Morris  ni0ds with a bit of  a  clenched  teeth smile as he holds his  pipe...Indeed... Chief   Ambermoon came back , we   were  at The proving Grounds..  they sold us on some   smaller, or  agile Mechs..well?..Small for a mech..eh?... Cheif Morhan is
 still here.. they have a new   fellow, Andre?,, he seems to be a good sort...they had a fine chap buy in  a bit ago,

 he hands the  disc  back info updated   on both ends...your quarters  will be in the Non com section..should be ready after the party,,or, i shoudl say,,halfway through.. if you wish you may leave  your   gear here, and pick up  up later

Reaching for his disc, Slick says, Both Chief Morgan and Ambermoon are here? Well at least we have the repair shop well handled i take it? The mechs are slightly smaller Sir, but better I think. Back on Earth I saw them in the shop occasionally, they're not too bad Sir, I think you'll be impressed. I hope anyways. ::chuckles:  Thank you Sir, but I'll take it with me, no need to clutter your office, besides, patting his duffel I have something in here for SgtMajor Spencer, realizing he didn't know for sure if Roy was still around, he quickly changed his smile to a stoic face, the Seargeant Major is still here? isn't he Sir?

  Morris   chuckled,..you must no watch the Vids. between battles  and Balls you should have seen himn a few times, Reporters  like to focus in on those  who wear alot on Tinsel  , eh?.. I think you'll find him and  Shadow in SEC..some bit of bad  Business?.. or you can catch them on the   Rec dec  in about  40 minutes or so.

In reply to SLIC (msg # 359):

Well then, I'll wait for the Rec Deck, Security isn't my scene. Sir? by your leave? I'd like to drop mee tools off at the mech shop, see what I have to work with until the new ones get here, and I can set up my bench. I'll see about checking on any mech supplies, and the schedule of shifts. Thank you Sir He says all this while grabbing his duffel and tools, looking at the Captian while speaking and getting ready to walk out, He steps back, comes to attention and salutes. by your leave Sir, thank you sir. Dropping his salute when/(if) returned, he turns to walk out.

>>>>> Hanger>> Mech Shop

..By all means , PO..carry on. Captain Morris   gave a bit of a  smile  and turned  back to the scrambled mess the  Vid  were.

>>>>>>>>>   Izzy from  SEC

 As she walked past Shadow   and onto the dec, she could see the increaded activity..ground crew where clearing the  Dec of action...flight crews were tending to fighters, with Pilot s streaming in.

 there was a scaffold  starting to be set up , near the Mech Shop, for  beth and the war Room.

 her COM  Buzzed, it was  from Wendy....

 ..I..I don't know what to do!.... My  Editor  is scared .. people are runnign around  trying to figure out what is goign on... SEC and EDT  are  fighting  all over the place and there  is alot of collateral damage!

 ..My Camaraman is in med tech,,he has  burns on his chest from  the Camera..there are some people on this ship who are, calm..like..they know what's goign  on, but don't care!

 she sobbed,..the  LC  warned me to get off the ship after that lst Vid... I just wanted to get him... and you...you!..You little bitch traitor ..they ran you  Vid  next to mine..you made me look bad!... I got  some  Vids from someone..they told me to play them...i thought it would be a good way to get even with that Bastard...

 she sobbed again....but...but  i'm gonna  tel you this..in case somethign happens.... I Got a COM as  we left the Hermes...it was..or at least for now? Untraceable....listen....

 a dark voice, grave and hateful, almost like an angry Hyrian.....we crossed the line..you put  innocent people in danger...there is a good bet, those you used to harrass our  asset, might end up dead....so..you are being paid back in kind...in this war..you are either ESN...or EDT...

 ..I..I have family dying..homes burning..places blowing up...texas..LA...Newyork and St Louis.... My editor   has had the same thing happen.... i can't even guess at the body count!.. me and My editor, and a few of the Loyal people are  leaving 'The Spot Light"..we are goign to try and reach  Lady V's people, see if they will help..I don't know who is  taking over the ship...but..you can be smug... you have  nested with the  ESN...just becareful....I have to leave.. I will have dead   air Until we get closer to where Lady'V's people will meet us.... ..

——> SEC

Isobel had barely left SEC when her comms started going off, with her finding a spot stand out of the way of the rushing pilots and troopers as they got ready for whatever was to come, before answering it. Surprisingly the call was from Wendy of all people with the terrified woman alternately asking for help and insulting her as she rambled on in a tearful voice. Truth be told Izzy felt a little sorry for her not that she could or even wanted to do anything to help her ”I did warn you Wendy, but you wouldn’t listen to me... now who sent you those vids?” she asked hoping to get something useful from the conversation other than the gravelly voiced message that would probably lead nowhere. Then again she wouldn’t know for sure until she got it traced back to its source and uncovered the identity of the gravelly voiced man.

