This situation was looking pretty bad. It could certainly be a trap, the people that they were trying to save could already be dead. And they were tasked with capturing something that an astral bombardment couldn't destroy. All of that, and they had to do it alone. However, two pilots could be outfitted with more equipment to augment their assault capabilities. Zim immediately liked the thought of that, of course, he was hopeful for something along those lines as he had asked the question. When the briefing was over, Zim approached Elise to volunteer. 

"Ma'am," Zim addressed her appropriately for her rank, "I would also like to volunteer for the second assault pack. Being a primarily melee combatant, I will be of limited use on the approach. However, an assault pack would augment my options and give me something to fight with."

When he was done with Elise, Zim would head towards the hangars to run some simulations.