where  PCs, NPCS come to be briefed on up coming Missions.

  During the Course of the Next few  hours. Some  Crew Members  were approached  by The  Bridge Officer in charge of security. He handed them a sealed note that said  " Eyes Only".

  within  an Hour  after the messages  were handed out, all of those handed the orders appeared on the 1st deck, about 1000 Yards  from the  Bridge. Most of  the  crew that were invited, had never been above the  12th deck..but here they were. They Filed  In Hack  and  Si were on the stage as screen pulled down behind them..

  Captain Monroe, Head of  the Marines  aboard  the Hermes Pointed to the seats to have everyone settled in quickly. There  was a side bar  for coffee , tea and  soft drinks for  anyone who wished them.

   Please be seated..... The Commander said as he looked to Monroe. The Captain checked over his list and nodded, and sealed the doors. No one  would be permitted in...or  out..until the briefing was finished.

  Nodding to Si, shepassed her hand over   a disk on the screen. There was  an Image of  a Demon Destroyer, This is.. The Demon vessal  "  Horror "...it was taken...by us, when i flew fighters  out of the Olympus...it was of little use to us..we beat the  living hell out of it..and the Demons  who survived trashed  most of  the operating systems... we did get two Demon fighters out of the deal...we  use  them to train  our  Pilots.

  Nodding once more  another  vessel showed up, this a more streamlined  thing. It was  marked  with the Sanri flag,..This is the " Mark of Hope"...one of the first Sanri trade vessels  to  come into our solar system...it  was destroyed,  the Demons  got 90% of  the salvage, we only found  bits  and pieces...however..there  are 14 Sanri on board  the destroyer  we are Hunting. Our Mission, is to Capture  the  destroyer..if possible...and it  would help the Council..to no end...if  we could recover most, if not all the Sanri on board.

  Si switched the screen to  Jupitor. there  was  a red highlight around the southern Hemisphere,..we are going to hunt the thing  in the South...The Olympus  and the Salvage tenders that patorl the area  looking  for metal  and astroids, have  found  nothing on top....Here is  why you all are here.

  Si stepped up to the microphone,  Lt Shadow   and  Ensign Montgomery will head off in opposite directions  to  find traces of  the  ship. Once you find  it...you will report its  co-ordinates and stay out of  sight until we send the fighter wings  to support you.

   clicking  on her  laptop  she said, Ensign  Locad  will pilot  the Boarding Shuttle. Its  is more heavily armored then the  cargo shuttle and carries   twin Lazer guns on a turret on top. You will be taking  the detachment of MArines to breech the hull and board her...or...land in thier  bay, and secure it...

  Which brings us to Captian Monroe. He  will bring 14 of his  best troops  along  with the  two spec opts mebers  we have, Master  sergent  Spenser  and  Chief Lyri Mullins. Spence  and Mullins  will be assigned offically as 'security '..but  thier skills  are why they are  there..we expect heavy  fighting   as you try to find the Sanri...and..take the ship from inside.

 another click and she continues, Ensign Killian will be going as the  Comm person for the marines...Ensign Ermanda is going to try and secure dialogue between the Sanri and  our  team, You may also have to broker surrender terms  for the Demons  if  the fight goes our  way...

    Shadow? Lt. Carole Frans will lead  Flight A   and B to meet up with  you, no matter  who finds  the destroyer...Montgomery? Lt Greg Hones will lead  flight  C  and D to meet you...when they come  there will be the second Boarding schuttle with  MArines to come  in..if...and only if  we have breeched the hull, or secured the bay...we cannot..must not ..let this ship get away. It has been hiding in the Gases of Jupitor for almost a month now...two days  ago in blew  the Tender 431 to atoms...all hands were lost, as was any salvage..but there is  an upside to this....Jutpitor will not let them call home....and  it is the same reason why we cannot  just scan for her..we  find it..track it..and bring it in..or bring it down..is this understood?


  Hack looked over the Room, Folks?  this  is the time  for Questions..from here you will be going...under guard..to get your gear, and be taken to your posts..you will not be permitted to speak with anyone..leave mesages..nothing...You see?  I was the  one  who canceled  the trip to the Olympus...as hard  as it is to believe, there are Demon sympathizers  out there...we suspect the Eastern Bloc to be full of them...so? we  either  sail into the Olympus  with  the destroyer in tow...or confirmed  killed...or  they send tenders  to find  what is left of us...Good Luck..and God speed...Shadow, You and  Monty leave now, the  rest of you will go, once the fighters have launched...

"Sir, do they speak the same language as us? I may be smart, but i can't pick up languages on the fly."

  The  Demons, Like  the Angels are , our  distant ancestors...you should be able  to ..at very least...pidgeon your way through it. My guess is, they  can understand us. As for as the Sanri go...your files  say you have completed the course, and while you wait on the hnager deck, I will have   a note book sent to you...so you may brush up...

Roy leaned back in his seat for a moment, considering the situation.  "What do we know about their close-combat capabilities?  Is it going to be of any value to us to take body armor in with us?"  He paused, and then added, "And do we know if THEY have body armor?  Will standard rounds be effective or do we need to load out with specialized ammo?"

He'd prefer standard rounds...anything that would punch through body armor could, conceivably, penetrate the hull.  Heaven help them if they needed explosive rounds.  Grenades were risky enough, but they weren't really designed for armor penetration...

He listened for the reply, while mentally preparing an inventory list.  Somehow, he got the feeling he was going to end up being either good friends or bitter enemies with the quartermaster group on the ship...

 ...The  Demons..the fighters have harden skin, they will also wear vests  of  sorts. The f ew that we collected  from the last ship, did not  give us much insight. They do not  seem to stop much more then the Neo-kelvar we use as standard  issue. Rivets is already transporting  a pallet of'Springers" to the Landing BAy that  you will lift off from. I suggest half  the men use  Springers, the other half split between Lazer rifles  and standard  issue solid  rounds...

(( Springers are gas propelled rounds, that Punch a small explosive charge into the target  when they hit..the explosion will take  a fistfull size  hole  out  of  a human or animal..and can disable mechs...none have been used on Demons thus far.))

..Hunters  are out, Commnader.

  Hack  smiled  as he headed towards the door,..Good luck people....get to your stations.....  with that, Si  and HAck took the  elevator to the bridge.

Roy shrugged, and nodded.  If the Demons' armor was about as durable as their own, it stood to reason that their weapons would be similarly destructive.  It was possible, of course, that their armor was designed to protect against a specific effect their weapons utilized, rather than simple ballistics, but he could worry himself silly trying to second guess what MIGHT be thrown at them.

It wasn't his preferred style of fighting...but he was well-qualified for close-quarters battle.  SMG with armor piercing rounds, two sidearms, extra ammo...I can carry all that.  Aid kit, in case we get any wounded or rescue any wounded.  Full breaching armor... That would weigh as much as everything else he planned to carry...

Emergency breather, tactical knife...and, what the hell, let's take a kukri, as well.  If they actually did end up in face-to-face combat and firing wasn't an option, he wanted a heavier blade in his hand.

It would be heavy, sure...but if things got exciting, his load would lighten quickly as he expended ammo.  He was planning on going in with a Springer, and just kind of shedding gear as he went...if things were slow enough, he'd collect his empty magazines, but a raging firefight didn't usually spare time to worry about such things.

He walked over to Captain Monroe.  "Sir, I've got a recommended gear list that you might want to look over, and adjust as necessary.  I've never gone up against a Demon, so if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them."

  The  boys  opening the door  will wear the breeching  armor..no use any one else  being  weighed down...can carry more  ammo that way. I will ahve  two runners in the shuttle  to bring up ammo should we need , or have to change..be real nice  if  Blasters worked, so we didn't have to worry about mags...I want everyone to have at least 2 concussion grandes..I hear Demons  can't stand loud noises..something about  membranes burst or  something like that...like to see if its  true....You ever  work with Chief Lyri before?

Roy shook his head.  "Can't say that I have.  This is my first tour off-planet.  Truth be told, this duty isn't my specialty, but you probably know that already.  But, if it's got a trigger, I'm pretty comfortable with it.  You'll understand, I hope, if I carry a few extra mags on my own...and tuck an extra plate in my tac-vest.  I'm used to being reliant on myself, pretty much, and while I'd like to be optimistic enough to be sure we won't get cut off from our ammo supply with the runners, I'm also cautious enough that I want enough ammo on my person to be able to fight my way back to our ship if it happens."

Yes, it was extra weight...but he was used to packing a gauss rifle and powerpack, and it would take an awful lot of ammunition to be that heavy.  "I'm assuming you've got a demolitions man in your team?  Shaped charges might help us with the breaching of internal bulkheads, if we have to.  And I'd recommend at least one frag grenade, along with the concussion grenades.  Better to have it and not need it..."  It was a holdover from his father's military training...if you thought you might need it, you'd better take it.  That line of logic had kept him alive several times, even before he got into the military.

  The Captain nodded,  Take a few if you like...it may be that that a frag  could be  our best bet against these things...I was in a firefight  with a small team of them on Eros..we both wanted the place for a base..we won..but we had ATVs so we couldn't  tell much...I am sure the bodies  were tested, but thus far, we have not been given the word  on what kills them the best...

  HAck had  wanted  a spec opts team..they let him bring three..You , Lyri and a Halfangel...Chief Hri Nas...Hri NAs is waiting for us on the Olympus. You and  the Chief  will be the ones who supposed to bring  them down from far...Hope you'er  up to it. The  Sergant of the Breech  team ws the same fellow who  breached the domeon  a Astroid 760...if he can do that..a destroyer wall should be easy enough..

A grim smile crossed Roy's features.  "Oh, don't worry.  I'm REAL good at keeping people down at long distance.  That's one of the reasons I'm a little leery about this boarding action...normally, if someone gets that close to me, it means I've really screwed the pooch, somehow.  Just need to get my target range readjusted, is all..."  He chuckled, drily, with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Sounds like we've got a good team, then.  I'll go requisition the gear I need from the quartermaster...maybe I'll see if they can just make some of it regular issue, so I don't have to keep going back.  Though I may need a larger lockbox in the armory, if they do."  He snapped a salute at the Captain.

"See you on the hangar deck, sir."

  The Captain smiled,Carry on  Master Sergent, get what you need...we may not  get another chance like this...

  as they finished  talking  the breach team entered the hanger, a small duel hover  torch in tow. Rivets going over with them how it  works, the man and  woman nodded in thier  heavy breaching  armor, but listened to the Manitanece  Captain

  For  the better part of the Hour, the people assigned to the attack tried to kill time, some paced, played  cards, chatted, checked thier weapons..Then the Commlink came over the  speaker to the Mission hanger..they heard the exchange with Shadow..at first   there were curses, things  thrown, and more then a few hanning head...Until they caught the last part...and the  red lights  came on, and the klaxton blared its warnings...

  MArines gathered thier   weapons and boarded the shuttles... Thesecond  Hanger bayb opened  and Fighters  took off ...two fights heading towards  Kray, two flights  headed towards  Monty.

..Lastly The Shuttles buttoned up, and Launched into the  starry backdrop..they  remained halfway between Kray and Monty as did the  Torpedoe ships...waiting to see where the destroyer  went.

  Commander  HAck, the Two  Sanri and Beth Morrow  stood on the  stage, the screen was pulled  down for showing  slides  and  footage if needed.

 Shadow  was on  of the first to arrive, and was going to sit  in the back, until Hack called out,...best if you sit up front, this time around  Lt Shadow....

 Kray's smile  grew  just a bit, and he moved up to the front  row, as the rest begins to filter in

Roy walked in, glancing around curiously for a moment before taking a spot along the back wall.  He dropped his duffle on the floor and stood with one foot resting on top of it...a simple and effective way of discouraging anyone from fiddling with it.  Probably a needless gesture here, but he wasn't taking any chances.

-->Hangar Bay

Hannah filed in behind some other members of the boarding party and grabbed a nearby seat. Absently she massaged her hands. They needed the relief after the white-knuckled grip she'd had on her equipment for a while there. She hadn't done horribly but she knew she hadn't been stellar either, though she supposed that just meant she had more to learn. No point in getting maudlin over her first time in a firefight.

Besides, moping really wasn't in her nature.

Having settled that in her mind she kept massaging her hands and leaned back, waiting for the debriefing to start.

  Looking   as the room filled, almost as  if he was ticking off the  roster in his  mind, he called back to the two marines by the door,,,Looks  about  right, step out  and close the door, no one comes in unless they were  in the off-ship  action...no one..understoof?

 The Corpral of the two nodded his head, and they stepped out closing the door, standing in front with thier weapons across thier chest, and the safties off.

    Frist off?   As   i will announcem later...I conrgadulate all here..all on baord the Hermes. This  was the  first Ship to Ship contact, since , well going back to when i was  a fighterpliot. Even then, the  Fighters  and Torpedo craft took out  the Demoic  craft. Now? The ship we have taken as a Prize,  was heavily damaged  by the Sanri warship...no doubt that saved  us alot of causlites...regardless..we won...and...we are bringing in a ship...not to mention, everyone's  sack load of  credits  when the Angels  buy it.

    second? I know   we have  some rough spots  to iron out...but it  will always be that way..the nature of the beast, you might say..Now?  Ensign Beth put together  the Comm loags for me, and along with that, the Gun Camara's logs  that not only confirm Kills, but give  us  a good look out there, when the Computer puts them all together...You might say? there is no place to hide.

 Now?  Escept for me...for the next hour. There is no rank...no service branch..Just you people, and me..I amgoing  to go into the  encounter...i will point out  wrongs and rights...and i may ask questions..THIS.... that last word  came  out strong  and  loud, with steel behind it...  this is the last chance you will have to comment to some one who outranks you...or perhaps, you feel didn't  do thier jobs..I...as Commander..will judge those  charges..once  we leave this room...the only thing  i want to hear, as that the air is cleared..Undestood?

  ..So..before  i begin? Does anyone have anything to say...when i am finished, you will have your chance to argue...counter..whatever you wish to call it..but it will all end in this room.... he looks over the group waiting  for anyone whomight  wish to speak up.

Roy looked around the room.  This was hardly his first 'after action' analysis, although this was doubtless the most unique.  However, one of the quirks of being a specialist of his nature was that he often had the freedom to call into question the wisdom of his superiors...many of them had never seen combat on the scale he did, just a streaming representation of it back in a command bunker somewhere behind the lines.

He was curious to see what Hack had to say, personally, and a lot of the expectant looks he saw, on the faces he could see from the back of the room, told him he wasn't the only one.

  Taking  a seat, near where Spenser  stood, she grined  and whispered..This  is where it  gets good...

 she  shut up though when Hack turned her way, and she began concentrating on chewing her gum.

Stoly slipped into the room.  He had passed off his charges to a couple of naval wonks.  Apparently they had feature roles in the post-game show.  Stoly liked that word “wonk.”  It fit the subject.  And, being an Angliski thing, he could pretend he didn't understand it.  Wonk wasn't in the dictionary, he'd checked just to make sure.

Stoly shoehorned his bulk into a chair and waited of the talking to begin.  Hurry up and wait.  He reminded himself it was rude to sleep through these things.  This would be his first after action debriefing with the Americans.  He'd heard they handled things differently.

  Two of pilots  of Lt. Frans wing  looked at her..she cleared her throat and said,I have  some issues  witht he  Way Lt. Shadow handled  our  engagment, with the  Demon's  fighter  group...according to  our   Training, we were to  return with in Gun Range of the Hermes so we  would get support...

  Hack nodded a moment  and  looked down at Shadow,..Shadow?

  Without  looking  back, he looked up to Commander HAck  and poited at the screen,..when you run the films, you will see the 2 breeching shuttles at the Demon's Hull, the  second  one just arriving, had  we pulled bcak, they would have...or  at very least, could have, split thier  force and taken out the shuttles, while they harrassed us...According to  everything i have read in battle-tech. ground forces need the support  from the air...in this  instance, all we could  do, was make certain that they still had thier rides home...

  Hack nodded once  again and looked towards Frans,Anything else?

  Frans' face  was red  with anger  and  embarassment she held tight to her point,..we lost  three fighters  because of his reckless  attack..even though  i asked him several times to pull back...

  Shadow looked  just a bit  angry himself as he replied,  we lost 3...we accounted  for 20,,not  to mention the  ones that surrendered  after Stevens waxed the wing  leader. I do not like to lose  anyone...even you, frans...but it beat the hell out of the shuttles being lost, or the hermes being attacked out right.

 Commander HAck  nodded as frans sat back down. Shadow shook his head  but  said nothing esle.

  He motions to the 2 Sanri behind them,  Lady Linne...and he  MAte  Linee have given the boarding parties thier  compliments, on  jobs  well done. from thier  report . out of the 14 missing Sanri. there were only 8 left...two of them are here  now. and Catain Monroe  said you saw the  body of another..that  means  there are 5  unaccounted for..we  can only  hope  the Major   finds  them.

  Lady Linee steps up to  the  podium, she says in fairly good  english..thick with the  Musical tones of the Sanri..On behalf  of  my Mate, and myself. I thank you for our  rescue. Our  fate, would  have not be  a good one, had  we been taken  back to  the Demon's  home system.. I have  made it  a point, that  those  involved  will recieve a token From the Sanri as our thanks.

  Commander Hack steps up with a  slight Bow  to Lady  Linee, as both the Sanri  are led  away to thier  quarters, and some much needed rest

  ..thus  far..we have  heard no comments  from the Captured demons. We have folks talking with them now, thus far, those  who have spoken have commented on fair treatment..that is  a good  thing...but let me lay this out on the table. Had the positons been reversed...only the  women would have survived the  take over...and they would not be the lucky ones...

     I have   techs  combing the  Demon craft now..they will give  us  some idea of what kind of  ship's  guns they use. even  food that they eat, though we know that we are on the menu, if they get the chance....We have two of thier fighters on board...once the techs   go over them, the pilots  will take turns learning to fly them, so you can gauge thier responses in battle. Now? Does  anyone from the broading parties have anything?

Roy squared his shoulders and stood upright, more or less at attention.  "Sir, are we to take your comment regarding the Demons' treatment of prisoners as an admonition against offering quarter to the enemy?"  His distaste for the idea was evident in his tone, though his face betrayed nothing.

  Commander Hack  looked  at  Spenser, there  was a slight  smile on his  face  as he said,  Master Sgt Spenser....there  are  5 races i know of...Human, Sanri, Angels, Demons, and Occis...of the 5...only  one race  will eat thier  foes...Now...there  are other races  , I  am sure..have  herd many  a rumor as a Pilot, stopping  at  Boader plantes and  moons...But..The Demons are rather  heartless..perhaps...a better word  is souless...They Use  females of  foes to breed with..the offspring that come forth..normally Kill the  mother  at birth...IF...the offspring tests out..it lives to continue in the Demonic  cycle..if not?  it becomes  a delicacy for some high positioned Demon...They  are Omnivores..but relish the taste of thier foes' blood...

  He looks down  for  a moment then a quick glace  at the  doorway the Sanri had left from,  Taking the priosners  was a good  investment. We  can trade  them  for any of  our  people, or allied  captives   the demons have...even now, The Olympus  is  sending out a space wide  notice  of the prisoners  we have  and  that they will be offered for trade...There  are very few humans that  have  fought  face to face with demons, and have come out on the high side. We  did well... but let me read this to you... he  looks around the room, To you all...It is from the Sanri to the Angels. It came  from  the Occis's  planet Kori..this  was  sent  about  a day before  my squadron met up with the demon  destroyer...it  says....'...to all allied  Races, and planets of the  Sanri  home system...It is will deep regret and  fear, that i say, The demonic  home worlds  have declared total war on  all races not subject to them...the  planets that have foolishly surrendered, that  The demons   do not respect as warriors...are  now being turned into  demon nurseries  and  food sources.  The Occsi, The  Sanri  and the Angels have signed  a delcaration of total war, against the Demons  and her allied systems

  He looks up  from the  web-book  and shakes his head,..now then Master Sgt..to answer you question? If  they surrender...if  lives of our people and our allies  might  be  saved  by taking them..then yes...we offer  surrender...To be honest..i do not understand  why the ship struck its  colors...perhaps, the beating it took from the  Sanri, was enough to soften them up for us... But  we  could   be bringing home  some  captives because of this...So..in the end? it  will come  down to each  encounter...and how you feel...you  should handle it. Does that help answer the Question>  Master  Sgt  Spenser?

Stoly made a note of the pilot who spoke, and of the two that looked to her.  That was his very own personal hide they were complaining about having to cover.  And he knew from experience that flying the shuttle was easier than sitting in the back waiting.  This couldn't go unanswered, but the debriefing wasn't the place for it.  He'd think of something.

The commander gave them a clarification of the terms and conditions of the conflict.  Outside of potential prisoner exchanges, this was war to the knife.  Russians knew a thing or two about total war.  Stoly wasn't sure the Americans got it, they had a history of being squeamish about that kind of thing.

  Looking around the  room , Hack  continued,..as you may...or  may not know. Those  who are involved in combat   get  a raise in credits...no cap limit..thanks to the Angels...The whole of the ship  will get  some  bit or  raise..Pilots  will get   some credits  per kills...Boarding  party gets some... he waves his hand  as  if  to dismiss it, then Looks  down at Shadow  and Stevens, However..because of this...I must clarify  a Kill ....

 Using the clicker .the screen came up  with Shadow's  craft diving on the  red  Demon craft...his weapons flashing  and  impacts on the  Red craft easy to see, as  was the  spill of fuel or gases...that were about to  Ignite...when Stevens  finished it off... Shadow..You claimed  7  kills..."  there are murmurs of  surprise  and some of  disbelief... Is that  correct?

  Aye..it is...

  Stevens..You claimed  2...

  ..Aye  sir...

    The   techs  say the Kill should go to Shadow  as it was..........

  Shadow spoke up,  It's Stevens  Kill sir...he finished it off...had he not, and it  was  able to turn about...it would  have  crashed into the Outboard shuttle...he stopped it...end of story...sir...

  Hack looked down on Shadow, a bit displeased he  was interupted...but nodded  at the account.Normally..i do not mess with  Pilot's  claims, unless the gun camaras show they are liars...Shadow..this is  an Important kill...

   Kray  shrugged  his shoulders,..Aye Sir...Stevens  followed me in...as  a wingman should,,,he saw  what was  at stake,,he made sure  the  Boarding party had  a ride home..that was without  us knowing the Sanri  were recovered...its  his  kill sir..I will not  except it...to his credit..he   did not claim it  at first..he did so  on my say so...but its his...I don't  care what Monitor Jockey said...

   Hack nodded  , a pleased smile on his face, as he looked over  at Frans and her two cronies, Right  then ,Lt  Shadow..spoken  like  a Wing  Leader...Stevens?   The  fellow your torched was   The Highest ranking   Ace  of the Demonic  Navy...he had..234 kills...40 or so of them ESN pilots...because  you brought him down...The Sanri and the Angels are awarding you thier Stars of  Achievement..you will also gain a bit of  monthly credits  for that..Congradulations...feel  any differnat Shadow?

  Kray  was  Pounding  Stevens on the shoulder  with a grin  on his face,..No sir... His Kill..I will go to my grave with that...Congrates  Stevens!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:52, Thu 10 Mar 2011.

Roy didn't answer Hack's question.  It wasn't any insubordination, but a look at his face showed a calculating expression.  He'd always felt that the best way to win--with honor--was to treat your enemy better than he'd treat you.  With the Demons, however, that didn't sound like a terribly challenging proposition.

Thinking about what Hack said, there were a few things that happened on the Demon ship that made more sense.  He couldn't help but wonder, however, about what kind of welcome the soon-to-be-traded Demons would get.  If their forces had obliterated surrendering races, it didn't bode well for their healthy 'welcome home'.  The Demons might not even want them back...

His musings were interrupted by Shadow's enthusiastic outburst, pounding one of his fellow pilots on the back.  I'll ask about that later, Roy told himself.  The question of Demon psychology...how they fought and why they fought that way...was something that he'd be spending a lot of time contemplating.  Sniper duty was often reliant on understanding how your enemy operated...knowing which target to hit for best effect...and he intended to develop as deep an understanding as he could of the Demons.  Knowing them would make beating them that much easier...

  Commander Hack asked  some  question to Monroe  about the  detail, he seemed to  be satisfied with  the answers.

    Alright  people, That  about  does it. Once you step out the  door, Your Ranks are in play again. If  anyone has  questions, or needs to talk with me, My door is open, or  you may approach  me on the bridge..hell...if you see  me in the gym...Just don't be afraid to ask... We  will be at the  Olympus  inside of  2 hours...Shore  leave  will br rotated by 2 day intervals...everyone  in here gets  to go on the first shift..enjoy yourself...try not to blow   all your  credits..and remember  Rule s state you must  have  a sidearm  at all times..That is  all...

  As  everyone  Got up to leave, Monroe  calls to  Shadow and  tosses him the burnt salvage  tag...The Pilot grins   and sticks  in in his Jacket pocket.

