The Starship Commander looked around again at his crew and sighed. She was expected to lead these people through space?

She straightened her plaid uniform as best she could, cleared her throat, and stepped forward to speak to them. They really were quite the motely crew. One even seemed to be paying more attention the the kumquat he was scarfing down than her.

“Listen, crew. We’re going through space here, to fight the Galactic War. Some of you may die. Some of you will be named forever in history. Only time will tell. I, Starship Commander Carter of the Starship Retrospect will do all I can to prepare you.”

She saw with a little pride that they all stood up straight to her words, one smallish female space soldier even writing the words down on a pad in dark black ink.

Maybe things wouldn’t be too bad after all. They might all make great soldiers despite how they looked. She was simply prejudging them.

“Ma’am, is it true that we get a pet playtypus if we survive?”

Or maybe not.