 Why were the cadets outside alone?
The two he'd drawn, Kaufman and Pinelli, seemed to be totally devoid of any sense of caution. Earth had ordered him to detour here, after leaving his load of deep-sleep stored colonists on Official World 71, to check on any sign of Hennessy. Now the three were streaking at fantastic speed to a spot near the ship, to hover excitedly above something that moved there. They'd have to get to the group with the cadets in a hurry or the horde would all vanish in the uneven ground, hidden by the fog. Another jeep had drawn up, and men were examining the cadets. The two were loaded onto a jeep while men helped Barker and Gwayne stow the bound monster on another before heading back.
 They were young and untrained.
 They were lost.  They were young and untrained.  They were on a mission.  They were insubordinate.