Hannah stood and headed for the door. The idea that if the battle had gone poorly she could have been used as breeding stock was enough to make her a little nauseated. The fact that any baby she might have had would have just killed her wasn't helping any. And was it just her or did Lt. Frans get way too upset at Shadow? Perhaps the lady doth protest too much.

She grinned at that thought. She'd have to ask Lady the next time she worked on her comm system, though if she was any judge she wouldn't have to work too hard to get Lady talking. Maybe tomorrow.

-->Hermes Sails

Roy stayed deep in thought as people began filing out of the briefing...playing and replaying scenarios, trying to anticipate which results would be most favorable in any given situation and how to get them.

One conclusion came to mind, very strongly...he was not likely to get much sniping practice out here.  The gauss rifle system had been developed especially for sniping in zero-atmosphere environments...but one had to wind up planetside for a shoulder-fired weapon to be much use.  That meant a trip to QM, for an expanded weapon locker, and getting assigned an additional weapons to use, besides his sniper gear.  Probably an assault rifle...the SMG was good for close-quarters work, but after being face-to-face with the Demons, he decided he'd rather have high-velocity rifle rounds, rather than the pistol-loads that were standard for SMG ammo.

The last few people were making their way out the door as he shouldered his bag.  First stop, his quarters...second, QM, to return the SMG and explain his expectation of upcoming action, and see if he could talk the Quartermaster into parting with an assault rifle.  He'd figure out what to do with the rest of his shore-leave after that...

He'd just grabbed his bag and turned for the door when he found his way barred by the Ensign he'd called out on the Demon ship.  Not sure what the man wanted, he let his bag slide back to the floor, and raised his eyebrows slightly, trying to look courteously inquiring, and hoping it didn't come across as mocking.  "You've got something to say, Ensign...err...Mister Ermanda?" he asked, correcting himself with a quick glance at Xero's name-tag.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:49, Sat 12 Mar 2011.

Stoly stood up an left the Mission Room.  The Command seemed happy with the results of the action.  Stoly felt pretty good about it himself.  He'd survived and at least one Demon had not survived him.  And the Demon ship was now theirs.  Pretty good haul...

>>----->> [Off Duty]

"Please, no Mister. Just Xero. Rank doesn't exist, remember? Even if we were outside and i was a general, I'd deserve the same treatment." He pauses for a second, but continues before you can speak. "I'm sorry about what happened on the ship. I didn't mean to go against your code of honor, or whatever you call it. I thought it was the only way, and lives were at stake. You can punch me if you want, just don't make it bad enough that I'd have to report it to the medical crew." He stands motionless, waiting on either a punch or a response.[Since my Psychology score is high, tell me the gist of what Roy's thinking/feeling.]

Roy was, frankly, surprised at the statement.  He'd already put it behind him, and he shrugged.

"Well, a few things...first off, 'Mister' is a general title of respect where I grew up, which is why I used it instead of 'Ensign'.  At the moment, I don't have to recognize you as a superior, or an equal, or an inferior, depending on how you interpret rank structures in the different services...but that doesn't mean you aren't still deserving of a degree of respect.  You didn't get here by raising your hand on a whim--something you've done got you selected, and I recognize that."

He paused for a moment, considering how best to continue.  Personal honor was a touchy subject.  "As for the situation on the ship...you had two trained snipers in the crew.  Dealing with hostage situations is part of that training, and part of that is the understanding that any time a negotiator promises safe conduct, safe conduct is guaranteed unless and until the hostile does something that warrants intervention.  Like I said, if you wanted the Demon shot, all you had to do was stay out of the way...if I didn't have a shot, Lyri would have.  The moment you stepped forward, you compromised our ability to act, which already had me a bit out of sorts...when you promised safe conduct, you effectively tied my hands, according to my training.  So turning around and telling me to shoot him, at that point, got under my skin...I was already microns away from dropping the hammer on him when you intervened.

"I don't like creating a false impression that we're ready to negotiate.  Knowing what I know now about the Demons, I'm even less enthused by it.  If we're going to negotiate with them, it needs to be in good faith...but I'd prefer that they get the message that taking hostages isn't going to help them, in the first place...that there will be no negotiation, only death, if they try and hold someone else as a shield.  We've got the technology to visit that kind of consequence on them, and I don't like to see the effectiveness of that message clouded by a negotiation that never had any validity in the first place.  That just makes dealing with them in the future more difficult--if they think we'll negotiate, there will be more hostages.  If they don't think we'll negotiate fairly, the threat to those hostages will be greater.  It's nothing personal...aside from the fact that your course of action would make my job that much more difficult, in the future.  If we're lucky, there's no internal surveillance footage so this incident was completely isolated."

He finished his explanation, and shrugged again.  "Like I said...it's nothing personal.  It was...I don't know, call it a 'lack of professional courtesy', I guess.  I know how to drop a target that's hiding behind someone, especially if their human shield...or Sanri shield, I guess, in this case...is smaller than the target.  He wasn't going anywhere, so your actions just...muddied the waters, for lack of a better term.  And I don't like dirty fighting, even if the enemy does.  I'll do it, if I have to...but we didn't have to, there."

Again, he shrugged, and fell silent.  His explanation had appeared totally frank, and without any hostility...just a little frustration that was possibly just as much due to his struggle to find words to explain himself as due to the situation itself.  He gave Xero a level gaze, saying nothing further, and apparently waiting.

  As  those who were summoned find thier  way to the Mission room. They see...two sets of Guards out side the doors.  Two Hermes marines  armed with Pulse rifles and  a Sgt, with Sanri sidearm  and a Stun rod....across from them are Three Olympus Police. They are armed as the MArines, thier Sgt carries stubby machine pistol.

  Filtering in, They see  Commander Hack with Uniform panys on and a workout T-shirt that says 351 on the  front  and Hermes on the back. The LC is dressed in sweats. On the  stage with them are Two Olympus suits and One Olympus Officer..they are dressed casuelly, but the Military man has on  a jacket that has his  rank as Colonel.

  There  are  a few others in the room who are strangers...threes of them wear jackest that have  a shrouded figure  of "death", a scythe over  his  shoulder  and the right hand points  to "you"  The  Jackets have EMS above the  ensigna and "Harvestor" below it.

  As Hermes  folk make thier  way into the room, The Commander  or the LC point  out the section they are to sit in.

Stoly decided to be early to this briefing.  He'd been late to the last one.  And he wasn't babysitting this time so he didn't have an excuse.

Stoly was impressed by the guards out front.  He didn't expect the police.  Stoly hoped this wasn't about the little bit of fun he'd had on shore leave that had gotten out of hand.  After all he hadn't started it.  Stoly went on in.  If it was about those punks, well he'd geta good lawyer and do some brig time.  He'd been in the brig before.

Inside, the Commander and LC looked like they had come right out of the gym.  The LC pointed out a seat for Stoly.  That made him nervous, no one had ever cared where he sat before.  Stoly took his seat and put on his “good soldier” face.  There were no police in here so Stoly felt better about his prospects.  There were a handful of civilians in the room, some Olympus people and a few naemnikyi.  Stoly wondered if he was going to be the dancing bear of this little circus.

Roy schooled his face carefully as soon as he noticed the Olympus security personnel.  This was twice, in relatively short order, that they'd turned up where he was at (even beat him here, this time).  Nothing in his face indicated any concern or suspicion, however, and he nodded to the Hermes guards as he stepped into the room.

For the scantest moment, a look of annoyance flickered through his eyes when he saw MORE Olympus personnel in the room, but it went no further than that, and he noticed the Colonel's insignia.  His glance fell to the Harvestor personnel, and he looked askance at Commander Hack, but said nothing.

At the Commander's direction, he took a seat.  It was far enough away from Stoly that they couldn't discuss things without being overheard...so he sat back in silence.

 As they approached the Door, Kray saw the  OPs  and the Hermes  security..somene is here  who needs  watched over...or think they do..

  They entered the room, Kray nudged Hannah towards  the seats  that LC was pointing to...He was held  up for a moment One  of the Merc  Pilots who was asking him something about the game.  As HAnnah  sat down, Frans  sat to the Left of her, Miller  to the right and Beth sat behind her,  well now...how  was the  Time  with Shadow..he take to look at new  thrusters  for his fighter? Frans' voice  was sarcastic....how  was the  dancing?.... Beth's voice  was excited.....he didn't  do anything  stupid , did he? Miller  sounded like an older sister...

 As Kray walked over  and saw the seats  around  Hannah filled, the LC pointed to the chair in front of them with a slightly Bemused  smile. Before  Kray Could sit, and other Voice  called out..A merc with  A CAptain's  tunic on, the  same ensigna as the  others,well well CAptain Shadow!...Great to see you!" Kray Turned  and started to  LAugh as the Two men shook hands.

 ..Its  LT. Shadow...not  CAptain... Frans  said  with ice in her voice.

   No thanks  to You and your Father.... he looked at the  other LAdies there..The LC  stepped up to listene, as she seemed  interested  in this Merc.....This Guy here..Always gonna be  Captain to me... Month before gradutaion...Old Kray here was already givin his Bars...we had to Fly   the  Gauntlet..each year  it changes...we all got  one run on the course...then you have to do it  solo...the Instructors  and drones  wait  for you..You have to beat the time, and not get "killed"  and you pass..if you fail..counts 1/4 against yor grad  score...well..someone''s FAther was the guest judge..he deciedes his daughter wasn't good enough at the  Course that was chosen..so he switches the  Course right before  the test...well..CAptain  Shadow  was  mad..not so much for Himself..but  for us guys in his flight...so what does he do?...He breaks into the proctor's  hall...slips the safe..finds out  what course we are to run, and  we  all go  out  that night  and run it in aircars....next morning?  we all pass with  flying colors...Until Frans's told her  dad  what happened...Shadow  was demoted..all the way down to Ensign!...but  ended up a full louie before graduation...I never  forget someone  who's  done me good..nor  do i forget them  that's done me wrong... he slapped   Kray on the back,  Gotta  go back  and sit  with my boys  until this  is done..we're gonna be working together  i hear...

  The Fellow  moved  back to his  Crewmen  and  Kree looked at Ht e LC who have a raised  right  eyebrow and  a small smile,..Breaking and entering ,Mr. Shadow?  Kray  shrugged,..was looking out   for my Men LC...I'd  do it again...

 She nodded,..have a s eat..we  are about to start.....

  He  looked shee[pishly at  Hannah and the  women who had  her  surrounded...then  sat down..The Commander nodded to the back of the room and the doors  closed.

Hannah took the indicated seat and at Frans's tone her eyebrow shot up. She smiled to Beth and Miller then shot a dark look to Frans and leaned back in her seat. "Well, let's see, now... How did the evening go? Well, we had dinner at the best restaurant on the station at the best table - for free. Then he took me shopping and let me go crazy without having to pay a dime. Carte blanche when shopping is fun..." She held up her right hand to admire her lovely little 'ring.' "What was next? Oh, yes, we went dancing at a club and then our personal driver brought us back here for this meeting. In all, a lovely night out." Good lordy, Shadow was already rubbing off on her... but Frans was starting to tick her off.

She fell silent and listened carefully as Shadow reunited with his friend. It was all too easy to imagine Kray breaking into an office to deliver his own brand of justice for his team. She just returned his smile when he took his seat and fought the urge to lean forward and tweak his ear a little. She'd done that all the time to her brother when he'd called shotgun. Guys just hated that...

  Miller  and Beth gasped  a bit  as Hannah held up  the Ring,..he got you that? Kray you rascal! Miller  said  as she  whacked him on the shoulder..

 Beth shook her head,..wow... was  all she could say

   Frans' mouth opened  and closed and she just huffed  a bit  as she crossed her  arms and looked up at the stage...her lelf  foot  rocking  as she  crossed her legs.

  Shadow's  head bobbled  as his  Quarterback whacked him on the back...Then The Commander  spoke up,..Right Folks...we need to get this out of the  way, so  we can enjoy the rest of our shoreleave...The Good Colonel here...felt  that it  hisduties needed to be taken care of  now...so? To get this over  with..we  can get back to some R&R and get ready for the game...

  He stpped back. the Colonel seemed a bit  displeased by Hack's  tone..the Frenchman began to speak, Well met, my friends... I am here to present  some awards that some of you have been awarded...My orderly will be around to hand them to you...

  As he spoke and gushed about  the Hermes crew and thier duties and heroism in the filed..he named off those who were on the boarding party  and the Pilots  who have made Kills..Stevens, Of Course , was not there as he was being Feted on the Staion..but  the s medals that were being awarded this night, were below what he had recivede for the Dwoning of the Top enemy Ace.

  All the boarding part, including  Stoly have been awarded the Bronze star from Both  the Sanri and ESN..Shadow was given the  SAnri  Bronze  Cross  as Well as  the ESN Bronze Cross for his 7 kills....once all the hardware  was handed out..The frenchman looked over the Hermes  folks and began to make  an offer.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:46, Fri 08 Apr 2011.

Roy caught some of the louder commentary on Frans' little snarking run, and rolled his eyes.  He didn't need to hear what was actually being said to recognize the tone of voice...and he had no use for people like that.  He was debating whether or not to say something when Shadow's friend spoke up in greetings to the pilot.

By the time the little discussion was done, he had even less use for Frans.  Good pilot or not, she was doing a fantastic job of showing herself to be a really lousy human being.  He opted to keep his mouth shut for now...but he definitely had little use for her.  Probably bought her commission, too, he mused, as he looked to the Commander to start the briefing.

  The frenchman Colonel Jean De Louk, The Air  Commander  for the Olympus smiled  and nodded as the  Orderly finished handing out the little boxes. The  he began,..Your  Good Commander  has allowed me the time to make this offer...I will detail this to yuuo...and you will say  yea or no....

  LT. Kray Shadow. We offer , to you..the rank of  wing Commander for the Lower Squadron...your pay will be doubled and you will  recieve the RAnk of Captain, at the end of the month.

    Master Sgt Roy Spenser. You are to be given  the  run of the OlympusSpecial operations  Force...You will train  and have authority  over thier missions...again..Your  Pay will be doubled....

 Antonin Stoly Stolyarev, You will be given the rank of  Master  Sgt. You will be  given charge of the Motorpool and the training  for those who need to use  the Vechicles we have there....your pay will be doubled....

   Ensign Hannah Killain..You are to be  in charge of the  Comm systems and repair  for Olympus  station...You will recieve the  rank of  full LT  and your pay will be doubled......

   as way  of helping you choose...Your  Friends Tester and Xero have  already accepted thier offers...we are sure you will.......

  NO.....was  all Kray said.

  But  Monsieur Shadow..you do not.....

 ..Aye...I do know...and no..I am not going..I signed up for the Hermes....Commander Hack accpeted me...I'm staying here....

  The frenchman looked beside himself...The Commander smiled  as  he Looked over  at Major  Cummings who was not  at all pleased, none of his  'after party' troops  were awarded anything..Cummings   reached into his pocket and handed  Hack some Credit Chips...

Roy had his decision about as fast as Kray did, but he at least did the Colonel the courtesy of appearing to consider his offer.  "That IS a handsome offer...but with all due respect, Colonel, I signed on to go out and perform missions, not assign someone else to them.  While I have no doubt that your forces on the station are noteworthy, I'm a working man...meant to be in the trenches, not telling someone else to get down in there.  I have to decline."

He hadn't signed on for the pay in the first place...and if he had, he certainly wouldn't have specialized in sniper training.

 The Frenchman's  mouth  hung  open as he looked  over at Roy,..your  other  two friends..Ze had taken zee offer without  ze blink! Are you mad?

  HAck held out  a hand, his  fingers  motioning to Cummings...who gave  HAck  another few Credits...he looked  disgusted  as he shook his head.

Hannah bit her lip and looked down at her hands. The money would mean her mother could retire. It would also mean leaving the Hermes and Hannah didn't want that. She was just starting to fit in... Mom would understand. She hoped.

"I'm... I'm going to have to respectfully decline as well, sir. Thank you for the offer."

She clenched her hands in her lap and stared down at them. She didn't regret her choice, not really. It just meant that she would stick to the original plan to get her mom out of that damn job. She liked the Hermes and Lady was funny as all get out. She'd be happy here.

  The Commander fought back  a chuckle  as he  held out his  hand once more. The Major's  face  was red as  a beet, handing the Commander another few Credits/

 The LC looked over  at those who spoke. She  gave them the briefest nod of approval and a slight smile.

 Wish they would offer me that! Frans Grumbled  a bit.

 Me too! Kray leaned his head back, looking Upside down at the  ladies,with a grin...Miller   chuckled.

  From where he sat Roy could  hear the Mrec  Captain say,  Told ya...never have to watch your  back  with that one...

  The  Frenchman Looked to Stoly so see what he had to say.

"I am thinking there are no Demonyi that need killing in your motor pool.  I must decline your very kind offer.  I bore easily and many people have found this inconvenient.  It is for the greater good.  You understand, Ne pravda?" Stoly said.  "Unless... you can ship Demonyi in?  Let us say twice a week?"

Roy flashed a winning smile at the Colonel.  "Better make 'em big, nasty ones, too...just to make it kind of a challenge for him."  He hadn't been surprised by Stoly's answer.  Though he hadn't known the Russian long, he just couldn't see the guy as a motorpool sergeant.

In reply to the offer (msg #47):

Hannah bit back a laugh at Shadow's comment to Frans. She didn't dare look at the woman for fear she wouldn't be able to keep from laughing. She did, however, reach out to lightly flick her fingers at the top of Shadow's head, careful not to make contact. Her grandfather had done it once to her and it had hurt like the dickens. A smile escaped and she shook her head at him then settled back into her seat to listen to the conversation as it continued.

  The  frenchman looked  disgusted  He turned  and caught HAck getting  the LAst of his Credits from Cummings.we  will be going  now, Commnader! I hope your  players  are smarted then your crewmen! he stomped out of the  doors, He  and  the OPs outside  signaled  for the  transport and shuttled off to the Station.

  The Commander dismissed all of cummings men and the Major...all that ws left was   a few fighter pilots. The mercs.. Roy Stoly, Hannah. Kray  The Bridge  Grils   and Frans with her two "wingmen".

  He  waved  for the Merc  Captain to  come up to the  stage, First..I wish to thank you for  staying with the Hermes...I have picked well...we lost two of ours  to the Olympus...but  i am hoping that does  notreflect on  the Hermes. Secondly..I wish  you to meet Captain Henry Roles. A Graduate of the Acadamy on earth  and  friend to  Kray...they  worked thier  way up  from the docks  to flying  warships..Because of the size of  our Navy...the AP ( allied Planets) have allowed us to sign Merc units. They will gain coin  of course, as well as  share in prizes..They will be   our partner on the  Sccout  run coming up...

   Glad to meet you all..some of us know one another..othes do not. I am hoping we wil share alot od profit as well travel together...

Roy quirked an eyebrow in surprise.  ESN hiring mercs?  Stranger things had happened, of course...but it still struck him odd.

Of course, there were a lot of things Hack had done since the Hermes had boarded her crew that Roy considered odd.  Thus far, it had all worked out for the best.  So, he was willing to reserve judgment on this one.

Stoly turned to Spencer with a big grin on his face.  "Did that frog just call us stupid?"  He laughed,  "Right now we have better military record than last 250 years of the French.  We are safer here than Olypus.  Even the famous Legion Etrangere are lead by French officers."

Roy flashed a big smile at Stoly.  "Well, actually, I think he initially called us 'mad'...which, let's face it, is probably accurate.  Then he asked if our players were smarter than our soldiers...conveniently neglecting the fact that some of our players ARE soldiers..."  He flashed a grin at Shadow and Miller.

"So, I don't think he actually CALLED us stupid...just implied it.  But, hey...what does it say about HIS crew, that he wanted to hire all of us stupid people?"  He sat back, chuckling, and gave at least part of his focus to the merc captain that had addressed them, to see if there was more to come.

  The Merc captain looked over  the group  as he seem to study them with a practiced  eye..It has  not gone  well for the Frenchie, my  new freinds. From what my people tell me, he has been trying to Hire certain folks off  the  Hermes roster...he has  only landed the two he spoke of..if i am correct?

 He looked back  at Hack, who nodded in confirmation.

   We  will be going  Demon Hunting. The lack of ESN ships in this  quadrant has made My ship, and others like her...a good option. We will not  let you down...  He Motioned to his crewmen and they stood up as  one, and proceeded to head to the Door,..Shadow? Miller?  Good  Luck tomorrow..See if you can take that Bastard Sanri DB out for me...You do that...and I cover  your shore leave at the Fuji..

  Miller nodded and Kray smiled,..You got it!...By why do you have it in for him..I mean..me?  I can see...we have been talking  through  sprotcasters  since the middle of the season..why...

  Roles looked at  Shadow and said,Crenshaw.... he's in Moonbase Med Lab...don't know if he wil walk again..they know he won't  fly again..the bastard  cheap shotted him..he'll be gunnin for you...you know that...

  Miller frowned a bit as he said that, Kray however,..he's not leaving the field  under his own power..I've  seen the films..we have a game plan for him...By the start of the second  quarter..he is going to be worthless...By the forth quater..he'll be on the bench..or on a strecher.

 Roles  Grinned,..we have a surpsie  for you folks too...Olympus has moved the game up to the  Stadium in the Uppers...They think they are going to have   more folks  there then you...  he winks  and  walked out the door..

    Alright  Hermes...you can all go about your Buisnees..finish your shore  leave..get ready for the game...  everybody rose  and headed towards  the door, But  Hack cleared his throat Roy, Stoly, Killian, Shadow...hold on  for a moment please..I need to speak with you about....your  shore leave...

  the  others  looked at each other, frans  had a smirk onher  face as they walked  through the Door, Miller caught Hannah's  eye and winked...The Major was the last to  leave  with  a huff....

  as the  Room cleared  and the 4  sat down, Hack  and the LC  walked over  and sat near them ,  Right then... Hannah? How did you like  your Leave?  Shadow? did you enjoy yourself?  Roy, find  everything you need, Stoly? how was your  first leave  aboard a CArrier station?

  Then he turns to the LC,  It is now  entered into the logs that you have spoken to the crewmen  about thier leave....


  HAck nodded,..so?  If anyone asks..we  talked about yor leave, and you will not be lying... his eyes  scanned the  4..his  fingers  tapping on the  edge of a vacant chair, Coming up...the day after the game..we will sail  For   The  outer rim of the Milkyway...There  the Fuji is the CArrier  station. The Hera is her Cruiser...the Tin  and  The Shale are out there  as well...There are  three planets  in that sector...Delta Prime is in our hands..the biggest, and  earthtype..we get alot  of goods there, to send home, and to trade...Delta Sigma is smaller, a bit further  away, it has been terraformed  and is an outpost and a mining  planet...however  Delta Omaga, is a prime  planet...food,   goods..and most important..location...it is a contested  planet..we have   SAnri and Human settlements there...however the demons  have a presence..and its  rumored that the locals on that planet, might be making  a deal with them. The Locals  are called  Mulls..furry Humanoids that are non techs..however, they are smart, and understand  power..credits have been flowing in there from both sides, and they are starting to build...another  player in the game are the LArgrans..they  are  Lizard like Humaniods...Like the demons..they eat humans when they can..they also experiment  with halfbreeding...There are  Nargrans on the  planet now..ambassadors...there is  a grand BAll coming up..and our ambassadors, Sanri, and the LArgarns are waiting to see who the Mulls join in thier allaince.

  Looking at the 4, he says..we  will hunt on the  way in...but our duty is to deliver  the Ambassador from the AP to the meetings....at least on the surface...the real objective is  two fold..first...we must establish ourselves  as valuable  Allies..or a very least...damn scary  enemies...the second part...and this   is no matter  how the meetings go...is to kill the NArgran Ambassador and, find out who the Mull is that  is working with them..and take  them out as well... he nods to  the LC as she  turns  her  laptop around to show  pics  of the Furry Humaniods and the nasty looking Lizard folk,  we will need three shooters on this..Roy..you are one..Lyri  will be another...here  are some names for you to look though...pick which one  you want to bring along....Stoly...You will be driving the   Breaching Shuttle that we will be taking down...You may also  need to drive an Armored carrier on the planet, should we need to use it to escape...Shadow..you will fly LAdy down as the lead of our Escort...Frans, Pruss  and Eclkes will also  be there..its your flight though..  before Kray could  say anything, he was stopped  by a look from HAck, his shoulders slumped.  Hannah, if things  go the  way we think..you and Shadow will be breaking into some of the offices  at the palace...we need proof of them working with the Nargran...Roy? By the  time  we land there, we should have the locations  of the NArgran targets , so you can set up. The trigger work  is in your hands, Stoly will be doing alot of  cover  things, from driver to escort...Shadow and  Hannah... your  gathering will be important, as we will need  any thing we can get against the NArgrans...and the Mulls..if this goes  south.

