when we get there.....

  Sevente was on the bridge of the Attila. everyone on his ship wore  boarding armor andhad set up defense  , much like   the  Hermes.. thier OB  dec Blast doors  were shut.. and  troopers  waiting...

  The COMs Officer  said,Admiral?.. We  have  the first Bug ships coming on screen now....ETA... 15 minutes....Unless they close on us...

 Open the COMs.....

  ..Aye Sir, Already Done..COMs  opened...

 ..Alpha Fleet... This is  Admiral Sevente.... we are approaching the picket ships of the  Empire  Forces... Our Orders  are to Punch through to the  far side of   MAtterhorn Space....  only fire on ships as you move... launch fighters to try and keep  the parasite shuttles from out Hulls.....when we reach the  objective, we will turn and fight....

 he us  quiet for a moment,..Do not stop for a Disabled  vessel...  when the rest of the  Allied  vessel arrive, they can help  defend them.. but  we Must push through, to the otherside....

 ... the Delta Fleet...is not on our  screens... we must assume they have powered down, for some reason...but it does not change our  objective...In 10 minutes..launch you fighters... Good  luck... good Hunting.....

 The TAC  Officer  waited for  Sevente to finish then spoke up,..Admiral?.. you don't think the Delta Fleet  is staying behind to re-enforce  Etna?

  Sevente  sat back down in his chair as he stared out the  windows that will be closing in 11 more minutes.... Hack  does not  run.... nor  does he send  someone else to  do his  job....He is... ruthless..when he sets forward a goal..and there is no cost too high, for him to achieve  it..

  COMs...call battle stations  for the fleet....Now...

 ..Already Done....

 The  Bells   rang in a loud,  rapid  'bonging' sopund as the COM offcier's voice carried through the ship..and the Alpha  Fleet's COMs..

 ...BATTEL STATIONS.....BATTLES STATIONS...THIS IS NOT A DRILL...REPEAT..THIS IS NOT A DRILL....

 an orderly was passing around  coffee or  water..Sevente realized his  throat  was dry...

  Sevente had to watch   the big screen now.. 4  Creshain destroyers and  pivoted  and were  firing    Power weapon broadsides at them.

  so far none ha d hit.. but that would cahnge... then, they saw the cloud of parasite shuttles... and   the alpha  fighters   had  to move to engage them.

 ..all ships... full power.. Fire  as you pass... if it is smaller then you.. ram it...

 the  first fifteen minutes  were   fine,..shouts  for eager fighter  pilots chewing up shuttles..

 The  Hildebrand  blew  one of the  destroyers to space junk.

 The Wolfhert rammed  another destroyer,,  picking up some  damage to its bow..  but  damage control was on it.

  Then..the screams.. as the  parasites  rammed Cap ships, and Bugs  began to pour into  the decs... Unlike  the GAmma Quad.. the alphas have heard of this new tactic.. and boarding  teams were   beating back most invaders , while designate d  flights  tried to clean off the   parasites.

 Sevente listened.. he cursed   Hack.. he cursed  Richards... and he cursed himself.. even as he watched the screens.. he could feel the impact of the parasite  Shuttles on his ship...

  The Alpha Fleet tried to  stay in a wedge formation.. with  staggered depths  so the ships could  f=try to cover each other.. There were Dozens... . maybe Scores of explosions As parasite craft were blown apart.

 LArgan and Bug fighters   were getting chewed up..perhaps 10 to very ESN fighter that went  down.... but.. the Bugs  could afford it.

 Sevente's  @nd in Command  , Admiral  Miklo  Brassio,... Cesare!.. this is mindless.. we shoudl turn back... or? Turn to the MAtterhorn , we can help there..  and be more defesnive... what good is going across the battlefield?...

  Sevente stood up and watched the screens,..we  need... to  take out as many of the enemy as we are able... while marking any of the Gamma ships that have been taken.. This is Our  Lot, Miklo... carry out  your orders...

.....

 The Alpha fleet  was only half  way across.. and the Largans  Cap ships Moved in... Parasite craft started  to ram the   Alpha's... more because of numbers, then lack of effort  on the  alpha fighters part..

  The  Sevente  shouted.....Its there!!... Oliver!..if you can hear me ..its there...9:00 from MAtterhorn... it is  so long.. we cannot  see the end.... But its....

 there was an explosion.. and Sevente's  COMs were dead.

Sitting in the 25 Justin watched as the Fighters launched, being his flights wing positon he was the last through the stasis field. Once through the field he climbed towards the assembled Squadron, manoeuvring into the formation. Checking his battle display he grimaced at the throng of targets showing, which was made worse his small craft filter was active and the signals showing on his screen were ships of the line.

   MatterHorn stood on the  starboard side of the Fleet, as the followed some  20 minutes  behind the Alpha fleet.  The Buoys made the Delta Fleet 'invisible' on screens..only  eyes could see them ... Both the Alphas  and Gammas  had no idea where the Deltas were, as they did not have the correct transponders...

 those   who did not close thoier blast  windows.. or?   watched  through the Gun feeds... The space was Littered  with wreckage.  Parasite shuttle  tumbled or floated through space... Hundreds of thousands of  UEs, bodies shattered  by  The Black, or by explosions..

 The Ewald was  easy enough to see.. at Battered  ESN  Cap ship, with smaller  explosions around it, as   Gamma  fighters tried to clean the parasites off.. or shot down fresh, incoming, shuttles.

 in the distance larger  explosions  of the Alpha  Fleet as they , gamely fought on, dragging  largran and Creshains with them, like   giant magnets...

  The Wolfhaert was trailing  smoke and atmo, it  had  broken off, and headed towards   Matterhorn's Uppers..  to get some protect from its AA guns  and fighters..... Its still fired  as it moved... a creshains Cap ship went 'nova' as its power cells must have been hit.. taking our  scores of  bug shuttles and fighters   in the explosion.

 Hack watched it  all.. grimly... thus  far it was working.. but  once   the 9 hells rained  down on the   Empire ships.. things  would switch... the only difference ...the Delta  fleet. was a much bigger hammer...

  Penilli  lead the way for the shuttles.. Shadow's  flight   was to the  starboard, Frans was above..Steele to the port, and Fitzsimmons under.

  Shadow  watched the    scene as the Wald got  closer......alright , boys and Girls... lets   earn our pay...


(over the COMs)

 ..9 Hells !..Look! That has to be the Delta Fleet I didn't know we had that many ships in the whole damn navy!

 ..shut up and  fight... no one knows they are here yet..

a  female voice  came in,There's  some that never  will!

 The Hungry  Hermes  figthers  swarmed in.. power weapons  and cannons   tearing into  the  enemy fighters  and shuttles that had  no clue, that the  Delta's were there....yet.

  While the fighters  Mixed with the  others.. Stoly  and the other shuttle veered  of  Just as  Ariv, blew  two Parasites  of the spine of the Bridge..

 Stoly shouted  back.. the 50 calls  were adding the  fire  power.. the   starboard side  Gunner  was   chewing up the last parasite on the spine of the Ewald.we're setting down... back to back..get in the hole.. we're not leaving without you!...GO GO GO!!!

 The  Red Light   turned Green and the   jaw like ramps began to open... the   Black was filled with starts.. explosions and Debris...


 Fighters were zipping past... from both sides   as the  breech in the  Bridge was  easy to get to..  Jagged  end of the   blown up parasite gave the  team easy access...

 so far, no  bugs were in sight.

.........................

  On the Hanger Dec..  the  Sally ride  shuttle  landed, canting sideways  their  50's  chewed up  HUmanid   Bugs who were trying to hold thier....foothold.. on the hanger Dec..  Sanri charged out  with For the  and  began  shooting or closing in on the HUmaniod Bugs.

  For the Opened his COMs,..Captain Forthe  here  with  a Sanri element from the Delta Fleet.. we are curently trying to remove  enemy from hanger Dec...

 DELTAS !..that's great!



.............

 at the OB , the  Felrites and  Angels had to  Blow  the parasite   off the  nose...,then entered into the Hole... there were dozens of UEs  resting there, the cats  and Angels  chewing them up...

  LT Az-EL here...  we have entered the  OB and  are  Currently eliminating UE presence .. we will make out was through the  Doors to the   enlisted/NCO quarters    shortly...
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:32, Wed 15 Nov 2017.

  As they were heading in Garrat heard Hacks orders, "SGT SPencer, you got any experience steering starships?"

   Shadow watched Penilli.. it  would be real easy for him to try and take off for the Alpha fleet.. if he was real...real lucky, no bad  guys would notice.. Anywhere else he went... would  be just as bad, if not worse then the position he was in now....

   Two  Creshain Fighter  rose  when they saw, the parasites  explode... Penilli   fired , almost point  Black and Got the Both,, Then began to circle the  shuttles   at the Bridge.

  Shadow  broke away from Penilli and  managed   to stich a line  of lazars and  pulse  bursts along the sides of a fresh  parasite...it split in Halp dumping  dozens of UE into the Black and  6 Humanoid  Creshians...

 All around   fighters  were chewing up, or  downing  Bugs  and LArgrans...

 Now and then the light  from  an Exploding LArgan Cap ship would flash across the hulls of the   giant wave of ESN  Cap ships.. and thus  far, the one who saw them.. never  lived to tell..

 The Hermes and her  partners   set up to send  Broadsides into 'The Field".. even if a round  missed.. sooner or later it would hit something.. just hoped it wasn't  an Alpha or a Gamma..

 Gai   took out a  Largan fighter, having to sue  cannon rounds because eof the Temp  shield they had.

 all across the COMs pilots  were shouting  for Victories.. screaming   for  help, or  telling a friend  to  "watch".. or  "turn here"

  The Chaos of the BAttle was in full throat, and the bad Guys didn't even Know  they were there...

All flights engaged leaving shattered UE fighters in their wake. Justin lined up target after target, firing short concise bursts into these as B flight swept forward taking out bandit after bandit in their near unstoppable advance. The flight moved as a single entity slicing there way through the opposition like a hot knife through soft butter. Each second that passed more enemy fighters exploded or fragments as death reigned upon them. How you handling things Harry commed Justin checking on his new wing assignment as he pumped a burst into another bandit chalking up another kill.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:08, Wed 15 Nov 2017.

   The  COMs  Beeped  and  Hack  nodded  for  Beth to open them.

  Gletis appeared on the screens.. a smug look as she said,..We have your pathetic  fleet  all But  surrounded, Admiral Hack... if you surrender?  we  might  find a way to make your stay with us. less paniful, at elast until the end...

  Hack smiled  as he looked around.....Really..Admiral? How many ships  do you see?

  She  smiled ( we guess?) ,..there  were  8.. two are   littlering  The Field'.. another  ran towards The Matterhorn.. That leaves these  5 batter ships of yours  and...

 Hack bowde slightly,..those  aren't  mine.. I mean?  I command them at this point in time... but they aren't mine...

 she sat up and looked at HAck.. what?.. You said yuou were coming?  was this Just a ruse... you scarificed  these..so..so... You could Move on Anzio space...

 .. you are a clever  Girl?....

 she  shouted  orders  in a high pitched volley of  clicks    and  hums. the translators  could not  Pick up...

  Even as the Delta Fleet  mo9ved  over the threshold of 'The Field'.. there were largan  transports and  Caps ships  peeling off from the Middle of the area to  zip off  towards the 'back door' of Anzio space.

   The  Creshian  glared ( we guess?)  at the screens,..it was a good plan... but  My vessels  will reach there in plenty of time to help push you back... I had  looked forward to dueling with you...


 he  gave  Beth the signal to cut the feeds.
 ..The Day isn't over., Admiral Gletis..perhaps i will see you soon....

--->Hangar Dec

About thirty seconds into the battle Harry would realise that her hands had stopped shaking and that she no longer felt like she was going to throw up. After another minute or so she realised that despite all of the chaos, carnage and confusion she was actually beginning to enjoy herself.

Sticking close to her wingman Harry would pick out a Lagran fighter that had managed to isolate itself from the others, just as she heard Justin's voice over her comms "Everything is A.O.K with me Justin" Harry replied as she swung her fighter round to bear on her target "...I just hope they don't think I'm some kind of a specialist flying this thing" she said with a wry smile with the thought that her uniqueness might mark her out as a target only just occurring to her, oh well never mind!

Leading the Lagran fighter Harry would fire her lasers just as she had done the previous night in the Sims before then firing the 37mm cannon dead into the middle of the shield's corona in the hope of achieving her very first kill.

   As they Broke off to attended to business.. Kat and Candy   stayed on  either  wing of Shadow..

  ..Kat?.. Candy?.. why don't you girls go play?.. I'm fine!

 ..Nyet , Conrade... I make promise to  Irina to keep you alive..after  you give her the mininuke...

  ..Sorry, Flyboy.. you got me back into an ESN unifrom...  Morris told me not to let you down...

 Shadow sighed...

  his wingladies  chewed  up  a parasite and  a Creshian fighter...

  Waggles?... You pair off  with Macon....   Justin, you pair off  with Harry...

 then he  said into all COMs......if a pilto   Pods out.. make sure you  stay on you COMs..so someobe can pick you up... there's a lot of  junk out here.. and PODs don't last forever...

  Harry was  rewarded  but the 37 MM  rounds  cutting through  the shields  like tissue paper, and  sending the   pilot to the 9 hells...


 Justin  took apart a Bug  fighter, as  another one  came into vire..making it easy for him to   take it out as well..

 The Ajax  WC came on.....hey?.. Shadow? They don't know what's going on!

 ... enjoy it.... becasuse  when they do......

 Parasites  were thinning out  ,a round the Ewald  now... the  lights   were blinking out near the   Hive, where the resevere LArgans and Creshian Cap ships were speeding  thier way to Anzio space.

 thus far... the  enemy  had not noticed the Dark blue   Cap  flowing over 'The Field' like a  rising  tide...

In reply to Fighters (msg # 14):

Acknowleded LC replied Justin sliding the 25 into position alongside the Bee, tagging another couple of bandits in the process bringing his tally to three. F25 to Bee I'm on your Port wing. You up to leading the way. Justin commed Harry. As you can see this is quite the target rich environment stay cool and try to make sure you finish the one your targeted if you can't let me know and I'll see what I can do.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:33, Wed 15 Nov 2017.

  Some fighters   did notice the  Delta Fighters, as of yet, it had not sunk in , that there3 were so many.

 The BUgs never   had too much , in teh way of imgination.. the  largrans were smart. but most of they fighters were off  attacking  the Alphas.

  Penilli  called into the COMs.....Mister Hero?... look  at 12:00 High...  10 parasites and   at elast a dozen fighters  heading towards the Sally Ride...

 .. we have   ships  and  fighters there... our  Job is here... we need the Ewald...

In reply to fighters. (msg # 16):

Garrat listened to the com chatter for a bit then turned to Bloodstar, "By the way, welcom on board.   They call me Garrat.  What can I call you?"

     The  crush of the   weight of the delta fleet was finally seen, when a Largran's COMs were cut off in mid conversation with a sister ship.

   Alerts  spread through what was left of the creshian  and LArgran's  Fleet

  ..attention all  Delta Fleet shisp , they know were are here Now... Adamiral's  Orders Up coming...

 ..ALL HEAR THIS.... the ships assigned to the Ewald and taking on the nest ship will remain lightless.... Every even Numbered ship in the fleet.. Turn your  Lights on..... the rest..stay dark.. they  may think your  scrap, until you get your shots in..Remember your attacks... its better to destroy one, then cripple two.... CArry on...

 ...well?.. Since they know were ehar and all.. how about flooding the COMs with some fight Music...

 ..All ready Done, LC.. oldie but a goodie....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MTR9S9ojxY

 The  Song Blasted through the   COM intercepting  LArgan and Creshian  feeds...

  Miklo opened his COMs,..it is good you are  Here!... we... are having  some bad times....

Roy led the way into the bridge with one of the bug bombs, hurling it as far onto the bridge as he could get it to go before stepping off the ramp with his weapon up, firing at anything non-human that moved in front of him.  "I can tell you everything I know about steering cap ships in about ten seconds, Garrat...I get the feeling we aren't supposed to be bringing this ship back, though!"

He moved to one side as he spoke, firing in bursts at each target, trying to maximize damage to the Creshians with the explosive rounds but avoiding damage to the ship where he could, and clearing the path for the rest of his shuttle crew to come in behind him and fan out.

  There were  4  Humaniod Creshians on the  Bridge,  the Bug  Bomb hit  a flourished  into a brownish-green cloud,  One of them  was caught in it.

 It wore a rebeather  rather then a helmet..  and soon the  hoses started to melt... The  creature     Emitted  a long, long  Chirping sound.. as it  fell to its  Knees. another one had some of the  stuff on its  right 'arm' and  panicked as it  tried to  run to the door  that lead to the  Officer's Mess.


 The other Two  we Gunned  down  by Hemsly and Karson as they Dropped down into the bridge.

 the  Bridge ws quiet... the  controls looked to be fine... the attack, looked almost surgical , as the hole  olnly took out  some minor systems like passege way lighting and shut.

  while they unloaded,  those interested what the Bug Bomb cloud  setting onto the  Dec...some of the leather on the  chairs  began to smoke as the   misture at its  was  through...tentrils of  brownishgreen smoke  rise ,laxy..into the  semi-air of the damaged Bridge.

   Howe, and the rest of  the  Hermes 'protectors'   Moved around. looking for  parasites to hit. Thus  far, none had   found the  4 dark ships near the Ewald... the mass of the Delta  Fleet flowed around them, and the  Empire  Vessel were focused on them.

   the fighters  from the  4  ships..  did  find a target, once in a while as a fighter or parasite  came into view...

   Shadow  called through the COMs,... Justin, Harry?  right below us.. a Parrasite with  three fighter  escorts are heading toward the transport that is trying to catch up to us... we need that transport to EVAC who ever is left on the Ewald... You two Go down.. see what you can do....

 ...Waggles?  You and your   Wingman fly over  watch... don't  go down  unless they need you...

 Raven  and the Harvester's  fighters were flying   above the  four  dark ships  as the set up around  the Ewald.. Torching  any aircraft that  did not  have the colors or transponders, of the ESN.

In reply to Fighters. (msg # 21):
Acknowledged LC, on our way replied Justin Harry we both target the Parrasite destroying, then focus on the fighters doing the same to them sequentially. I'll follow your lead and keep them off your 6. suggested Justin waiting for her thought or suggestion on how to go about this.

Garrat advanced slowly onto the bridge, "I've been studying your ships piloting systems.  I think I might be able to help."  He sweeps the bridge with the rifle and sets up covering the entrances.  "The only question now is whether we are hunting Serpents or Eurochs...er wild herdbeast.  Serpents, you cut off their tail just behind their heads.  With Eurochs you cut their legs out from under them then shoot them in the head at your leasure."  He looks at Roy and winks.  To humans it is obviously a code so the Admiral can make a decision.  When they ram the mother ship should they go for propulsion to cripple the ship or just do as much damage as possible?

   "Oh, I like that one," Garrat said holding his position until further orders, "it reminds me of some of the asgard missiles.  They were just standard power plants with armored noses.  They would accelerate beyond the reactors capacity so they overheated and exploded just after punching into the target.  It could be more effective than a warhead in some cases.  Same concept of getting to the core of the matter."

"I got one! I actually got one!" Harry cried excitedly as she watch the remains of the Lagran fighter spiral away and explode, adding to excitable giddiness she was feeling "I see you F25" Harry would confirm in a still rather excitable voice as she caught sight of Justin moving into position on her port side moments before receiving Shadow's orders to engage a parasite and it's escort "Roger that LC, moving into position" Harry replied over her Comms before gracefully sending her fighter into a dive that would bring her in just behind the enemy landing craft; listening to Justin's suggestion before making her reply "Roger that, I'll rake the starboard side with fire while you deal with the port side" she said with a grin before strafing the starboard side of the parasite with her pulse cannons to then execute an Immelman so as to bring her guns to bear for a second pass should it be required.

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 25):

Justin grinned at Harriet's excitement it wasn't long ago that he too felt the same exhilaration. replying to her proposal with a Sure thing as he mirrored her attack run pumping three bursts towards the parasite's port side. The pair swept across the area executing a dual Immelman to line up for another pass. Quickly assessing the condition of the parasite. ooc do they need another run

     Harry and   Justin   dove towards the escorted parasite.. The  enemy fighters  were  moving up..slowly as the spotted   Judy Resnik of the gamma Fleet.. her fighters  were busy with parasite  removal, and seemed to be doing a good job... these Creshains  wanted to change that.

   As Justin and  Harry began to fire.. The peppered  the  side..  Her  Round   reach sometging.. power cell?..Gases..  but the craft broke in Half.

  Justin manged to take out one of the excaots, leaving three angry fighters  as they turned on the attackers..

 the  first one hit is   rudder  and Sprayers  in a circle... Justin and  Harry felt pulse round  bang into their aircraft.. but no lights  came on.. the other  two , each took a flank, to come in on these things..that they could see.. but not scan.

In reply to Fighters (msg # 27):

Heads up Harry I'll try and drive the port bogy into your kill zone. Justin commed as he pivoted his 25 towards the bogy; snap shooting in the process. Knowing the burst had little chance of doing much to the bogy, save diverting the it into Harry's killing zone.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:48, Thu 16 Nov 2017.

Having unwittingly hit something vitally important within the parasite, Harry would gleefully watch as the ship broke apart in a series of small explosions with the sound of her excitable laughter echoing across her comms to Justin as she looked for another target.

However, upon feeling the pulse rounds striking the armoured sides of her fighter she would quickly roll to starboard in an attempt to throw off the aim of whoever was shooting at her; thankfully noting that no warning lights were showing just yet.

Acknowledging Justin's instructions with a simple "you got it" she would make the most of the Bees greater manoeuvrability by throwing her fighter into an aggressively sharp turn to port; firing a short burst from her 37 as the enemy fighter cross her "T", being sure not to over do it and risk hitting her wingman.

  Shadow  Banked to the  his right, a bit away from the Ewald looking  for  targets.. there was a parasite near the  Engine  room,    and   rolled over  to  fire into it.. 3 37MM and   a lot of power  bursts    shattered it..  leaving the pieces to  float away , Joining the rest , of the mess, in 'The Field"

 He   Kept an Eye on the fledgling below ,   Flores  COMed,..want me to go down?

 ...no..but  be ready  incase the  Bugs  get help.... let them handle this on thier own until then.

   Frans COMed,... Not  Much left in our  Area, LC?

  ..that's the point.... we're  just  little bits of nothing here.....,anything comes  By we take it out... if all goes  well... nothing  takes the chance for  running through the Fleet to check on us.... The Admiral has  something in mind for that  Big old monster over there....

  Pilots    the rest of the  Hermes   intercept  pilots  were ranging  higher and lower.. looking for  Targets... THus far, Howe  took out a Parasite close enough to the Hermes, that some damage was down to the Portside  plates.. but nothing  too grim.

 SANRI:

   On the Hanger Dec COMs  Opened up from the Sanri,..This is  LT Flix... the .....there is a pause......Captain  does not wish to leave the Shuttle.. My men and i have  Cut  down many of the Humnaiod  troops...  we are setting up to stop further entry  to the hanger Dec... The Shuttles' weapons   accounted for many of the  UEs....There are..maybe a dozen crewmembers  alive..most are wounded...The Med tech has many wounded.. we should evac them from here?


..................

 FELRITES/ANGELS:

   The Cats  and  angels called out   down the ramp ways, for  any surviors. The  P=ways were  full of bodied of UEs, Humaniod  Creshians  and , Humans.. with an Occui or Sanur  thrown in.

  The Cats  climbed the starboard entry ways and threw Frag grenades into the AA Gun emplacements. Not even bothering to check if the  Creshains were  dead or not..

 ..This is Az-El... we do not have any answers to hails..Lt Hirr has her  people throwing  up the AA gun emplacements..... we do not know, what we  be  at the Elevators.. i would say.. we do not Evac this way?

............

 BRIDGE

 The  5th began to Move  around the Bridge.. the heavy weapons  folks covered the two doors.

