for  the combat  in Verian space.

  As the fighter s  formed up... Shadow Got on the Comes...Alright  HArry.. Kat  and Flroes  fipped a cred... Kat  is goign with you..but  as a Tad  bit of a Hangover.. so?  You lead Her  and Higgins.. I have Flroes  and Abby....

 as the   fighters  came out, like honey bees from a Hive,  they would form up with thier   Flight leader.. hundr3eds of  tiny dots showed the same thing Happening all over the Black....


……………………………….

 the shuttles   would form up behind  the  fighters.. with  The Moring star and torpedo card  behind the shuttles. but  a  bit above...

  It took a good   8 minutes  for the   fighters  to see the running lights of the verian  Fleet....Alright  folks... we've  done this before, when the ball drops all ship WC's  take charge of your  own poeple... if you   are  hurt, head back to your own ship... if you can find, or make it, to your own ship.. you  head  for  ANY...ESN  ship...if you  POD out, Aim towards  Calimite... that way. you'll be closer to the friendlies...

  ..now..Lets  see..... he flicks the switch  to ALL COMs, hey, Adem... Admiral Hack is a bit Busy geting  ready to shell your  troops  to the 9 hells  and BAck...  but since  me  and  my Boys and Girls came al the way   over here... I have to say.. i'm really bummed out man?... You're supposed to be her in you fancy  chariot..you know?  Like  Hector, and Me  Achilles?

 it was  quiet  for a bit. Shadow  kept  an  eye on  the Delta Fleet.. they  would be   another  5  Minutes  for  the wave of steel caught up to them.

 ..Shadow..you are a bigger  fool then i thought.... you really thought i would be foolish enough to meet you, where your  vermin could  swarm me?

 there was   Shadow's irritating LAugh, when he wanted to  anger  his foe.

 ..So? the   'Great Adem, is afraid to come out, into the same  Patch of the Black as me?... I understand ...but? if you're   afraid..Just say so?..so?  How  about this then?... why don't  you tell me  which ship you're on, and  I'll come see you...


 ...my Flag ship is  #1...but..you will not   find me there, Kray Shadow.... I am  in the Palace, directing this  battle...

 ..why you gutless  piece of discharge?  You know  your  Granmods  are out here..right.. they're  fighting  for Uden and the Calimites.. and you and  your  wind Up  whore are hiding on the planet?... my gods   man.... how do people   follow you?...   But Hey?  There's a good chance  i won't get to kill you then.., I 'll be too busy making  spare  parts out of your fighter pilots.....Oh?  Almost forgot... The Admiral wishes  to offer  you one last chance to surrender... You may pull back to Vera?.. but  all the troops  on Calimite are forfeit..whadda  ya say?.. shoudl be an easy choice since you're already  down there?

 you flesh bag fool... I'll have you brought here, and I will take you apart myself.... Tell your Admiral he make try his best to drive us  from  The Black..

 Us?.. you can't say that, man? you have send  hundreds of thousands  of your people to die...and you're  hiding  under a table in the palace?.... anyway....  lets   get this party started..

 Admiral?

  Alright.. You heard that Man...COMs  open, Camra's on...and use  your Damn headsAs far  as I know? this  will be  Vera's  first battle, they they actucally  fought!

 ..Beth.. Feed the COMs , Baby!

 Already Done, LC.... beth nodded to  Orria and the song  started.. set to loop into  ALL COMs  in the Verian Feeds..

 Beth Smiled  and Nodded to Orria...

  The Fighters      hit thier  after burners...   wads of   Fighters, lookign , again, like a swarm of bees..one swarm from every   'hive'.. Ther  verian Fleet started to   fire up thier  engines.. 40 Cap ships, .. some never  fired   a round in anger eagerly   went to meet the  Delta Fleet fighters...

 verian  fighter s   came out lazy..unprepared  for the   mass of fighters    streaking  towards them, with that infernal   music    skipping into their COMs..