  Hack rose  and  smiled, right then..off you go..enjoy yourselves...each  of you have  lockers in the Quartemaster's cage, for putting things in you don't  want hanging  around for others  to see...Kray?..Good Luck tomorrow..now..get going.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:10, Sun 07 Jan 2018.

Roy glanced at the images, and let his eyes play over the list.  It wasn't long, but then again, they were looking for a pretty specialized skill-set.  "Two questions...First, do we have personnel files on these people that I can review, before I start trying to narrow down my choices?  And, second, what information do we have about the location of vital organs in the NArgrans?  And the Mull?  I don't want to waste a perfectly good head shot if their brains are in the center of their chests or something..."

The jovial tone he'd had just a few moments earlier, when talking with Stoly about the French Colonel, had vanished, and he was all business at the moment.  To listen to him, shooting the ambassador and any other targets was little more than flipping a switch...only a little flicker in his eyes gave any indication of the moral conflict he fought every time he pulled a trigger on a live target.

  LC Si Printed out a slip and handed it to Roy,these  are the  people  we have  what it  takes to get the job done...part of your task, is to pick the one that will not get  us killed...

   Kray stood  and smiled a bit,well then...I have to be at the filed  in the Morining, Game starts around 8:00 Hermes  time...any one got  spare Credits..put them on us  to cover...if yuo got  alot  to spare..put some on us to win...Gonna check on LAdy before i turn in..Hannah?  You going anywhere?

   Commnader  Hack Sood  as the others  readied  to leave, the two marines at the door stood  redy to open it,, Stoly, Roy, Hannah...when you get a chance, you should  check out the hidden CArgo bay. The Goddies Shadow  fetched are there...the Shuttle  docked  about  a half  hour ago. The QM will let you in...

"'Hidden cargo bay'?" Roy repeated.  He couldn't help the incredulous note in his voice.  "You gonna tell us we've got an unreported squadron of fighters on here, too?"  He cracked a smile, and added, "Sir?"

Most of his military career had been built on covert activity.  He actually felt surprisingly at home with the whole situation, he realized.

  The  Commmander looked at them, He smiled  as Shadow grinned, Hack explained, As of  5 years ago, all ESN  ships are built  to a certainmold now..but...the  first 5  ships of the Cruiser class where built to the Commander's requests. The Russians  favored the Demon logic. Their ships  are slower, but more firepower..they carry less fighters because of this. The Athena  and the Hermes  are built  with slightly heavier armor then the minimum, but i have  a larger Hanger bag, larger  CArgo bay and  our  Foundry is a bit bigger...we only Carry 4 heavy guns, but more torpedo bays...But..Under  the Quartmaster's warehouse is  another hanger bay, that is hidden...only  the Athena  Commander would even think to look there. Right now, we house 2 Demon fighters in there. As well as equpment  Stoly  might be interested  to see. There  are workshops down there...each of you have stations  all to you own..or at least you will..once  you put your stamp on it...we have to put our special gear somewhere..

With a dry laugh, Roy shook his head.  "So, NOT a whole squadron, huh?"  His mind was racing, though...secret space, a potential workshop...a foundry available...he was definitely going to need to get some more information on gun-smithing.  There was no knowing what kind of one-off weapons he could come up with, given a good machine shop and enough time...

He filed that note away for future reference...something to ask Gresh for, next time they came back through the Olympus...

  Kray cleared his throat,  Master  SGT  Spenser?  If you go below and i am not there.Ask them to show you my...er...winnings. They will assume you are cleared, if you are able  to enter  The Hole....But there are two cartes..never opened them, but they have a .50 cal. sniper rifle in each..brand new...sorta...they are made after  the  things  used in the  early 2000s..A collector bet those  agianst 5000 Credits, that i couldn't  fly an air car through the  College  Acadmey stadium gates...anyway...you might  want to take  alook at them.

  Hack looked  at Shadow,where  in the hell did you get 5000 credits?

 The pilot laughed,I didn't  have  5000 credits...but?  if i would have missed the gate? he couldn't have collected off me anyway...

Roy's eyes gleamed.  "21st Century sniper rifles?  They aren't Barretts, by chance, are they?"  The Barrett had a reputation that had lasted far beyond its standard operating lifetime in the military...it had been, in fact, one of the most popular .50 cal weapons of the late 20th and early 21st Centuries.  He could do an awful lot of damage with one of those...and while they were heavy, they were a lot lighter than the gauss-rifle models he'd been trained on.  Barretts didn't need an external power source...

http://www.military.com/video/...l-shot/665219835001/

  Not sure..something like that..name's  stenciled on the  crate...he kept harping  about the  .50 cal thing..i figured  i could sell them, but  when the Commander signed me up, i brought them with me...

Roy laughed.  "Odds are good, it's a Barrett M82, or one of the variants on the design.  The things were so effective that about 25 different countries adopted them for use in their military...made it for anti-materiel stuff--shooting APCs, bunkers, etc, but the thing was an incredible way to 'reach out and touch someone'.  Some of the models had muzzle velocities over 900 meters a second.  Nobody came up with a better tool for the job until they figured out how to make man-portable rail-guns...and then they had to figure out how to make a round that survived the firing on those."  He grinned, ruthlessly.

"Fantastic plausible-deniability weapon, too...the thing's been out of regular service for about a century, now, but it's still a solid option.  If you've got a pair of Barretts down there, my only concern will be coming up with caseless rounds to go in them...and that shouldn't be too difficult to manage."  The sergeant looked very pleased by the news, and glanced down at the list in his hand.

"Guess that means I should also look for someone who's at least comfortable with not-quite-antique weapons..."  He hated reviewing personnel files, most of it was usually pretty dry reading, but with that kind of news, he'd make himself do it.

Hannah just listened to everything, a little dazed. The look was in her eyes as she turned to answer Shadow. "Not, erm. No? No. I wasn't planning on going anywhere."

She really wasn't a ditz, but Hannah liked to have time to process and consider. Things seemed to be moving very fast. By the morning she'd be fine and up to speed, and more than ready to head down to the "secret area" and take a look at her workstation - and all the toys she'd purchased tonight. For now, though, she was just feeling a little silly and a little lost. Her brain would process it all while she slept.

With a small smile she stood and nodded to Commander Hack and the LC before looking to Shadow to take the lead.

  Kray smiled at Roy,..well..you take  a look..if you can use  them?  they're yours...supposed to  be some rounds in each Crate ..he sold them that way..all the stuff...there is a good bet the armorer can make  about anything you need...The QM will know the crates, poor guy has been stashing stuff   for me since i arrived.

  He SAluted  HAck  and The LC..The LC pulled Hannah aside  a moment and  talked to her quietly

(( after  Hannah speaks  with  the LC))

 Walking out of the Mission room, Kray smiles at Hannah,Well, that wasn't too bad...been a long day for you though?If you would  like to  go to your  quarters?  I will walk you back. If you have  some energy left, I was thinking on taking a Look  at Lady, make sure  the Techs patched up the holes the Demons  put in her.

 As they  made thier  way to the "lobby' of the ship, there was  some  voices,"  there he is..just in time!"

  A sgt of the watch  looked at Shadow with a  frown,  Sorry sir, they have passes..they  are here for a Quick interview...

  A  Blonde  woman who seemed  starry eyed, yet still had a grasp  of her professionalism Stood  to the  right of Hannah, keepingn her next to  Shadow  as she began Molly Banks here on the ESN Hermes with  star wideout Kray  Shadow and his friend...

  Kray  leaned  towards the mic,Hannah Killian..Ensign  Killian...

  well,,we  are here  for a Duel inetrview, Right now my counterpart, Wes Jols is  with the star DB Gruless, the Sanri   of  Olympus 2... What  does  mr. Gruless have to say?

  HAnnah  watched  Kray, he  gave her the slightest of winks as the Sanri began to speak,..I must say...you are very small to  have so much talk about you...some say..you..talk too  much...I am not afraid of you..Mr. Shadow..

  Kray smiled at the  Camara, the woman looked at him with the Mic as if she was in heaven,Well, Mr.  Gutless...I can't  say i know much about you, because i have not seen much of you on the films, seems you never make tackles, Mr. Gutless? Our  Kicker has  5  more  tackles then you..and she only has to tackle  folks on Kickoff returns...so..I can't  say I am afraid of you...Mr. Gutless...

  The Sanri was visbaly Upset as  Kray  stood there with  an idiotic  smile on his   face, Molly leaned closer to him, in front of Hannah,..er..um..Mr. Shadow? His name is Grueless...not  Gutless...

  You make the fun, of my name!...I will take you out of the game, like i did  others!

  The Idiotic  smile faded, Kray took the  Mic  from Molly and leaned closer to the Camara,..Tell you what Gutless....if you are still standing  by the end of the game..I will quit the sport..you are going to be hit  hard...you are going to be hit often...and..most of the time..its gonna be me/..the gravey train is over Gutless...tomorrow..You play football..for the  first time in your life!

  The Sanri  went to answer, But  Kray grabbed  the power cords of the  camara feedlines  and  jerked them out. He handed the  mic  back to Molly, There you go miss  Banks...I am assuming that's what you wanted...

  Once more he offered his arm to HAnnah, and let her pick the direction for them to go.

 It took 50 seconds, before the interviews  flooded the  monitors, and sqwak boxes.....

    As Shadow and Hannah left the Room , HAck asked Roy and Stoly to hold up  for a moment.

In reply to Kray and Hannah (msg #68):

Hannah smiled in thanks and nodded to the LC before she moved away. She hurried back to Shadow and smiled widely at the suggestion. "Let's go see your Lady. I want to check that coupler on her anyway." She grinned and was completely taken by surprise by the waiting press. Hannah moved back as quickly as possible when the reporters rushed Kray. She had no interest in being splashed across vids if she could help it.

Once the manly posturing was over she accepted his arm and turned in the direction of the hangar. "Hanging around you is going to take quite a bit of getting used to. Is it always like this for you? Must play heck with your social life..." She grinned to let him know she was only joking as they headed toward Lady.

-->To?

  OFF DUTY
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:06, Sun 10 Apr 2011.

“Well, we turn down promotions and we get all these new toys to play with.”  Stoly said.  “Shiny medals too.  Now we get to go meet interesting new demonyi and shoot them.  The Lord works in mysterious ways.  Good thing He loves us.  I'm looking forward to seeing that armored personnel vehicle.  I don't have as many arms as those blue fellows do.  Might make driving interesting.”  he looked thoughtful for a moment.  ”What kind of person passes information to Demonyi about his own species?  I don't tell my mother what we do out here.  She was military too, knows better than to ask.  What profit is there in selling out your own species?”

  Hack should his head,it  goes back, as far as when the Angels were chipping  wheels out of stone. There are the ones who fear losing what they have, so they deal with the devil to keep it...or...the greedy, who think if they side  with the bad guys, they will get power, or Position..what they don't understand..or  don't  WANT...to understand, si they are nothing  but Judas goats..and they will be eaten  along  with the others. I'd like to see pop thet Mull and the Lizard-ambassador and take  care of the leak on the station...but...we have  som work to do first, and maybe  by the end of the game, one of ourgoals  will be reached.

Roy shrugged.  "Well, I need to go take a look through this list, first thing...especially if I'm going to make it to the game, as...ah...suggested."  He grinned, and added, "We've got invitations to Gresh's suite...would that be a strategic place to look from?  Or would you prefer us out in the crowd?"

  Commnder Hack looked  from Stoly to  Roy,  You got an invite from Gresh? he  reached over  the conferance table  and pulled a tablet over, making  three rectangles the drew another one for the field,  The  Hermes team will be here...this  box is ours..this is the Olympus  highrollers  suite, and this is  Gresh's  suite. with you in Greshe's  and  us, in our own..we will have the high rollers  bracketed...watch  for those who might be over  interested in what we are going to do, wher  we are going ect....and watch thier reactions to the game. According to our coach...it isn't goig to be pretty...

Roy nodded.  "Right.  Eyes out for suspicious behavior in the suites and high-rollers areas.  I'm not altogether certain I know what passes for suspicious behavior amongst high-rollers...but I'll make sure I keep track of any anomalous activity."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "You suppose QM has any binocs with camera capabilities?  Maybe I can use the game to mask a little photo recon, as well...at the very least, I can look like I'm really enthused about what's going on down on the field..."

  Hack  thought for a moment...If he doesn't Shadow  should  have something in his bag of  tricks down there. If it can be stolen..Shadow has already taken it...if it  can't be stolen..its only because Shadow doesn't know it was there yet..

  he Grins,..ask the QM..if he  doesn't have anything, ask him to  check Shadow's optics...if you see Shadow  running around here, ask him..but i'm thinking  you might not  see him until after the game

  His Smile  fades  just a bit  as he looks at Stoly and Roy once more, believe it or not. There are alot  of folks, for  alot of reasons, who want to see us fall on our  face...on the field and off. You might think we are years into the war...but this is just the begining. we have to sort out  those behind us, as well as those in front of us. We had a report that the  ESN Canary..a med ship that was ehaded this way to bolster the fleet that is forming up here, had an accident...an explosion in its reactors caused  an overload in thier engines  and thier heating units...from the reports of the salvage, it appears there may have been several bombs placed on that ship...The ship was based on Moon base...they last crewmembers to come aboard  were Eastern Bloc....there wre only one hundred or so survivors...out of  some 10,000 aboard?

 ..go, get what you think you need to get..try to enjoy  the  last coupledays  we have here.

Roy cleared his throat, and fumbled a little bit with the list...not doing anything particular, just trying to mask his discomfiture at what the Commander had just shared.

"Wow...with a pep talk like that, how can we not be excited to get out there?" he finally managed, in a sardonic tone.  He flashed a tight grin at the Commander.

"Guess I'll kind-of-see you at the game, sir..."  He fired off a salute, and turned away, walking out of the Mission Room and off to his quarters...like he said, he had a list to look over.  Time to find out who's naughty and nice, he joked to himself.

Stoly thought about the game for a moment.  ”They serve drinks that these games, ne pravda?”  He said,  ”This should be a good time then.  These medals should get us into parties where we would not normally be able to go.  See things we were not meant to.”  Stoly added,  ”Drink things bad for us.”  He laughed.

”Of course I am really wanting to see that newvehicle.”

  well?  the  Sanri APC is   in the  lower hanger  with the rest of  our vehicles ..you can browse them all...and the Suites  have bars..the  hosts pay for the drinks..so you can get some of your money back from Gresh!

Stoly shrugged, ”I should get ready for the game.  Drink first, drive armored vehicle later.  ”  Stoly gives the Commander an enthusiastic salute and exits the Briefing room

>>> to Off Duty >>>

......clear to ready for next  Mission brief.

  Commander  HAck   and the LC entered the briefing  room, Guards  outside the door  would not permit anyone  in until the taime slot allowed...unless they  had Clearance.

  The Lc  set up her lap top then  started  the coffee and tea  machines ..we  won't  be calling the others in for an Hour or so?

  Hack nodded as he  sat in the Big stuffed  conferance  chair,..no real  sush  as far  as that goes..we listen to Lt. MAl see what he  has to say, then figure out the bearings it has on the mission..then we'll call the ambassador and the others.

Mal came in with Cindy and he didn't look well. His synth skin was cracked even with the gloves on and his eyes burned with something that looked liked fury. Those who had been in great pain would know the look though. It was the mind focusing while in intense pain.

Mal had Cindy set up a 3-D holo-display, attached a computer unit to it and started putting in secure data modules. There were quite a few of them.

The display and details went on for some time but the gist of it came out in what Mal said and showed next. Every thing Mal said was displayed in vivid holo details in high resolution while he talked with figures scrolling confirming the find.

Mal said,
"The Wisp taken as a specimen is hermaphrodite and a breeder. It doesn't need a mate to procreate and can actually design what sort of offspring it will have down to their functions and mental imprint.

The location here is where the genetic data seems to be manipulated from so that it can make variations on it's progeny. This series of glands seems to trigger the actual pregnancy and we believe it is done at will.

The first priority should be to contact all those involved in getting this specimen and informing them that they just became number one target for the Demons. The good news about that is Demons aren't used to taking prisoners, don't know how really, aren't programmed to do so, and have to figure it out. Which means they'll be seeking to track all those there during the capture but not actively engage. They'll be months working out how to actually capture a ship without damaging it and a few more months trying to figure out how to capture a particular person and interrogate them.

The section right here with the genetic data is a font of information. If this Wisp can be made to begin gestation and then have her awareness suspended, then we could find out how the species is actually made. If we take the progeny while she is unaware then trigger another gestation.. We could abort that one and know who they destroy their defects internally. Knowing that would give us a biological weapon that could destroy all their current Tank forces, perhaps more.

There's all sorts of details that this brings to clarity as well. There's the hormonal system which could trigger all sorts of horrible events to happen to them. We could have them killing each other or maybe even produce our own that would have no other prerogative but attacking the parent species...." then Mal held his hands close in to himself. They were starting to bleed through the edges of the gloves and he was making sobbing sounds that were breaking through his control.

He said, "That will (deep breath) have to do for now...
A med tech.. and..." then he sat on the floor and wept.

  Call in the Med Techs..see what more they can do. Cindy...what does this  mean..I mean...There was thoughts of Clans, or tribes  or somesuch thing, and they had a queen of sorts..if they have these..why have a queen?

Mal stuttered,
"Fail failsafes...
So one type...
Attack can't..
wipe out species...

Must be more ways.. to make Demons...
Variations.. and

It started with Queens...
So would be all.. you.. say.. an an more..." then gave a kind of howl in pain as he said,
"Turn off display before med tech gets here!!" and curled in protectively on his hands.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:36, Mon 25 Apr 2011.

 Cindy  did as he said, without Hacks' acknowledgement...to her, she was the Military , he "boss" right now  was Mal.

  The  med techs  came in..shaking thier heads, And shot to the neck, and the other medtech slowy peeled the gloves off. He opened his  case  and sprayed on the foam skin, then gave Mal a shot with a tiny hypo in the back of each hand. He was ready to explain it to Mal, but turned to Hack, who pointed to Cindy, when the Poor Med-tech finally figured out  who to talk to he said,..first batch didn't  take the whole way..this  should do the trick, I gave he some Dremicell injections to speed up the flesh reformation..gonna be at least until tomorrow  that he can use the hands  somewhat

Mal's eyes glazed a bit, he slowly uncurled, and then lay down on the spot. He'd had all these types of burns before, just not all at once. He'd been off for several days then, but he was an explorer at the time.

Now he'd be able to think, but be intoxicated, he could work with that. At least he would be able to later. He'd have to restrict his use of his hands for days though, maybe a week or more even. For now they might as well be stumps.. painful stumps.

What was in that shot. He was feeling really good in a way but he was also getting tired and...

Then the only thoughts Mal had was in dreams. He was laid out in a drugged sleep.

  Hack Nodded to the Med-techs and Pointed to the  corner of the  room up  by the stage,..Puut  him up there..we  may not need him for the part the Ambassador is here..but..we may need him  for the Unit's   part....

  Cindy  Nodded   and Guilded  a stuffed chair  to the Indicated corner  and  pulled up a folding chair for herslef  as the Med-techs  began to settle Mal in.

  Si moved  about the room with two  of the Orderlies , seeting  up a holo Screen and projector  for the Ambassador's  part of the meeting,.  The Commander  fliped throuhg  screen after  screen on her  lap top, going over  for the 20th time, the "extra" part of the missson, Looking up at the Clock, there was a little over  an hour to go.

Mal came to and went,
"Owww.
Err Hate to be a wuss or something but can I get something for this pain?" then the med tech came over and gave him a shot.

Getting used to the wasted state Mal said, "Tell me Commander Hack..
Are all your days so.. busy?
Just wondering if I should upgrade my insurance or something....

Exciting ship you have here... heh.

Any details or questions on the material I brought?" then sort of leaned back and held his hands up like they had huge mittens on them.

  Commander  HAck smiled just  a bit,On this  ship, even when we are doing nothing...we are doing something. Once the Briefing starts, I am thinking you will be as surpised  as the Ambassador..your findings, might...be hand in hand  with  what was found on the  Demonic  ship we captured.

Mal quirked a slit grin and said,
"Be in Hand with what was found on the Demon ship, huh?

Nice pun Commander Hack and yet;
still accurate and literal.
Very well done sir!

I think I'll be bloody stunned with what you have to show. Especially since you've managed to provide the solutions to theories and conjecture I've been working on for over a decade.

I understand as a fellow explorer what it is to make these finds. To feel you've contributed to your species. Without my training I'd have never seen what you had here.

Einstein was right. Reality isn't as strange as we imagine. It's stranger then we CAN imagine...

I'll try to behave myself and stay uninjured for company sir, all said while sitting almost statue still in the comfy chair.

 The  Door slid open  and the Ambassador  and his wife  entered, they took seats on the stage Three of his personal;  guards  came in...two Hermes guards  made one of them leave. The Ambassador spoke up, But Hack waved  him of..his ship..his rules...

Mal got up and wandered over to where the Ambassador and in a hushed voice said, "Better behave Ambassador.
Trust me, you do not want to tick these guys off.

See my hands?
I messed with their computer.
Just saying..." then wandered back over to his seat and sat down, eyes closed, and as still as a statue.

 Te Angel Ambassador  looked  at Mal, his wife put  a hand on his  arm. When Mal got back to his chair, Cindy was shaking her head,yea..that's a good  idea..scare the Ambassador..like he doesn't love us  enough already...

  The  door Hissed open, Frans  walked in  with Eckles, she scanned the  room looking  to see who  all as there, and took a seat in the front row of chairs, Eckles sat behind her.

  Hack looked up everytime the door hissed opened, as if annoyed, he would look at the LC  and she would  shrug..he stood there tapping  a pen on the  desk as he waited.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:20, Thu 28 Apr 2011.

..Commander..is it common  for your crew to show up late for thngs?

  Frans  spoke up,..Maybe some of them are not on the ship....

  The LC rose, But HAck hand out  a hand for her to sit back down, As you were, Lt Frans..i am most certain the Ambassador  was speaking to me..if you would like a job at the desk to check people in and out of  shoreleave, I would be very happy to give  you the job, when we get to Fuji Station..

  Frans  just smiled a knowing  smile. He wasn't seen since he left...and he was never late...

A few moments later, Roy entered the room, arm-in-arm with Angela, chuckling over some comment or joke shared just before the door opened.  When he saw that others were already present, he straightened and snapped a salute at Hack.  "Sergeant Spencer, reporting as ordered, sir."

Yes, he'd had the presence of mind to release Angela's arm before snapped to attention.  He waited in place until directed where to sit.

It would seem like it was planned because as Roy snapped his salute she did as well and spoke in unison with him. ♠"Ensign Morsan Reporting as ordered, Sir!"♠ It didnt even seem to faze her that they had to release each others arms but was hard to keep her serious composure and not smile at how things had gone thus far.

Stoly arrived a bit behind Roy and the fighter pilot.  Seeing Roy snap to attention, Stoly wasn't surprised  by the VIPs in the room.  He also snapped to attention,  ”Ensign Stolyarev, reporting as ordered, sir. ”

Stoly wasn't accustomed to see in this number of VIPs.  It made him nervous.  VIPs never showed up when things were going right, and he'd seen more of them in the past two days than he'd ever seen in one place before.  Well, any place where parades weren't going on.

 Returning the  salutes, he motined   for them to  take  a seat, ..Ensign Morsan. Please  come up here  and  take a seat next to Lt Eckles...save the seat neat to Lt  Frans  for Lt. Shadow...

  The Ambassador  was watching  Hack, but he seemed to be judging the  folks  who have entered the room as well.

♠"Sir, yes Sir."♠ She puts her hand down and makes her way to the seat she was instructed to sit. Glancing over to the ambassador and his wife from time to time a bit uneasy with them in there, they would know her past and might blurt it out to everyone else, she didn't show her uneasiness though and sat back with her arms crossed over her chest

   As the  reached the Door  he nodded to the guards. The Hermes  guards  smiled, one of them said,  Great game , Sir..you made  me alot of  credits...

  Kray  smiled,..Good to hear Corp..and thank you...

  As he tried to  put his Jacket on the Door  Hissed open, and the room  of people all turned to see Kray standing there with  Hannah, as  he tried  to get his jacket on...he  sorta smiled weakly..and they Entered, he went to sit in the back row, but...like last time.....Good of you to Join us   Mr. Shadow...You may have the seat upo  here next to LT  frans...Enisgn Killian  can sit behind you with  Lt. Miller  and  Ensign Morrow....Did yuou not here the pages?

 Kray winked  at HAnnah  and  moved into the room,..Aye  sir..I did..but  I...um...fell asleep watching game films..."

  when he got to the front row, he looked at the seat beside Frans..she  was sneering at her, just as Eckles  was giving Hannah a dark stare  as she moved to sit  with Miller and Morrow.

 ..Shadow?...we're  waiting....

