Totally straight faced Joseph says "He thought Mandy had a cute ass and wanted to make sure no one iced it."

   Morris   Nodded  with one  nod  as he looked  down at His  Computer Screen,..let us homw... he  did a good  Job.... aye?

 Shadow Looked away  again, watchign a few pilots  come  some from teh elevator , which also Led to Med Tech

    Joseph gets very serious at that and looks directly at Shadow. "Off the record, The bounty request didn't necessarily come from the fleet.  I felt shooting her dead in front of station security might not look good on other accidents that happened last night, and feel that there is still a chance to intercept the ship she spoke of.

   She's a peice of work that one.  She shoots like a marksman, better than me and that's pretty good.  I don't distract easy and she was very successful.  If there is no chance of catching the ship with the civilians aboard;  having an accident where she doesn't survive might be prefferred to letting her sweet talk some guards into shooting themselves.

   He bows  if you'll pardon my two cents Mi-Lords.

  Morris   nodded once   more,..There are things  happening   in this War. Somethings  we know  about, somethings   we have an Idea about...what bothers the Admiral, is  what we do not know..

  There is a somewhat soft voice from Shadow,..the Unknown...must be known . Then..destroyed or used as   to the benefits of the APF....

When the Captain looks at Duke with a tiny smile, he looks down sheepishly, feeling guilty for not coming to see him sooner.   To Duke's credit and he hoped it showed was the fact that he had been on the edge of his seat, ready to spring up and state his name rank and serial number at full attention for the officer.   The only reason why he hadn't was, because it was Joseph's show.

  Morris looked at Duke,...well?  PO?   what have  we got from you , then..?

   As he  waits  for Duke  he  looks at his screen out of the corner of his  eye..a fighter  pilot's  skill to see   without turning his head,...Mr  Macpherson.. there  are  two Boundties   on Miss   Nona?..One  from   Fuji  and one from The Sanri Colony in the Delta  Quad?... Comes to a total of  1500 Creds?.. how do you want that?

In reply to shed (msg # 87):

Duke will jump up at last and state his full name and rank, along with his serial number at full attention.   Standing ramrod still and straight, with hands down his sides, he'll state that Mr. MacPherson brought him along to get more of a presence with my fellows sir.   And since the Captain wasn't here and I had checked in with Capt. Rivets sir, I thought it was okay.   Also I am ready for work whenever you're ready sir, I just have to give Mr. MacPherson his Kukri back and change into a proper uniform sir.

    Captain Morris's   upper   lips  raised the   mustache  , just a bit. his eye  raised   without moving his head to Loo at Duke.

  ..at ease, PO..rather  silly to stand  on formality right  now, wot?

 He motions to  the Hanger dec,..  Report  yo Captain O 'Reilly.. get  into  some Orange Coveralls.. see i8f he wants you on the fighters  or the Mechs... be good of you to know the chaps in the Mech Shop?...they lost a few  people there...Now?.. Off you go...  don't be surprised if you get a Call from  SGT MAJ  Spencer..

With the dismissal, Duke will turn and without looking at Joe, leave the office for his qtrs. and his orange uniform.   In passing he'll tell Joe that he'll bring back his knife when he's off duty.


TO THE NCO QTRS. >>>

 Shadow's COM  went off, he answered ,

  Captain Morris,   Doc Henry wants me  to stop  by Bio Tech?...

  ..Run along LC, the watch Ended at 8....Musette should  be on now...

 ..Thank You, Sir.  he saluted   Captain Morris  sharply   and Jogged towards the  Bio-tech lab, testing his  ribs  for the shock of the run.


>>>>>>>>>  Shadow to Henry's Lab.

      Morris  got up from his chair, and   went to fix  himself  another Tea, waving Darla  to   stay  seated, The ne stopped,...oh..... my.....

 He looked out the   door  and   Commander  Si  was  string out of the  SEC doors, her  arms covered in blood  to the elbows,  and her wait that Thighs   soaked as well...

  "Well, I guess she would be the best person to deal with it."  Joseph said "I hope she got what she needed?"

  Morris  shook himself to get his attention back,well..quite right?..Now.. Mr    Macpherson  how do you want that bounty... cash, or  on your wrist chip..or  what..

 Darla   watched      the brief   view of  Si from where she sat,,she  sorta Hugged herself, but had a smile of satisfaction.