  Wendy  was  sniffling and  tried to get  enough composure  to stop...U dunno..I dunno... My Editor  is using our  COMs tech  to try and  track it..she had  two computers burn up on  the desks!!..  There was a warning..something about  trackign my SOMs..so?..it  could be from anywhere..and GO..anywhere!....  My frined says we have to get to the   sloop now... there has been a large  Scale shoot out in LA and   Reno!..its..its like they are harvesting EDT!

With Wendy leaving to get on the sloop that would take her and several other members of the crew to Lady V, Izzy had to wonder she was going because she was EDT or because she felt she had no other choice. After making sure she had the recording Wendy had sent her saved, Izzy would continue on her way to Captain Morris’ shed where upon her arrival she would politely knock on the door before letting herself in.

  A trooper  who was inside getting a Cup of  coffee looks at Izzy,..I'm Sorry , Ma'am?.. Captaij Morris  is down on the other end of the hnager Dec , lookign at some new stufff rom earth..No one is supposed to be in here  but me, until he come back...

There would be a moment of confusion as she found a young trooper that was most certainly not Captain Morris standing within his office, However as soon as she learned that he was simply holding the fort and that Captain Morris was at the other end of the hangar Izzy would give a quick nod of her head "Oh ok, thanks for letting me know, I'll go and find him" she said before closing the door and heading to the other end of the hangar.

---> Hangar Dec

<<<<<<<<<<< Vaka , from QM

  Captain Morris  waved Vaka in, one of the new Gaurds  were outside his door.Well...  settled in , 'eh?... Help your self to  coffee , or tea?  or  one of thsoe cold  drinks in the fifge.. there are some pastries if you wish.. this  may take a bit  as i run you  scans through...i sorta have  did a round about.  Set up your  quarters first, this way when we are finished you can get a bit of rest...

 Vaka   put the thigns he carried  next to his weapon, ammo belt  and  pack that was outside the door., he took a cheery pastry  and made himself  a very...sweet.. cup op coffee.

 Morris had a Cup of tea,, m scanned his wrist.. and  watched the    pages  fill up on his   Desktop screen.

 ..you been in the service for 6 years?...very good... says here... covert observation?  You were goign to be a Coast Watcher?

 Vaka  nodded,In..In training they picked that  for me... I wanted to be a Pilot..but they wouldn't let me? said  that i wasn't the  right 'class' for an Occui Pilot?.. so they sent me to  Marines... and i ended up an assault trooper.

  Morris  didn't  react to anything , except to give a nod  while his  eyes looked over the   pages    he flicked through.

 ..you were on Astra?.. you fought  the Creshians there..at the Mountain?

 ..my..my first Jump off... we  were droped   on the North side of the Mountain..we were supposed to take the   gun that was firing on the north troops... but we were swarmed  by  the UEs?  Only 3  of us made it out , , only because  Hermes  fighters  were cleaning off the mountain.. My friend..who  was my last SGT..  he got promoted  as we Blew up the  gun..... the other friend was killed  on the way down?  .. They blamed me for him dying,,,said i  wasn't  good enough  to see the   largran sniper....

 ..it says here, you offered  no defesne tot eh charges that you weren't alert  enough?

 Vaka  shrugged...I was on the  left flank... my friend  was on the right.. the trooper  that died  was in the  middle... The sniper  came from somewhere to the right... Three  Humans took it out  after it shot, they were combing the  mountian  in 3's looking for  strays?

 Morris kept  flicking through,..you still offered nor defesne?..and.. it appears  you did not share in the   'glory' of takign out an Anti aicraft  gun with only 3  troopers?

  Vaka   sipped  from his coffee...My SGT turned in the report... I couldn't refute it, without casting doubt on him..and?... no one would have believed  me  anyway...i was new..and my family name is now a well liked one....so..i was assigned to my  SGT's   assault team as a scout... but they only sent me out, when they thought i may not come back.... I am small, Captain Morris...i am not stupid...

 Morris  nodded  again as he read and sipped,..you picked s long  row to hoe, Vaka.... I should expect you'll find it  a bit more easy going  here... SEC  troopers are also assault troopers..they get the first tickets  aboard a boarding shuttle..The SM  is  hard... and his people will push you as much  as any one... You go on  the LC's tunnel runs.. you'll see him to be , as they say..'a proper bastard'.. but you will comer out of this  better then you were.. , and from what i have read here.. You seem to be a good match for The Hermes... the questions is?  Will you enjoy   The Hermes?