 ..I..Um... know Sir..can  I sit else  where..I mean...

 ...Mr  Shadow!  Take your seat...or  find yourself  cleaning Grease Pits on the  Food court...

 Shadow  stared at the seat....

 ...Well?...

 ...Give me  a minute.,I'm thinking....

  The people in the room Busted up..Frans reached  Up and grabbed his  sleeve  and  Pulled him down into the chair...

  Morrow  whispered to  Hannah,...Fell asleep..huh?...she nudged  Hannah

  Kray doesn't  fall asleep durning game  films...he pegs  players in the head  with soda  cans  when they do.... Miller  Grinned  at HAnnah.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:25, Fri 29 Apr 2011.

Roy walked over to the indicated seat and sat down.  He had transformed, upon walking into the room...the guy that had joked and teased out on the Rec Deck, and even the hall outside the mission room, was nowhere to be seen.  In his place was a cold, analytical professional, waiting to be given a problem to solve.  He gave the Ambassador and his wife an appraising look for a moment, his expression betraying nothing, then turned his gaze on others around the room.

As he looked at Frans, a snicker seemed to flash across his face, for the briefest of moments...anyone who hadn't been looking right at him when it happened would never have any idea.  Familiarized with who was here, and making an educated guess at who wasn't, yet, he sat back, lost in his own thoughts for the moment.

  ...alright..Lock the doors. No one  enters  or leaves without my consent...  the commander looke dto the guards  at the back of the room. the door hissed shut, two guards  with powerd up pulse rifles  stood inside as well as the guards outside.

  None of you in this room, has seen this..those who found  it  we told not to speak of it...i Must warn you..these  pictures are not pretty...but the job  we do...is ...not..pretty...LC? 

 The  screen lit up a picture of beds with  cages  around them, almost all were bloody, and small cretures seem to  crawl about in them...This...Is  a breeding chamber found  aboard the  Demonic ship we captured...the  beds, at one time..we occupied By Human and Sandri  women...You see  here..are all that is left ...the infant Demons of crossbred blood...

  There  is  another still of Human and Sandri Men tied  down to tables  or against walls, a Wisp  and  a Tank, dressed in Light red aprons  where  cutting parts or, slicing off  chunks of  skin, and shooting   some of them up with  some drugs.....these are the Wisp  scientist and  its main helper...we  have them as captives on  our ship as  we speak...

  He looks over the room,..we  are not  allowed to release these pictures  as of yet...but i wanted you all to see what  they do with captives on a war vessel...one can only imagine  what they do on a science vessel...
This message was last edited by the player at 02:47, Fri 29 Apr 2011.

Oh, lordy, she could feel her cheeks burning as she sank into her seat. It had honestly not occurred to her what people might think if she and Kray arrived together late. When in doubt, go with the truth. "I'm not sure about the vids. I was asleep..."

And that just sounded worse. She slumped down in her seat and rubbed her collarbone, hoping Kray felt at least a little embarrassed too. Knowing him, he thought it was funny. If she was honest with herself, she kind of did too.

  Miller patted Hannah's  leg  and winked. Beth  giggled  a bit more.

  Frans looked over  at Kray who had turned to Wink at Hannah,...so..Shadow?..when did you get back..you and your  little friend?

  Kray didn't even look at her,..we  arrived right before we cast off...When the Commander and LC saw what shape  I was in..well..he ...

  The Commander turned to them..his voice  was sharpe...LT Frans? I am sure  you would love to  know every detail about what Mr. Shadow and Ensign Killlian did  during thier shore leave..but  NOW..is not the time...If...this will shut you up? The LC and I saw what state  Mr. Shadow  was in, upon his return to the ship...I asked  Ensign Killian, who is seems More the friend,then a shore leave  date...to escort him to his quarters, lest someone see him in his sorry state...Had i been force to have  a Guard  take him? I would have to have entered it in the logs..now...I hope that satifies your Fathers  questions  for you...

  Frans reddened..she had never been slapped  down by the Commander before...she just nodded her head.  Kray smiled, the Commander  managed to meld his two returns to the ship, into one truthful speech.

Roy watched the images and vids, his jaw clenching.  Well, this would change one tactic...he would start carrying a 'goodbye present' when going into action.  It wasn't a common practice, but there were some snipers who so dreaded capture that they'd carry a grenade with them...just for them.  If the situation looked beyond hope, they'd pull the pin and hold it close...

He had no interest in being vivisected by Demons.  And he had no intention of being captured.  But unexpected events did take place...and planning for them had kept him alive.  A little more planning, to ensure a decent death, was a simple step to take.

But his best bet was still to kill them before they got a chance to put him in danger.  His eyes narrowed with the thought, and he turned to look at Hack again, waiting for him to continue.

Hannah forgot any personal embarrassment as the images filled the screen. She bit her lip and shifted uncomfortably in her seat as it came home to her just how dangerous their adversary truly was. Yet more of her beliefs in the inherent goodness of all creatures were shattered. Of course, she was well aware that humans had done as bad if not worse to their own kind, but it was always a shock to her to see such cruelty.

Maybe she would have been better off on the Olympus. Of course, on the Olympus she would have been less than useless in helping to stop these... atrocities was the only word that came to mind. Lost in her musings she paid no attention to Frans's continued griping, but she began rubbing her collarbone again as she studied the images. What exactly could she do to help, realistically? Keep the people who could do the actual hard work connected to each other. No small thing when she really thought about it.

    Now..I show you these images, because  of what we...The Hermes..has set before us. This  is not...a war or words...this  war is not going to be  won, by diplomats....anything we can do..to kill demons and thier allies..we are going to do..this is total war....

  The  Ambassador is here as a witness...his standing   does not allow him to make certain....suggestions...to us...but...we are going to the Planet Dubbed  Delta Omgea..of the three  earth-like planets there..we own one, the Middle one is contested...as is Delta  Omega....The  Mulls...  he nods to  the LC  and  a Picture  of Fur cover humanoids come to the screen,..are in negotiations with the Nargrans...  he nods  again  a  picture of  Lizard-like Humanoids  come to the screen.

    The Mulls  are realatively Harmless..thier navy is small, and thier  skills are more suited to  being merchants...Thier  world , as with the other two, have Valuable foodstuff and trees..the trees  are  exported to earth and our terriformed  worlds, because  they grow fast and help clean the air... As  we sit here now, there are ground battles  going on between Human and Sandri forces, againts  the Largrans and Demons on the planet...

    we  will escort the Ambassador and his wife  to the planet..a small unit  of my choosing  will go down  to watch over  the Ambassador, and return  after the announcement is made, as to whom they will  be allies  with...They will announce that , the  next moring after the grand ball they are having  for the event...

  Sgt Spensor  and  Ensign Stolyarv and two ground troops of your choosing  will leave the Manor and  scout the area, making  sure no demons or LArgrans are sniffing around too close...Ensign Killian will be with  the LC and Myself ..we will need aircover... Frans? You will pick one  of your wing..it will be Eckles...Shadow? You will pick one of your wing..that will be  En Morsan..Kray will lead the  air  Group...

 ..why? Why would he lead  such a mission as this  I....

  The LC snapped,..As you were..Lt  Frans...

 The Commander looked at the ambassador , who also seemed  concerned that  Shadow was the lead flyer.....You do things  by the book , Frans...and there is nothing  wrong  with that....Shadow  does things to keep people from dying....I perfer that....

  LT. Roberts  and   Bio-tech  Cindy   here will also be coming down with us, to see what they can see, when we  are with the gathered aliens.

 ..any questions  before i go on?

Mal stood, turned to the Ambassador, and said in perfect Angelic,
"Na;shi dak, isshu~ (The hands were for the squirtgun joke. isshu is about need over want, a terrible necessity, dark miracles, and other concepts from several different angles. It comes down to basically one choice is no choice though.) then turned to the Commander.

Mal said,
"The Ambassador is an old friend Commander. I explained a point of view that was confusing.

I know Occui in the area.
I might be able to get us in more quietly and less noticed.
The Mulls would do much to trade with Occui," then he sat back down.

  That is good to know, howerve, Mr Roberts,we need to be there offically..if you can work a deal  with an Occui to be a fail safe  for the unit, to get us out? That would not be  a bad thing to add to our planning.

"Commander, if I may?  I'd like to request Mullins accompany us on the ground force.  She's got a sharp eye and experience on the ground."  The speech gave no indication that there was any sort of premeditation behind it...and for the stated purpose of the mission, Lyri was as qualified, if not more so, than Roy.

He continued, "I'm not certain of any other personnel aboard that I'd trust to the situation...there are a couple of prospects I can think of, but I don't know enough about them, yet, to say whether they'd be well-suited to a diplomatic escort."

Stoly going out with them was a surprise to Roy...but it was a good surprise.  With Stoly and Mullins, they might not need a fourth.  It gave him an option, and he loved options.

Mal turned to Roy and said, "Have me go in as advance scout.
I speak all of the languages, I'm known as the only human who speaks Angelic, my suit's a walking sensor suite, and what's one more drunk wandering diplomat?
No one knows that I've signed up, and I might still be on mild pain meds.
No proof I don't take them for fun..." then he shrugged.

Angela sat in her seat quiet, only looking up at Kray and Hannah as they walked in and sat down. She seemed lost in deep thought the whole time staring at the images as they flipped over, until she heard her name being put up as Shadows wing-mate and looked over to him with a slight smile, looked to Frans with an evil smirk unnoticeable to the others, then gave the Commander her full attention.

Roy glanced over at Mal.  "Advance scouting would be the Commander's call.  For the kind of checking that we'd be doing, a 'drunk wandering diplomat' would only heighten suspicion...I appreciate the offer, but if anyone's lurking and waiting for a golden opportunity, I don't want to put them on edge by having someone nearly stumble across them before we go out looking."

He could understand the eagerness...he was pretty sure everyone there in the briefing wanted to do everything they could to bring the whole war to a more rapid conclusion...even Frans, though Roy was pretty sure her great motivator was the thought of public acclaim for being the hero, rather than any sense of nobility or protection of her own species.  But, like many other jobs, using the wrong tool--or the right tool at the wrong time--could end up making things more difficult than they needed to be.

Angela lifts her hand as she looks around a bit "Excuse me Sir, how soon before we reach our destination? There's a few tests needed to be done on my ship before I could do any flying."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:49, Fri 29 Apr 2011.

Roy nodded at the question, and added, "I'd like the chance to do some research on conditions at the site...get familiar with the terrain, indigenous flora and fauna, overall planetary conditions."  All those would effect the execution of the mission.  And he still had another team member to hunt down.

Angela looks back to Roy and nods "And we could also work on where your going to station yourself and your group in case you need air support, somethings telling me that this is going to be a night operation."

Mal nodded to Roy and then looked to Commander Hack and said,
"I'll arrange for them to time deliveries of food so that when they leave is the same time as the troops need to move out.

Either they can slip out with the empty supply ships or they'll have cover for their vapor trails as the supply ships leave.

That good sir?"

  Ambassador?  The things we must take  care of  now is with our  Deep scout mission, I hope you understand...

 The  Ambassador rose   with his  wife, the bowed to Hack. As they walked out  the Abassador  stopped  and Looked at Kray, who gave  him a wide  grin and  a wink..the  Ambassador sighed  and shook his head  as  they walked out of the room.

 He took note of those in the room, making  sure there  was only His Unit, plus frans and Eckles, Mal  and Cindy, and Angela.

  clicking on the screen they could  see A bird's eye view of  a large Fancy Manor...roadway winding through the dense trees and thick grasses..there  was a  wall around the Buildind  some 8  foot high...all arounf the  Building  for  1/2 mile or so  was the dense  forest, and shallow  thick Plains...Dotted about the area were some  knolls..a  small stream , about 6 feet wide or  so , cut through the forest and Plains to the East.

  This....is the meat of  our Mission...if  word gets out..i will consider that it came  from someone here...if that would be true...you will end  up like Chief  Owens.  his  eyes  restesd on Eckles  and Frans  as he said this...

 Turning to Roy he nods,..You want Mullins, bring her in...At this point, the less we have the better..as long  as you feel yuou can get the Job done...Now..By the numbers...

 One...We escort the  Ambassador  to the Manor...LC and Myself, Mal  and Cindy  will be invited to the  Ball by our standing....Kray? I need to get you in the Building...if nothing  comes up before   we lnad  with the Ambassador..then I will have to make you my orderly..Hannah? You will have to play the part, one  way or the orther, as we get Kray in the building..you will need to be our  eyes  and ears, and help Kray with his...craft.

   Two..Roy, Stoly, Mullins...will be  sent out  to " scout the area" to make  it secure  for the HAmmers  we  are handing there...in fact, you will be scouting  a place  to try to get a shot at this Balcony.   he taps the  west side of the Manor,..the moring  we are to leave, The Mulls' President  is to announce what  side they have taken in the war...IF...they side  with  the Largrans...we need the Mull President, and the Largrian Ambassdor  killed....If they side  with us...we need the Largarian  Ambassador killed..either  way, the LArgarian dies..Understood?

   Three...Frans, Eckles  and Angela are going to  fly  high cover...they will stay at the craft over night..if any thing threatens the craft...you are to use your side arms , shhot to kill..then  get the birds out of there...if nothing distrubs you through the night, you will take  t the air  one hour before sunrise...to be our  air cover.

  Four..Stoly   will have   A Sanri AP waiting  for him and the shooters...if  we need you to come for us, we wil call..other wise i will fly the shuttle to the  Outpost to the  south and east of the road..The Outpost is manned  by Pro Human Mulls and Sanri...we will pick you up, and get back to the Hermes...Kray and  HAnnah will have to get out  in Lady..I se no problems there... Kray, You and Hannah  will be serching  for  anyhting in the MAnor, that we  can use to prove Mull interaction with  the LArgrans.

   Mal  and  Cindy. You will smooze with the  aliens there....try to learn what you can  about the Mulls..be damn nice to get a Largran prisoner...but i'm not pressing my luck on this one..when the Announcement is  made, You two have to be with us....you saw the films..there is no good thing , in being a priosner..

  He walks  back and forth  for  a second and says,..There are Demons on the planet...skrimshes are happening   all the time..the LArgrans have been keeping low , until the  announcement is made...if you come across  any of these..and you can kill them quietly..please do so...there is  a very good  bet, there is  a unit like ours  on the planet, from thier camp.

  Shadow..After  the Meeting you take Hannah to the Locker...Angela  as well..then look into you bag of  tricks  down there and see what goodies you can find  for them...

 Frans  says,..what about us?  she nods to Eckles.

 ..Sorry frans...Need to know  and all that..Roy Stoly, angela  and Hannah have clearance so far... he looks at them all and adds,..all four  of you go with  Shadow...we have  a bit more then a day before we get there...Hannah  can work On Angela's  MArk IV with her...

 Jumping out  of her Chair  frans  wires  out..WHAT!!!!...where did she get a Mark IV..and why!

  Angela  tried to convert her  Mark III into a Mark IV...according to  Rivets , che ended up with a III.5..we sent that to the  Athena, they gave us thier  MArk IV..seems like some folks thing it is more important to have weapons  were they can be used, rather then  just show them off....

 ..now?..any questions?

She listened to the orders like a child eager to learn something in a class room and felt a bit jumpy with the bag of tricks. She nearly jumped up with Frans but kept her composure until she couldn't hold back her snicker at the protesting look on Frans face. She looks to shadow then to Hanna with another smile of excitement, she might finally get her revenge.


She stood up "Well I don't have any questions thus far." She flattened out her outfit a bit before sitting back down waiting for the dismissal.

She listened to the orders like a child eager to learn something in a class room and felt a bit jumpy with the bag of tricks. She nearly jumped up with Frans but kept her composure until she couldn't hold back her snicker at the protesting look on Frans face. She looks to shadow then to Hanna with another smile of excitement, she might finally get her revenge.


She stood up "Well I don't have any questions thus far." She flattened out her outfit a bit before sitting back down waiting for the dismissal.

Roy nodded to himself.  The 'either/or' condition on his mission made things a little trickier, but it could still be done.  He'd have to rock/paper/scissors Mullins for who got the guaranteed shot...but the 'maybe' shooter would get to play with their new toy, so it was a tradeoff.  But the half-mile shooting distance would be an easy shot, even for the standard sniper rifles.  The tricky part would be finding a hide that could accommodate two...or two different hides that provided a view of the same balcony.  He'd take a closer look at the map on his own time and see which areas provided the best options.

He wasn't crazy about the cover-story that would put them out in firing position...that meant people would know they were out there.  Best to concoct some fine nuances to it that would have them on the wrong side of the building, or something, so there was doubt.

"Sir?  Do you want me to brief Mullins, or would you prefer to do it, just so we're all getting the same orders, rather than my interpretation of orders?"  He'd worked with commanding officers of both persuasions, so it didn't matter to him.  He'd prefer to have a spotter for each of them, but for the sake of stealth, it might work better to go with two solo shooters...hiding one person was much easier than hiding two.

The shot, itself, was the simplest part of the mission, really.  It was everything that had to happen to make it possible that would be hair-raising.

  Well Roy?  Mullins   is here  because  she  has the skills...whe i signed up for the Hermes, I knew I wasn't  going to be hiding out  on Mars Colony or stay tethered to Olympus..I am out here...so the Demons  and thier  allies, do not  Turn  Earth into a Buffet.. Its YOur Call Sgt...You want to brief her..you brief her..you want me to do it , i will do it....but if you'er going to be running  about the forests  with her  and Stoly?  I'm thinkng she  hear it  from you.

 Fran's  was doing  a slow burn...Eckles  Glowered  at Angela, Shadwo  and Hannah

   frans..You and Eckles   way go...prepe your ships, pack  the  storage  with what you think you might need...Dismissed...

  they walked out, neither one  looking back...

    Mr. Roberts, You can cindy PAck what you might  want for the trip..bring   formal wear for the  Ball... Dismissed..and thank you for your research

  He look at those who remain, Miller  and Beth know what we are about...they will be the Mai channel between Hannah, and us, and when we spilt , we will contact them by Comms...Any last questions?

"What kind of data do we have on the meteorological conditions the day of this event?" Roy spoke up without hesitation.  Wind speed, direction, and temperatures would all affect the ballistic properties of their rounds, requiring compensation.  He didn't expect exact info...but if they were prone to high winds, it would be something to plan for.

He grinned and added, "Don't worry, sir, I plan on looking up data about the relative gravitational pull of the planet on my own time.  You won't have to answer ALL my questions."

 ..the  skys  are to be  clear and warm..no  rain or storms seen for  8 days or  so...it did  rain  for a week though..the  grounds  may be a bit wet...

Angela was trying to ignore the girls as they stared at her and tried even harder not to hit one of them or both, she only shook her head. her irritation went as the girls did and still listened intently to the commander.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:45, Sat 30 Apr 2011.

Stoly had no questions about his part.  Drive the car, shoot demonyi.  What could be simpler.  Of course simple didn't mean easy.

The pictures didn't change his opinions any.  They affected him, made him angry and disgusted, but they were not news.  They had already been told of the depredations of the demonyi.  He had always known this was “war to the knife.”  There would be only one survivor, and as long as a Stolyarev drew breath, it would be humanity.

And if they ate him, well Stolyarevs were known to be hard to take...

Hannah raised her hand shyly, not entirely broken of the schoolroom habit. "You said I will be entering as your orderly. What exactly does that mean? How will I have to... look, I guess is what I mean. I don't own anything that would work for a ball except my dress uniform."

And wasn't that just a little bit sad...

    Well Hannah..With myself  and the LC going in, i should be afforded the right to a comm officer...we'll croos the bridge  for  the Ball when we come to it...

  Now...Go  and take  a lok at  Kray's  toys. See if  he can find  something for everyone...I have  heard Roy  has taken to one  of them already..hmmm?"

  QMs  Locker...when you are ready.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:28, Sat 30 Apr 2011.

A smile lit up Roy's face, slyly.  "Oh, yes...I do have to say that Lieutenant Shadow has the most FASCINATING toys..."  He chuckled, and got up, following the others out.

Hannah rubbed the back of her neck and stood, stifling a yawn as she followed the group out of the room.

Mal stood, gave nod, and said,
"What about setting up linked com earplugs and then I could translate for any alien talking around you. Be your ease-dropper.

She stand up with a fake yawn and stretch before heading out after the others, chasing down Roy.



>>>>QMs Lockers>>>>

  Ne nodded to Mal,we shall see what Hannah has  in store and we will go from there, as far  as links go...

Stoly had been planning to see the Sanri armored vehicle after he slept the day off a bit.  Now was as good a time as any.  He was looking forward to the mission, and the opportunity to try out the new technology.  Stoly had a feeling that familiarity with alien technology was going to become an advantage in the future.  He rose when dismissed and left for the Quartermaster's Lockers.

>>> [ to QMs Lockers ] >>>
This message was last edited by the player at 21:27, Sat 30 Apr 2011.

Mal nodded, dismissed...
Then he shrugged at Cindy and headed back to the lab.

To Robert's Lab

O.K. Spence..you got  me here..but this better  be on  the level..so help me, if this  is  some  kinda  come on...

Roy grinned, humorlessly.  "This is all business.  You're aware of our assignment on the landing team, when we hit Delta Omega, right?  There's more to it than us being an honor guard."  He paused, waiting to see what kind of reaction that got.

  her head tiled  the  dark bangs shifting  as they did. Clear blue eyes studied him for a moment , and she  said,..the sign you  up..and you come get me...someone's gonna die  down there..right?

Roy nodded.  "At least one, and possibly two.  They didn't specify, but I would like it to be as surgical as possible...zero collateral casualties, on our account.  I don't care if someone else starts shooting, but I like to be able to look myself in the face and know that the people I killed were all supposed to die, and not just the unlucky ones who got caught in the middle."  He gave her a level look, and then continued.

"There's a formal ball scheduled to take place.  A contingent from the Hermes will be on-planet, as 'escorts' to our VIPs.  It is expected, at some point, that an announcement will be made...the hosts of this shindig are called Mulls, and they're currently neutral in the whole Angel/Demon conflict.  They do, however, have close ties with a race knows as Largrans...and the Largrans are NOT neutral.  While they haven't necessarily been active combatants, they openly support the Demons...and they've been arm-twisting the Mulls."

He knew he was paraphrasing the description...but he figured it would be faster to describe it in his own terms, rather than trying to recall how Hack had presented it.  "One of the anticipated events at this ball is a formal announcement by the Mulls' ambassador regarding their position in the war.  It is generally accepted that they aren't staying neutral...we just don't know if the Largrans have strong-armed them into submission, or just pissed 'em off so much they're throwing in with our side.

"In either case, the Largran Ambassador is supposed to die on the balcony when the announcement is made.  And if the Mulls throw in with the Demons, then his Mull counterpart is to share his fate."  He paused again, watching Lyri's face for any emotional indicators, analyzing her appearance like an old-time gambler reading an opponent for 'tells'.

  she listened to Roy's  account. she slowly  nodded with pursed  lips  and  a shrug,...well...I'm a Chief...they tell me where to point the gun and i put  a bullet where  it supposed to go...those LArgrans..they aren't any better the  the Demons...the Mulls..well..if they throw in with them..i guess  we have to Muck up thier hierarchy..least ways, until we get more ships out here.

Roy nodded.  "Our cover story is that we're being sent out onto the palace perimeter to secure a landing area for the fighters.  While we're out, we are to scout out positions from which we can take our shots.  The palace itself has an eight-foot boundary fence, surrounded by a half-mile of mixed forest and grassland.  Hopefully, there will be some good forest or transitional areas within good shooting distance.  Ideally, the Mulls are not to know that we're the shooters, so getting our gear down there and into usable locations will be our first challenge.  We'll need to go in carrying more standardized firepower...however, that Russian assault shuttle pilot that worked with us in the boarding action on the Demon ship is our way out, and he's going to have an APC on the planet...we may be able to load our gear into that and use it to deliver the stuff to a drop zone.  After we take the shot or shots, we rejoin the APC for delivery to the shuttle and departure.  The pilot will be covering the APC...so all three of us are essentially naked down there, until we form up again."

He paused for a moment.  "I haven't yet looked at any maps or information on the grounds...wanted to make sure I had a second shooter before I set any strategy.  We will not have spotters, so you're going to want to make sure you've got a good back-up.  Weather conditions are supposed to be near ideal...warm, still air, with only minimal wind, if even that.  We'll have comms with the rest of the group, so if we can't hear the results of the speech from our shooting hides, someone can pass on whether it's a single-shot or two-shot situation."  He grinned humorlessly, and added, "So, we just need to figure out where we're shooting from, how to get our gear there unobserved, and who is taking the guaranteed shot."

  She  blew  some air  out of her pursed lips and  ran a hand through her Pony tail. Well  Sarge, I'm your Girl...I had two sniper  shots over the last three years...One  was  a Demon  Commander on MArs...had to take him out to cause disruption of thier  forces... and Some President in South America, right before i was picked up by Hack...to tell you the truth? I enjoyed taking  out the  SouthAmerican...The demons  are  our  foes...so you exoect them to do what they are doing..you don't  expect Humans to sell out other humans...

