"OK people lets saddle up, we have to be at the Strogg Outpost by noon. Nemesis what’s our exact position?"
"We’re about 7 clicks south of the Outpost, 2 clicks from our pattern landing zone. Looking at the damage to the Tremayne, Andromeda did well to land the sucker. Intelligence indicates possible minefield zone 1 click ahead in the valley on our intercept path to the Outpost."

Drew pondered, "Any other routes available considering the time we got left."

Nemesis peered into his hand-held monitor.

"ComSat topography suggests that the valley ridge to the West is approximately 700 feet high, nothing sheer blocking our way through either. The eastern valley ridge is over 1300 feet with what looks like a fissure running east to west straight through it."
"Right, we’ll take the western ridge and skirt around the minefield we should be at the Outpost by 11.30 AM. Take what you can out of the Tremayne, Nemesis can you try and reach the Apos Platoon on the company macrowave frequency, BoBoBski stay with me, Andromeda take point."

The soldiers grabbed what equipment they needed and headed out towards the western ridge. The wind had picked up and the orange clouds where converging in the sky.

Twenty minutes passed as they headed along the valley side. They noticed that the wind was really starting to pick up, the sulphurous air stinging their throats and faces, visibility was reducing with each step.

"Strogg Sandstorm" announced BoBoBski.
"Nemesis, what information has ComSat got on this weather system?" inquired Drew.

They all crouched huddling together.

"ComSat have a Mark 4 warning on this baby. Estimated to blow itself out in the next hour. Shit hang on!"
"Wassup Nemesis" shouted BoBoBski over the now roaring wind.
"Just got a sample result of this weather system’s air. The wind pressures are all haywire around here and it’s got a 32% sulphur base. Its going to be virtually unbreathable within the next 10 minutes."
"Wonderful, we travel halfway across the goddamn universe just to be gagged by the air, for Keith’s sake why didn’t ComSat intelligence tell us about it, I’d have brought my rebreather."

Drew looked at his team.

"No time to worry about that now Andromeda we got 10 minutes to sort our shit out and find a solution, how many rebreathers we got between us ?".
BoBoBski nodded "I got one".
"Nope, I picked up the extra slug clips back at the USS McKinley" smirked Andromeda chewing on her gum.
"Me neither I picked up the Quad Drug, feck I may never get to use it now." said Nemesis.
"Ok, so we got one rebreather between the four of us. I nicked Cadman’s Mega Health unit as we left the briefing room."
"Hehe, Drew if Cadman ever finds out you nicked his MH he’ll Chaingun your ass." chuckled BoBoBski. The others smiled.

They sat there quickly running through all the options available to them, it didn’t take long they didn’t have many.

Nemesis looked into his screen trying to find inspiration, his face taking on the green hue of the monitor "Feck this weather system’s air pressure readings are all over place".
"Mmm, Nemesis what air pressure reading you got for the valley floor?" asked BoBoBski.
"Hang on" Nemesis spun on his heels to face the valley floor below him.
"Well, its comparatively still compared to this crazy place. The reading suggest a 30% reduction in air pressure."
A smile came to BoBoBski’s face, his time in the Science Corp back in the basic training academy had not been a waste of time after all.
"That my friends is where we need to be, the low pressure of the air will resist this storm somewhat so the air’s sulphur content will be lower."
Andromeda nodded "Your right BoBoBski that low pressure air is our only chance. But that’s where the minefield is."

Drew weighted up the options, there wasn’t any really. "Agreed.  Ok, we head for the minefield. Nemesis run a Electro Magnetic Pulsar reading over the valley floor what’s the density of this minefield?"