  The verian   Cap ships, weren't even at 1/4  Cruiser  speed ,   with the stars behind the  charging fighters  Vanished..... it wasn't until  the   Battle  lights   came on  for the Delta  fleet came on, that the Verian Fleet  realized, the massive  wall of steel was heading for them... to fight!

 Some of the verians   turned  to   try to get thier Broadsides to bear on  the    full speed delta    Cap ships... other s  tried to reverse thier   engines... while a HAnd  full poured on thier  the Speed … But.. Vera #1  sat in the  slowly dispersing  pack... sitting..waiting…
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:47, Sat 18 Jan 2020.

 ..Good  hunting.... watch your 6... watch your wing...let's go!!!!!   Yhe verian fighters     were in no better  shape   at the moment... it was bad enough . the sheer mass of  Delta  fighters... but.. the   'ever growing'   wall of cap ships   zipping right past Calimite  towards the Fleet.

   Flore    Broke   left  and  chewed up  a Verian that was heading towards  them, the verian   dippe d down and Bolted..she swore...

 Abby was  right on Flore's tail and  sent  two  37 MM roads into a Verian that was    coming up under Flroes  as she   turned to get back in formation.. the    Nova II  exploded.

 Shadow     fired into    one that zipped across his  face,,   bits of tail  fin flew off..but  nothing that would kill it..

….

 Kat    yelled,Comrade Harry.. there  are the  3  to our starboard!...

 Higgins    could be heard to say... goddammit ..goddammit..goddammit...

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

 more   blossums of fire   flashed and winked out  as other    fighters   hit  Verians..

 .............

 Take Advantage..Kill or cripple... they won't stay clueless  forever... portect  the Shuttles!!!

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

   Inside the shuttles.. they could her  the COMs, the Music  and the    cross talk of thier own p[eoiple and the condusion of the Verians..

 Stoly hit the COMs... LT stoly here... Hermes   asaault group   to contact   Vera#1  in    five minutes...

 the  Gunner started  to fire  now  as verians.  thought   the mass of shuttles behind the fighter...w ere more  fighters..... Diamond's  Top gunner  took out  a fighter..

  Stoly called over the   COMs...

  Burners!.. get  ready.... Troops.. take grenades  you'll need  ....  when you need  ammo   COM and  we'll send  a  Runner.... No onel eaves the   shuttles  until the  Burners   Got a Hole..... All Mechs.. Detach  as  so as the skid s Lock..Oh?  and thank yhou for   flying Stoly Air....

Mila snuggled up close to Henry as they waited.

---> Hangar Dec

After passing through the static field the flights would take a moment to form up before heading towards the Verian fleet with Shadow choosing that moment to inform her that not only had Kat lost the coin toss and was the third member of their little trio but that Harry would be taking on the role of flight leader "What!? Are you drunk! I can't be a flight leader I mean you have seen my scores in the SIMs when I was in charge?" she said in a horrified voice as her head was filled with the memory of all those failed missions and "dead" AI pilots and even a couple of live pilots that had taken place. However would appear she would have no say in the matter as Kat called out a trio of Verian fighter on their starboard side "for fucks sake Higgins! Calm down, remember your training and stick close to either Kat or me, ok we move to engage, I'll hit them with the screw you two pick off whats left" she said hoping she sounded calmer than she currently felt "stick with us Higgins, we'll show you where the Blue Max's grow!"

Powering up to full speed Harry would head straight for the formation of Verian fighters and perform the Shadow Screw manoeuvre, firing her pulse cannons as she went before circling round and engaging a target with her rotary cannon.

------------>>>>>>>>> From Hanger Dec

 Lizzy took off through the static field and was in the black, she had taken off right before Nikki. She would line up on her Flight Leader Fitzsimmons, and wait for Nikki to join her wing. She would stand position until given orders by her flight leader and until she had her amazing wing woman. Lizzy could see all the fighters this was going to be worse then the Vampic fight, just keep an eye out, protect the shuttles at all cost, keep your friends alive and kill bad guys it sounded simple and for the fighters of the Hermes they where going to make it simple because they where the best.