Roy nodded.  "Sounds like we're a good team for this one.  I'm going to call the Commander down here and see if he can give us some up-to-date intel...satellite recon of the grounds, etc...so we can do some pre-planning.  While we're waiting for him, let's brainstorm some ideas on getting our gear in there un-noticed.  I'm pretty sure a couple of people who are supposed to be walking a security patrol would be pretty noteworthy if they pulled out ghillie suits and sniper rifles..."

He got on the comm system and requested the Commander report to the Mission Room...but also that the call be kept private.  No sense announcing that there was mission planning going on to the entire ship.  He hadn't mentioned the Commander's security concerns to Lyri, and didn't intend to, until he was sure she wasn't part of the problem...but he was still very aware of it.

 The Commander replies  and shows up  about  5 minutes later. He nod s to Lyri  and turns on the  Vids witht he slide show.

  He goes  over the attacks, and when they  are to be carried out, the pictures of the Mull Leader and the Largran  ambassador. When finished  he speaks to them both, but his eyes on Lyri..no matter which way this goes, the Largran dies...it will casue  tormoil in thier  ranks  and will leave thier  forces on the ground, and in space with  a sizable time laspe to figure out who they must retailate on.

 ..Should  we have to kill the Mull, it will give the foces on our side, a chance to win back  control and allie with us....The Mull leader...is not a trustworthy fellow...he has been in office for the last 10 earth years...and  his rivals  often Vanish..i suspect someone is going to have to take him out sooner or later...

  ..Our breaching shuttle is going to land in the courtyard..The Amgel Ambassador's  shuttle will land in the  field here...with the  Manor being the clock face...the ambassador's  shuttle  will be landing at 7:00....the 4 fighters will land there  as well. I suggest, any equipment you do not wish to carry on you, you place in the Ambassador's  shuttle, for extraction  later , when you walk your patrol...You Two, Stoly, the Ambassador and his wife, and Hannah will be in out breeching shuttle..the  4  pilots  will come up the Manor and we will all enter together to be greeted...here..is where the first option will take place..we need to get Kray into the Manor..if not invited, he'll have to use his....skills....

  Depending on how that turns out? the rest can be handled by the Comms Hannah picked upat the Grotto...the fail safe? once the shots  are taken..you try to get to the  ambassador's  shuttle and fly out, while we  get out  in the breeching shuttle...the pilots  will get out  with thier crafts, or send them  up on auto pilot..if that happens, they will have to get out another way....if you cannot get to the ambassador's  shuttle...you'll make your  way to the area maked on the map, and get the APC, and head to the  outpost as marked...from there you will take the service shuttle they have there...granted? Lots of things  can go wrong...but? None suspect us of bing the hand of  fate , in this instance...Questions?

"How accurate are the surveys of the land around the Manor?  It would be good if we could pre-scout our shooting locations, save us time snooping around on the ground.  And we definitely don't want anyone to see us going in with ghillie suits or long rifles...I'd prefer to go in looking like standard security personnel...assault rifles or SMGs, but nothing that would effectively take the shots we need to take.  That means, however, that we need delivery of our equipment taken care of by some other means.  Do you think the ambassador's shuttle will be unwatched early enough for us to grab our gear and get into shooting positions?  Or can we arrange some other delivery method?"

  all the focus  is going to be  on the MAnor  and the VIPs coming in. That is  why our breeching shuttle  will be  allowed to land inside. all the guests wi have the  shuttles they arrive  in, in the compound, Fighters  and guard  shuttles  will be landing  and parked  all around the perimeter. There are goig to be folks of  every race involved walking  around  down there..I don't  think you  three  will draw  much notice.

Roy nodded.  "Just need some innocuous packaging for the sniper gear, then...something we can pull out and disappear into a crowd with.  Even if it was a backpack disguised to look like a comms package, or scanning gear.  What about the topography of the manor grounds...do we have any good recon on that?"  At this point, he wasn't concerned about getting in or out safely...just doing everything he could to make sure Earth wasn't blamed for the shooting.

  Haven't been on this planet myself. But all accouts i have herd, is the roads a cut through where they know there  was bedrock and such. The  thick forests, Hillocks   and all, they are mapped  pretty close to what we have, because the road  Builders didn't want to waste tie trying to cut through the stuff..It may be soggy  going, because of the recent  rains, but...from the forcasts from thier planet? they are in for  some dry warm weather...if the readings  are correct, around Mid day will be still..the winds  Kick up  closer to sundown...

Roy nodded, perking up a bit at the mention of 'maps we have'.  "Maps?  We've got some?  That would be almost exactly what we're after...the only thing that would be better would be holographic elevations of the terrain.  Can we get those maps?"  Accurate info would make his job a lot easier...

  The Commander nodded  and hit t he  desk Comm  button,..LC? We need whatever Holomaps  we  have  of  are  target area..bring them to the Mission  room as soon as Possible...

  about  15 minutes or  so later , LC Si  entered with her  laptop  and  a Zipped up  Folder. once she s et up her   Laptop and connceted  it to the  screen, and another  wire to a Camara, she   unzipped the pouch and put the First Dics in,..This  Disc  shows the Air currents and such for this  time of year....

 she punches  a few Button, enjects  that disc, and places a second,...this  is  a barebones look at the topography of the manor  and the  lands  around it for 5 miles.....there  was  white  Hillocks  and  holes and rolling areas, that  showed the winds...

...This is the lands  how they look, now...taken  about 3 hour  ago from thier  weather Modules......the Picture  was filled in with trees, stremas  thick bush and  plain grass...over top it  was the  wind patterns...

Roy looked carefully at the second one...the first was of limited use, because the information would only be applicable if the climate conditions matched those present when the holo was shot.  The second gave him some room to build off of, and he quickly stepped around the holo so that he was looking through the building and out from the balcony.

When the LC shifted to the third map, he smiled slightly, and the dangerously calculating look gleamed in his eye.  That ridge is too obvious...any penny-ante shooter would set up there.  That treeline looks interesting...  He shifted his gaze slowly across the open field of fire, looking for potential hides that he could depart in a hurry.

"Chief?  Anything catch your eye or tickle your fancy?"  He'd found two or three options, and was trying to figure ways to get in to position and back out again without anyone noting him...a comms backpack...the rifle tucked inside, with the barrel sticking up like an antenna...ghillie gear folded inside...that looked to be his best bet.  He could move fast once he got out of the open, depart the shuttle heading one way, double-back around to his position...reappear back where he'd dropped the pack...

They could make this work.  It wouldn't be easy...but it could work.

well.... she begins to walk around the map and she pointsdarkspot on the map, that you can only see from the manor side of the  depiction,..here..a hollow..looks  like   there is  a small stream pouring  from it  to fill the bigger  stream that runs  south...I'm bettin' there's  rocks inside that hangover grass...and its  about even in height  with the balcony...

Roy nodded.  It was one of the sites he'd looked at...the plants hanging down over the stream would provide very effective screening for a shooter.  "You want that one?  I've got two or three others I could use...not quite as prime...but if you take that one...and the Largran..."  He shrugged, and looked over at Lyri.

"Unless, of course, you'd prefer to be maybe shooting the Mull.  I'm willing to leave it your choice."  Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Hack, waiting to see if there was a reaction to his decision.  At some point, he'd have to trust, or not trust, Lyri...snipers worked best in teams, and since they were the only two aboard, the team aspect was kind of a given.  If he couldn't trust her, he needed to find out right away...even if it risked the mission.

   He watched  all this fromnear the  table standing next to  the LC, she  would look at him from time to tme, but he hand  one nad across his  waist, the other  elbow rested on that arm, while hand stroked the  stubble on his chin,..I flew  Jackel T60s...then the old Arrows..every make of Hammer they have..now i command   this Cruiser...no where in there, did they teach me how tokill people without  making too much fuss  about it...Frankly..if it  was me..I  would  send  a flight of Hammers in there, then let the torpedo  craft drop thier  eggs  on the whole manor...I'll tell you this...your shots  do need to come from anywhere between 9:00  and  6;00 on this map..That cuts your  shooting perches  down  a bit, Unless you tale it  out to about 1000 yards or so...don't think anyone will see you that far out.

Roy nodded.  He'd already limited the shot angle...too far to one side or the other, and one of the targets could be lost behind the other one.  It was still a possibility, so he was counting on having comms to be able to coordinate last-second changes.  But he'd already addressed that.

"There's still two or three good sniper hides within about 600 yards or so.  I want to stay close to a treeline so we can make ourselves scarce in a hurry.  It's not going to take a huge leap of intuition to figure out the shots came from a direction facing the balcony, especially if there's anyone there who's got any experience with firearms.  The faster we can be gone from the area, the less likely that someone's pointing a finger at Earth and using us as leverage to stir things up even more...being at a treeline versus ten feet in front of it is a good ten or fifteen minutes of getaway time, if you're going to try and get out clean, versus an outright shoot-and-run."  His tone was almost distracted, rattling off data in explanation without checking to see if it was processing.  He assumed Hack would get it...and if he didn't, they didn't really have time to sit down and explain it to him in detail.

"A thousand yards is a do-able shot...but that basically puts us on the perimeter of the manor grounds, and I'm not sure what our intel is on the terrain outside the grounds, or how much control we have on who may be wandering around.  It'd put a big hole in our plans to have a group of kids stumble across me or Mullins just as we're squeezing the trigger."  He blanched slightly at the thought...it was always a chance, you could be exposed by some innocent passerby who just happened to stumble across your position...one of the reasons snipers tended to work in really unwelcoming environments.  "But there's not really a need to make this a bigger challenge than it needs to be.  Six hundred to eight hundred yards is a pretty good shot range, someone will have to be looking right at us to notice anything, and there's plenty of cover in that range for us to be shooting from."

  The Commander looked at the   maps  as he  spoke,...I doubt there  will be much young  running around..there is still fighting  going  on...what may happen is  a pilot  or guard fromm another Group stumbles onto you...if that happens..they have to be put  down...if its  a LArgran...they sould  be put down  in any case...

 Looking  from Lyri to  Roy,...I put you in charge, because  i trust your skills  and your loyality....this  area is a weal spot  for  me, and there is no way in the 9 hells i would let the Major in on this...so its us..the Unit...and  from there  we go...

  Once more. Mid-day  before reaching the planet...the  Pilots, Ambassador and his  wife, the men  picked for the ground action and Hannah were called to the Mission room, the Ambassador's  men  were relagated to spending time in thier  quarters..........................

Angela step in nodding to the guards as she does and lightly brushes her hair down, looking again as if she hadn't slept all night, when in fact she had fallen to sleep linked to her ship and talking to lady. "Ensign Morsan reporting as ordered commander." She bowed to the Ambassador and his wife before taking her seat that was assigned to her the last time she was there.

 The  two  female  pilots  walked in heading towards thier seats  that they had last time  as well. The Commander and  LC  watched  as each person entered, they talked  quietly among themselves  on the stage, the Ambassador  looked rather  glum.

BEFORE the time update
Roy gave a tight-lipped grin.  "Don't worry, Commander.  We'll bag your bad guy...and the other one, too, if it's necessary.  This is what we do best.  That Largran has crosshairs tattooed on his forehead...he just hasn't seen 'em yet.  He turned to Lyri, and they began finalizing details and logistics before departing to see about the dummy cases for their gear.

AFTER the time update
Roy sauntered into the room, looking rather pleased with himself.  A close look at his eyes would show the signs of lack of sleep, but his satisfaction at coming up with a viable option for smuggling the sniper gear onto the planet...and actually making the hare-brained idea a practical reality...kept any sign of fatigue from creeping into his manner.  A few cups of mocha and a power nap on the flight to the planet, and he'd be good to go for the better part of another day, if necessary.

He snapped a salute at the Commander.  "Sergeant Spencer, reporting as ordered, sir."  He didn't acknowledge the Ambassador or his wife...they weren't part of his chain of command.  He was in mission-mode...at this point, they were just extremely mobile cargo, to him.

Angela looked over to Frans and her friend with a look that would have said "Hi I'm Angela and I'm the new girl of the class." about it almost like she had forgotten the past few days dealing with the woman, then her gaze turned to Roy as he entered and gave him a shy smile before turning back to the commander for the briefing, there was something completely different about her attitude today and it was beginning to show to everyone.

 The  door  hissed open, Captain Roles and his  two Lts entered  the briefing room, they sat together  on the oppossite  side of the aisle from the  hermes  folks.  A nod  and  a smile to  HAck and the LC.

 His face still carried a bit of mischief, but  he seemed  a bit more focused today.

Mal came in with hands almost all healed up, carrying a bunch of datapads, and with odd bunch of gadgets.

He handed out a pad to each person there and then left the remaining ones on a table to be picked up.

Mal headed over and gave a proper greeting to the Ambassador and then handed out a electronic tub to each of the attack team.

Having done what he needed he went and sat down.

Stoly came in to the mission room.  He saluted and said,  “Ensign Stolyarev reporting as ordered, Sir.”  When indicated, he took a seat.  Stoly was looking forward to the details of the mission.  He'd enjoyed the APC, but getting to drive one dirtside would be much less restrictive.  Stoly was looking forward to opening her up with room to churn up some mud.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:14, Tue 17 May 2011.

Angela took the pad given to her and looked at it a bit before looking to Mal with a smile, although he had already turned and walked away.

She watched the greeting and tilted her head some. I wonder if he could teach me that

  Kray entered the  Room with Hannah, taking thier  seats as  before. The Commander nodded and the doors  were closed.

  Right then....Shadow...give your briefing..The Hannah will tell us what she  has in the  way of  our  comms..The Roy  will tell us what he plans  to do.... his eyes go to Frans  and Eckles,..and  gods  help anyone here, who leaks this beyound these walls...


  Kray sat there  and Nodded to teh LC, a picture of  the Mull Target A Brown fureed  male  with a white star on his forehead appeared,..this fellow  here, is the leader of the pro demon Mulls. He is supposed to have already made an alliance with them  and the Largrans...there is fighting on the ground  with  Sanri and Human forces...oddly ebough, no Mulls have been seen fighting  for either side yet. the picture changes  to  another  Mull with black fur  a  a brown stripe from nose to the top of his head,..thjis is  General Orca...he is Pro Human...does not mean Pro Angel..but  he deals. He is impressed by feats of arms  and such..he is the one who put the Ball together, and  maintains security..it  would be nice to have him on  our  side....

  A Largran's  pic  showed up a Green Humanoid  with Lizard like  quailties...DArkgreen  scales on his  face, yellow under his  chin.Seg...the leader of the Largran party on Delta  Omega, there is supposed to be  at least a Largran destroyer..perhaps  more.....he needs to die....

  he  waves his hand as he adds,..one  way or the other...the Mulls  are going to loss thier Largran friends..either by choice  of by us...or both...I miss  anything?

    You call that  a Briefing?  frans looked  at Kray  like he  was  an idoit, Eckles  just shook her head...

 Kray  just winked  at her,..how much of that did you know?

  Both women  sat back  andfrowned  as the Commander  chcukles,..A bit over  simple..but all of it is  right...Now?  Hannah and Roy, what  do you have for us....

  frans  Looked back over her  shoulder at Hannah as  if to say  'what the hell?'

Angela started to look a bit bored through the briefing until Frans Opened her mouth and Kray crushing her...again...it made her happy to see Frans being crushed, the whole "I'm smarter and better then you" thing was getting on Angela's last nerve by now.

She was actually fighting the impulses to just smack the woman to her senses only from fear of the brig before a big mission, she would only hope that Frans would slip up while they were planet side and cause her to hit the woman and leave her there hog tied and easy pickings for the wild animals down there. Only to return with "I'm Sorry commander but Frans refused to come back."...yeah right, like that would even work.

Hannah bit her lip and stood slowly. She hated public speaking, an odd problem for a communications specialist, but there was no getting past it. Mostly she hated feeling all the eyes on her, but she pushed that aside and inhaled a deep breath.

"Well... I've managed to collect a pretty good selection of equipment. The most important items are the portable comms, small units that will allow everyone on the team to stay connected, and the micro sensors we've acquired - audio and infrared. I also have a view gun that may come in handy for ranged... erm... viewing."

She looked around and bit her lip once more. "Um... that's about it. Everything else we might need I'll be carrying and operating myself." Quickly she returned to her seat.

  ..well that was very enlighting...OUCH!

   Kray's  brow  was  furrowed  in anger  a bit,..you are pushing your luck..Frans...you best hope you don't need any of this  stuff...Coruse..when you fly backwards   as fast as you do....

  COMMANDER!...Do  I have to....

  ..SHUT UP...Frans....Shadow? Please  refrain from Punching  a fellow officer in the  arm..now  kids?  can we go on?

Roy decided he couldn't resist the goad.  "You'll have to bear with Frans, Shadow...she got flown to a standstill by one of the greenest pilots on board, in the simulator, a few hours ago.  That'll ruin anybody's day..."  His tone was dry, matter-of-fact, with nary a hint of a taunt to it.  It did sound, fully, as though the sergeant was sincerely apologizing for Frans' behavior.  Only his eyes gave the truth away.

He stood up, uncomfortably.  He was used to his 'projects' being known only to him and a superior officer, a directive passed down anonymously from on high, and giving out details to this many people left him feeling extremely vulnerable.

Well...let's stick to the 'need to know' stuff, he reasoned to himself.  He looked about briefly, and then began.

"Once we arrive on-planet, the security team will make their way to pre-selected positions, on the periphery of events at the ball.  At a pre-determined moment, the Largran ambassador will meet with a very spectacular end...and if his Mull friend has decided to go into battle alongside the Largrans, then he'll go to his grave beside them, as well, at the same time."  He didn't even want to let them know that shots would be fired...how they would die wasn't important, and he and Mullins were the only ones who needed to know where they would be, what the fatal moment would be, or that they'd be shooting.

"It will be a surgical strike, with an absolute minimum of collateral damage, but still high-profile enough to send a definite message.  Once the deed is done, the team will fall back and exfiltrate the area, preferably via one of the shuttles, but there is a contingency plan in place if that becomes tactically unviable."

He gave a level gaze around the room, waiting to see if anyone had questions...and if they were questions he felt he could answer with anything more than a 'That's need-to-know information, and you don't need to know.'  He was well aware of the fact that pretty much everyone in the room outranked him...and he frankly didn't care.  He'd take a court-martial before he'd compromise the mission by sharing too many details.

Half afraid she'd missed something Hannah turned to Roy. "How will you verify whether the Mull... gentleman has decided to join the Largran? Or... is that where I come in too?"

   Kray looked at  Frans  , the Mirth in his eyes  was too much  for Frans  who  Glared  at Roy as if he just stepped opn her pet poodle,..My  gosh frans? Did you try and retreat there too?

  Eckles snapped..he  would shake you down to  Shadow..there si no AI in the simulator...

     Eckles? You here?..oh..that's  right...some ones got to Tell frans  she worth a damn....

    Hack's  head  Lowered and he shook his head, the Roy began to speak and Shadow  turned to listen...he knew what Roy was doing...Kray tiptoed around some things  as well, because of  frans  and her pet wingman..it was easier  for  Kray, since  the respect level wasn't there for him...Roy wasn't painted like him though...the pilot nodded to Roy when he  was done...as he turned to face the Commander again, he caught  Hannah's  eye  and winked.

   Mal? you have  anything else?
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:39, Thu 19 May 2011.

Roy looked over at Hannah.  "Your equipment will come into play with that, yes.  There's a member of the team who will give us a signal that lets us know whether one or both individuals are targets."  That had been one of the details he and Lyri had nailed down with the Commander, before they'd gotten caught up in nailing down their own mission specifics...at the 'magic moment', a call of 'One' from Hack--or his designated representative, if it proved inconvenient for him to make the call--would mean the Largran died.  'Two' meant they were both to be taken down.

But Roy wasn't about to share that with everyone in the room.  Need-to-know, he reminded himself.  Presently, the only ones who needed that information were Mullins, himself, and the Commander.  If the Commander chose to share it with someone else, Roy would trust him to do it wisely.

Mal stood up as Hack asked him if he had anything, then he waited for those who spoke up to say their piece.

When there was a pause to answer Mal said, "Quite a bit actually....

The datapads I gave each of you, any who missed one they're over there on the table, have a lot of useful stuff in them.

The information there is on the species you'll be dealing with, patterns of behavior, and strategies used. There's also video and such on how the terrain is down on the planet and how humans have done in the atmosphere there so far.

The devices I handed it to the main squad are useful in a variety of ways. On passive mod they'll blank you out to the scanning technology used by the various species. You won't show up as a blank spot either. Turned way up it should blow their communications equipment but not ours. Different kind of technology.

The next thing that device has is a passive sensor that will extend any HUD or sensors you have without being detected. It can jam signals too.

The last thing is that it's got an overload switch, well hidden, your pads will show you where. There's a lot of energy packed into that little thing. So be a twenty meters away before it blows. It can be timed to overcharge, but not for more then a minute or two.

Main thing is that the enemy has shown a serious weakness when dealing with humans. The ability to adapt to the situation, change tactics, and adopt inventive solutions is a blind spot that can be exploited. You each have your specialties and talents. With room to improvise in the mission you can mess up their entire attack plans.

That's all from my side on that.

I've got things to go over with those traveling with the ambassador but I'm out of my league with the rest of the military stuff..." then he sat down.

Hannah smiled at Kray and then focused on Mal. She shook her head as he mentioned using a new device to jam or overload the foreign tech. "That would be dangerous.Some of my own equipment is... not made by us. You could end up blocking my transmissions. I've got something else for blocking comms-"

She cut off quickly and glanced from Kray to Frans to Commander Hack, then back to Mal. "It'll require a more... up close and personal approach, but it will be easier to cause more damage. So to speak." She didn't want to say any more about the ion dust with Frans in the room. The last thing this group needed was for her to figure out just where the new ship had come from.

   As  he watched  the  others, he titled his head a moment as Hannah began, but he had  an idea  what she  meant. he  just  nodded and  sat back.

      Well Mal,  we'll have to use  the  jamming as a last ditch, should  we need it. If they are compatable  with Hannah's. it should  add to our  edge, but  we need , be careful  we don't  outmsart out msart ourselves....The  Order of  'One'  or 'Two" we  come from me  or  LC Si...should  we not be able to make the call...Shadow  will do ...if..none of us  are able...the Largran goes   down no matter what.

  Questions?

  ..Aye...So?   Myself, Lt Eckles  and  Ensign....what's her name...are just here to ride shot gun?

    You four  are  to get  us to  the Manor and back to the ship  without   us being shot  down....when we get there..You can Eckles are going to  be  watching the  fighters and the shuttle...If  Shadow  cannot get into the Manor one  way..he'll have to get into  it another...but that is something we  deal with there. Ensign Morsan is Shadow's Wingman..should things go to hell down there...we  are going to need some one to keep  any fighters  taking off from getting to us  before   more air cover  cn come down from the Hermes.

 any other  questions?  frans  sat back,  more grumpy then ever.

Roy listened, as Mal explained the information on the pads.  He wasn't too terribly concerned about the behavioral stuff, though anything about hunting habits or acute sensory awareness was something he should take a look at.  He did like the thought of the overload switch, though...it meant he wouldn't need to carry an extra grenade, although he probably would, anyway.  After everything he'd learned about the Demons to date, he was very definitely not going to let himself be taken alive by them, or their allies.

He nodded to Hack when the command structure, specific to his part of the mission, was laid out.  He'd expected as much...possibly the order from Hannah, since it sounded like she was likely to be relaying info to the different groups, but if she could set the comm system so everyone was patched into the same channel, there'd be no need for her intervention to pass on the fire order.

And he smirked a little bit at Frans, as she sat down in a huff.  Despite himself, he could feel for her, a bit...being stuck in the supporting role on a high-threat operation sometimes sucked.  If he didn't think she was looking for a higher-profile role in the operation merely for the sake of self-aggrandizement, he might have even felt a little sorry for her.

"Sucks being stuck in the back seat," he said, just loud enough that he was sure she would hear it.  Again, his tone held no overt mockery...almost sounded sincere, even.  But there was a wicked gleam in his eye...

  Kray  smiles  and  said  ..Stuck? why she....

  DON'T.....say it.... frans  said  through gritted teeth.

  The  Pilot  shrugged,..Yea..you'er  right..too easy....

  Alright then...if there is nothing esle? You are all dismissed. I have  a few new  folks  aboard to meet..Shadow? Miller  says  for you to try to get to practice  if you have time....everybody on the Hanger  deck  06:00...geared up and  ready to go....

