"I'm Major Ascott, but I take it you may have guessed that much. I see you claimed this shuttle already by naming it. Good, get to know her, and your crew. She's yours. But one thing... Bucky Beaver? Thats not what you gunner was chalking down on the side," Ascott grins. Despite his auro of command Apple immediately felt at ease with the man, probably because of his no nonsense SAS background. Major Ascott after all was a man from the field, shaped by active duty, not pencils and study.
"I suggest you and him get your coordination in order."

The major tossed his pack with his rebreather on the co-pilot seat and removed his helmet. As he sat down in the engineer seat he drew a dataslate and plugged it into the Rhino. Immediately schematics of the Vasco DaGama popped up on Apple's HUD.
"Anyway, listen up," he puffed as he loosened his chestplate. "You will take a detachment of ten marines to here, the aft cargo bay airlock. There you will need to hover close, so the grapples can lock on and the crew can drift over to open the lock doors. They will go in, and conduct a search of the vessel. Just a search for now. We have no idea what we will find, so once they are in, your loadmaster-slash-gunner Sheppard will have to unlock the grapples so you can fly a holding pattern." He paused, making sure Appigan had time to jot things down if he wanted to. "Stay close though, because if we need an evac, you are the first one we will call upon. There will be fighters about running shield patrols, so you should coordinate with them how close you can get without them hindering you."

Ascott tightened the body armour again, grabbed the helmet and rebreather pack, and stood up to leave.
"I know we haven't had proper introductions and all, but that will have to wait. Business first right?"

Mariko can't help but smile at the feeling of power that sitting in the Hellcat gives her. People who aren't pilots think it's crazy but she can feel the fighter wanting to rocket into the black just as she wanted to. Woman and machine were one and she knew the fighter wouldn't let her down anymore than she would let the fighter down.

She spun up the weapons and did a quick check on load out and ammo counts before turning and giving Hiro a thumbs up. When she saw MP-13 on the pad prepping to launch she gave the pilot a two-finger salute.

"Aside from that leak in number two everything is green across the board. She's ready for flight, Captain and so am I."

"Aye Aye. Orders understood as transfer marines to the Vasco then stand off in a holding pattern for a possible emergency pickup."

Appigan gives a quick salute. He moved over to Sheppard.

"Sheppard you get that? You will be doing EVA today to clear the grapples. New priority is to check the EVA packs. I still want two heavy flight packs, spare suits and wrecking gear

Also, the ship's name comes from the pilot. We'll fix the chalking over. You did ask first and were told otherwise. I'd rather we get along but I do have rank. So right now you have to listen.

If we have a disagreement outside of hot times I can handle suggestions. Going behind my back while faking agreement is child's way of living. On a medevac shuttle stunts like that go from jokes to friends in body bags. You have to be better than that. Over 4,000 lives on this ship still depend on us. Now, go get the gear, that's an order."

During the last his tone had gone from joking to drill sergeant serious. It wasn't his preferred way but he'd been around enough death to make things clear when they had to be.

Appigan moves to the outside of the ship clearing off the incorrect chalking.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:52, Wed 01 Nov 2017.

Stepping out Appigan notices Sheppard had at least half the name right.
In white, prominently displayed on the side of the Rhino, stood the name 'Eager Beaver'.

"Understood, sir," Sheppard said, hardly suppressing a grin. Quickly he went about checking the EVA gear.

"Well it wasn't half bad," thinks Appigan.

It was a quick swipe to correct the name to 'Bucky Beaver'. He moved over to the one technician he had.

"Alfonso. We'll be using grapnels today."

Appigan joins in checking on the stores as they are brought on board.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:33, Wed 01 Nov 2017.

Carrying the supplies on board is a young woman in flight gear. She drops off a box of medical supplies labelled band-aids, then takes the co-pilot seat in the cockpit, starting up the secondary systems.
"Olja Bartosz," Sheppard mentions to Apple as they both put more gear inside. "Looks like you get the ragtag crew."
He laughs out loud.

"I don't care if you're pretty. I care how you fight."

Appigan then looks to the side. He even said it the way his old Gunnery Sergeant had done. Heck he even looked to the side the way the Gunny did.

