Once everyone had the tech files, there was a period of hushed silence while people tried to read and absorb as much as possible. Katherine flipped through it, but her mind kept drifting to her own tasks that needed to be completed.  She signalled for Dr. Heath to come to her side. “I think I should be overseeing the supply chain and ensure nothing gets missed or left behind.”<br/><br/>Her gaze fell on Dr. Nicholas Pike, the medical doctor who was also an expert in microbiology and viral mutations.  In his early sixties, he had a warm and comforting air about him, like the grandfather everyone wished they had.  He was going to be crucial to this mission, and Katherine had picked him based on his research for NASA.  In particular, his study on the Reactivation of Latent Viruses in Isolation, which was outstanding, and clearly nobody would be better equipped to help them deal with any new illnesses they would surely encounter.  “I think Dr. Pike should come with me,” she said.<br/><br/>He heard her request to include him, and nodded enthusiastically.  “Yes I’d appreciate that.”<br/><br/>Dr. Heath nodded. “Fine, but there is someone I need to introduce both of you to first.”  Waiving for them to follow her, they stepped into the hallway and she could see Captain Hunter and his team leaving another briefing room, behind a colonel who looked perpetually pissed off.  The older woman stopped in front of him and reached out to shake his hand. “Colonel Miller…nice to see you again.”  Gesturing to Katherine and Nicolas she said, “May I introduce Dr. Randall and Dr. Pike.  They’re on their way to verify all the civilian supplies are in order and ready to be loaded on board.”<br/><br/>Katherine shook his hand, but didn’t miss the look of contempt shining in the Colonel’s eyes.  He nodded and turned his attention back to the troops, a complete dismissal if she ever saw one.  Dr. Heath motioned for them to keep following her, and Dr. Pike leaned into Katherine and whispered. “Did you get a load of that prick, what’s up his ass anyway?”<br/><br/>She chuckled and whispered back. “I believe he is suffering from cranio-rectal inversion, wouldn’t you agree doctor?”  They both started laughing, but stopped when they reached their destination a moment later.<br/><br/>Dr. Heath turned to them and said, “Don’t mind the Colonel, he’s a bit rough around the edges, but he’s not in charge of this mission, I am.  Though all the military personnel will be ultimately reporting to him, they report to me first, and the IOA will back me up 100%.”  Pointing to a uniformed officer standing in the middle of the room with a clipboard she said, “That’s Lieutenant Cooper, and he has all the checklists for you to approve.  You’ll have to work fast, I’m sure the Colonel is anxious for us to be on our way, so I doubt you’ll have more than a couple of hours.”<br/><br/>An hour later, Katherine let out a frustrated breath and walked over to Dr. Pike.  “I thought you requested a backup hematology analyzer but I don’t see it here, and my Actillume monitors aren’t listed either.  Other equipment also appears to be missing.”<br/><br/>She marched over to Lieutenant Cooper. “Excuse me Lieutenant, but we have a problem.  Several items are not on these lists, but they were on the requisitions.  I know I requested the Actillume myself.”<br/><br/>“Sorry Ma’am…Actillume?” He looked at her, puzzled.<br/><br/>She sighed. “Yes monitors that keep track of light and activity so we can monitor the circadian rhythms of the crew,” he was looking at her like she was nuts, “...never mind, they’re like electronic bracelets.”<br/><br/>He shook his head.  “Sorry Ma’am can’t help you.  You’ll need to speak to the Colonel about that.”<br/><br/>Waiving to Dr. Pike, she said, “Apparently I have to find the Colonel to sort this out.  Keep going and let me know if anything else is missing.”<br/><br/>He nodded, “Will do.”<br/><br/>Katherine made her way into the hall, and tried to get a glimpse of the Colonel, and she found him standing next to Captain Hunter, the two appeared to be discussing something important.  “Excuse me Colonel,” she interrupted, “but we have a problem.  Some of the items we requested are not here but they’re crucial.”<br/><br/>“Are you sure they were on your requisitioins Dr. Randall?  I’m confident my staff wouldn’t have made an error like that.”  She didn’t miss his condescending tone. “What is it you’re missing?”<br/><br/>Her gaze narrowed and she forced herself to keep her temper in check.  Handing him the lists she pointed out the first two items. He barely glanced at it but said, “No problem, I’ll call the medical lab and see to it you get your little monitors.  Will that be all?”<br/><br/>“Yes Colonel that will be all, thank you.” She snapped.  Nodding to the Captain politely, she stalked back to the supply bay.<em>What an asshole!  Thank God he’s not coming with us!</em><br/>