I step out of my house and start looking for the others. I find them in the training room. I ask them,
"How did y''alls mission go?"
"It went pretty badly. We tried to do an extermination mission, but we got crushed. Even though we only killed about a third of the enemies, we still got about 1/3rd the reward," Scott says.
"How does that work? Does it get split among y''all,or do each of yall get the reward?" I ask.
"We each get the reward. Do you want to do a mission with us now?" Scott says.
Ya, sure," I say.
We head over to the mission board to see the available missions.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">
Group missions
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">
Seek and Destroy
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">
Exploration
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">
Extermination
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
"Which do y''all want to do?" I ask.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Exploration" "Exploration" "Exploration" Ar the responses I get. "Well then, guess we''re doing exploration."
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">Available Exploration Missions</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">
Enemy Base 50pp
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">
Enemy Base 100pp
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">
Enemy Base 300pp
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
After some discussion, we decide to do the mission with a 100pp reward. After the mission is selected a green line appears on the floor and leads us to the pods. When we arrive, I see the pods look different than normal. They''re a dark non-reflective black, and much smaller than normal. They barely have room for a seat inside.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">To make sure this mission can be done stealthily, the normal landing pods have been replaced with stealth landing pods. Choose your loadout below. Please note: All choices come with an automated mapping bracelet that scans the area around you. This ensures maximum accuracy in maps.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">Loadout-1: Stealth caught and automated lockpicker for getting in places where you are not wanted.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">Loadout-2: A box that can produce small explosive charges. Runs on energy and supplied material.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">Loadout-3: Laser pistol.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Looking at the list, I see it explains why the pods look weird. After some consideration, I decide on loadout 2, thinking it will be the most useful in the mission. I get in my pod, and when Everyone else gets in theirs...
<div>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center">Knockout gas is being administered...</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
********
I wake up in my pod. I see a planet approaching. It''s covered in snow-capped mountains, and its sky is blue. What a nice place to do an exploration mission on.