 Lyri sat cown at the COM control and   tried to fire it back up.... Waggles  set down  the Omnicom and  began to pull panels off the COM Console to  check  the wiring

Roy gestured for Garrat to go help Lyri..."Show us what you've got, Big Guy," he said, before turning to the others.  "Make sure we've got the War Room and Bridge cleared, bump up the atmo pressure in here, and let's get a perimeter set up."

He keyed his comm.  "Stoly, if the Admiral's plan is what I think it is, we're gonna need to get out of here in a big hurry, so don't get too cozy out there."

He listened to the other comm messages, before answering.  "Flix, get any wounded you can aboard and get ready to clear out, but do everything you can to prevent the Creshians from getting onto the Hangar Deck before you get orders to leave.  I've think I understand what the Admiral has in mind, we need to keep the Creshians contained as long as possible for it to work, but we don't have to kill them all off.  Leave the Captain on the shuttle...at this point, I think he'd be more of a liability to you than any sort of assistance.  Az-El, evac should be happening to the aft of the ship.  Set up what defenses you can, as far into the ship as you can, and do what damage can be done on the Creshians, but be ready to withdraw to your shuttle on my command."

He looked over at Waggles.  "Can we patch into the ship's intercom?  Or internal comm systems?"

 Waggtaff looked at  Lyri, then back to Roy,..I can Patch the OminCOM into the ships COMs... we won't get the OminCOM back.. But   Lewis of the  5th as the other OminCOm...

 Hemlsy and KArson at listening at the door that leads to the war room, and  P-way there.whadda Think, SM , Do ya want us  ta take a bloody peek..or  wait?

 Karson has  the 'terrorist" In a tight Grip...Don't you worry  none.. you'll get your chance to be a hero..

..............

  Flix  here...Alrerady  done... My OminCOM man  has sent  word   for  Big Uglies to get people off the boat  that we can...By the way.. we have  access to the QMs now.. the lcoked the cage.. There was one  man left in there.

................

 Lt Hirr cam one The COMs,we have been blowing up the AA gun people...I am to thinking, the   one pass the  Elevators our .. our people? The enlisted  quarters.. they are not good...UEs sitting  on piles of chewed meat that used to be  people.. we have  been using the Burning thing ..that shots out the wet fire... it works good, and we shut  door....
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:25, Thu 21 Dec 2017.

   swinging thier  ships   around in a concave, formation, the Alhpa fleets was  beginingto pay the LArrgans and Creshians  back for the pounding they had taken.

 The Attila was in a bad  nay, but stayed in the certain of the  curved  line.. The entire  Alpha   fighter wing  and   formed into  one large  cloud of fighters...

 The Naragran were  just now , meeting the GAmma  Marines

Roy shook his head at Waggles.  "Let's just try and blast this over ESN channels and hope the folks in the aft end have ears on..."

He keyed his comm.  "Attention, all Ewald crew members.  This is Sgt.Major Roy Spencer, of the Earth Space Marine Corps.  We have shuttles inbound to evacuate as many of you as possible, from the aft end of the ship.  We only have time for one round of evacuations.  We have reinforced the points of contact with the Creshians...if you are not in direct contact with enemy forces at this moment, head for the Engine Room and we'll give you directions from there.  If you don't make it off with us...you likely won't make it off at all."  He cut the comm transmission, then listened to the updates.

He nodded at what he heard.  "Lt. Hirr, round up any survivors you encounter and hustle them back to your shuttle.  Keep taking out Creshians as the opportunity presents itself.  Lt. Flix, pull out all the heavy pulse ammo and explosives you can get ahold of and stack it in the middle of the hangar deck...when we pull out, I want you to blow it all up."

He looked over at Hemsly.  "Get some heavy guns on that door before you open it...if there's anything on the other side, shoot it dead and toss a bug bomb in there.  Give it a few seconds to work before you follow it in."  He grimaced, and added, "If there's a door on the other side of the room, we can send our 'hero' to check it out."

  SANRI:

  Flix   Answered in the fluid   voice of a Sanri,..Aye, Already Done..The first of the  Big  Uglies is  Pulling up now..The.... Med Tech Lab is ...not good.... many of the Civies are not in good shape.

 The Sanri blew the Cage  door, got the wounded QM seaman out to the shuttle... he wouldn't let go of his Thompson.

  He also have, what few Ewald  crew were left carry any  Med tech supplies they could to the  Big Ugly to help easy the strain on whichever  Med Tech vessel would be receiving the  wounded..

 The Ewald was newer then the Hermes, Her Adjudant's 'shed' was a Modular design, rather then a Shed... Flix himself  gathered the  log and information from the shed.

  a pair of troopers  were stacking Power cells  with   Heavy Pulse ammo and grenades a Hover  cart loaded  with C-10 was  set down by the pile as well, and one of the troopers   was  wiring  detonators   in.

 ..Take  half  those  Cells to the shuttle...the Hermes  can use them.. the rest will serve us, Just fine. but  waved his lower left  arm,..all weapons  Heavy pulse  cells  stack up..

By the time he  had  come back to check, the first Bug Ugly was  hooking up the boarding Tunnel and the wounded began to make thier way over

 ..there are 4 darts on  the Dec  that have not been launched....

....................

  Felrites and Angels seemed to be  twice the number that they were as the moved  swiftly, Tossing grenades into AA batteries.

 ..Az-EL  here.. to all EWALD  crew.. begin to make your  way to engine   entrances on your Dec... we are blowing  any  site we thin has creshians...

 A wounded humanoid  Creshain lay near the  elevators  that split the enlisted quarters from the NCO  quarters... SGT Ai-LI  looked at it and  shuigged  , flashing her  Angel blade to take its head off.

 .. we have  only 4  survivors .. one..may not make the trip back to the Hermes... they say the NCO  section is flooded  with UEs and is serving as an egg chamber?. I suggest.. Booby trapping   elevator and entrances  from this side..

.............

 Supe  still had  over watch on his door  on the   Offcier's mess side of the Bridge... Hemlsy looked back an Minnet,,, Hodden shifted over as well.. then they opened the doors.. Minnet didn't  heistate as her  30  firied  over two turests in a controled fashion.. 4  Humanoids  were cut  down and  a  Bug bomb  too care of a dozen or so UEs..

 McCloud   Looked  into the war room,..Seems  clear.. 'ave  ta  wait fer the  bloody  bug jusice to fall..maybe .. 30 seconds?

   Unless he has been granted a ride, Joseph has had one heck of a time keeping up with the Naragran.  Mass assault is not a strong point for Joseph though he has marksman skills with his pistols and can make his sabre and dirk dance nicely.  It seems having two hands on the same weapon is difficult for him and affects his accuracy horribly.

   His strength [beyond music] was in bringing communications together and seeing patterns in his environment.  As the Naragrans approached the local marines he sent out a blanket com, "Hello gentlemen, we hope you don't mind a little help from the Navar moon.  Since you couldn't drop by and visit our beautiful jungles, we thought we would kindly bring the jungles to you."  He grins a little evilly and signals over the data boards "Let's show these bugs what a real exoskelleton can do."

   With Beth's permission he cranks som music over the coms, especially loud on enemy channels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-9IU6XVgmM
This message was last edited by the player at 16:10, Fri 17 Nov 2017.

  The  Music  plays through  the MAtterhorn's  Uppers..

  Joe Mac to Matterhorn>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    Garrat gets on the controls and looks up the positioning and direction of the hive ship.  Rather than activating the ship's scanners he data requests the information on it from the hermes so the hive ship is less likely to guess their intentions.

    Meanwhile he checks to see if he can overload the ship's primary battery calls from the bridge.

Roy nodded to McCloud to acknowledge the wait period.  "Flix, can you tag the Darts and push them out into space?  Finding four pilots that can get them off the ship in one piece could take time, and I'm sure the Delta Fleet can find room for four more fighters."

He scowled in thought for a moment.  "Az-El, disable the elevators...bring them to your floor and wedge the doors open, that will block the elevator shafts.  If you've got claymore mines, set them up to blast the interior of the elevator when triggered...if not, just wire in as much C-10 as you can spare...blow them when you withdraw to the shuttle.  Take the wounded with you...even the one who's questionable.  We can give him a proper send-off, as proxy for all those who never got the chance and ended up being sent off down some bug gullet."

He looked over at Supe.  "Hodden, leave Minnet covering that door for now, go join up with Supe.  We need to clear that passage, as well, and trap it so any Creshians who might think of it can't get to the bridge to try and undo what we're setting up."

   "I'll cut the control wires to the panels when we are done to aid that."  Garrat sets a course to colide with the nest ship just foreward of the engine compartment.  The engines are likely to be sheilded from the outside not the inside.  If there is an explosion on the inside adjacent to the engine compartment then it is more likely to set off the secondary explosions Garrat is hoping for.  He continues to check to see if the power cells can be overloaded at the right time to make that internal explosion.

   Garrat was a captian, a mchanic, and a soldier with explossives training.  It was time to bring these experiences together and maybe save some lives.

    Gia  Voice is on the COMs,..LC?..  May I have    some flying Music?

  Frans  speaks up.. Let her pop something in Shadow?

  ..Alright Gia... let's hear it...

  ..I  have heard this  in some Vids of your Fleet's  battles.. I play it sometimes  when i am  fighting....

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUhtTA_3Et4

 Shadow Grins  as he hears it,..One of My favoirtes!

....................

 .. while you folks  are Jamming to your  tunes?>. make sure those  Big  Uglies get to the Ewald and Back.... Hack  said with a  rueful smile...


..........................

 Harry and Justin  turned on the two remaining aircraft...   Marry took fire  from the other one... one round hit her  Metaglass... she could  see the 'frost' of the crushed glass.. but so  far , no red Lights...The enemy she  targeted Blossomed into a  short bits of  Fire.. and  was  reduced to  bits of metal...

  Justin came in, right after the rounds  walked up the side  of  Harry's  BEE, with the last round hitting her Cockpit Glass... The   creshain  never got to see anymore  as Justin waxed him.

................

   the Hermes , Achilles, and Harvester   pilots  hand  had to more or less  wait... for   unlucky targets... meanwhile  the  work on the Ewald continued.

 20 Minutes  the  Med Tech was   emptied of   wounded  and supplies... One Med tech  stayed  behind to  help in case  any of the troopers  were  hurt

 The  Big Ugly from the hanger deck Pulled out and pivoted to head towards the Med Tech ship...

 ..LT Flix.. Med tech  emptied.. we have secured  the   entry ways... SEC is  empty, we have removed  the   Sniper  rifles and one grenade Launcher.. with a belt of rounds  for it...  we have loaded  some  spare aircraft Power Cells and  2 cases of   weapons  cells.. the rest are  in a rather.... daunting pile..  on the HAnger dec.... My  COMs  troopers  is   tagging the LAst  fighter... we have  Hover Lacks  and  cranes to push them out.. we'll leave the canopy loose...

  there is a slight pause.. a dry laugh as Flix says,..Captain Forthe is alseep.. it seems  he may have....um... hit his  head, tripping on..um..something he tripped on...

.............................

   Felrites    and Angels  worked Like  Fiends.. every now and again a UE would   crawl out  from some where, and a flash of  Angel steel or the  rapid  cough of a supressed  Felrite   SMG  would  finish it..

 ...Another  5 minutes the Enlisted  section will be a death trap... Az-EL

 .. what do you  wish  us to do?.... we could liberate some of the AA powercells.. unless..you  need them where they are for right now?  LT Hirr Purred...

...............

 Bridge:

 Lyri  looks at the side of the terminal and Holds up a  plug that  hand been  yanked from its  port. she LOoks back at GArrat and  Roy,..oh...9 hells?.... Do we tell her she was right?

   Pouring into the  WAr  room,  Hemsly moved to the  door with Karson and the 'hero'. the opened the  door a  bit..

 Supe  and  Hodden  held the   weapons ready while  Lirg, Bloosstar  and Waggles stepped out into the HAll..

 Both sides showed Blood, a mix of  greenish pus  color  blood of   Creshians  and the  red of  Humans... one  patch of  purplish Blood.. and the Occui it  came from  was   dead, in the middle.

  as both side closed  in on the corner of the   Captain's   quarters  and His XO, they peered  down the passage  and  saw at lest 10 Humaniods  with  some UEs.. they were feeding the UEs like puppies.. the elevator  doors  were open straight theough to the stern half of the Offcier's quarters..

  Supe  Poitned at  Hemsly.. who talked softly into the COMs....Bloody 'all way is clear.... we got  some   human lookin'  bugs   feeding some UEs... down by the elevator.. can't  bleedin' see, but it looks like there's a buncha   troops  in the stern  side of the 'all.. wadda ya want us ta do?

..

   crackiing  COMs  come  up from the Engine  room,  This is   Cief  Franken ..Ok?.. Sgt MAj?.. I go 25 people left here...  we  welded  plates to the  engine room doors on the first three Decs..... The  Foundry people  Cut  a Hole and have made they way to the Civie  section.... they can't open the PArk..... they are   trying to cut  away through?... it  will take a while... from what we can  understand.. there are some  30 Civies  on the park.. most of them kids... the rest.. never made it.. I have  a Cutting  crew on the   hold   dec  cutting a  loading Point... but.... what do we do?...we can't leave them in the park?
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:22, Fri 17 Nov 2017.

In reply to Fighters (msg # 42):

Justin saw the rounds from the bogy walked up the side of the Bee What's your status Harry can you visual concern that the Kite may be out for the remainder of the battle.

Roy snorted at Lyri's question.  "You honestly think she doesn't know that she's right?" he asked.  With a shrug, he added, "Just hook it up, Beth doesn't need a play-by-play."

He chuckled grimly at Flix's report.  "Probably the best use for him, right now.  Get everything in place, clear the Darts, and standby."  He nodded at Hirr's report, and replied, "Leave the power cells.  The benefits are limited, compared to the effort involved, and I think they'll make more of a difference where they are."

He glanced over at Supe and Hemsly.  "Roll some bug bombs in there.  Anyone who's still alive would be sealed behind doors, they'll be safe, and it's not worth waiting for the bugs to realize we're here and swing back this direction.  Gas 'em out."

Harry hardly noticed her latest kill as she was suddenly hit by incoming fire with her likening the sensation to somebody hitting the side of her fighter with a large sledgehammer with the attack culminating with the glass of her canopy starring beside her head causing the novice pilot to give a startled yelp.

Despite the complete lack of warning lights showing on her HUD Harry still checked the seals about her helmet to make sure they were airtight as Justin's voice came over her comms "I'm ok...I've got a bit of a blind spot on my port side but the canopy seems to be holding up" Harry reported, feeling kind of surprised that she was able to remain so calm about it all. Truth be told she was more worried about being sent home than being shot down at this point in time

 Justin  and Harry saw the Transport approach.. its  lights were out as well, save for the Hold.. where the  awaited the Big Ugly with the  people evacted from the Ewald.

  Another such shuttle  was close to the  Engine sections, near the Bottom of the stern. tiny lights  told of  someone cutting there.

 Meanwhile  then circles Under thier ships as they watched, in the distance  as creshain fighters going  down..and sadly, a few  ESN aircraft of the Judy Resnik,, The Resnik showed  a lot of signs of  battle, which may have been why she 'sank' velow the  main Battle field. she only had.. at best count..7 fighters  still circling around, keeping  off the  Bugs  and a  few LArgrans.


 Fitzsimmons's  Voice came on the COMs,..Urns Take your Bird BAck... my screens show you'er leaking Hydro Fluid..and you must have taken  a hit near your engine feeds as well? Tell me  you'er not showing Red?

 ..Look?  Chief?.. I'm fine.. for what we have to do?..Shadow?.. Tell her!

 There was a gasp of  'what?" from Fitzsimmons..Shadow  didn't say anything for a second, then slowly spoke..in concise  cut  words......Your flight leader is  your god..... I...am yor flight leader's  god...I pulled up   E Flight's screens.. has you been showing red anywhere but your powerplant.. I'd thinhk about letting you stay...but.... because you have a red  powerplant light...AND.. you went over  your Flight leader's head.. you'r  Going back to the HAnger... and ..yes.. Rivets and Morris  has heard all of this.. so?.. expect a sit-down.. Now?.. get out of  my space...


 ..Look?.. LC?  I can settle on the  Hermes.. be there incase ?

 ...you'er  done..go... one lucky shot  were you have  been hit..and you'er gone...go in.. see if Rivets  can fix it... you'er  still getting the  'sit-down' though.

 ..Look?..LC...

 ..This isn't a debate.....

 ..Look?..Mate?  get yer  Ass in there. If they can fix the bloody thin' then ya can come back out ta play...

 ..Aye...Sir.... already done....

 Urns    flicked around and over  The Hermes to  line up for landing.

 ..Thanks   LC....

 ..no thanks needed.. you were  right..he was  wrong... Now..everyone get you head in the GAme....   Once the Fleet hid  Midway point of  The Field.. we'll likely see alot mo e .freelancing' lizards and such come this way.

     Supe   nodded to   Hemsly as he tossed hi one of his  Bug Bombs, Karson got the other

     with a running throws, Hemsly like a cricket bowler and KArson like a javlin thrower.. set the   bombs down range.. Hemsly's hit  low and Bounded..  Karson's hit   High, then  the wall on  the left.. then the right..  ad Bounced  almost  right in front of the Bugs, when they turned.. the crew could see they had , what was left, of a lady officer and were  cutting off  bits to snack on and feed thier UE's that seemed.. somewhat trained Then the Bombs  went off   as  Karson and  Hemsly scrambled back

 as the  UEs   begin to squeal , the Humanoids  try to  get through the doors of the elevator , to the other  side...One  fell twitsing and   Turning the other  stumbled through, Helped By some others, who began to hold they arms and faces as  the residue  ate through thier   suits... the Door closed.

   KArson Grinned,..now is a good time for  the Hero!

 Hemsly nodded  rapidly with a grin..The 'terrorist' looked at them in question. Hemsy pulled  a block of C-10 out of his back pack.

 ..alright, sport? How much  did you'er  leader's teach ya about  blowing thing up?

 The Guy shook his ehad  and shrugged,..yeah..thought so..that's why yer bitch got blown up...

 The Guy looked angry.

 Right?  Now?  This is a detonator.. I'm arming it and slippin' it in.... see?.. Now this  Block is a bomb..real easy?  Right?  'cep it  don't go off unless you press this here button... he holds up the trigger, the red light  was blinking on it.

  He  Takes the guys hand  and  gives him the  10 lb block of C-10... and the  detonator ..Now?.. Ya  run down as  fast as yer  wobbly legs will carry  you.. you  slam that on the wall of the elevator door.. then run back... about  HAlf way back.. hit the  red Button..k?

 ...what...what... if they open the door?...

 Then   dive on the  floor.. and  those   big folks with the heavy weapons  will cut them down...

 the   guy looked across the HAll to supe,  him and Hodden both Nodded to him..Hodden racked her weapon to show purpose.

 .. You get through this..  ye'll be  browing  tomatoes or something on Delta Prime... you don't  make it?.. well.. YOu'll die in battle.. right?.. now?.. Off ya go Laddie...


 The guy took a few steps looking   back... Hemsly made a showing  Motion with his HAnd ..Go On.. that's a god  Bugger.. go on...

 the   Guy took off   running   fairly fast.. when he got to the Elevator.. he looked at the dead Officer ( what was left of her.. and the  half Melted  Bugs... in the elevator a humanoid creshain, had now  face left, or...chest plate and tendrils of greenish brown smoke rose  from  its chest.

  Looking back down the long Passageway he could see Hemsly waving Him and pounding the wall.. The fellow  slammed the C-10 to the wall..it was sticking.. but  very slowly sliding  down the doors..Then he felt pain for a breif second...

 Hemsly  Hit  the  two triggers.. the C-10 went off and so did the 'suit' the man was wearing.. Blowing  him into shreaded bit and blowing a Gaping  Hole where the elevator sued to be..  UEs  rushed  for the hole, some fleet  into the  shaft, the blasted created  a  gap of 10 yards or more.. Jagged bits of  metal stuck out all around, wired  frizzled and snapped    as they swung back and forth Supe and Hodden added  thier weapons fire  down range chewing up the front creatures.. but the rest were barely in range.. the humanoids  ducked into   doors on either side of the Opening.

 what  a bloody shame...;ere.. the  triggers got mixed up?.. i had  the trigger for the C-10 and his Suit... bloody damn shame , that.. oh well Best go report it... you lads and Lasses   keep watch...

    Garrat is a little shocked.  "You guys leave actual hard wire equipment wherever an enemy can use it?" He says snagging the cord and plugging it into his com, "Sorry Lyri, The Cressains must be absolute idiots to not use or sabotage them but we don't have much time to lose."

    Garrat forwards the target point to Beth with a message: "The main body of the hive ship is likely heavy armored over the engine and the main living space like the body design of the bugs themselves.   There should be a gap between the two.  Sensor reports seem to support this. If we punch through there then overload the main batteries the resulting explosion will be beyond the armor for both spaces inflicting maximum damage.  I've trained to fly this ship, not sabotage it so I'm going to need some serious help getting that overload to happen.  Can you take that over?"

    As Garrat finishes plotting the coarse he mentions to Spencer, "I converted that heavy rifle you gave me to fully auto.  On semi auto it still haves sniper accuracy if you need something to clear the hallway and supersonic bullets the size of breakfast sausages should cut through any other targets in that hallway like they aren't there.  The B clip is rubberized so it can act as a bi-pod."  Garrat goes over the engines to make sure they are all working at full capacity and radios to engineering. "Okay guys, if we are not worrying about keeping the engines in one piece for more than five minutes, can we make 200% thrust?"

 Bridge.

  Lyri sighed  as she pugged the  cord in.. she has to tape it to the console to make it stay.

  ...Beth?>. THis is Lyri.... tell the  Ambassador's  aid she was  right.... the Plug was ripped out, by  whomever tried to diable the COMs... its  gonna come on line...Now...

 the Lights around the COM console flicked on.. Feeds  from all over.. the   Fleet..the fighters.. all loud  and clear...

 there was a  strong Virbrations  that followed   two loud  explosions..a nd the  sounds  of Heavy weapons.

 Hemsly came up through the war room. He  put his hand over his heart and Bent his head,..alas... our  resident  bomb expert, died in the lie of duty... we have..um... mixed reasults though?.. there's a Gap across the  shaft.. a wee bit too big fer Jumpin'... but  it shouldn't  take long  fer them to want to  use  something to  bridge the gap.... we can see..way at the bloddy end  some tiny lights, looks like they'er  tryin' ta cut into the  engine room.. the lads and Lasses   are shootign at anyhtin' that moves that way.. but the range is  just barely there for them..Bloody long ships we have...

 Mc Cloud   pulls down his helmet,..I'll go keep an eye on them... McNeil has  some idea of  COM Tech work.. she kin 'elp  with wirin' and such..

 The CAptain leaves  through the door that goes through the war room.

...........................

 From the Engine room  Chief Franken calls up, the sound is better, they can her some crying and shouts.....here  what we got?.... we broke though the park.. we can only get one person out, at a time... we..at this  Point. have  have the  Kids  in the  las dec where the Cutting them  settign up a static  field.. another  few Minutes...  the  hole will be made... I...I don't know how many of the people we can get out of the park.... there are UEs all over the damn place.. we think they are massed on the rec dec, where the food is?... any other  people?.. we flat out..cut off from... we have Re rounted the  Engine  controls to the  spot  at the base of the  Power Cells... we cut off  all Helm control from the Aux  Bridge..so?.. UInlee you can steer her from there? she's  just going to go in a straight line, Until she hits something..... we have  enough power in the Cells to go from here to Etna if you want?.. I can red Line the   engines.. but we''ll be ok, for..maybe an hour  before  we have to cut  them back..or they will blow..

Roy got on the comm.  "Get as many out as you can, Franken...the Ewald isn't going to survive this battle.  We don't have the resources to commit to flushing out the whole ship, so get everyone you can off.  We've got teams at the hangar deck, the bridge, and the observation deck...our sweeps have found only a very few survivors in sections the Creshians penetrated, and we've rounded them all up.  Let me know when you've got the park cleared, there's another Big Ugly docking with your section so you can get them all out.  But we can't save the ship, and we can't let the Creshians have her...you know what that means."

