"Locked and shut down here, give it everything she's got."  Garrat slings his rifle over his shoulder and takes up position by the shuttle, detonator in hand.

"All aboard, NOW!  Karson, that's gonna have to do, we're wheels up in ten seconds and anyone not aboard is riding the Ewald in for her final act!"  He gestured for Garrat to get aboard.  "You, too, Sergeant.  Those detonators don't need line of sight, it'll go off from the shuttle as well as it will right here."  He waved people past him, making sure everyon was accounted for.

  Garrat takes one step back also watching everyone get on board. "My feet are now in the shuttle sir, now get yourself in here.  You've got more action figures than I so your life means more."  through the helm you can hear the humor in his voice.

   Lifting of, The 5th's  shuttle  swung away firing at the incoming  parasites...  Stoly  waited for the last  2 to get on as he peeled off.. he  went  towards the  Aft  end  and  cut hard to  get away from the 'prop wash' of the engines.

  the Gunners  were busy either shooting at things  that were coming close... or  tagging   enemies  that were getting close to the Ewald.

 ..wow?.. hey?  we're Gonna make it! stoly shouted as the  neared the HAnger Dec.. Just as a parasite slammed into the  the spine of the  Hermes.

 Morgan and Clark  were  running ( as fast as a mech can run )   figing at the  cucumber shped  shuttle until Crit  came by and   Blew the  Back half off...,  Clark dropped a grenage inside to finsh off thsoe  that didn't  unload  yet,,,,,,,,,

   three parasite Craft rammed the Ewald... Shadow chewed up on of them.

   ..SHadow? What the hells?...

   ...they don't know  which ship is ours.... ...Just adding Confusion..

  ..How about addign to dead pilors, Comrade!

   A Creshian Cruiser  was  flying hard  on and Intercept  Course with the Ewald... but... it wasn't going to Make it.


 Fighters   tried to strafe  the Ewald.. but  ESN fighters chased  them off... shot them down, or crippled them... a wall of Parasite shuttles   Moved  towards the Ewlad.. there was a chance they  Could stop the  'fireship' from doing its  job...

 then  a succession of   reddish Brown Explosions hit  around the parasites and they  begin to  drift, tilt and tumble, some  smashing into  each other...

 The Harvester  sailed across the Bows of  Two ESN Vessel   firing a few more  rounds of Ion  round at the MAssive  Ship...

    ev eryone  watched the screens.. Some of the Pilots ( including  Shadow )  Kicked thier  fighters  around to watch..

  Through it  all the  agonizing screams of Gletis  could be heard  as she   begged, threatened   and Pleaded for the Lives of the Colony.. thier  future....

  Inside the Hive... life went on as it always did... creshian Breeders being  Fed  well they went about thier tasks of  egg laying.

  Humanoids  sorting   new boards.. dropping UEs into  chutes  that lead  down into the  hold, full of roiling creatures, waiting for thier  chance to be loaded and launched.

 Human males  and  dead human breeders being sent  down the chutes as well, to feed the mindless creatures...

  Breeding HUmans watching in horror as  eggs began to  slip out and were examined by  'lab coat' humanoids.

 On the Bridge..things  were Quiet.. the  crew was dead..  consoles dead or  on fires... the  ship  would  be drifting  of a long  time, until they could get the bring cleaned  and  clear... but they would never get that chance.

 A few Humanoid  were  rushing to the Bridge, the rest  went about thier Business....

 ..................

  The Ewald pushed  pass a few of the floating  parasites, one of them exploding...scores of Power cells ..bigger then the massive Cells  of an ESN Cap ship, powered the thrusters  for the hive..

  With   engines redlining... the  cruiser   slammed into the  Hive.. the   engines  driving the  exploding craft further  and further in... fires  began to break out,  thrusters on the Hive    Exploded  out ward Flashes  of  more  explosions ...  Then, the Last Violent bright flash from the Ewald... as her  Powercells  ruptured, the flash of a small Sun Blew out Most of the  Thrusters of the Hive almost  all the decs in that area were opened to  The Black , as bodies  were  sucked into  space.... The hole was as large  as the Ewald her self...plus the   blown out metal from the resulting explosions...

