just call her ‘Mom’. Mom, this is Cassie, the new Science Officer,” Jason said as he introduced the pair.
    “Why do they call you ‘Mom’?”
    “I'm Overwatch. I keep an eye on things from the ship. If I see the weather is turning rough or get satellite images of something nasty coming in then I call all the boys back home, thus the nickname ‘Mom’,” Jennifer explained with a smile. Cassie felt comfortable with this woman. The nickname may have been used as a joke, but she definitely had a motherly warmth in her eyes.
    “Who are those other three over by the guns?” Cassie asked Jennifer.
    “Those three hooligans are the ones you need to keep an eye on. Jack is the big one on the right, Clark is the one in