 Lizzy made sure all her systems where right and watched the enemy as they approached trying to pick up on anything about they where going to fight this battle.

Melia held on as a the ride got bumpy. She'd already opted for the more lethal grenades so felt no need to swap any out. This was the toughest part sitting still and waiting.

Orria scrabbled around updating her feeds working her sniffers and blasting music on the Verian channels.

Zob opted to grab a few more frag grenades from the box after which he held on and calmly enjoyed the ride in, it may of been his demonic nature but he reveled in the heat of battle and the grin on his face could say it all.

In reply to in the mix (msg # 5):

Kira who was attached on the outside had a wonderful view of the space battle, "Understood LT my team is ready" she then held on tight and counted down the 5 minute marker.

    Shadow   chuckled  Grimly as  he tossed  his fighter  around the Black,   it seemed  no matter what move he made,  or how sudden the change, Flores  was  right on his  wing, except   for when she veered off to attack  a verian who seemed to be jumping some one else...Yeah, HArry?.. I guess this   is where  'on the job  training' comes in....


  Abby...not so much... she tried to Keep Up, and when Flroes   broke off she broke off with Flores..

 Candy Did  managed  to Blow the  cockpit open on a Verian diving onto   Steele,  Blackish  fluid..assuming it was blood..  froze as it hit  the   Fighter,  and  the  aircraft    spun from nose to tail  'sinking'  away from the battle.

The Pilots  could see , these  were  Nova  II  fighters.. slightly smaller then the Novas  they  flew..perhaps a bit more  armor.. but thier  fire  power  seemed to be  all Heavy Pulse.

  Higgins  was  hit  on his port side  wing,   he managed to Come about   as   HArry  made her  Move....  Harry chewed up the   belly  and Tail  fin of the Middle   fights, and nicked the  'climbing' fighter in the tail... White Vapor  was  pouring  from the   aircaft Harry had hit... that  was  followed  by two plumes  of  Black Vapor... the death knell of a Fighter..    It tried to roll out   and  come around of  Harry as she  PAst,  but  Fire Broke out in the Cock pit.. 5 seconds  of verian screaming ended   as the  aircraft  Blew  apart...

  Kat   sent  2 well places 37 MM rounds   into the back of the cock pit of the 'diving' fighter, the explosion of the fractured  power  Cell , split the aircraft in half,   the Bottom half of the verian Pilot,  pinwheeled through the black , still strapped into its  chair.

  Higgins    fired  all his  weapons   at the 'climbing' fighter.. the  rounds and bursts  went all over the place, Until the verian  'flew into' the  fire , its  left   wing  crumpled  and the left side   cowling was hit... more balck Vapor   appeared...

 Shadow  got on the  ALL COMs,  shouting over the Music that the Verians   were  trying to  stop..but they could only do that, but shutting down all the COM systems, then powering back up.. even if the Verians were  overly fast.. 15 minutes to reboot... 10 more minutes  to connect the Verians  fleet...and the whole while... Beth and Orria  would be  sending their sniffers out

 9 hells, Adem , Buddy?...these fighters... NOVA II ?? comon man? The next Gen fighters are supposed to be better..... It won;t be long  before i get there   Adem..not   with this Mess.. no damn wonder you'er hiding  down there..

 The NOVA II is the best  fighters  my people have made ..to date!

 yep..yep.... that explains why you'er  hiding...maybe , next time  stick to  Vid machines and can openers...

 ..Shadow... hey !...  ok..that last bit of talk has what we need, you can go back to making spare parts...

 ..You be  Roles... say hi to them for me...

 .....

  fits and his  people neared the port side of  Vera  One... Right behind them was the Hermes  herself!Alright  E flight... The Hermes  is right behind us..  veer off to the    Hermes  port side...Right behind her is the Achilles... Let them fire... and   when the Achilles  passes... Shuttles>> Follow  us  In... Captain  Nilsson..  you call your own ball...