He thought for a moment, then added, "There's a Creshian team trying to burn through to Engineering...we can see their lights, barely, but they're so far away that we can't reliably shoot them from here and there's too many obstructions for us to move up on them.  Can you vent atmo right outside Engineering, on the command level, for about three seconds, on my mark?  We can give them a nasty surprise..."

As he waited for the response, he looked over in McCloud's direction. "If they can vent atmo, send some more bug bombs down that hall, as far as you can...the venting air will suck it down the hall.  Toss ten of them, as fast as you can, on my mark."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Sat 18 Nov 2017.

Bridge:

  The Chief's Voice  came back.....ok SM.. but this  is how it will work.... I can vent the Dec?.. You understand?... so  close  any doors you don't want amto sucked out of... I have to return it in 2 minutes.. or there is no more atmo on that dec?.. we rerouted stuff to try and suvive  down by the negine  controls?... So?... we'll do what we can..but.. you have to have that Amto pump back on...no longer the 1:30 minutes?...

 ..the  cutting team hs finsihed and set up a Temp static  field... the  Big Ugly is  sending out its  tunnel... how long we got?..and?..say the word on the atmo...thing...

..............................

  Mc Cloud  called Up,..right.. we got Hill, Brooks  and Tucker ready with 4 Bombs each...... just let us know...

 they tree  shucked off thier packs   and   weapons  , save for  their weapon's  belts.. they clutched  the Bombs aas they looked at each o9ther through their  facemasks.. some of the masks   steaming...

 Lirg and  Bloostar stoo by with thier  weapons ready to offer support fire...

 Karson looked   a little  worried,..you guys.. watch yourselves... if you can get back..   hit the dec slose to the  doorways and  grab the  sills. It should   let you hold on, until Atmo comes back..

"Someone go grab the safety tethers off the shuttles...we can anchor the throwers, the rest of us can strap into seats here on the bridge..."

He keyed his comm.  "We'll give you as much time as we can, Chief, but work fast on getting those people out.  And I don't want to blow atmo on the whole deck, just to be clear.  I need it vented at your end, sucking air from our end down there..."

He stopped transmitting, and added, "Close up the shuttles, too...no sense sucking their atmo out and risking structural compromise by decompressing them"

With the fighters they'd been sent to dispatch now little more than floating debris, Harry was able to watch as the shuttles moved in to land so as to evacuate any survivors from the Ewald. It also gave her the chance to watch the twinkling lights of the dogfight taking place around the Judy Resnik "those guys are taking a battering, should...should we reinforce?" she quietly asked over her comms, knowing that it wasn't her place to give orders or make tactical suggestions but finding the sight of the beleaguered ESN fighters circling the crippled ship just a little upsetting. Especially considering that they were in a position to help them out, but then again she was only an Ensign and she wasn't seeing the bigger picture so she would do whatever she was ordered to do.

   Shadow's answer Comes quickly and sternly,..The Resnik is on her own... If  Matterhor  can help they will, if not.. The   Resnick will have to deal with the Mess  that was made before we came here... right now? We have bigger  fish to fry... protecting the Hermes, Achilies and the HArvester  as well as getting  the Ewald where the Admiral wants it to go.


Keep you  eyes  open for stray fighters  or  parasites..

 in truth.. the  wave of Delta ships... lit and unlit were crusing over the field.. some were taking hits, but parasite impact was  way, way down, because of the splits of the flights.. with  fighters  assigned to teh Hull and others to intercept.

  Penilli asked,..how long do  we have to wait around.. i am getting restless..

 ..Go ahead  Penilli.. Go catch up to the rest of the fleet... the rest of us have to protect our home...

 ..no..i shall stay with you...

  Yeah... i'm surprised....


  the COM chatter died  down as  they heard the cross talk of  other fighters scoring, or dying..

 The Shadow added,..get ready.. the   Big Ugly is hooking up its  boarding  tunnel.. shouldn't be  much longer...

Ewald

 Bridge  folks   readied themselves  as the  ramps  closed on the shuttles.. the  runners  were hooked up.


  The Chief was  quiet but the  crying and shouts from the   Engine room could be heard...I say again.. the vent  will draw the Atmo  from the bow to the stern....  its a fire protection thing....again?>. if left off  for longer the  2...zero..zero minutes.. there will no longer be a way to pump Atmo into the Uperdec,  unless it goes to a docking arm.


  .. The men say there are  14  left in the park that they are trying ot get out.. we have  17 here?.. they are startig to board the Big Ugly as i speak.

Roy nodded at the chief's report.  "On my mark, I want you to vent atmo for ten seconds.  Gas bombs go down the hall, starting on my mark, I want one to go each second, so we can flood the whole hall.  Bridge team, strap in, and grenade team, tether up..."

He waited until everyone was reporting in as set...either strapped into one of the bridge crew chairs or tethered to some solid section of the bulkheads.  "On three...two...one...GO."  He braced himself, knowing the wind from the venting atmo would pull at him, restraints or no.  "Grenades, go!" he called, as the air started moving.

  the air gets  sucked out  with a  Loud  Whoosed.. the   Draft   push the   runners even further  down the P-way.. Grandes  went  flying..... zipopign along  witht eh force of the trhows  and the  gust of the  wind..

 UEs  and  Humaniod s were  scattered  down  the passage  as  well..

 Then there was  a loud  Roar as the   the Pumps send  Air from Vents  BAck into the  Decs.

..........

 The grandes  went Off,,   the  Mist  turning the BAck end of the Passage way  into a Fog Bowl.. while  Creatures   squealed and shrieked ..

 the runners   slammed to the dec, But Got  up running. laughing like kids who tic tac  during Halloween..

 Supe says on All COMs,..Cutting team is done on this Dec....at elast for a while.. don't  think any will live.. might be some hiding in officer's quarters..

Roy nodded.  "Good work, Franken...anyone trying to cut through on this level is done, no threat.  We don't have eyes on anyone on lower levels to know if you're in good shape there...but if you're not seeing cutters starting to come through the metal yet, you should have enough time to get everyone out of the park.  Keep working on that..."

He looked over at Garrat.  "Do we have a course to the Hive ship yet?"  Timing would be critical on this...especially the timing to get everyone off before the Ewald got too close to the Hive.

The reply to her query came quickly, and sounded very much like a reprimand to her "Yes sir...it just feels really crappy to leave them hanging is all" came the rather sullen reply as Harry manoeuvred her fighter back into formation whilst trying to keep Justin on her port side, knowing that she'd struggle to see anything coming from that side with her canopy all starred up.

Once in position she'd continue to scan both the black and her sensor suite for any signs of the enemy; trying her best to ignore the poor sods tasked with defending the Judy Resnik.

   they  stood watch over the ships with the Ewald... if they looked ahrd enough they could  pick out  Morgan and Clark as thier  Mechs  walked across the top of The Hermes, looking  for  anything to try to make a boarding attempt.

  ..YOu'er   Right, Ensign Lynch.. it's  Crappy as   the 9 hells... but They sorta  earned that....when this day..or couple days  are over?... we  may have to scuttle the Whole Matterhorn... that doesn't seem to make  one ship , look all that bad...'cause..there is no way, we can get all the people off  a Carrier station

  ..you live long  enough, you'll see alot worse....

"No sir, one officer cocked up and another seems to want to say I told you so...and those poor sods are dying because of it!" Harry tersely replied, obviously trying her best to remain calm and keep a reign on her temper so she didn't say anything she'd really regret "...They're just doing their job like the rest of us!" and they're being screwed over! she finished, narrowly avoiding saying the final words to enter her mind knowing that they would land her into a whole heap of trouble.

Silently sitting within her cockpit Harry would take several deep breaths before calmly speaking again, though it was clear that she was still not happy "...But you're right, worse is on the horizon and I apologise if I stepped out of line, and I'll follow your orders...but this feels wrong"

  the was a good natured laugh,..nothing wrong with speakign your  MInd... Right Frans?

  ..Yeah... you won't  win. most of the  Time with the LC... but  he'll listen..

  ..Alpha  Fleet, no one listens...unless your are the right person...


 ..and? Now we see the fruits of such labor... from what i have heard.. Both Sevente and Richards were damn good officers..... Sevente just..liked the easy life... Richards  had too much pride...Had they been working together.. we  would  be  over in  Epsilon or Zeta Quad  by now...

 ..the scary thing? Had  we  went after the Roussians... there would be no Matterhorn... and Enta  would be next... and the Empire  would have shifted the war back to us....

  Raven Comes on ..Shadow?>.  we are taking our  Boat away... Admiral has    us   swinging out  ahead of the  Mosnter.. we are going to attack the  head...

 ..alright..good HUnting...


 The Mercs ship broke off to  hover around the HArvester  as she swung out..dark  and fast to  try and reach the  Bow of the Hive.

Justin manoeuvred his 25 to the Port side of the Bee. Glancing in Harries direction he was prevented from seeing her by the frosted spiderweb caused by the round striking the Bee's canopy. We have more pressing duties to attend to Harry. The targets out need to neutralise; the quicker we get that done the greater the chance of Alpha and Gamma Fleet elements have. Picking up a cluster of three bogies on their 10 Like that patrol showing at ten o'clock shall we spoil their day. Take the lead and I'll try and keep up.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:54, Sun 19 Nov 2017.

    The Clash of the Two Fleets was harsh..but even  more so  for the LArgran-creshian fleet...

   the 'dark ships came out of the Black, from above and  Below, while the   ships with lights on took the Fleet head on.

 The Sanri Cruiser  SESN 0100 Goddess's Eyes... was destroyed, very few pods  fired out as the  ship ruptured  and blew.

 serval  ships of the Delta  fleet  took some pounding  hit from  Pulse cannons..ESN Hard Ammo and cap ship torpedoes , slammed  into  enemy vessels..  sending some    slowing  turning  away as   explosions  racked the inside of the LArgan ships.

  Parasites began to slam into  ESN Vessels as they  the pilots  had to rely  on  eyesight, since  the Delta Vessels were 'invisible' to thier  scanners.

  Van Ros ordered all torpedo aircraft out  with orders to   hit   the first Cap ships they came  across.. then come  back and reload..and keep doing it until they are shot  down, or  run out of   weapons.

 The Odin was in a bad way.. but she   moved in, closer to the Middle of he Fleet , allowing  her aircraft to aid the rest of the Fleet

...........

 The Alpha  Fleet seemed to wait, as most of the  enemy fleet slowly truend to  meet the 'unseen' wave   coming  across..  Some of the ships  Moved  forward , following Hack's orders... But the Attila  stayed  behind...The Helche Stayed  with it.. the rate of  defensive  fire  from the  Helche was rapid.. the fire  from the Attila was  Random...

 The  wolfhart stayed   near the   Uppers  adding her   weapons to the defense of the station...

............

 The Gamma  fleet was scattered.. most ships  taking a pounding  while  a few  drew closer to the  Station to help  cut down on Fresh parasite deliveries

   Lyri  was watching  as the systems  slowly cam back on line, She  asked the Admiral on Open COMs.

  ..admiral?.... In.. about  3  Minutes...the  power will be restored to the transponder... I  Think that's why the Plug was  ripped.. its a Gamma, transponder..  the  Bugs will see us on thier scans...

 Hacks  Voice   came back...yes, Master Chief... that is a fact.

 ..won't they try to swarm us?

 ..They will try, MAster Chief..... but to  do that, they will have to pull guardian ships  from the Hive Vessel...

 ..but....

 ..I know, Master Chief... this  is  going to be  a big moment..one way , ot the other, in the history of this war...how people  tell the story.. will depend on what we do...

 Then He added,..ESN Ewald... time to play your part.. fire up the  engines.. try to remove as many people from the ship as you are able.... understand this... The Ewald is not coming back... I want every one off that vessel  within 5 minutes  after i tell you to evac... if... you have the  course  set and Locked.. Evac  early..

"What can I say...Daddy always said I spoke my mind, even when it wasn't welcome" Harry replied cheerfully, glad to see that Shadow wouldn't take her comments personally. She could live with not winning the argument, what she couldn't live with was being outright ignored or persecuted for holding a different opinion to her CO, which like Gia had pointed out had very much been the case in Alpha fleet.

It was then that Justin would spot the trio of enemy fighter's below them and suggest she take the lead again "oh let's" Harry replied with a grin before descending upon them. Aiming for the left most fighter so as not to expose her blind spot to the others Harry would fire a short burst from her lasers before following it up with her 37. Regardless of whether or not she scored a killing shot she'd execute a split S in order to either line up the finishing shot for her target or to find a new one.

    The  fighter she  hit was  LArgran.. all three  were.. the  shields   flashed  as the   power weapons hit.. a #& MM  hit the portside  wing of  Harry's  target.. the    aircraft Veered off.. as the Pilot tried to figure out  what was Going  On.

 Their  power weapons  and   Hard Ammo  reached out to  the two  Hermes Aircraft...  Pulse  his  Harry with  impact, but no damage..looking  at her port wing she    could see  scoring from the power weapons....she did  'see'  a hard  ammo  round , zip past.. the   Aircraft that fired  on  her almost  hit her skids  as he flew under.

  Justin felt a  Hardammo  round  from the   Lizard that  came at him, though the power   burst  zipped back harmlessly.. Justin's   Rudder showed Brown... which was just showing it was damaged ..

 the wounded aircraft  was limping back towards  The Field.. the other  two  were  Criss Crossing as they  turned to meet the   aircraft that  had  jumped them

   "I've programmed in the parameters.  She should fly to where we need her to go."

 Hacks  Voice Relies,..YOu folks are there.. I'm not getting  anything close to a good Cam feed...there have been relays  cut or destroyed it would seem.

 ..By my calculations ....it will take the Ewald 8 minutes  to reach..and enter its target....also.. it will take  6 minutes  for the closest  Empire Vessels to try and Stop it....

 there is  quiet as he adds,..there is a  damn good  chance  there will be alot of parasites  and Fighters... so i wnat my shuttles back here... ..and that is  NOT.. a request.

Justin jinked the 25 to the port dropping his wing and bringing its nose inline with the bogies crossover intersection leading their path he fired three quick bursts sending rounds at the Largran's. Quickly pivoting hard to swinging his Kite out of line of Largrans the fire slipping coming across the side of the lower bogie giving him a flanking shot he opened up with the 35's and blasters.

"Copy that, Admiral.  We're just waiting on evac of the Park section...should be done any minute.  Once the Big Ugly casts off, the Deuces will begin withdrawal."

He paused a moment then asked, "Chief, can you set your engine cores to overload at a specific time?"  If they could, he wantex it...if not, they'd just have to rely on as much speed as the Ewald could build up to maximize damage on the Hive.  But eight minutes at full throttle would build up a pretty impressive head of steam.

   The Chief  Calls up.....we got a  trooper in the Park now..  he's handing the  kids out to speed them up...We have ..... he pauses.....one more..  and a woman.. after that..we got  out  anyone  we can reach.

 ..gonna lose alot of livestick and  crops in the farm....


 ..as far  as the engines go?.. if the explosion  Doesn't walk the  whole way back.. the   engines  will keep pushing  until they over load... but if one of these   House sized Power Cells  crack?... well.. there won't be  a need for  any more explosions..

   Justin fires  as they   LArgrans crossed, the one that flew  under  Harry  caught  a 37MM in the Cock pit and  Blew  apart..

  The Second One   twisted   and   opened up on Harry...  energy weapons   hit her  wings she  felt her    air craft shake.. the  hard  round   zipped  by on either side.

Roy nodded.  "That should do the job, one way or the other," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.  Keying his comm, he repkied, "Sorry about the livestock, but there's no time to clear the whole ship.  We're sacrificing a few lives now to save thousands of lives later...we're pushing our luck already."  He shook his head, not wanting to pursue that line of thought any further, and added, "Sound off when you're boarding the Big Ugly, we'll take care of it from there."

He was peripherally aware that he'd started tapping a finger against the console...forced inaction was hard for him.  It was one thing to sit and,wait for the right moment to squeeze a trigger, but this--having to remain on indefinite standby while someone else finished a large task, knowing that people were dying because you hadn't acted yet...that was hard.

"Lyri...how hard is it to pull the cord again on the transponders?  Anything we can do to get a hundred meters closer to the hive before they focus on us would be helpful."

  Lyri looked around,..well?  Beth  could  bore you with the tech-Talk...

  ..I heard that!

 There was  a 'lyri frown'....transponders are  part of the COM  systems... so? if i jerk the plug.. tranposnder  goes out...COMs  go  out... screens go out.. We have to fly by sight...The Lock we have  will go away.. that means  we'll have to  stay with the  ship until we're  a mile..maybe two..depending how fast we are going...

.......

  ..Chief here... the  guys  comign up from the Civie section?  have  found soem UEs... they dusted them.. but  we are going to  weld the hole back up... and the Civies  are  aboard...  we got 5 of us down here  yet..it about  2 minited the plates  will be on the hole and we're outta here......
.....

 Hack Interjected.....at your present speed ... Lily has you reaching the target in4 more  minutes...there is one LArgan Cap ship coming this  way.. and a  swarm of parasites... they don't see us yet.. but they will after  we Fire...

 Roles  Breaks in...Admiral?.. we're   ready  this thing is way to big to run away?.. but..if all goes well.. it won't go anywhere!

 ..Alright Captain Roles.. attack when you are ready... Once you have achieved your  Goal...reurn to us... or head to the rear..

 ..Aye Sir, Already Done...

    Roles left the COMs  open for   the fleet to hear... the  blacked out EMS  Vessel was  within  one Mine of the Monster   ship...

 Roles  whispered into his COMs... Raven?... tell the  torpedo jock to let loose, then get back here... you flks egt ready for the hronets we  kick up... we'll fire  after the torpedo is loosed.

 Raven relayed the message...

 Compared to Hive.. the  torpedo craft look like a  fly to an elephant...it went it... almost 500 yards  away, and fired, then took  off in a climbing  turn to watch its   results...

 the  smaller sixed  torpedo it  just under the  Brideg window  , blast doors... The eslposion  caused  one to  snap off...

  Then  the  HArvesters  broadsides opened  as they  crossed the  T from  1000 yards  away.. the   hard Mamo  runs  pounded  the  Bridge  balst doors..   in releants less fire... the  second one   broke off  and  flaoted  away... Just as the Metaglass  turned  white.. then shattered...

 ..Deck Gun... %  rounds.. get them in that window....

 The  dec gun  spun around  and fired... 5 times.. each shot  shaking the HArvester.. $ shells   made it through the  shattered  windows.. exploding on impact.. one of them was a Little   high.. the HE blew off some plates, but the pay load of Ion Dust  Coated  the   front of the  ship.

  Inside s  light s  flcikered and went on.... flames  rose  high as comsoles  and such burned, feeding off the atmo  that was   comign into the  Bridge.

 ... All DONE.... on our  way back...

.............

   a few of the ships that were  steamign in to  hit the  Delta Fleet  peeled off for the  Hive...

............

Hearing the broad band com of the opening attack on the Hive ship Justin grimaced; this will start things popping especially since the Bugs are sure to recall every ship in their fleet to defend it. The Bogies will be thicker than flies around a jar of molasses. He'd managed to loosen the rudder so the damage wasn't as bad as he'd originally thought, however that meant the 25 was still about ninety percent effective. Pivoting on the Bogy that was harassing the Bee he fired a burst to distract it and allow Harry a killing shot.

    "Beth, I carry a spare personal com that obviously doesn't squack like a star ship.  Can we simply relay the remote contact through that?  I can open line to the Stoly and use it as a relay."

  Beth  answers Garrat,..Ships  COMs  are a bit  different then people COMs. That's  why they are  set up  the way they are. It was meant, if  we lost a ship to boarders.. we could track them, or they would have to fly by sight..either  way? its on now and you folks are  running out of time...

 From the  Engine  room the Chief says,... everyone  is aboard  but  me... the  engine is  Full on... if your  ready,  i'll smash the controls..and there  won't be  anyway to stop it, until it hits osmthing, or the powercells dry out..even then.. it will just keep  moving on hits own..

"Stop shooting those bloody hard ammo rounds!" Harry shouted irritably at the Lagran Fighters as she felt her craft being buffeted by yet another impact, forcing her to pull a few evasive manoeuvres to try and shake off the fighter on her tail before rounding on the fleeing fighter she'd previously winged.

Knowing that it would be all too easy for the enemy to hide within the debris that littered the Field Harry would carefully line up a shot before opening fire; once again using her lasers for a targeting shot before opening up with her 37 after making any necessary adjustments. If she failed finish off the crippled fighter she'd be forced to turn around and help Justin deal with the other one. The question was whether the Lagran's luck would hold out?

Roy nodded, and rose from the chair.  "Do it, Franken, and then run like hell, so the Big Ugly can get clear.  Flix, get your people aboard, take off in thirty seconds...have one of the gunners fire on that ammo pile in the hangar on your way out."

He looked around the bridge, assessing what could be done there, as he continued, "Hirr, Az-El, back to your shuttle and cast off.  Leave bug bombs in the passageways as you withdraw, so any pursuers can't keep up with you."  He released the comm as he spoke to the bridge team.  "Button up the doors.  Karson, I want you to rig a charge that's gonna leave a gaping hole in the front of the bridge...anyone who opens those doors will get blown into space.  Garrat, Lyri, disable the controls.  Stoly, we're comin' in fast, be ready to go.  If you don't have something to do, get back to your shuttle."  He moved over to stand next to the breach point, ready to get back on Stoly's Spade.

"On it."  Garrat checks the course setting one more time then slaps two shapped charges over the wire bundles for the control board before powering down the terminal.

  Franken's  COM  came back,.. YOu got it  SM... be advised.. nothing will stop this thing,  unless you hit it with Boarding Chains and knock out the  Engines... Thanks  for the Help!

  there was the  sound of a Blaster going off as the ships  shook and seemed to pick up speed.

  ..Big Ugly casting off.... Bye old Girl!

....................

  the Sanri took one last look around  then  boarded thier  shuttle.. slipping into the  Black  they turned to face the Hanger Dec and opened Fire.

   in a few moments there  were  small explosions  followed by a few  Bigger   ones,  the Shuttle  lifted  up and Over the Ewald to the Hermes...

...........

 Felrites and Angels    ran towards the OB. The Angels set  Tether Bombs with a Bug Bomb attached to the explosive. at  foot  level.. then did the  same to the  Doors to the OB Dec.

  The   hurried into the  shuttle, with  Hirr and Az-el last to board. LT Milr said,we are, casting off...  heading to Hermes.....


 .................

   Karson opened  the Blastdoors  of the  windows... and   his voice was horse as he said......... all the gods be damned....

 they could see the Monster  Now.. the Bow  was barely Visible, there was  twinkling of   fire as a tiny  trial of smoke..in truth.. the fire was a Blaze and the column of smoke  leaked out the  blasted Bridge into  space..

 They could see the Engines.. they were Bright with power and 80 thrusters...as  the  engines worked to hold the  monster  in position.

 Robbins looked out  as he   helped  cut  wires  for KArson......Look There!..one of  our Corvettes is  coming back after trying to attack it!

 ..nay, Laddie.. that's  nay a corvette.. that's the Bleedin  Harvester   

 ..lok?  it must be giving off alot of heat.. the Black looks all wavy....

 McCloud  frowned and Handed Robbins his Bino,..those  waves  are Bloody parasite shuttles... an' were ehaded right  fer them...

  Lyri  Looked at GArrat,..once you  lock it in.. let me know. I'll pull the plug...

 Supe and the others stared out  at the thing... not even noticing the   enemy fleet  and the Delta  Fleet fighting a running battle..

 Harry   fired on the  'escaping" fighter, and Nicked it  up some more... but  it weaved its  way through shattered    chucks of ships ..

  Behind her the Fighter  that Justin ws 'herding'  was   taking shot at her... Only Justin's  fire. stopped  it from getting  a deadly bead on the Bee.

