::Christ,:: Harvey said. He’d finally absorbed the entire briefing. ::This shit stinks.::
::It beats the alternative,:: Sagan said. ::Unless you really think the Colonial Union can take on three enemies at once.::
::Can I just ask one question?:: said Harvey. ::Why do we get stuck with this crap?::
::We’re Special Forces,:: Sagan said. ::This is the sort of thing we do.::
::Bullshit,:: Harvey said. ::You said it yourself. We don’t do this. Nobody does this. We’re being made to do this because no one else wants to do this.::
Harvey looked around in the briefing room. ::Come on, we can admit this, to ourselves at least,:: he said. ::Some realborn asshole in military intelligence thought up this plan and then a bunch of realborn generals signed off on it, and then the Colonial Defense Forces’ realborn commanders didn’t want to have anything to do with it. So we get it, and everyone thinks we won’t mind because we’re a bunch of two-year-old amoral killers. Well, I have morals, and I know everyone in this room does too. I won’t back away from a stand-up fight. All of you know that about me. But this isn’t a stand-up fight. This is bullshit. First-class bullshit.::
::All right, it’s bullshit,:: Sagan said. ::But this is also our mission.::
::Don’t ask me to be the one who snatches the thing,:: Harvey said. ::I’ll have the back of whoever does it, but that’s one cup I’ll ask to have passed from me.::
::I won’t ask you,:: Sagan said. ::I’ll find something else for you to do.::
::Who are you going to get to do the deed?:: Alex Roentgen said.
::I’ll do it myself,:: Sagan said. ::I’ll want two volunteers to go with me.::
::I already said I’d have your back,:: Harvey said.
::I need someone who will make the snatch if I get a bullet in the head, Harvey,:: Sagan said.
::I’ll do it,:: Sarah Pauling said. ::Harvey’s right that this shit stinks, though::
::Thank you, Pauling,:: Harvey said.
::You’re welcome,:: Pauling said. ::Don’t get cocky.::
::That’s one,:: Sagan said. ::Anyone else?::
Everyone in the briefing room turned to look at Jared.
::What?:: Jared said, suddenly defensive.
::Nothing,:: said Julie Einstein. ::It’s just that you and Pauling are usually a matched pair.::
::That’s not true at all,:: Jared said. ::We’ve been with the platoon for seven months now and I’ve had all your backs at one time or another.::
::Don’t get worked up about it,:: Einstein said. ::No one said you were married. And you have had all our backs. But everyone tends to pair off on missions with one person more than others. I get paired with Roentgen. Sagan gets stuck with Harvey because no one else wants to deal with him. You pair up with Pauling. That’s all.::
::Stop teasing Jared,:: Pauling said, smiling. ::He’s a nice guy, unlike the rest of you degenerates.::
::We’re nice degenerates,:: Roentgen said.
::Or nicely degenerate, anyway,:: said Einstein.
::If we’re all done with our fun,:: Sagan said, ::I still need another volunteer.::
::Dirac,:: Harvey prompted.
::Stop already,:: Sagan said.
::No,:: Jared said. ::I’ll do it.::
Sagan seemed about to object, but stopped herself. ::Fine,:: she said, and then continued on with her briefing.
::She did it again,:: Jared sent to Pauling, on a private channel, as the briefing continued. ::You saw it, didn’t you? How she was about to say “no.”::
::I saw it,:: Pauling said. ::But she didn’t. And when it comes down to it she’s always treated you just like she treats anyone.::
::I know,:: Jared said. ::I just wish I knew why she doesn’t seem to like me.::
::She doesn’t really seem to like anyone all that much,:: Pauling said. ::Stop being paranoid. Anyway, I like you. Except when you’re paranoid.::
::I’ll work on that,:: Jared said.
::Do,:: Pauling said. ::And thank you for volunteering.::
::Well, you know,:: Jared said. ::Give the crowd what they want.::
Pauling giggled audibly. Sagan shot her a look. ::Sorry,:: Pauling said, on a common channel.
After a few minutes Jared hailed Pauling on a private channel. ::Do you really think this mission is a bad one?::
::It fucking stinks,:: Pauling said.