The  War Room sits on the   bridge level  near the  Admiral's  Quarters  and the Ambassador's quarters.

  the Board and the Admiral will talk over moves to be  made her... and ay times.. call in the officers who will need  to have input.

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

   Captain Bull For the   sat  down.  The Orderly brought him food and drink as well as   snacks and such for the others.

   Hack send   word  to Shadow  and  Spencer to  come up to the war room at their earliest convenience ...

  Morris  poured a drink.. Rivets  looked over the Snacks... Hennings  Arrived.. BAle  had to use a hover chair for the time being.

 The two Sanri and Occui ambassadors  were there.

  Commander Si took a seat near  Map able and began to key up the GAmma Quad.

 ..Relax  for a Bit, Captain.  My SEC Chief and the LC will be along shortly, as well as the..um.. Verian  Ambassador.

  For the  takes a drink and  beings to eat some  steak tips... I have heard you got a Verian Manned Vessel  out here... no small  thing there.. they never leave thier  Quad, let alone, send  an Ambassador.

 Hack looked around at the smiles    as he answered,..well the ship was a captured  Oil Lords  ship.. and  after the Battle at The Line... some Verians saw fit  to help the fight....As for the Ambassador..he was  already here.... we just promoted him, when the Verians  refused to aid us before the fight..

 Forth Nodded as he  ate a bit...too fast.....still it will be  good to hear his views on  the upcoming choices you need to make....

 <<<<<<<<< from SEC

  Shadow and Shade entered  the   war Room, they both saluted the room, in general.. Only the CAptain  gave a formal slaute, the rest were pretty easy going.

 ..CAptain Forthe... this is LC SHadow, my WC for the Hermes, and the Fleet... This  is  Ambassador  Shade Shadow... representing  the Verians  forces.

 The CAptain stayed seated as he  ate and drank...I have  heard of the LC, Of  Course.. you have  80 some Kills, do you not?

 Shadow handed  Shade a soda from the bar,  and took one himself,...97 , Captain.  And 18  Confirmed  Ground Targets....

 Morris clears his throat,..they LC takes alot of pride  in his  fighters taking out enmeies on the ground

  Forthe  smiles,..If he stills lives, you'll have to talk to my WC.. Captain Moggle.. he has  18 Kills and   4 Ground Kills... his people ..well.. don't like  getting too near the ground.

 ..well, Sir,  Moggle needs a wake up call.......the difference between the   Empire and the   APf, is the APF  protects its  people.. The Empire  just feeds theirs into the grinder.....

 ..I believe ,  LC.... that  CAPTAIN.. Moggle feels, losing  an aircraft to ground  fire, is not a fair trade off for.,...

 ...for other men's lives?   Captain ?   .... MOGGLE..... he said the  word as loud  as   Forthe  said the  word'captain'......is the kind of pilot that  gives  fighter Jocks a bad name..

 For the stabbed his   steak tip a bit harder,..Perhaps..... Mr  Shadow.. you need to fly in  his place for...

 Shade whistled a bit..  and Forthe looked at him..

 ..The Ambassador  suggest that you shut up..before you turn this   briefing into a brawl... I agree.... Because... CAPTAIN.. you will lose...

 Hack stepped in,..That's enough....  CAptain Forthe?  I wager to say  you don't have  anyone  in your  fleet who  could Compete with  Shadow..... SHadow..... Captain Forthe is not  in a very good mood.. he lost control of his ship to Bugs.. he  was ordered  to  report the SIT REP in the GAmma Quad.

 .. Indeed?..  I am certain he doesn't have  any one  in his fleet, who could  complete with any of the Hermes Pilots..period....and? Perhaps if his  fighters  gave  ground support.. the  Bugs  wouldn't have had their  boarding Shuttles reach his  ship...

   Forthe  stood  slowly.....you have  no idea  how to  Handle a situation like  I had... his  voice  was low and Full of anger..

  Shadow  shrugged and grinned,..I know i didn't lose a ship..a whole goddam ship!

  Si.. reaches out ,  and Pushed Shadow  Back from the Table.. surprising  everyome ( maybe  Shadow the most) ENOUGH...  Kray!  The man is embarrased enough..... and you, CAptain.. would do well  to learn from your betters.... Now?... relax.. we'll give the SM a few minutes.. then we'll proceed...
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:46, Fri 27 Oct 2017.

  Hack, Si and Shadow all look at their COMs.

  ..there seems to be some....excitement ...on the  docks.  While  we wait on  the SGT MAJ. Perhaps  Admiral Hennings  can tell us about Etna Space?

  Hennings Unrolled his Vidboard and opened  up the files.. handing it to Commander Si to tape into the Holo-map.

 ...Towards Largran Space is the Planet Aqra... 90% is covered  in Fresh water. Because of this, it has become a Hub for  merchants and traders. They spend   a few creds  for tankers jugs  and containers of  water.. and sell it  for Max  profit  to colonies, ships and stations...according to the reports, its nothing to see a Tanker ship as big as the Hermes with Ships from both sides of the  war, hooked up to buy water...

 ..on Aqra.. are the Aqrains ...  or..Fish folk. There  are three main types... The Alphas, or Humaniod types...  They look a bit like a cross between a Skith and a Human.. gig  eyes and wide mouths?.. but some are rather . pleasing  to the eyes, by human standards... and... yes  we can mate with them... Aqrains  try to discourage that, because the HUamn side seems to take over.. and breeds out  the  fish side of the family in  as little as  1 generation.... Halfbreeds  tend to  be light blue skinned.. though there are light green skinned as well...  The Alphas have Gills and  lungs, but are slower in dry land... they have  very few arid areas, as they have  most industry under water, or Under rhgound..so their  forests and Jungles  run wild... there are limited  'human' towns, for  renegades or  colonists  that managed to make their own way there...Alphas need  to  get wet  once or twice a day.. in space, their  suits keep their bodies moist..

 ..The  second Group is the HAlfbreeds... They are considered as second class citizens, but do have a say in some of the local goings on.... Again.. they  seem to favor their human side.. but?... LArgans are  bred out for some reason.... Demons..as far as we know, have only been using Aqrains  for food... if they are  using them for breeders.. we have  found anything...

 ..The Last group are the  'Followers'... they are Breeders..pure and simple, from thier eggs come  the Alphas and other followers.. one out of every  5 eggs  is an Alpha.. the rest are Followers... They tend to be  built  stronger..but less  intelligent.. we'll find  them in the  ground  troops and Labor... but none will be seen in command or flying   aircraft....

 He looks at Shadow,we have  Trotugan contacts  that....have  contacts on Anzio.. we are trying to get more intel on thier  fighters?... but the only thing we know for certain, they fly  in space, in the air, and under water...and?  thier pilots  seem to know, no fear.

 ..well , except For the whole, water thing? We heard the same  about Demon pilots... and i seen plenty of them run...

 Forthe  snorts as he eats...

 ..of  course we see them running, because we don't run ourselves.....


  The CAptain looks at Shadow with narrowed eyes.. Si merely stares at Shadow and shakes her head.

  Lastly.... Hennings  clears  his throat,.... there are two small moons, around  earth size... one has   ore we could use... there are some wildcat miners there.. low  atmo.. helmets need  for prolonged  walks and such..... the other is a bit Bigger, and Closer to Aqra.. has tries  and some water... there are only  Aqarian Ourposts there, and one 'city' of sorts.. it was a small sea... but many  lakes... some small time  traders will land there to trade for   waster and crops....

  he adds,..Aqarians eats small mammels, insects  and  birds... they will hunt and Kill larger mammals  for  big feasts and such......thier favorite food? he loonhs  around  with a bemused  chuckle,..Creshians...

From Etna...the docks...

Roy walked in, snapping a perfunctory salute.  "Sorry I was delayed...things got messy at the boarding area."  His t-shirt had traces of bloody hand prints...likely from his hands, which had Clye's blood drying on them...and in contrast with the bloodstains on his pants.  "Looks like Eclipse is still in operation, and I'm not just talking about Lady V's video taunting.  Lyri took over for me, or I'd be stuck out there dealing with media and Etna SEC..."  He looked around the room as he explained, gauging reactions, and identifying the captain from Matterhorn.

  Ahhh.. SGT MAj.... This is CAptain Bull Forthe, he commands..

 ..commanded....

 Forthe's fork stabbed   the steak tip harder.. Si hissed at  Shadow.

 Clearing his throat, HAck  continued,..COMMANDS.. The ESN MT00 Reinhold Ewald ..  It is presently  under siege by Bugs.... Admiral  Richards sent   some troops in, and had one of her flagship's shuttles  bring him here..

 Henning s   printed out  a sheet, handing it to Roy,..that's what i could pull from Lights POut in  the  Alpha  Quad..... The CAptain is going to give us a run down, of what's happeing there.. if he and Shadow can refrain from bickering over   tactics...

 shade  just gave a low  falling whistle.

  Shadow gives a stage whisper, to Roy,.. the CAptain seems to favor  his WC's   idea, that aircraft aren't for   airs upport...

  For the stabs  another  steak tip  as he glowers at Shadow...Si said  softly,..I can send you to check on your   aircraft if you rather. LC?

 ..no..no..Thank you Ma;am..I'm  just fine here..

 Rivets  gave   Shadow a wing and nod.. Morris  just gave him a 'warning  shake' of his ehad.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:19, Sat 28 Oct 2017.

Roy gave a nod to Captain Forthe, before turning to Shadow.  "I'd appreciate you sparing the editorial commentary, LC.  I just had to put a torniquet on what was left of one of trooper's arms, and if Lyri hadn't come along to spell me off, I'd probably be busy explaining to Etna's media the reason we're dismantling a news van full of C-10, right there on our front doorstep.  It's barely past lunchtime, and I've already had a helluva day.  I'd like to hear the captain out and decide for myself whether his current status is due to bad luck, lack of proper support, or possible incompetence."  He had too much respect for Shadow to tell him to put a sock in it and shut up...but his tone made it pretty clear that he did, indeed, mean something in that vein of thought.

"Go ahead, Captain...give us the full rundown.  We're already aware of Etna's lackluster execution of the war effort...some of us just had a very graphic reminder of it.  What else do we need to know?"

  For the Nodded  to Rou, as he took a  sip of Coffee. He did pass a Glare at Shadow, who just grinned  back.

  ..Well, I hope you all forgive me  for eating as  i talk, but i did not have access to  my quarters  and my cook was killed, so i  had to survive of Rec Dec food... Pointing to the Holo-map  he nods to  Commander Si and she  Brings up   the Matterhorn.. Dozens of green  and Red Dots surrounded the Station. Pointing with his fork to the upper half ( which did not  sit  well with  Si ) he   Then asked for A Pull out so the Uppers  were visible, as well as showing the majority of colored dots...

 One  Dot was orange...The Orange ship is mine.. i hit the 'mayday' button  before leaving the Bridge...

 Hennings  asked  as  he looked over the display,..how many enemy vessels?

  Unkown  Admiral Hennings...  if you watch the display, in real time, they  keep winking out  and  appearing elsewhere. They are doing this, i assume, so we cannot get  real numbers on their numbers  ...and..

  HAck held up a HAnd,..LT  MIller.. he said as he opened   the Room COM,..Please  have   Lt Ore Step into the warroom?

 Aye   Sir, Already Done...

 shortly a Small LT woman, Blonde hair, blue  eyes and a bit  shy,stepped through the doors,..Lt Ore ..um.. Reporting , Sir?

  Si Brought up a real  time view of the Matterhorn and brought the  CAM out so  the whole of the station and tiny dots  could be seen...

 The  lights were  , indeed , winking out  or  popping up a  different laces  on the display.

 , Lilly?  tell us , your  best count of the  Red Dots...please. Hack asked  , gently.

 Lilly looked at the Screen,  For the began to say something   m But Hack waved him to silence.... after a good  2 minutes she  said,..um... Sir... there   are...um... 27  enemy dots.. That stay on...and..um...um...14 that  wink on and off?....

 For the  said,..how can she... and  again he was waved off to silence.

 ..anything else.. LT?

 um... yes  sir?... the..um.. winking ones?... they are in the same places..Just like the Unwinking ones?..except they are..you know... winking...

 ..Thank YOu  LT...Please return to your station...

 Lily   saluted, spoared a smile  for    Commander  Si and left.

 ..I hope you aren't  going by what....

 Hack  stopped him by  interrupting Lt Ore.... Lilly.. is a Savant of sorts. She had  struggled in the academy, where she  got in, mostly due to her father's  Cred stack... Commander Si had her  for  a class is statistics.. and found, Lilly could count..almost anything, in a matter of minutes....We tested her with Cans of beans.. trunks  of .45  rounds.. people  walking across the academy center at lunch time... she was right.. almost always to the  number...

 Almost??

 Si  Spoke up,she was off by  2 fighters   during the BAttle on Bura, that  freed the planet.. and was off  by so 20   Demon troopers   on the battle field.. before forth could say anything she  went on,..the  fighters  were a bit harder for her to count, because EVOLs were involed and their  dots  were showing up as  orange, instead of  red... The   troopers  numbers  were off because some fighters strafed the field, and she had trouble with   the math of how many legs and arms  would make a 'whole' trooper.

 ..So , with that.. we know there are at least 51 cap  ships in the area to yours  16?... The support ships   can sort themsleves out  as we get closer...

  .. we do not have  16 Cap ships.. we lost 4 when they first broke  through.. so we have 12....

  ....11 and a half... he pointed to the oanage dot.

 Sit rep #2

 Hack  glanced  cross ways  at Shadow before   asking,what is the Sit Rep on  the  008?

   Forthe bit off the steak  tip as he glared  at Shadow, then  continued to talk around his bite of  food,.. The   Boarded  from    the   bridge and OB  deck.. and began to  fight their way down We  lost the Bridge and   Offcier's  quarters.. the OB  Deck nas the  Enlisted  sections to amidships.

there is a constant  battle  on the officers  deck with them trying to break through to the   Engine  room.. the  Foundry has  sealed  all the door  by welding Plates we have a hand  full for troopers on each level of the  engine rom.. The Civies   as   still working the foundry to make   plates to   cover the  doors  again...and  again.... The HAnger Dec  is a mess.. when I left we had   one  flight of  fighters  that haven't launched the others   have either been shot  down.. or  go to  The Matterhorn, to re-arm . Our MArines  are using our  shuttles  to   help blockade the hanger dec.. but the  Bugs  keep send    boarding shuttled  into the deck.. for some reason.. they want to capture the ship...

 ..when i left?..  we had some 30 troopers   on the hanger dec.. maybe  another  20 in the  engine room...

 what about the Civies?

 aboput half  were evacted to Matterhoorn.. the other half,  have barricaded themselves in  their section..

 Med-Tech?  SEC?

 ..safe  for now.. but it won't be if they just send   waves of  bugs into the hanger Dec.

 ..ok?.. the   thing is dire... we understand... but i need to know? how the 9 hells they boarding shuttles  lock on..and stay on your ship...and? take the damn Bridge?

 Before   Bull  could say anything, Hennings  and Bale  both asked,..Indeed.. that ..quite frankly  should not  have happened... what was your fighters doing at the time..

 ..Captain Moggle was enagaged  with  enemy fighters. and...

 ..you mean the fighters they sent as a distraction so their  boarding shuttles  could   land in peace?... yet..not one  fighter tried to stop them?

  For the stood,..My WC felt it was more import to eliminate  the   Enemy  air cover...

 ..fine.. they wanted to rack up kills?.. But one flight?.. 9 hells.. 1  fighter?.. couldn't spare the  time to  shoot the parasites off your hull?

 ..Captain Moggle did not want to risk damage  to the ship  by having his fighters  make  runs  on the shuttles... he  said   with  an iron voice.

 ... yeah... sure.... because?  losing your whole gods-be-damned upper deck and most of the 2nd  Dec...is  wayyyyy better.

  For the  pounded the table,..I'll not have   my Commanded  second guessed  by some  playboy  pilot!

 Hennings   stood  and Poured himself and BAle  a cup of Coffee, then Looked to Shadow and Roy to see if they wanted one,... Yes...Captain Forthe.. you will...even..if  we take the ship back... or  even if we have to scuttle it, with all hands  on board... The Bugs  now have  all the information that you have had on your fleet.. your stations  and anything else.. dec plans for   every   ESN Curiser ,with the only variance , being the number of fighters and MArines, a  Commander chose   for his or her vessel...

 ..how  would you have handled it?.... LC?

 Shade   made   chuckling sounds  as the Sanri and Occui were shaking their heads.

