scottishlass | NaNoWriMo ... Sentence Prompt (Reply)

He reached the top of the snowy cliff and peered down at it, shivering a little upon seeing the bare rocks.
Damn, he had known it was a fool-hardy mission but now seeing those bare rocks, barely covered with liches and moss in the fading sun-light his spirit sank.

"Buckle up," he told himself and for a moment he remained still, listening to the soft echo of his voice as it faded on the wind. With a sigh that was a cross between a whimper and a groan he hauled himself up and over the last outcrop of stone. The edges of the rocks on the top of the mountain had been sharpened like razors with the continuous wind that whipped over the tops of the mountains.
Taking a breath, he let his feet dangle over the ravine, gauging the distance he still had to go till he would reach his mission's operative. With a sigh he moved his bergen out of the way and slowly made his way down the sharp almost polished rocks.

He heard his own breathing as well as the breathing of his companion. She had been his partner for the last mission and still he was not sure how to handle her. His superiors had presented him with her with so much as a by your leave. And Lt. Erin McNamara was as tight lipped as his sups. Just great. He made a mental note to get drunk, laid and lots more once this operative was over, he really had a lot of R&R coming his way and he was determined to take it.

"Look out!" the shout almost went ignored, but after a few smaller rocks and stones hit the back of his head, he looked up, watching as Lt. McNamara clung to the craggy surface, one foot dangling precariously over the gap trying to find sure footing. Rappeling didn't seem to be the forte of the magnificient Lt. McNamara.

"You okay, McNamara?" he inquired.

"Yes, I'm fine, Captain."

"Great," he shrugged and eased himself a couple of feet down. Light was fading rapidly now and he knew they had to reach the bottom of the ravine soon and find shelter before the sun was completely gone. He sped up with his efforts to climb down and after another half hour, when the light of the twin suns of this planet was completely gone, his feet hit the ground and he sighed a soft sigh of relief.
His advanced eye-sight, genetically engineered no less, adjusted to the dusk and soon he had found the right place to bivouac. Soon, he thought while watching the crackling little camp fire and gobbling up one of the MREs he had brought in his bergen, soon, they will be gone off this planet. But first they had to meet their incentive.
For the first time in a long span of years, he wondered if the reason why he and McNamara was sent out was a valid one. After 15 years of being part of a secret commando and killing numerous humans and beings, he started to doubt the purpose of this. He knew that in these mountains, his destiny would unfold and somehow an uneasy feeling crept up his spine. He got the feeling that he might have climbed the last mountain today - he didn't know.

559 words 15 min.