Space Ranger Darren Hexaflouride was just finishing up his jumping jack excercises for the morning. If you think excercise is important for a growing boy on Earth, imagine what it's like in outer space, with zero gravity and cosmic rays making your body all shriveled up like a deflated basket-ball!
"Golly Roger, do you think we'll actually get to go into the Galactic High Council Space Station tomorrow?"
Darren's best friend, Roger Amy Rickets looked over at Darren while trying to catch his breath.
"Whew. That was some workout, hunh? I don't know about the High Council. We're supposed to be there tomorrow, but I'm not sure if it's an official visit. Maybe we're picking up secret orders!"
Darren and Roger looked at each other with wide eyes at that thought. A secret mission! That would be swell!
A few hours later, while Darren and Roger were getting close to finishing their daily game of checkers, the command they had been hoping for came over the ship's intercom: "All Space Rangers report to the battle bridge for mission briefing."
"Shucks, just as I was winning!" Roger said as he rushed out the door.
"You were not! We'll finish up later, and I'll show you!" Darren yelled after Roger as he chased him down the corridor, towards the battle bridge.
A few minutes later, the Space Rangers were standing at attention in two rows, listening to Commander Bill with growing unease.
"As a free society, we have always been vulnerable to trickery from our enemy, who tries to sneak his evil plots into our system by pretending they come from our own citizens. Right now we're facing a major crisis, as a Mind-Worm plot is hatching in the Galactic High Council itself! A law is being proposed that is an obvious trick to weaken us and allow the Mind-Worms the opening they're been waiting for. Yet the traitors continue to push for its success right out in the open!"
"Jeepers!" one of the Space Rangers whispered.
The other Rangers looked around at him in surprise, and Commander Bill leapt forward to demand who had said that.
"I did, sir." Petey Entropy finally said in embarassment.
"You know that sort of foul language isn't allowed from a Space Ranger in uniform!" Command Bill yelled.
"Yes sir. I'm sorry sir." Petey whispered.
"You're sorry for disgracing this uniform! Is that all? You're sorry!?!?" Commander Bill was furious!
Petey began to cry.
"To the brig! One week's solitary confinement!"
The ship's security guards grabbed Petey and dragged him away.
"Now. We've been sent on a secret mission by the Galactic Bar Association to put a stop to this treachery. We're to sneak into the Galactic High Council Space Station, find the Mind-Worm agents, and neutralize them. Since this is a top secret operation, our cover story is that we're lost and asking for directions. If anyone asks, you don't know anything about any secret mission. We'll be reaching the High Council Space Station in about two hours. Until then, you are dismissed."