Snowflake was surprised to be given a direct ground command by Capitan Rose. She was even more surprised to have her sister, Slicey-Dicey, appointed as her second. Snowflake said to her sister on the run down the gangway to the Armory, "I think our adopted mother just wants to test my command ability in a 'boots on the ground' situation." Slicey growled, "Obviously. Maybe she just wants to avoid a 'galactic incident' or something. I already know what she thinks of my aggression index! I wouldn't shoot some alien guy for just being an alien!" Snowflake armored up and grabbed up a projectile carbine. Slicey expressed some outrage at the decision. "What are you thinking?" Snowflake snapped in a clip of HV ammo, and jacked back the action handle. She snapped, "Out of the game, 'Galactic Empires', that we played growing up, personal shields have trouble handling both projectiles exploding AND high-energy plasma. Since that game was completely accurate in bringing down that 'Melcosi Starfighter'--it will accurate in the shield area." They bundled into the airlock elevator and rode down. After a moment of silence, Slicey remarked,"That makes a certain sense. The 'game' was a way of relating accurate information in an unbelievable format by someone who had experience with ACTUAL extra-terrestrials. You saw that. I will not challenge your command again." Snowflake nodded as they sprinted out of the airlock door onto the rusted, pulverized concrete of the ruins of Babel. They ran around the flaming wreckage of one of the crashed fighters. Snowflake took point as they advanced up to the alien. Snowflake exclaimed,"THAT is a Melcosi! Just like out of the game!" Snowflake switched over to the Cyclops combat channel one and said,[Alert! Squad ONE--disperse and array no less than 10 meter spread. Squad TWO--Squad-Leader:Slicey--Form a perimeter 300 meters out. Watch for the two downed pilots. One's in pick-up range, heading toward here. Watch for animals and any indigents. Report contacts. Move!] The Cyclops Troopers moved out. Slicey ran off to her position on the perimeter. Snowflake said verbally, "I am Squad-Leader Snowflake, of the Cyclops Commonwealth of the planet Balaam! You are to be held until a full accident investigation is concluded. Melcosi are neutral politically--WHO are you working for?" The alien looked very shocked as he said,"I am Pazu, Pilot and investigator for a Trayodoshan group of archaeologists and recovery agents. We are here under licence to the Rahkoshan Hegemony and the Sururin Enclave. How in hell do you...people know anything about the Galactic races or politics?" Snowflake thought for a moment, and asked,"The Sururin are NOT a Trayodashan species, having actively fought humans in the Battle of Triangulum! The Cyclops of Balaam are not a Trayodashan species either, since humans have tried to exterminate us. What do the Sururin seek here?" Pazu looked her over and remarked,"Are you some kind of robot?" Snowflake snapped,"NO! We are a machine-life species, much like the Hivers of Ma'Urishan. I also have a gun. Answer, please, honored pilot." Pazu blinked at this turn of affairs, and said,"They seek a Nagarajah of Nada-Haltu, called Tyyee. She crashed on this planet some thirty-five years ago, fleeing from the Jongwe Armada. We are attempting to rescue her." Snowflake slung her weapon, and remarked,"We're at war with the Jongwe! In fact they've taken one of our cities, Apharis, and we seek allies. However I cannot make alliances on behalf my government. My commander can. She's en route." "IF you bozos are 'native' to this planet--HOW DO YOU KNOW SO MUCH?" Pazu was feeling pretty angry at this point. Snowflake shrugged. "From a computer game I played growing up." Pazu snapped his beak shut and tried not to have his eyes pop out of his head. --TO BE CONTINUED!--