 Mitch COMed in,we're making a run to   Vera #2.. I am going to try and  get my fish into the hanger Bay...Hermes.. have  another  one ready...

 Mitch broke off  and began his  run towards thje bright  white   slot  on Vera #2

 in The Black , Dozens  of   vaper  from  torpedos  could be seen   and  savage impacts  on the Verian ships.

  4  Verian  came at Fitz's  flight firing at the fighters.. Thinking   the flight  and the  three shuttles  were all Human fighters.

  Explosions  all around... flashed  of  pulses    and impacts by hard ammo,  lit up The Black .
 The Verians    didn't seem too worried  their fighters    wer   havign trouble... The verians, hadn't thought the  Fleet would attack them.. the  'show of force' should have been enough to keep the fleet over Calimite... and hoping the   Delta  Fleet and the Undenese would simply try  and   reclaim Calimite, and  an accord  would be made...

 The Roussians   and the Vampics,, with thier  'Empire advisors'  were now  getting engaged  by  other ships?...

 The  Captains  didn't have very long  to think on this... The Hermes   came sailing by  at flank speed..   both broad sides   firing  as they   passed... a telephone pole long, Troped    hit  , just  behind the hanger   Deck of Vera  1   two  'Cap ship Class'  Heavy  pulse  sammed into the  hull just  about the Hanger  Dec...

 to the starboard  Vern#4 suffered   4  solid  impacts   from the  Hermes  weapons  the  nose  Bow of the ..slightly Bigger  vessel, rose up, Like a wale   breeching the surface...

 Its reward  for  trying to escape   were three   impacts  from The Achilles . into its  'belly'..  the   ship  began to   sparkle from in side.. the  torpedo hit  must  have  set of  the power  Cells..or? the power cell storage area.... escape pod  were shooting out of the verians  Vessel    as the sparkles  became flashes....and the flashes became   eruptions...  Byt the   time   the Hermes  and Achilles  reached the  Next Vessel..vera #4  was dead, breaking apart like a toy made of plastic  bricks.

 Verian Pods  that could hold at least 50  crewman   floated     through The  Black.. many were  rammed  by Cap ships... from either side, as they Moved through The Black

  the   shuttles  rocked  back and  forth.. the  top bubble and   port side  bubble  were firing at something..

 Fitz's  COM  came through.. Stoly  said....  Hermes  Assault   craft... Vera #1..in 30 seconds..Look for the beacons!

   there  was the  sound of  solid impacts on the port side... Stoly was swearing in Russian the shuttle itself shook as he fire the , fixed , forward   firing cannon.

All Burners  ready...Shuttle Piltos   take charge  of you own people..Mech.s  Detach.. when   you here  the Bell...

 The Burners   were kneeling at the ramp doors  they had thier  machine...

  the shuttle  came   down  with a  gentle  'Thund'.. the Bell rang for  skid -lock... and the ramps opened...

 ..Burners Go... mech supports..GO!

  in thier  trefoil , formation with a  god  30 yards  between them.. the Burners  used the  scanners on their  Machines to find 'hollow  spots' that should be rooms or   passage  ways... and they began to Burn...not unlike  Ice  fishermen  who set up.. Morgan  looked  around.. he saw  some  sparks  and  bits   comign  from  Vera #1's  port side.. and  the  Dark  forms of the Hermes  and Achilles  firing  on two more vessels

 Vera #1  Continued forward   so it, too, could  come about..

  Morgan pointe dup  as  Vera #4  was dying.....and Just like that... they are gone...