 A very least?   we would have split  our   wing  to  give airsupport to the  fighters that would have   blown the shuttled off the hull..regardless.. of a bit of damage...That's it... problem of boarding..solved... any shuttle within hailing  distance would have  been brought down... by doing that?  You don't lose  your   AA guns..

 ..you are speaking on hindsight...

 ..I am speaking as a  WC who's first  job, is to protect his ship..

 For the  sat down, and  dug into his food  one more time, Hennings  Gave Shadow a cup of coffee with a wink, and one for Roy, whether he asked for one or not.

 well?.. that  makes our choice easier... I'll send Sevente to Anzio,  and the Delta fleet heads  to Matterhorn...  Roy?. You'll  be taking two Duces  to the MT 008 to try and retake..or.. scuttle the ship... we won't let that ship  fly against us.

 For the  looked at  Roy,then to the Admiral  I'll leave for  the ship  as soon...

 ..No?..  YOu'll be in your shuttle with some extra  troopers.... SN?  You have  any questions   for the CAptain?

Roy frowned slightly, contemplating the logistics and potential scenarios.  "A few, actually.  For now, we'll leave any questions about how they ended up in that condition unasked...won't help fix it."  He gave Forthe a frank look.

"What's the ammunition status of your crew, and what kind of armaments are they using?"  He began ticking off points as he asked questions, marking two for what he'd just asked.  He continued, "Are we going to have to run every command through you, or are your men independent enough that they'll follow directions from us?  How xenophobic are your men...if we have some Sanri or Occui troopers go in with us, are they in danger of friendly fire?"  Two more questions checked on his fingers.

"How many of your men have actual ground-combat experience, versus some Academy training or boot camp, and then just being part of the ship's crew?"  With a finger of his right hand now laying across all the digits of his left, he stopped, and looked at Forthe again.

"That should do, for a start..."

    For the finished his meal  waving for the orderly to come take it  away, and pointed to his  glass without a word .

 THis caused  HAck, Si and the others to frown a bit.

  No, SGT  MAJ... we  don't  kill allied    aliens... though we have killed a few who manned  pirate Vessels when we  came  upon them boarding transports and merchants...

 ..Id they are  wearing  ESN  Blue.... they have no fear.

  The  Troopers Admiral Richards  sent,  have flamethrowers.. hard ammo and, of course standard issue Pulse guns... We had an Angel Elite sniper team.. but only one of them is alive, when i left..... we  are using   Frags and  Concussion grenades  on the Officer's Dec, since  it has been taken over...


 Thge  Hanger Dec   has been  Blocked off  pretty well.. we are trying to protect that last  flight of fighters... I think we have  3   pilots  left who are  waiting for the chance to launch.. but   that is were the battle is most intense.... if we lose the HAnger Dec.. we'll lose the QM.... that won't be good.

 .. we ha d  one mech.. but  it went up when thier  first shuttle landed... Like they knew it was there...

  He  looked at his  glass with distain as he waited for the orderly to fill it. Si couldn't take it any longer as she said,..The Bottle is there  for you to use, CAptain. The rest of us  get up and get our own from the sideboard.

  A Glance at  the Commander showed a bit of annoyance, but he  let out a breath of  air and poured himself  another glass...My people are  built  for  fighting  on a ship...most times  other  ships.. but some times    Ours..and...

 ..wait..wait..... This isn't the first time you were boarded?

 An angry look,..you have  no idea what kind of   combat we fight out here.... and?.. were you not  boarded  recently?

 Bale  laughs ,..quite a differant  story... we grappled  with  the Hyrian Flagship.. the Admiral was   ready to board her,, when thier   Admiral   charged  across  the boarding Tunnel..... they didn't make it much past the flight line...

 Morris  nodded as he remembers   firing on the boarders,..yes... quite  right.. they reacehd the stage.. tried to swarm past, but didn't  past  further then that... I thin two of them reached Bio-tech...The  Ambassador... he pointed to Shade,..killed one.. I think his  aid killed or  finished of the other...

 The  CAptain  took a deep drink and  topped off his glass again,..perhaps your luck  will hold then...  if you deceide to help us, ratgher then hold Sevente's hand?

Roy scowled more deeply.  "I appreciate the fact that you've been fighting largely unsupported out here, Captain, but you'd be smart to keep a couple of things in mind...the first is, the Delta Fleet largely chased the Demons out of the Delta Quad.  They still operate around Olympus...but only because Admiral Hack decided our resources were better spent taking the war to them, rather than trying to clean up every pocket of activity.  And the Delta Fleet started out as only two ships...and one of those wasn't even ESN.  A large portion of the Fleet is comprised of prize vessels, captured and repurposed.  You look out there, you'll see Demon ship designs, I think even a couple of Avian and Largran ships.  Like I told Sevente, we're not here to keep the peace, we're here to win the war.  Considering we've shattered the Demons'  operational capacity in two quadrants...you might just consider keeping a civil tongue in your head, and spare us the constant pissing contest with every officer that comes along.  We get it...you've held Matterhorn with the scantest degree of reinforcement, if you can even call it that, and Sevente's inaction regarding supporting your operations may even be considered gross dereliction of duty...that's for the Adjutants to decide.  But stop snapping at the hand that's trying to help."  He wasn't sure how that would go over...if the Captain was more concerned about his men than his position, he might just take it in good grace.  But it was coming from a non-com...even if it was a Corps-level non-com, and a Captain would not be accustomed to getting dressed down by a sergeant.

He didn't wait for the response, but turned to Hack.  "Admiral, I'd like to request another shuttle be added to our operation.  Sound like a Sanri detachment hitting the Hangar Deck could be a major help to the effort there...if they hit the Hangar and we come in from the Bridge, and one other point, we've got the Creshians in a three-way vice.  If all they've done so far is get boarding shuttles on, we should cut their numbers down pretty fast."

  Hack speaks up,where is   Admiral Richard's Flagship?

  ..When I left, The Sally Ride was about 1000 miles  away from My Vessel... The  transportbase   that send the troopers  was between  us  and the flagship, the fighters  are trying to keep Bugs off the transport....

 Hack nodded slowly,well send out  4 assault shuttles.. the  3  we have , and the  one you arrived in.. One shuttle  will have Felrite troopers ..  the other  two will have  the SGT MAJ's  teams... and the one you arrive in , will have Sanri Troopers

 .... LC SHadow as the Fleet WC will take   over   all charge of  the Air   ops in the Quad  for  this action..

 ..He'll what????

 ..Relax  Captain.. I work with the other  WC's in the area.. I'll be in the air..i don't sit behind a desk, as a WC...

 ..I will get Beth to scramble  a message to inform her  of  everything , but the Shuttles, I'll inform her  of that, once we have launched you...

 who is going to lead  the shuttles?...

 Shadow  chuckled... For the   glowered at him.

 ..The SGT MAJ  will co-ordinate his  3 shuttles.. YOu will lead   the Sanri  Troopers  onto  the Deck of...YOUR..ship

  For the  was  about to say something when Henning  spoke as he tapped  the information into his Vid Board,I realize  you are , unaccustomed to leading  a boarding  party..it hasn't changed  much since  the academy...Admiral HAck was ready to lead our people across the  to the Hyrian Flagship...only the Hyrian Admiral beat us  across the  tunnel....Captain Rivets  and CAptain Morris  accounted   for themselves as well... so..you will understand, how  we feel you would want to board your own ship..

 The Captain looked at  Hennings, who still didn't look up. Shadow was just grinning.

 Hack looked at  Roy,..Roy? figure  out  who and where you are going to hit  the Reinhold Ewald... Lt Hirr  will lead the Felrite  shuttle.

Roy nodded.  "Aye aye, Admiral."  Without hesitation, he said, "My shuttle will go in via the bridge.  I'll have to look more closely at the deck plans and where the Creshians have control to figure out where to best use our other team and the Felrites."  He answered readily...but watched Forthe out of the corner of his eye, deciding whether he'd need to give the Sanri an extra heads-up about the captain's reliability.  He was not particularly careful about whether Forthe saw his measuring gaze...

     With a  quick nod to Si, who brought up the dec plans for the Hermes...The Reinhold Ewald, should have the SAme  Dec Plans as we do.... except  for the Black HAnger, if I am not mistaken, that is the main Gunnery range on  other ships?

  Forthe frowned,... you have a hidden hanger...

  ..you forget, CAptain Forthe, That I designed  my own ship.. just as the Eastern Block captain designed  the HAdes... after our Victory over the Demons at Jupiter  our design was kept by the ESN.... we had a refit a few months later  and  we added more hanger  room and switched out   some broadside weapons..and made some other changes.. it  would not be a good thing, for you to repeat that we have the ..'extra training' space.

  He Looked to Hennings who stood  and  read off his   Vidboard...

  ..we leave in 16 hours......  LC?..   get your  Pilots  briefed.... I  or    Admiral Hack will send along message for you   to co-ordinate  the  Fighter wings ....

 Aye, Sir.

  ..SM?  You'll get your  people together  and can decide on where you want them to Hit... Lt, Ferris  will be the lead of the Sanri troopers... they'll have a  unit of 10..

  ...From what Captain Forthe  has  told us... they have lost  the   Bridge and the officer's Dec, all the way to the engine room.... They have lost the OB dec and enlisted/NCO quarters , all the  way to amid ships.. which means  half the guns are in thier hands  as well...

 ..and... The Hanger Dec  is a no man's land  with  Ewald  troops and those the transport Bases of the  GAmma Fleet  fighting   with the Bugs that have been  landing... Hopefully  Captain Forthe and the Sanri  can turn the tide , by coming from  'behind'

 Shadow cleared his throat, Hack's eyes narrowed as he said,..Do you have something...constructive to say?

 ..Just, Something to ask?  Captain Forthe...other then your  Fighter  wing  Bugging out...

 he grinned at the word..Hack held up a hand to stop him from the  impending  pun..yeah.. well... what  we need to know... how did  the Bugs get into your ship and spread...so fast?... again?... this won't happen to the  Delta Fleet.. because our  fighters won't let them 'take hold'...but even at that?  How did they manage to spread, that far, that fast?

 Captain Forthe's  face colored in anger and embarrassment.....as  i said.. they   boarded us, and spread through the ship... that's  what ...i know...

 Commnader Si looked annoyed at  Shadow,..LC?... I think You should   take a look at your aircraft and see that they are  all ready.

 ..'ang on, Boyo... I'll come with ya.. as they Moved to the  door, Shadow stopped and looked back at Forthe who was staring at him,..one more thing?  CAptain? your shuttle crew?  where are they.. are they being taken care of ?

  ..Yes... The Admiral offered them   food  on the rec dec and use of  spare quarters until  we  return...

 Shadow looked at Roy and then Nodded,..good...good..... He saluted  'the Room' and  salutes  were returned  , He and Rivets walked out the door...

 They walk   through the Bridge were  Rivets waves away 'officer on Dec'..Shadow gives a fist bump to Miller as they pass her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:47, Mon 30 Oct 2017.

Roy's brow was furrowed in thought.  "So...my team hits the bridge...the Sanri hit the Hangar deck...the Felrites can go in through the Observation Deck...the other Hermes shuttle hits just forward of Engineering."  He looked at Forthe again.  "Can your men in engineering evacuate the atmosphere in the captured sections?  I know the Creshians can operate longer without atmo than humans...but they do still need to breathe.  If there's no atmo, the lack of pressure might also induce the bends...at the very least, it will make it less convenient for them to operate, we'll all be in boarding armor and shouldn't be affected much."

  Giving  Si an impatient roll of his  hand, for her to bring up the   Bridge Deck.

  Si  gave  him a cold stare  but brought it  up...when they first came in... they came in here.... and Here...  the spots he pointed  to was   the  Captain's (since there is no admiral on his ship) Quarters  and the   War room.

 ..They Sealed off the breeches .. the  OB deck , they came in from the windows... they seal that off  the OB Dec  but shutting  doors... they are still bringing in troops  that way.

 he shakes his head   as he looks at the  screens,..we shut the engines  down... there is   enough power  for life support.. keep the  Civies alive and such... we left the lights powered up, because ...most of the Bugs  don't need the light anyway... but it helps us.. so we keep them on...

  Bale speaks up.....I am a Provost.. always have been..since the day i left the academy... but  i know  some tactics  too...not like you folks... but..i have to ask this? Why are they so set on capturing   your ship?..outside of more  food and breeders? what do they have to gain? Why not  just blow it up... one less warship for them to worry about?

 ... We will not know...unless we  can take the ship back...

Roy gave a grunt, almost subvocally, to Forthe's response.  "I meant, can we evacuate atmosphere between sections...force them to keep their troops stationed in locations they can lock off, like the Bridge or Observation Deck?  Figured it wouldn't be as simple as dumping atmo, or you'd have done that already and wouldn't still be fighting to hold your own.  But if we can create isolated pockets, where they can't move around and reinforce each other...that gives us the edge, especially when the Hermes fighters start blasting their shuttles off your hull."  He didn't wait for a response before adding, "And just how fast are they bringing in more troops?  If you've got no air support and only half your guns are accessible, why haven't they just overrun your position already?  They stampede across a hundred miles of open terrain on Astra, with artillery chewing away at them the entire time, and STILL had almost enough troops to stomp us into the mud, so it's not likely any kind of concern about loss of life..."

     Shadow entered the    room without a knock.  Shade looked up and   bleeped.

   Admiral.....

 LC  looked alittle angry,..LC?  This is not the Time.....

 Aye . Ma'am..it is..... he looks at   For the.....tell them....

 ..I have  no idea....

  TELL THEM!.... then  he almost composes himself,..or  by all the gods that ever  roma the Black... I'll make you tell them...

 LC! ...

 Hennings looked to Hack..Hack  stared  at Sgadow for a second, then turned to  For the...

 .... you'er Pilot is   a Madman.....

 Agreed..... but.. you will tell  us ...what he  is getting at..or.. i will indeed  alllow him the chance to make you...

 Forthe  Stood......The   Shuttle people......

  Nodded  as he walked the rest  of the way into the room,..I had to... persuade them.....

  ..they will pay for  this..indiscretion...

  ..you best hope  not... This changes the whole Ball game....if something happens to them.. i will hunt you down and anyone who had a hand it it.. and kill you..

 ..HOW DARE YOU!

 HAck was getting angry,..its part of his job.. people die  around him..now....tell us what this is  about..and  tell  us  now!

 Forthe looked around at the room... Shadow  made a low moaning sound.....Shade  already has it figured out too...

 Forthe lloked at Shade  with disgust, then   said.. softly.....MAtterhorn, has  all but fallen....

  WHAT!!!........HOW!..........all the gods  be  damned....

 ..Shuttle  Jocks   call  them ..Parasite Shuttles.. they  ram ships  with their  noses.. and  an Impact charge goes off... if it blows the whole way  through   they pour out thier troops  trhrough a tunnel  behindthe charge under the cockpit...  if the charge   isn't enough.. they cut the rest of the way through... then send in UEs...  My guess?... the   shuttle  is packed to the Brim and the pour out... the only  regular  Creshains would be the cutting team...

 The Captain sits  down, Shadow continues.. there is  more then venom in his words........  The only thing they have  control of..is the Uppers Hangers... to  quote the  Shuttle  jock?    Matterhorn looks like a cactus  with are the parasite shuttles  attacked.. his best guess... 2 months, maybe  3...

 ... six.....

 ..why didn't  Admiral Richards  send  for help?....

 ..The Delta Fleet was too far away...  Fuji sent  transport troops, but  couldn't  spare CAp  ships.... Etna  could spare CAp ships.. but wouldn't  send them.. none of these destroyers reached us.....

 Admiral Richards   .... she is not handling this  ...well....she see vids  from the Etna Sec CAms.... there are pockets of   troopers and civies  fighting...but the station is infested...she thinks   we can save the station... but I don't see how...

 Hack  shook his  head  and poured a  whiskey... he took a sip and set the bottle  by Forthe. He  rubbed his  forehead  shaking his head  as he did,... Dr  Largersson  talked to Doc Henry...  there should be a shuttle  arriving  in a few hours..... he was  working on  an Bug bomb.. he calls it..but there isn't much... and well have to spread it through the fleet for  thier Techs  to  Synthesize it....but  even on that  scale.. we   can't   count on it to 'take care of things'....

 ..Shadow?... You'll have to talk to your people... we'll get a picture of the station as soon as we can... but  your  aircraft are going to have to blow each and every parasite off the HUll... while  making sure..no more reach it.... I can only assume.. the shuttles are Funnels for UEs...  with  regular Creshians popping in from time to time....they may have already set up breeding areas... and you know  they have set larders up...

