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.