  But.. it looked like  bug bite on the thigh of a horse ...

   Gletis  stopped  screaming... indeed.. the   ships in aircraft around the Hive  looked on.. in horror..and  in relief..

Lining up on the third bogie it quickly changed direction and headed away from them. Justin glanced at his battle screen to determine an intercept vector noting that all the bogies were doing the same. Harry we should take advantage of this odd behaviour to down as many Bogies as we can. Come on then lets have at them.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:45, Tue 21 Nov 2017.

Roy pushed Garrat ahead, a hand on the small of Garrat's back.  "The reason I have more action figures is because I'm responsible for everyone on this mission.  Last man off, that's part of the job."  There was a resigned note in his voice...a tired acceptance of the reality.  He dropped into a seat as the shuttle pulled away.

He didn't say anything on the trip back to the Hermes...he contemplated the relative size of the Ewald and the Hive ship.  If the Ewald managed to hit a vulnerable point, it could do catastrophic damage...but the advantage of a massive vessel was just how much damage it could take before it became 'catastrophic'.

When Stoly announced they were out of harm's way, Roy spoke again in tightly controlled tones.  "The Admiral's going to have more work for us to do, I'm sure.  Once we touch down, resupply with what you need and get ready to go back out."
This message was added to by the player at 06:48, Tue 21 Nov 2017.

    Garrat nods.  He didn't use any equipment, but wondered where to next.

Achieving no more than a glancing shot, Harry watched as her target disappeared into the debris field and out of effective range of her weapons. Cursing the Lagran's good luck, or perhaps her bad luck, Harry would perform the aerial equivalent of a hand brake turn waiting until her cross hairs were passing over the fighter that had been pursuing her before opening fire with her 37 with the fighter in question seemingly breaking off it's attack to go elsewhere as she sent rounds scything across it.

Why the fighter had broken off its attack was beyond her but apparently it wasn’t the only one, with Justin pointing out their opportunity to exploit such strange behaviour “You got it Justin, Parasite eleven o’clock high, I say we make that our next…holy crap! What was that!?” Harry suddenly exclaimed as the mother of all explosions suddenly took place within the enemy fleet “please tell me you guys just saw what I saw?”

   Garrat had his head back o his seat resting, he had tunned into the general channel to hear what was going on and smiled at Harriets exclaimation, If he can interject he coms her "That's what happens when you put a crazy Admiral, a Perfectionist Master Sgt, a feild engineer Sgt who got busted down from ship's captain, and a techy Snipper in the same fleet.  Thanks for keepin the bugs off our backs while we got our jobs done."

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 97):

Slipping the Dart in alongside the Bee the pair started towards the Parasite, closing upon it. The flash of light from the Hive was like a beacon in the darkness, yet it was just another vessel used by those which chose to oppress and prey on the weak. Justin knew there would be many more of such craft which would fall before the Evil was defeated. Aye Harry I see it. It is but a part of the Evil that we are here to resist. The Parasite should be destroyed before it can cause more damage.

"Well I wouldn't be much of a Guardian Angel if didn't" Harry jokingly replied to Garrat as he claimed at least partial responsibility for what she'd just seen with Justin also confirming that the explosion had really happened if in a somewhat more pious manner "Are you alright Justin? You're not going all weird on me are you?" she asked rather uncertainly, having never heard him refer to the enemy in such a manner before "ok...well...lets just frag that Parasite, we can save the world later" she stated as she moved to intercept. Once in range she'd send a barrage of pulse rounds into the Parasite's underside before rolling to starboard to allow Justin a clear shot at the target.

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 100):

Justin chuckled at Harries concern that he was getting weird, promptly responding with. Nay lass tis but a means of referring to them tha support the Demon Empire. After we be here to defend the Alliance. Tipping his wing to one side Justin slid the 25 to one flank adding three quick bursts to the rounds Harry was sending into the Parasite's direction. Following her starboard roll he maintained his wing position on her port, while he was ready to adjust to bring the Dart around for another run on the Parasite.

  Justin and HArry Chewed up the  shuttle... Morris would have to figure out the Kill.

