"Could be worse," Roy said, with a shrug.  "Some peoples' first visit to another planet was under fire, damaged, and unable to control atmospheric entry or fire retros.  I'll take someone just trying to screw me over anyday..."

He wasn't quite sure what to expect when they got to Mars.  He'd heard very little about how the Eastern Bloc was, in relation to other Earth forces, and he was a little curious about how much was just the ages-old East versus West rivalry and how much was just their captain's personal disdain for Commander Hack.

Didn't make much difference to him, really.  He was there to make sure nobody gave any of the Hermes' crew trouble and ensure they all got back off Mars safely.  If anyone caused trouble, he wasn't about to stop and ponder why.

   Locad  touched  down, the  Door  and ramp opened and Kray was the  first one out,  When Xero exited he said softly to him..Let's  see how they play this  first...then you can let them know you speak Russian.

    The last one out of the shuttle  was Locad  with the Supply list. The  crewman from The Hades who were on the  landing docks  themselevs  , were making  catcalls at the Hermes crew,  ((...Xero would understand...Hi Girls...come out to see some real space jocks?...things of that nature))


  The dock workers  brought  up two forktrucks  with pallets  of  foodstuffs  and  meds.  They began to  load them under Locad's watchful eye.

  Kray went up to  the  pilots  from the Hades, two beaten up torpedoe  craft were there,..these  are not our birds...they are crap.. look Like something  Hades' pilots  would fly...

  They all looked at  Shadow, only one  seemed to frown...one of them said,..you..take..these yours...

  Kray replied in both english  and Hungarian,..No..these are yours...crap craft..those   are , ours...

  He walked over  to  2  brand spanking new craft...still all black  with thier serial numbers on.. He motioned to the Dock master to come over to the  New birds.

  The  Hades's pilots  began to yammer that all they have to do is get them to take the old  ones, and the new ones  are thiers...The  Dumb Hermes slubs  will never know the differant until it is too late.

   Kree Nodded to Xero to take over  from there  as he waved  Monty over to the  two new ones and  began to look them over  as the Dockmaster  stood there with a clipboard watching.

((Red=Russian))

Xero puts on a dazzlingly white smile, and responds in impeccable Russian, accent and all. "Good evening gentlemen. May I assure you that unfortunately we are not interested in meeting 'real space jocks'. I'm afraid you'll be sleeping alone tonight." He pauses for just a moment, enjoying the looks on the Russians faces. "Now, about our craft... I do believe the new ones are ours. At least, if you don't want commander Hack himself to come here and kick your ignorant behinds. Trust me, you do not want that." He turns to Kray. "That should do it."

Charles followed Kray over to the  ships slowly moving around them as he inspected them runnin a hand slowly over the hull.

 (( purple -Russian))


 Kray turns  to look at the  Hade's  folks  with a grin, then nods his thanks to Xero.  Kray points to the clipboard, it seems the dockmaster  is from London and speaks  english, so he tells him about  loading the  torpedoe craft. At first  the  Dockmaster  heistates, but then hrugs  and whistles  for   some Mars MArines  and after a brief  chat  they  wheel 2  Buggies over with one Torpedoe apiece  on them. Kray opens  up the hatch of the one he  will fly , and the 'shooters' hatch as well for Xero. Going aroound the back , Shadow opens  the small cargo hatch and sees that it is  empty..he waits until the Dockmaster is busy with the Marines  as the  fit  the  Torpedoes on the  the lauchgear of the craft...Kray  takes three metal boxes  from a covered  Pallet and stows them in the cargo hatch, then locks  it  down... walking around  the Craft to Join Xero as the  Hades' jocks keep hounding him.

 A woman, in broken english says, as she  points to  a braodshoulder man who is wearing  a furlined  fighterpilot  cap  that loks  like  a relic  from the ancient WW1 pilot,..you should show respect...Ivan is best pilot in whole ESN..he has 45 kills....

  Ivan grins  as he shakes his head, Kray says to Xero,Tanslate this  word for  word....

  ...YOU  are a liar..we have the  top kill pilot on our ship..hhe is our commander...gonna stay that way..until  i catch him...

