Baxter Price knew riding into base in the back of a supply truck wasn't the most ceremonious way to arrive, but "ceremonious" was hardly the word he would use to describe any aspect of his life to this point. Ironically, he found himself shivering rather than sweating on his long trip through the African desert, the back of the truck chilled to make sure the rations didn't spoil. He kept warm (the last thing he thought he would have to worry about in the desert) by wrapping himself in a scratchy blanket from his duffel bag, though much time in space had made him rather used to the cold. That was part of what made him worried about his new assignment; a lifetime spent in totally controlled environments didn't prepare one for the harsh reality of nature's cruelest climates.<br/><br/>As the mild clacking of the cans of food surrounding him came to a halt, Baxter realized the hover truck must have come to a stop and stood up. The door at the back of the truck opened up to show the driver waiting there, and, after gathering his bag, Baxter stepped out without a word to the man. He had never learned his name, and he didn't particularly care, since he would probably never see him up close again, anyway. After months of distrust and interrogation from the Federation, Baxter had grown rather numb to the idea of making friends on Earth. To be honest, he was rather sick of the place, and wished to go back to Side 3, but until that pesky Zabi regime was overthrown, he would have to stick it out...<br/><br/>Shielding his eyes against the first sunlight he had been exposed to in a few hours, the pilot brushed the hair from his eyes, though some strands were already being stuck to his face by the first few beads of sweat that formed as the intense heat bore down on him. He tried to keep his sensitive irises protected as he slowly walked across the open complex, being careful not to let himself be run over, stepped on, or otherwise Killed in Non-action as he sought out either his new barracks, or a commanding officer, whichever came first.<br/><br/>This was only his second assignment as an official, uniformed member of the Earth Federation military, but since his showing on his last assignment had proven him capable and well-trained (even if it was by Zeon), they had stuck him with some 432nd Forward MS Team, to learn about some newer model of mobile suit they were putting to use out in the desert. Whether this was a good sign or a bad one for him all depended on whether these suits were actually worth using.