    Then... the storm Came...   Creshian Fighter  screaming in , with  no worry of death.. or destruction on thier Minds.

 One Of Howe's Pilot s Vanished   when  a crippled  Bug flew straight into  the Hermes  Fighter.

 Shadow accessed.. and  shouted   in anger,..NOT ONE...NOT ONE BUG FIGHTER LIVES TO SEE THE END OF THIS BATTLE...

  Howe  and Foster.. keep your flights   on  cleaning duty.. He-la and Fitz.. get up here... Kill anything, that is  not ESN or AP...

   Creshian fighters were not  well versed in dogfighting.. they made thier living  off  pouncing on  helpless  convoys  and   lightly   guarded  ships and colonies... they began to  Beak Up, or  disappers in a flash of  fire.

 The Hive was  Gone... nothing but  an ever-expanding  debris field, full of  bodies and metal

 The   Bug Flag ship turned towards   the Hermes...The ESN shipos  still buttoned  down... but the Bugs   had thier  blast doors  so they could see... The  hermes turned  as SI lined up the  port side  boradsides.. the  ship  shook  as the guns  went off.. the  Hanger  dec could see the   torpedos    sizzling trough The Balck.. the First one   missed  as the   ship tries  to  raise its  Bow... the  secodm one  impacted   near the Stern...  and the Bug Flag ship  almost rolled on its    starboard side.. the impacts of the HArd   ammo  chewd  Holes in the Bugs  Cap ship, that yuou could  land a Big Ugly in.

 The other ships  were also engaged  The Haverster  was having a bad  time, being out   gunned.. and her Icon rounds were almost gone
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:58, Wed 22 Nov 2017.

In reply to Fighters. (msg # 102):

Acknowledged LC Justin replied. Harry we've got Bug's out to Kamikaze themselves. Best way to avoid this is to change direction quickly and as often as we can. I'll follow your lead try not to fly a straight path for longer than three seconds. Bogies were swarming in they were as thick as bees around a hive. Snap shooting at several bogies that crossed his path Justin mirrored Harry's manoeuvers like the 25 was attached to the Bee with cords. Matching Harry'S quick change he fired bursts at targets that were in his kill zone, as they skirmished Creshian Fighters were being swiftly destroyed by their Delta comrade's in arms.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:15, Wed 22 Nov 2017.

Having reduced the Parasite to so much shredded metal, Harry would bring her fighter round just in time to see the swarm of enemy fighters surging towards them, with the sheer volume of enemy craft causing her jaw to drop in a mixture of fear and awe at the sight of them all.

Upon receiving Shadow's order to wipe out this veritable armada a burst of manic; near hysterical laughter would escape her lips as she replied "You live! You Die! You live again! Lets do this!" as a grin spread across her face, with part of her mind wondering when exactly she'd last said those words Probably right before a brawl broke outwhich considering the kind of person she'd been wasn't too surprising, though this was probably the first time she'd said them whilst sober.

Following Justin's advice Harry would proceed to weave her way through the swarm of enemy fighters; firing off quick bursts of her pulse cannons as and when a target presented itself.

  Shadow and the Hermes  fighters  moved to meet the  enemy , it was a good plan.. good  attack... They were shorter in number  by keeping two flights  on the Hermes. But the Parasite shuttles were finite now... and there would be no bugs  being funneled in.

 They  lost some of their friends... there was a Good Bet they would Lose  More... but they hade  to whittle  down the parasites , and the fighters..

 a  few  More Bugs  were blasted as they reached the   vector  and dropped below the  weapons of The Hermes. Something they , no doubt, picked up from capturing ESN  Cap ships.

  The Gunnery Officer  said over  all COMs,..sorry ladies  and Gents ... we'll keep tracking  and hitting what we  can... but?.. we don't have  field of  fire  now....Good Luck.. chase  them above us, and we'll knock  them....

 the Officer, never finished  but an explosion  was here and a bit of  Fore Blossomed from  control room at Mid ships.. the GUnners  would now be on thier own

 Shadow   twisted  and Turd  he snapped at  Kat and  Flores,..Peel off together.. I'm  fine on my own... that's an order!

 ...No way... You get the Admiral to tell us to leave, and  we'll leave...