 ..it  can't be worse then being on a ship of your own kind, and treated  like you were EDT or Empire, just ebcause  you'er a lower class..I'll do my Job....if they let me...

 ..you'll get your  chance   PVT.... we do not coddle here, nor  do we prevebt  folks from goign out, Unless med tech says 'no'...

  with each page  Captain Morris  read, he sent that page to Roy's files.

Well, Vaka, You  finish that   pastry  and when you are done , I'll get some one  to help you carry your  things  down, show you  the  enlisted section..

  Captain?  what are we allowed to do , when we are not on duty?

 The Captain  shrugs,..we have the red Dec.... there is a football filed you can work out.. the range is under the bleathcers... there are  civie run stroes  above it... The Pulse...there are some  small shops  in the Civie section...there is a farm.. there are  Vids  at night at the  theator .... and of  courtse the OB  dec  if you like lookign at the stars.

  A COM opened up to Roy, as  Morris  saw  the fighter  take off...

  Roy could hear  Morris  chatting with Vaka...

  ..So?  Tell Me , PVT Vaka..what sorta of things  did you  lose on your ship?

 Vaka's  voice sounded apologetic, but the sad over  tones were there... well.. i had  creds in a box..you know, for like , the rec dec   or shore leave when you didn't  want to get scanned?... maybe..200..300?... i had a picture of My Cul-hound..i had  some  action figures of  The Hermes   Occui?.....a bunch of books..like  7...mostly stories about fighter pilots...but the big thing?  a Silver  locket with  my  Mom's  picture.. I always let it on the ship when i Jumped, so i wouldn't lose it.. I..guess its  gone now..I..I really didn't have much...

Roy sent back a simple text response...Got it.  Thank you.

<<<<<<<<<< from hanger dec , after return from 'Eyes"

 Vaka  saw them comign and was  scrambling to get up, when Morris  said,At Ease, PVT Vaka... what are you doing out here?

 Looking up at the 3 ,he sorta stared at Roy and Shadow for a second  as he said,Well..Sir?  I figure it wouldn't be right for me to be in your offcie alone... so i sat out here , until you dismissed me?

 The rookie  SEC trooper smiled  a bit , but other wise  stood guard  at the door..

 Well..get yourself another Tart to take with you?..I'll have and orderly help you with your thigns here, so you can get some rest

 Vaka looked at Roy...SM?.. I'll have a Hermes  Unifform by 0800 tomorrow?... I won't have a full dress yet thought..is it still ok to show up  for Sendoff?

Roy nodded.  "Attendance at the send-off isn't mandatory, nor are dress uniforms.  Those who wear them do it out of respect for the fallen...but being there is still honoring them, dress uniform or no."

He thought for a moment, then nodded.  "I think I'm going to partner you up with Sergeant Shoemaker, for your first few days.  He was wounded during the first part of the battle down there, and may be able to use a helping hand...but he's also been on the Hermes as long as just about anyone aside from Admiral Hack, and he can help you learn your way around."

  an orderly showed up, the guy has  some pizza  sauce on his  sleeve, so he was not long , from being  at the rec dec.

 ..ahhh..there  you are>  Be a Good Chap, Help Vaka  down to the enlisted area, get his password sorta  out..hmm?

 aye, Sir, Already Done.. he gathers   Vaka  Occui armor  and weapon.  Vaka gets his  ESN  armor  and   his  Hat. and the small   bag he  was soem  the 'little stuff' they gave him.

 he followed   along with the orderly chatting away, Bragging about the ship.

  Morris   watched   Vaka go...what  do you  fellows think?

 he'll be fine...  we tend to thin out the bullies  rather  quickly... He's in SEC, Lots of folks there  do a damn good  job, and alot of them wouldn't have  had the chance on another  Ship..look At Shade? he's more proud of  his  'SEC'/ assusalt team thng, then he is
 of  being an  Ambassador...

"If you'd asked me before going over his records, I'd have said I was cautiously optimistic.  He follows orders, he's more interested in getting the job done than in getting credit for it...those are both things that make him a good prospect, and I figured he'd just need a little confidence building."

Roy shook his head, a look of distaste showing on his face.  "Then we found out just how good his service record actually SHOULD have been, if he didn't have an incompetent sergeant scapegoating him and if he wasn't so convinced of his subordinate status that he'd actually protested the reports.  I think being around the Hermes is going to be the best thing that ever happened to him, militarily...and I think once he gets up to speed, he's gonna be kickin' ass with a vengeance."  He sighed, and added, "I would have liked to have given him all his stuff...or even told him it was coming back...but seeing as it was evidence, we couldn't really take it, and it didn't seem fair to tell him it was coming back sometime in the indefinite future, since he's already resigned himself to it being gone.  Be interesting to see his face when it comes back to us."