"Bartosz. Welcome to the Bucky Beaver. Yeah, I said it. She's not a pretty bird. What matters is how she'll fly. I assume you know Sheppard. The decker is Alfonso."

Alfonso leans to look past the wheel he was working on. Making a grin he waves briefly.

"Bartosz review the Beaver's diagnostics so you know where she is right now. Once we get back all of us will put in extra hours working her up. That is an order. Sheppard that means the ammo change over you suggested. "

Sheppard looks over Appigan. At least this Pilot Sergeant listened to the crew.

Appigan steps over to the gear. Together with Sheppard they find the gear serviceable.

Alfonso says, "Wheel had a stuck valve. Its holding pressure now. She'll slide along with a dancer's grace now. I'll top up the life support."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:36, Fri 03 Nov 2017.

Mariko's gesture is returned by the pilot of 13. Her ship ID shows him to be 2nd Lieutenant Mpinkulu. He sits on the pad, awaiting orders. Several more Hellcats are idling in the line-up.
Obviously the military crews have all been woken up, judging by all the activity all over the hangar.

"Roger that. Lets hope they actually let us all out to play." Yamamoto replied.

"Guys, I'm out. Number one engine keeps stalling, its running too hot." another pilot mentioned over the comm. It was the number 6. 2nd lieutenant Jacqueline Storm. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.

"Affirmative 6. Get off the line, get it fixed. 21, move up the line to the first wait position."

Mariko feels her adrenaline spike as the order is given. “21, copy that. Moving to the first wait position.” She spools up the engine a tiny bit and taxis to the indicated holding area.

“21 is in position and standing by. Over.” She toggles on a few systems that were on standby and seals her ship in case the order to launch is given. She flexes her hands and takes a few deep breaths, putting herself into that place of focus and awareness and waits for orders.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:54, Fri 03 Nov 2017.

Just after Apple's team finishes loading their shuttle a detachment of ten marines shows up, armed to the teeth and equipped for the vacuum of space.
The squad leader, a sergeant, came up to the cockpit to report to Appigan.
"Sgt. Appigan? Sgt. Joe Winters. My men and me will be your cargo today. Have you ever done a Tether drop in zero G before?"

Appigan looks to the arriving marines.

"You'll be happy to know I've never messed one up.

You'll be unhappy to know I've never done one.

Primary trade is infantry combat medic. Shuttle piloting was an expanded skill set. Two skills in one Popsicle. I have done de-orbits, ascents, orbital navigation and docking. Haven't heard of any combat or debris dangers so we can all do it slow and by the numbers."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:28, Sat 04 Nov 2017.

"No worries," Winters replied with a grin. "If you can hold her still, all my men will need is a single cable. We do a quick push 'n slide and will be out of your hair in a jiffy. I trust your cable system is in order?"

Looking back into the load bay he saw his men having taken their seats, ready to go. He tapped his throat comm.
"Major Ascott, team one ready sir."

"Lieutenant Mpinkele, Lieutenant Koizumi. This is the bridge. Launch for shuttle protection duty. Designated callsigns Hydra One and Two. The pad is clear. Repeat, the pad is clear."

Outside her cockpit Mariko saw the technician scuttling about to clear their gear so she could get to the launchpad as soon as possible.

"Bridge to Shuttle One. Sgt. Appigan, launch immediately and head out towards the coordinates of Dragon One. They have found a life pod with active life signs, we would like you to go and retrieve that right away. The marines will have to wait."

Appigan lights up.

"Tally ho!

Next time Winters. Beavers, life on the line."

He smacked the controls to close the doors.

Bartosz says, "Exited diagnostic mode. Spinning engines."

Schepenaer shifts to the seat at the fight engineer station.

Outside Winters and the marines shuffle away from the shuttle. The whine of the engines growing louder.

"Chocks away," yells Alfonso.

He was hustling to the side carrying those angled structures that kept wheels in place.

Appigan flips through his preflights. A check that the hanger door ahead is open. He glances out his side window while Bartosz does the same on her side. A check that people where clear of the shuttles launch plume.

"Shuttle One to tower. Launching now."

In a few heartbeats the shuttle clears out the hanger.