 ..She should have sent  for help..regardless of how far away we were.....right now?. we have to invade our own damn station...

 ..and you weren't going to tell us..until we got there.....

  The Look on the CAptain's  face said it all.....the fleet would have went there.. expecting to hell a few ships out?.. maybe trade a few broadsides?.. and we would have been hung out to dry...


 ..Admiral Richards... she...made a mistake.. and now the station is paying for it...she was afraid she would lose here station...

 ..what was  the mistake a scout  craft spotted   two parasite  shuttles on the  bottom of the lowers... they wanted  to destroy them.... but  The Admiral thought we could capture them.. and  learn how to make out own.. what she didn't  know.. ws  they were feeding in the UEs....by the time Civies reported them in the tunnels?.. it was too late..gods  only know how many died before   we knew...

 Shadow   just stared  at  Forthe,..I'll get with my people after  we cast off tomorrow... no use  ruining what down  time they have left...Shade?..  lets get out of here... I'm going back to the Rec Dec...

 The  little  guy hopped off the chair   and   followed  as fast as he could.. Forthe   still gave the 'creature  a  Sneer

 ..Roy... I'm Calling   Captain MUska and his people..they will be the first from the Delta fleet to hiut the station.... we will still have to get  Ewald  back... Captain  Forthe is still leading  the Sanri Shuttle in.. we can't  really hit the station until  we  clean off the parasites... Muska  and His people   can go in from the  Uppers Hangers...They....like ...fighting the Creashins..they like the way they taste...

 That's it everyone.... We are not going to Let Admiral Richards know.... we know..  we'll approach  then  break off  was   Matterhorn  comes into effect  range  to launch fighters..... Once there...  I  will give the Commands  until   we have  an inquiry  of   Admiral Richards...now?.. as  Shadow suggested.. everyone get some down time... we're gonna get read busy in about a day or so...

Roy's face had gone hard when it came out that Forthe was being dishonest with them.  "I'd still like answers to my last questions, Captain...how fast are the Creshians sending in additional shuttles?  And just what kinds of Creshians are aboard your ship right now?"

He looked around at the various board members that were still present.  "I'm sending troops in with strategy based on reports from a man that we just learned has been misleading us.  If this turns out to be a suicide mission, Dereliction of Duty is the least of the charges he should face."

He looked back at the captain.  "How many Creshians, captain?  And what kinds?  How fast are their shuttles getting in and off-loading?  Are we going to get there and discover they've finally steam-rolled your crew into oblivion?"  His anger was audible, barely contained.

"I just sent a man to Med-Tech, who might not survive, because some half-assed excuse for an admiral decided it was more important to avoid risking troops than it was to fight the war.  My patience for officers failing to do their jobs is at an all-time low, at the moment.  So, with all due respect, captain, stop bullshitting me and tell me what I need to know to send in a team that can save your ship and what's left of your crew."

    the others stopped  as they began to Move. Except   Hack who was sipping on his  whiskey...UEs... and  the   'standard Creshian  troops.... anything else? he looked  at Forthe.

 ...from   timne to time.. they feed more  UEs into  the parasite  shuttles...like... pouring beads into a bottle , using  a funnel...... from what i have seen.. humaniod  troops  enter through the Bridge and OB  Deck... they send   shuttles to the Hanger  dec  from time to time.. but they cannot  get a foothold there... thus far, the flame throwers  have  been keeping the UEs  at bay... One of the Trooper Captains   started  opening the static  fields  to  'flush' the bugs   if they   are behind the shuttle barriers... but.. we lose   humans   sometimes as well..

 Shadow stands  at the  Door.. Shade plops on the  floor  waiting for him to move...  Hack Looks at Shadow,

 ..what is your thoughts?

  what?.. suddenly they matter?

 Hack and Si both  frown...

 ..sorry Sir... but   if i hadn't  leaned on those  shuttle jocks? they would have  kept thier  word to thier Admiral..... Right now... If it were me?... I'd have  troops   getting the Civies to the CArgo bay and  getting them the  9 hells off the  ship... then the troopers... then blow the whole  thing to  9 hells..then his voice  lowered......we may have to  do that to Matterhorn itself.. once we get a look inside...

 Forthe  stood  again,..you are out of your mind! There   are  hundreds of thousands of people   on that station..

 ..you mean.. there were....

 Hennings looked down at the  dec.... Bale  studied  his  drink glass... Si looked at Shadow with a mix of horror and understanding.

 .. alright..  SM?  figure on going in the OB   and Bridge... if the  ship is  full of UE we can use it as a testing grounds  for   Largersson's  Bug Bombs..... Etna gets a reprieve ... we'll finish cleaning her out when we come back..Shadow's  people  will clean  the  parasite craft off the hull...without knowing for certain where troop pockets are.. we'll leave the  life support and such alone for now... But   Captain Forthe?... I will tell you this..loud  and clear. if the ship cannot be saved.. we will get off  as many people as we are able.. then  we'll light it up...we can't have a captured ESN  vessel floating around, and  we can't let them use it  for a nest...

..and the Station.....


  Only Hack looked at Shadow when he said...... The LC.... may be  right...

 Shadow    nodded  as he left..... Shade getting up trotting after.

 ..my word!.. to lose  a whole station?.. that many people?

 Everyone here.. save  Captain Forthe, has  seen the UEs... have seen or heard of the nests  under Astra.. as cold  blooded  as it sounds...there may not  be  that many humans to lose... we won't know until we send people in....but... the option is on the table.. we cannot have a 'nesting world' this close  to the   AP boarders..and that's what Matterhorn  may have become...

  Forthe ran his  hands   through his hair  as his head was  down  ,what would you have done.....
 there was only a  small bit of hate, in the  question.

  Frist off?..patrols  should have seen  the first bug that scuttled  around the tunnels... that's  why you have SEC..... I would have called out to  any and all AP  forces to aid us....

 But... Captain  Forthe... my people would have  cleaned off the parasite craft...MY PEOPLE.. would have  made sure  every   parasite craft would   be in the foundries  right now... and... Captain Forthe... MY  PEOPLE would  never have been close.. to this Mess


 ..you are so sure?.. then why is  YOUR PEOPLE.. so upset that they didn't know  what they  have been able  do deal with it?

 ..you are missing   my Point, Captain...we might have had a ship or two  have a parasite locked on... but it wouldn't be there long.. and the Bugs..UEs or humaniod..wouldn't be alive long.. I am upset...Captain.. because we should never have to think about scuttling a whole damn station..with   people on it!

 ..the  two men  who questioned aren't   worried  about the enemy we face...but the people we will lose, because  Your Admiral didn't  step up, and allowed  Pride  to let this  get out of hand.....

 Henning s finished his drink,..I think....we overlooked these things  as well.. it  didn't hurt this time because  , it didn't effect our reaction to this  problem... next time this arises. we need make sure we don't  take reports at face value...
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:05, Thu 02 Nov 2017.

Roy looked over at Hennings.  "With all due respect, Sir," and there was, actually, respect in his voice, quite unlike how he sounded when addressing Forthe.  "Why in the world would we have thought to question the reports?  I mean, it wasn't until we arrived at Etna that we received any sort of word that Matterhorn was even in distress, much less in major danger of being completely overrun.  I freely admit, once I saw what Etna's command personnel were like, I had pretty severe misgivings about the situation ANYWHERE within their sphere of influence."

He stopped, raising his hands in a gesture of helplessness, and placed them on the table in front of him.  "But when you're up to your eyeballs in hostile races trying to kill you, taking the time to focus on what isn't being reported on the far side of known space is a dangerous distraction."  He looked at Forthe, an unrelenting gleam in his eye, as he added, "That's why personnel are supposed to report the situation as it truly is, not some glossed-over version of it, especially when the people asking for the sit-rep outrank the person who was afraid to report the truth.  We're not supposed to have to second-guess whether our own people are telling us the truth...they're ESN, they're supposed to tell it, bad or good.  I never took a commissioning oath...but this kind of thing is flying in the face of what officers are supposed to be.  If you don't have the guts to tell the ugly truth to your own people, when they're here to help you, it's no wonder you're getting your butts handed to you by the enemy."

He pushed his chair back from the table.  "I remember the tail end of the Creshian stampede on Astra, Admiral," he said, addressing Hack.  "Without a definite ETA on the shipment from Dr. Largerson...and also keeping in mind that this would be a field test, and we don't know just how effective it will be...I've got to come up with some adjustments to our standard load-outs to cut down on the chances that we'll wind up being the smears on the decks, and not the bugs.  Excuse me, Sirs..."  He rose, heading for the door.

   Placing his glass in the  tub for the  used glasses, Admiral HAck Nodded...I am  at fault as  anyone here...Admiral Hiamoto of Fuji, was not one of  my best friends.. but he has been one to support us  the most...loyaly , sine the Fleet  formed, and Grew....AdmilralEvert has proven to be...less-then-co-orperative.....Admiral St Gaul turned Everest into an Elitist playground....Admiral Sevente was my Best friend until we   were sent to our postings....Etna was truned into a male dominated lech strongehold... and Admiral Richards? whom I respect more then any other  Station Commander,  has allowed her   Ego to cause... gods ... who knows  how bad it is there..I should have known to question Captain For the here harder...

 The CAptain looked up.. distress on his face...

 ...Shadow  did..... Hennings  said.

  ..and  we  admonsihed the  lad for it... sent him from the room, like one  would  a disruptive  student...

 Hack took his  glass  back out and  poured  some  Sanri Brady sending the bottle  towards the   Sanri and Occui  ambassadors,Aye.... He nodded to Roy as he   reached the door,..and the SGT Major... Largersson's shipment should be here just before.. or just after CAst off..we'll have  alot of bean counting to do with those when they arrive... CArry On.. Roy...

 Then he looked at Si.. who was feeling a bit  bad about herself as well,..Call Beth through  the SEC  channels... Tell her to Contact Commander McKeon... Tell her she has a job and  she needs to be gone in as little  as  3  hours...have her Contact me directly...

 Si   began to send the  message to  Beth.

Roy nodded, a quick salute turning him back from the door.  "Aye aye, Sir..."  There was no mistaking the respect in his voice as he acknowledged Hack's words to him.

And then he was gone, stepping out the door with his mind a whirl of prospective scenarios and possible responses, envisioning the kinds of attacks the bugs would try and what might be the best response for each.  He vaguely acknowledged any greetings from the bridge personnel...but he was lost in thought.  One point that kept coming to mind...he had to see the quartermaster...

To QM's Area...

( after   Sevente execution..arrival of  Verians and Hyrians)

 Hack and others  from Hanger Dec.

  The   chairs  were set up. Food and Drink arrived from the steward...making sure the  'right' food was available   for the Verians.

 Shade  and Dusk both  took soda's  Adam  frowned, Full blood  Verians  cannot  drink too much of that.....

 ... That is Your  Weakness..not ours... High Lord... Dusk said, taking a deeper  drink from her, in spite.

 The Older  Hyrian sat in the chair..Cupping a  warm drink.. he spoke.. in a husky voice.. his breath was drawn and whistles   sounded   from his lungs  as he breathed out.

 ...before  we begin..Admiral Hack.... i made it my choice ...to come here... to ...to thank you for the  anti-vac... for the   sickness that roams our  planet.....our people are trying  to reproduce it now... it will save...Millions of  Hyrians....

 Hack Bowed his head  as he took a cup of coffee,..your people had shown good intent.. those who went to the Colonies  are working hard to make a home... and the troops and ship.. have performed as well as any other  ESN  ship.... once the   transports  of Hyrians arrived.. i gave orders to send the  'cure' as it were.....I will stress... in no short terms... that neither   of the things we unleashed  on Hyria, would have been  needed, had Hyria either Joined the APF...or ..stood  down from aiding the Empire...


 Lyri stood   in one  corner..AP  rounds in a Greasegun, hard ammo weapon  was  held in her  hands  as she watched Adem and Evert...

 Lilit said softly to her  and Roy,.... you will not  need that weapon... if Adem would  attempt to be the Fool he  is  at most times?.. I will strike him down Myself...
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:19, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

  Garrat was walking in with Lirg, "But as the earthlings say, better late than never.  Many of us look foreward to the restoration of your planet and the eventual Comradery of your people." Garrat takes up a position where he can act but far enough back as not to impose on preceedings.

  Lirg  still wrinkles his  Muzzle.My people are a proud people.  The warriors are elite.. the elast of us... should best the likes of your...'Shadow'...it  has left many Hyrians   , shaken, That Admiral Hack bested   our  greatest Admiral, and left him a cripple.... Our Scientists  are not as good... most Hyrians who take to books and studies are the runts of the litter...thier brains stealing the food their Bodies needed!

 It  is Unseemly... For a Hyrian to burden others in thier  infirmed state... most..when the time  comes. bids  farewell to thier pack, and heads to the forest.. where they will die...and  begin thier  next journey in the  wheel of life...

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

 Adem waits until all are  seated,  and/or at least have a drink, or some finger  food.Before  the  full business begins... we have  been up dated  by the Blockade fleets  in the Hillite  System, that  some Hillites are now  Joining the  APF?... we  wish  to know what the stance  is . with the Hillites... how can they be trusted...The Nivarians have succumbed to your  battering... and the Hyrians  have been Cowed....

 there are Grrrrrsssss  from all Hyrians , even  Lirg.

 ..It is true..is it not?..  Your planet is suffering in much the way  the Hillites  are?

 One of the  Hyrians who wore the MArk of a  1 star General says,..we are  fighting Illness... radiation and the destruction of our main power sources.... The ESN/APF has given us a cure....somewhat , for the Illness... once or  powerplants  are  on line, we can deal with the radition... we have  found.. the radiation  was not quite as harmful as we were lead to believe.. the water is being filtered alot   easier.. and   the farmland s  are  shifting  soils and adding  de- toxification .. we should only be a season behind in crops...But we will have to trade heavy for that...

 A one star Admiral on the other side of the 'old one' adds,we are here because of the  aid that was given...though the ...promise was made  to let us die....Perhaps  By showing our change.. we will garner more aid...

Roy gave Lilit a curt nod.  "I appreciate your assurances.  That said, we're responsible for the security of our ship, and it is much easier to keep something secure when you're armed.  Just because we carry them doesn't mean we plan to use them...but we don't surrender that option lightly, and it will take much more than the assurances of a dignitary I have no experience with before I order my people to surrender arms."  He spoke plainly, no anger or suspicion in his tone...one warrior explaining tactics to another.

He suppressed a grin at Dusk's minor display of defiance of Adem, but said nothing.  That didn't stop him from rolling his eyes in Lyri's direction when Adem asked about the trustworthiness of Hillites that were joining APF forces.

  Hack  shook his head...first off?  The Hillites are being put into  Hillite Transportbases.  Shoulf they prove to be loyal, able  fighters.. we  may beging to both...loosen the blockade and allow them  to have Cap Ships of thier own, once more.. this would also free up Sanri and Occui warships, to search and destroy around the Asteroid field there... should they prove false?.. well... Three more Colony worlds  won't hurt us any..

  He Bows to the elder  Hyrian,. Grol,  Pack leader of the PAck leaders.... I know your   journy here was not kind.... It speaks  Volumes for the Hyrians, that youa re here.


 Lirg straightens a bit more his chest out

 and you are right  about the radition.. we used ....stale...components... indeed.. the blasts were massive...and the  fallout  can..and will  kill, perhaps  for a few years to come...but  what we did was to Hamstring you..enough  of the APF felt your people  might stray from the Empire to Join the APF... and thus , did not want us to destroy  you home world.... so instead.. we beat the 9 hells out of it...

 he looked over all those  present,..That is something, Hel will not get from me.... when we reach the demon home world.. you will have a  problem finding enough  bacteria  to catch a cold...


 ..Now?...  please tell  me why were  were....graced... with the arrival of  two races who normal  kill each other... yet shared   a convoy and  are now, sharing  drinks with Us?

 The MAle Sanri Ambassador  and the Female Occui stood to watch as well..

 Adem started off slowly..  Evert moved to his side... Lilit Crossed her  arms  under her breasts holding  a hlaf  empty  cup of wine.

 we did not  come here...because of the  fighte with the Creshians... we came because of your threats to the Roussians.. we came to try to stop you from attacking the Roussians on the other side of the Gamma quad

 Commander Si laughed. but said nothing else.

 Gorl said in his horse voice,.. we have  come... to support your attacks on the Roussians....

 Hack looked in disbelief ,..You do know , what the Roussians  tried to do, when we subjugated Nivar?.. what it cost us?.. in People...and..personaly ?.. The  Roussians  will get less favored treatment then the Hillites  or  the Nivarians.. at least they, did not pretend to ..help. Then turn out  to be  enemies...   