He sighed, rubbing his hands through his close-cropped hair.  "Long day.  Glad it's finally over.  Sirs, I'm going to cash it in for the night.  I know there's no combat planned for tomorrow...but send-off days are, in their own way, just as taxing.  Good night.  And thank you for helping me get Private Vaka squared away, on all fronts."  He straightened, saluted formally (a rarity these days, with the informal relationship between the ranks on the Hermes, but it was the best way he could think of to show his recognition of officers carrying out their duties in the best tradition of the military), and headed for his quarters.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:38, Tue 21 July 2020.

---> Rec Dec

With her high heels clicking upon the dec plating, Izzy would walk across the shockingly empty hangar dec to where Captain Morris'shed stood. It would be just as she was the door that she would receive the message from Lizzy, causing Izzy to smile as she read about how her chat with Captain Si had gone well and that she was now on her way home to get ready for their date night.

Comms message to Lizzy: "Hey that's great! I've got something I need to sort out first but I'll see you back at our place, unless you would rather meet up at the OC or something instead?"

After rattling off the quick message to Lizzy, Izzy would knock on the door before going inside to speak with Captain Morris.

  captain Morris   Half  stood  and Motioned to the chair  beside his  desk.....Hellow  Ensign?..now... have a seat, grab a  drink and a tart if you'd like... Tell me what you are lookig for.

Taking the seat next to his desk, Izzy would offer a friendly smile as she started to explain what it was she was looking "Thank you sir, I'm currently working on a piece on up and coming female pilots, and I'd like to have a couple of clips of gun cam footage to intersperse between the interviews so people can see them in action so to speak" She said excitedly as she tried to put her idea into words that would make some kind of sense "...the pilots I'm featuring are; Ensigns Lynch, Rutledge and O'Conner, so any footage of them shooting  down enemy aircraft or pulling off complex manoeuvres would be great...I mean I don't mind trawling the footage myself to find what I'm after, I just kind of need a starting point is all"

   Morris  nodded   his head a bit  back as he started through the Bottom of his glasses.His fingers worked on his  keyboard.

  well... what you you want?  Stills  or Vids..  he  frowns  as he looks  through  one of the pilot's Vids.....I..Must say.... The LC and  i comb through the  Gun Cam vids.. and  he offers up the shots, and i decide if they are Kills.. i...saddly, didn't  quite  do my job this  time around.... we have one of the new Piltos  being left to his..no..her own devices, whilst one of the ladies  went off hunting?...rather bad show there....

 The LC  had to have seen it.. the lad  doesn't  miss much, you know...well?...not much to do for it  now..iron is  cold in the fire and all that... so?..what do  wish?

She would offer a bit of a shrug in response to the Captains discovery that one of the pilots had been less than well behaved during the last jump off, with her not wanting to weigh in on something that wasn’t her job ”Oh footage please, especially if it’s got any sort of audio with it” she said, though that was perhaps a long shot unless of course they came with attached radio chatter. Feeling her comms unit buzzing she would quickly check her comms before offering Captain Morris an apologetic look ”Sorry, date night” she said feeling a little embarrassed that she’d become distracted so easily, with her quickly turning her attention back to the task at hand.

   Morris   hand her a pair of  Head phones,  what we have here.. are some  with cross chats  that shouldn't hurt operations... now?.... whether you know this  or now. The hermes  does not  alter  voice  or feeds..we feel anyone watching  should understand.. so..if a Pilot swears.. or some one screams as they die? it  hits  home, showing people that others  are dying for them...

    there are some  Vids  of the  fighters  trying to  get on each other's   enemies    as thier  wing attacks yet another.

  .. now?  i did a search, there are  several  for each pilot... i flagged them with a   red Check on the  bottom of the file? pick what you want....

 ..there is also a ....what could be  considered..backhanded  Praise  of  Ensign Lynch... Ensign Brivet ..see here..... flies  in as that Ghost craft pops up.. she  sacrificed  her  aircrat, and  saved Lynch's  and ..perhaps   Morrison's life...  Both Lynch and  Brivet had to   POD out.... it may show a bit of the self sacrifice  The Hermes pilots have, caring enough  for people they don't really know.... But that also could be a  good  angle...HMMM.. Lynch being shot  down, saved by another pilot.. and the other two  making it through the  scrap?.... in this  age? its hard to get an interview  with a Pilot who was shot down....if you get my meaning?