--->Space
This message was last edited by the player at 17:24, Sat 04 Nov 2017.

Mariko takes the controls of her bird and flips the last few toggles and makes sure all lights are green. "Copy that, Bridge, callsign Hydra 2."

She spins the engines up, makes sure the board stay green. "Hydra 2, launching."

She clears the hangar and hits the black, picking up the shuttle and Hydra 1 and joining the formation, checking long range sensors for their target.

----> Into the Black

Space--->

Bucky Beaver slides back into hanger two. Its control jet pulsing to correct the final vector.

On its wheels it drives a turn to point the rear ramp toward an open area. The ramp descends. Appigan and Sheppard in their EVA suits are on either side of a rescue pod. They start undoing the straps they had just put on it.

Appigan looks for the medical and/or guards to arrive.

Appigan sets his comms briefly to transmit to the space group and control tower.

["Apple here. To search and rescue assets. I have a date of launch of the pod: November 5th, 2033. That is 124 years ago. Recommend reversing the orbital trajectory of the wreck and celestial bodies. Our searches need to consider where other pods may be free floating. Also anyone who sailed off in a powered craft like a shuttle may have gone to a celestial object that was nearby at that time."]
This message was last edited by the player at 04:28, Wed 08 Nov 2017.

Within minutes a team from medical shows up at the Bucky Beaver, Colonel Genassi himself leading them.
"How is the patient Sergeant?" he inquires as he enters the shuttle, giving the pod a quick check. "Do we have lifesigns?"

Appigan shows the pods data stream.

"Lifesigns viable. Pod has been out for over a century. Definitely a deep freeze. We will be wanting to talk to them about what happened over there. When it is safe to do so."

He pauses for a moment.

"I do recommend keeping them under security protection. What with the mutiny here and possible one there. Sure there are scenarios where this is a random innocent. They would still be a target for any hidden agent left here. To blind us a little longer. There is a slim chance this is a mutineer from the Vasgo. Actually, more than slim as the mutineers would have planned an escape route like to this pod before doing whatever they did."

Communications come in from Space.

Appigan leans away to answer, ["Transferring delivery now. Take off to follow new loading."]

Working like a well oiled machine the medical team quickly loads the pod up on a couple of carts, and soon the transport it off the shuttle. The colonel, after noting down Apple's suggestion of adding security, goes ahead of the team, getting back to medical quickly to see about his other patient, Cpl. Patterson, as the rest of the medics gently move their precious cargo towards the turbolifts.

Appigan was glad his suggestion was noted. Once the medical detail departs he waves up the marines.

"All right marines. You think you are paid hourly? Mount up."

Appigan heads back to the pilots seat. Bartosz already got launch clearance.

(Assuming the marines mounted)

Sheppard gives a visual check that each is properly in their seat. The ramp closes.

"Passengers snuggled in."

Shuttle Bucky Beaver takes off from the deck once again.

---->Space

shadow  from Space<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

   One  By one the  Dragon Flight lands., he  shuts  down his CAMs , Climbs out  to fill out his report. He looks   for Kong-we, but if he can't find her, he tells  the closest Ground crew guy to  keep them ready, incase Yuri has to call them out.

  Handing  in  the disc, he takes  a new on and slots in in the rack, and waits on his   flight.

"Some funky shit sir," Swede yelled out as he climbed down his cockpit ladder. "This seriously can't all be a coincidence. We waking up, having these issues, then finding the DaGama out here, 115 years too late. Funky shit brother."

"Shush you big ape," Wallace chimed in as she handed her discs to the engineer hooking up her Hellcat to the terminal. "Even if its all a set-up, who the hell would go through all this trouble 115 years after we were supposed to build a colony?"

"Lets eat," the big ape replied laughing. "You coming LT?"

  Shadow nodded,..yeah...we 'ave to be a bit worried... Lets  go to our place for now.. we want to talk this over amoungst ourselves 

  ... But i'm thinkin' ..all them years EArth has been around.. there's some Bloody idiot trying to take it over? So? if they kill off al the Colony folks... and only certain ones live?...

 ..Comon?... Lets go.. I need something cold  ta drink..

 Shadow, dragon  Flight..Flight Ops...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>