   Commander  Si face held a deep look of rage, but she managed to control it as she said..oldly,Tell me  why... the 'great' Adem would wish us to spare the Roussians the fate they deserve.

 Adem  straightened his massive shoulders and said,..They are important allies in trade. Then are able to get is supplies  and things  we cannot   grow or make on our own homeworlds of colonies...

 Gorl  speaks up.....they are allied  with the Empire.. most of thier goods  come from  cargo pirated from other races... if you crushed the Hillites  and Nivar for this?.. you cannot spare the Roussians...

 Evert speaks up....... the goods  we need.. help keep  us alive..... if trade would stop with them.. we would have to....

 Dusk snaps,...do it yourself?.... Make it ..yourself..... send  ships out to trade..yourself..... what you  saying.. is the  Verians  are parasites, and  you'll look the other way to other racers suffering, as long  as you get your  goods!

 Adam   snaps back,..Shut up you little Fool or....

 Lilit's hand   smashed  down on the stand next to her, the  thing crumbled under the force of the blow,...or what?  Adem? Would you try to shut up your Grandspring?.. or will you replace  her with another...made to fit your needs... as her  arm  swung to point at  Evert.. who stepped back in shock and anger herself.

    Dusk's  eyes  were blazing  red.. as   were Shade's  Shade  snapped out  some  blares and bleeps... Ducks Nodded,..Yes.. Lilit was right.. Father  would have  ended this...

 Bale  stood.. somewhat slowly  and  shouted..ENOUGH!.. As Provost General..  i will have civil discussions. or we will transport those  who think other wise...to the Brig..

 ..you think you could do that to me! Adem snapped.

 Hennings  grinned,..if  we can't ..  we'll call in the people who can..but?  it will happen...

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

there was  quiet.. The Commander said,..if i have a say.... the roussians  will suffer...and i will not even blink...

 Gorl  nods to his Admiral who hands  HAck a  folded papers..w ith a  wax seal......that..is the  Hyrian Council of PAcks... orders to all Hyrian Vessels... as  for 3 days ago.. they are to report to the home world... The Delta Fleet.. or the Nearest ESN Carrierstation as members of the    APF.....

 The General then handed  HAck another    folded  paper with the same seal...that..is the petion fro Hyria and all its colonies  to gain Entrance  to the APF... it was not sent.. I wanted to deliver it..in person....If the APF will have us.. we will be your  extra sword.

 Hack handed the papers to   Bale  who opened them with  respect.. he had  to use his Vidboard to read the Hyrian   words...well.. we wil have to have a meeting with  the Occui, and Sanri and the  Angels  and Burian reps.... but?  with your pledge of vessels  .. I see  no one objecting.. Nivar and   the Hillites  cannot   vote   until they have had a full year in the APF..

 Grol nodded,..I thank you in advance...when the official   vote is handed down.. I will relay it by Vid to my people...

 Adem  says harshly,..do we not have a Vote?.. Have a say?

  HAck points to   Shade,..There..is the Verian  Rep. He has been since you with drew from the APF...and?..since you have withdrawn.. you have no vote as to whom we accept....even if you were to  rejoin...right now.. You would have to wait the  full year..so..NO... you have to say..except that  from Shade...

  Adem   waves his hand at Disgust at Shade,..the  broken bit of scrap?... I do not thing its even possible to fix ..that...let alone have it be our...

 His voice stopped... two heavy footsteps brought  the Iron grip of a Human/verian hand on his throat.. the  handed  tightened.. as Lilit said in a slow manner,... you will  shut up....now... You will not  do to them... what you have done to me....  the Grip tightened on   Adem's  throat  as  both hands gripped Lilit's arm...

 Evert ahd  reached  for   her  weapon, But  Mann and Waggstaff hand thier  weapons up..Lyri hand hers pointed at Adems  legs...
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:21, Thu 04 Jan 2018.

   When the hyrian was speaking and mentioned being a sword for the ESN, Garrat shook his head "No, you will not be another sword.  You will be a member of a stronger pack.  You have not been cowed by us.  That was where you were with the demmons.  You simply realized you were part of a bigger comunity and to find dominance in that comunity you had to grow.  Lirg has taught us much of the pride and power of your people.  I for one look foreward to fighting besides you."

   When Evert reached for her weapon Garrat's Milled Occui pistol was at her temple. No warning shots this time He says quietly.

Roy's hand rested on the butt of his machine pistol...but he didn't draw it, seeing as his troopers had more than enough weapons in play at this point.  He looked over at Hack.  "Admiral...I find myself in a conflicted position, Sir.  As Security Chief, I am responsible for the welfare of all aboard...but this situation appears to be an internal Verian matter, and as they are not currently members of the APF, I feel I have no authority to intervene...unless you would wish otherwise, Sir."  He spoke plainly...no subtle emphasis or slurred words...it was almost as if he was describing a math problem and asking a tutor for some assistance.

Except his eyes returned quickly to where Lilit was choking Adem, as he spoke...and didn't look away.  He also made not even the slightest motion to intercede.  He did look at Evert and add, "Pretty sure, even without the sergeant's sidearm at your head, you'd be dead before you hit the floor if you raised that weapon.  You'd like to think you're a warrior...and physically, you could probably best any one of us in this room...except her.  She's the real deal, not a politician who occasionally resorts to combat.  But, please...push your luck...and his."

  The  Hyrian Admirla  put himself  between  Adme and Evert and  Hack... The  General    stood   in front of Gorl.

  Lyri's eyes stared  at  Adem who despite his mass, could not Budge  the grip or  arm of  Lilit... the latter's eyes  were retrunign to  Green , but her  smile was cold as The Black.

  Shade   whirled  and   Bleeped...

 Lilit threw back her ehad   and laughed like a man women.. the  metallic , yet musical  sound   made   Commander Si take a step back......  Ambassador..Shadow.. wants to know if I can Fix Adem...

 Dusk  said in a bitter  metal tone,... that scrap cannot be fixed..... I...I am ashamed to be of his Blood...

  There  was  a smile as she gripped Adem a bit   tighter... creases were showing in his   neck.. and his eyes   turned   grey....I am  Glad to hear your say that... Dusk  Shadow.... because....

 ...NO!!!.. YOu cannot! Evert shouted...

  Lilit  pulled Adem close   and looked into his eyes  that were grey.. his  struggles  agaist her  grip  slowed.... then she Pushed Him hard away  , the bulk  fell onto  a chair, crushiung it.. he reached for his throat   as if he was having trouble with breath...

 ...Because... Dusk Shjadow.... and Shade.. I am  your Grandmodder..... Lady was  ..MY  daughter..... and she too..held  Human DNA , though..not  as much as i would have liked... These two.. thought to raise her  as her own.. while i fought the hordes... but I am back.. To Join this Fight... and to lead the Verians who will follow.....and?.. I am short one ship's captain...

 Hack Looked at Spencer...well... Sevente is right.. because.. I'll be damned....

 Gorl looks  around,...no wonder  the Delta fleet is  so fierce....you have harder fights in your  warroom, then most races have in battle!...  the Hyrian  laughed , a dry coughing laugh...
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:02, Fri 05 Jan 2018.

   Garrat Nods at Spencer's assessment and removes his gun from Evert's head.  He walks over and offers a hand to help Adem up.  In a calm quiet voice he says: "Adem, our chief medical officer has closely examined Shade and his Genetics and come to the conclusion that your foster Daughter, the one we know as Lady, has designed him specifically to grow and develop as he has.  There is no mistake.  If you ever loved her as your daughter you will understand that Shade represents everything she wants him to be in this stage of development.  If you wish to examine these findings I'm sure an agreement can be reached to transfer these findings to you.  Until then, it is unwise to insult Shade.  His very being is Lady's final wish.  A wish she spent all of her years since flying with shadow crafting carefully in the core of her being."  He steps back.  "This is the creature you raised.  Take wisdom from her courage, and pride in her actions."

Roy's smile took an odd twist.  "Oh, Sevente was right...he was just after the fact.  We've already been through Hell.  A few times."  He snorted softly, adding, "Doesn't make much sense to try and curse a man with what he's been living for the past few years.  But, then, Sevente wouldn't understand that, since he was so adept at avoiding combat and letting someone else resolve his conflicts for him."

He turned his grin to Lilit, and then to Evert.  "I revise my estimate, Evert.  She's Lady's mother?  You'd have been dead before your weapon cleared the holster."  He stepped over to Lilit, with an empty hand extended.  "A true pleasure to meet you.  Your daughter saved my life on more than a few occasions...or, more accurately, let Shadow help her save my life, I guess."  He shrugged, and added, "We didn't realize she was anything more than a simple AI until Shadow upgraded planes and she stayed behind on Bura to help the fight there.  Didn't realize she was more than a really complex AI until her death...so I don't know how much autonomy she had in operation.  I just know that every time I needed her, she was there."  He faltered a bit, swallowed hard, and met her gaze.

"My sincerest condolences.  Her loss is still mourned."

  Evert looked down  as  Adem was helped up... she turned her  head a bit as Roy spoke.

  Lilit Smiled as she  took Roy's  HAnd.  The grip was  strong, but there was  no intent in the grip.. the hand..warm, still held a metallic like   quality ..... Why... thank you SGT Major...Spencer?  Right... he could envision  the pupil-less slipping towards his name   bar.

 ... though, I have been away.. i still saw the Vids... I saw her  fly twice at the  Moons... but  we could not get  much closer  as we dealt with Qarl.... The Admiral's policy of  sending out Vids  allowed me seem more of her actions..though... briefly as  they  flew around  like the  forest Bats of Bura...

  the  beautiful face lost a bit of the  smile, her grip tightened a  bit, but caught herself as she het go of the hand when she said...... Shadow's Destruction of her Killer...was....was..Magnificent... a bit of  irony. The coward had killed the  highest form of Mechbeing he had ever hoped to meet... and  died  by the weapon  Man has used since they first walked the grasses of your homeworld...

   Dusk  and Shade looked up at her, both thier  eyes , Blusish Green... Shade bleeped  softly as he looked up....

   Lilit  gave Roy a soft touch his arm as she turned   and kneeled..her hand   gently touched Shade's face......NOOOOOO... little one... there is nothing to fix!.. The  large man  said it close to the best... Lady wished to have  offspring she could be proud of..but refused...sooo..many suitors. her head titled  as she held out the other arm to  Dusk who took quick steps to be enfolded in that arm.. Shade   Hugged her tight...

  ..Verians  can mate  until thier  servos fall off.... any and all races they meet.... but... when  a verian truly wishes  an offspring to carry on her being.. she will mod with one she loves.....

..there is no...'fixing' for that....to  ..her  head turned briefly at Adem, the  green eyes  flashed  red for a second,  but she turned back to her Grandspring....to try and  change that? Is to try to change the color of  The Black.... Dusk?  Your  changes are not what they did... it was merely Accelerated... pershaps?..10 years?  and Shade?... You hatched.. too early? Do you know  why?


 Shade    Just shook his head  against her  armored shoulder..... you knew  Evert was  coming... you felt it..in your being.... so.. you hatched.... YOU... hatched yourself... forced yourself into being... to save your sister from a threat.. that you could not have known..save for the warning in  your heart... You sacrificed much in that.... YOur.... growth will be slower...too much human in you..perhaps..not enough in Dusk... but you both carry your parents....and Dusk has  shown she  can fight....

 ... you  have never seen Shade wade into a fight...odds don't matter to him....

  Lilit looked up and  Lyri..who still hand  her   weapon ready to shoot the legs off Adem.....Is that true?.... she  stroked his head  gently,..i wonder where you got that from...Hmmmm?

 Evert  was looking at the ground... Lilit's head  turned back to   Roy , Hack and the Board,.... i'm sure  everyone understands  why i did not think it was wise  for  The Human Shadow to be here..at this moment...

 Shade beeped into her shoulder, The  armored Verian    smiled,..yes...  He has a name... I meant no slight...

 Shade  beeped  and rubbed her back  and she   giggled... an odd sound coming from the  'woman' that tossed Adem across the  room.

 ..Now?  Commander Si.... Your Home system has what is called the Blue Angels, those who have signed  to Join the  APF  and ESN...

 ... yes.. Warlord ?...why do you ask?

 ..there is a planet... not  far from   Vera..it  is in disputed   space between  the Roussians and   Vera.... Roussians blockade us... but they are no match  for Verian Pilots...TRUE...verian pilots... the planet is called  Uden..it is very ..'earth-like'.. we have much to offer the APF... but we need aid in stopping the roussian  raids...In return, we seek to aid  you in the destruction of Hel itself... our numbers  will not be great... perhaps  5 Cap ships... maybe 4 transportbases...... the rest will be needed to guard against the roussians and   the other  Empire races that await you..... but.... every  verian trooper  will fight like 100  empire troops....

 Gorl  coughs  as he says in a horse voice,what the  Warlord  says is  true.. I was  no better then a Whelp when i  fought my first action against   Verians  from Uden...  we had to retreat..  we were beaten soundly..by a force half our size.. and it did not matter  how many of them fell.. others   stepped up to fight, until we could not sustain the fight  any longer... I can no longer join a fight... but.. if  i were able... I would stand  side  by side with  the Verians of Uden..

  Lilit seemed content to hold her grandspring as she continued,... I would like the Name... Blue Verians? As  both a tribute to  your  people, Commander  who fought so long  against thier own homewold's lack of courage....and... It would be good  to symbolize  our  new colors of ESN Blue?

  Adem  coughed.. his voice  sounded  like a gate that needed oil,..you are a fool.... you will throw  your people away...they will die  fighting for races that would just as easy..kill you...

 Dusk lifted her head and looked at  Adem  with  redeyed  glare,... maybe you are right.... but better that, then cower in our own droppings when the Empire  looked too hard in our direction?  Vera should have  been a shining gem in The Black..instead.. it is  a smoldering  coal...

 ..it was a foolish thing  i did... giving your mother  to that bastard of a Human....

 Shade started to scramble towards Adem But  Lilit held him tight,..ease... little one.... You are... how do humans say?..Fiesty? Adem is still your GrandMod..... but..that does not give him...any leave...in any way... to run his mouth as he does....he should be  aware of this.... I am most certain, that.... she looked at her  two  grandspring,..Shadow.. will only be pushed  so far, before Adem becomes  plates  for his next fighter...

Adem made what could pass for a snorting sound.

 Lilit  stood   and  turned to look at those who  were gathered....you have heard our  reasons...  and what we can rightful, promise... I shall go seek out  Shadow... YOu may COM  me with your  decision... Adem?... If I were you  i would seek to leave the ship? When  the news  reaches  Shadow ears.. he may...wish to .....talk... to you both...Evert in particular... but Adem, i think out of pure..fun?

    Garrat scratches his beard. "That explains something I never understood.  When he first hatched, Shade grabbed Dusk and tried to escape the room the hatchlings were in.  He went up through the air ducts and killed two rodents while trying to seek freedom.  We would have lost him ih that section of the ship weren't rigged to be closed off, and probably would have found his way through that if I hadn't talked him down.  He has a hand tool that can creat a flame that may be hot enough to cut metal and latter learned to weaponize it to shoot a bolt.  The thing I don't understand is how Lady Evert can fire a similar energy bolt as, I heard, could Lady.  This was suposed to be a rare and hereditory trait."

 Dusk looks at Garrat,... we all have somne form of defesne?....  My father said Lady has  'antirodent deterant ' and  could  Zap  people..things when she was left alone, if he turned on her  auto protect.... I can  cast a small energy ball..it was....bigger..before i was 'fixed'.... Shade has   Fire.. none know why?... Evert has    lighting-like charges...Adem... as a force push?...

   Lilit  shrugs,..I had  Mine  protections  removed....when i would not  blindlu succome  to Adem's  wishes... but through the  decades, i amanged to pick up Stremghts... and  Speed..... I was   a fighter once.... for about a year.. but the Fooll who flew me, did not deserve me... so i left the  fighters.. and Bonded to a new  Body.. i am...pleased with it..

  Garrat stops and turns, "Wait, you can bond to new bodies?  Do they have to be mechanical or can they be organic?  Is there a point of no return? is That why Lady couldn't stay with shadow?"