 Shoey  had the beacon. he  ran down and set it up.. Purple Light   steady... shoey said into his COM I sued  this  beacon.... save the other two, in case we  go to another ship

 Large forms  of transport Base loomed, well over  Head  as Cummings  said into  ALL COMs.....Cummings  to SM...when we  see  Blue lights... I'll be send  down  two drop ships worth  of troops.. that should be enough to  flood the   bloody basatrds and take the  ship...

   the burners   cut through  three  layers of  metal ... the   dropped into   a 'hollow ' of sorts and cut  through  2 more...

   almost at the same time , the Burners   yelled  ''  THROUGH!... the holes   were    5 yards  square.

  The feltrites and  Gava  waited..  Lt Hirr  said to  Jug..... yuou let is go first..yes... we  drop down and clear, so you do not wait, with you little suits...then.. you come down, and we have much  fun!

 The Spades  Burners  and   cut through to a  Paassge
 runnign bow to stern...


 the Diamond   cut into a storage  room

 The Club also  cut into a room, it had  crates  and barrels in it..

 ..holes  are burned.. go  unplug  some verians...

 Shade  grumbled  a bit  at this  but he  had  his weapon read.. Larry had  his  head gear on to breath... the burners  static  field  flickered inside the  ship where the machines were   safer then out side.

<==from Hangar

"Time to earn our pay" She had taken her position in the flight "Anyone in our flight fought these Verians before?" she asked.  She watched her IFF light up.  "FitzSimmons 10 high.  Group trying to sneak in, best we teach them we ain't blind?" She moved to engage.  Once in range she targeted one of the Verian fighters And began firing.  Firing and dodging she would do her damnedest to vaporize this piece of jetsam to flotsam, right quick and in a hurry.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Sat 18 Jan 2020.

Kira detached from the shuttle, "Team form up and protect the burners, set up a defensive perimeter!" she moved quickly to support the burners as they continued burning through when it was time they would enter into the hallway to join the assault teams.

 ..if you can take them out?..  do it..no one touches those  shuttles   while   we're here!

     Fitz     intercepted  a  Fighter   coing  from  12:00 low..almost perfectly placed   37 mm  round  passed though the cock pit , the pilto  and into the power  cells, blowing the aircraft apart..... the second one that was the wing vanished  as SDtoly   took it out  with his nose  cannon..

  some   rounds   zipped  past and hit the   Spade. as the  4 Verians  dove   down.

 Fritz  then took the time to answer  Nikki,..last time Verians were in the air? they were sorta on our side.....pretend they are good.. and go from there.

With two Nova's destroyed and the third trailing a lot of black smoke, the manoeuvre had gone exactly as Harry had hoped it would as she dove down to drop back into formation with Higgins, like a mother hen looking after her chick "short bursts Higgins, no more than three seconds else you'll burn through all your ammo...otherwise good work" she said as she searched for another batch of unsuspecting victims "I'm glad I never flew a Nova, those things are utter garbage!"

"Took two out the other night.  not sure if they were the pride of Verians or not.  But I'll go with whatever works" Her voice had an icy menace about it.  The one she fired at began sparking rapidly in at least 4 places, including one in his weapons array.  For a moment there seemed a power loss then...… POOF!  The pilot and ride exploded violently.  Shrapnel went flying off.  "Well...Hells Bells, I think I hit something vital!" she almost felt sorry for him, but he was the enemy and this was a battle.  Immediately she began focusing on her next target or action, which ever would come first.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:37, Sat 18 Jan 2020.

Zob wasted no time when the burners made the hole and the call was made he got up and hustled his way over to the hole before tossing in a flashbang grenade, once it went off he would then enter, his weapon was up ready to rip some Verian's apart with his 60 cal.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Sat 18 Jan 2020.

 Lizzy would follow Fitz and Nikki into the fight she would try and take out any Verians who got close to their shuttles, Lizzy would keep on eye on her flight mates and stay with the Shuttles protecting them and shooting any bad guys that get even close to them.
" It is go time Fitz staying with shuttles flying protection Phoenix out."

  Shadow  weaved  his w ay around Vera #1... Flores    right on his  starbaord wing as if it were one aircraft..Abby   trailing along like  the  ribbon on a Kite  tail.

