Sitting in the string chair that usually had his uniform clinging to its back, he sat smiling at Sykra's pathetic state, after half of his coffee, he set another pot to boil, lightly tapping Sykra in the ribs with his foot, Solomon tried to wake him up. The mess hall was a wondrous heavenly smelling room, "bacon, sausage, spam, mushrooms, black and white pudding, baked beans, white beans, hash browns, everything a growing man needs!" said Solomon Heartily to Sykra as he welcomed him into the eating chambers, Sandra was sitting with Carlo who had filled his plate with nothing but spam, greedily guzzling down the meat, he laughed at Sandra's tales. Sykra picked some fruit and seeded bread for his plate, sitting next to Carlo with a sickened face, the face Solomon and Sandra knew all too well!
Later that day, Sykra and Carlo bid their farewell to the crew of the Evergreen in the embarkation decks, they had only come to learn more of how the humans interact. The First Company assembled to leave for Merriden IV once more. Their numbers had been healed, Solomon learned twenty of his family had perished on the previous landing. With the time they had spend recovering aboard The Evergreen, the other companies had secured a large area with the help of The Gryph and their Sonic Barrels, construction and entrenchment had commenced. "Lieutenant Commander" said Eve, "We will be landing you, and your company in the red sector of the area designated, The creatures known as Mares have attempted only once to breach the perimeters, that was some time ago. Be Safe Solomon, you are not cleared for active duty yet, your status is strictly as an overseer. Your active duties begin tomorrow." Solomon tried to suppress a smirk as he thanked Eve. Sealing his helmet over his head, he ordered all troops to get inside their vessels and prepare for the drop. They had left the Evergreen in record time, giving Solomon a swelling of pride in his breast. After half an hour of the turbulent decent, the Pilot called back to the sitting troops, informing them that they will be on the ground in six minutes. The final count down always lasted an eternity in Solomon's eyes, the adrenaline pumping through his veins always slowed time down for him.
The unknown of the drop.
The craft shuddered as it landed on the dry dusty grass, blowing clouds against the makeshift metal skeleton buildings, human soldiers wearing the blue of The Evergreen but supporting red unvisored helmets, revealing their faces. Scuttling around the landed craft, ten stood in two parallel lines outside the scratched metal ramp that had begun lowering, Solomon and his platoon walked out saluting their waiting soldiers, who in return took their bags, a proud man stood in the centre, at the middle of the two lines, wearing his blue armour and a red beret, a pistol holstered across his breast, Solomon instantly knew who this aged man was. The Red Sector Commander. He had been assigned this position before the convoy of ships left Earth. Solomon approached the man who curtly nodded at Solomon with a soft smile. "Greetings ladies! I'm Commander Broom. Welcome to The Red Sector!" he said loudly over the dying engines of the landing craft "I will escort you to your accommodations!" he shouted, and turned to Solomon "We'll talk business on the way." he added softly the sun was cooler here, already this planets noon and Solomon wasn't feeling the heat yet, Casting his eyes over the horizon, Solomon spotted the battlement defences, no more than half a mile away, easily seen over the flat grassy plains, red flags stood proudly, red as the blood that had been spilled on Solomon's first visit. Soldiers wearing the red helmets patrolled the dirt mound walled perimeter with their weapons drawn, but held at the waists, relaxed. The wind whistled as it danced through all the metallic buildings.
The two men spoke of the creatures near by, the hostile and friendly alike, giving Solomon the lay of the land, Commander Broom smiled as he pointed at a dusty metal door that read "S. Gordon, First Company Commander" written in white chalk pen, Solomon smiled at Commander Broom as he took his bag from the trailing caddy-soldier and entered his quarters.
It was a small room, no bigger than shoe box, sporting a single bed and not much more. The room was cosy to say the least. With a sigh, Solomon slung his bang onto the stiff springy bed, which almost sprung the bag over the other side.
An hour into Solomon's stroll through the metal makeshift single story buildings that resembled the civilian market place. A few stalls, half empty, selling scarce wares, some ammunition that did not match the weapons he used, small amounts of bread, cheeses and containment boxes for extortionate prices, probably to cover the wages of the multiple Gryph scuttling about each stall trying to sell you everything down to your own boots. The last stall however, caught Solomon's eye, a stall, run by, a single Gryph, In the Human Section. The Gryph's thick black hair was scraped back into a large messy bun, was it a female or male Gryph? Damn, it was hard to tell the difference! The Gryph's face was slim, with a pointed chin, its nose came out as a smooth beak that was too short for the length of its face. "Good Day!" Solomon said with a cheery smile, glancing at her baked foods. "Pleasant Day, Hooman" responded the Gryph in a light high toned voice. This gave Solomon the idea it was a female. "What are these, then?" he asked heartily as he smelled her baked goods, odours similar to ginger and cinnamon filled his nostrils with much delight. "They smell like gingerbread and cinnamon rolls!" he added giddily, Gingerbread was Solomon's favourite, always casting him back to when his mother used to do her weekly bake when he was a child. And there's the cinnamon rolls! Christmas! Solomon adored Christmas! it was always his favourite time of year. Before the Gryph could answer Solomon, he had transferred credits over and greedily taken five gingerbread biscuits and seven cinnamon rolls. Solomon's day had taken a turn for the best. "Yes. Ginnerbred and cinagrog buns...of course." said the Gryph Absently, happy for the sale.