   Lilit  looked  sad, her  eyes   turning a bit  purple...... verians get to a stage.. where they  chose. Humanoid   of Bonding.... If the choice to be a Humanoid is made... then they grow.. and such as any other   Race...... for machine bonding..  you are , that machine... but there is a draw back.... as  the longer you stay.. the more , apart of the machine you become..until you can No longer leave that Machine... very few Verians  take it that far.... I fear Lady did not  wish to leave Shadow, and  stayed ....too long.... but.. knew the  Newer fighters  would be better  for him and , instead, went on to help the Burians..... for me?.. I did not like control,, so  I  Bonded to another verian Body that was no longer in use..Adem...made sure i could not  regain my Old  Body when  he cast  me out Of Uden...but?..as you see..Uden is now mine....

   "As well Uden should be.  I've been pondering how to avoid the Lady situation but have never known enough to come up with more than theories of keeping the Verian life form in a plug in module that can be transferred between craft.  Then again I've only known of one person so dedicated to his craft to be worthy of such a pairing."

   Litil laughs  again,...  we do...get downloaded , in a sense, and  can be recrived that way?... but once  we begin to take hold we cannot leave..... Dusk and   Shade will not be able to do this, ebcause of thier  Human DNA, that has..more or less..taken over...odd, that it is so..aggressive.

    "Dr. christy would call it Darwinism.  Earth human genetics are very competetive with eachother because of strong variences between the culture, and being derived from a hostile physical environment then eventually a hostile social environment.  The weak don't reproduce.  So you can't bond with a smaller machine that plugs into a bigger one?"

  Garrat looks around a little embarassed. "I'm sorry.  Building new machines was a favorite past time of mine when traveling between missions.  I'm taking your time.  I apologize."

  Lilit   Give the  rest a nod, as she  and   the two 'shadows' leave...

   Hack  Looked  at the Hyrians,..I do not think this will ake overly long... Follow  my orderly to the Ambassador's Quarters and relax while  we  call the Vote...

 Gorl   waves his  two   board members one,..thank you... i could use  some rest.... the shuttle  ride.. was not what i am used to...

  Commander Si Looked at Evert but  spoke to them both,..though you make   lead your  Planet.... you cannot  rule all those  who seek a place in this  wore.... I am Thinking the Blue Verians   will be speaking for your people..at least until the end of the war......

 Hack added,..i would take  Lilit's  suggestion, and leave before  Shadow  hear's the news.... I cannot think he will be a happy fellow...


 ..Indeed.. it was cruel to act as though you were LAdy's  Mother... and Adem?.. allowing her to claim that, was just as bad, when you are the Mod..and Lilit is the Modder..it is...sickening....

 Hack nods,...SM?... as you said we have APF guests to worry about..Adem and Evert are on thier own.....

   Garrat nods to Adem and Evert then turns to Lirg. "No matter how you veiw him, would it not be proper to see Gorl to the admiral's quarters?"

...Lirg  Snorts  and Follows   Gorl and his two Board Members out...

  Adem and Evert leave.. they cast one last look at  Commander Si who turns away from them.

  Lyri   put the  safety on her weapon....well... that was.....odd...

  ..Shadw isn't  here... But it will not matter unles the Votes  are  tied?   Let Us Hear  what we have on the  Blue Verians..

 The Sanri Grinned,..with the choice of  color.. I will have to voye  Yes, for allowing them in...

 The Occui raised her hand,Aye... as well for us...

 Hennings   spoke,..As fleet rep..I say Aye....

 Bale  raised his hand,   as legal Rep.. I see no reason to not allow them.. we set the mark when the  Blue and Red Moon joined... for that matter.. when the Nivar Green Moon joined..

 well..without Shade   voting...  they  are now in the APF...

 ...Now?  The Hyrians?.. a bit of a different   story... but?.. the  same book cover?

 ..My people are not  fond of the Hyrians.... but... we can use thier  troops...so?.. I say..Aye

 The Occui shook her head......I should  say no... but  we can free up alot of  scout ships and  caost watchers if they are on our side.. so i say..Aye... she didn't sound happy.

 Hennings and BAle  both Agreed... with Hennings  adding the  Caveat ,...if they turn on us... we can just finish the job we started.

  great!...  we now have  Nivar and the Green Moon... Hyria   and Uden in the fold.... the Hillites will take some time.. they seemed the more aggresive  of the two..between Nivar  and  Hillite... but for now... we  can concentrate  On the Next thing...which is.....

 Beth  had  recorded   al that went on, and was finishing Up the votes  after Sending Shade a COM Text for his Vote...I am set to call the Officers  aboard as well as Admiral Richards and Her XO...

 yes.... have them brought up to  the  Officer's mess for Dinner... I will see you all there...

 The Board walked out..  Mann was lookign at the  Crushed Metal chair,..so?..That Adem guy..how much do you think he weights?

 Waggstaff grinned,..a lot less then  that Lilit  chick can pick up...that's for sure...

"Remember that, Mann, if we ever end up in a situation where we have to tangle with Verians.  I don't think it will happen, but...she threw him into that chair.  It was as much the firce of that throw as it was his weight that busted it.  And he got up like the chair was nothing.  Pretty sure you'd be hurtin' bad if someone broke one of those chairs with you, and he shrugged it off."  Roy's face got contemplative for a moment, and he added, "He may just have been so focused on the pain of almost having his throat crushed...but I doubt it."

He gave a sigh, and shrugged.  "We need to tell Security troops to be ready to intercede fast and early if trouble starts brewing between any human crew and the Verians, when they join up with us.  Looking at what we've seen today, I'm guessing Urns was lucky that Dusk didn't decide to deal with him, herself...if she's half the warrior her grandmother is, Urns would have been beaten to death with the bloody stumps of his own limbs."  He gave a feral grin, adding, "And it probably could have happened before any of us got a chance to intervene.  I'll be happy to have them fighting beside us...but we've got to be extra-vigilant about potential trouble during off hours.  With the Hyrians, too..."

His job as Security Chief could be getting much more complex.  It had been bad enough back when the only down-time headaches he'd had to worry about were the EMS pilots picking fights with their ESN counterparts...

   Garrat also left with Gorl.

(( after  the  'trust test " on Hnager dec.

 Hack say  in a chair, lookign at to    Holo maps .. One showed Etna, with some red marks  on it, as   it slowly turned.

 The other  showed  ..what was  not beign Called,' Vampic  space'.. The shuttle that was sent  with  the  prisoners  jammed into the cage.. was  also relating  information the  the Delta  4  ships , who  in turn..  relayed it   through teh fleet.. and the Fleet to  Staiions, in just a ehart beat slower then 'real time".. the Map of Vampic space was  growing..  ..Vampra  was growing ever larger... two  moons  aboiut the size of earth    had   tilted    orbits.. one  that was further out, showed a bit more blue and  green... where as the other  was  mostly  blue and grey.. Vampra  showed  bits of Green..mostly near  Volcanic  areas

 Hack  was making Notes every time  a new  spot   appeared on the map.. the  tiny bred dots that showed Vampic  fleet ships closing in on the  "Darkness Rising"..  as  one   dot   was tracking the  shuttle.

 Smiling, he knew the  feed  wouldn't last forever.. but  every secon charted  another 1000 miles of  space...

Henry arrived, a bit out of breath, Mila at his heels (not out of breath at all). He was a bit surprised when the trooper on door duty just let him in without asking his business.

"Admiral, may I have a word?"

 Had Sat there..   Commander  Si came in , still in her  sweats and T shirt.. she brought  a  Coffee  for   The Admiral and asked   Henry if he wanted  Tea,,, she watched the   display as well , while she waited  for  Henry's answer, she Gave Mila  half of   Hack's   breakfast tart.

 Hack nodded ..of Course  doctor.. I am watching the  'delivery' of the prisoners  we sent back..with any luck that take the shuttle the whole way home... but right now, we got alot of new map info...

 The  as  an After thought  he pints    at the   little red dots... three of them  were getting close  to each other...

 ..Those three?.. are  the  'Darkness Rising".. and two  of her sister  ships..it appears.. they will make it  home..

 he scowled ..there is a damn good chance  we could have sent them all to the nine hells... but... I let them go... I would not  count on too many more gifts like that..

"Thank you, Commander, I'd like some tea."

Actually he wasn't sure if he did, but best to be polite. Mila wagged her tail as she ate the tart, it seemed to meet with her approval if the feelings he was getting from her were any guide.

"Admiral, I am convinced that Mortica is on the level. I have asked her, as advised by Captain Morris, to issue orders to her faction that if they enounter our ships they should put on surrender lights rather than flee... but this is on the understanding that you will talk to them not open fire on them."

He fished his COM out and played the recording.

"We have a chance here to make a big difference, not just for us but for the Vampics as well. If this faction, with our support, wins out then we will have a strong ally with some... interesting capabilities, and a lot of knowledge from their travels around the galaxy to share. It's in their biology to require blood, but Mortica's faction is determined to stop the practice of obtaining it by force, or otherwise doing harm to other species. That's the sort of thing we ought to be encouraging."

He took a sip of tea.

"I understand the concerns about past treachery, the Nivarians and so on. This time, though, I believe that we have the real deal. They are prepared to chase the other faction, Forrest's lot, off of their homeworld. You can do what you like with them, if they won't come round."

  Hack smiled  at  Mila  and broke the  othr  Half, in half and gave her  that...  Si returned with a plate with  a half dozen  tarts. of   'cherry'  and 'apricot".


 She sipped  and ;listened.. her visage could only be seen as 'cold".

  well  , Henry?...  with Humans, ebign Humans... we know, for a fact..there will be humans that 'jump' at the cahcne to  live  beyond our years..even beyond  what angel food gives us?. So.. you  know, that 'good' faction...'bad' faction, won't make a diferecne.. and...just like the old  Vids..t ehre will be  people  turning and feeding...

 .These Vampic?... They struck at us.. and it was   a tiny test?.. it was a 'look what  we can do"....

 she shook his ehad  as the three dots  got together.., more and more  of Vampra was being revealed  as   the shuttle drew near.

 ..So?.. Ig  Harsh messages   are the  theme out here.. then.. we must also be harsh?.....

 Mila wagged her  tails and  Hack 'accidently droped another   portion of tart

 so?.. what the Vamoic have to do.. is 'start their civil war"... I want to see  Vampics  killing Vampics,  before  i even   think about  letting them in the Fleet. much less the APF..Sanri?.. have suffered  more  from them, then anyother  race... Imagine, Henry? Turned Sanri attacking us...

 The commander   broke in,..look at teh Hound?..  Lirg?.. he came to us on his  own, he brought other Hyrians  over..but  look what we needed to do..to have that happens.... Look at  the Nivarians..what  we had to do to them?.. thoguht..to be fair..The green Moon Nivarians   were ..well trusted  after the   beating they took?....then? You have th poor  Gava? they do not hurt, anyone.. they are...were.. a smiple race..and the   Empire and Vampics treat them  as walking ...walking.... she motions to the  tarts,..walking  Tarts...

 Hack sits back.. and sighs  a bit.. the 'Darkness  Rising  was gettign help.. the shuttle  was being  Shadowed  by a Sloop or corvette..most like, sending a boarding party.

 ..if this...Vampic.... wishes  to  serve that's  fine.. we'l take a chance on one vampic.. but the leash will  be short..and pulled tight....As for her  home world.. I have to see  hard proof  of   some kind of  rebellion...

 he  looks at the  other Holo map,..right now?.. we  go to  Etna.. have a football game, and tidy things  up there  for Ekge and Admiral Richards... then..  we'll either take  our selves  on a hunting  crusie  and  go home to Fuji for a bit.. or we'll turn around  and ehad to Vampra  and test some  for  'hel busting' senarios...

 ..You tell  this...Mortica... that i will allow her    a COM...but it will need to  be  broadcast.. to her homeworld, and The Black..when we  cast off in the morning...That broadcast will aslo contain the directive to  show surrender lights   either.. as soon as they see   ANY!.....ESN  or APF craft.. I don't  care if  its a gods be damned Tender...If will  be outlined, so the Vampic know..if they are caught   sneaking away..or  boarding a  ship ..not thiers... they will be  attacked ...and   the first time a false flag, or false   surnder  is used.. they will..at very elast..suffer the same  fate as Nivar..

  he  sipped  again  and  rubbed her  forehead as he added, a bit less  sternly,..I'm tired  , Henry. I'm tired of The ESN... humans..in particular, being treated  as  'food fish' in the    Galactic  Aquarium... They look down on us?.. treat us  like fools, or children, until they get  slapped around.. then?. they want us to stop..they want to be friends...Gods only know what would be going on right now  in   Beta Quad, If Uden didn't   Join us?

 so?.. good  Doctor.. the evil race  that suddenly wants to be ..less evil.. has   about a week or two.. to start thier little shooting war with themselves.. and we will monitor them, to see how..'real' it is... Tell Mortica... pres the point home.. that the first  time a Vampic  vessel crosses us  with surrender lights.. will doom the whole planet... but you know what i see?... I see  a few boatloads  wanting  to 'comeover' to the APF.. I see others, flat out attacking?..and? That's fine... At elast we know you are being honest... but  the  whole thing shatters when one ship violates that directive.... and..Henry?  that's what i am giving them... there is no treaty... there is only a directive...if they prove   capable of  following the guidelines, then we can treat with..'Blue Vampics'... That, My firend?  is the ebst i can do...will..do...

 The Commander looked at Henry,..you know  My stance.. The LC is like our son.. to provoke him, with the idea  of  killing, was  to endear the Vampic to the Empire..maybe? the promise  of   this whole quad being 'gifted' to them... there was   a very old movie.. Shadow  an Roles  watched it a lot when they stayed over our hosue..it was a baseball movie?.. But  one Line Shadow  would  repeat, everytime we watched it was "...there are some mistakes, you never stop paying for.."

"You are aware, Commander, that those who provoked the LC with a song and then attacked him are of the other faction of the Vampics, Forrest's lot, are you not?" asked Henry, who was beginning to wonder if instransigence was the cause of many a conflict.

 The Commander looked at henry and  gave a slight  nod of her head...do we know that, Doctor?... What if Shadow had  fell  to the Vampic's   enticements?.. Imagine  a 'turned Shadow ".. would they  be  worried   about thier   'change'..and  I must remind you, the very Vampic  that tried to turn him..is the very same one sitting in you lab?

 ..with out knowing? I have to beleive,  the  resulting confrontations, were the  back up plan..' we can't have  him, you can't have him"...why else,  do your forcibly try to stop[ Shadow  from  reaching the   stage? .. for all we know?   this  was their plan, try to  tear out the  ESN's heart, and when that didn't work?  Beg  to be forgiven?.. how would you have felt, had they sunk thier  fangs into Mila?

 ..lets   do  what i said, Henry... we owe them , nothing, but a shelling to keep them busy for the next 20 years.. they crossed the line.. and they did it knowingly.. I think it ..damn convenient..that they seek 'help' after being  battered  and found out... I'm sure?..if you took a poll of the  people we fished out of the cages.. we would know how they would vote..except the ones who were killed, of course..

"Never confuse revenge with justice," said Henry, sadly. He'd done what he could.

   Hack  winked  as  henry,..sometimes,  It is the same.  But   when you  drop a vase on the floor?.. saying ' i'm sorry'  doesn't fix it... We'll see what the Vampics  do with the directive.. we'll see what your  Vampic  does, with her chance...

Henry smiled, rather sadly. Mila laid aside the last tart and lent against him.

   The Admiral's eyes  went back to the  Holo Map of the Vampic system.. three dots   were traveling to the Homeworld.. which would mean the  'Darkness Rising' is  being towed or escorted...

 The shuttle  was closer to the   slops , or whatever it was...

 Well Henry?.. seems   we  let   some enemies  live... I am not  at all happy  about  sending thsoe   priosnes back in the Shuttle, it is against the   grain to allow  them  to  return home, no matter how humilated...for what they have done

  As   your Bampic, what she  wishes  to do?...

"Mortica wishes to liaise between the 'good' Vampic faction and yourselves," said Henry firmly, "With the intention of forming a good working relationship between you."

He patted Mila.

"Perhaps you should send for her, hear her out yourself. She is determined to make this work."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:12, Sun 04 Nov 2018.

    Admiral  Hack Hit his COM...BIO-TECH..  Bring  the Vampic  to the WAr Room...please...

 The Commander made a  disgusted  snort as she moved off to the coutner.

  ..Make no Mistake,  Henry?... I only worry about tehr aces who are on our side, or  hare Helpless..like the Gava?..I would save  one Gava, at the expense of  100  empire  folk...

  The Door  Opens the SEC  trooper outside   lets them  In.

   Nagy Steps to one side  and Motions  Mortica  in.. Lippen takes the otherside.

 The Commander  sets  a cup of Tea out   for Mortica, but  steps back to the Counter.. she has    a Human .35   on the counter Next to her.