 They start hitting us.. we're gonna lose  fighters...These  guys haven't  fought a war....9 hells? they  never fought  a war?..cept maybe  dumpling water  all over  the human race to try and drowned it out.... But Lilit's  people made sure   100's of thousands  survived..

 if  we all got oput, and traded fighters?  we'd  still be shooting them down.... I don't understand  why they don't have hjard ammo when the Nova's  had  Gatlign Cannons..

 a break through in the ALL COMs , Lilit said.....Shadow.... The Udenese   modified  the Novas  we gave to you..... Vera, felt they had  no need to  use  hard ammo, as thier  fighter , heavy Pulse would serve.... I do not believe Adem thought hwe would be fighting the fleet...

 Higgins  was gagging in his  COMs..

 Kat   snapped in an angry voice,do not throw up in your   helmet ..yu dumbass.. you will be  crashing like  a blinded bird...

   verian fighters  were starting to form up...

 Frans   called into the COMs,<Purple>..they are waking up!</Purple

Mara   snarled,..lets put them to sleep  for good...

  Dropping  down into  the passage way... Zob  saw  two doors  towards the stern end, that would have to be  the rooms the other s  were dropping into .

 there were intersections    every 500 yards  or so, towards the stern end.. the slowest intersection in that direct  was   about 10yards past the doors.

 towards the Bow  end,  wher  two more intersections , with  a pair  of  double  doors    at the  very far  end .. the nearest intersection that direction was  20m yards  away.

 Shoe hit the  'Blue light ' on the beacon...

 if anyone would take the time to look out over the  battle they would see purple and red lights  on many vessels... and  a few  Verian cap ships  falling  apart.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:01, Sat 18 Jan 2020.

 Lizzy would fly shooting at any bad guy she could lock in on, keeping an eye on Nikki and her other allies making sure they where okay, but also making sure the shuttles where safe. She flew with her instincts and tried to kick Verian ass.

   from the Bridge   and the  hanger dec.. The hermes  crew  could see  the  deadly broad sides   heading towards  the   fat verian vessel... It was dead..  it was too slow, and   never built up combat speed,  they had barely turned around , whe the Hermes, using its inertia , turned  very fast, for a Cap ship.. with Achilles , like a wing man, right behind.


  the  heavy Pusle  got there   first , blasting away some plates.. the hard  Ammo rounds were next  Blowing   giant holes  in the Bow... then, the first torpedo hit ,  right in the   the hole of the HArd ammo round...,  the Bottom  haft of the bow exploded,  send bodies  and   metal bits  into The Black  the second broad side  hit  just below  the  bridge, and the   ship started to nose  down..'' the last thing the Bridge officers of  Vera #17 saw.. was the Last torpedo , that would have  when  down the open throat of the  ship... HAd it not nosed down... Hit  Right  in the blast doors of the Bridge..  Blowing the who top off the ship   and  setting off  a few  more., smaller   explosions.. as  the Hermes   came   completely about.. there  was  the Verian  captain.. pinned to his command  c hair, his arms  'waving'   as the  fires  spread inward ..PODs   emptied out of  #17..

 Achilles     starboard  side  hit a crippled  ship that had  been runnign from Delta #3... her  broadsides     spit #31 , into  four sections with the inside s  showering the balck  with flame  and sparks until the  vaccum  snuffed them out...



 Apollo snuffed  a verian   as well...

The ESN F005  Sif, was   turning away and  Climbing  out of the battle, her  starboard  side  was    raked  but  large   holes   as  it  collided   and   scraped    sides  with  Vera  26.. both  vessels  were severely damaged.

"We cover you from hole...We take ship together and make Hermes proud" she said.  she was not happy about not going first, but did understand they had more experience than her squad.  She also remembered about what the QM said...be first or be last.  This would also show the other races that Gava understand need for teamwork.  The Gava would cover the Felrites and any Hermes crews back.  besides...Hirr has seen Jug fight before.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:31, Sat 18 Jan 2020.