    "Cash, the lions share of it will probably go to Mandy.  She didn't sign up for what happened.  None of us did.  The rest? well I'm thinking about gettin some shops on other ships.  Darla has handled very well in my absence, so has Mandy, but Darla has the strength to handle her own shop."  He looks at Darls, "What do you think?"

  Darla   shrugs, there is a bit of a scowl ,..Not sure?...  I don't wanna  leave here... If  i leave the Hermes, its  Gonna be to a colony, and not another ship... Might  go to  a station..if i think its  nice  enough...

  Morris    taps out  something on the   computer and the printer    releases a slip of paper .

 ..Take this to SEC..they lock up all the Ship's Currency...they'll pay it out  to you  and you  may  disperse it  as you will....I believe..that tidies up   all the   looses  ends  we  had in mind of  tidying up...

    "Thank you." Joseph says to Morris. "I'll head there directly after theckin on tha girl"

    "I'm glad you feel comfortable here Darla.  How about I do the new shop an you take this one over.  After all, you know all the customers and we can't take the loss in currency if they are heart broken over the loss of yer pretty smile."

  Joseph Goes to see Mandy on the med deck.=========>

[From the Hangar Deck]

Ensign Teela made her way at haste through the chaos of a capital ship and fleet ready to get underway and found Capt. Morris's shed. She knocked on the door and waited for him to answer.

    A Groundscrewman   stopped  and  called  across to her , on his way to the Flight lines,

   ..Ensign!..... He  is    but the  Second Hanger Bay doors..they are setting up for VIPs...

She nodded and started walking that way. "Thank you, Petty Officer. I haven't been assigned a duty station for the the underway so I'll head there and find him."

She made haste to the hangar bay doors the crewman indicated and started looking for Captain Morris.

[To the Hangar]

from Hanger  Dec after   day three of Aqra <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<


   Morris  walked  along, his  bag with the Discs   and hi  cane  tapping on the   Dec  Plates.

  .I see you made it through?.. Afrid you aren't sone yet though.. Admiral wants  this to be a good thrashing...

  when the reached    the shed, he pointed to the   small fridge  and   Coffee pot.. there was a  hot plate there  for water and packs of  tea.

 He Put  her  Disc in first to save her time. As it   downloaded, he  fished out  a passcard for   her Rooms

 He  took off  the billed Officer's    Came  and Laid it  on 'it place' on a file cabinet,  the  white hair on his temples, stark against the darkbrown skin.

 ..You'll be on the  offcier's dec.. closer to the   elevators.. smaller rooms you know...  the higher up you get, the more  room...This card will get you in, then you set you  password on the keypad.... I must warn you SEC can enter   whether you wish them   to or not, if   SEC deems  there is a problem... you are allowed one Long arm in your  quarters... anything else  must be  kept in the QMs  with your name one...

 ..It appears you will be  flying the Diamond  again tomorrow... should be  another day of bad  Business..hmmm? I suggest, you get cleaned up.. have a Bit of a bite on the  Rec Dec, then see to some sleep...wouldn't hurt to get to  know the lads and lasses a bit too.

 any  questions?.. if not? Yo may go when you are ready.

She followed him from the hangar "Thrashing? Sir.  Did I make a mistake?" Her Southern drawl apparent.  In her neck of the woods 'thrashing' was what you got when you did bad.  If it was absolutely horrible, you got your 'ass whooped'.  She just wanted to be clear about it.
Walking in the office she looked about.  "A wonderful selection ...Devon Fine, Twinnings, Harrogates.  You favor the British black teas.  So do I, especially the Irish blends." Odd for an obvious American, but times as they are has made many more international if not interplanetary in tastes.  She moved some a bit and found one Irish blend with orange.  She did not brew a cup but did pocket the packet.  "Thank you, Sir.  I'll enjoy it with my meal" she gave a polite smile as he continued and finally produced a card for her quarters.  Taking the card she saw it had the address for it.  She nodded as he spoke of getting a shower and a meal, and getting to know others.  "I plan on that Sir, but if I may ask?  My gear.  I was told leave where it when getting off the transport here and shuffled planetside for duty in a hurry.  Is it in storage or my quarters already?  No sense taking a well needed shower if I have to put dirty clothes back on"  She'd kill for a clean pair of underclothes.

She waited for a response before leaving.  Apparently they held her things in a locker storage next to the shed.  Producing ID she retrieved her things and moved out of the hangar area proper and to the elevator and towards her quarters.