 The  Holo maps  were still up. Hack was  sipping his coffee.

 ..Have a seat,  Doc  Henry seems  to be hell bent  on us  having us...'understand' you..

Mortica comes to attention as she enters the room then bowed slightly to the Commander for the tea. She sat as indicated and took a sip. “What would you know, Admiral? I will tell you.”

  The   weary Admiral looked at Mortica, The pointed to the Tarts,..I do not know  if you can eat those?...

 His  eyes  shift to Herny,..The  Good Doctor..seems overly concerned   about You and your  People?.. I...however  am not.

 Of the enemies   we have, and enemies   we have made, I have little  pity  if the Demons, Creshian, Avains  and..not  your  people.. LArgans?.. we will cut..very little slack..... The Roussains may very well  join you and the demons at the bottom of   my 'i don't care list'..

  There are other races  we have  Fought, and Dealts  with.. even a Race... The verians, who were once allies   and  have stepped  away, save for the Blue Verians....

 Sipping  from his  coffee  and Holding the Cup up for the Commander  for a refill,why am I telling you this?.. Well?  I do not lie to the enemies , we may deceive them in battle...But you will never  see   and ESN vessel, or APF  Vessel.. use  false   surrender lights... We have  send  Prisoners to thier  doom.. putting the  onus on thier own people to save them, no matter how slight the chance...  The prisoners  we  sent back to  Vampra, jammed in the  cages , naked, like they had   the Humaniods they were goign to eat..... Your  people  had to  choose    to save the shuttle, or it would   crash on your  homeworld

 ..Now.. LT  Mortica?.. after   all  i have said, and  all your people have  done... he raised a finger, Considering.. everything  your people  did, came  in a 'first contact' contact situation... tell me  what  would   make  me  give  one damn..about the Vampic?

She picked up a tart and took a bite, one sculpted brow rising at the taste. “A very good question, Admiral-one I have been forced to consider myself whilst talking to your crew.” She indicated Nagy and Lippen. “I can sit here and tell you things all day but words are meaningless without action so I am prepared to show you my sincerity by backing my words up and proving to you the truth of which I speak. It is time for the slavers and Empire sycophants to be wiped aside and my people join in a true galactic society. I’m going to deliver that to you sir. If I am unable then I shall give you something else: the means to burn away the sickness at the heart of my people. And I, Admiral, I shall stand next to you and push the button.”

   The Admiral Listened .. The Commander   sipped from her  own  tea  while  watchign   over the  rim of the cup.

  Nagy    Shurgged  as his name  was  mentioned, Lippen , just never took her  eyes on Mortica  being this close to the Admiral.


  Well...LT..What Needs  Be  done to start this?   Shortly.. we will be sailing  for Etna.. we have a football game to play, and loose  ends to tie up... where  we  sail from there,  will be decided  a bit after    we  finish out business there..

 Pointing to the  Holo map, he  says.....Those three  red dots   that are even  with the Northern Hemisphere of your Homeworld?.. are the Darkness rising, and  two sister ships.. so?..I am assuming, those who were still alive.. will be  saved... those  2  little dots  on the  western side  is the shuttle... and..I assume a sloop, or a Corvette.. they are  either  boarding the shuttle..   or   riding alongside ..it will be thier choice  whether they save them or not

 so?..  I'm listening...

“I believe that it is time someone speak to my people and force them to see what we have avoided for so long. I’m going to send a message to the Vampic people and force us all to open our eyes and look at what we have let ourselves become. If I may make a video broadcast, Admiral I will send a message because, in something I recall from Terran history-the Revolution will be televised.” She smiled.

   The Admiral looked up at  The Commander,where is Beth?

 She  reached  around for  her Vidboard,..Off Duty and  in her  quarters... I assume, she's sleeping.. I hear some people do that...

 The Admiral  chuckled,..well? LT.....  YOu  compose your message... tomorrow  at 0800.. you may   have your platform...

 he    sips  from his  new cup of coffee.....Just..please..keep in mind..I will not hesitate to use Vampra  as the next  testing  ground, for how to destroy a planet.

  Doctor?.. You may  take   the LT back with your Lab..or send her back to the Brig...

 ..Nagy, Lippen, once you escort her,   and she secured, You may  get your  rest and send  two other SEC  to the Lab.

“Thank you, Admiral. Commander.” She stood and came to attention before waiting to be escorted to wherever they were taking her.

   Nagy and Lippen  wait   for Henry and Mortica.. and will escort them   back to   Henry's lab, then  either  take the Vampic   below SEC to the Brig. Or to  the Lab, depending on Henry's  orders.

 Henry.. Mortica to  henry's Lab>>>>>>>>>>>

"Thank you, Admiral," said Henry simply.

He got up and left, heading back to his own quarters.

<<<<  from Hanger Dec, shuttle landing

 The   Group  walked through the  Bridge. Commander Si   told Miller to take the Chair.

  En  Hock took the   Navigation station..Lilly was at the COMs  and   En Law  on the scanners.

…………………………………………..

 Entering teh War room, there were Holos  of Novar  Space up.. and soe   red Line s  that seemed to be tracking something.

 Commander  Green Looked  at them..You are cutting across   the Triangle?

 ..Aye, we are looking for  something..now?.. Tell me  why you   had to escape, and  why  a Shuttle from the  same  shuttle fleet was fighting you...

  Hennings  shut  down the Holo,..perhaps   that is somethign  we  can  discuss  in the Mess?  a Few  drinks  as  we  wait for  the meal to be served?

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

 They walked   down the passage way towards  the Mess  on the Command  Dec...I have to admit  Oilver..when you left Earth with, Nothing but  an EMS  ship with you  I thought you  would be  Demons  scrap..

 ..Indeed? Well as You see , I have ..slightly a few more ships....

 Woods   said ..higher Rank as well?... and Commander  Si.. The  ship's  CAptain?

 Si  smiled a little,..I may Command it..but this is  still Oliver's ship

 ...Beth?.. if You can Track down the SM  for me?  I'd Like hi to Join  us in the  Command Mess for a dinner with  our Visitors..he can Bring Shadow, if  the LC can find  some one to cover the Hanger Dec... Captains  Morris and O'Rielly are   up here  as well.

 They entered the Mess  Rivets and  Morris  were  standing there   talking with a Drink.

 Once   they are  all in the   room.. Lyri is inside the Door..NAgy and Brooks   just outside.

 The Admiral motions   to the  bar , where people   choose a drink and talk while the  Admiral's Chef and his crew set the table .

  Right folks... Let me Introduce  Commander   Richard Green... we  where in the same Dark Ops  class together, but i was chosen to  be  a ship commander, while Richard   saty in the dark ops, as  his main job..This is his   #2  Evie Woods.. and LT.

..This   Fellow  here  is CAptain 'Rivets  O'reilly ..he  over see's the hanger  Dec  and the health of  our aircraft... This is  CAptain Morris, he is my Adjutant , and  works  wit the LC in setting up sorties  and  flights..he also  rakes great care, in making sure our Kill records  are clean..Admiral  Henning is 2nd Overall command  of the Delta  Fleet..we got him off  EArth  just in  time....And General BAle  who  runs the Provost  arm  of the  Fleet security... Commander  Si.. YOu, of course..know.

 YOu have  met LC Shadow, he is the WC for the Ship and the Fleet...  if  they can  hunt him down, My SGT MAJ, is my chied SEC  offcier.....Master Chief  here..is his #2

 ..That  Shadow fellow...rubs  me the wrong  what, what do you think of him, My Dear>

 Si looked shocked, caught herself  and said,..he is the leadign Ace  of the war..at  least, in the   APF/ESN..he also contributes in others  ways.... and ..for my part..he is like a Son..

  Walking    through the  'spine  elevator to get to the   'bridge  Section'   Shadow  said  in a low  tone.

  ..the Admiral appears   to Know this  Commander guy?... Commander SI  seems to be acting all...'shy' around  him..thinking there  might be a History  between the  3 of them?.. Just seems Odd to see her  act like that.

 Shade  Bleeped.. Yes.. if some one  grabs your head  again and  tries to look where they insert the Cred Chip.. you may break thier  arm.. went the  hit the  intersection,  Nagy whistled  and Pointed to the  Mess.

  Brooks Opened the Door,..LC, SM  and Compmany , Sirs, Ma'am...


 The  4 of them   walked in..  Larry   sat down  by the  door m thumped  his tail a Bit as Lyri   rubbed his head,


 ..You  are not going to let that Creature stay here... are you? Evie  asked.

 Shadow    just looked at Commander   Green,..I'm afraid we have to  LT...He's the Admrial's  Guest..

 Si  gave   Shadow a  disapproving   look,  Morris  and Rivets  turned  away to hide thier  smile.

 ..Just in Time.. everyone take a  seat.. quite informal.. the servers   will fill your plate as they  push the cart around the table

 Please  ask the  Chef to bring Bones and such for LArry?

 Green  Seated  SI ( next to him, between    HAck  and himself. The Lt  was   seated  between  HAck and Hennings..Rivets and Morris on opposite  sides.. with  Shadow sitting at the far end  with Roy and   Shade, General Bale  sat near  Roy... Hack made  Lyri sit Opposite   Roy

 ..I do  wonder.. why the LArg is here.....

 Morris spoke up.....'the LArg'..is named LArry.. he is a  member of the  Hermes SEC..and. for all intent, our leading expert in 'Victual  Operations"....

 ..what?

 Shadow   picked  some  pasta from the cart of Pasta , steak, or fish....he eats our  enemies...mostly..sometimes just saws off arms or legs  if he;'s in a hurry..


 Evie   frowned ,..That's  disgusting!

 Larry  truned his head 90 degrees  and Looked at her.

 ..just a tip?>. he  seems to understand, just about anything we say...
  Lyri and Shade  each took Pasta... Bale  and Hennings  took  steak... Evie took  Fish, Green took  steak as  did  The Admiral, Rivets and   The Commander.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:00, Tue 26 Feb 2019.

Roy gave a tight grin.  "His methods may be a little unappetizing, but he's very good at his job.  He's only been aboard the Hermes for a few months and already has an impressive list of battlefield commendations.  There's maybe a dozen people on this ship I trust as much as him."

Roy's grin took on a dangerous edge.  "Since you aren't one of them, I'd be mindful of my words, in your position."

He looked at Green, his expression hardly warming at all.  "Your shuttle implies there's quite a story to your journey here...maybe and hat would be a good place to start, instead of casting aspersions on our choices for reliable crew."

   A slight  Frown found  its  way to Commander Green's face,..well... I was hping to tell the Admiral about  what we have  found...

 Hack broke in,..well.. Let's hear about  your    escape, we are headed  in the direction of your path..so?.. I should  say we have time  to  hear it  from the beginning .

 Evie Looked at  Green then   began to eat her  food.

 ..Well,  Oliver?   as you may or  may not  know..The Lights  out  units  are working against the EDT   as well as others  who are helping the Empire.

 ..you don't  say?.....

  Lyri shook her head as she looked at her plate.

 Morris  Cleared his throat and  gave   Shadow a warning look... Commander Si gave him a HArder Look...The other Officers  didn't seem to even notice    Shadow's sarcasm .

 well.. we  found this  Base... we assumed it  was EDT..but it has all types  comign and going...Pirates, slavers, Empire folks  and EDT..The Planetoid  calls itself 'The  Pit"..its  nice on the surface.. gets  enough sun from the Nivar Star?..but  it  has an Oddball orbit....so thier  6  space  months of winter, makes   folks  have to   go underGround..  the  whole palce  is Hollowed  out , like an Ant Hill with  Cities  below the  Ground, that have access  to the city , but the same name on the top..they grow  stuff like crazy there  for  10 Months.. then have to harvest before  everyone goes   underground

 ..but not  everyone goes underground....right?

 Si slammed her  fork on the table and  Shadow  picked up his  coffee to   hide  his smirk.

 Green looked at Shadow..then continued slowly,..No... Demons , Lizards  and those Vampic thing.. have the run of the surface then....anyway.. its   about 'spring time"...w e Gather the Information on teh BAse, and were going to send it out, when  out  tower had been found in the  forest..so we had to  use a Militia   shuttle  to escape....what we didn't know was... the EDT  were on to us..and had a shuttle  waiting to  follow us..., only  they had to kill us off  first... It was a  Damn tough runnign battle... we lost  a Bubble  gunner.. Evie  helped  Co-pilot  the  thing  as we  tried to   find the fleet

 ..and You lost your Gunner to the  other shuttle's  Gunners?

Now Hennings   was payi8ng more attention to Shadow. Commander  Si Glowered at him. Hack …seemed more interested  In Si's hand on  Green's

 ..Please for give  the LC.. he...seems  interested in details, that he should  not be..

 Green looked at Shadow, Bolstered  by Si's  words,..yes...Mr  Shadow?... had  we been runnign from a fighter?  we would never have  made it out pass the   Gravity of that ball of Mud....

 ..indeed.. Commander.....and why were yu short one    crewman?... That  your  #2  had to dress the part?

 Evie  spoke up...... The Co-pilot  did not want to take part in the  plan.. we couldn't leave her there.. and we couldn't take her with us.. so i Dispatched her...

 Shadow held  a HAnd to his  mouth.....in...in cold  Blood?

 ..That is what   Lights Out  agents Do,  LC?... we don't fly around   in 2 million cred weapons.. we have to face our kills ..

 ..oh..my goodness?


 and..that was it..   Lyri Busted pout   Laughing..As  Did Rivets.  Captain Morris   had a  ..oddly pleased..smile on his  Face.

 Hennings  and HAck  Chukled   and BAle looked to Roy with soe amusement.

 The Commander looked  embarrassed  with her head  down.

 Larry hearing  everyone   laughing  thumped his  tail..or it may have been the  big box of cuttings  and Bones that were brought out for him!

 Evie's face was Red.., Green's  face was hard   as they Both looked at Shadow.

 Shadow had His HAlf  smile...

 ..did i say somehting Funny... LC?

Roy's comm buzzed as he was talking. “Sgt. Major, I have a situation involving Jax and another crew member. I’m taking them to SEC right now.”

Roy listened to the story with an inscrutable expression...even Shadow's inserts didn't get any visible reaction from him.  He had just opened his mouth when his comm went off, and he listened to the message.  "Sorry, Lieutenant, I'm with Admiral Hack at the moment and not free to come deal with the situation at hand.  Sergeant Shoemaker should be on duty...if he's not, Lieutenant Morrow is there.  I trust their discretion on the matter.  If it demands my personal attention, it will have to wait."

He returned his attention to the group at the table, looking at Evie and Green.  "So...this Lights Out organization...all its personnel are vetted and trusted?  I mean, it sounds like the kind of thing that could be very dangerous if anyone turned coat and started helping the EDT...or even if they just started watching out for their own interests..."  His expression was studiously neutral. Shadow obviously had some point he wanted to make, but Roy was more interested in finding out if Green had gone the same route as the Foreman on Etna, and he didn't think laughing at Green was likely to get that information to the surface in a hurry.

No...he'd play along, for now, and give them enough rope to hang themselves, if they'd gone over to another side...

  Si  Seemed to  grow  irritated at the Questions being tossed at the two people. Until  she  looked at  HAck whole have her  an unsmilign  shake of his head.

 she sat  back a bit and   asked the    waiter for another  drink.

 Commander Green Looked at  Lyri, then  more pointedly at  Shadow., as He answered  Roy...yes..indeed it  could be, YOur.... comrades.. appear to think this is  farfecthed... But the Lights Our   Organization is a big player out here, away from    earth , Olympus.,.and even Fuji...

 Hennings  took a bite for steak,..Tell me Commander?..It must be very..very hard to find the  right people  for this  type of group..no?

 Green smiled as he chewed his own steak,..You have No Idea?   They have to  be  cold  ..heartless... yet..have  enough humanity in them, to  see things clearly.

  Shade Bleeped, Green looked annoyed at him...

 ..The  Ambassador   asked.. if  any of us  could be   'Lights out  operatives '?

 Shadow looked overly   eager  to hear the answer  as he leaded a bit  forward and  ataking another Bite.

 Commander Si looked ta Shadow with Daggers.. but..she saw where this was going..and stood  down.

 ..well?  the Little guy?... I don't think so... you'd have to be able to talk with him..and he'd have tpo be quiet?... The   Master Chief?.. she might be  of use  a bait?  you know...sitting at a bar..or workign in an Office to  'catch the eye' of ytour mark?...

 Evie gave   Lyri  an appraising look and shrugged.

 Lyri Looked at her and said ..really?