 Shadow's Voice  came over the COMs,Ok folks... this is it.... If you can't  fight.. stay with the Hermes and  keep parasites off the  Achilles  and the Hermes... The Harvester  should be here soon..

 he was  quiet for a breath,..The Ewald has to hit that Monster.. we can;t  allow any thing near it...

 Even as he spot, the dots of  Dozens of parasites  and  figthers  were growing... The Bugs  had  bled off too many to attack the fleet... never ..in their  darkest thoughts.. would some  one be  so crazed...to attack the Colony ship.

 Achilles  and  Hermes  fired board sides  down range.. Telephone pole sized  tropedos traveling  Until the  found an Unluck host... hard Ammo as it  propleed throught he Balck.. and impacted, as if by magic on  a Larrgan vessel

.......

 Gletis's Voice screamed...STOP!!!!  STOP!!!!

Roy felt the same awe...but being resposible for the mission kept him from pausing to analyze the view.  "Stop gawking, and either finish your job or get on the shuttle.  Every second we stand here looking at that is another second closer to all the support craft."  He grimaced, and added, "Pretty sure getting hit by one of the parasite shuttles would cripple a Deuce.  Let's not stand around and find out.  MOVE IT!"

    the teams  finished Up.. others were already  loaded and waiting... there was the sounds  of their two Duces  firing off thier 50's....  there was a wee bit of a flash as they   climbed  up wards as a parasite exploded about  100 yards a way... Hermes   Fighters  roared over..

  ..Lets Go SGT MAJ..... Admiral Won't like it  if i  lose him two Duces....

  Shadow and his Wing Ladies  were  past  fikring into the waves  of fighters  and Parasites.

 Cross talk ...

  " Achilles here... impact amindships.. Bugs pouring in..."

 " sound of  an explosion... Howe  here.. parasite   gone...."


 less then a Mile away a LArgran sloop vanished and was repaided by an expanding cloauf of debris and bodies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   ..SHadow? What the hells?...

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

  ..How about addign to dead pilors, Comrade!

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 ..................

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 97):

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

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

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 100):

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In reply to Fighters. (msg # 102):

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...

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

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

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

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

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

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

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 109):

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

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

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

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

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

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

  Frans and Eckels  were  screaming MAra's  name.

  ... Linda?.... Listen....

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

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

 ..i'll...try.. i'll...try...

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

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

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

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

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

 ..aye... Sir... already.... done...


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

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

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

In reply to outside. (msg # 111):

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

  Unable  to help the invasion,  Shadow  looked over the  conflict.... We can't   help the   HAnger  now.... anu who can't  fight.. land on the   spine  and  entere the landing pad if yuou can't  fly or  fight.. other wise.. lets  clear  the rest of the  aircover....That way  we will stop any  reinforcements

  Then he laughs  , grimly,...we'll never get a chance at this many  kills again!

With her console lit up like a Christmas tree Harry would follow Justin's lead and fall back; sending out bursts of intermittent fire in between leap frogging Justin's wounded bird before finally reaching the Hermes in the hope of swapping out with a pair of fresh fighters so as not to risk receiving any further damage through dog fighting.

It was as she was falling back that Harry would get to watch Ensign Mara's fighter getting hit, forcing her to make an emergency landing on the Hermes spine with Shadow and his wing ladies doing their best to shield the stricken pilot from any further incoming fire, earning a new found level of respect from Harry for their bravery.

With the Mara now safely on the landing pad Harry would join Justin's attack run on the Parasites fighter escort, deciding that they had little choice but to continue fighting "Justin, you take the port side fighter I'll take the one on the starboard" Harry called as she fired upon her target with pulse cannons, hoping to get a quick kill so that she could try and shred the parasite and stop it from dropping anymore bugs into the Hangar "I guess it'll be medals all round for this one" Harry said with a nervous laugh, quietly electing not to mention that they would probably be the kind that got sent to your family with a flag and a telegram.

   with sparks trailing the Charon was  coming closer to the  Fight..The  Queen's  Flagship was drifting,  The Orville  wright  hand  landed on top.  Troopers   were  pouring into the Flagship.

 The Last of the Creshian CAps ships  floated  harmlessly  as the HArvester used the last of her Iron round...The Henry  Ford  was   landing on its  spine and  troopers  were starting to cut into hull.

  The HArvester   was  Limping    towards the  Hermes. From  outside, the Hermes looked bad.6 jagged hulls  of parasites  showed were they crashed... the Smoking   assault craft that have  Jammed the  Hanger Bay. made it   looks   bad as well... The Achilles  was sending ALL COMs to  damaged fighters   to land on thier   Dec if  the need was great... even as the COM was sent.. Achilles ground crews pushed out a burning hulk of a fighter.

 The   Fighters were thin , around the Hermes...  many were   on the spine of the Hermes.. either  waiting to 'ambush' a bug.. or left there as their Pilot  ran or limped towards the LAnding pad.

   Shadow was  making   High  , wide  turns  above the Hermes.. a thin stream of  black smoke   coming from under his port side  wing. His Voice was cold as he said,.. there aren't that many  of thier  figthers left...make sure there are ...none.

  the  darkness  began to light up with flashes as   wounded   Creshian fighters   tried to  run or hide..

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 114):

Justin acknowledged Harry's com leading rounds ahead of the Port Creshian Bogey he squeezed off two two round bursts before arching his Dart about in case he needed to come in behind the Fighter. We'll do our best LC... Won't we Harry.replied Justin to Shadows directive.

   As  it got  nearer, it was plain to see the Sharon was listing a bit to its  port side... Only one of the  'Oil lord' weapons  was firing, meaning the others were either knocked out..or they didn't have   people to fire them

 the lone weapon  fired  and  It a PAir of  parasite Craft that was heading towards them...

 Dusk's COMs came through,.. This is   Acting  Captain...LT  Shadow...  we have....defeated our  boarders.. we... are  damaged.. only  3 of  4 thrusters  work..only one main  gun... all  bridge  officer  are dead..but me...I have a  a crew of ..maybe  40 Verians left..at least half are  wounded... I am coming in close to the Hermes  for  support.. and  we have  3  fighters left.. they wil help clean up....

 ..LC Shadow here... Dusk?  stay away from the Hermes.. they have been Boarded  and we have no idea what is going on.. if you need covered..head to the achilles.

 JUstin managed to toast the Last fighters   near the Hermes.. .. a few  fighters were being  chased  by Achilles fighters...

Karl did an assessment of the situation...the Morningstar was not well-suited to pursuit, and he steered the plane back toward the top of the Hermes, ready to cover the planes that might be making emergency landings.  He checked scopes...and spotted parasite shuttles heading for the Charon.

"Initiate vehicle intercept protocols," he said, tersely, and parked a targeting reticle on top of the parasite closest to the Charon.  The computer analyzed range and speed, locking a firing solution. The on-screen crosshairs went solid red, and Karl fired, sending a high-explosive howitzer round and a heavy pulse round racing through space to intercept the shuttle...

   The Moringstars weapons   fired  out , hitting the  parasites... shattering them...  the  orange ball of  ball  vanished, adding More  debris to the field.


  There wasn't  any ting left to shoot around the Hermes.

 Shadow  Broke in..alright..good  Job..not great.. but... we did better then they did.... any Aircraft that still has   hardammo...AND  is  still in one piece  take a look at the Remus, Harvester  and Achilles ... any one low on hard ammo.. or  shot up.. stay here.... if we have to.. we're Goign in through the  Landing pad  as shock troops.

 Frans  shoutsare you  Crazy? Pilots in  flight armor..with what?.. side arms, a few long arms from our  crash kit?

 ..Ok... I understand.... but here's what's gonna happen... if they need  troops.. I'm goign in whom ever wants to coem with me?... is welcome..any who do no9t? I won't hold it against you.

 Grit  COMs,..yer bloody  right i'll go..i got some right  fine drinks in me 'ouse.. don't want bugs   getting in...

 Foster speaks up.....I'll go...my wife is  on there..

 ..that's  fine..  we  might not have to do it...when the time comes.. I'll tell you all I'm going in.. those who want  fine.. thos ethat don't..keep  flying over watch.

In reply to Karl (msg # 119):

Justin grinned as the Bug disintegrated at least the Pilot's death was quick. Hearing Kray's com his mouth widened even further. I'm game LC, nothing like a little shock treatment to add spice to Life. Bringing the 25 about to form up on Krays 19.

  Frans  sighed,..I can't  Shadow..  the time  comes.. I'll stay out here andcommand those  who  want to stay in their  fighters... I'd most likely shoot the wrong folks...

 ..Understood, Frans.. I sorat  have some trainign in that, so don't feel bad..now one?  who doesn't want to go in as a poor man's trooper..shoudl feel bad... But?.. I sortya have to go.

 ..Shadow to Bridge...why the 9 hells  isn't anyone tellign us  any thing.

 Commander  Si's  voice  was as  calm as it was stern...Kray?.. if  we need you will we  call.. until then..Attend  to your  assignment....the Hanger Dec  is underseige... Beth is trying to keep the screens runnning, but some have been knocked out  by stray shots.

 Aye  Ma'am.. already  done...

 shadow  frowns  and says  to the Pilots,..I'm still going in  if i don't here from someone in the   Hanger Dec

Karl nodded as Shadow spoke.  "I've barely touched minigun and cannon rounds, LC...I'll start on the Harvester."  He nosed his plane in the direction of the EMS ship.

"Harvester, this is Morningstar.  Any reported impacts on your hull?  Time to make a clean-up pass..."  He set the scanners working on the Harvester, searching for any surface irregularities that didn't match the design profile in the plane's computers.

  Captain Roles    came  Back...Well...Morning star.. there are  two belong the  hold section... not too much  trouble, now  that they can't  refill them.. be damn nice to get them off my Hull though...my people have the hold sealed  off.. we're  waiting on some  transport troopers to help us out.

Karl chuckled grimly.  "I think I've got a good barnacle scraper...we'll clean you up."  He maneuvered the plane around the Harvester until he had a good view of the parasite shuttles.  Rather than spend time with the mini-gun, he selected the rotary cannon, firing a burst of HEAP cannon shells into one shuttle, then the other.

  The  limping  Charon veered  sharp to the port, it was easier to steer that way anyway, and she was going on half  power.

 The Harvetser 'rose ' a bit  , above the Hermes and Achilles ... The Remus was in a  bad way as  well. There were already crewmen out side  trying to repair  Patches... some, buy cutting off   bits or parasite  Hulls that still stuck out  , looking like  Blooming flowers.

  Karls  rounds  hit   each of the HArvester's parasites.. and  blew them off the Hull.

 ...........

 The Fighter  were  trying to access thier  damage. those with  a lot of red Lights  stayed closer to the Hermes.. those  who had Orange or green stayed  out further.

 off in the Distance , the delta fleet was all but  done with the Creshians.. Tenders  were moving in looking for ESN  Pods and    damaged fighters.

 there were some burning   hulks of ESN Vessels... Mostly were  Alpha and Gamma fleet.. but a few  Delta  ships would no longer   fly.

With the enemy cleared from their sector for the time being at least it would appear that Shadow's attention had turned to other matters as he asked for volunteers to help retake the hangar, much to Frans' evident dislike "Oh please! I used to get into knife fights wearing only a crop top and short shorts, This is nothing!" Harry responded to Frans comment with a grin as she carefully manoeuvred her wounded bird to join Shadow and Justin "...granted I was off my face for most of those times but still...count me in LC, it's been ages since I've been in a good brawl!" she said, adding her name to the other volunteers currently speaking out.

With the Bee far too damaged to be of any real use in a dog fight and most of her hard ammo rounds used up on hunting Lagran fighters, trying to re-take the hangar with the rest of the ad-hoc shock unit Shadow was building seemed like the only viable option to her, as she had no intention of begging a landing zone on another ship.

   Morgan and Clark   moved   across the spine of the  Hermes  they were about   Done ..no more  parasites  to Hunt.

  ..Hey..LC.. we'll cover your landing...

  ..Naw.  Chief...  you and Clark make your way to the hanger Dec... watch out  for the assualt  shuttles    the  aft end of  one blew out into  The Black... might be good  if you  buy could get them the  9 hells out of the way...

 ..Aye Sir..Already done...

  the mechs  looked like they were moving  slow. Tiny lighted dots of their Helmets  and shoulder lights... But in fact they were  moving   pretty fast, as their Gravlocks  helped them keep contact with the Hull.

..Attention... Hanger Dec.... I know you are  entertaining guests... but  would you mind  if me and some friend  dropped in to add some fire  power?

 Commander Si's  Voice  was   cold.....LC..I told you......

  Hack answered,..Its pretty Thick down here  LC.... Just what do you think  some pilots  can do?

 Shadow shrugged, though none  could see,..I dunno?...Kill stuff?

 Hennings came on in a painful voice,..You know?  if the Bugs  saw  people coming out of the elevator and surging   towards the Hanger...

 ..Dammit...alright Shadow... but if  any of your Pilots  die in a ground fight..its on you!

 Aye sir.. its  all On Me...

  ..there's a good bet.. this  will be over.. One way or the other... before you get here...

 Aye  Sir... i'm not  worried about 'the other'..You have  the Boarding Parties  down there...

  Kray switched to   the Pilot's  COM 2... only 'in air folks would hear the  COM.

  The lights  bleeped in the  fighters' cockpits... Shadow  said in a rather  Calm voice.

 ..Now hear this.....you heard the Admiral... and   the Commander  is not all that happy with me now...

 ..so?... those who want to follow me in... You follow me  in  I'll give  you a few minutes   to  collect on the Landing pad... no one comes if you are already wounded.... no one comes if your  Bird  can fly.. if your  bird is beat up...and you  want to come in.. that's   great... those who don't want to come in... I honsetly understand....not all pilots have had the training I have had...

 ..Like the Admiral says.. it might be over  before  we get there....but.. we want to be there.. if it isn't.....

 ..Now? I'm Going  down...  bring  any weapons from your crash kits..Those who are staying in the Air?.. Keep the Hermes safe.... frans?... You have the Wing...

 ..aye , LC...already done....good luck...

 The #19  Peeled off  and  headed towards the  Landing Pad... purposefully  handing on the far side to leave room for others..  as he climbed  out and Opened the storage compartment, Foster   was Landing , and close behind him  Grit.. and Waggles  behind , not far  behind... Flores  and  Kat stayed in the air, thier machines, in  relative, good shape.

 Foster  LAnded  as  did  He-la.. the rgeen angel's left wing was a bit shorter then her  right wing... two felrites  Landed  as well.

  Shadow colected his  grease Gun, spare clips and 2 grenades.. he  also  grabbed   the small Med tech kit. as he  ran ..in the   zero G.. like a slwo Motion   deer.. and settled  down on the landing pad.

Karl finished his pass over the Harvester, before going to the comms.  "Harvester, looks like you're clean.  No signs of additional impacts.  Now...who's next?  Charon, what's your hull status?"  The other cap ships in the area seemed to still have fighters in the air, although nowhere near as many as they'd started with...but they could still, potentially, manage their own clean-up if he couldn't get to them.

    The  metallic  voice  came over the Comes,....... Charon here... I am Uncertain as to  the state of the Hull.. we have little in the way of  people  for damage control.. those we have  are hunting down UEs and  Creshains... if  you would take a Looks.. I would not mind...

  There are Indeed to ...intact parastites on the  aft, starboard  Hull.

Bringing up the rear of the ad-hoc assault team; Justin brought the 25 to a stop alongside the other Fighters. Running through a shutdown process he grabbed his kit from behind his seat and popped the canopy clambering from the kite. Keeping low he scanned the area for immediate threat then crossed the deck to join the other pilots. Machine Pistol at the ready and long arm strung across his back.

Unable to really see what she was doing through her damaged canopy Harry landed the Bee well away from the other fighters so as to avoid hitting them, with the landing itself being a little rougher than she'd have liked. To make matters worse it would appear that one of those hits she'd taken to her port side had killed the hydraulics that opened her canopy, and so after a stream of irate cursing she was forced to use the emergency release; detonating a series of explosive bolts that sent her canopy flying away into space.

Climbing out of the Bee she'd give the now heavily scarred fighter a loving pat before retrieving a compact SMG that would look like a toy in most peoples hands, a small first aid kit and the green smoke bomb used for marking landing sites from her crash kit. Which along with her service pistol and trench knife would make up her assault gear for this little venture.

With her equipment gathered she'd move to join the others by the lift; smiling at Grit when she saw him "Hey Grit, come to take me dancing again?" she softly chuckled as she chambered a round into her SMG; grinning from ear to ear "Hey LC, if we get through this, perhaps you ought to teach some of us that training you have...it might come in handy you know"

  Shadow  smiled  as he  waited on his 'assult team'.well?  Harry? It was what i was recruted for..... Being the Best  Pilot in the Fleet is just a bonus...

 (( there were  many...many  Coughs and fake  whispers  at the 'best pilot thing))

 Howe walked up he had a  sawed off shot gun and a bandoleer of cheels  along with his standard  kit. Got no arguements  from me...gonna take some doign to knock you off the top of the Kill list... He nodded to Grit, Grits  face was  grinning.

 ..well there 'Arry.. I told ya i wanted  ta  take ya on a Walk about next time..so 'ere  we are...

 Shadow looked up saw a couple more cripples  coming  in to land..we're going in.. any late comers?.. Just follow  my COM Tag, I'll leave it open.

 they moved to the  Little 'shelter' on the landing  pad that was meant  for   maintenance folks.. Shadow swore at the Locked and asked for someone's  COMs. , it was harders with Flight   gloves but he worked the   COM open  took the Power  cell out and   wired it  tight to the   door Lock.....now?...when you do this?   Yo have to sue a power weapon for max effect....

 he  Pulled out is Sanri Blaster and fired  there was a bright  explosions   and a very big hole..  he reached in carefully and  hit  the  door lock, But he and Grit  had to push the door open.

 ...and?.. Class?... this is also a  good teaching moment, to make usre you COMs or spare   powercells do not het hit  by a stray power  weapon...

 They began to  make their way to the  service  entrance and its elevator.

"A walk and a gun fight, you sure know how to show a girl a good time Grit" Harry chuckled cheerfully as she followed Shadow to the entrance and watched as he blew the lock, along with a large chunk of the door, with a power cell and his blaster "Well I know a couple of guys that would kill to know a little trick like that" she'd said in a conversational tone of voice as she followed him inside to the service lift that would hopefully take them down to the hangar.

Now we're back on board what's your plan LC Lend a hand clearing out the Hangar deck or did you have something else in mind. Justin asked hopefully the LC would share his planned intentions with the team.

  This lift take us  down to the Bridge  OC  quarters.. the forward Elevator ... Once there  we  go  down the elevator, Amidships.. then take that to the  elevator  outside SEC... then.. we get off and  run screaming like idiots  so the bugs  shoot  us all down and then  SEC and  boarding teams kill them all...

 foster looks at  Howe, who looks at He-la.

 Grit says,..yer  bloody jokin' right?... I mean...we're supposed ta get shot?

 Shadow couldn't  keep his  straight face, any longer...now?....our flight suits  are  very light armor.  hard rounds.. we're, gonna bleed..pulse  round?.. we'll  take a few  Hits.. heavy  pulse we'll tear  right through.. so?.. Yeah.. we don't wanna get shot..But.. we  want them to see  us  coming...Like..I dunno.. extra's in a cheap vid.

In reply to pilots (msg # 136):


Justin stared at the LC who's outline boarded on the impulsive No disrespect Sir but wouldn't that sort of action be more believable by anyone if there a lot more then this Squad. As you want the Creshians to see us coming wouldn't it be easier to coast several fighters along the deck, brassing the way forward, until we get to the Brig
This message was last edited by the player at 02:30, Sun 26 Nov 2017.

    Shadow   watches the last Pilot   Jam thier way in.... they aren't worrie d about  fighters.. they Blocked the hanger  deck with shuttles  with armor  as thick  as a sloop... The Amidships elevator  runs through the whole ship.. so we go down to the   Hanger Dec.. Get off, let them see us  coming.. and let the Panic... besides.. they didn't  come here to take the ship over.

 ..These  are Bugs... they'll go down fighting, for the most part...So?? we have to hlpe make them , make mistakes... My Greasegun... Howes Carbine.. and  the pulse rifles and whatever  eles  we have  would turn the tide.... but it might enable  the others to turn the tide...

Justin shrugs; then follows the LC's orders without further comment. When the action starts he adds controlled bursts from his MP to that of the others. Sending rounds at the enemy targets.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:37, Sun 26 Nov 2017.

Karl brought the Morningstar around so it was passing down the long axis of the Charon.  Each time he spotted a parasite, a short burst of cannon rounds chewed it up, leaving a smoking hole with the bottom section of the parasite still attached to the Charon.  "This, uh...this may take a little while, Charon...looking at three, maybe four passes, depending on how well I can spot them and what kind of angle I can get."  He throttled back, to the point where he was seeming to barely move relative to the Charon, giving himself more time to search and target.  He didn't rely on any of the AI targeting processes--he settled the target lock on each one individually and personally, to avoid any additional damage to the Charon's hull.

 Exiting the   Elevator at the Admiral's quarters, the  small group of 10 Pilots Jog towards the  main elevator. There are  two SEC at each elevator.

  Salutes  are Given to officers as the  door slide  open.. they see  two SRC trooper  turn  to study them, on the other side of the Doors, and way down the passage, they see  guards at the engine room doors.. there are also  a good  number of  dead  creshians, near  Shadow's Quarters  and  a group of troopers   standing  watch as  Damage Control is finishing uo the parasite hole.

  both  door close  as they  start down.  Shadow racks his greasegun and adjusts  the sling a bit....now?.. we  have to charge down down there and make Noise.. depending  on what it looks like, we'll head to the stage, or Morris's shed.

 ..Remember  , we can help them  with our   guys.. not  by getting killed...

  after a minute.. the elevator  stops, and the doors  open.. Shadow   leads them out.. waiting  until they are  all out, and  running  He begins to Yell...

"Jesus Shadow! Did you take a blow to the head up there? Because that has to be the dumbest plan I've ever heard!" Harry responded in a shocked voice; adding her complaint to that of the others, quietly wondering whether the Hero of the ESN had finally cracked and lost his mind. However after a little further explanation it would appear that this was further evidence of Shadow's rather obscure sense of humour and that they were to act as a distraction so that the Marines could win the day for them.

Sliding into the rather cramped lift Harry would silently listen as Shadow outlined his plan before following him down the corridor and into another lift that would bring them out onto the Hangar Dec and into the waiting fire fight.

---> Hangar Dec

  Van Ros  walked her  bridge, watching  screens  and Listening to reports..THis   is  CAptain Van Ros of the ESN  352 Athena  Acting  Command  for the Delta Fleet. MAin section.... Hermes  Squadron..    we have been cut off.. we need Sit Rep....

 Commander Si's Voice answered ,we  have been boarded by elements  from the   Creshian Flagship... the command post has been knocked out...If you are finished... regroup our  fleet and call in the Alpha's and Gammas...we still have a Station to clean out

  Aye , Ma'am... please... let us know   when things  are under control

  we  will, Commander Si , out.

 Van Ros sent  a Fleet wide COMall tenders and Med Tech shuttles..  launch and   collect Pods... then servicable  fighters...set up a  drift area for   fighters beyond hop, so we can send them for parts and scrap.

  As big  as the wave  of  Cap ship might have  been.. the following   support ships   wave was  just as big... smaller ships spread out   around The Field, trying to  protect and  scout  for  any chance of the  reserve fleet of the  Creshains to return

  Van Dos COMed the Fleetwhile we pick up the pieces... I want all destroyers, sloops  and   Corvettes on partol.. anything that doesn't have an ESN transponder  gets stopped.... if it has  an enemy transponder.. shoot  first  ask questions later.. Send  word  for MAtter Horn, Fuji and Everest to send   Tenders and  Scrap ships.. we have a mess to clean up

  All healthy Cap ships    split Up.. I want some above the Matter horn and some below... Ships that are Damaged..  slid into a berth.. begin repairs on your own.. we do not know what they have left down there.