  The  woman growels,I..do not  make lie...45 drones...Ivan shoot down...

  Kray  laughs,nodding to Xero again,..45...drones?..that's  cute...I have  214 drones...and  1 instructor...but those  don't  count...let me know  when you get your first Demon...

  Ivan  looks at Xero,..Your  friend  has  a big mouth...he should hope  i do not  deciede to shut it for him...

"It's only fair. You tried to decieve us. In any case, I'm sure he didn't mean it. I meant no disrespect either. We're one military now. We have to get along and work together. Someday my life may be in your hands, or viceversa. Know that regardless of the past I would do my best to help you." Xero walks up to Ivan and offers his hand for a handshake. "As a sign of partnership and peace."

Charles didn't move his eyes from the ship but he was listening and when the man started boasting about his drone kills he spoke up. "Drones don't really count anyway, they're predictable acting on set patterns you have no idea how good you are till you've gone up against the real thing."

  The Big Russian, looks  at Xero's  offered hand  and smirks as he takes it,..You make  someone , good bartender someday...Your friends...talk like fighter  jocks...we shall see how they  fly someday..yes?

   The Dock Master says to the crew, Ready when you are Hermes...good luck out  there....  Kray signs  the  clipboard and bangs on the side of the bird he  will fly, Comon Xero...Hack's  waiting  on his  new toys.  He girns at the female  Ruskie  and holds up his hand, thumb and little  finger  sticking out as he mouth's  the  words "call me"..

     As  Kray takes the top cockpit, he  shouts over to Monty,..First Locad. then you...I will follow you up...

   while the Button up, Hack greets  them over  Comm 1, telling them  to switchover to Comm 2...when they do  Hack says,  Once Locad  gets the Shuttle out of orbit  and heads to The Hermes, I want you and Monty to  shake those birds  down....see what rattles and  make  a report to Rivets when you  land..that  Clear?


  Kray nods  as he says,Aye  sir..shake 'em up..that's  why you wanted the full load out on...Got that Monty?  we get to have  a bit of  fun...

Xero smirks back. "By the looks of it, that day will be soon. Good luck." With that, Xero goes back over to the craft. He smacks Kray jokingly on the head. "I don't think she's interested, buddy. Let's get going then." he gets in his seat on the craft.

  Kray pulls down the  cockpit, and  presses  the the button to seal the lids.Alight, Xero my man...make sure you are strapped in...cause  we are supposed to shake these little ladies  up..

  Kray's fingers  tapped on the   console as he  waited  for Locad  and Monty to lift off...he grinned at the Ruskies..as he  warmed up the  engines...

Xero straps in and gets ready to go. "Allright, let's do it." He says, and then he turns to the Russians. He waves at them, smiling. "This should be fun."

Roy followed Montgomery, taking up the number 2 seat on the craft.  He was glad Kray had insisted on the shuttle going first...if there was going to be some kind of trouble, he expected it to be the shuttle that would have the hardest go of it, what with Locad being alone on it for the return leg and it not being a combat vessel.

He had utterly ignored any words the Russians spoke...he didn't understand Russian, in the first place, and their accents, when they spoke English, were thick enough that he could barely make out their words.  He let Xero do all the talking, as the man seemed naturally inclined to the activity, and instead focused on the body language of the Russians.

Suspicion...resentment...the kind of chest-puffing one expects from a group trying to convince someone they deserve more respect than they feel they're getting...but nothing overt.  Still, he'd be more at ease once they were out of Mars orbit...

And then he heard Hack's order for a shakedown flight.  Aw, crap...  He wasn't a pilot...didn't particularly care for flying, actually.  It was one of the reasons he'd become a groundpounder.

"Ummmm...Monty?  Just in case something goes wrong...if I puke, it's nothing personal, okay?  Not saying it's gonna happen...just...you know, if it does..."  Anyone that wanted to challenge his manhood based on his inability to tolerate acrobatic flying could try and back their challenge on the shooting range.  If they beat him, then...maybe...he'd think about listening to what they had to say.

  Kray  smiled  a bit  as he looked at the other  Torpedoe  craft....while  waiting  for Locad to lift off, Kray flipped on the  thruster toggle  to warm them up,..When its  time  for us to lift off...  he chuckled,...watch the  russians...ever hear the term,' Dusting Off'?