 ..The SM seems a bit..too much of  a 'marine?'.... and Shadow..well, I'm sorry, but you seem unable to  follow orders?

 Si said into her napkin,..that hit the mark...

 Green  Grinned at that. as did Evie

 Rivets looked at Shadow and  Nodded with a wink.

So?.. you left  your mission behind, to come warn us...doesn't that open the door  for the bad guiys  to get things  done?

 ..No?  you see, we  don't plan to be got overly long?, we came  to warn you away from the  planetoid ..its a death trap?.  One one  hand you got  the    Empire  folks  still on teh surface..they seem to not be in a hurry to leave? then you have the  inflitration of the   Underground? ..you can hardly tell who is who...

 ..Unless you ae  ..highly trained  , like us...

 Bale    was buttering a  roll, , he didn't look up from his work as he asked the table....So?... the  entire  might of the   Delta Fleet.. should be worried  about  a rock, that vis  what?.. Pluto sized?

..it is  closer to  the size of  mars..maybe..but its  loose.. so it was  named a planetoid..., It could..indeed cost you a few ships?..Ships you need  to stop the Empire?

 There is  a clearing of his throat as  Morris asked,..so?  your  Four  people.. they fight the good fight?..must be   tough to  sort through all that with  4 people

 well..I had  8... started  with  12..but  attrition  does take place in Lights Out, as in any unit...

 I had  my Unit split, you see?.. i commanded this   unit..we  infiltrate and  get info..the normal stuff... the  other Unit was our Demo  unit...they  took out  certain  buildings..car bombed..that kind of thing..

 ..had....8...?

  Green looked at Evie  who looked  sad as she  took another bite of fish...yes?  Job gone  wrong...plan backfired a bit  and   thier  bombs went  off  a bit early...I'm sure there
will be time to avenge  them , down the road.

Roy looked over at Hack.  "Perhaps we should consider their message, Admiral.  I mean, their shuttle does provide evidence of quite the battle, against highly skilled forces..."

Without breaking his dry tone, he looked at Green.  "So skilled that they managed to shoot the side-bubble gunner from inside the shuttle.  That's one helluva shot..."

He looked at Evie and added, "You did say the bubble was shot out by the other shuttle.  Fascinating how none of the blood spray went into the shuttle...but it was all over what was left of the bubble.  I'd love to see the weapon that can materialize bullets inside an enemy vessel..."

    Shadow's  eyes  Looked at  Evie, then to Green as he sipped his Coffee his  right  hand  went to   the back of his neack as if to rub it.

   Lyri's  hand's   left hand  was holding her   fork now, as her  right hand slowly slipped   under the table

  Green  looked  with narrowed  eyes,..what are you hi8nting at SM? If you  have  sonething  to say,  saw it, . He picked up a steak Knife and was  cutting  , his already  cut, leftover pieces of  meat.

 Evie    sat up a Bit  straighter....you do not know that.... a Sideshot would have   done the same thing..

 One of out troopers?.. Corp Call, he noticed  the Glass  was  Borken from  within?..damn hard thing to do..Meta Glass Gun Bubble...and there  wasn't a drop of  Blood on the HAtch way... but the Glass was tainted with  Blood  and flesh from  the Gunner , being Blown out?...no Glass bit..nothing... a shot from outside  would have down a bit of the same, except the  hatch would have been coated  with blood..and?..not one of  you or the crew, are wearing boarding armor..

 Commander Si looked at  Roy and Shadow,..what are  you accusing the Commander of!

 Hennings   sat back a Bit. He , too  Sipped his coffee. Rivets  stood Up with his  Plate  as  if to ask for another helping.

"Right now, all I'm accusing the Commander of is not having his bullshit story straight.  They told us the side bubble was shot out by the other shuttle.  The evidence on the bubble says otherwise.  Now, that leaves one of three possible solutions...the bubble's lying, there's a magic bullet involved, or they're lying.  The bubble evidence is objective observation...can't lie and would require a helluva lot of deliberate work to falsify, so I'm inclined to accept that evidence as fact.  That leaves us with either they're lying about it, or there's magic bullets involved."

He looked at Green as he added, "And I don't believe in magic."

    Commander Si  stood  Up,  to walk away,  she seemed  really Up set..That's  when Green  made his Move.
 Quickly  he  Turned    driving the steak  Knife into Commander Si's thigh, She Let a  a short...but angry  Scream as he  pulled her Angel steel Blade and Held It   Against her Back
 every One  Else  stood   with weapons Out,    Except  for Lyri  who  swung er  arm  in a Back  Hand   and Hit  Evie  In the  Face, followed  By Hennings  Grabbing the dazed  LT  by the throat   and placing his service  Pistol  against her head..   Larry  stood Up on his  Hind  Heads  and   Howled....bringing in  Nagy  and Brooks.

 Shadow stood     Slowly, he  jerked his right  hand a moment as his he was  settling his wow?... You are really   stupid?... I mean..where the  9 hells are you Gonna Go?... that door  leads to the Bridge.. and the other  door way there?  leads to the War room? This door leads to the  Hall and you have us... two SEC troopers and a  really angry Larg?..what do you think is Gonna happen?  sleeves.

 Larry   was Burbling  showing   three  rows of  saw-like teeth.

 Lyri looked looked  at Roy, but talked to Green,..you know?  If the Commander gets  free.. she's gonna kill you...

 ..me and Nil go way  back..all the way to the academy... Now, You all  are Going to  let me  and Evie walk out that door, so we can access the spine  elevator..

 ..and  what ye  gonna  do?.. walk back ta where's  ya  came from?

 ..we'll be getting picked Up..., Now.. if you are  all good Little bots and girls.. I'll  let  the Commander go..if not..well.. I'll Just take her with us..

 Hack   Motioned for the  Others  to  mobe away from his end of the table.. the chef and his  two severs had  Butcher  knives and  stood  at the door that would leed to the Bridge.

 ..now..let go of  Evie...

 Hennings  Pulled  the Girl  Back to the far wall....... You'll get her  BAck  when we get the Commander

 ... If You don't  do what  i say, the Commander Dies....

 so will you.... hack  said .. The Comander   was in a bad  way.. the   knife  deep in her thigh.. a near death gril on her  neck.. and a  Blade  at had  cut a bit into her back already.

 ..No... see...if you kill the Commander..9 hells ,  if you hurt her  anymore..... I'm gonna  take you... and i'm betting  there are enough people  here to back me, that they will let me..but boy... you'll wish you had  died   100 tines..

 as it stands.. I'm ready to do a internal organ  check..by laying them out on the table  as you watch...

Roy looked at the situation, and shrugged.  He was pretty sure they could handle this...

"Larry, you know what to do."  He looked down at the larg and nodded.  There was a chance that Green actually had enough nerve and good enough reflexes that he'd be able to stab the Commander before the larg made his arm into a snack...but Roy was betting that getting charged by a grown larg was well outside Green's realm of experience...and seeing something that big coming at him that fast would freeze Green just long enough for Larry to take his arm clean off.

 Larry's head  Flattened  out, Shadow  took  a step away from the Table,

 Green shoved  Si Forward  a Bit, not  giving Larry Much credit....let's go , Hack..Move  back.. I'll take very good care or Nil...Like it was in San Diego , before you showed up.....

 Larry   exploded  forward, his  tail thumped  down hard to give hi an Extra  Push... Evie Screamed...everyone  at the ehad of the table stepped back out of  shock... The table   crashed Under    the larg's  weight,  , Larry Grabbed   Green's  right arm....and  stopped.. or so one thought.

  The Commander  Fell  forward,   grasping  at the  knife in her  Thigh,  Hack  was on one  knee with his   sidearm up.

 and  the   room watched.. a  deep burbling   growl from  Larry's  throat..it  didn't appear  anything was happening..Until Green started to  scream..he  tried to beat on Larry's   snout with his left arm  as his  eyes  got  wider , and his screams  got to a higher  pitch...

 Though Larry seemed  to be 'holding ' Green's right  arm.. the  teeth were al ready well into  the  flesh, as the   jaws worked back and forths...slowly.. to 'saw' off the  arm right below the bicep… Blood   was  squirting..and the  crunch could  be  heard  as the    Man's eyes  rolled back in pain,, he  dropped to the his knees,

 Shadow     gave  Roy  an elbow,..I taught him that...eat nicely...

  LArry  finished  the arm,  , he  dropped    the Angel Blade  by   Si....

   Stefi?... we need   Med tech help in the  Command Dec  Mess... try to keep it  quiet... he closed off his COM.

  The LArg padded past Evie   and stopped , his head  swung  in her  direction, his Nostrils  flared  as his tongue licked out on her  cheek, then he   went  to  sit by the  door way, a few happy Tail Thumps.

  Morris  Used   Green's  Belt to    tighten around his arm stump... the Commander was in , unspeakable  pain, having his arm..'pinched' and sawed off..at the  same time..

 ..Now?..Evie? I am goign to  Guess you'er  gonna  what to tell us  what your plan was..because.. I am fairly certain the SM  can ask LArry to  bite off  parts of legs... until we get the answers  we  want...

 Evie  tried to struggle,  But Hennings's grip  was strong, and he wasn't in a very good mood...and... if I die?.. You don't get the information..

 Shadow  'stage whispers' to Roy,..why do the bad  guys always say that...is it  a union thing?..I bet its a union thing...

 ..We'll LT   Woods?  Your   Commander got  one  crew of yours blown to the nine hells, by faking the   dogfight......he really messed up  , hurting Nil...so..right now?..Me sitting back and watching Larry  saw off  1 foot sections of you leg..might be fun...

  Green  was  trying to Focus, Shadow  looked at him from over the  Crushed  table,page 77.... section  10....when  deceiding to take a Hostage..make certain you have a way out.Lights Out   Manuel  2nd  Edition..San Diego ESN Academy.

 then he looked at the  Servers,..you think?..i could have a small bowl of pasta  with Red Sauce this tie?.. my plate is on the flor, and.. seeing all this red..well..

 Rivets nods to the  MAn,..he  ain't  jokin' get the lad some pasta..

there is a slight  whine behind   them, Larry looks at Roy and  Shadow  then to the food on the floor
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:40, Wed 27 Feb 2019.

Roy gave Larry a solid pat on the head.  "You know...he doesn't have to bite off those sections...I'm pretty sure, if I asked nicely, he'd just chew on them enough to crush all the bones." He looked over at Evie.

"You ready to get fitted with cybernetic replacements for...well...everything?  I'd imagine it would really suck, having to train yourself how to do everything, all over again, especially when you have to do it in a penal colony with whatever grade cybernetics we manage to scrape up..."

He gave Larry another pat.  "Go ahead and clean up the floor, it'll save the mess crew a lot of effort if you get it all before we stomp it all over the floor."  His eyes shifted to Evie again, and he added, "Should also take the edge off your appetite, so you're more likely to take your time with whatever we give you next..."

He stepped over to the Commander.  "Get us some more napkins...a lot more," he said to one of the stewards, as he grabbed a few that had been flung by the table getting knocked around.

"Sorry, Commander...this will hurt a bit, but we should leave that in there until Stefi shows up..."  He pressed the napkins around the base of the blade,  doing what he could to stanch the bleeding without removing the knife.

"I'm actually surprised he bit the arm off like that...I was expecting him to basically tear it off at the shoulder...but he apparently felt some extra pain should be involved.  I think that means he really likes you..."

  The door Opened  and Stefi came in, Shadow had his Bowl of pasta.. he gave  Shade a fork and he shared.

  ..what did your  Amimal  do!

  ..he saved  the Commander..

  I was  talking to  the Admiral....

 Shadow    Flipped a throwing    dagger   around his  hand,..I didn't  get to do a damn thing.. he    slipped the blade  back up his  arm sleeve.


  Stefi   went to  Green   and    shot some pain killer in his  arm, them   Past and  foamed the stump..

  The Med Tech watched  and     finished the dressing  as  Stefi turned to the Commander,She  shook her head.....Fast or slow, Ma'am... your  call we have to Foam and patch anyway...

 ..Fast then

 ..Do You agree, Admiral?


 Si looked hard  at  Stefi then to   HAck as she said,..what.AHHHHH....

 when   the Commander  looked  away, Stefi   jerked the   steak knife out  and   dropped it...

 she  placed the foam   nozzle in and   filled the   deep slice, the Plasted the top...once more the Ned Tech stepped in to  finish wrapping.

 ..Right..let get these two down to SEC... The Commander   can go to Med tech, or come with us.....Stefi?... you sould come along  I hear there are two more  peopel who n3eed  attention..Beth isn't one to waste  a Med Tech call.

 Larry   was happily munching  half  steaks  and stuck, and slurping up[ mashed potatoes.

 everyone SEC >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  before  going to Uden-Vera space

   a Hollow  map was set up through a feed  from  Beth. Lilly was there  to operate  the map, while  Beth stayed in SEC to make sure the  Feeds  coming and  going  weren't getting tapped.

 Admiral Hack  stood by the   Map table, Hennings to one side  flicking through Vid boards. Captain Si  looked  at the  100s of   Dots  that stood for the ships  of the fleet. General Bale sat just behind them, doing his own  work on Vidboards.

 one the  'bow' wall of the War room, a few screens were on,,, Fuji, Etna,Everest and Bura.

 ..Good Morning  LAdies  and Gentlemen , we are 30 hours or so from reaching Unden space.... The  people  we have in place in the system, say the  Verians  are thinking we will stop at Uden to  set up andmaybe top off our  supplies.

 We are not.

 HAving resupplied at Bura, the fleet is well off, in the way of supplies, and out supply ships  and cargo vessels  are  topped off. As soon as Everest Signs on, I will go over  the frist Strike  with you...you may ask questions.... your  final orders   will be  sent by coded  file, by LT   Morrow. We  will wait  a bit before  i send  another  warning COM to Everest.

 speaking of the Devil, Everest. Admiral  Stacy St Gaul reported. .. I am Sorry, Mon Admiral. We  were a beet surprised  at  ze  people you have  sent here? Needless to say.. it is a beet  'ard  to get zem settled  in..even eef it is but a short Time..No?

 Hack smiled a thin smile, I assume  you have  People  there, Admiral St Gual. and I best find out, that those people I sent are treated  right, or there  will...indeed..be a change over in Command...I hear  The Pit is ready for an Admiral...

 Stacy blanched   as she  said,..But of Course , Mon Admiral.  We  take  care of  our guests.

Sarah was patched in and she listened to the dialogue not bothering to reply to anything until she was addressed.  On her vidboard she'd switched to deployment plans for the Burian fleet and was considering viable options her Chief of Plans had sent her to consider in light of the  upcoming fight between the Delta backed by the Udenese and the Verians.

 Sam secured the link and kept the chanel scrambled and coded as too not be picked up.
She will send to Beth, Coding on my end Beth, also setting a very secure line for any information you need to send us. If you need anything else let me know.

Henry came to the entrance, a bit nervous - he wasn't sure if they'd let him in, or if the Admiral would have time to speak with them anyway. Mila was sticking close to him, she probably felt much the same (or was picking up on his emotions - she seemed to be getting better at that every day!).

   The Admiral  motioned to  Henry to get a coffee/Tea and danish if he  wished and   nodded to the  seat near the Map.

  Right then.... in a bit ove r one Earth day we  will be entering the   Uden system... Uden has   had   small incursions , but have handled them relatively  easy.... mostly Pirates... scot/spys..and interception Cargo ships that  went through thier  space.

 ..Things  change da bit after  we left  Fuji... The verians  started  to make  escorted   passages  through Uden space, and  more then a few  firefights    erupted.....Then.. we  got the message that Vera  has   joined the Empire..

  I will not  say,,exactly what is going to happen.... we have  reasons  to believe there are  still  ears  in the Udenese Fleet, Bura  and  Everest...Etna has become  dependable..Everest need   work...

St Gaul looked   embarrassed  and angry.

 The Bottom line here, is this... if  the  Verians and whatever  allies they have, react other then what they should... we know something happened, and it happened  from this  room...right now...

 ..when we   reach Uden.. the support  ships  are going to  drop out of  formation  and  settled  on the  far  side of  the  Uden.. the rest of the attack will be outlined in the files  Beth will send...

 As a Fail safe , we  will have Everest, Etna, Fuji and Bura   Commit have of thier standing Fleets...at least 1/2  the  way from thier stations   to  Uden... if this   battle  Goes Bad... we need a somethign  to slow  down  any attacks  from the Verians and thier Empire Allies.

 Admiral Himato of  Fuji said,do we know, what Empire forces  might come into play?