 ..Med tech ships? I don't have to tell you what you need top do... save as many as possible.

 .........

 The Alpha fleet  tried to rally thier  ships. Theier Flag ship was  more or least drifting..The Helche seemed to be in the best shape and  had the Frigg and the  Ysra  fire boarding   chains into the Attlia's side to keep it steady Cummings   was moving transports around like chessmen...sending Aid to Matter horn.. and troops  to  ships who needed clean up help.

 The  Gamma fleet stayed on station around the  Matterhorn

Karl completed one stem-to-stern pass over the Charon, down the dorsal spine of the ship...he kicked the Morningstar around, starting another pass going the opposite direction, off the port ventral quarter, focusing more along the side of the vessel, rather than its belly, but trying to avoid overlapping his last sweep by very much, as well.

  As he does his sweeps, he can see that the Cahron didn't  shy from battle..at5 least 4  impact points of   parasites, not counting the ones he  cleaned off... Gun ports where drifting  smoke from  where they were hit The Hanger  Dec Opened in the   rear as was the wont, of the Oil Lords who built the thing He could see a few of the  Verians  up and in as he passed, they were tending to odd shaped  Verian fighters... some were   tossing  bug  bodies   out into The Black.

It was tempting to watch the Verians fight the Creshians--Karl had little experience with Verians and almost none at all with Creshians, aside from shelling the UE column on Astra, and if he thought he might end up hand-to-hand with any of them, knowing anything at all about their combat tactics would be useful.

But he was a pilot, and if he ended up in hand-to-hand with either species, it would mean something had gone wrong on a cataclysmic scale.  He focused on hunting for parasite shuttles...when his second pass finished, he did a third, down the starboard side, positioned so that he had, hopefully, seen the entire skin of the ship by the time he arrived at its tail.  His eyes double-checked the sensors, giving every surface irregularity a close look as his plane sailed slowly down the length of the Charon yet again...

 Karl saw the Charon, though beat up, did not have  any more parasites attached.

 as he Begins his last pass.. a shuttle  leaves the Charon and is headed towards the Hermes.

"Okay, Charon, your hull is clear.  Good luck with the internal clean-up."  He peeled off, accelerating away from the ship.

"Morningstar back on station...anyone else need a hull sweep?"

    Remus here.. Just off the Harveter's  stern portside... we thing  we have  spme on the underside, Bow  end?.. our troops have sealed that off... but  we don't have  enough people  to check tight now?.. how about having a Look

   Stepping off the  elevator on the   Officers   Dec, they began to make thier way up  to the  elevator  to the  Landing Pad.

  They stopped as the Largran came on the screen and listened to the chat... then heard The Admiral's Vocie.

  Howe frowned...well?  Guess we better hurry , get these  birds   into the hanger..a d get  somethingto eat and drink... sounds Like we have an hour...

"Copy that, Remus.  On my way."  He didn't bother with any careful maneuvers...he'd heard the warning about the incoming Fleet, and he intended to reload magazines before he went out to 'welcome' them back to the neighborhood.

The Morningstar kicked over in a loop, raced to the location of the Remus, and braked sharply, halting a few hundred meters from the nose of the ship.  "All right, now...let's see just what we have down here..."

  from his place.. he sees  a parasite   under the Bow..Almost where the hold starts... there is another parasite, trying to dock with it  , to feed more  UEs in...some people?  didn't know when to quit.

 there was also  a Movement.. badly damaged  ships limping  Back to Form Up around the  matter horn.. Half of  thier fighters ( that were left).. still knocked  parasites off.. whiel the other half waited   with the 'defender' Cap ships.

 Other   , more or less , Healthy , Cap shisp started to form up, on the other side of The Field'  turning thir starboard side  , broadsides to the direction the enemy would be coming from

 Fighters were taking off from the MAtterhorn Uppers, Hanger   and  zipping towards   Cap ships that would  be the forward wall

   Once  more the elevator opens on the Landing pad  entry. Howe replaces his shattered helmet with a fresh on from the racks in the ready room. It wasn't a flight helmet, but it would get him to the  fighter.

  ..ok?  everyone got this straight... get to your fighters.. take them to the  Hanger Dec....Ensign Lynch? You'er taking the  LC's  bird  down... Urns is going to  get you Bee on a  Big  Ugly , to get to the hanger Dec.... from there? we'll see whether  we're going to ferry  , fighters back.. or fly our own...

 Hitting the  door button, such as it was from Shadow's  'unlocking'...Don't wait to form up... get in the air.. COM the dec.. land where they tell you....Lets go...

---> Hangar Dec

With only an hour or so in which to get ready for the next attack Harry didn't waste any time in heading for Shadow's Dart, although having not parked it herself it did take her a little longer to find it hidden amongst all of the other Darts than usual, with only the unique artwork allowing her to find it before everyone else had took off "Tommy, you'd better be gentle with my baby, she's had a rough day" Harry spoke over her comm's as she climbed into the LC's Dart and strapped herself in, fighting the urge to go joyriding in one of the most iconic ship's in the fleet.

Once airborne she would patiently circle in front of the Hangar Dec until she was given permission to land.

---> Hangar Dec

Clambering aboard the 25 Justin launches heading for the Matterhorn to exchange this partially damaged kite for a replacement Dart. Despite the minor incapacity it has he is able to steer using a combination of the existing controls and changes in thruster output from the twin engines. Reaching the cue of fighters lined up awaiting landing instructions Justin comms Matterhorn's Traffic Control and waits for instructions.

 Urns could be seen  drifting down from the Big Ugly to the spine.. then heading  for  the Bee...take it  easy ?..  you should be in the bring  for abuse?   he  bounced his way towards the  fighter.

  Grit  laughs,... that's the way fighter lock... when they fight..  eh mate?

   Tommy's  arm   came up in a gesture,, that none could see, but  everyone could guess.

  Pilots  to Hanger Dec>>>>>>>>>>>>

Karl's face twisted in a dark grin.  "Two for the price of one...I like bargain shopping..."  He lined up the cannon on the outer parasite, and gripped the trigger, moving the turret so the line of cannon fire stitched across that shuttle and into the one that was docked, stopping short of actually firing directly at the Remus.

He sat back for a moment, to judge the results...
This message was last edited by the player at 08:14, Sat 02 Dec 2017.

  when the  first rounds  hit  , the 'outer ' shuttle  began to   break  and fragment, then Shattered in a  puff of  short-lived  fire.

 scoreds of  UEs  blossumed into The Black, giving   Karl  the idea, that whatever  Humanoids  where on board were  not in the hold...and they filled the Hold to  the Brim , with Hapless UEs.

   20 Largran Cap ships cam in a V  formation.. 3 Creshians  Caps ships were on each Flank... Vexis left his  destroyers  and  such  back in Anzio space,'just in case'  all the largrans  had thier Blast shield .. Heat scanners looking   for  sign of   burning  Damage... even places  were plates had been blown off would show  more  heat then  the  solid hull of an undamaged Vessel.

 so?  with  eyes  and Heat scans  they looked for the Delta Fleet... and there they were.  Some ships Massed in three levels to   try to   force the LArgrans to go around, or through.. to go through, they would   have to sail right down the throat  of  the Delta Fleet's  Broadsides.

 They were  well out of  range of  the Pulse Guns.. Hard Ammo would travel until something stopped them.. but  a hit  from this range, would be pure  luck.

 Then... it happened... The Creshains on the  sides  were  screaming  warnings into thier COMS..  Vexis looked at his Command  screen as one of the Portside  Ceshian  Vanished off his screen.....   then one on the Starboard... next  to that one..  another   Creshian  Lights began to Blink showing  massive  damage

  Vexis whose ship sat  nestled in  the middle of the V.. saw  something  moving from the  starboard  Flank and PLow into the starboard  side of the LArgran   Vexi's  left,  the Explosion  set the light  for that ship blinking as the thrusters    went out on  the wounded ship's  starboard  side.

 Vexis  snapped,..what is going on!... how are we losing ships!

 three   Bright  lights  in succession   appeared  from the  left.. the   Hit the  stern of the  left most  Largran's ...  a cloud  appeared  after   each  impact... and   all the  thrusters on that ship shut  down.. its  bow pointed 'downward' and the ships, powerless .. begin to  drop away from the  formation

 with in Moments.. another  Creshian on the  starboard  Vanished  from the screen.. leaving only the cripple on that side.

  Three ships  gone.. three crippled, one of them getting further  and  further  away by the second.

 then  one of the trailing Largans Vanished from the  screens , from the  starboard side.

Glancing at the Darts battle display Justin noted the approaching V formation as he waited on the Port slot of B Flight for engagement orders from Shadow.

(( the LArgran reserve fleet))

  one  by one, the much practiced, Hermes Fighters   began to Fly above the   battered  mother ship.... all along the  'wall'.. other figthers, from other   ships were doing the same.

  Si  COMed   B-Flight,..LC?  I seem to HAve two Wingmen..... is there a reason for this?

  ..Aye, Ma'am.. they have  volunteered to be wingmen..... I am going to fly about were needed . the rest  have thier wingmen picked out....

 ..I insist on you taking at least one  with you....

 ..sorry Ma'am.... It would not be  fair to ask , only one of them, to give up thier  wing  spot....Right LAdies?

  Shadow weaved  his way through the truth, as well as he flies his fighter...Aye , LC, if only one of us were permitted to  be the wing.. the other would be a bit upset...

 ..Da.. this is true...

...........

  as  , what ws left, of the Hermes wing  flew forward.. a Voice  came on the   COMs,... Hey?... LC Shadow?... I have returned!

 ..Penilli?.. I thought   they waxed you?

 ..that is very Amusing.... I do not think there is a Bug pilot out there, who could....as you say..wax, me...

 where did you go?

 ..top check on the Attlia ..she is in very bad shape.... there were only 8 fighters left.. 3  came  with me.. I made the other 5 stay to help defend...

 ..Alright?  YOu and your 3  Buddies   will be a flight  Unto your own.. try not to get them all killed.

 There  are several   chuckles  and cross talk in Italian , before Penilli  says,.. I will try not to do so.... Until then, we  will make some lizards Dead,,, eh?..And... LC... Thank you for this chance...

 ..Don't thank me..  you'er ESN.. just do your Job...

 Gai's Voice  came on..rather Indignant,..Perhaps... Captain Penilli.. yhou have learned how REAL  fighter Pilots  fight..is this so?

 Penilli  laughs,..it is something..perhaps.. I have forgotten.... but i feel much more alive now...

 Grit chuckles into the COMs,..so?  the greasy ball CAptain is a fighter  pilot now?....I'm a Bllody Ensign  an' i knew that a year ago?.... must be the Bloody wine they drink...

After Karl finished up the Remus, he headed for the Hermes, getting rearmed in short order because of the modular design of the magazines (and the fact that he had, primarily, used only his rotary cannon...it wasn't worth swapping magazines to regain the one howitzer round he'd used, and his heavy pulse cannon was still mostly loaded, as well...but of limited use against Largrans.

He launched, taking up station above the Hermes bridge as extra protection against boarding attempts, until he was sent elsewhere.

 The  LArgrans  in a 3 Layered  V.. were beginning to   have impact points...  the  shileds were wearing down, and would soon be gone.. but the  Pulse  rounds, help hide the hard  ammo and   torpedoes   that streamed their  way towards the formation.

  The   Slayer and  the handful for destroyers and slops  Crossed the  T of the  trailing   V... Crippling another Largran vessel  and destroying   the  tail end Creshian ship on  The portside of the V formations...

 Then  Lead Largran Vessel on the  starboatrd of the formation   exploded, spitting  in half   down the  spin as  two torpedoes  hit the Bow  section, in succession ..

---> Hangar Dec

"Well there's an ESN pilot here who more than feels up to the job!" Harry snarled upon hearing Penilli's voice coming over the comm's, cursing Shadow for allowing the scumbag to fly with them he should in the Brig! No! He should be dead! she silently fumed knowing that it would be all too easy for her to gun him down in the all the confusion that was soon to take place "Well you lot may be fooled by this miracle transformation, but he needs to stay the hell away from me or I can't be held responsible for my actions" Harry growled, glaring at the trio of Alpha fighters that made up Penilli's flight.

Bullen taking up a position on Waggle's Starboard wing, Justin positioned his new Dart on Waggle's Port as he listened to the Cross Squadron chatter. Wondering why the Attlia held 5 of 8 fighters in reserve.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:56, Tue 05 Dec 2017.

   Penilli  laughed,who is that.. who is speaking?... perhaps? I did not give you  enough attention?

 Gai snapped back, it was odd to hear the  'dainty' pilot with venom in her voice...Harry was   spared, most of your  type's  attentions.... we now fly, for a REAL  Admiral!

 Alright!..... He's helping.. that's  all that counts for now... any one wants to  punch him out later... I'm sure we can  set something up!

 Si snapped,..you may have to sell tickest. LC... many women  and perhaps some men, would like a shot at him...

 Grit   laughed,..i'm all for whacking the greaseball!

 ..Fine..Fine  After this is over.. well sell tickets.. the Momeny will go to Pilot's famlies  who didn't come home... instead of a kissing booth.. we'll have a punching Booth? How's  that?

 ..LC?.. You wound  me with your words...

 ..yeah?.. wait until  the booth opens.... I'll seem like the nice guy...

 Hack's  ALL COMs  comes through..  Shadow   said over the Fighter's  All COMs...Ok..every one hold postions... in 5 minutes  our   Cap ships are going to turn.... so..in 4 minutes   we   rush the alrgan fleet.. target fighters if they have any up... but concentrate on the Bridge windows... if they close thier shields.. they'll be blind....

  They watched   the largans  take the pounding  both side  knew the LArgans  couldn't... wouldn't  stop..only the ESN Commanders knew  waht was goign to happen..the Lead LArgran  fracturced into  thirds... the stern section    being rammed  up the one behind it.. 'woundin' that vessel... the shiled  werew gone now, on almost every LAragran..worn away  by...'wasted' pulse rounds

 ..Hey?  Fitz?  your  flight's  turn for a song?

 ..coming  right up, LC...

 Eliane Little   popped one in....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZQFsV8owK8

   The Cap ships started to turn.. Shadow shouted,...  KICKOFF!...LETS GO!!!!!

  the  fighters  moved  forward.    afew score of  troops attacking   giant monsters   as thier own monsters  truned to meet them...

  he watched as the  dark ships of the Delta fleet slowly came into View.. Flashes  of  Pulse  weapons. Impacts   made him smile... that's what the shield   were  for.. he did  see  wahat appeared to be a 'slow moving' 30 foot long  torpedo  sail past hos own Vessel.. it had  cleared the  Fleet.. some where... some time.. it would hit something..but?.. not today...

 Then lights blinked red.. his  XO said,..admiral?... all most all of  our ships have lost thier  shields .. there is  still something harassing our  Fleet from the rear...

 The Largran  Admiral snarled.....send all fleet fighters out  to hut down and take care of that.... we won't need them for what is about to happen...

 ATTENTION... ARE LARGRAN VESSELS..   USE THE RAMMING  NODE.. WE SHALL CUT THROUGH THESE HUMAN VERMIN LIKE MULL PUDDING....

   Fighters  launched  from the largrans. with thier    wide open, both  sides  Hanger Bays, they could launch and land a lot    faster then most  races..but?.... that left two ways in to a largan Cap ship...

 ships were hit   with another fusillade   and the   ESN Vessels  stopped...  Vexis  grinned Until he saw the Bows of the ESN vessels  turning to face them.

  right before in registered what was going on the  Mega Glass was being  pelted  by pulse, lazars and 37 mm fire...

 ..shut the  Battle Shields! he paniced.. it wasn't  until the shield were closed.. that he realized what he had just did...

 A largan Bridge Window on the upper   V  lost its  Metagalss   as it had beem weakend  buy the pulse   weapons of the CAps ships... the Bridhe  crew, except for the CAptain was suxcked out into the Black until the shield closed... a fighter  from the Remus sent  3 rounds into the  bridge  bridge,,  hitting the   COMs  and Control Console  as the  ship shuttered and veered to  the starboard... the  ESN ships  had  finished their  turns  and   sailed  .. picking out ships to sail in between...

Responding to Shadows command B Flight accelerated moving to attack; targeting bridges they sent 32mm bursts into the enemy ships shields. Rounds sparking as they hit and disintegrated each round weakening the large ships capacity to resist other rounds fired at them.

"Get in line Grit, Gia and me have first dibs and a line of credit" Harry said with an evil laugh, the thought of a punching booth bringing a smile to her face "...But don't worry baby, we'll leave something for you to play with" Harry finished with a purr moments before all hell broke loose and they were unleashed upon the waiting Lagrans.

Following Justin, Harry would strafe the bridge windows with both her 37mm and pulse cannon's figuring that the extra punch wouldn't hurt considering the size difference between her and her target "Hey LC, how many kills do I get for bringing down a cap ship?" Harry jokingly asked upon finishing her run, deciding that perhaps it would be better if she picked on someone her own size now.

  Shadow  chuckled......Just one.. and the great satisfaction you have for killing a few thousand  Lizards..

 Largan  AA gund  fired.. but had  no clue what to aim out.. only when the saw a fighter  could they try and Focus...

 even then.. a lucky shot here  or there  showed the   Bright flash, of the end of  an ESN  Pilot's career.

  As they  went the  Length of the  rows of ships.. Shadow  switched to trying to hit AA Guns.. then he saw the waves  of LArgran figthers  headed towards  the   destroyers  and The Slayer... the ESN ships  were just  crossing over   each others as they  went  to trigger the  second part of thier mission.. to harass the   Cap ships  as they met with the  ESN ships.


 dammit.... alright... we can't  let these things  chew up the tincans after  they softened up the fleet for us.... Here's what we're  gonna do...

  We  sweep through the Largans  Until   destroyers  have  finished their overlap and  head up the flanks... then... we'll head  back to the CAp ships...  he got  quiet for a bit, then added.. strangely  quiet....... I'm...shutting off my command board...all you know your  aircraft.. you know what they can take... if you get beat up... head to a destoyer, or  a Cap ship.... if its  real bad..POD out....Good Luck..Good  hunting, let's see how much i can trust you folks...

 By the time they he was done.. the Largans were growing  larger  and LArger in his Sights...a  quick pull of the lazars to  frame up the first on he came two.. and  two 37 MMs up the pipes..., He  flew through the Debris , hearing it   clank off his  fighter as he fired  again..... This one, the   wing Blew off  as the pilot jerked  after the lazars  zipped  by.. The Shadow    was  past,  Pulling up in and   rocketing into the air, as  pulse  rounds  and  hard   ammo tried to chase him...

 In All COMS  to the Pilots...Captain  Billist here of the Granite.. Thank You  folks.... another  5 minutes.. we'll be heading up each side  .. they might have chewed us  up pretty good...

 All Across the   line  LArgans and the  handfull of creshians  were  vanishing   if balls of fire..., but  now   they were  reacting.... both sides had  hard ammo

   To be a warrior.. sometimes one  must be ruthless..uncaring... For the ESN ships, this was  their Task, a Blinded  enemy, with no idea  were  their targets were going.. were they trying to flank?  were they trying to run away..draw them closer to MAtterhorn's weapons?

   none  would  thing the ships would come  head on.. it would be foolish.. but so was  waiting there to be  rammed  by  attacking   vessels who were Moving at Flank speed...That  speed, would prove thier Undoing... to make any turn , at that sweep , would cost them  Dozens of miles   to make.. or?  they would have to  try and slow  down.. using breaking thrusters... In the end?... for most? It did not matter...

 Torpedos  crossed  the gaps between the ships...some as  near as  400 yards... and only as far  as 1500... Hard  ammo rounds  with HP   Driving into the sides of the largran vessels  ...

  when the ESN ships reached   the HAngers  decs.. some  hard  rounds  flew  straight  through.. once or twice hitting one of thier own ships.. but most often , hitting a largan   across the way...

 ..GUNNERS!.... USE HEAVY PULSE WHEN YOU COME TO BEAR ON THE HANGER BAYS!

 At last.. have   going through the Gambit.. 4 ships  damaged  and Burning as  the Hermes  his one side, and her  sister  ships hit the other.. it was like that, almost through the whole  formation.. ..

 The Flag ship  was there.. Buy her self... only a few  weapons marks  On her.. her shield  still flickers with some  Life.

 Miller  brought  the Hermes in close.....up their  right hand side...Hermes  starboard side  , hanger  Deck and  all facing the   ship...  the first Pulse  Gun splashed against the shields... the  first torpedo  fired off the  short Distance  and  Hit the Vessel right below  hanger Dec Level,  a massive explosions  as  something  went up, along with the  torpedo.. then The Hard  ammo Canno Fired at the same  Time   HAck Shouted...FIRE BOARDING CHAINS!

 a  heart beat after he shouled ..4  roars   were heard as  Ironhaed    missle head   rammed into the   Largan Vessel, then  snapped open to anchor inside the holes   made... 3 for the   held.. the   4th  just hung in space...

 <<<<<<<<  boarding teams from HAnger Dec.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:25, Tue 05 Dec 2017.

    As the  Herme's away teams exited the shuttles.. Loud  whines  could be heard, as the  LArgran's  alarms went off..

 As roles  reversed, from not more then a few hours  ago.. The  Largran  ground crews  were panicked  as  most did not  have  weapons.. Felrites  gleefully cut them down. The  50 Cals  were tearing   apart anything they hit.

 The boarding teams could see HAck  leading a motly collection of  Ground crew, sailors  and whatever SEC troopers  he felt he could afford..

..................

 Up on his  bridge..  redlights  were going off   as   the two ships  AA guns tore into each other.   His ship shook with each impact... but there  was a difference  when 3 impacts happened  at the same time.

  Open the blast doors.. I have to see what the 9 hells is going On

 The doors  opened in minute or so.. and Vexis  was Horrified  to see the  Stern end of the an ESN Vessel.. then he saw the  Winged Foot on the side... with the 351.

 The  Flagship  was   stopped  as  the Hermes' thrusters  pushed hard  against   thiers.. His fleet was  leaving him behind.. and he saw, to his Horror  as the  delta  ships were turning on their Axis.. he barely saw   the small destroyers  beginning to pound the Flanks again...

 the COMs  opened    shouts and screams    where in the BAckround.....We have  been Boarded..Humans are in the Hanger Dec.. more  are coming...... the COM feed went Dead.

 ..Send the Elite down to the Hanger Bay.. I will join them there...

  ..Horis  you have the Bridge...

  Grabbing the helmet   he strode from the Brdge ( which on a LArgran vessel is  a bit forwards of amidships)

   the Shuttles  were firing   bursts  now.. fires  were burning   by  liquids.. smoke was  rising  towards  vents, that seemed to    suck the air too  slow.

 There  were  doors    Door that  Lead  to the     Right of their  Ebtry point.. That way  led to the stern.

 there double  doors  to the left of them, Led  to the  Bow..  There were also  doors in the Flor on either side of the  double doors that lead to the stern.

 Stoly's   Right  gunner chewed up some largrans, one looked like an ofcier who was  talking into a Com.

  Hack   and his  group were halfway across the  tunnel..

    The LArgans  broke off  from thier  Attack routes to the Destroyers.. All around the    ESN  fighters, there  were targets... but..you had to pick one out.. and hope  none of your  mates got in the way!

Roy thought for a moment...then nodded to himself.  Hack was gambling a lot...but he figured they'd be okay to push it just a little further.

"Stoly!  Once the Hermes has personnel on the Largran hangar deck, I want you to drop up on their bridge.  While the Admiral has them looking back here, we'll go cut off the snake's head..."  He left his comm open as he said it, so Hack would be aware of his ploy...and could countermand it, if he felt it split the Hermes forces too far.

 HAck answered...any entry and exit has to be on the other side.. we have the boarding  tunnels  secured..if you get there.....shut the engines down...but make sure you  co-ordinate witl Lt Miller. or we lose the Boarding Tunnel, and maybe the chains..