A smile came across Charle's face as he sat down and began running prep. When Roy mentioned throwing up he laughed aloud, not that refined british chuckle but a genuine hearty laugh. "No worries Chum, you won't be the first to get a bit disoriented from my style of flying. And its Charles Montgomery, I abhor nicknames." When Kray came across the comm  Charles flipped it on. "Clear as crystal, one dusting off coming up."

Roy tried to get himself settled comfortably in his seat.  It was an exercise in futility...his discomfort had nothing to do with his physical position, just the dread of what might be about to happen.

"Charles it is, then," he muttered.  He'd wondered about that...Hack was very informal as a command officer, but he still had enough rank--and commanded enough respect as a fighter pilot--that there were degrees of familiarity he could get away with that others would be challenged for using.  Nicknames were one of them, apparently...at least in this case.

For the fourth time, he checked to make sure his assault rifle and SMG were secured.  Having one or both of them come adrift in the middle of intensive maneuvers was a sure way to get someone hurt...if not a great way to lose the ship completely.  Everything else was strapped down tightly in holsters or scabbards on his body.  And while this wasn't his first 'combat flight', and he knew quite well how to secure his equipment, re-checking everything made him feel like he was being at least marginally useful.  He hoped he didn't wind up regretting leaving his pack on the shuttle...but the cockpit was beyond crowded with the weapons, and they were far less awkward than the pack.

  The Shuttle  rose as  Locad's  skills came into play..some of  the red dust from the newly terraform dirt swirled  around  bit  as it went higher  and higher into the air.

  Kray Nodded to Charles and the two torpedoe craft began to rise, and over  Comm 2 Kray simple  said,  Thrusters...now...

  Jets  of hot  air Blasted from Shadow's  thrusters. mixed  with the kick of  the  after burners...The Russians  were caught  off guard, as the plastic bags  with Red paint they held in thier hands  were dropped, as they grabbed for the  faces  and  closed thier  eyes....

 In 4 Seconds Kray  was hovering  around  the Shuttle, some700 feet in the air. below them were 14 Easternblock airmen...plastered in Red dust...

    Once  we get out  of atmosphere, we shake these ladies  down...

 Hack sat in the Captain's  Chair, watching the  screen  as the two new birds were put thorugh thier  paces.

  Shadow's craft  Corkscrewed through the  void, then  would dive or  climb in an Immelman, coming back on its  out vapor trail...rear stablizer is  making  a bit of  Noise....

   Hack watched with   his head resting on  on hand, the index finger tapped on his  cheek,...record  anyhting that comes up...The feed is going  right  to  O'Rielly..

  Roger that  Commander...  Kray knew   Captain "Rivets" O'Rielly would  be watching  as well...if anything wasn't right..he  would make it right....

  Xero looked out  the canope, he  could  see the starbooard  wing shaking   like a quivering arrow...Under him the Torpedoe was tapping against the underside of the floor of his  seat  as  it shifted  with each turn.

   After a good Fiftennminutes  of  twisting, diving  and spinning, the pilots  followed the  Shuttle into the  Landing bay.

  Locad and the others  waited for the Green light to come on, as the statci shiled and blast doors  shut...The ramp came down from the Shuttle  and several Sailors brought hover  forks over  to unload the pallets.

  The two Torpedoe Craft landed  behind the  shuttle craft.  A red  Haired, red beared CAptain, whose  sleeves  were rolled up  and his softcover on backwards came over, Well Boyo? anything  ta worry 'bout, cept  for  them wings shaking?

  Kray shrugged, not on the bird  i was flying, that i know of...by-the  way..I have a Comm problem in My bird..you have time to take a look?

  Rivets shook his head   Killian!...See if  ye  can get this Diva's bird takin' right...  he pointed to one of the Comm ensigns who was helping  with the comm Units.

  Shadow smiled, Got  something for you Rivets.... he opened  up the  small cargo compartment and pulled out the  Three Metal cases, Powercells...36  of them...and this... he handed The Captain a Hydro spanner.

