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grant you an exception,” Cassie's mom chimed in.
    “That won't work. You know that the Captain won't go against Regulations. It's just not in his nature. Cassie is right. She is a Lander,” Cassie's dad said shaking his head in defeat.
    At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Cassie's dad walked over to a screen on the wall near the door and switched it on. A video from the camera outside showed an older man, possibly in his 30s, dressed in a Lander's uniform standing at the door. Cassie's dad looked at the screen, back at Cassie, then back to the screen before he opened the door, pressing the button near the screen.
    The man walked in and extended his hand toward Cassie. “Hi, I'm Jason Miller. I'm the Chief Lander and I just wanted to come by and welcome you to the team.”
    “Thank you. I'm glad to be a part of your team,” Cassie said shaking Jason's hand.
    “I saw your University transcript. I'm really impressed. Medicine and biology as a double major is no small feat. You also managed to take survival skills and marksmanship. Were you studying to be the whole Landers team by yourself?” Jason joked.
    “I just wanted to be prepared,” Cassie said blushing slightly. She wasn't used to so much praise.
    “Before we get your training started, I just want to ask you a few things. Do you mind?”
    Cassie shook her head and led him to the couch where they could talk 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