 Lirg was taking  hits on his armor, but didn't seem to mind as he  fired his Hyrian  riddle, one shot at at time.. each shot, splattered  a  Creshian across the dec.

 Stoly COMs back, Get your   people aboard...

 The   Aft doors opened  and the  Club's portside  Bubble gun opened up.. Largrans in Black Empire armor were chewed to bits, before the  door  shut.. cutting at least two wounded largrans in half..

 Az-el was Giggling.. and odd sound , amidst the screams   and weapon's fire,..I think thier   new armor , needs work...

    The Commander was less the pleased with what was going on.....why are both of you on my wing!

  Um...Ma'am?.. we sorta..both wanted the honor... and you know Kray.. he didn't want to hurt our feelings and...

 ..Nice try Lt Flores...... I will not  ask  either of you to leave....but... you better be ready to seperate and aid  Shadow if he needs it?... I will have a talk with  the LC after this is Over....  she is quiet as she adds,..understood   Shadow!

  ..Aye, Ma'am.... there was a bit of a chuckle in his voice.  The three women had Carved a  decent  swath throught he  enemy fighter formation..  downing a few, scattering  many.

  .. to be, being  the fairperson...  you are now flying  as  the  LC would be.. with both of us , as his wings....Comrade Commander.

 there is a wry sound,..perhaps.... but...never mind, we have  Largrans to down...

   Shadow was Busy on his own, as he flicked his command   screen back on.....Hey?.. Penilli.. you do understand, that just raking  the side of a couple caps ships, wasn't our  whole Job...right? And?  I see you got a   Dart back?

 Penilli's voice  was  oddly,... cold...Yes.. I went to check on the Attlila , She is my  Ship after all..... I was unable to reach Sevente.. so i asked for these three Volunteers.. and we came  out to help..rid the Black of those who would challenge our way of life...

 the 4 Darts   Moved   quickly as  they Dove down  Shadow  , Just as Shadow waxed another Largan...

 Foster's Voice shouted,LC!...WATCH OUT!..10:00 HIGH! Penili and his   three pilots   fired  all their  weapons.... a 37 MM  round  took the Tip off Shadow's portside wing..God's be damned... I have to Kill them too??? he  pulled Up and Tight  as he headed  for the largran Cap ships  that were being  crippled ..  one enterprising  Transportbase CAptain had  setted his Monster   ship, right above  a 'healthy' Largran, and   troops were already cutting thier   way into the spine.

 All ESN fighters.. be  advised... Penilli and  3 of his pilots have  gone off the rails.... they still have  Alpha fleet transponders.. so you should be able to  sort them out.. They are to be treated  as  hostile Aircraft and....

 the COMs  ended  as  Shadows  Dart tooks  some more hits  from  ESN Grade Pusle rounds...

 On COM One, Shadow's voice was heard,  Ok..Bastards  Knocked out My COMs... I can only Talk on COM 1.... Frans.. Take Over  Command.. DO NOT..allow this to stop your from knocking down fighters and  Harassing the   Cap ships..But..if you see them..and you have a shot.. take it..


  Shadow   aircraft was  streaming  smoke from his Burt COM systems... it was flying a little  rugged, but..  he did not seem to mind too much...you know , Penilli.. you'er dead..right?.. you and your lackeys there... what did your promise them?.. women?.. credits?  their own flight?

 .. promise them?... I only had to mention what i was going to do... you made  many enemies  at Sevente's party...

 Shadow started   laughing,.. it is  good , you can find the Humor in this? I do not see it?

 ... that's funny?.. so I kicked some  dumbasses... asses... and they think they'll be able to shoot me Down?... Gods be damned, That's the funniest thing i have ever heard.... when you consider My son and few ESN Ladies , kicked thier asses as well....i would be more worried..had you said your janitor was in one of those Cockpits...   More    weapons  fire shot  around   Shadow's dart.. he  twisted  and turned....

 ..Lets face it .... you guys  couldn't out  fly me, if  i  had a SE-5...

 "...SE-5?..." came one of the other pilots..

 old WWI British  fighter... of course. you'd have to  be able to read, to know that.. Comon'  Catch me if you can... Shadow  steered to the  Port side of  what was left of the Laragran formation..  4  Darts  behind him taking shots

 Raven's  Voice  came on the COMs....hey!  Hotshot.. I see them.. you want me to...

 DO NOT.. stop your   Mission... but.. if   you can take a shot?.. take it.. 4 Darts.. flown by people who shouldn't have an Air CAr Cert?.. shouldn't be a problem..

 The LC was nearing the Clutters of the   MAin battle.. some ships still fired  broadsides... a few LArgrans had surrender lights on... The Hera was turning away towards   The Matterhorn.. fire and smoke on her starboard side,  near the Engines.. Only 2  thrusters   working.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:33, Tue 05 Dec 2017.

  Knowing  Shadow  could not hear, she  said over COM 3 to the Fighters...  Harry..This is Gai....  Penilli   is in  Dart A1.... his wingman from the Attila Lorret Mizzo is in A2.. she   his a fair  Pilot.. but we know why she is wingman...Si?...Antoni Lacosta Is  In B1.. flight leader.. and   Alerto Fornite.. is  in C1..he too is the flight leader....they are all capable pilots ... but they are not as good as  the LC...Si?

 Meanwhile....

 Karl Noticed the   monster Transport Base   hovering over   the  flagship to the starboard  of  the tail-end of the   LArgran's  crumbling formation... he also Noticed  a  pair of   largran shuttles   bee-lining for the Hermes.

Karl wheeled around, lining up the Morningstar so he could bring the howitzer to bear on the Largrans.  "Activate moving target protocols," he said...the AI wasn't up to speed, but voice-activated commands were hard-coded into the systems, in the event of AI failure...the targeting display popped up crosshairs and data on relative speed and bearing as he isolated the first shuttle.  As soon as the system presented a lock, he fired off the 105mm HEAP round, immediately moving to target the next shuttle before the round reached the first.  Again, the targeting display flashed relevant information, then a lock...and he fired again, almost as fast as the Morningstar could reload the weapon.

Without waiting to see the results, he spun the Morningstar to race on an intercept course for the shuttles, ready to open up with the cannon if the artillery rounds failed to stop the Largrans.

  The  rounds went down range... The first alrgan  Light  Up and shattered..  Bodies of  Largans  floating into  space.. the lucky ones,  were dead, or hand the  suits  holed... the Unlucky  drifted  off, propelled  but the explosion, until thier  suits  gave out..or O2...

  The    Second     one  Vanished in  an explosion, much too big to be a normal shuttle..there was  also the lack of Bodies that  flew out from the debris

Bullen, Lynch, Kase and Waggle swept over the Enemy Cruiser, pumping hard rounds into its bridge as they did. Dropping to its starboard launch bay adding bursts into that area as they swept passed the Largren Engines. Ahead flights of Bogey Fighters were moving towards ESN Destroyers and Sloops. Bogies at 11 to 1 lets mess up their day. he commed the other three. Arching to the Port of one Bogie flight firing along the fighter's flank, crossing it's T as he did.

Hearing the chatter from Shadow and the Alpha fighters Justin located the position of the three Alpha fleet fighters trying to down Shadow. The four of them were the closest Delta's to Shadow and the Alpha Scum. Bullen, Lynch and Waggle, shall we upset these traitors plans. he prompted, without waiting for their reply he headed towards the halfwit Alpha's bring his Dart in quickly. Bringing the 25 in on closest Hostile Dart; Justin eyeballed his HUD focusing on the target as he squeezed on his trigger firing two bursts at it.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:30, Wed 06 Dec 2017.

    Garrat climbs into spencer's shuttle, "Let's get this celebration started."  He says in English [there's a reason he still rellies a lot on his translator]

  Stoly pulled up and  around, to settle on the spine on the vessel.. The Largran Bridge  is located about 1/3 the way back from the bow, and Rises 2030 feet or  so above the Hull.. it is well armored.

 It is a solid  Oval in shape., with Metaglass6 feet high that warps around the  front  half, normally giving the bridge a good view of the battles, unless the blast doors close.

 As  the crew got out with the cutting team, they could see the  massive battle  ahead of them.. Cap ships blossoming fire  from  weapons or impacts.. another   ESN ship was  turning away was fires showed on her hanger Dec..another two Largrans were breaking up on the Portside of the battle.. even as   the tiny spots of one ESN fighter   leading  4 others , that appeared to be shooting at it.

 To the Aft, they saw  Fighters  Mixing it up.. a small version of the BAttle  in front of them

..................

 In the Hanger..   fighting was  dying out.. The felrite shifter  her  stoly so the   cannons  face the stern doors... The Top Bubble  watched the  Bow  doors.. the  starboard  Bubble  had a field of fire on the hander  dec, and the port side weapons could  cover anything coming from  their entry point

 Hack was shouting orders for the ...less experienced..boarders to take  cover, while Az-el and Mccloud  got there  people to either door

   Garrat snickers as he sees the darts chasing darts, "Looks like Shadow is in trouble as usual.  Pitty I can't lay credits on this one."  Garrat had picked up some anti largan gas bombs and stands ready to drop both of them through the breach.

"Probably not...but they have the numbers and I have a scores to settle with them all" Harry replied with an evil grin as Gia told her who exactly was flying with Penilli; turning her Dart in pursuit of the rogue Alpha fighters before Justin had even finished suggesting it "Lets frag the mothers! But Penilli is mine, you hear me! If anyone other than Gia wastes him I'm going to rip them a new one!" Harry shouted as she recklessly homed in on the nearest of the rogue Dart's eager to get her revenge on the people that had made her life a misery for the better part of a year.

A quick glance had her scanner would confirm the owner of her target with Harry thumbing her comm's to the open channel before speaking "Hey Fornite! remember me? Time to have your ass handed to you by a girl again!"

Roy grimaced as he looked at the explosions going off around them.  "Let's get this done in a hurry...that's a whole lot of potential stray fire and we're really exposed up here."  He nodded at Garrat as the larger man hefted grenades.

  Shadow     was  reaching  the debris from the Fleet  Battle.. Lazars and Pulse  rounds  Zipped By... he couldn't  tell if 37 MMs  were missing..or whether..like a good   ESN Pilot, was saving them for for the kill..

 ..Hey  ,  Pasta  boy?... Tell me?.. why 4 aircraft to shoot one little ole Hungarian kid down?

 Funny..In WWI , my people were on the wrong side... but still kicked your  people's asses in the alps?...and in the air...The WWII Comes.. and you guys are on the wrong side..and you still get your asses killed...Now..the Angels come?..  and it looked like we  were  all on the same  side..and what do you do?... get mad...why?..Cause you can't force chicks  to got o bed with you..um...you do like chicks?.. right?

  even More    weapons   fire  came  from the 4... Shadow rginned, 'cause he knew where hey were....

 ..What is the matter... Stuffed Cabbage?.. are 4 too many?

 ..1st?  save the insults.. you can';t pull it off.....and  2nd?.... I was wondering  why you didn't  bring 12.. two flights.. one  Hermes pilot?..should have been fair fight..yeah?

  ..oh?.. wait?... I bet there wasn't that many left....

    More fire  came from them  as  shadow  climbed    and leveled out..allowing a lot of the  power weapons to impact on a chunk of Largran ship....

  ..you bastard!... he  likes   women..just fine? snapped Mizzo..

 ..really?..... You know  any?  .cause i'd love to meet one?..'cause if they liked him..they'd  Love me!

 ..Mizzo is a woman.... You  dumbass!

  ..Oh?.. really?.. I guess her  Mustache..makes her vocie sound more manly... speaking of?.. are you a guy?.cause you sould a little Girly?

 more   rounds zipped  around  the  harried  Dart.   Shadows  eyes   flicking around like a computer search looking for  something that could    Change the  outcome a bit...  The he saw it... a relatively  , undamaged    LArgan that was getting boarded at the bridge  by a transportbase...

 ..Right, then.... How good  of pilots are you?.. how well do you know your aircraft?.......


  Justin  and those  with Him were  closing on the  formation of 4 as they repeatedly fired   at  the dart  that was thrown around the Black,like a leaf across the  ground cluttered with rocks.

  The Maw of the LArrgan's Hanger   glowed open.. inside there was Gun fire...

 Raven come diving down from above, but  almost as far away as Justin.. DAMMIT SHADOW!.. DON'T!

   The Commander  and   'her' wing  ladies'  were chasing  down  Largans.., Si said.. sadly,..Continue with our  Job... there is nothing we can do  this far away.. those  that are  on thier way?  will either aid him... or..avenge him

  Kat swore a string of russian  curses....
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:34, Thu 07 Dec 2017.

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 187):

Justin gave a half grin  Really Harry I'd think that's for Shadow to decide. Throwing his Dart about after the Alpha fighters as they take pot shots at the rapidly twisting and weaving 19.

   Justin, Harry and what of B flight was with Justin... Gia   came  screaming across the Black from the  LArgran's  starboard  side...

 Justin , Harry and his  Group were closing inform the  port.. almost directly behind   Penilli gaining on them as  the alphas  had to dodge   the  debris Kray was seeking out.

  Gai   Asks in the COMs,what the 9 hells is the LC doing?.. how is  ramming into the LArgan going to help???? she said in a screech .

  Raven was pushing her  Dart,..He's going through it.......The HAnger....

 Steele   said,..LC!..gods be damned!.. you got lucky the first time!
 cracking through COM 1.. Shadow    just laughed,..ask Raven?.. Luck?  has  nothing to do with it... its all skill....Then he added....They are either Going to Follow  me through... Hit the  side... or pull up....Then they are all yours.. Cause  , until I pull up of this thrust.. I'll be  miles a way..

 Then he added.....no matter what happens, Don't let any of them Live...

  #19 hit all thrusters as he  steered towards that hanger dec opening, that looked like a placemat... but was slowly getting bigger...

 .. You will not  make it..Shadow....  and   if you dive or pull up.. we will have you..unless you seek to kill yourself? But i do not care about honor.. i just want you dead...

 Come along , Gutless... unless you already know , that when it comes to blood lines... My people will always be better then yours...

  Then Shadow's   dart  zipped into the LArgran Hanger Bay  unarmored   groun crews   were shredded By shawdow's skids, though the last one wore  Boarding  Armor and  ripped the  portside   skid from its morrings.....The DArt  came out, Rising into the Black as Shadow yelled.. WAAAAAHHHOOOOOOOOOOO..LADY!..THAT WAS FOR YOU!

 Penilli Swore  and  Pulled Up along  with  Fornite... Lacossa peeled off way before to the  thier Left.. Mizzo.. tried to Follow  Shadow through.. her  skids  caught the lower   edge of the  hanger Dec opening, causing her  craft to nose into the middle of the Dec slide  across the  dec  and  Explode as  her Power cells  ruptured... Fire shot out  both sides  of the Hanger  Dec.. and the ship began to Buckle in the Middle...


 By this Time.. Penilli was at the top of his Climb Fornite Level out, pulling up a lot sooner.. and Lacosa was  just about pointed  back at   Justin and his buddies..


  Gai  screamed then Giggled like a maniac  when shadow flew out the other side... Raven swore  as she saw the fire shooting out....You heard the LC... shoot to kill...

 Shadow's  fighters  was wobbling a bit and he shook his head  as he tried to power  down at the top of his  climb.....damn Lizards....
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:30, Wed 06 Dec 2017.

  the Holes were cut..  they crew held the plates, and waited for the word... as soon as Roy Nodded,  grenades  were dropped down in.

   as they waited  for the   gas to  work  they so   Largran Cap ship spout  fire shortly after the streak of a  fighter  going full speed   came out  and Rose into the Black.. other  ESN  Fighters were closing  in..

 The Cutter   called out.....alset SM.. gas is on the floor now.. keep your head  gear on... The felrites  Jummped through one hole  with glee...

Thrusting forward his twenty five pulled in behind the Alpha who split formation, trying to avoid the Largran Cap Ship; bring his kite in behind the Bogie Justion acquired a fighter, squeezing on his gun trigger and, sending two bursts in it's direction. Quickly rolling over to gain height and move away from the massive obstacle that Shadow swept through. Way to go LC! Way to go!
This message was last edited by the player at 22:55, Wed 06 Dec 2017.

"No...he isn't...that's just...holy hells he's going for it!" Harry cried in shock as Shadow's Dart shot towards the open hangar bay doors of a Lagran ship, clearly intending to fly straight through to the other side. It was with a look of stupefied awe on her face that she watched Shadow perform the daring manoeuvre with elan, a feat that Mizzo, a mediocre pilot at best, was unable to replicate as she crashed and burned "How in the hells...he's got to be the luckiest guy in the whole fleet!" Harry laughed, twisting her fighter so as to align herself on Fornite's Dart.

Lacossa and Mizzo were vile scumbag's that had her life and that of every other female pilot miserable but for Harry killing Fornite and Penilli was far more personal, for it had been Fornite who had decided to show her how things worked within Alpha fleet. The memory of how he had pinned her against the lockers in the deserted gym changing rooms and tried to force himself upon her had left her shaken for a very long time though perhaps not as shaken as he'd been when the petite blonde he'd taken a shine to had beaten the crap out of him; pulling every vicious, nasty move she'd learned during her time in the gang on him before running away sobbing. He'd gotten away with it of course and Penilli had then proceeded to destroy her career as a consequence.

It was with this memory at the fore of her mind that Harry would fire a single shot from her lasers using it to correct her aim and use her 37mm cannon hoping to obliterate Fornite and his Dart with a hail of high explosive rounds.

Seeing Harry manoeuvring for Fornite Justin sideslipped his kite behind Penilli Dart. Lining it up in his HUD which allowed him to eyeball the shot, a gentle squeeze on the trigger sent two bursts at the Alpha rogue. Bullen or Waggle the other's yours and its focussed on avoiding smacking into its Cruiser.

   With Shadow having to  rocket Above  Fleet fight.. Raven was    flattening out   to  cover his   6.

    Gai  came  in looking for a Kill....

   Waggles and Bullen Veered off Letting GAi have a free run at  Lacosa... but they split   , coming back around,  the Traitors  would not leave   the  Field  alive..

   Penilli was  in a panic  now.. he knew he was being hunted..and  he couldn't even find Shadow  now, let alone kill him...He had to get out.....My Friends!  ... Deal with them and Go.. Head towards Anzio!


  As he  rolled  and flattened out... he Saw  Justin's weapons  lighting   Up... and all he could do was...Scream... The   Dart exploded like a  Ming vase  dropped  from  the top of a skyscraper....

 Fornite, who peeled off   way before  the others..  Called out Lornet's name.... the fires told  him what happened... he didn't like Shadow, this was true.. his broken nose  still hurt, despite the healing.. But.. this wasn't worth it... Anzio?.. Sure.. why not..they...

 The Thought  Never  finished...another Dart.. grey.. with a pink heart... a round  zipped  By his  cockpit, he tried to rollout, but he just gave  Harry a Bigger  target.. three rounds  slammed into the  Dart.. 4  more  followed,  but   just hissed through the Debris, that used to be a Dart and its Pilot...

 Lacosa   tried to surrender.. he hit his lights .. He begged   for them to  take him  prisoner.... Gai  just Giggled.......this?  Is  what  its like.. to be on the Pool table...... her   weapons  fired..   He screamed  until it ended.. some say he never saw the round that killed him... but..for a nano second.. he saw the cockpit shatter... then...nothing...

   Frans   was   zipping her  way to check on Shadow  has he banked  around, ..You guys  done now?.. can we continue our war?

  ..yeah... I guess... all of our toys  are  broken, lets go find new ones...

   Commander Si came on the   COMs......nothing Left LC.. we let two run....  Lt Flores  Tagged them... we'll be able to see where they run .....


 Steele is  bitching,..damn you shadow?.. I think  i wet Myself watching yo fly through there.. Man!.. just 'casue you made it once....

 ..Twice now... and no one can say LAdy helped me this time!

 ..ENOUGH!.... start strafing   CAp ships that  aren't being boarded.. knock out AA guns..  maybe , aim for the thrusters... Until Hermes  calls us home...

 ...Gai?.. Harry?.. You guys Good?.. hope   we didn't kill any of your Buddies...well..no?..that's a lie..I'm glad   we kiled the bastards..but.. you know...


 Eckles  coms on,..Geez  Shadow?...what are you like on a date?....Don't you have a filter?

Si, Flores  , Kat , Frans  and Raven  shout "NO!"..

 ..that's right..pick on the LC, who's poor little beat up dart  is trying to carry  him around...
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:44, Thu 07 Dec 2017.

    Garrat dropped into the hole after the Felrites with both pistols out looking for targets. "If the head of the fleet is still alive, it might be good to keep him that way.  Maybe we can Give the Admiral a complete set of leaders to toy with."

In reply to Fighters (msg # 196):

Banking his Dart Justin rolled the 25 in the direction of the main action, tapping on his thrusters to form up on the other B Flight Kites. Giving a half grin at the chatter He gave a slight shake of his head to him it was almost like a Roast... F25 to 19 com check over.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:33, Thu 07 Dec 2017.

  I can hear..ALL COMs.. can only Talk on COM 1..  wing  is making noise too.. I lost a  Lizard in boarding armor.... bastard's still riding it out there some where.. the skid  went  right through his chest plate...

 ..just a tip boys and Girls?.. Largrans  are soft boned... but  don't   try to ram demons .. you crash and burn..

Great to hear you weren't put out by the close contact. Acknowledged LC, Apply pulse or HE to Demon ground pounders.

   Shadow   checked his  ammo.. he was  just about  out of 37 MMs... but the shields    on all the largrans  were gone  by now...

  ..Not much   i can doo.. so?.. Let me put this On, Raven... we're gonna have to   do this on the Rec Dec when  this is over...


   he flicked his  COM  and  fed the Music into COM 1...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAJV2va9V9A

Roy dropped down right behind Garrat, weapon at the ready, looking around for any sign of a hostile still capable of fighting, the muzzle of his weapon tracking with his line of sight.  He wasn't expecting anything...the gas grenades were almost as effective on Largrans as they had been on Demons, the few times it had been tried before...but he hadn't survived this long by taking expected results for granted.

    On the Hanger Dec, Hack hit the Button That one of the Angels  pointed out to him as a  COM.

  Taking a few tries and.. rather  embarrassing attemptes to talk  until his Voiced echoed through the HAnger.

  He looked ta Az-el who shrugged  and  Hack began to speak...This is Admiral  Oliver Hack. I am standing on the Hnager Dec of your Vessel..... I see there are three LArgran shuttles on the hanger Dec...Any LArgan's who appear on the   Hanger Dec without weapons and arms  raised, will be permitted to board the shuttles...once the shuttles are full? they will be permitted to leave. once the shuttles are Full... any and all LArgans we find will be terminated.... You all saw  how foolish your Admiral was to dare to defy me and my people. This is also a One time offer...Thank you..and may you choose  wisely..and...quickly

 The doors to the Aft  opened.. 4 largans with Weapons entered , but were Gunned  down  by the duces  50 cals. 6 more   held up thier arms  as thier  weapons.  McCloud  and McNeild waved them over to the first shuttle.. Hemsly  and Minnet took side arms  and blades from them and thrw the on the pile that has been collected...

.........................

   The Felrites  lead the way towards the  elevator  door that lead to the Bridge.. the  door on the   right hand  side. There was also a door  behind them some 20 yards towards the Stern... as well as a door 20 Yards  ahead  towards the Bow.

  Supe settled  at the Aft Hole  and had his weapon aimed at the  doors  Tucker  leaned against the wall with his  carbine ready.

  One of the Felrites   went to the Bow  door, Hirr stood  by the elevator door. Her  cat grin seen through her mask,...This is  much fun!

  The Largran fleet.. only made it as far, as Halfway  across 'The Field'. Their Broken Vessels joined the other debris...an artificial asteroid field There LArgan Vessels  had Been down right CAptured.. though, they  all were rather battered.

 Another  was still being Contested  inside the Hull...and, of course, the Flagship.

 Hearing  HAck's offer to the Largrans. CAptain  Van Ros ordered  other ships to 'try' and allow  largrans to surrender until thier shuttles were full... all others   would have to 'walk home".

