Entering the  Hangers , and watching all the Movement, He notes  his aircraft is in the ready-launch area.

  Seeing  This he  went to his Locker to check the Flight suit and Helmet. Just in Case. Once the checked them over He walked  towards his fighter,  with the  intent of checking her over himself.

 At the  same  Time he watched the other work, incase they needed a hand.

She was fully ready, and fully armed, that much he saw right away. A full load for the cannons, 8 void missiles on the wings. It seemed the Captain wanted to be prepared for anything.

    Kray smiled at the   fighter.   He  checked the   Missiles  giving a tug here and there. He  smiled at the " Angry 'Roo " painted on each side of the nose.

  ..well, Mate? we're  both in fightin' shape..just have ta be ready..eh?

  Giving the fighter  an affectionate  pat, Shadow begins to check out the other  fighters, he took out to see if they were worked on.

Most mechanics were working on #7, it's top lifted off completely and the entire engine above it in cables. Kray could barely notice Hansel hidden almost completely in the fighter's fuselage, while another he had not seen before stood by to hand him any tools he required. A third sat atop the canopy, fire extinguisher at the ready.

  He  went   down the Line  and watched, not  saying anything to distract any of them from their  work. He was interested, but he never saw a Fighter with the engine  out before...only in Computer models.

  The closest he  was taught  was  how to expose the cannon  loader in case he had to destroy the craft  if  downed behind enemy lines.

  Though he really didn't  feel useful here. This was  still 'his' place. Around the aircraft. Unless something else  came up.

 He Looked  around as he watched, but made sure he wasn't hovering, or getting in the way.

 He tried to match faces to names, and see what machines were being worked on, and by whom.


As an After Thought he COMed the Bridge,...LT Shadow here.. I am Currnatly in tha Hangers. I will stay here  for another few hours  or so, and then do some  running on my down time?..Until then, If I'm needed, I'll be here.

The bridge is quick to reply.
"Affirmative Lieutenant. You will be contacted when needed. Enjoy your run."

   Shadow would  help were he  could, even if just loading  something on a cart.

   when it appeared he would , mostly, be in the way. The Pilot went to  one of the terminals  and  started to check out which aircraft were  ready to fly, which ones  had not been checked/worked on. and what things  were  done  to those that were.

   after a bit of a sigh, he   picked up his flight jacket  and left for  his  quarters.


>>>> to Shadow's quarters.

Kong-we Lu taps her comm as she finalises pre-check on Dragon #2, "Your birds are prepped and ready in two minutes Lieutenant. They are being armed as we speak."
She slid her cart across to the next bird on the Line, starting her operational check front to back. Just a few meters from her, Timochev launched.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< from flight Ops

    Shadow and Kelly stand   in front of their  air craft, he says to her,..the intercom goes off..

  alright?.. we don't know  what the bloody 9 'ells is goin' on.. so?.. when we   launch.. shoot striaght out a half a mile  and we  stand together, until we can see what's goin' on...If it looks Bad.. we'll Launch Bill and  Steffan..and   Let Herni take it from there.

  While they  wait, Kray checks  Kelly's   suit, and  has  her check his...

  He is pacing a bit after wards  and tries to  walk that off  by  do  a flight  check ( again)  around the aircraft..

  The Pilot  Kept  checking the ship's  clock.

"Kray, Kelly, get in your birds. Shadow on the pad, Wallace on the primary. You both have full loads of gun ammo and four missiles. Yuri will update you on channel 8" Kong-we yelled from under Dragon 3. All around technicians were running about, carting ammunitions, changing a landing wheel, working on an engine. To Kray the hangart suddenly looked like a proper military airbase, if you ignored the roof above your head.

  ..Thank You Kong-We....... he nodded to Kelly,.. Let's go Kelly...  don't know what the 9 'ells is goin' on? But if we get to jump off... that's beats  sittin' in the bloody ship!

  grabbling  the Footholds he  Pulled himself up then placed a foot on the highest he  could reach, to vault himself to the cockpit. sliding into the cockpit..he began his preflight  check as the  cockpit hissed shut...

  He  grinned at the   HUD,..'eh  Lady... ya miss me?

   Looking  over to watch Kely mount up, then looked to see  if Steffan and  Wild Bill were suited up yet, he   flicked the switch to COM   Yuri.

  ..'eh?.. Skipper..This is  Shadow.... Kelly an' I are ready ta lunch if ya need us.... Steffan and Wild  Bill will be on deck soon.... I have Q gettin' the other blokes ready , for  the call as well.... watcha got out there?

"Nothing at all comrade," the voice came over the intercommm about as clearly as if Kray was standing next to Timochev. "A whole expanse of nothing, with the Polo at its center. I have no idea why the captain stopped the ship and scrambled us. Precautionary measures, keep an eye open is what they said. So we open an eye da?"
Outside Shadow saw Yuri and his wingman make another fly-by.

   He watches them go bye, yeah, I guess we'll just , bloody well 'hang  'ere a bit, until ya need us, or ya call us out....

  ..Did  ya  catch that Mates?.. nothin' there  yet... but  we're gettin ready ta  launch if there is...

One by one Krayś wing reported in, ready in their Hellcats, waiting for the green light. This was what they trained for, this was where they excelled.

Outside space looked black and empty as ever.

   He looked at the screens  while he waited, he said over the COMs,when we  Launch.. form up in a Diamond.. me in front, High,  Wild bill on my 6 low... Kelly starboard   and Steffan to port... If   we have to break Off,, Steffan with me, kelly with  Wild Bill...

      Kray  tries to talk with the others, cutting the tension for himself as much as  for them, as they wait.

  ..So... You  folks come here Often?..can't  say much for the view, at least until they open the doors, then .... yo can't bloody beat it!

 he  flicks on the screens to see if he can pick up blips outside the hanger.

Besides the two distinct contacts already out, and in green, space looks empty.

     while he  watched the screens, he  tapped on the stick with his right hand... he says to  the other  3  flight Members,...so?  There's this one time.... I'm gettin' ready fer our first Match... big game  against the Bombers..Essenden?.. anyway.. this Shelia is   all 'appy ta see me.. wants ta go have a drink...maybe a a bite... so?.. I get all dressed up... waiting at the  corner.. and them Esseden  bastards are laughin' me up?... seems that  she was one of their sisters, an' they  pulled the trick on me, they did... .. that's how  I feel right  now... 'ere we are.. all dressed up... an' no bloody place ta go...

"Mais Oui, that reminds me very much of a nice mademoiselle I once met in Paris," a chuckling voice cracks over the comm. "Although it was not a sports game. And it did not involve clothes either. Come to think of it, it was nothing like this really. But I am afraid I cannot share this story as there are women present. Women with decency I think."

   Shadow  chuckles,well?  se? That's the whole thing?  At lest you had the  Shiela?.. I just got laughed on? Bloody Essens..... jokes on them though?  I'm still alive..sorta...

"We're all alive Lt, one way or the other. We better make the best of it." Wallace replies. "And as for you boys being fooled by women... well, lots of women constantly being played by men, so I guess there's some poetic justice there. Especially in your case frenchy!"

 Shadow leans over to look from his Cockpit  to hers, hey?  At least Q  had some lady time? I hadda go back to the hotel and watch  TV... 'course.. i played a  bloody good  game... might not of  , if i'd had a late night!