Garrat respectfully does as he is told.  "That's good advice sir.  I look forward to a full briefing after the post game party."

In reply to Henry Christie (msg # 19):

 She rejoins Henry on the shuttle and gives his face a serious washing in relief that he is okay. She whines and turns around and leans against his side happy to have helped to save someone!

 When Henry catches the medallions, she sniffles at them with great interest. She scents Shadows scent on the medallions and perks her ears up, looking over at him sniffing the air catching the strange animal and plant smells on him.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:38, Thu 16 Feb 2017.

Coasting along with the othet Fighters as they escorted the Duce back to the Hermes Justin hoped Captains Morris and O'Reilly wouldn't chew him out too savagely when the see the condition of his kite and view the guncam footage.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:03, Thu 16 Feb 2017.

  The Spade  made its   way to the Hermes.... Naomi's shuttle  went in first... followed  By the   Spade.

  the other  Fighters  Landed ..with B flight going in first...

"Good girl, Mila, you have done absolutely brilliantly. And all this before I get an implant and we can work as a proper team.." said Henry as the dog tongue roamed over his features. He hugged the dog, then reached out to catch the medallions.

"Thank you, Kray. Mila, would you like yours on your collar or on your harness?"

In reply to Kray Shadow (msg # 25):

Jesse had seated near Kray in case Melia needed help.  She took the pistol and pocketed it.

Well, wouldn't be the first time, she mumbled aloud unknowingly to nothing in particular to what any one would comprehend.

She looked up to Melia and nodded.  I've got you if you need help.

To both Henry and Lirg.  "Garrat takes off his helmet and taps the side of it.  "Sorry guys, didn't hear correctly, I thought Lirg was talking about humans."

   Garrat turns to Lirg. "Several races have less mentally evolved versions of your people, the question is  do you share some instinctual communication ability with these creatures that can help us use them as allies?"

"Now that's an interesting question, Garrat?" said Henry, who was interested to see what Lirg had to say.

Garrat shrugs, Our current targets even use a six legged wild cat so we could discuss this with the Felrites as well, though the feline tendency suggests they would be harder to work with.

  Lirg shurgs   his  wide  shoulders,  There  are little beings, such as yourselevs, on alot of  Planets...and systems. Most are used for  Food... Systems  with  bigger ones, train them for  beasts of burdan.

 he  blinks a few times,... all systems  with these types of humans..say..they tastes good....



 Hemsly   laughs,..no  offense  taken? But i have   ta tell you.... In the  Korean Lands on earth.. your people would be a mighty fine  holiday meal!....

 Lirg's eyebrows  go up and  down...

 well?.. I don['t know if they would   cook you up if you started  takin' ta them. But   eating earth dogs, is sort of a treat for them?

   Shadow laughs,..in the end?  there  are folks  who eat other people... we tend to get rid of them  right away...Out here?...In the Black..when we have   whole  races that what to use   us   for food, pleasure, or reporduction..it tends  to make us a wee bit touchy ...unless.. the   alien   is  an 'accepted  form"

   Garrat laughs, "Indeed, the Valkyrie of Asgard are Hermaphrodites that can breed only with humans of both genders.  The Havfests need human males.  Amongst the humans, canines are saught after as pets and companions and are often trained to use their superior senses and speed to aid humans in substance detection and hunting."

Melia nods to Jesse, "thanks though now that he's finished handing out presents I think we'll be okay." She shakes rolls her eyes at Shadow in the way a mother or a nurse does even dealing with the antics of a petulant child or patient.

--hanger-->

 She uses her paw to dig at her collar and raises her head to expose her neck. She prefers the medallion on her collar.