  This caused  fighting among the Largrans themselves  as they fought to try to reach the hanger Decs first...sadly... the ESN  folks did not know this..and a largran bearing a weapon would be gunned  down.

  the Destroyers  and sloops began to  corral  the largran shuttles that were sent off, jammed with largran.. most  ESN folks didn't like this.. too many largrans to have to fight again.

 But truth be told..many largans  died with thier ships..not one fighter survived ..and for every largran that stepped on  thier shuttles ramp?..7 or  8 more would be gunned down, or sent into  The Black.

 When a Media ship  contacted  Van Ros she simply said,..Had the Empire  troops  not  infested  Matterhorn, and cause so much damage.. we could have relocated the prisoners   to there, until time came for transfer...But? In a time of total war..we cannot  risk  our ships  by having prisoners on them, nor can we put the Largrans on the MAtterhorn, where they wanted to be in the first place!

 She looked at the CAmera and said with  a cold voice, devoid of any emotion,..The price  is very steep, when one crossed  the ESN/APF.. The LArgran community should be thankful for what little mercy we  are showing...

   Garrat noded, "It is." And attempted to open the door

  Hirr  watched  as the   doors opened, she turned to the felrite at the  foreward  door.. you will be killing  , anything that comes through that door.. that is no us...

 Kviv purred and answered,..buit of  course. My LT....

 Garrat and  any who wanted to enter the Bridge.. stepped onto the elevator.

   Garrat chuckles and kneels at the edge of the elevator door with his pistols ready and pointed forward. "When they fire on us they will be pointing at the middle of the door.  Don't be there."

The Largran Fleet being fragmented and in utter disarray there was not much more for the AEF Fighters to do, mopping up was well underway. Justin anticipated they'd be assigned to split up and search for pods any moment. Still there may still be a threat as two Capitals were being disputed, so anything could happen.

"Yeah well you got was coming to you!" Harry snarled down the Comms in response to Shadow's plea's of innocence "I warned you about Penilli! I told you that he was a treacherous, back stabbing snake and not to turn your back on him for a second! And what did you do? Take him out of the brig and put him in a god damn fighter!" she scolded, with the young ensign not overly sure whether she sounded more like her father or her mother at this point in time.

It was as she was moving back into formation with Justin, taking several deep breaths as she did so, that she would notice that her hands were trembling once again, prompting her to tighten her grip on the controls so as to make them stop "I...I'm sorry LC...I didn't mean to go off on one...guess they got to me a little more than I thought they had" Harry quietly apologised, quietly noting that she really had to stop voicing her opinions to her commanding officer in such an aggressive manner "...I...I Can't believe those ass holes finally got what they deserved...hell... I think I owe you a drink"

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 209):

You were also cautioned against shooting your mouth off. Justin piped in. Dropping the 25 back and waggling a hand with raised pointer in her direction, disapprovingly at her outburst and before her recanted apology, to the LC.

I recon there's still some hostility to be burnt off after this battle. Don't you think Lynch
This message was last edited by the player at 19:55, Thu 07 Dec 2017.

  ..ahhh, well HArry?... I wasn't gonna let him stay ont he  Hermes... maybe  escape if they were boarded?.. he did his job... got to the Alpha  fleet.. smoked out  some traitors.... I think Admiral HAck will be talking to Sevente ...if he's still alive...

  the mistake i made, was him comign back  with 4 untouched Fighters....there is something  wrong there... Unless Sevente never launched fighters?

 Raven came on the coms  as  her  Harvester  flight  settle   above Shadow,..so You'er telling  me  you had this planned out?

 ..well?.. yeah..you know..a Little?

 Commander Si asked,...how Little....LC?

 ..um.. the part where  Penili got in a Hammer II and fly into the battle... after that?.. I had nothing..

 Flores  Snaps,..what the 9 hells?

 what?..  he might have even shot some down?... he ran home..we knew were he was   cause of the transponders?... and?.. because  he came  back with his stoogies?..  Harry and Gai got some payback?

 Gai  said, thoughtfully.....si, there is that...

 it was  quiet and then Shadow added,..and!.. I got to  do the LArgran Hanger thing again!

 Frans  groaned,aw..for  crying out loud...

"Alright Dr Phil, how do you propose I burn off this hostility then?" Harry responded, returning his hand gesture with one of her own and smiling sweetly as she did it.

It was around about this point that Harry would receive a run down of Shadow's master plan complete with holes you could fly a squadron through "Wait you can't just do...something! Then claim random events...that...that's not how plans work?!" she said in an incredulous voice scarcely able to believe how much of the plan had hinged on pure luck, though like Gia, Harry did have to reluctantly admit that it had allowed her to get a little payback.

It was as they were turning their attention back towards the enemy cap ships that Harry would return her's to her wingman/shrink; Justin "so go on Justin how shall we deal with my anger issues...do you want to step into a ring with me? I won't hurt you I promise" she spoke in a dangerously sweet voice that made it hard to tell whether she was being serious or simply teasing him.

     the fighters   rounded the   LArgans  Cap ships, most of the AA guns  were either knocked out, or in manned..

    ..Hey LC?....

  ..Aye Foster?

  we got alot of beat up aircraft.. we  still landing in order?

  ...Standard Landing after Combat... Healthy Aircraft first.. then damaged  ships   that  the pilot feels they  can land... questionable aircraft.. you just  POD out , about 200 yards from the Hanger BAy, and they'll fish us out...

 Howe said,...LC?... form where  i sit  at 7:00 low to you?.. that left wing wants to come off  real bad...and you don't have a skid there...In Atmo.. you never  nake  it  out of that HAnger...

  yeah...my luck.. one dumbass lizard on the whole flight dec wearing  boarding armor ans he stands in front of  my  dart as i fly through..

 Flores  commented  dryly,...how  inconsiderate of him...

 ..I'm sure the   bastard  would have stpeed out of the way, had  he known you were coming..

 well.. he saw me  come through the  opening.. i was redlining though..so?.. maybe he didn't  have time.... he's still flaoting out there some where..attached to the skid.

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 212):

Switching to one on one channel. Right Lynch, if you want to sort your problems out in the gym I'll accommodate you. He'd had enough of this newbie and determined to have nothing further to do with her after their gym session, she was just another of the host of problems he'd been subject to since he'd shipped in. Changing back to standard channels Justin rolled his eyes at the chatter to and from Shadow. Yea pitty that, LC, especially since it appeared he was just trying to provide a new nose art for you
This message was last edited by the player at 00:54, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

    Shadow thought  for a bit,..naw?.. i think it was a guy lizard?.. i don't want  i guy for nose art.....unless i'll stick,, Like an elf  with a bow  or a dwarf with a hammer...naw?.. I'd have to have a chick elf...

In reply to Kray Shadow (msg # 215):

An Bow toating Elfmaid, Sounds promising LC. he stated a touch of humour in his voice. Glancing at his Hud for threats or beacons.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 05:26, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

Roy stepped to one side of the elevator door, weapon held vertically and ready to drop into firing position as soon as the doors cleared.  "Someone get a couple of grenades ready to toss in there, as well.  No sense wasting the ammo shooting them all if we can just dissolve them...we'll just shoot enough to keep them from rushing the elevator for an escape route."

    "Flash bangs would be best.  If we blow the wrong thing up on the main controls, it could cause a chain reaction and take out the ship before we know what's going on.  I've been on to many countdowns with this team and the Hermes is pretty close for clearing the blast. Unfortunataly  I don't have any."

Roy shook his head.  "Gas grenades, Sergeant.  No collateral damage, they just eat the Largrans.  We shoot only who we need to in order to eliminate threats to our force."  He adjusted his grip on his rifle, waiting for the doors to open.

   "Oh, thought we had used those up."  Garrat lets some one else toss the grenade and follows in the impending turmoil

Hearing Justin's message coming over her private comm feed, Harry would blink in surprise at the tone of voice he'd used leaving her with the sinking feeling that, that hadn't been banter but that she'd really annoyed him. She knew she could be a little brash and could be more than a little outspoken, a combination that often rubbed people up the wrong way, but she was a little unsure when exactly she'd crossed the line and took things a little too far and upset him.

Feeling a little chastised and wary of upsetting anyone else, Harry would rather tentatively voice her own thoughts concerning nose art "I kind of fancy an old style pin up girl on mine...a pretty Angel with a sword or something...oh that's a biblical angel not a...um..." Harry said, quickly stopping before she could dig herself into a hole, especially with Commander Si listening "It was just an idle thought, I doubt I have the kills to warrant artwork anyway" she finished, before quietly awaiting either permission to land or her next set of orders.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:55, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

The field was void or bogies prompting Justin to head for the closest Pod. Moving closer to it he slowed the Dart to near stop and gently nudged the pod collecting it in-front of the 25's wing. Slowly guiding it towards the Hermes.

  The Doors  to the  Bridge Open,, grenades  fly in.. the gass  spreads  rather  quickly As those  closest to the Doors   Fall  grabbing thier faces  and throats and   greenish smoke  rises into the air.

  across the way, some  largran  Marines  pull Up thier weapons  and  fire  at the   doors.. ..Lt Hirr  Goes   Down with a  fierce  yowel

 The Rest of the Team opens  up as  Largrans take  Pulse and Hard  rounds from close  range...

 in less then a Minute.. it is quiet.  Smoke  from gas and  hardammo weapons drift... the smell of  melting  largan and  'burnt air' from pulse rounds drift about.

 Hirr has  taken a bad hit  to her  right shoulder.  The  Team Notice  that Vexis is not on the Bridge.

 with Little to do  by fly over watch, with the Hermes and Largran flagship  connected .  Shadow   would bring up odds and  ends...

 The HArveter had made it s  way over  to the otherside of the  Largran Flagship settling in... to help 'ride shotgun' as  the Hermes Crew tried to take control.

   not far away.. the surrender lights went on, on a Cap ship that had been boarded by  a  transport/base... the Trnasportbase that had  been ontop of the Largran that Shadow flew through was leaving , after   recalling its  troopers  and grabbing what ever they could salvage, as small explosions lept popping up  inside, from the  Wreck of Mizzo.

 The  stern  section was already drifting away, breaking up  with each  blossom of fire.

 Well, HArry?... There  have been more  targets  this time out,  then we have faced in The Black before... you are  allowed nose  art, once yo have  5 confirmed  kills...So? it will be in  Morris's hands as he looks through the Gun cams and out flight discs.

....

 Justin notes, that  he cannot  take the Pod to The Hermes , since the Hanger Dec is  blocked off with the tunnel.

  he does  note, Tenders  and Big Uglies  cruising around , looking for Fighters  and Pods...

 It takes  concentration to pick out the tiny blinking  yellow beacons , amongst the millions of stars  in the backdrop.

Roy peeked quickly around the doors, verifying the Largrans were down.  With no viable targets, he slipped around the doors, weapon still at the ready, as he said, "Someone see to Hirr..."  He would have, himself, but he was more focused on making sure nobody else got shot...

   "Already done sir." The elevator is not a place to leave wounded. Garrat gently Picks up Hirr "Hey there little girl, I'm the one with the heavy armor, Your suposed to let me take the hits." he rolls out a spare blanket from his pack, removes her shoulder armor and exposes the wound. [is it an energy wound or is there a chance of a projectile being lodged in there?]
This message was last edited by the player at 21:09, Fri 08 Dec 2017.

   The wound isn't  belledign as the pulse  burned itswelf  closed..but  there is a hole  about the  size of coffee cup bottom in her  armor, and about half that size of the wound itself.


 Lyri looks  around  and says,..guess we should  see about the engines, before the Hermes burns up?  he   kicked  a lagran out of the COMs station and tried to figure out the  commands.

 ..beth?... I'm sitting at the LArgan COM  station?.. what do i need to do  to  read these clas  scratching ?


 ..plug in your OminCOM  and  it will set it up for you..should change the  lizard markings  to  ESN symbols.

 Niog comes  over,  as Lyri  Motioned to the Felright, they both worked on hooking the  Omincom up... it  30 seconds or so, all the holo keys and such had  ESN symbols in the 'right' places"

  Lyri says,..this is why the ESN used  symbols... rather then  every race's  alphabet..

 Niog nods her  head in understanding,..the Qarl.. would  do no such thing, even as they tried to have us join the Empire... like it was the big secret..

Getting the attention of a tender Justin corrals the Pod in its direction When the boat arrives he gives a thumb's up as it collects the Pilot. Tapping on the twenty fives reverse thrusters he carefully makes room for the Tender and backs away watching as the grappling clamp locks onto the Pod. Manoeuvring back to the search, he assesses the difficulty of the search for pods drifting about and suggests the searching craft work in pairs. Doing so they pairs can triangulate the different coloured pulses thus making this way it makes location and identification easier.

Garrat derma foams and derma plasts as recomended.  He is a little concerned she isn't responding to his comment.  And looks closely at her eyes as he continues speaking...teasing a little more to guage her responses.  Well it it looks like your done for this engagement.  We'll get you back on the Hermes in no time.  Remember a little Catnip is okay but save the jingle balls and other physical toys [including that SGT you've been seeing] for when you've healed a little.  Okay?"

Roy nodded.  "Get the engines shut down, get ready to seal the hangar deck.  We'll end this really fast..."  He keyed his comm.

"Admiral, we're on the bridge.  Have you sent off the surrender shuttles yet?  If so, I'm gonna seal the hangar deck and blow atmo on the ship.  No sense risking our people to go through the ship and hunt down a bunch of hostiles..."  He muted his signal and looked over at Lyri.  "We can do that, right?" he asked her...it seemed, to him, a common-sense alternative to have.  Fires happened in space, and the fastest way to kill a fire was to remove its oxygen supply, so it struck him as a significant safety feature...that could be exploited, of course, if someone took over vital sections of the ship.  A lot of safety features had potential drawbacks to them, however...

    The Admiral answered,sent  2 shuttles out  filled to the brim..one has  abot  3  Largrans unlkess some owere put  on that i didn't see... we have not  found  Vexis yet.. we haven't sent  anyone looking.. they have to  come through..Under, or  over the Hnabger  dec to get from one  end or the other...nut if you Vent.. then Vent.. don't have anything to lose.

   meanwhile  Lyri was trying to read some of the informational  text that was   comeing up on her screen,...Yeah?   we can do that..Did you  know Vexis  was the Brother of one of the  Highest Military leaders on Larga?.... seems like humans aren't the only ones who sell high positions to  family...

 Hirr looks at  Garrta through half closed  eyes,..what is this....Jungle balls... for human end of year  celebration..yes?

  Shoemaker looked out the   metaglass  as he tried checking the ship  for  'bodies'....One transport took a  Largan that is  in pretty good shape... that other one that Shadow  flew through?.. it broke in half.. it was almsoy untouched!

 ..well..I hope they give the  lizard ships to the Alphas or Gamma's, since thy let the bastards in out back yard...

 Lyri chuckles,..this isn';t over.... Sevente and Richards will have to answer forneglect, at very least.. it they are lucky, they only lose thier rank...if they are very Lucky, they  keep thier paygrade and get sent off to a  water filter plant or  something.

  The  Delta Fleet Tenders  and Big Uglies  ahd a pattern..of  sorts

  sloops cruised  about as well, lookign   for Pods  and  fighters.. when they found  one They would Tag it  with a salvage  tag.. and  move to find more.

 Just could see at lest  three more  oval  pods  a mile or so away. slolwy  tumblign in the  Field.


.......

 Shadow     limped off towards  the support ships, Look for the   LG-01T

 He  watched the wing  shake   at his  thruster  burns, he would gear it down  and go 'at speed'.. then fire them  again for a short burst.....Man.. war might be over  by the time i get there!

   It is a toy for the lesser felines of earth, we have similar things for the young rock cougar on the asgard planets.  Let's get you to that shuttle.  Garrat carefully lifts her and carries her to the boarding point.  he kicks off the deck gravity and lands on on the shuttle.  He winces as the Felrite is jarred and secures her for the ride back. "Are you going to be okay here?  I thing I'm needed below.

Plotting an intercept vector Justin tapped on his thrusters Manoeuvring the Dart to the first of the three Pods. Slowing he stopped its tumble them nudged it towards the second similarly changing its direction and abating its tumble guiding both Pods across to the third once together he signalled a Tender to come and collect the three.

Roy nodded.  "Okay...seal the hangar deck, keep life support going there.  Seal us in...we're all in boarding gear, but I don't like the thought of getting sucked out into space.  Everything else?  Wide open.  Let's end this."

Much as he'd like to have Vexis as a trophy, of sorts, he was more interested in preserving ESN lives than he was humiliating an enemy.

  Hirr   doesn't say  Much. The  Felrites that see Him take her balc  to the  shuttle   but  growl to each other, of  'making  the lizards  pay'.

  ..I am safe, with the  Stoly.....yes?.. go.. kill more lizards...

...............................

  Lyri  Nods... as she waited  for the others   from below  to come up... Tucker  gave her the thumbs up...

  ..we're  tight up here..Admiral...

 ..Blow it.. keep it  open for  10 Minutes....

    The  ship  shook as if he was  trying to rid itself of some kind of  poison.. Jets of  white-grey shot out.

    then Lyri  shut the Vents  and watched the clock.

     on the ships COMs   screams terror  and panic  echoed through the   COM systems...little by little they died  down.  Tucker  say there, unconcerned  at the screams.

    With her ehad  Jerking up, Lyri said,..why  10 minutes?
Hack came back with a cold, precise   answer,..that should be enough time for al the 02 in thier med tech to be gone.......and?  anyone  with   boarding armor  on will have thier  gear on... so?..when it comes  back on,  there should  only be  troopers left standing... and we can finish them off...

  Lyri frowns,..Aye Sir... 7 more minutes...

  Garrat clanks down  "Nows the time to go hunting.  We only have to rupture their suit to take them out."  Garrat looks up at where he left Hirr, "Rest well lady-cat.  I will bring you back some knuckles to roll."  He checks the door forward to the hold under the bridge.  "Let's check and see what's behind door #1 as you Midgardians say."

    Shadow here.. I'm Back in a fighter..who's number.. i have no idea.... so... i don't know it....

 The Fighter    Zipped over a  broken Largran and  Ninder  the Achilles  before   banking around the  Hermes...

 Flores   said,..not  cool , LC..show off   your   brand new plaything, while ours are all nicked up...

  ..yeah... sorry.. just feels good to have both wings  wnat to stay on..

 ..which...LC.. you  still would have had, had you not flew through the hanger..  Si said in a  calm, cool voice.

 ..aye..Ma'am.. But...

 quit while you'er  ahead, LC.. you'er not going to win this...

 Shadow sighed...

 both ships   engines  were  cut.. as  Lyri  talked with  Miller  and counted  down.

  the ship was a bit  quieter now.  Hack hit the COMs... we have one shuttle left on the Dec... if any  LArgrans  are still alive, and  wish to leave and  live.. yoou know the  routine... you want tos tay and Die?..  we'll be  right with you.. regardless  I am setting a timer... in 30 seconds..  the shuttle  leaves.. and we go hunting... and?  just to  let you folks know.. there is a Transport base coming..  they will finish housecleaning.... Clock starts...now...

  BA-Lo the angel Omi Com operator     rigged the controls  for the Largrans  Countdown clock.. and it  began to  run...

With the space battle as good as over Harry would loiter at would be considered a high altitude in atmo, keeping a watchful eye out for any fighters that may have escaped their attention whilst Justin and several others set about corralling pods for collection. A difficult task considering the amount of scrap metal floating out there, however with the Hermes hangar dec still blocked off it seemed as good a task as any, even if taking overwatch reminded her rather uncomfortably of her time spent on sentinel duty for Alpha fleet as a result of her refusal to play the game.

It was as she was silently sitting within cockpit staring out into the darkness with only brief glances at her scanner to break up the monotony that Shadow would find time to replace his crippled Dart and return with a fresh one “ha ha, you’re in trouble” Harry called in childish voice as Shadow was scolded by commander Si, knowing full well that she’d be reduced to a stammering wreck if she were in his position. The was just something about a stern female voice that put the fear of god into her for some reason and would no doubt give a shrink a field day  “so...three fighters in one day...the foundry must love you”

    Shadow  chuckled,well  Harry, The foundry folks  better   love me.. 2 of them Play O-line  and  one is a Linebacker on the Herme's  Team... I'd  hate to think  what they might do in practice, if they didn't like ,me...

  Raven came on the COMs  again,..you know?.. when  you were goading me  into ttacking that Lagran  a year or so ago... did you think i was gonna  end up like that Alpha?

  ...naw.... I figured you'd  Pull up... and?  if you didn't  I figured  you might be good  enough to fly through... I  didn't thing any of them would fly through, so they would  be easy pickings   for the   fighters i saw  closing in... Turns out, only one of them  thought  that they could make it..

  Commander Si came on the COMs   again.,..you under stand.. al  it would take,  would be  on stack of barrels.... one lose   Crane hook... or a Hover Jack in the  way ..and   you do not  come out the other side....Hitting  unarmored largrans at speed is one thing.... an armored one  is like hitting a fluid drum...

  Shadow is   quiet but them says,..he..she...it... was  near the   otherside opening.. so, I made it out..mostly......and?  because of that.. all traitors  were rang up with out a loss of one of ours.... who knows  what they would have done... had i let them rejoin the   fight..

 Foster  spoke up, clearing his throat.....he does have a point, Commander, MA'am... coming in from behind... ESN transponders... they could have  whacked  alot of us, before  ...if... we figured it out..

  ..THE POINT.... she snapped in voice of cold metallic steel, yet  still contain the musical Angel tint, then. more Calmly,...the point  isn't him leading them off... nor the  end all of the confrontation... it was the fact... that the ESN's Highest ranking  Ace, almost killed himself   in a stunt  that he could have  easily done, By  flying  Under the  CAp ship...regardless of the Victories in 2 battles... the Empire  would have waved that  as  a morale  gain for thier  people..and the EDT , or for that  matter..Lady V's  Viper fleet.. would be  posting vids  around the clock...

 Foster , grudgingly  added,Aye  Ma'am.... but   my flight  was pretty damn close to where they appeared... I'm think  My wife  and step daughter will thank him for this....Ma'am.

 ..Indeed.. i do not  intend  to make a grand deal of this.... But.. The LC and I are going to have a short talk on the  HAnger Dec, before  the after party starts...

 Frans     say is, half  laughing,..ohhhh, man...

 Flores  Just Giggles....

 Kat says in her Thick accent,..I am thinking..his  ass should be well kicked..perhaps  something more suited  for  The Admiral..or perhaps..Captain Rivets...

  Steele says tentatively  ..Um?.. LC... we're  still having the   send off party right?

  The Commander  say softly.. a bit of affection in her  voice,..Kray will, indeed  be  'hosting the  party.... because of the Mess.... we will have the party first...a mix of  sendoff and  After  party... then.. a bit later, we will have the send off... what ever bodies  we have  not collected by then... we most likely, will not...

 things are quiet, some piltos  making jokes to others as the  stand over watch

 Gai  said  quietly,.... I... Understand the Commander's upset at  the LC.... I..will still say  this..infront of all. I , give him, the thanks...Leaving  Alphas  fleet was... to me..at first. No better then running away. To be given a fighter... to ...to be able to fight..soothed that feeling a bit..si? But.. to strike back... like  the might hammer...I must thank the LC for this... not whether.. the action was  right... but because the outcome was....

Roy gave a tired sigh, relaxing minutely.  "Seven minutes..."  It wouldn't quite feel like an infinity...but close enough.

"When we repressurize the ship, I want to search for Vexis' quarters...round up any data discs or similar materials you can find.  He was Hack's opposite number in the quad, there should be plenty of intel on where their forces are located and what strategic points they have."  He looked at Lyri.

"Start compiling a communications log...any outbound messages regarding reallocation of troops, or inbound messages reporting adjustments in the military...any intel we can exploit."

  Lyri Hit the Button.. the  hum of puts began....Ship will be green in...1 minute.....