  Kray stood up  and took one of the tablets, studied  it for  a bit  and put it in his secure inside jacket Pocket. As he  went over to Hannah and said,..gonna zip  down to  practice...then maybe get something at the  rec Dec  before heading to  my quarters...if I don't  see you before..I'll see you in the Morning. You'll know  how  to get ahold of me, should you need. His right  hand lingered on hers  for  a memnet  and smiled, then   headed out the Doors.

As people started to rise and scatter, Roy approached the Commander.  He looked around for a moment, to make sure that nobody outside 'the team' was in earshot, before he spoke.

"Sir?  I've heard we've got another Recon Marine transferring on board soon.  I was wondering if I could get a look at his file...I don't know if we'll need him on this particular mission, but it would be good to know what kind of tools we've got at our disposal...including personnel."

He hoped the guy read like a perfect fit...or at least a decent one.  While he was sure he and Lyri would be fine down on the planet, he'd still feel better with someone watching his back...things could happen at just the wrong time, and it was hard to watch your own backside when you were focused on the view through your scope.

What he really wanted was a Nepalese Gurkha, but there hadn't been any on the crew list...a Recon Marine wasn't a bad substitute, though.  Even if the guy hadn't made it aboard the Hermes yet, it'd be good to have an assessment of his capabilities--for next time, assuming Roy didn't die this time.  He had no plans to do so...but most of the people he'd known who died hadn't exactly started the day with the declaration, "Yep...today, I get shot in the head and die spectacularly."  Their last days...the ones he'd been present for, at least...had started more along the lines of, "Dammit, I can't believe this is my last pair of clean socks..."

  From  the  messages LC relyaed to me, hes  running  around the ship somewhere..Got a new  Ships  doctor  too...going to  be  a busy night....check him out..this is your  end..he fits...gear him up, tell him about the mission..but not the Unit...if he performs  well and you trust him...we'll bring him in too..

Roy nodded.  "I'll make my way up to the Bridge and see if someone can pull his file for me.  Should take all of about five minutes to know whether or not he bears closer scrutiny."

Roy chuckled drily to himself.  The guy'd just barely gotten aboard a little while ago, if he was on now...getting the order to gear up and report to the shuttle bay could be kind of a surprise.

But, if he was true Recon, it was the kind of surprise he'd be hoping for.

Hannah smiled at Kray as he left and shook her head. "Incorrigible."

She made her way out of the room and after a moment's contemplation headed for the rec dec. Her nap earlier had her back on schedule and she wasn't ready for proper sleep just yet.

-->Off Duty

Roy snapped off a salute to the Commander, smartly, and wheeled, walking out of the room without a glance at anyone else.  Technically, he should have been saluting just about everyone in the room...he wasn't sure he could ever salute Frans with a straight face, the rest of the team he'd salute if circumstances demanded it...but he didn't feel they did, now...and the Ambassador?  Totally outside his chain of command.

He felt like he'd been given an assignment...even though it hadn't been formal, and he hadn't been dismissed, he treated it as if he had been.  Since he was on the Commander's errand, everyone else in the room was, for the moment, secondary.

The clock was running.  He didn't have much time to see if he could come up with an ace in the hole...

(--->Bridge)

She remained quiet through out the briefing, she would look at each who spoke, nodding and shaking her head depending on who spoke, and smiled lightly at every flogging Frans got.

She stood at the end of the briefing and walked over to the commander. "Sir, May I have permission to take my ship out on a test flight before we reach the planet?"

  The Commander loked at  Angela for a moment,..Take it out...shake her  down..but you stay within sight of our ships...you go off the reservation?..I'll ground you..Understood?

She nodded and muttered _{"Like I'd go way from the ship."} under her breath but loud enough to be heard shaking her head as she stepped through the door. "Thank you sir."

Off Duty->->
This message was last edited by the player at 21:24, Fri 20 May 2011.

Stoly stood up and walked down to the table to pick up one fo the gadgets Mal had left.  He snapped a respectful salute to the commander and turned to leave.

>>>[ to Off Duty ]>>>

..starting from here..Debrief mission 2

  Capt Roles  from the Harvestor  and Raven entered the   Mission room.. HAck  and the LC  were there, already  eating some Pizza  as they studied the  lap tops   taking over some of the things they had  fund from  the goodies Hannah had  found.

 Frans  and Eckles  were not  fasr behind, Raven  saying  something offhanded to them, they  just sneered at her  and  grabbed  some pizza  and a drink as RAven laughed.

With about ten minutes to spare, Roy walked in, freshly-showered and clean-shaven, in clean fatigues.  Hack and the LC were busy, as were Frans and Eckles...nobody else in the room was part of his chain of command...so he didn't bother with a salute.  Since the pizza was apparently there for all, he made his way over and grabbed a couple of slices.  He hadn't eaten anything since just before they hit the planet's surface, the day before, and his gut was roiling, now that he was out of his 'operational' mental state and not focused on things outside his own body so much.

He still hadn't heard anything about Lyri's condition, and that didn't do much to induce calm, but he kept a lid on his concerns.  For now, at least.

   The Major  arrived, spotless and sharpe, he had a folder with him  as he stopped at the table  and  grabbed a cup of  coffee, then Moved to the front of the Room where    the Commnader and LC were pushing  trough files.

Kurt shows up with 2 large energy drinks pounds one quick, he grabs several pieces of pizza and sits down next to SGM Spencer.

  Miller  and  Beth entered the room, they each grabbed  a softdrick  and  a pizza settig  down near the front, a row behind Eckles  and Franz...Capt Monroe  has the Brdge  , Commnader...

  Hack looked up and smiled with a nod,..Thank YOu Ensign Miller...

>>>[ from Med Lab ]>>>

Stoly was happy to have escaped the wrath of the Dr. Carrington.  Doctors made him nervous, like Admirals only worse.  A doctor could sideline you.  Stoly didn't take that sort of thing well, it was dull.

Stoly arrived a bit behind Roy and Kurt.  He saw the pizza and grabbed a slice and took a seat.

From Med Lab

Allana slipped in the room trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.  She could see the pizza, but wasn't hungry.  The prospect of having to make a report weighed on her. She took a seat toward the back of the room and waited.

  Arriving  just a tad  late, Hannah  and Kray arrive, He  will pick up a Piece of Pizza and  Grab a soda as they make thier  way  down to thier  seats

Mal came strolling in distracted by the data on his reader. He still hadn't changed. There had been too much to do. All the data on the Lizards needed to be processed, as well as the Mull, the Occi, and the Angels.

He didn't know what parts he should bring up about any of them so he went and handed the report to the Commander and went for some pizza.

Loaded up and with a drink he sat down at waited for things to start.

Hannah grabbed herself a diet soda and took a seat next to Kray. She'd move if asked once the meeting got underway, but for now she got comfortable for the wait.

   Coming in a few moments  after. Cindy  has  a Puter-pad and  some hand  written notes, She  shifts the  things  in her  hand  to grab some Pizza  abd a  softdrink as  well...then makes her  way to  her  chair  as she eats  and studies her papers.

  The Commnader looks up as everyone enters. He nods to the Guards  to close the doors. They are Guarded as always, two gurads  within, 4  guards  on the outside.

  he  waits until he  swallows his  bite of Pizza and  takes a  swig of a cola...I will start out by saying this, Congrates  on a relatively successful muission. Quite  frinakly?  Those whom i report to, Thought we were biting off more then  we copuld chew..that that Mulit goals  would not be reached....We have  , indeed..Missed  some of the goals we had started out to reach, but those  we have accomplished, far exceeded the expectations of those involved... his eyes  looked over the Group, stopping  on  Kray and Hannah, then  Spencer  and Kurt, and a nod to  Stoly....all but Myself  and the LC. Had  we set on one objective..we could have  come away  much poored for it...and squander  chances  we might never get back...that is not  to say, the things  we  missed are not of import..it  merely states, that we can do more then ost folks  tghink we can, with the poeple that we have in place to do it.

  The  LC nods for him to go on.

 ..from the  bites  and  pieces  i have  here  throughout this missiion, there is  come cleaningnup to do...to that  end? I will have you all make your reports...those of you here, may make points  and counter points...when the dust has  settled, I  will make  my finaly thoughts known....thus? I will not hamper  any talk that needed  talked  in this  room. When  we leave here tonight, I want everyone  to know  what went wronf, what went  right, and what is expected from everyone...Including  are Comrades from the HArvestor...

 Theedge on his voice  was  just enough to let those in the  room know, he wasn't  playing, but light enough so's  folks  would lay everything  out, to be hassed  before they left..The Commander nodded to  Roles and Raven
This message was last edited by the player at 23:11, Fri 17 June 2011.

 From  his  seat against the wall on the farside, Roles Looked  at  a Puter-pad and  began to speakwell? From  My part, we did  pretty well. Between the Hermes and the Harvestor, we blew  the ship in half..Our Tenders and the Fuji's  Tenders  are  towing the  Hulks  back to the Fuji for salvage. We should get a few credits  from that.

  we also retrieved 20 craftes of Largran Pulse  rifles, when brought  10 for you and  we are  keepig  10. My armorer says there 3 to a crate. we  gathers  a good20,000 credits  from looting..we are keeping that as per  our agreement. My Fighters  shot down  5 of thier  space  fighters and Raven go a Jet down on the plaent. I lost one  fighter  and one pilot in the operation.

 Raven stood, a bit  surley,...we could  have  taken all the planetside  fighters  out, Had Shadow Allowed  for  the escorts to leave the shuttles, Instead,  between the lot of us...we only got a handful...

 The Major stood, looked though his files  and clicked on the  screen, all told, we lost 4 men in the salvage operation...2 were killed  by shiftingstructures, and  two...from my unit..were  killed by snipers hold up in the bridge...we did not get  the information we needed from the CAptain's  Quarters or  any Bridge units...we escaped  and  Blew  up, what was left of the bridge. We did, however get close to 40,000  in credits..and these  a vids  from  the  two salvage teams...This one is from mine, you will note the smaller humans  and  apelike beings  that are on the meathooks...Babies were sealed in packets in the freezers...i suppose  for snacks  and such.

 he  clicked the next vid,from the otherside of the ship..this is a birth room, much like that on the  Demon ship. The Human females here  were  lucky enough to die when the Vacum hit them..there  were no  survivors of  any race there...
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:24, Sat 18 June 2011.

  Kray stood up, balencing his  pizza slice on his  can of  soda...from the intel gathering  perspective, we broke  about even. We  could not go to the Main Comm room, nor could i get to the Ambassador's  quarters. There  were  extra   Guards in the hall after Hannah made sure  her drunk husband got to our  room. Don;t  know  why, but they were there...so i tried to find another  route, in the process though, we found out there  was  a Largran Troop shuttle there, we knocked out  one of the Guns, and  Hannah worked some magic on the Comm jammers  and systems, she'll have to tell you more  about that...In the Air, As Raven said...we  only accounted  for  a few of the  jets. It was my call, i deemd it  more important to get the shuttles  up then  cut down some atmosphere  fighters...to that end? I noted the Largan  and Mull Hostiles in  a pitched  battle with   friendly Mulls  and our ground troops...  he shrugged,...easy call to make...you make sure all your people get home.

  He points to  the LC's Puterpad..I am thinking, the   things Hannah found in the Planning room, and the discs i got of the Largran's  Aide..should prove a good consulation prize..  hewas ready to sit down when he added,..as  far as the aide goes? I was surpirsed how easy daggers cut his skin, and when i moved to  slit his throat, i almost pulled his head off, as I jerked up on his  chin...now, My combat knife and throwing blades are "angelsteel"..but i am thinking thier  scales are not even as  tough as Alligators, or Komoto Dragons on our  world.

Roy paused a moment, to see if anyone else was going to pipe up immediately, then decided he probably better go ahead and make his report before Raven gave in to the irritation that was apparent in her expression.

"To the best of my knowledge, the strike team was completely successful in eliminating the specified targets.  We didn't exactly stick around to watch the aftermath, but in any event, those Mulls who were opposed to joining the Largrans got the message--"We're behind you."  So, in those terms, we were completely successful."

An intense grimace flickered across his face for an instant, and he added, "Our extraction, however, was a hair's breadth from being a total clus..." He caught himself, noting the presence of at least two non-military female personnel, and edited his statement.  "A Charlie-Foxtrot.  While I have every reason to believe we made it into position unobserved, we had company way too soon...someone was out there looking for us, and they didn't follow us into the bush.  Something or someone..." he clenched his jaw for just a moment, "gave the Largrans reason to be suspicious.  They found us before the Mulls, even, within minutes of when we fired.  We had one casualty, as a result...still waiting for word on her condition." His eyes flickered quickly to the Doctor, but didn't stay there.

"Lt. Shadow's quick action saved the team...he not only bought us precious time with close air support, he also marked our position so the extraction APC could come get us with all due haste."

He sat down, although he appeared to be debating about whether or not to add something else.  For the moment, however, he held his tongue, yielding the floor to someone else.

Waiting to for Roy to finish, Kurt spoke up "Our method of insertion was wrong, all the Largan or Mulls had to do was count our boots on the ground, any one of them could have seen three troopers go on patrols with Rucks on their backs and not come back to the shuttles. All they needed to do was spread out a company of troops in those woods, which they did to find the three missing soldiers. The Largan's had Mull guides and they must have been searching for us when the SGM and the Chief accomplished their mission.  Once that happened it was only a matter of time before we ran into them on our extraction." Kurt sits back in his seat.

  As the  people make the reports  from thier  areas, he does  add one thing to Kurt's  report,...The  thing is, SGT Storm? why would they have felt the need to count? We had  a security detail out. Other  then that?  there should have been no reason for them to think  otherwise. It would have been far worse, for us to try some stealth-like way, and   have been caught. It would have left no room for wonder on thier part.

"Your right sir." Kurt said.

Angela had to do some repairs and had lost track of time before she was finished and looked at the time, her eyes widened and she stood, leaving her things out as she runs out of the room, and down to the mission room, where she hurried in, tried to calm herself and look representable for everyone. "Sorry Sir repairs took a bit longer then I thought they would." She whispers to the commander, as she walks past him and takes her seat."

 He  motions to the food  and  drink,..right then Morsan..we  were  just going over the mission from everyone's  point of View. Feel free to speack  up. This  is  for Debrief, and for  settling  any unstable  situations  we have  had during the Mission...we use  it to build  on the next...

  Then he looks  around  to see whom will make thier  report next.

She takes a slice of pizza and looks to Frans and Ekkles as she takes a Bite and sits down then back to the Commander.

   Eckles was  ready to rise as she looked at Angela, But Frans Put her hand  of Eckles leg and gave her a qucik shake of her head...then she loked to Shadow who was sipping his soda, next to Hannah. But he  did not notice.


  Miller  stood..The  Hermes did  right well in  battle. The  Largran's  vessel should have been faster then  Us, but it seemed  slow to turn,  The Harvestor crossed her T as   we fired a broad  side of 4 of the  6  Port Torpedo batteries...all 4 were hits, the last wto  breaking the  craft in half...I gave them one chance to surrender..they chose to spout of  some ain't human matra...so I opened  fire... she  sits  down,to wait to here  any reaction.

  Beth stood up,About  an Hour  after you reached the Mansion, we picked  up many calls  from the Largran to  the largran Vessel...later our  signals were  jammed, I was very surprised  we  picked up sqawk from the Unit..what ever they were using, wasn't being  Jammed  by the Largrans.....shortly   after the battle broke out, the jamming was gone, and oddly enough, the Largrans  were deaf..don't know  what  went on down there, but you guys  messed them up..they couldn't  take to each other.

Mal stood and said,
"It was a difficult situation to deal with in any fashion. The Mulls are omnivores such as ourselves, though more akin to an advanced Terran bear than an advanced simian.

The Largrans on the other hand are complete carnivores and predatory. They show clear signs of having been an industrial culture before being 'elevated' by the Demons. So they are always looking to dominate or for a meal. They need the meat at all costs, and evidently often. They appear to be a few generations into elevation so that they are use to the technology but haven't adapted socially. and then he sat down again.

She bowed her head in respect to Frans before looking to everyone as they talks, and slowly ate her pizza.

Hannah set her unopened soda on the ground and leaned back to listen to the others. She really had nothing much to add. The poppers had performed as expected and interfered with the communications equipment.There had been very little real effort on her part, just minor tinkering in her opinion. She wasn't too sure what she should say, if anything.

Roy pulled the datapad that had been given to him, last time he was in this room, and fidgeted with it a little bit as Mal made his report.  After he sat down, Roy held the thing in his hands again for a few moments.

Seemed like all the individual team leaders had made their respective reports (he had no idea of the drama Stoly had faced while alone at the shuttle with the three pilots), so he figured this was probably the time to start stirring the muddy waters...

"Commander, sir...I have a question," he began.  Holding the datapad in his right hand, he tapped the thing against his left palm.  "Is it going to become standard practice for personnel to be given useless equipment, or was this a one-time thing?"

He stopped tapping, and looked pointedly at the datapad, leaving little doubt which particular piece of equipment he'd found useless.

</Purple>  The Commander  turned to  Roy,..You had  issues  with the  equipment? Anyone  else?

  Kray  shrugged,..I looked  it over a bit the night before. I used  mine as a grenade when we made our run from the manor though...seemed to work...as a grenade..

  Frans  chuckles,..i am surprised you didn;t  use it  as a Hammer Though her  and Eckles laughed, there did not seem to be the venom in the jest as most times.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:59, Sun 19 June 2011.

Mal stood and said,
"That's a datapad Master Sargent. The gizmo I gave you with it was the device. Remember?" then wondered where the device Roy had been given was.

Angela Growls to herself after finishing her Pizza and looking over to Frans before standing up. "Sir's I believe I would have caused a bit more harm during the mission." She looks over to the commander with a sigh. " As you already know, I was nearly about to take off again as soon as we landed do to a slight memory loss. but that is little concern for what I did afterwords." She looks around with the out most seriousness she had ever put out around them. "I engaged Lt Eckles in a conversation over being on the same team, during the mission, and she retorted with something that normally wouldn't faze me. Later I attacked her in an attempt to show her what I meant about the "same team" comment and put my gun to her head after pulling the clip out. I also recognize that my telling you this could put me somewhere I would rather not be but, my actions were not well placed and I will have to deal with the consequences." She sits back down and breaths in deeply glancing over to Frans and Eckles. "That is my only report."

Roy gave Mal an appraising look.  "Thanks for the enlightenment.  I know it's a datapad.  It was useless.  Worse than that, looking at all the information that's on it now that wasn't on it when I went down to the planet, it may also have served as a tracking beacon."  He dropped it on the table in front of him.

"And if it didn't, whatever sensor suite was pulling up all the physiological scans of every other alien in the room sure as shit was.  I appreciate the need to gather intel, and all...trust me, I'm a big fan of knowing what the hell I'm facing, you won't find a person in this room who's more fond of that feeling than me.  But when you're on a covert operation, the last thing you want is something in your gear sending out constant active signals.  Even if people can't figure out what the hell it is, they can damn sure triangulate WHERE it is."  He was trying, not very successfully, to sound patient...but the agitation in his physical manner (a quirk that would be noteworthy, to those who'd spent much time around him, because he was so rarely agitated) showed that there was a lot seething below the surface of his manner.

  The Commnader's eyes  narrowed  Just a bit  as Angela  spoke you what! You did  What! Eckles...is this true?

 Eckles lowered her  head, Frans studied her soda  can

  Dammit  Eckles..answer  me now...

 her  head snapped up as snapped at her, Aye..sir..i..um..think she was just...passing the  time?

  Passing the time! On a hostile planet?what the 9 hells....Frans? You always have somehing to say..say something now....

 ..I...um...have to go along  with Eckles  , Sir. I   um...think they were bored?

 Looking at the others he  asks,bored? Dammit... Roy?  Stoly?  Storm?  any  of you see this?
This message was last edited by the player at 10:14, Sun 19 June 2011.

Roy's rising ire over the datapad...and everything associated with it...was derailed for the moment.  While he wasn't quite agape in surprise, there was no missing the shock in his eyes.

"No, sir...I can only assume it happened after we were in place and waiting for the speech.  We weren't watching the shuttles...weren't even in a position where we could see it, really...Lyri might have had line of sight on it, but Storm and I certainly didn't.

Mal looked shaken and said,
"The datapads I provided can't receive or transmit. That would make them not secure and I'm unable to do that. There was an imprinted crystal that is erased when tampered with.

If that is updated than it isn't the one I gave. All communication equipment was handled by Communications Officer Killian.

So someone switched those datapads...." then wondered if it would explode or what.

Stoly answered the Commander.  ”I saw the incident, but not how it began.  It looked to me as if the two were engaged in a demonstration of close combat technique.  I spoke to the two pilots and gave a critique of the technique.  I suggested that the airfield was wrong venue for practice session and  offered to show them a response to their scenario that would not get them killed, but when the mission was over.  I reminded them that we were in combat zone and to remain vigilant, and to save it for the lizards.  I do not recall anyone's performance being impaired.  Afterward I discussed with Lt. Frans the possibility of mobile anti-aircraft units attacking the airfield.”  It wasn't entirely a lie, more like an omission of certain facts.

 Hacks  eyes  went  from Storm  to Roy, to  Stoly. His  eyes  rested on Stoly for a Moment, though he spoke to Frans  and Eckles,..is this True, Frans?  Eckles?

 well..Yes Sir...we did  discuss... frans  was Cut  off  by HAck,

 ECKLES? he snapped.

  she Jumped  a bit  and Nodded rapidly Yes  Sir, Commander, Sir..we...spoke  of  all that..I had debated  about the  use of my boot knife... Hack held up a Hand, ..Enough!..we're  done with that..lets move ob before i feel the  need to space someone...

  Turning to  Mal,..From  what i understood, your  pads  could jam the others, the  Things Hannah  got  for this  trip, where not  Human made..just what there  was, was her choice..in the  End though, we lost comms  for  a bit, Until Hannah used the personal comms she picked up in the grotto, once theexplosions hit the Manor, the Blocks  came down. Next time  we  will have lean towards the tested  tech, it would have been bad  for  all concerned, if  we would have been out of touch

  Looking over to Angela.Since you and Eckles were so Gung Ho about  practice, You two  will see Sgt Spenser, he will set up some trinign  sessions  with a trainer of his  choice, you will take  two weeks  of classes..the dates  and time at his  discretion..this way...we  will be certain not to have  any more, bored pilots....Aye?

    Right Now, all the Ambassadors  are in the main conferance  room, setting up a treaty for the Mulls..once that is  in plaxce, and the Artimus  arrives, we will be heading  to Fuji. The  MAin debrief is  Over..please everyone  ButMy people who were on the rgound, take your leave, and thank you.

  As the People  left Roles  and Raven stopped near Shadow,..You two stop  by the Rec Dec on the way home..we have to finish some Business...

  Roles  Shrugged and nodded to Kray,won't  take ya  Long   lad...

  After everyone not involved ,left the  room  Hack picked up some  data chits  and tossed them to  Kray  Hand  those out...

  Kray looked  at the names on the chits,and  gave them out.  as all of you know, we  operate  a bit outside of the normal frame  work of the ESN. Should  we  fail, get caught..whatever..we  would be considered  rogue, off the reservation..whatever you wish to say...but...we keep  getting called for Missions. We  do not recieve extra  pay  for what we do. To make  up fr that we cash in on salvage, and  any items  we can loot from  enemies..sell  to Black market ortrade  for use in what we need...However..this  Tie  Hannah hi the  Jackpot...she got the Credit  Chip of the LArgran's  for use  in the Embassy...Kray managed to get the Aides  Credit Chit card. They must have  felt  really safe...at anyrate, we  garnered  over 2 million  Credits, of that we gave the HArvestor 500,000..the rest goes into our operations..What we got off the  Aide,  goes to you folks  as  extra  pay.

 After handing  out the  chits  he sat down next to Hannah and  handed her to her.

 ( Angela,Stoly, Roy,Hannah, Kray, Kurt, Mal, Cindy, Lyri,Frans  and  Eckles  all recive 500 credits..please up date your sheets...)
This message was last edited by the player at 02:10, Mon 20 June 2011.

Mal took the chit and then offered it over to Roy. He said,
"This is to split amongst your people. I did the best with what there was and learned. They deserve a little extra too. Please?"

Roy looked coldly at the chit, then reached out and took it.  "It's for Lyri...hazardous duty pay.  Unless she doesn't make it, then it's an extra rider on her life insurance policy."  His tone was frosty...while the incident was, officially, over, it was pretty apparent that Roy wasn't entirely prepared to leave it behind.

To avoid making the situation more awkward, he turned to the Commander.  "Sir?  If I may...since it was Ensign Stolyarev's suggestion that the pilots get more extensive hand-to-hand training, I would appreciate his assistance on the subject."  There was a half-smile, almost, on his face, that indicated he didn't fully buy the official explanation, either, especially since Angela was the one who brought it up and her story completely failed to match the 'official' version.