 ..da?.. it is goof for the hunting to be near you, comrade...

 ....damned 9 hells....  he opened  up  on a figthers.. chewed the   Top  of a wing off before  sending  3, 37 mm round into the parasite that was  500 YArds  away from the HAnger  dec... Flores   finished off the Fighter   and cat blew the windscreen out of another  shuttle, with no Pilot the  shuttle's nose   dipped down flying   through the  debris of The Hive..to who knows where, it would end up.


 Justin  and  HArru  found themselves  in a HAirball.. rounds  flying  everywere.. some of ours  some of thiers...The  each torched  an Aircraft,  Justin felt his  ships shutter.. the tail fin was  shattered... the light Red.... Harry wathed   pulse round  walk up her nose  , the lst  'starred' the  top of her  cockpit... she knows... physics-wise , that an different angle  would have  Bore through...


 Frans  shouted,..LC!.. I have Yellows  and Reds showing up all over    my screens...

  ..Alright..Hermes Aircraft?......normally.".if you'er red.. you go to bed"... but we can't  do that... they are coming for out hanger Dec and the Hermes..If you can't  fight.... if your  bird is in dangers..  head to the Fleet... get a ship to take you in...but if you can fight/... fight... Good Luck folks...

  The Mechs were   running   down towards the Bridge,, firing at the parasite that hit the   gun Control officer..

     three  parasites  were    clear to the HAnger Dec... Shadow   and His  wingladies  were  diving  down on the   one on the far right...

 Then Shadow started to swear.......ALL THE GODS BE DAMNED... UNDER THE WAVE... ITS TOO LATE!

 and there they were... hidden  by the actions.. blending in with the scans... 3 heavy assault shuttles   rising up  100 yards  away from the HAngers... even as the   3 parasites  slowed   down to 'block for them"

In reply to in the air (msg # 105):

 Glancing at the red light that showed on his panel Justin needed to adjust to the Darts sluggish manoeuvring response using thrusters to compensate. Continuing to blast away at and Bogie in his line of fire. How you holding up Harry any of your display board showing red.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:31, Thu 23 Nov 2017.

   One of the Flanking  CAp ships, trying to keep the Queen's  flag ship alive,, was suddenly hit  from the  starboard  stern.

    a Battered Cap ships... not of  normall ESN build came into view.. still keeping its  lights out.

   a melodic-metallic  Voice came on the COMs......  Acting Captain  Dusk Shadow to  Hermes Squadron... The Filed is almost clear... we have suffered a great deal of damage... My captiain is  below , fighting boarders.....I have  brought the Charon here to aid the fight..

 shortly after  the   Creshin ships stern Blow  aorta, the nose of the ship went Upwards as it began to fall apart

...

 The  assault  craft had  risen to cover the hanger Doors.. even as the parasite behind them Exploded.... The assault  craft  began to open up with its   mounted   weapons.. fixed  heavy  pulse ..two atop the cock pit.. two below.

Karl had opted to help the mechs with anti-boarding tactics...the Morningstar, largely refitted since the battle at Nivar, had settled on the spine of the Hermes, angled transversely so the howitzer and heavy pulse cannon could traverse and cover most of the ship's upper hull.

At Shadow's call, however, Karl slipped into action.  He released the docking clamps and fired a short burst on his maneuvering thrusters, spinning the plane and drifting sideways to a point where he could bring weapons to bear on the shuttles firing into the hangar deck.  "Ed, keep...ah, hell."  The AI was still under repairs...it could carry out assignments given to it, but the verbal shorthand that he'd developed with it during the duration of the flight assignments was not an option.

"Commence airspace interdiction protocols with minigun and rotary cannon.  Target any vessel that approaches within moderate range unless you detect ESN r APF transponders aboard.  Commence target assist protocol with howitzer and heavy pulse cannon."  He could aim the weapons, now, and the computer would assist with automatically compensating for relative motion and other factors...but Ed wasn't quite Ed again, yet, so he didn't want to ask the AI to run too many operations at the same time.