   Supe  and Tuncker   are lookign at the  sign that is flickering a bit....I trhink this leads  to his quarters... if that sign would stop  flickering....

 From the other  side, KArson looked ,..this one's  flickering too.. saw... i think... main Corridor?.... but why are tghey flickering?

 Garrat is ready to go down the Elevator..  the CAts want to go with him.

Karl had maintained his overwatch position, after seeing the Largrans trying to sneak what appeared to be a kamikaze-style shuttle run, engines running just enough to maintain station, looking not unlike a remarkably intact piece of debris...sensors and eyes sweeping the ships he could see, and the space around them.

He was so focused on flying targets that he almost missed several forms that slipped out of a hatch and started down the hull of the nearest Largran vessel.  He nudged maneuvering thrusters, drifting in for a closer look, before deciding something looked decidedly wrong about the group.  "Stoly...on your six, multiple unknowns on foot, coming across the hull.  Pretty sure they aren't Felrites, and nobody else in the Fleet has tails..."

He throttled up, not racing downward but certainly not wasting any time, sliding into an angle that had him drifting sideways, just a couple of meters off the hull, paralleling the line of approach of his unknowns.  His line of fire, when he caught up to tgem, would beperpendicular to Stly's line of fire...if anyone opted to open fire.

He was pretty sure they were Largrans...but he'd wait to fire until he verified it.

   The  doors opened  and  explosions shook the Bridge  area... Supe  went  down with some shrapnel in his  chest...


  KArson was knocked over the railing by the Blast on his side, ..Dammit...Dammit....  he  swore  as he tried to get up......damn  doors, were wired... that;s why they Flicked....damn lizards...

 Supe  pulled the  Shuck out of his  armor.. Tucker had to put a patch on it.. no blood  showed.....alright... i better not  catch a largran that had demo packs on them.. I beat it to death with its own tail...

 The  Passage was other was, empty.

  Vexis's Quarters were opened.. there was a door on the far  side to the  port side.( the side  facing the Hermes. His  quarters, like the  passage  were  a Half circle, to go around the  tower that supported  the br.idge and the elevator

 Garray hears  two muffled  explosions   as he steps out of the cover, of the elevator . The Felrites  are still on the Bridge.


 both doors are closed in the P-way , GArrat is in... from above, he hears  Gun fire, through the hole   that leads to the shuttle,

..............

 Stoly hitsa the loading  Lights and calls out to the starboatd  Gunner to look down the spine..

  The lights  come on..made for 'camping' and laoding,  but enough light  to shine of   well polish Elite LArgan armor...

 ..Dammit!... Lizards  charging the  shuttle  from  the stern spine...  his  50's  ring  out  sending    shells over the floor of his  buddle....There's  too many!!!

  rounds   zipped off into the black, and  struck the  top of the ship..  One largan to the right of the  lead.. was torn up, and  floated off  trailing streams  of froazen blood...

When the shuttle opened fire, Karl swivelled the minigun in the turret under the nose of his ship, bringing it to bear on the Largrans.  His plane bucked for a moment from the recoil, as he pulled the trigger and sprayed a stream of armor-piercing rounds at the Largrans.  Almost instantly, the ship adjusted thrusters to counter the recoil, continuing its side-slip advance along the hull as rounds sprayed at and around the Largrans.

    Stoly Called all Coms,..Unknowm  Number of LArgarans in   armor  coming up the spine... Bubble  Gun can't get many... we are getting  support from the Morningstar..

 ..be advised, I am shutting the  shuttle up...

 in the  BAck round the Top Bubble  swung its weapons over.. but  could  only reach the back  couple...

 The Morningstar,,chewed up  the spine of the ship as well as the charging Largans..bodies   fell  , then floated  , some broke  apart.. adding frozen  patches of   dark blood  drifting in the black

After a  few seconds....it appeared to be  quiet a couple  bodies   floated in  death..held to the  ship by thier mag boots

Karl stopped firing, leaving his finger resting on the trigger as he watched for any sign of forward movement.  "I think we got 'em all, Stoly.  A couple still kinda moving their arms, but their boots are stuck to the hull...no forward motion."  He paused for a moment.  "I'll keep an eye on them for a moment...see if they're playing possum.  Looks like everyone's suits got breached somewhere, though..."

With Tucker helping Supe, Roy went over to help Karson back to his feet.  "You okay, Supe?  Any damage beyond the suit? he asked.  He considered chiding both of them for being too close to the doors when they opened...the flashing lights had definitely been an indicator that something was wrong, after all, but he couldn't have said, for certain, what.  Tripwired explosive charges were relatively simple, however...

"Damned lucky they don't have claymore mines or the like..."

   Change in plans,  With the Stoly free [I'm assuming Shutting the shuttle up means he left the ship] Garrat Listens to the chatter on the coms.  "I'll check them." He climbs out the hole and advances on the outer deck in his magnetic boarding boots.  His big rifle is out and he picks of questionable targets one by one being careful to have a good stance.  Don't want the kick from the ship to knock him into space. "Not a bad tactic, I'm actually gaining a little respect for these guys.  Roy, what happened on the bridge? is everyone okay?"

  Two of the Felrites  go into Vexis  Quarters. Shoemaker  who  ran from the  console by the window to check KArson, GAve  way to Ro then  went into Vexis  quarters  as well.

 The Cats  were  looking over books  and disc containers , that looked like  poker chip holders.

 Show maker goes over to the bead  and pulls off  the thin shiny  cover...Put anyhting that looks  good  in there.. and  we'll wrap it up and carry it out  like Santa Claus...

 Mirg Tilts his head,Sandy...Claws?..is that some  famous Felrite you have heard of?

......................

  Supe  gets  up and nods at Tucker's  patch Job,..I'm  fine... damn lizards....

 Tucker  yells back,P-WAY IS CLEAR

..............

 Garrat sees  the Bodies  floating  , or  stack to the plates by thier  boots,, One that is slowly waving, like a flag.. with  streams  of dark, frozen fluid.. has a sword on its  waist.

  KArl can see two  more   dark armored   bodies  coming  from the hatch,, weapons up.

"In my experience it's not the big guys you have to worry about...it's the little quiet guy sitting in the corner you need to watch" Harry replied with a good natured chuckle as she continued to search the debris field before her.

Allowing her craft to slowly drift, using only her thrusters to make an occasional adjustment to her course or to avoid an especially large piece wreckage, not wishing to alert any potential foes hiding within the field to her presence. It was as she was playing possum that Shadow would receive a dressing down followed with the threat of further harsh words once they were back on the Hermes once the after party was out of the way.

Although she had to agree with Commander Si that pulling that stunt with the Lagran ship had been the height of reckless stupidity and completely unnecessary to achieve the end result he'd been seeking she whole-heartedly agreed with the sentiments voiced by Gia "Seconded...knowing that...that...scumbag!...and his friends are dead after what they did to me..." hearing the fragile quality within her own voice and the dampness at the corners of her eyes Harry quickly cut off that line of thought and stuffed it back into dark recesses of her mind where it belonged, silently scolded herself for letting her emotions show in public, I'm not going to cry, I'm not a little Princess, I will not cry! Once she was satisfied that further girly outbursts of emotion were not going to happen she would continue to speak in a somewhat bitter tone of voice "It's probably too late to fix the damage done to me and Gia but at least the next group of pilots to pass through Alpha will be safe" she quietly said before once again resuming her silent vigil.

Karl slowly pivoted the Morningstar.  "More coming out...give me a moment..."  He settled crosshairs on the first...and pulled the trigger, playing the stream of bullets back and forth to chew up the new arrivals and the hatchway they were coming out of.

"That should slow them down a bit," he commented, drily.  "May want to send someone down to check that hatch.  I wouldn't recommend going solo...no knowing how many more could be waiting inside."  Knowing the threat to Stoly's Deuce was cleared, he kicked thrusters again, drifting toward the hatch, ready to pour fire into it, should there prove to be more Largrans inside.

  The going is Slow... waiting for the outcome of the  , chance, to take  the Laragn Flagship.

  Shadow moved off towards the Stern , away from the others. his aircraft was fresh... so he stayed  near the   'deep space' side, though there weren't any blips on the screen.. 2 or three largran PODs but that was no concern of his.

  The  Destroyers and sloops  were eh

herding the  Shuttle ,   Just to the  7:00 of the Hermes/Largran  site.. Shadow  sat  and  watched  The Black, looking for  any 'surprises.

  There is a slight  smile as he thinbks over the last  30 minutes or so...

...................

   Fighters Circled  around.. for floated . Grit came on the COMs Gai... Harry, you two sheilas  are a bit new?.. this 'ere  after  party, the LC throws?.... He pays  fer our eats and drinks... sorta a cross between an  Irish wake, an' a Victory party... then....  we'll ahve the  send off, for them, that's not  comign back, on the  'anger Dec

.........

  Justin  doesn't  see  any more  PODs in his  area of operation.. the Tenders  and  Big Uglies keep moving...

 Hanger Dec....

  Hack  had  Both  door   open, his people setting up.. a few times there was weapons fire. and a few more  largrans came out with thier Hands up.

  Following then to the   Shuttle, The Admiral looked at two  Non-coms.. They stood near him and the Angels watched over with  ready weapons.

 ... YOu will now understand. I... nor  the ESN, make  Idle threats. We warned your Admiral  after  we crushed the  Creshian Main fleet. And Now, You have lost every one of your fleet's ships.. a few of them, you will see  again, painted in ESN colors.. and fighting you.

 ..Some of  my people  think i am being  'too kind'...others  think we should kill you all, so we don't have to fight you again... but? I made a promise and I...  the  Younger of the Largrans  Pulled  a Blade from his   sleeve   and  tried to  JUmp  Hack... Az-el's  Angle steel  pulse  rifle   blew its ehad off.. brackish blood splattered  both HAck and the  other Non-Com, The Largran flinched, HAck did not. The Admiral did not even acknowledge  the blood  or the headless  body.

 ..I should jusy kill all those on this shuttle for that... But i will not... You go... you tell your people...your leaders... THat..There will not be a Demon  Homeworld, when i am finished with this war....and?... if i have to destroy other Empire  worlds.. I will do so...

 The Largran Non-com hand some scars on his  face, showing he was not  a stranger to battle...why ..why would  you condemn so many, noncombatants  to death?

  Hack, in a voice that was a bit..softer. perhaps...understanding,..As the Empire  loves to point out.. we are babes in The Black...yet... when  my people were living in caves.. or  wearing Bronze Armor.. you and yours  roamed out planet.. playing   at being gods, or monsters.. taking people away... The  threat to flat out invade the Sol system...was the last straw in my book... and we have  1000's of years of dead earthling...Sanri, Occui, Felrites  and  even Mulls.. so?.. tell your people... break away from the Empire..or suffer thier fate... i flat out  don't care how many of you  I kill...if you do not...

 The NonCom  nods  and steps onto the Shuttle  and  it pulls away...

 Hack to  prisoner escort fleet.... send the shuttles  away  when this one reaches the holding area.. if  anyof them turn back, for whatever reason, Blow them out of  The Black...

 CApt Billiot of the Granite  answered,..Aye Sir, Already done

 ... Hack to Boarding  Teams.. let's go home.... The troopers  are closing in...

Roy keyed his comm.  "Nothing major...set off a couple of booby traps when we started moving to finish collecting intel, didn't lose anybody and got all the armor patched before anyone blacked out from lack of oxygen.  Finishing our sweep now, sounds like the Admiral is ready to turn this over the the transport bases for final clean-up."  He poked his head through the doorway into Vexis' suite.

"Come on, we don't have to sort it now.  Just make sure it isn't trapped and pile it up, we'll figure out what's useful on the Hermes."  He stepped back onto the bridge and looked over at Lyri.  "How's that comms-log coming?  Going to be done soon, or do we need to leave it running and transmit it to Beth?"

  ..Its  running, its going  slow, cause she's  compling it on an seperate Vidboard, , in case of  Virus boobytraps... we can let it  run.. ship's  ours.. The Tech folks from teh Transport can finish up.

 She  wrote a note  and put it down  on the 'feeder' vidboard...to keep the feed  running.

   Shoemaker  tied the blanket together   with a Zipties...... we're good  here, SM... even got a few credit cases...

"Alright, let's clear out before Cummings gets in here and dresses Supe down for not polishing the patch on his armor..."  Roy's tone did nothing to mask his disdain for the by-the-regs mindset of the commander of the transport base Marines.  He keyed his comm.

"Garrat, can you see if one of the Largrans still attached to the hull is Vexis?  I don't know how, for sure...look for insignia on the armor, I guess.  It would be nice to bring that body back for the Admiral...and if he's not out there, we ought to leave word for the clean-up teams to watch for him."  He made a gesture for everyone to move out, and pointed to the hatch that led back to their breach point.

  the  Unit  gathers up what they have   grabbed  and  head  towards the elevator...

  Supe shook his head,..Glad i am not a marine .. no chance of me getting stuck on one of the  Flying Trooper magazines...

   once on  P-way at the entry point, they begin to  hand things  up to the shuttle, after Stoly opened it up.

   "I'll do ehat I can sir.  I keep waiting for him to pop up somewhere, but he doesn't seem to be one to be taken alive. It is a pity, he showed some honor in this conflict.  I think he could have understood the grave mistake of siding with the demons." Garrat starts appraoching the standnig corpses and examining them, weapons still ready.

  The  One  with the sword, had a  decoration on its   chest.. The  Largran Symbol  and  a dark 8 pointed  star o a gold backround... People  were  just starting to come up the boarding  breech .

  Garrat removes the sword and returns it to it's sheath, then recovers the body for further examination.

 Garrat  and the Boarding  team,   climb into the Shuttle. ,The Looming  dark monster that is the Orville Wright is  Hovering  about the flag ship, ready to drop its  shuttles.

  ..I say... SGT MAJ.... if you'er  team is  done , mucking around, kindly remove  your  aircraft so I may drop a pair of  shuttles from the Transport/base....

  The other Boarding  Team  enters  their Duce , slipping out the other side of the  Flagships... the Harvester drops away  and  slides    Under the vessels   to  get on the other side of the Hermes.  Hack waves   his Boarding  troops through the  Boarding Tunnel,


  ..Let's go...time to go home..... LC.....  As  soon ats the  Tunnel is   in, send in your fighters.. becareful of the boarding chains, those are a staying  up, until we have absolute  control of the flagship....

  As they leave,  Hack directs   his people to take  any largran  handweapons  and   hard ammo  rifles   , to   turn into the QM

Garrat buckles the body into a seat.  [Is it definitely dead?]  and checks on Hirr "Hey beautiful, You hanging in there?"

  Hirr   ones  and closes her eyes..  her Felrites  are gathered around her.

 ..I am  Feeling. Like the  Borebeast  butted me....

 Niog the Omincom Felrite, was much  better  versed in  APF  Common,.. the Borebeast... digs  for  food in the  ground  and   rotting trees... it has   a horn   for a nose,  that braches out over it s forehead... with these, it digs.. for tubers  and insects.. it  can get as big you cow-things... it is, very aggressive.. and  will try to  stab enemies  with its horns..

  "Sounds rough, but You'll live.  Felrites always land on their feet.  Tell you what, after I deliver the body to hack I'll swing by the med deck and harrass you some more just so you know we still luv ya."

"hmm I think these sheila's could be persuaded to have a drink or two, though anyone would think you were trying to get me drunk again Grit Collie" she said, chuckling softly before asking a more serious question "anything I need to know about this send off? I mean do I need to be dress uniform or any traditions I need to know about?" she asked not wanting to unwittingly perform any faux pas'.

With the battle all but over it wouldn't be long after this that Harry would receive her permission to land with the blonde bringing her still nearly pristine Dart into land within the Hermes.

--->Hangar Dec

Justin made his way to an adjacent sector to assist with pod location and retrieval. When the recall word came he glanced about one last time in the hope of finding any that may be about, then headed to the Hermes. Bringing his kite carefully into the Hangar.

Hangar Deck ==>>
This message was lightly edited by the player at 20:19, Mon 11 Dec 2017.

Roy rolled his,eyes and made an audible snort that was equal parts disgust and amusement.  "Yessir.  The Largran ship appears to well and truly mucked.  Sorry our continued presence here is preventing your pilots from launching..."  His tone shifted subtly, implying some fault with the transport shuttle pilots.

He didn't wait for a response...and 'forgot' to close comms when he called out, "Stoly!  We need to launch so the transport shuttles can see a clear landing spot...apparently they don't know how to hover over their LZ if it's occupied..."  He flopped into uis seat as he let the comms close.

  ..you got it SM.... but..don't  thos e things   jut... get fired out like a 37 MM round?.. then they sorta  fall?...I think that's were all the  washed out Stoly Pilots go...

Roy snorted.  "Damned if I know, Stoly, I've never been stuck in one of those buckets.  If they're shooting 'em out, why do they need us gone?  They can't be shooting 'em all at the same spot..."  Roy shook his head.

"Doesn't matter...take us home.  Plenty to do there.

  The Battered  Alpha Fleet were Clustered together.. the Attila  was  battered, and in the Middle.

  two Matterhorn  Maintenance  ships were  hovered around.. working on out side plating.

  The  Delta fleet,spread out  wide.. going  well Past the   collection of  Alpha ships.. only  the worse off, of the  Delta fleet did not move with the fleet.

 there were several  captured  LArgran vessels   either in tow, or  sailing ..even though crippled.

  There is a  COM...Attention all  Alpha Quad ships... each of the ships  CAptains, or acting  captains will appear.. together, on the  Hanger Dec in one hour..failure to do so will risk the state of your commission..that is all...

  The Matterhorn was  getting  Clear. Admiral Richards  had a Going away party, for herself and her  XC..and  5 staff members.

  The  part  was also used to Bring in  The Newly Minted , Admiral  Lilly Van Ros and her staff... the party ended in the early morning, in the Uppers   Hanger's   HQ Offices...

   Admiral Richards Boarded  the shuttle for the  Athena That would Leave  with the Hera and Odin and  a pair of Destroyers from the  Delta  Fleet... Limping along with them, were the battered CAp ships of the Alpha Fleet, and thier  'new' vessels that were given over to them after the BAttle.


 The Plan was for, Van Ros to be in Etna  at elast a day a ehad of the slower moving  Fleet.. a pair of Nivarian Cap ships  and a pair of Hyrian Cap ships  would stay with the  Materhorn  as the  Gamma fleet put itself  back together. The  'riches' of  The Field , would aid both in ship and station repair, as well as  building a few of thier own

   The worse of the  Delta fleet ships  left the  orbiting Docks. The were quickly replaced  by the damaged Gamma Fleet ships.


 Ships  were shuffled  around  to make up for the holes caused  by Athena and her  escort as they Moved towards Etna.

  Admiral Hack got on ALL COMS to the Fleet.

  All delta Fleet ships  and  crew... the Fleet will cast off  for  Etna in 2 Hours..anyone left behind, will  be seconded to the GAmma Fleet..That is all...

 The  'Bubble' formation  with Support ships in the Middle  began to form up.

  The Charon was above and slightly behind  The Hermes.

   As  shuttles  came back from delivering supplies  and transfers to the Matterhorn,  The  Admiral Came on  ALL COMs.


   All ships...all crew... secure  for travel.. we  cast off in.....3.......2......1.....

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

 The ships   horns  were, of course , lost to The Black.. but throughout each ship... the sounds   echoed through the   passage ways  and  Decs.

  The fleet was on the move once more.   Matterhorn  Blinked  Signal lights, in the way of 'waving Good Bye'.

Salvage operation will happen here

   The Albatross flies through the dibris feild with smooth precision.  Missy is great when she knows the trajectory of the dibris.  She flies through it like born to the wheel, here intelligent mind plotting calculating all the worrisome projectiles, but when other ships approach she tends to slow down, unsure about what the other is going to do.

   "So, has the mech squad seen much action recently?"  She asks conversationally.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:05, Wed 24 Jan 2018.

     Garrat steps into the cockpit and drops his supply duffel and his space suit duffel just inside the door and buckles into the crash seat behind the copilot seat.  "Did I miss anything?"

  Mrogan   shakes his ehad with a Shrug....we had  some action....  gunned down  some Bugs when  aparsites  got through the  fighter screen...... we pushed   boarding  shuttles off the Hanger Dec... and  was in a bit of a firefight..but... the long and short of it..  mechs are made for  fighting on the ground... we can shore  up Hanger  Dec  defesnes..but...

 he looks out through the glass...The Admiral finds  use  for us.. Rivets gets us  to help move  stuff around....it beats  sitting in a village somewhere...i ..guess.

     "Well sometimes you have to make yourself a place in order to have a place" Missy states, "I noticed many of your mechs have quick release couplinks similar to the ones we use.  By switching out your arms you can change the tole you fill in an engagement."  Missy peers ou her window, "We sgould be getting close here." they clear another broken hulk "Whoa."  Before them was the Silhuette of the LG-01 in much worse repair.  fires were still being snuffed on some decks while cutting crews were ripping out  every thing but the deck superstructure, moving forward of the cavernous flight deck that extends all the way through the ship.  In a gaping tear near the bridge, patched with a temporary static field, a small amount of pulse fire in Largran green is snuffed out by a hail of yellow from some unseen ESN troops.  But other than that the ship seems quiet.

     Two massive doors, one just above the main flight deck, one just below it are punched in, again sealed by static fields but beyond was obviously a staging area for artillery, assault vehicles and the like.

     "Looks like our ship will be tethered to the other side, Let's go see what the damage is." Missy manouvers the Albatross around the Largran capital ship.  On the other side were two transports still docked, the top one had obviously had its power cells ruptured, the other appeared relatively unscathed.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:20, Fri 26 Jan 2018.

    "You can also walk on the outside of enemy ships.  AA cannons are almost never able to shoot along the hull leaving them open to your mechs, and it would easy to set up a mech sized, shaped satchel charge to slap on the main cannons."  Garrat turns to Missy, "Bo warned me that any conversation with you would turn techy real fast."  Garrat surveyed the charred remains of the upper transport.  "Won't be salvaging that one, what a mess."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:28, Fri 26 Jan 2018.

    "Funny,"  Missy said as she surveyed the damage, "Bo said the same thing about you."  She points out the windshield, "Your right, we can't salvage a ship like that but some pieces might be good if we  had time to get them.  This is actually surprisingly little damage considering the double access doors weaken the superstructure."

    She flies the albatross to the other side of the Largran mother ship and folds it's wings back before she gingerly coaxes it through the jagged hole of the missing transport's blast door.   Missy puts her ship down in front of a crazy sight,  An occui fighter had flown in the same way they came in and apparently had a firefight with some mechs that were trying to board the transport.  The occui fighter lay on its side in front of several destroyed mechs and three more were damaged trying to board the transport by an electrical conduit that had been blasted free of the ceiling, apparently on purpose.  The conduit had since been shut off, but the pilots of the mechs were thoroughly toasted in their cockpit.

   "Alright folks," Missy said unbuckling her seatbelt. "We have just a little bit of time to pull this off.  Garrat, I need you to have that ship up and running as soon as possible, then help the mech boys with their task.  Morgan, your priority is to move the mechs into the transport.  Once that is done, if you can salvage some parts from those fallen mechs and also toss them on board that would be great."  She had rotated the albatross and set it down as close to the docking port as possible.

   Missy jogged down the loading ramp and went in close to examine the damage to the doors.  Missy recognized them.  While the upper set of doors on LG-01 had been removed in favor of a wide bay where massive pieces of steel armor and bulkheads could be brought in and smelted, the lower doors had been left just like this.  They were still used for off loading parts but the more technical parts that had to be broken down and sorted.

   These doors were made to open the whole side of a transport bay.  For mechs it was like having a Stoli where the walls on either side could completely open up similar to those transport choppers the US military used in the late 20th century.  A transport could pull up to the Largran ship and the mechs could jump on board faster than it took human troops to load on their shuttles.

   On the ground with both doors open the transport only had to touch and go to unload mechs.  A little longer for artillery, vehicles and tanks which utilized swing-out ramps from underneath.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:25, Fri 26 Jan 2018.