  The  Captain's eyes narrowed, but he could not stop the smile, Yer not going ta be gettin' that dockmaster in trouble..ya thief ya...

  Naw, they are  all paid for...by the Hades...they won't know they are missing until they unload...  he  Chuckled

  Go on ya, Get your bird talkin'...You fellas..this is Comm Officer, Ensign Killian...ya make sure ya treat her right...

  Kray  waited  until the others Got to speak to the Ensign. he reasoned most folk only knew a handfull of people on the ship...

"Well, I noticed that the wing was shaking and the torpedo beneath it was bumping against the hull. I assume blowing ourselves up isn't part of our attack plan." He grins, "I'm sure you can fix it. Don't wanna blow ourselves up, the Demons are takin care of that."

  The Captain frowns  and  calls  for a  few maintaince  folks  to come over,  Check them  torp locks mack sure they close..and open for that matter...didn't have this trouble when Humans  was buildin' them...

  Thank ye Ensign Ermanda...ya might have saved us...if them birds can't  drop them eggs when they need to...

"Just doing my part like everyone else. I'm afraid I haven't been too useful yet. Just talked some Russians outta broken birds. Thought they were new, too. Weird, eh?"

  The CAptian lookas at Xero , his eyebrow raises   then looks at Kray.  Kray shrugged and held both hands out...the  Captain  just shook his head  as he  walked around his new toys.....  Ya know...Shadow..if HAck knowed you took them....

  OFFICER ON DECK!  one of hte mechs shouted.

  everyone  snapped to attention when  Hack and Lt Commander Si stood there,...if HAck knew what...Lt Shadow?

  Kray's  halfsmile started to grow, despite his beast efforts to stop it, Power Cells...Commander HAck Sir...

  Power Cells.... he shook his head  as he stood there with his hands on his hips. Lt Commander Si  looked down at the  floor Rivets stood  board striaght... well..one or  two power cells  aren't going to Hurt.....

   36...Commander Hack..sir...

  36!....what the hell....

  And  a Hydro Spanner.... Kray closed his  eyes  for a moment then opened them slowly as he watcher  the Commander...

    They are paid  for  Commander...Hades Pilots  were pickign them up....tried to swap us fer thier beat up birds..or so says the lads...

   Hack Turned to  Shadow and he says, You do know...those power cells are very...very hard to get...and you took enough for 36 fighter craft....18 Tropedoe craft?
  Kray  shrugged  as he remained at attention,well..seeing how  we are going out hunting..and the HAdes  guys were just shooting off thier mouths   about how good they were and how great thier  Captain was....i sorta ..well...figured  we needed them worst then them...

   Hack eyes the Lt....and the spanner?

  It was shiney......

  Hack's eyes widened..Rivets Broke into laughter...Kray couldn't help it as he chuckled  while trying  so very very hard to stay at attention...

Hannah spun around and smiled, nodding at the captain. "Yes, sir. I'll get on it."

She moved over toward the returning men and nodded a greeting, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Pleasure to meet you." She looked to Kray and jerked her chin in the direction of the ship about to ask a question when the shout rang out across the deck.

She closed her mouth and took a step back, staying well out of the conversation about the power cells and trying not to laugh.

Roy was still getting his legs back underneath him when Commander Hack arrived.  Instinct took over, and he snapped to attention, only becoming aware of the discussion about the power cells and spanner as the information was shared with the Commander.  He closed his eyes for a moment, and clenched his jaw, burying the urge to shake his head.

Dammit, we're supposed to be a team...  Yeah, true enough, the Russians had tried to foist off a pair of rust-buckets that even his own untrained eyes recognized as desperately needing massive refurbishing...but, still...

It was an immature gesture, and actually exactly the sort of thing he should expect from a fighter pilot.  However, it was not his place to say anything about it, and he held himself at attention, the assault rifle at 'order arms' beside him and the rest of his arsenal hanging from slings or in holsters, with his gear bag on the ground at his feet.

The one good thing about it, though he would never admit it aloud, and didn't consciously recognize it at the moment, was that his annoyance with Shadow's five-finger discounts totally overwhelmed any remaining discomfort he felt about the acrobatic flight back to the ship.