Roy gave a brief flicker of a grin, before he looked at Lirg.  "A lot of races out here in the Black seem to assume that we Earth-humans are the same stock they're accustomed to.  They don't realize that Earth has, throughout the course of human history, been populated by felines as large as the Felrites, and canines as large as you...and the Humans ended up being at the evolutionary apex.  Some of us scare pretty easily, because we've lived to soft for too long...but our ancestors were the ones who went out and took on animals that outweighed them by two or three times, at least, with little more than stone tools and sharp sticks, and won.  It's kind of a inherent thing in most of us to refuse to back down.  Especially when we're in groups.  We may not be the best predator out there, in a one-to-one comparison...but we coordinate efforts better than anyone else we've come up against.  That's why the Delta Fleet chased the Demons out of the Delta Quad."

He shrugged, and leaned back, as the shuttle began it's approach to the Hermes.  "We don't have the best weapons.  We don't have the best ships.  But we are the best at making the most of what we do have.  And there's some of us that look at all these other races and think, 'Man...what could we do with THEIR cooperation?'  And rather than try to kill off everything that could be a threat to us, we'll look for a way to work together, and try to get the best outcome for both them and us.  That's why the Sanri and Occui joined in with us early on.  That's why the Verians came out of hiding.  That's why our front-line fighters are modified from Angel designs."

He gave Lirg a studied look, and said, "And that's why we didn't completely abandon the Hyrians to die on their homeworld.  So far, that's working out well for us."

"OK, Mila, you've got it."

Henry took the medallion off of its chain and attached it to Mila's collar.

"There you go, wonderful girl."

He ruffled her ears affectionately. Boy, was he getting fond of this dog!

 She leans against Henry and gives him a doggy grin, mouth open, tongue lolling. She seems happy to be with him.

Floating in space formed up with the fleet the Ironwood celebrates in it's own way. Standing at 33% manning the crew cycles through the small mess area toasting and eating. Though due to the small crew size each is limited to two drinks if they desire.  Sarah sits in her office completing after action reports and writing letters to families of those that were killed in action. A mostly empty cup of formerly hot cocoa sits on her desk as she works.  She pauses for a moment sipping the now cold drink, and makes a face. Tapping a button on the intercom she pages LC Harrington who appears in a few short minutes.

"You called Captain?" He asks arriving and standing in front of her desk at ease.

"Yes, exec. I'm wrapping up the after action reports and lets home along with appropriate commendations, and any possible posthumous promotions for the troops and people we lost. I need you to look into the where abouts of the prize vessel, and see that our package makes it's way to the Hermes to be distributed to those that need it."

LC Harrington nods, "Already done, Skipper. Also I'll see about getting you another beverage."

Sarah smiles, "Thanks. That would excellent" she says dismissing her XO before setting back to work.

   There was a beep on her COMs, Ma'am...as of 2 minutes ago, the  Prize was 4 hours out from Everest... they  have sent a Cap ship to help escort her in...As far as the package... I believe The Admiral wishes  for you to bring  that along? Something   about going over the  next Jump off? It Appears  they have some....rudimentary intel from someone who crashed on the Green Moon?

"Excellent Mr. Exec," she says through the comms. "Do we have an official time for that pregame?" She marks her signature on another letter, closing the soldiers official file and sending the letter to the adjutants office for final decorations to be awarded and sent to the next of kin. She stands stretching resolving to take a walk through the ship and talk to her people, a little something to clear her mind.

( putting this here for reference  during the missions. )

  SGT MAj Spencer (Op Commander) m sniper

  LC Shadow m

  Agent Jesse f OminCOm

  SGT Garrat m

  SGT Lirg m sniper

  PO2 Melia f Med tech

  Mst Ch Lyri f sniper

 C SGT Hemsly m

 LCPL Sheens m Sniper

 LT  Mary McNiel f

 SGT Grrv m demo

 CPL Morv m sniper

 SGT Ai-Li F Sniper.

 En Alec Fleming COM Tech

 Of the above.. rated Snipers are listed... others who snipe, but not rated are regarded as Sharpeshooter...any extra  Qual they have list listed
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:40, Mon 06 Mar 2017.