Crosshairs came up on viewscreens that were still filled with the bulk of the Hermes, and he moved the crosshairs to the top of the screen, waiting for the edge of the hull to show up, and reveal the shuttles below.  He allowed the drift to continue until he had an angle on the upper turret of the closest shuttle...he locked targets on the point where the weapons poked out beyond the shell of the shuttle, and fired an armor-piercing round, point-blank.

"Negative, though that last one was bloody close to being game over!" Harry cursed; glancing down at the still steaming scorch marks on her nose. With another patch of her canopy starred up visibility was starting to become an issue and she was just as worried about crashing into something she hadn't seen as she was having a kamikaze bug pilot hit her "Justin I...I'm not sure I can keep this up...I can't keep track of them all" Harry said as she threw the Bee into a sharp twisting manoeuvre that brought her behind an enemy fighter; allowing her to fire off a short burst of fire from her 37 before having to dive to avoid another fighter coming at her from her starboard side, as for her port side she didn't have clue what was happening out there "Justin I think we may need to fall back towards the fleet" she suggested, knowing that as much as she hated the idea of running away that it was only a matter of time before she took that third and final hit to her canopy. Also judging by the way that Justin's Dart was flying it was clear that something wasn't quite right.

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 109):

Justin sideslipped avoiding a large chunk debris that was propelled in their direction. Firing three bursts at a Creshin. Agreed stage towards the Hermes, we'll relieve two of the guard Fighters so they can engage. Flipping the Dart about he leap frogged behind the Bee nosing over and bringing the 25 around to cover Her retreat.

    The   assault shuttled hit thier  after  burners,  even as they were being  shot..

     The Parasiste 'blocker' was destroyed  By Shadow  and his   wingladies, even as they watched  the  armored shuttles   rammed thier way into the Hanger Dec.

  Justin and Harry  did  take  down a Fighter.. but  lights  were Blinking on  Harry's console as they headed to switch out  with  those  trying to keep the Hull clean.

  fighter before HArry's   Eyes  she saw, Mara's  Number 24 zip pass to clean off  another parasite .. but three   pulse  rounds hit under the cockpit and MAra shrieked...

 ..LC!... I'm Hit...Bad.... I..I  can't make the MAtterhorn...

  Frans and Eckels  were  screaming MAra's  name.

  ... Linda?.... Listen....

  ....I..I'm Sorry LC.. I ...I can't...

 ..Dammit  ensign Mara..LISTEN UP.... YOU WILL... steer to the landing pad on the top of the Hermes.... You can't enter the Hanger...no one can... Hermes!.. we need  Med Tech on the LAnding pad by the  Bridge....

 ..i'll...try.. i'll...try...

  rounds  were Flying around as Kat zipped  pass to take the rounds on her own craft...

 Mara  was  wobbling  down the spine of the Hermes   towards the  landing pad.

 The #24 Hammer Va  Bounced a  few  times  as she struggled with the  thrusters... sparks  briefly showing as her skids  slid, and  snapped off...

   Shadow and   Flores   took some rounds  trying to  blocked  for her, as the PArasites  Blocked   armored assault craft..

  Shadow  COMed,..Mara?>. stay in your  ride   until the Med  Tech oepn the landing PAd.. they ha ve an enclosure  for you....

 ..aye... Sir... already.... done...


 then he  added,All Hermes  fighters?   we can't go home, unless  we go through the landing Pad.... so?.. what say we keep  killing Bugs  out here....

  Karl's  fare took  the other  two parasite blockers.. but  he  would see , it was  too late.

   his  fire  also  tore up a bUg  fighter that dives away towards the   Hive debris

In reply to outside. (msg # 111):

Acknowleded LC. Will remain on station. LC Do you think we should pump some rounds into the area to provide some fire support Pulling on his control Justin rolled the 25 over and started a series of oval passes around the Hermes sending controlled two round bursts at Bogies that presented themselves. The fights Hermes has been through have been steadily intensifying each successive one were bloodier and bloodier pretty soon either they'd end up space junk or with no one else to fight, but that was a long way off... cutting the thoughts short he had more pressing matters to attend to such as the Bug fighters making a run before a Parasite hoping to follow their Armoured Transports onto the Hermes.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:46, Fri 24 Nov 2017.