Angela was about to object to the Commanders orders, mainly because she new she was the one in fault and Eckles was unaware of what was going to happen until it was to late. She looks over to Roy as he speaks and tries not to smile at him as he asks to join them, she would only nod to the commander after that as she takes her chip. "Thanks." She says to Kray as he hands it out.

  The LC looked  from  Hack, to Roy, then to the three ladies in question. Hack's eyes  swept over the  women  and Stoly before he said to Roy, but  was , more-or-less, looking at the ceiling,Well?  MAster Sargent..as you well know Anything  that comes to  Command level, must be handled  by Command..It is  not a great deal of  fun, for  all involved, especially with us on the frontier  like this. So? I look to My suboridinates to handle things, that...should not..be brought to my attention. Lt  Shadow Covered anything in the  Air, You...were in charge  of the ground. Each of you had your own seconds, who had to step in , as you were busy elsewhere...Thus? I expect you to handle  this  two ways...the first..More  enjoyable for  all involved...is for you to handle this as you see fit...the second? You send it up the Line  to me...as he heds  my way...it tends to pick up all kinds of paperwork, and does not  do any good, to the Military records of those involved...

 ..Does that help answer your Question, Sgt Spenser? his eyes  came back down to Roy, Just a  hint of the smile, most folks  really didn't  care to see.

  Shadow  says  quietly to Hannah,..i always  wondered how that look...looked..when it wasn't aimed at me...

Mal nodded then left for his lab.

To Mal's Lab

Roy gave a grim half-smile in return...a look that was, in its own right, potentially as unnerving as the look the Commander had turned to him.  "You want it handled in the ranks, I can do that.  Got a history of cleaning up messes that the officers didn't want on the books."

He wasn't sure, yet, if he wanted the unsanitized version of what had happened, or if he'd just give everyone pugil-sticks and let them beat each other senseless.  But he'd find a way to make them think twice before surrendering to that kind of 'boredom' again...

..Right then, It is under your care, and never  reched this high.

 we are done here..we  may have to go back down on the surface one more time..there are a few more Jobs  coming down the line...and? there may be a few  , we might just do on our own...You folks  can carry on..enjoy your time off...

  Kray Rises   and halfsmiles to Hannah,..we go down to the rec  dec first, get Raven  and Roles of  my back..mayb  while  we are there  we can  get a Movie you feel like  watching at home...


>>> Kray, Hannah  to Rec Dec ( anyone else  if you want..free time!)

Angela stands looking to Stoly then to Roy before heading towards the door where she would stand and wait for them to leave.

Roy pulled Stoly off to one side as people started breaking up from the meeting.  "Do I need to know what really happened down there?  Or have you already dealt with it, and we can just call this a real hand-to-hand training course?"  His voice was low, and wouldn't carry far, but there was a definite urgency in his tone that showed, for the moment, a total disregard for the fact that Stoly outranked him.

”So far as I am concerned, the issue was done with on the ground.”  Stoly said quietly.  For an officer from a family with a long military tradition, he was remarkably cavalier about rank.  If Roy's disregard for rank bothered him at all, he gave no sign of it.  ”I spoke with the two pilots and I spoke with Lt. Frans.  Fighter pilots think differently than ground troops do about combat.  I made certain that they understood the stakes on a personal level and they all calmed down greatly after that.  Lt. Frans may or may not pursue the matter.  She was very angry at the time.  I do not think Lt. Eckles will.”

”As for the training, I am very serious about this.  The technique Eckles responded with is standard procedure for pilot's training.  It is exactly the kind of thing you would expect from a pilot with gun to her head.  And it will get her killed if she tries it on someone who actually would shoot her.  I spend many years practicing Systema, there are better ways of dealing with guns.”

Roy nodded.  If Stoly said it was handled, then it was handled, as far as he was concerned.  He just made a mental note to avoid situations where he was reliant on pilots for infantry back-up, unless the pilot in question was Stoly.

"Very well, then...let's give 'em a good crash course in disarming and disabling and call it good.  Take a day or two to unwind from this one, and then we'll give 'em a good workout for a week or two.  Might not be a bad idea to make the training sessions an option for everyone else in The Unit, as well...though I suspect Shadow could probably show us all a trick or two of his own."  He shrugged, and gave Stoly a glance, non-verbally asking his opinion of the idea.

”I was thinking of having regular class for Systema if there is interest.  It would be good for the Unit aswell.  Systema is the hand to hand combat training of Spetznaz.  I practiced with those chelovekyi, they beat the hell out of me.”  Stoly laughed. ”There is no better way to get a deeper understanding of something than to teach it to someone else.  It's is like tying bootlaces;  you just do it, you never think about it until you have to teach it to someone else.”  Stoly said.  ”And I could use the practice myself.  If nothing else Hermes crew will be able to walk in the lower levels of the station without fear of muggings, after the first few incidents anyway.”

Roy nodded.  "Might not be a bad idea to see if there are a few other techniques that could be incorporated, too...I know there's some judo and krav maga stuff they taught us...I'm partial to the krav maga stuff, it doesn't have any of the formalized competition stuff associated with it to confuse people.  Just straight up dirty fighting."  He thought for a minute, and nodded again.

"We'll set something up in a couple of days...see how it goes with the pilots, refine it a little bit and offer a more advanced version to Unit members, simplify that a bit and offer it to anyone in the crew who's interested.  Maybe we can make Angela teach the crew...that'll be her penance for going rogue on us."  He grinned a little at the thought.

”I will see what the QM has for training,”  Stoly said.  ”No need to bother our good doctor any more than necessary.”

>>>[ to QMs Lockers ]>>>

Roy nodded and followed Stoly out, heading in the general direction of the Rec Deck.  Voices were raised in shouts about something, and it piqued his interest...

Allana sighed in relief at not having to give a public report. She shook her head, I really need to work on that. Standing from her seat after the others had left she went out the door.


To Med Bay

  Just a buffer  for the next mission brief.

This message was deleted by the player at 05:58, Sun 24 July 2011.

 The Commander  was on his third  Cup of Coffee, The LC was sanning through the Data  pad with a very instense gaze.

  The Layout  of   The Hermes had close to 20 redlights  blinking. That meant there were 20  spots thier quary was seen....

  He hit the Comm and said,  Mr. Dion, Please report to the Mission room at earliest oppurtunity...

Frank showed up a short time later having settled in his quarters. His 'Bag o' Tricks' was well stashed and hidden there, but he had a few of the items on him still.

He was dressed in tan colored cargo pants and a utility vest, each covered in numerous pockets and pouches for holding miscellaneous gear. He was also wearing a pair of durable all-weather boots with a built-in knife sheath (empty at the moment) and a utility belt that held pouches of all kinds. On his right shoulder was a Norwegian rat.

He headed in looking around at the people and didn't seem interested in the equipment at all.

He headed over to the fellow with the markings of Commander and said,
"I'm Frank Dion
You rang?" the rat looked with interest at the Commander. More than Frank did as a matter of fact.

The Commander   Nodded to him  when he entered the Room, after the two guards  allowed him entrance. Welcome   aboard the Hermes, Mr Dion. This is  LC Si...  his  arm motioned to the LC who  lifted  a hand and nodded   , then went  back to punching in data  on her  data pad.

  we   are havig  a bit of  trouble right now, should be cleared up in a few moments....now..you are aboard..why? The Camnader   Pressed on ot the Buttons on the    Layout  and the red light   turned green...he nodded  as he waited  for an ansewer.

Frank gave a roguish grin and said, "Officially?
Your High Command felt my talents would be of greatest use to you on this vessel.

You want the unofficial reasons?" then the rat on his shoulder gave a happy sounding chittering sound and actually waved at the Commander.

Frank looked at Gerald out of the corner of his eyes without actually turning his head. Then he spoke in a droll voice and said, "Well I'm glad you like him Gerald, but I haven't made up my mind yet," then looked back towards the Commander for his reply.

  The Commander and  One arm crossed ver his  syomache, the left are rested on the other, while the left arm rubbed his chin, Yes, Mr  Dion. That would habdy  for  the C.O. to know  why people are 'sent"  to his ship...and watch you friend  around the Rec Dec..the Civies hunt  rats for sport...

Frank said, "Sure thing Boss.
Gerald sticks with me but you might want to let those 'Civies' know that Gerald hunts back. Damn good at it too.

Ok... Here's the straight goods Boss.
I'm the only child of Ripper Dion.
I spent part of my childhood with the Sanri and the rest of it as a pet on the Creshain Home world.
So I'm very familiar with both those cultures and their language.

My teens were spent among the working class Angels and I speak what amounts to their gutter talk.

I ran blockades for ten years from the time I was sixteen with more races than are actually known by High Command.
I speak their languages and know their cultures as well.
In those ten years we weren't even suspected, never mind caught.

Since then I've been traveling non-stop from system to system working as a translator, scrounge, blockade runner, infiltrator, information broker, refuge smuggler, and have connections in both official and unofficial alien societies and agencies.

I have a bag full of technology that is unique and unknown to most races.
Sitting on my shoulder is Gerald, a genetically designed, super intelligent, cybernetic enhanced rat.

I got talked into helping out by under cover agents of High Command.
They convinced me that the Demons were total assholes.

Does that clear things up Boss?" then waited with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:50, Sun 24 July 2011.

  Another touch of  a red  button, and it  turns green as well, he nods, taking a brief  glance  at Dion,Well..Mr   Dion.  Right now, we have  a loose Assassin on board, and the only fellow who is 'evenup' with him  is wounded and out of the game. This  fellow...is no joke...if  we cannot find him..You might have  Just boarded your  coffin...

  The LC looked up at the Commnader as  if he  said  something  she answered, Spencer and his team are closing in on the  quarters of  a missing Non-com..sector 15...here...  she tosses him a  vistor's badge.Go see him..DO NOT...make him  angry, we have  three wounded, one  dead...and one missing..the  cout  keeps getting higher...

Frank gave a serious nod and then said, "What species is the assassin and do you have a name or code name for them?

I might know who you're tracking.
Might even know how to find him or stop him," and it was quite clear Frank wasn't joking.

 The Commander  Looked over at Dion and  said,..right now? he..or she..is using the code name Grah...gods only know  where he or she is right now.. I made a  mistake...however, with out that mistake, we didn't know he was here...so...it's  a wash  right now...if not  for  a lucky shot, I would not be too  worried  right now. But...we have to see what  shakes  down out of this...don't  screw  with the  Security teams...they'll shoot you first, apologize later, if they are wrong...

Frank answered,
"I know Grah and so does Gerald, he's Sanri. Quite a piece of work too. Crazier than a shit house rat. No offense Gerald.

Gerald can track him. He knows the scent," then very reluctantly took off his Rolex watch. He flipped it open and offered it over.

He said, "This is a Surveil Swatch. It's got a set of tracers and trace monitor built in it. It's got the Sanri genetic signature in it. I had the Rolex built around it. Try not to trash it.

I need someone to go with me to my quarters. I got a matter shield there.
There's an alien species whose miners use it to protect them from micrometeorites and debris from explosions. It's light weight and easy to carry. Your teams could use it as a defense. Anything short of a ten megaton won't get through it.

I got a device called a Soother Pulse there too. It's a small box that fits in one hand. It emits sub-audible noises and subtle vibrations that can soothe anything it carries in its memory banks. It's got Sanri in it. It.. Well it makes the species it's coded to turn passive.

Get me some armor while I grab the stuff and see what you can come up with to help keep Gerald safe.
He's my best friend...
Okay?

I'll go out with the search teams. Gerald knows Grah's scent.

You got something I can write on?
Like quick?
I need to write something out for Gerald," then he waited for the Commander to answer. He'd just sacrificed half of his secrets in a matter of seconds and it was a heavy blow. It showed.

  Hack   opened the  drawer and  Pulled out  a  pad  with  a grav pen. Grab one of the guards outside  the door to go with you....You do know  Grah isn't just one person..right?  There  have been as many Grah's  as there have  been.....jobs...

Frank took the pad and grav pen as he said, "Yeah..
That was a setup by Grah...
It's a rumor he did a fix with to keep others off his scent. Told me all about it when we worked together.

I was hired to smuggle out a bunch of women and kids. He was hired to destroy the base they were at and kill off all their leaders.

We came to an... agreement.
To our mutual advantage.
Look...
This guy is a two armed Sanri.
He didn't lose those arms, he had them cut off on purpose.
Like I said.. fuckin' nuts!

The other Grahs kill off random important people to have them think there's more than one, but there ain't.

Gerald come see..." then he went over to a flat surface and Gerald crawled down.

Frank began to draw out symbols.
When he was done Gerald snarled savagely. Frank turned with his hand up and said, "It's cool! It's cool!
Gerald just hates Grah. Guy burned his tail with a fusion torch once... got bored.

Ok. Gerald knows who we're after.

Have someone meet me at my quarters with that armor and the protection for Gerald. Send someone from your security team for the matter shield and I'll show them how it works.

Get those people to back off though!

Grah's got a dead man switch in him. They kill him without disarming it and they'll blow up half the ship!" then he headed for the door.

He was still close enough to catch any last words but soon wouldn't be.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:59, Sun 24 July 2011.

 Comnader Hack  loks at Dion  for a moment, Take your  Goodies  with you, you may need them..when you find  Sgt Spencer, you can explain what you have...and what you think. I know one of th Lights Out   Unit members, as  far as he knows, and  I know? The Name  was just  a code  word ...but..we  shall see..GoodLuck...

Frank stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Commander Hack. With a mirth filled grin he said,
"If Gerald can't pick up the sent then it isn't the Grah we know. I'll just handle the gadgets then.

Don't know which I hope for more...
I really ain't looking forward to climbing behind Gerald through a bunch of access tubes and garbage shoots..." then he headed out the door nabbing up the soldier as he went.

  Buffer for the Briefgame breif for misson 3..................................

  The Comms Lit up  over the ship for those called to the Briefing. All the Pilots were called in, as  well  As Spencer, Stoly Souza, and Lowie. Word had it that Lyri was sitting up and eating, and being cranky but she would miss this show.

  Roles  and His Pilots  were there.  Genral Orca was there  from the  AP mullsAlong  with a set of paperwork people

 Dee Dee was Invited, as  was  the Doc, but Doc  was researching so Stefi  came  instead. Cindy came from the Bio-tech lab.

  Miller  was  there  as  well as Beth from the Bridge, as per normal Commnader HAck  and  the LC were  on the stage  with the Mulls. A large  screen pulled  down once again, with a  vid-cam projector aimed at it.

  Now? the  Commnader  tapped hi pen on  the datapad..waiting  for his folks to arrive.

Punctual as usual, Roy strode in, all business.  In his hand, he carried a data-pad that outlined some of the security issues he had to deal with, as well as a growing list of soon-to-be-standard gear for the security teams (if he had anything to say about it.)  There was also the outline of a proposal for a special-response security detail, made up of more highly-trained personnel.  He looked a little strained, but generally rested, his Marine Corps spit-and-polish restored from the events a few hours earlier.

He walked in, snapped off smart salutes to the Hermes personnel present, gave an inclination of his head and upper body to the Mull general, and a scant nod to Roles.  His tolerance for mercenaries had taken a severe hit in the latest action aboard the Hermes, and while there was no hostility in his expression toward Roles, there was a distinct iciness that hadn't been visible with anyone else.

He found a seat, cleared his datapad for the moment, and prepared himself to start notes on the mission.

 Frans, Eckles, Stevens  , Lowe and almost all the other Pilots  arrive. Some looked a bit  weary, Frans  and Eckles looked fresh.  They took thier  seats as Normal.

  Beth  and Mille r entered  and took thier  seats  as well, they took some sidelong  looks to the Harvestor  Crew, and continued on.

 Ensign  Mara  entered. A Purplish  Bruise  above her left eye, and  some  marks on her neck. When she  came  In Raven  stood to  approach her, Role s grabbed Ravens arm and shook his head, now...was not the time.

  Cindy and  Jorge arrived, both looked like they haven't  had  much rest, of late, but took thier  seats off to the side.

  Stefi  came in shortly after wards, a small medtech bag with her. DShe sat  in the back.

Angela enters the room, looking to everyone. She looked better then she ever had the past week or so. She made her way over to the seat next to Roy and sat down. She looks to him and smiles softly, then turns her attention back to The leaders.

Stoly hurried to the Mission Room, remembering to slow down only right before he entered.  He slipped in and grabbed the nearest seat, next to a doctor he hadn't met yet.  Knowing himself pretty well, Stoly figured he'd get to know her on a professional level eventually.  It was always a good idea to get to know people you might have to depend on, as a person before you became a project.   He took advantage of the idle time wait to introduce himself.  ”Ma'am, I am Ensign Stolyarev,” he said.  ”It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, outside of work.”

  She looks at Stoly and  shakes her head  with a  halfgrin, Hello  Ensign. I  am Lt. Stefi Ranger. I am Doc's  right hand gal. She's working on some big egg head thing. Until then, I get to try to put  yoou folks back together, when you break yourselves.

Stoly laughed quietly,  ”I will try not to break myself.  There are too many people in line to do that for me.  I must take number and wait.”  He said.  ”Mostly we are the ones doing the breaking of others, and those will not end up on your deck.”

  The  Lt  looks towards  Stefi and Jorge, a bit of distaste shows, If it were up to me, we  would come up with something that would wipe them all out. Pity not everyone thinks  like that....

Hannah entered the room and took her usual seat. Humans were creatures of habit and Hannah was no different than anyone else. She'd sat here for two meetings before and she felt comfortable sitting there now. She pulled out her datapad and prepped to take notes, killing the time waiting by making more notes on possible purchases once they got back to the Olympus.

  Kray followed in on Hannah's  Heels , a nod to  SToly and  Spencer..and a little  wave to Miller  and Beth.He Then, was pointed  , by  Hack, to the seat by Frans  again. Frans   Nodded to  Hannah as she walked in, and  when Kray took his  seat, she asked him quietly about  his shoulder, he  just nodded  and said  if  was  fine.

  Now  that Lt  Shadow   has  agreed to Join us?  Let us  get this meeting started. However..before  we do  Shadow? I need you to take off that shirt.

 you need me to..what?..er..Sir?

  I am Unaccoustomed to repeating  Myself LT...we all have had a very  bad  last 40 hours or  so..don't  press me...

  Kray stood with a perplexed Look, he looked  at the  LC  who looked  down for a moment. Frans turned back to Hannah and winked, her eyebrows going up and down.

 Beth Nudged  Hannah  as well..he got the shirt off  Hack and the LC looked at the shoulder  from the stage, You are fit to Fly , Lt. Shadow?

  Aye  Sir.. as able  as it  can be, I have no worries  about flying  his voice  held a bit of anger in it, none here, have ever  seen that tone in his voice , when talking to the Commander.

  Good then YOu will have no problems  with this... Stefi? Please?

 Stefi  Rose  and  walked  down the asile to stand by the Front Row, she was fishing for  something  in her  pack, Shadow's forehead wrinkled in worry. Alright Flyboy...this  will only hurt  for a second....

  With  LIttle  warning  Her  hand  snapped out of the bag  and drove  a Hypo into the  wounded area, Kray..surprised  and Hurt Brought  Up a Hand to whack STefi...But  Hack already had Grabbed his  hand in an Irongrip.

  Easy  Son, we have to be  sure....

  Stefi withdrew the Hypo  Held it up to the Light after  twacking it  a couple  times with her finger, Its Good sir..nice bright , fresh blood..I went into both Meshes, so the Dermafoam as already bridged  and connected  the  blood vessels  and  such..he'll be even better by flight time..

  BOTH..meshes? he looked at  Stefi with a raised  Eyebrow,

  Aye, Lt...I had to get a sample  from BOTH...to make  sure  the TWO of them had taken hold..you will be fine to fly...
 the briefest of winks and she went back to her seat,after giving Kray some Gauze to stop the blood flow  from the  Hypoattack.  He went to Put on his sir  and Frans  said,wouldn't put it on Just yet , hotshot, you'll bleed  all over it... There  was a  grin on her face as she  said  it.

  Beth Nodded,Oh yes, you don't  want to ruin the  shirt....

  Alright Shadow, leave the Shirt off until  you stop bleeding...wouldn't  want yuour Crewmates to  be so worried about your shirt that they do not listen to the  Mission brief..

 The Commander  wasn't  done with Kray yet.  Kray?without thinking..right now..Who do you want as Sub Wing Commander..?

 Without  thinking, he said  Frans?

 Fran's  Mouth Dropped open as she Looked  at Eckles,then back at  Hannah.

   You are Certain , Son?

  Aye..she has the time in. been on this  ship almost as long  as me...Aye..

  Then, when you find a Jacket that you can keep for  longer then a day, Put these on...    The LC HAnded Kray a small Box, The box  contained An Eagle with  the Earth in its  Claws...Your Rank, Mr. Shadow  is still Lt. If I promote you to Captain, you'll be given one of the Hero Class Cruisers  coming off the line...I can't afford to Lose   my best pilot. However..Your Station is Now Wing Commander of the Delta Fleet.  Frans will  be your Sub Commander and Handle The Hermes Craft when you are not  flying with them.

  Hack Looks  Up to Roles and His crew, As  Well as  CAptain Niles and her Crew  from the EMS Prowler, The  ESN 352 Athena and  356 Artemis, and  the two new  destroyers  106 Flint and 107 Granite have all been notified already.

 Now that  is out of the way..we Begin...people take notice..this will be the Hermes Last action here for about  a Month, we will go to  Fuji, to  Olympus, to earth..then return here..so..we need get this right...

  The Commander  looked to the Mull who began to  click on Pictures on the screen..a lazer pointer in his hand.

   This is the City Of  Gol. The Last,,and biggest Hold out of the  Rebels who have sided  with the demons  and thier allies. They are hoping to  keep hold until  Demons or Largrans...or both..arrive to aid them..what we have is this..Two Big Buildings  On the Southeastern edge of the City..Ground troops, both Human and Sanri, along  with  Those  Mulls who are loyal to the AP are fighting house to House..we need to get to these two Buildings..Building A is  about  2 miles inside the  city on the Southeastern side...The Rebel leaders are there, and  we need them dead, or captured, before week's end.

   The second  Building ..B..  can be seen from the  first, it contains  two caches of information..on the second floor is  a bank of computers  and Data caches, they contain  all the information on those who are allied with the Demons  and Largrans. The second on is in the basement. In there  is  another bank of computers that have  Demon and LArgran information as well as  some Unknown tech they brought with them.

   the complications  are these..the ground  fighting, and the Demonic and LArgran Fighters still on  Delta Omega. the Numbers  are not  quite known, but  our best guess is close to 20 Demonic Fighters  and at least that many LArgrans...peppered in there  are some Mull aircraft that Demonic  sympathizers  have  captured  and Fly.

Angela leans back as she watches the screen then looks to Kray for a short time. "So there will be allot of fun for both flight and ground fighters right?" She shrugged and looked down a moment. She was analyzing different tactics to use if she was in fact going down this time, and hadn't planned on doing what she had done the first time. She looks back up and leans on the table. "For building A, do you want that to remain standing or would you like a fly-by demolition crew to take care of them? After all if able, you will have all of the information from building B on anything you need right. Also by taking out A quickly, It might cause a distraction for anyone to infiltrate and retrieve the data with little to no interference...right?" She puts her right fist into the palm of her left hand and rests her head on her knuckles.

YOur Idea  is sound, and would save  us  much time, if we did not have to make certain that the information team was going to come back out.

  reachjing in his pocket he pulls out his own Lazer pointer and points at Building A,Here  are my first thoughts. And  the rest of you will brain stormn this. Shadow's Flight  will fly Cover  For a Boarding Shuttle , They will land on the roof  of Builing  A...the combat team aboard  will Blow a way through the roof, as well as  set up Heavy Pulse guns on that roof to cover advancing allies...the real Mission is to Kill or capture the Rebel leaders...once the shuttle  is down, Kray flight will  range through bthe City, keeping  away Lowlevel fighters  and talking out Ground targets...

  The POinter  Goes to Building B,Hopefuly, the rebels  will be distracted  enough ,and Not worry about the second  Boarding  Shuttle Landing on  Building B. Here.. Sgt Spoencer  will take his  head  down inot  the Buillding...En Stoly will flight  the Shuttle  and provide backup as Needed, Spencer will select 6 boarding  party folks, Plus his team   to get the information we need....also with Spence will be Ly Killian, to hack into the information and down load it, and Lt.  Veveraux, who will pick and choose what Tech she  wants to bring  back.If Doc isn't available, Stefi  will be going down with that Team to. To make certain they stay Mobile and healthy.

 SWC Frans? YOur  Flight  as wall as C and D will Fly HIgher cover, YOur  main purpose  is to keep fighters  away from the  City, and secondly, to intercept any  that are trying to get to space and Come after  Hermes or her  comrade ship....  Frans was typing on a data  pad, a proud  smile on he rface as she gave Kray a smile, Buit the WC didn't see  it as he studied the  screen.