In reply to Sarah McKeon (msg # 48):

The Ironwood drifted on a new course taking it closer to the Hermes, on the hanger deck the crew stood at full military readiness. The new troopers that replaced the ones that had died during the last mission standing in the front row. The veterans behind them. A handful of personnel were missing as they maintained control of the warship. Next to each bodybag was a lit candle, and a small rosary. An Alpha fleet tradition for sending off it's dead.

Sarah stood at a small podium at the front of the formation, "Men and women of the Alpha fleet ESN Ironwood. We are here today to remember our fallen. To celebrate their lives and their sacrifices. What we recovered was vital medical supplies that could save hundreds if not thousands of our commrades, even ourselves. Their deaths were not for nothing yet they still weigh heavy in our hearts. We send them to a better place ahead of us, and we say in the words of the Delta fleet. TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US!"

DON'T WAIT FOR US! The crew responds as LC Harrington activates the controls to send the bodies drifting in the black. Near the static field seven Marines snap their rifles from the attention position to raised pointing out the static field.  Three times they fire on a slow, silent count as the crew salutes their dead. As the last volley of the 21 gun salute is fired out the static field the three buglers stand behind the formation begin playing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZHGWlTU_8U

As the last mournful sounds of the taps echos through the small hanger Commander McKeon lowers her salute sharply and professionally. Waiting for the crew to quietly return back to the position of attention. "I believe I speak for the crew when I echo Admiral Hack's sentiment of total war..." She pauses for a moment, "And as such I off this to the demon empire and any who would aid them." Again the bugles called out, this time call out the spanish deguello, or cut throat bugle call. A call of no quarter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR-KbvXvBd8

Again there was a slight pause as the bugle call faded, "Ladies and gentlemen. You know where we stand, and our mission. Return to your stations and get ready there will be further missions in the near future and I want us at peak performance."   She turned stepping off the podium and heading towards the waiting shuttle. In the background the NCOs and section chiefs took over giving direction to their people as the Ironwood began to hum back to life.

--To Hanger Deck--->

<<<<<<<<<<<  from Hanger Dec.
  the ironwood  was about  10 minutes out  from the Hermes.

  while they sat and waited. Most  folks were  quiet, Lyri still stood, looking out the   porthole at the Green Moon...it looks  nice....


 yeah, its  pretty..The  beach was nice....you know..'cept for the  whol...'bananas trying to kill you was  you went for a jog'...thing

   "That will change."

  Feeling the need to inform the others, he throws up his hands and they clap back down on his knees,..I saw  some  weird  Beasties  down there.... and i am sure, its only the tip of the iceberg.... but..there are  Flying snakes.... they , appear to be coiled in the branches and  will zip out to attack... I noted thay have   venom sacs  in the upper and lower jaws, so all 4  fangs  must inject..whatever it is, they inject... one  smashed into my Helmet..so?  they  aren't used to folks wearing  something  besides  skin and cloth...

 There   are beetles with a bunch of legs under them... the scuttle  really fast and   Have  this  , sharp , grinder-like  teeth...they shells look tough, but my machete  dug in deep enough...

 There was a thing that looked like a Bear.. about 50 feet in this one tree when a Giant Bat thing  hit it like  a hawk on a rabbit.. they fell to the ground  and the bat began to chew into is neck.. it hand fangs as well, so I don't know if hit  is  ..like a Vampire..or  it was just  eating the thing and the fangs are for helping kill the   prey?...The Bear was taller them me.. the   Bat thing was about as talk as Hemsly.

 ..t5o be honest though..i was  just sending Doc Henry what i could, in case i didn't make it back, so folks would have some idea what ws down there.

Aboard the Ironwood Sarah steps off the shuttle and immediately heads for the command deck. LT Termaine beats her there by a few moment and immediately sets to work with the rest of the command staff plotting courses, firing solutions, ect.

When the time comes Sarah sits in the command chair, and nods to ENS Klattenhoff. "Helm, take us in."

The might corvette slipped away from the Hermes, moving lightly and carefully away from the fleet and down towards the moon.