===> Officers quarters

  ahhh>,, No.. Sorry, the thrashing is for the  Bleeding Empire , you see..yes..quite.

 he nodded  with a pleased  smile  as she  took the packet,..your  kit was sent  along to SEC and conveyed to your  quarters.. as I said.. SEC may  enter  when  needed... they ... um..had to  have the orderlies  cart of the last blokes  gear... so.. two birds  with one stone and all that...

 he  game her a  thin lipped   smile,..you may Carry on then, Ensign...  welcome aboard and all that!

     as the Lift   rode  down Shadow   COMed..Stefi.. L:C Shadow.. i need you  in Morris's  Shed ..bring  anti-Tox, and anything  you think will go along with ti.. you have  8 Minutes... Its  for  Captain Morris.

    the Elevator opened , Shadow and  Billups  pushed  past some party folks..Shadow out sprinting the   Young  SEC trooper  by yards  until he  reached the Shed.  Morris  was  grasping at his chest  his eyes   were  wide open..they shifted to  Shadow and Billups... he looked  Confused  and in pain.

 Stefi    came in... she  Grabbed the  trooper  by his    weapons  Belt  and Pulled him out of the way... the   pushed Shadow  aside..    she    drew  the injection Gun  Slammed it into   Morris's Chest... and  Puled the  trigger.  Three times...  with  each Impact..  Morris  Jerked.. then his  eyes closed    as he  went Limp...  Shadow looked at his   COM.....Nice  Job....51 seconds to spare...

  ..alright, Hotshot.. how did you know...

 .. Billups..he was  supposed to give  me a Message from  'Lady  Freedman.. 30 minutes after  she left....He  gave it  to me around 20...


  Billups looked shaken  as he looked towards the  three officers..


 Stefi gave the  young  trooper a smile, Then turned to Shadow...... how  did you know   what to ask  for?

 30 Minutes?... standard  Time of  Injestion for     Creshian Blood poison.. can't   detect  it  in   dark drinks, Like tea  or  coffee..... Gives you  30 minutes to escape... Unless you are a dick, and  try to Brag  about it....


 Stefi  nodded  as Morris  groaned...she patted his   hand,..he should be  fine, he'll use the bathroom a lot the next few hours, but its  better then being dead...

  Lilly COMs,..Um.. LC Shadow...  they have   three  people   locked one.. one..um..he..is ..sorta  dressed like a woman?... the other two are , not  regular Media  pilots...

  ..OK..Lilly, Patch me through...

 who is this.. I am Captain  Untz  ESN  , In charge of  Media 2's   SEC..

 Well..Captain, I am LC Kray Shadow of the  ESN 351 Hermes... and this is what you are goign to do.....  those three  are  to  be  chained   by the hands  and feet, then chained in a circle together.. and sent BAck to the  Hermes , 10 minutes ago... You will then, find the  ship that the 'Lady" came to your ship... and have ESN pilots   bring  with in  Gunnery range of the Hermes...

 He Stood Up  and Offered a  Hand to Stefi. Billups looked   scared...... Billups?  You will escort  the CAptain  and   LT Stefi to  the  Med tech....

   Shadow   checked   His  COms  and  walked  down to the HAnger  Bay proper. and  checked his Blaster.

<<< from Brig  with Dixie

 Shadow lead the way, he waved of any SEC help

 Dixie spoke up, trying to lighten the  air,..you  trut me Not to Kill you or  the  featehred  ensign?

 ..I trust in myself, that should you try either.. you will never see the results of your attempt.... If I am Mad enugh, I may Just cripple you.. so we can feed you into the Black, slowly...we treat traitors the sawm we we treat Empire...like  animals...

 Lirg was  standing ( well...sitting)  Guard  out side the Shed.

 well?..'cept for him...sometimes we let him eat traitors...

 Lirg sniffed  as he saluted,..not since you  bring lizard dog on board..he gets all the good  bites..

 Shadow waved to the  first chair  In the office...

 ..Teela? go ahead back  to your Buddies, Give my respects to the CAptain, and tell him we are here, hemay attend at his conveniance ..nirther of us  is going anywhere.

[From The Brig]


"One thing before we go any further - did you know of the feasting ceremony the SSN had their people take place in before they could make Captain or above?" Teela asked, hands at her side. Her eyes were still silver but not their normal burnished silver.