   The Harvestor  and the Prowler are Going to be on either side of us.  Htier fighters, under the Command  of Lt  RAven, are going to  be protecting the  Hermes and our Tenders... Our Destroyers and  The Artemis and theAthena are Going  to  be a few  miles outside  us, to inercept  andy  Big ships that may come down the pike. THier fighters  are going to remain with them. UNless requested  By the WC  ofr  reinforcements.

 now people? Let me hear  you talk?

City-fighting...Roy hated it.  Going into buildings for close-quarters-battle was the antithesis of his preferred combat style.  But, then again, being an NCO in command of a ship's entire security detachment wasn't exactly in his comfort zone, either.

"How complete a floor plan do we have of these buildings, Sir?  Especially building B?"  Putting together an operational plan would be a lot smoother if they had plans.  Not impossible without them...but a lot easier with them.  Based on recent activities, he already had half his team selected...he'd have to see who, among the security teams, would work to fill out the other half.

    The Buildings  are, from what i understand, stcok Mull structures, they do not have very many varied floor plans, per stlye of building.

  The Mull. Orca, stood up as he pointed to the  pictures,Both Buildings  are  lareg  by ouir standards, 7  floor high. One each floor, in ther Middle of the Building  are  sprecial rooms at have additional safeguards  in case of  attack...extra Pillers, More rockmush to hold the stones... On the Second  floor is the Data information area....the whole of the basement, will have  computers and Data storage units as well.

”Do these buildings have landing pads already on the roof?  If not, do we know the live load of the roof will hold the weight of a shuttle?”  Stoly asked.  ”I would hate for the shuttles to fall through.  It would make for annoying extractions.”

Roy gave a mild snort.  "Extractions?  Make for a helluvan infiltration, if we're on the fifth floor and going down when the roof comes in with a shuttle on top of it," he said, in Stoly's direction, a tight smile on his features.

He turned his attention back to the front of the room.  "Can we get a basic floorplan, then?  Any time you're talking about a building with floors that have multiple rooms, I'd like to have some idea of how things are laid out, so we can plan best our defense and how to cover the data and tech retrieval specialists while they work."

  You can pick up a copy of the map at the end of the meeting Sgt Spencer, it may not be comprehensive, but its  the best we can do.

 The Mull answers Stoly before HAck is able,  Mull buildings  are strudy things A Demon Cargo Shuttle landed on that building, just a month or so ago, to unload some Tech  for us. They didn't  sem to have trouble.Comsidering that  the Wisps are about yhour size, and they other  breeds outweight  a human by 2 or  3 times. i think yhou will have little worries.

 Kray speaks up, Anti-aircraft, we need to  know  how many and where...

  The Commander  turns to the  Photo and points, 4  batteries on on each corner of the City. Those  are the real ones...anything else will either be shoulde fired or on a armored Vehicle.

 looking over the  people  he said firmly,..thie   is  a two pronged mission. Death, or campture of the rebels leaders...and the capture of the tgech and Information  banks...then, that building gets  destroyers as well

  Frans? YOu and yours  are going to have thie r hands  full  with the fighters coming in, if they move to space, yuou have top go too. Shadow  and his flight are to cover the two shuttles...they will have to fend  for themselves , if you are drawn off.

 Frans  Looked to  Kray as if to seek his approval, his eyes  were studing the map as he said,what are you looking  at SWC? you never  worried  about my orders before...no uise  starting now... a bit of  a concerned  smile  came  as she  gave him a whap on the , Unwounded, arm

  I am thinking, now  would be the time for the extra  folks to go about thier  Business of getting ready, I am thinking the Team will need to go over   some details...

 Hack's  eyebrow  rose  as he Nodded, Thank yhou folks...Please  be  on yhour way, will will contact you one hour  before launch...Please have yhour Vessels on station then.

  The Pilots and Mercs  filed out, along  with some  MArines and Sailors  who were not vetrans  at Boarding   and such.

  Raven  tried to  talk to  Mara, who  Just pushed  past her  and  headed to the Hanger deck.

  Kray Grabbed Frans, You'll be staying , just a bit... he shooed  Eckles off , who shrugged and  went towards the hanger deck as well.

  after  all were Gobe, Hack...in a somewhat concerned  voice looked at Shadow, The  briefing was about over..The team would meet later, what is on your mind?

  Kray  opened his hand  for  HAck's  pointer ans clicked on a  very larghe square to the  10'o'clock of  Building  B..and  about  9:00   to Building A.

  Parking Lot?  empty lot?

  THe Pilot  shook his head, Drill field...that means a base..that means   alot  of  groundtroops..something that was not mentioned...Now? we all saw how they are...lazy, didn't start fighting  until  there were rounds  fired?..But..if this is  a base...we are going to need more then two shuttles...

 The LC squinted  at the   screen as  did Miller..Beth Just nodded her head, though she wasn't  really  looking at the screen. How  can you tell that is a Drill field, Kray? the LC  asked.

  Because i had a very good teacher in my Photorecon class....I am thinking   General Orca, wishes  to have  his  opposition whittled  down..as he failed to mention this fact...

”Thank you sir.”  Stoly said to the Mull.  ”This is good to know. I should hate to have to leave this party by the front door.  If demonyi can land on roof, so can we.”

Stoly listened to Shadow's assessment of the “parking lot.”  He looked over the open space and had to agree.  Stoly had seen a few parade grounds in his time, and this was a parade ground.  ”Perhaps we have time to rig a couple of shuttles as gunships?”

 Aye, that is  a good idea. That is  what the lizards tried to at the Mansion, before i torched them...it would have  changed  the whole day had  they Cut down the Mulls   who were on ourside...

She sits back and Sighs. "This would be a good time for a transporter device." She stretches and looks around. "I used to watch the old movies called Star trek, now if we had that kind of tech we would be set, just beam the computers or what not right on up here, hook them in and get the info...leaving no casualties and a building for me to bomb...everyone ones." She then smiles and shakes her head before looking down.

Roy shot Angela a look.  "What, like some kind of teleporter?  If we had one of those, why not just drop the whole assault team in the middle of their base, on the sly?  You'd have to wait to bomb the building, sure...but we'd still get eyes inside to make sure we got everything that was worth getting, first..."  He grinned and shrugged.

Turning to Shadow, he said, "Could be General Orca's overstating the progress his forces are making.  It wouldn't be the first time I've heard an officer's status report reflecting as much wishful thinking as reality..."  Again, he shrugged.

"If there wasn't data to be retrieved, I'd say just drop a couple of sniper teams on some rooftops a half-mile away or so...any time someone showed a head inside one of those buildings, it'd get blown off.  That would whittle down the opposition in a hurry, too, with a lot less exertion and collateral damage.  It is, however, time-consuming, and would mostly eliminate the low-level groundpounders, rather than their high brass...in situations like that, the brass tends to go to ground."  He pondered on the matter for a few moments, and offered, "Well, if you want leaders taken out of there, dead or alive, boots on the ground are gonna be the only way to be sure you got that target.  Might actually want to put together two fire-teams...at least four men each, six would be better.  One to cover Killian while she's ransacking their computers, and one to do a search-and-destroy mission for the rebel brass."  He looked from the images over to Commander Hack.

"That's my recommendation, sir.  As always, we'll run it how you need it run...but two fire teams would be my preference.  Especially if we're going into a military complex...too easy for a single team to get boxed in and overrun, especially if they've got no choice but to hunker down while covering someone else's mission.  The second team can be mobile, and a distraction...could, potentially, keep the rebels so busy they never get a chance to realize their computer system's been compromised until after it's a done deal."

Angel smiles back to Roy and waits until he is finished then grins and nudges him, still stuck on the teleporter idea. "Or we could Teleport all the non-friendlies into the hanger standing in a row, have security waiting for them, pick out the big wigs and take them to a cell, then open the hanger doors to suck those lower bastards out into space where they belong, or if you'd rather shoot them in that line.. well that works too." She had a mischievous look in her eyes. Wishful thinking... Maybe, but if there were tech like that this would be a great Idea. "As all this happens we would send a team down and retrieve the data with again no casualties."

  The Commander snorts  at  the teleporter Idea,..well..with Lt. Roberts  killed by  his own suit? I am afraid  we will be sorely lacking  at such inventions...

  He turns on the Table screen, that they can View  from over top,One Finger taps  Building A,..Orca  wants the big shots  killed  or captured...and the Mulls, hopefully, will fall in line  once that happens..Shadow's flight and thier  shuttle are to take  care of that...hopefully...

 Tapping  Building B  he looks around the Table,except  for Shadow and Morsan who will be  flying around, the rest of the  Unit...and  any teams  Spencer wishes to bring along  are going for the INformation , and the tech...that...is OUR...main goal.

 MOving a  finger towards the parade ground he shakes his head, Two of the Heavy Pulse  guns  the Team from Shadow's shuttle  will set up, can help cover this..and  any troops  coming from there...there is a damn good bet, they will come  crawling out  of ...well..where  ever they are at, when  Team A's shuttle  hit the roof...B flight is going to have to try to make sure they take out as  many ground targets  as they can

  Stoly? Take  a look in the special Hanger when you go down. See what goodies  you can mount on your shuttle, opr  at least carry  and set up, once you are down there..

  Looking to  Hannah he adds, You and  Dee Dee, along with whomever  Spencer  sends  with you has to tap the  computers...destroy them...then  dig through  that Tech..Orca is supposed to have two APCs  and some Mechs coming  in to keep people off your Building.

  Looking at Frans , then To  Kray, he asks,..I am sure, Mr. Shadow, YOu are going to tell me why Frans is here?

  Frans had been looking and Listening, she shook her head a fgew times as if she was out  of her depth, When the Commnader asked the question, she , also looked at Kray.

  My flight is  Going to be strafing  and bombing it looks  like. Carole  is  taking everbody else  down  and sweeping the skies, should  we need it...But...If I get torched, Angela  has  to take over  my flight...and I want Frans to know what the  goal of the mission is, because  i want bioth shuttles  coming back, with  all the people  who arrivbed with them..Is that Understood  Carole?

  Frans Looked at Kray, then around  the TAble  at  all the others. She knew what he was asking, and what HIS, point was..she turned to  Hannah and gave a  slight  smile , then looked at  the Commander,he's  right  sir. If i am the SWC, I have to know  what's going on....  then she looks at Shadow,...if you go down, the shuttles will make it back..

Hannah had been listening to everything, a half-formed thought swirling in her mind until Kray's order to Frans finally helped it gel. "It would probably be best if we could figure out a way for everything I tap to upload directly to a dedicated database here on the ship. It might take a little longer, but then there's no chance of losing the data if something does happen to our groups." She held up a hand to stop Kray from jumping in. "If someone here on board can man the data uplink then a translator chip won't be required right away - that'll save us some time. I can also see about maybe using something to wipe the drives before melting them. That would keep them from retrieving any info and slow down any repairs."

She looked through her list of supplies and grimaced. "I almost wish our technophile hadn't killed himself with that darn suit. I'm no good at rigging explosives, but maybe one of your people would know how to build something that could destroy the insides of the databanks without killing us in the process, Mr. Spencer?" Hannah was more than willing to admit her own shortcomings.

Angela glanced over to Hannah. "What if something good be closer then the ship, say a cybernetic link?" She looks fully to Hannah then Kray before finally resting on the Commander. "It's only a thought, but what if I could be fitted with a device to receive the data I fly. It might go a bit faster so you can get in, upload and get out." She shrugs a little. "Also what of the new tech woman that's been busting herself over our birds? She is well handed in anything technological." She didn't seem to show she held hope in her eyes and wasn't holding her breath knowing everyone would most likely think her completely insane for even bringing any of it up.

Hannah thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "It would be faster, but there's too great a risk that the uplink would overload you or your ship. Then we'd have the same problem we'll have if I'm trying to carry the data and go down. Bringing Oria in to plan this is a good idea, though... maybe she'll think of something we haven't."

Anthony walked silently into the Command Room almost drawing little to no attention to himself. He walked slowly toward Spencer and stood behind him, hugging the back side of the wall. He had been there since the start and had heard all he needed to hear. He had no opinion of the plan but since it would involve two buildings he knew it would require both close range and far range weaponry. Snipers may be on the roof if they were smart for a vantage point and Anthony was sure they would be prepared for an attack knowing the kind of information was important to us. He stood with his shades on as he watched the ideas being thrown about and sighed. Anthony was never one for strategy, he was a grunt through and through. He followed the commands given to him and made himself useful when he got to the field. He waited till he was there to formulate the position he would set himself in that would best benefit the mission.

This one was aimed to be a fast attack, heavy assault on the two buildings. Dead or alive for the first building which means they wouldn't have to check their targets as much before firing but that second building where the tech was, they needed to be careful where and who they shot. He frowned a bit but made no comment, he had his pulse rifle and competent commanders. He could ask for nothing more.

    Peeking out  from Behind  Kray, Beth looked  at Hannah...her  face a bit pink,...I..Um...ruhn the Bridges  coms  and such. Might  we hook into that, download it to a Bring Data Pac?

 she looks  back  and  forth to everyone

  Kray Looks Up At Angela  I am thinking, perhaps, if things  go too far south, the Hammers  may have to  land  on or around  Building B and take  someone up in ther Jump seats..that's only one per Hammer...if things  go that baddl;y? YOu might be able to help by  trying to Jack into the system there....But..if things go baddly, we get out people out of there and.....

 The Commander  spoke up, Blow the Building to atoms, so no one gets the info or tech.....Our  Main Mission is to retrieve that data...second Mission  is to  wipe out the Brass in Building  A...but most of  all folks..I want all my people back...

Hannah nodded to Beth. "We'll work it out then, with Oria and DeeDee. I think this might be the safest and surest way to get the information we need."

She didn't want to take any unnecessary chances, but she did want to do her job as well as possible.

Roy nodded at Hannah.  "I'm sure we can come up with some way to jimmy the works so they can't be used after we're done."  If he couldn't find a demolitions expert willing to go on the run, there was always the option of taking one of the Barretts that Shadow'd turned over to him and some explosive rounds.  A little like trying to use a howitzer to shoot a rabid dog, but it could work.

"If we're lucky, they've got removable drives and we can just yank 'em and bring them back here to analyze at our leisure.  That'd give us both the data and some of the tech in one shot."  He knew that wasn't quite what Hack had in mind, for capturing tech...but he'd never been one to let the realities of orders prevent him from a little dry humor.

She looks back to Kray. "Sir, even though you appointed me acting wing leader while you were down, I was unsure if you wanted me to fill in the positions of our empty craft for our wing, if you want, I can go through them when we finish here so we could have ourselves some backup if needed."

”Hannah, you could probably use thermite grenades to destory the computers.”  Stoly said.  ”It is one of their normal uses to destroy equipment, to deny it to the enemy.  Not much of a boom, but throws molten iron all over the place.  At 1,500 degrees, I am thinking the computers will not survive it.  Just try not to be the same room with them when they go off.  And leave building  quickly as it will be on fire.  Maybe they will not know if you have pulled out any hardware too.  Never hurts to cover the tracks.”

Roy nodded.  "Thermite grenades and magnesium flares would make a pretty big mess of anything metallic that we'd use for computers.  There's always a chance they build their computers out of the same material as space ship hulls, but it just doesn't seem very practical to use those kinds of alloys for something that doesn't have to resist cosmic rays and micro-meteors..."

And, even better, in his mind, you didn't need highly-trained personnel to use thermite and magnesium.  Just someone stupid-crazy enough to light them on fire in the first place...

  The Commander Looked at Kray,..YOur  Flight isn't  fill out  yet?

    No but I was a tad  busy of late... Looking at Anglea he adds, We leave here, we go down to the HAnger, I am going to check on LAdy, and You go to Morris  and Pull three Pilots...May as well learn now...if you live  long enough, you'll have your own flight  down the road.

  Frans   looks over  to Angela, as she  takes her  eyes off Kray and says , with a well meaning smile,..Check thier files, anyone  who has Problems  fighting Gs, don't take..you guys  are going to be pulling alot  of Gs swinging  around the  city in atmosphere...Morris will try to push the pilots on you, who have seniority...take the better fliers...

  The LC  smiles  and says,Kray?  I think you can put  your shirt on now?

  Looking  a little embarrassed, he puts his shirt on and Looks at  the Commander,..you couldn't  say...'hey..we need a blood  sample?'
This message was last edited by the player at 13:50, Sat 06 Aug 2011.

  The  Commander gives  a wry smile,  Stefi thought it would be better to surprise yhoou, in case you thought to make sure your sample  was right...


  Kray shook his head,...have to make sure i thank her...

 As you were, LT. She's  doing her job, just like the rest of us.  Sgt Spencer? Go to QM and Pull whatb yoou think we'll need  down there, confer with Hannah and  anyone else on the  data team to see what they want, and if  we have what they need...been good to have hit  a Station before this..but...we have to play the cards  dealt

  He Looks around the Table,any other  questions? If not..go take care of what you have to take  care of, see everyone on the Han...ger deck in.... he opnes his comm to check the time,14 hours...get rest, get ready...see you then...

  Kray  Nodded to all those there who might want to go to the  Hanger Dec, The second they Got out the  door, Stefi turned to go to the Med-lab, Shjadow  snapped, LT  Ranger...You willl accompany us to the hanger  Dec, that's an order..."

 Stefi Turned  ready to Laugh  until she saw the Look on Shadow's  face, and the fact that he kept  walking.

 Frans  Looked at Hannah with some Concern.

  Taking  little quick steps she caught  up to Shadow, who wasn't  slowing down,An Order?  An  Order?  I am the same Rankl you are...

 AS YOU WERE.... he snapped,  You have  roughly 10 minutes  before  i close the LAdy's Canope  and take her  out for a shakedown. In that  10 minutes  , youn will tell me what the 9 hell's that stab in the shoulder was for...

Hannah smiled at Stoly and Roy. "I bow to your expertise, gentlemen. I'll certainly pull what I can, but I still want that uplink. If things go badly I don't want to lost the info with the tech."

It was the first time in her career Hannah had ever dug her heels in on anything, but she couldn't help feeling it was important. Kray's frustration with the blood test wasn't lost on her either, but Hannah got the feeling he wouldn't thank her for trying to keep him calm this time. Instead she exited when everyone else did and made for the hanger bay, hanging back from Kray and Stefi, so she could find Oria and DeeDee to plan their info extraction. Once some details were hammered out she'd get with Beth and then with Roy and Stoly to finish detailing their end of the mission.

-->Hanger Bay

Anthony sighed, another briefing done. He didn't know anyone in attendance so he walked off alone. He grabbed his rifle that he left by the door of the meeting and walked back inside to stand behind roy again, his rifle inside the case he held in his hands. He didn't know anyone else nor did he have the courage to talk to anyone so he would just follow roy until he was ordered away. He was trained to shoot and follow orders, not make pleasantries.

The briefing looked over, so Stoly headed out.  He had gear to pick out.  He needed to see what the y had in inventory for the shuttles too.  This mission was not going to be so simple as the last one.  Multiple teams, locations, and objectives made for lots of opportunity for Fate to intervene.  And not in a good way.

>>>[ to Hangar Deck ]>>>

Roy called up the schematics, such as they were, of the building, and waved Souza over.  "So...do you want the wrecking crew, the scrounging crew, or the overwatch crew?" he asked, conversationally.  He was mildly amused...Souza and Lowe, both, were still extremely new to the ship...and to Hack's sometimes-off-the-cuff command style.  He'd been on board for a while when he got his first combat assignment...foreshadowing the fact that he'd have to polish up firearms skills beyond the sniper training he'd lavished so much effort on.

"Best I figure it, we go in with two four-man teams on Building B.  One will sit tight on Lt. Killian while she ransacks the computers and then help with rendering their data systems inoperable--the other will tackle the tech-retrieval duties and babysit the Commander's other specialist.  Building A will get a six-man team, including at least one demolitions expert, if we've got one in the crew.  Since they're basically after targets of opportunity, they'll have both the easiest and most difficult time...no clear objectives means they can make things up as they go...but it also means there's no clear indicator for the to judge when they've accomplished their mission."

He paused, and shifted his focus from the map to Souza.  "This assignment's going to wind up being very different from what you were expecting, I'm sure...the call for snipers is kinda rare out here.  Don't let your sharpshooting skills get rusty, because when we need them, we really need them.  But you're going to want to get comfortable with pulse rifles, SMGs, assault rifles, and small arms again, because that's probably going to be the majority of what we end up using.  I'm not sure why you ended up assigned out here...haven't ever been really certain why I was, for that matter.  But I'm really hoping that you and Lowe prove to be as adaptable as I did.  The kinds of missions we're going to be tackling just aren't well-suited to your average infantryman...or even your average Marine.  The Hermes' foot-soldier complement is going to have to evolve...basically, become it's own variety of Special Forces.  And I'd like our tactical mindset to be more of the scout-sniper approach...if we can take the target out at a distance, then let's do it."

He looked back and the map, biting his bottom lip for a moment as he contemplated the mess they could be walking into.  "But," he added, "we can't let ourselves be above getting our hands dirty, when the mission calls for it."

     "Master Sergeant, our government may sugar coat a lot of things, but one thing is certain. You and I, Master Sergeant, we are good at what we do. And what we do isn't pretty. We kill. I bow to your knowledge of the team. If you say you like this plan, than I will give me damn full 100% to make sure this plan goes through. I am ready to kill, my pulse rifle is good for close and far range engagements. I also have my side arm. I can adapt quickly, but my role is the teams Designated Marksman." Anthony said as he looked toward the Master Sergeant, you grow to respect the enlisted command, even some of the officers if they weren't pencil pushers.

     "I understand that the whole team has worked together before, upside from Lowe and myself. I can trust the team, but I can't trust these buildings. I think we may need one team in overwatch, that or we need some sort of back up plan in case one team goes dark. We need to be able to cover each other." Anthony said as he laid his rifle case out on the table and leaned forward, "They always teach you to adapt, overcome, and improvise when it comes to being on the battlefield. But they can't teach smarts, you learn that from experience. I know things by the book, you know things from battle experience. So when it comes to the battle Master Sergeant, know that if you want me to get my hands dirty, I will stick them into the mud." Anthony said with a small smile, one of his few as he looked about.

     "Assign me to any position that I can watch my brothers, and I will do my best to bring us all home. But I don't like this. Two different buildings. As I said earlier, we need an exit strategy in case one building kicks a hornet nest. Perhaps placing snipers on the top of each roof top for support. Other than that, I think we can.... assume... our command is giving us good intel."

Roy nodded.  "I appreciate the sentiment.  If I had my way on it, we'd put five or six sniper teams down there and soften up the buildings for four or five days before we went in.  Time, unfortunately, isn't a luxury we have."

He looked at the buildings again.  "I'm not so much worried about kicking a hornet's nest and having anything spill out.  If Stoly has anything to say about it, the assault shuttle will be pretty lethal backup, on its own.  And you couldn't ask for more dedicated close air support than Shadow...he's got some pretty hot pilots backing him up, as well.  I'm more worried about our teams getting blitzed inside the buildings...and a sniper on another rooftop won't be much help in that scenario.<blue>"  He shook his head gently.

"<blue>No, getting cut off from the shuttles and rushed from outside isn't going to be the big threat.  The big threat is going to be whatever's inside these buildings, and how well dug-in the rebels are.  That's something that assault shuttles and close air support can't help with, without compromising the structural integrity of the building and putting us at even greater risk.  That's were we're going to need our clearest heads, fastest reflexes, and best instincts."

He looked at Souza again.  "I don't have a lot to go off of, other than gut instinct and a few minutes during that whole situation where we ended up taking Pete down outside Shadow's room...but you and Lowe impressed me.  We've got a decent security force on here...and a pretty decent Marine detachment.  But they're...well...generic.  Not much imagination, not much intuition, for the most part.  There are a few outstanding individuals...but the force, as a whole, needs some direction.  I'm hoping you and Lowe can help me with that...especially with this idea I'm cooking up for turning our ground force into a SpecOps kind of unit.  But they're not going to listen to us talking about unconventional tactics and warfare, until they see, first-hand, that we can get the job done.  I've scored some pretty good inroads there, already...but we need more than that.  Right now, I'm just a guy who's got some good reflexes and shoots really well.  If I can put two other snipers in charge of the other landing teams...and we can nail this mission...it suddenly stops being, "Oh, Spencer's really good, but he's crazy if he thinks we can all do that."  Then, it starts to become, "Huh...maybe these sniper boys know more than we're givin' 'em credit for..."  That's when we can start really evolving our force."

It was audacious...outrageous, even.  But it seemed, to Roy, just the sort of plan Hack would throw himself behind.  And, looking at the track record of missions so far, he saw no reason to believe that he was wrong.  Every mission he'd participated in would have been better off for having a dedicated Special Ops force to draw from for operators, instead of trying to shoehorn a few oddballs together.

Of course, historically, Special Ops forces came out of the principle of shoehorning oddballs together--and then trying to emulate the results they achieved.