 ..we  expect Vampics to join in....as well as what Empire  regulars  might be in the area... there are  rumors of  other   movements out side the  Triangle, but  we'll have to wait until scouts get back with that  Info.. are there any other  questions.

Sarah nodded, "All ready done Admiral, we'll meet to decide our fleet structure and we'll be under way in under 12hrs. I'll ensure that we coordinate stepping up our efforts to shut down any ear here to start at the same time as the kickoff on your end so it feels like a much larger coordinated effort."

She taps out a quick message calling for Sam to call a General Staff Meeting to start promptly 30min after this meeting and to set up a call to the Burian leadership to occur immediately after.

 Sam is monitoring everything, Sam responds to Sarah, " Already Done Ma'am." Sam then while monitoring the meeting, she will send out messages to all the General Staff for a meeting stand by for exact time, then she would get everything ready for the call tot eh Burian leadership as well.

  some other  questions  were brought up  about ..'if the back up  units   were to engage '

 The Admiral said   it would be in the  data files being sent

 " would there be  any ground  troops needed"

 the Admirals  answer  was ' a few transports  should be available , incase you have boarding opportunities "

 shoudl  we  put  fighters in the air.

" that is  at the discretion of the  commander,"

 The Admiral waited a bit  for any other  questions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:03, Wed 08 Jan 2020.

Henry got himself a coffee and tossed a danish to Mila.

"Is there any way you'd like us to help, Admiral?"

  Admiral Hack smiled at  Henry,..in a second   here Doctor Christie.

   turning  his head from one screen to the other, Hack says...Right now.... work out Your Deployments...  your   files  will come  one hour  before   jump off . Its important , that your ships   are  deployed, not only for  any  'surprise' the enemy might have. But.. you  might be able to spot  any  unknowns  slipping around..I will tell you this. Once you get your   files.. you will relay them  to your Captains.. after that, you as   groups  will have to carry out the orders  as you see fit...not Just for the Fleets...but  for your own Home Bases. Thank you for Your  Time..

 he checks his  COM,on my mark.. expect the files to arrive in.... 29 hours..50 minutes......and....MARK!  He nods  as the screens  were cut off.

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

 Roy enters  as  Admiral HAck is  saying  good-bye to the station stations

 Turning to Doc Christie, Now  , Henry?  We have   to figure out what you want to do...  if you go with the assault  teams, you could , just as easy, end  up on an Enemy Cap ship, as  being planet side. Mila  could  come in handy , either place, but the  flora and fauna  is not   well know  to us....  Lilit  is sending over  some  information of Calimite.. as well as Information on Vera .. or?.. You can wait  on the Hnager dec  to see where  you think you'd  want to go?

 He nods to Roy,I was about to send  for you...

Roy grinned.  "I figured I would need to be in on the conversation at some point.  I suppose the big question is where to get the most bang for the buck out of us...and the easiest way to decide that is to answer whether the Verians have a ground-based Command Center or if they're running their operations from a ship."

He shrugged.  "If this is a trap, I figure the fastest way to set it off is to go for the jugular and do what we can to neutralize the Verians, operationally, right off the bat.  Plus, I'd kinda like to see the look on Adem's face when we kick in the door on him...assuming he's got the ball bearings to be commanding from the field and isn't hiding out on Vera somewhere."

   Hack Motions to  a chair   as well as the   food and drink.

  Beth has been getting  bits  and pieces ... we  still aren't sure  of Much... butb this  we  do know... he waves his hand  to   Hennings.

  Hennings  nods    going to the table to  punch in buttons that highlight  Calimite...The Verians have Landed  , what would amount to  4 of  our Transportbases  , worth of troops  on the North Pole of the  Calimite.. we can only assume  , they did this,  soe they wouldn't have to  surround the planet, to have over  watch on their  troops.. no matter   how the planet   rotates ..north..is still north for them..

 Punching in Buttons, the   Area  towards  the Hillite   system  lights up.....there  are   COM SIGs  comign from there.., we don't have Beth's Buoys  up there.. but the ones on teh fringe  are   catching Demoic  transmissons  and  an Unkown soure.. we think it might be the Roussians?

 ..to the  Verian side of the  quad.. we have  Vampic  Sigs comign in..so?  we know they will be there.....what we have...no clue  about... is   what is beyond  Vera into deepr space.... we know there are systems there.. we do not know  what..if  any..have to do with the war or the Empire...

  he looks to  HAck.

   If I was Adem... i would assume, and rightfully so. That we  are  coming to the aid of the Udenese  System....  He wants to  turn Calimite into a war zone...I would assume, he things  there  will be a truce of some kind and CAlimite  can be turned into neutral territory, so they can come and go as they wish... sacrificing  a few thousand lives   won't even make  him flinch

 ..Id this is  , indeed what Adam is hoping  for..there are some precedents  set on battlegrounds  that became 'common' ground, patrolled  by  both sides..needless to say, it becomes..almost..a frontier  with people  gettign killed on both sides and slaver   runnign rampant along side  pirates and slavers... BAle said.

 ..That's not goign to happen.... I will lose the planet before  we  sell it out as a 'boundary'...if  we lose it altogether, we  will be able to  strike and   any  non-APF  vessels in the area and   attack  at our own will....rather then let the Empire   leech off it for free.

  Hack  moves the  pointer  right through  what stands  as the Verian  Fleet. then  highlights Vera.

 ..the Captains and the  Stations  will be getting thier    orders  1 hour before  Jump off... when those  orders  are  sent.. the fleet  will be increasing  speed over the course of that hour....The Verians should not  recognize   the speed of  out approach   as there  will be  no blips on their scans, because of  our transpounders  what scans they might have.. Radar..sonar.. whatever..  will be confused  as the support ships  drop out of the formation to settle  around   Uden...4  Transport bases  are staying  behind  as both reserves  and to aid Unden is   they are attacked.. mostly, by using the Creshian tactic of boarding the attacking cap ships.

 ..there  will be a time , as   we  cut through the Verians fleet, were all we can do is  faire  at ships    as  we  pass.... The Verians  will have to decide  what they want to do.. stay and    attack Calimite, or even Uden.... or, chase us... by the time they get thier fleet  turned about.. we'll have a damn big  lead... and  Vera  will be, of all intent and purpose...unguarded.... they will have to  decide  with the Vampic and ..what we think, is  Roussians and  Empire ships..what to do?  aid Vera..Attack Unden?...and  in that  time  we will start pounding the  9 hells out of vera....

 ..This  is the ahrd part  for  the drop ship troopers  and  the Fleets  assault teams.... do we     send you out   to  capture  or destroy ships... or  down  we  rain  down troops on Vera

 Hennings  says,my thoughts?  the Verians  stuck on Vera  can't hurt us. but  we  can pound them to metal shavings  from Orbit.... if  we    board  Verian vessels.. those vessels  can't fight ,  those  we capture  intact get added to  the Fleet..or  Undan home defesne... or even  scattered  about  out other holdings  to build up thier Home defense...  Vessels  we     control,  that are too  damaged. we can sue  as  Fire  ships..either into   enemy  ships.. or , flat out  crash land   into Vera.

 Hack leaned on the table lookign nat the   holomap...   What Admiral hennings  says  is true... we  drop troops  on Vera.. we have to  expect the whole planet to be  enemies... if  we    board ships  we can eliminate them  and use   some against them.....

 Bale  adds,..the fleet formation, Admiral?

Delta  #1  and Delta  #2  are goign stright   through the Middle of the  Verian fleet.. i assume the Flagship is there , somewhere.  he highlights the    arrows.Delta   #3  is   swing  out to  port side  to   both  contain the verians   and  look for  Roussians  or whatever is out there...The Delta #4 is swinging out  to the starboard, putting themselves  between The Verians    and   The Vampic    forces.

 Hennings   smiled  thinly,we'll have our backups ready..and we are hoping  for some surprises. we  won't know if  we can count on them until Jump off... they were  sent   orders and asked if they will comply... if they are able, they should be staging now.. if they cannot, they will hold  as   reinforcements  for  those stations we  are staging  as back ups.

  Now, Roy?... here is the hard part of this... speed or no speed..Verians  actions be damned... there are  also 4  transportbases    that are going with Undense  ships and transportbases   to the orth  pole mof Calimite... I aske dCummings  to select  4 transport bases  and  a section leader....that...well.. we could afford  to  lose..Cummings  wsted no time, in  setting up   Higgins as the section leader  and  his 'flag' transportbase, as well as  3  others that have worked with him... Higgins  is goign to be on the ground, there will be full COM traffic between  him, us  and Cummings, so the   enemy knows  were  are dropping folks down there.... being  ESN/APF troops, Higgins has  to set up his CP on Calimite near   the beachhead.. it won't be pretty, unless  the   Undenese...the calimites and our troopers and   do enough damage to the Verians

  HAck shook his head...the moment   the Verians realize  ESN /APF trooper s are   dropping, they  should  send more of thier own..until they realize  we aren't  engaging the fleet, but   blasting through it.... even if  we   are successful,   those troops  might  get over  run before  we  can  deploy  more troops  to aid them... the whole thing is  meant to gain us  anywhere from  30 minutes , to an hour, ebfore the Verian Command  figures out what';s going on , and what they are going to do. The Butchers Bill..is going to be high in this one...

 Roy?  we had a  tiny taste  of man to man Verian ground troops in the hall . do you think its worth the people , to drop onto to vera?....

 ..its my thoughts, that we hit thier ships, and  pound vera  from Orbit...we'll lose less people in boarding action and   we have  some surprises  if that's the route  we go... smield Hennings

 BAle added ,..if  we land people on Vera... we have to support them.. i think it would better to strip Vera of her Fleet...

 CAptain Si who watched    finally spoke up..... We have seen  how the Verians 'fight'.... if not   for a HAlf  Human   Undenese ,   the battle of the Line   might have cist us more then we csare to think.. and  Everest might still be trying to rebuild... I say.. take thier ships.. and lower the cost to our ground people.

 well Roy... this is the last bit  before I  get Beth  to  code  the files and send them out.... what  do you think?  would you rather   board ships..or land  on Vera...

Roy listened attentively to the inputs from the board members, although he'd already set a pretty clear expectation in his mind.  When they finished, and Admiral Hack asked for his input, he paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully, even though he knew he was free to speak his mind in current company.

"Frankly, Admiral, unless Adem is personally commanding the entire operation from the surface of Vera, I can't think of a single tactical or strategic benefit to trying to put troops on the ground at this point.  And that doesn't even factor in the challenges that Verian infantry might present.  We're here to defend Uden and Calimite...conquering Vera can wait.  Our first priority should be removing the Verian navy as a factor in this battle, ideally by capturing them, but even if all we do is disable them and leave them adrift or just plain old blow them up, it's going to be to our advantage.  And, frankly, I think Vera will surrender a lot faster if Lillit flies in, commanding the Verians' own flagship, and announces that she's in charge than they'll surrender to any ESN vessel, no matter what kind of bombardment we're doing."

He flashed a feral grin and added, "And, if we're really lucky, Adem will be on that ship and we can give him to Lillit, as well as the ship, if we're feeling generous.  But we all saw how the Verians fared when we helped them against the Hyrians...they don't have any individual initiative in their command structure to speak of.  Take out their command vessel and their effectiveness as a fighting force is going to be halved, at the very least, and it might end up being more like fighting a bunch of individual ships, as opposed to fighting a fleet."  He shook his head slightly.

"No, Sir...forget sending troops to Vera, unless it's intended as a feint.  Send us after Adem's flagship, to either capture it, cripple it, or kill it altogether.  We'll get a lot more mileage out of that effort."

 The Admiral  smiled  slightly. Hennings   was a bit  happier.That has been the   main thought.. We have to  figure that  Verians would  fight us  as invaders , the other planets  , we had  some Help, fro  natives...

  we will still push though the Fleet then, and   circule  back and  trap them between Calimite  and   Us..  we  should   cut our  losses  by  half , by not dropping  troops ..

 Hennings   smiles  as he says,when the word is given, have your people  rig for boarding.


  Hack looked at the clock.well Roy?  that about does it then.. I send the final  bits the Bet  so she can send the files... Go..get rest.. relax... its  going to be nasty here  soon..

Roy gave a grin that was half savage humor and half tired.  "It always is, on my end.  Thank you, sirs.  We'll be ready for them."

Henry nodded.

"I am probably most useful planet-side, but the main factor is where Mila will be of most help. I'll go with her... I can be a naturalist later if needs be."

    Well , Henry? I won't lie, it  would be good to get some Verian samples to go with those you took from the hall fight... I will let  you and Roy make the Call. I imagine, we may have to  clean up some spots on Calimite  as well..And?  we'll make a stop in Uden , I am sure, for Lilit to celebrate the Victory..so?  You will have many chances to  catalogue  species, I should think

Roy shrugged.  "It's up to you, Doc.  If you want to come with us on the boarding operations, we'll gladly leave a slot for you.  If you want to wait for a more peaceful occasion to get face-to-face with the Verians, I don't blame you.  We've got the personnel to carry the mission without you...but you and Mila are always welcome."

Mila trotted over to Roy and reared up with her front paws, wagging her tail. If she was going to be useful she wanted to be there. She looked back at Her Human, hoping that he would agree.

Roy looked down at the dog, and grinned.  "Well, I think we can see Mila's vote on the matter...but she was trained for this kind of stuff.  Still your call, Dr. Christie."

Henry came over and rubbed the dog's ears affectionately.

"I'll come along if you'll have me, Roy. As you say, this is what she trained for and what she'd like to do: and I'm her partner."

He could feel Mila's excitement. Their link was growing stronger all the time, by now he could feel what she was thinking quite easily. Her excitement was infectious, although he didn't regard combat as something to be enjoyed... just necessary upon occasion.

Roy nodded.  "You're more than welcome...you've proven yourself quite capable on these operations, even before Mila came along."  He turned to Admiral Hack.

"I'll get you a list of who I think should be in which shuttles, Sir...we've got some fresh forces that ought to be paired with more experienced units, I think, but we should have plenty to load out all three shuttles and still leave a ready force here on the ship in the event of attempted boarding actions."

 The Admiral  offered his   and to Both Men, and  Petted   Mila, as the others   all nooded with   smiles.

  CArry on....  we;ll see you in the hanger before Jump off...get rest..spend  some time relaxing.. you know this will be a furball...

Mila wagged her tail and licked Hack's hand, but growled softly at mention of a 'furball' - she was a bit of a furball herself and that ought to be a good thing!

Roy grimaced.  "Well, I suppose I better go get the earful that is coming my way when the mission assignments get announced...if everyone got their way, nobody would be staying on the Hermes to repel boarders..."  He gave a rueful grin, and saluted the Board members and Captain Si before leaving.

To SEC---->

"Come on, Mila.."

Henry led the dog out and headed back to his lab.

<<<<<<<<<<<  after  Uden shore leave, 1st battle of Uden

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

  Admiral  Hack  and Admiral Hennings stood    there looking at the  Holomap of Vera.. there  were  red  trinangles  where   the  main targets of shelling would be.. 4  red   triangles were above the  North Pole... 3 Verian Vessels  and one Vampic  that  escaped  and  was either Ordered to stay.. or stayed on its own.

  Commander Miller     and CAptain  Si  were checking COMs and such ...call them...

  Commander  Miller nodded,Already Done....

 ATTENTION....LC SHADOW, CAPTAIN MORRIS , CAPTAIN O'REILLY, CAPTAIN NILISSON, SM SPENCER, LT FRANS, LT MORROW MASTERCHIEF MULLINS, PLEASE  REPORT TO THE WAR  ROOM ... AGAIN, PLEASE REPORT TO THE WAR ROOM
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:58, Thu 26 Mar 2020.

<- Henry's office

Henry turned up.

"Admiral, you sent for us?"

Mila trotted in behind Her Human. She didn't want to listen to other humans talk, she wanted to curl up and go to sleep. The largs had the right idea... and she had been running around just as much as Freddie and Tess had been.

She flopped on the floor once Her Human stopped moving and dozed.

Karl sauntered in, no worse for the wear from the downtime on Uden.  "Admirals...Captain...Doctor Christie," he offered by way of greetings around the room.  He glanced at the map, his eyes registering that targets were marked...but who went for which ones was not.  With a vague nod, he looked away from the map, taking a seat and waiting for the others to show up.

Roy strode in crisply, Larry following him through the door.  He gestured with a slight nod of his head and Larry went and parked next to Mila...sitting upright and attentive.  Roy's eyes went to the map...

"Good...nice to find out just what we're doing down there," he said, in a tone that was just a little too pleasant to be a grumble.  Giving a nod to those in the room, he walked over to stand by the map, looking over the options and already working on formulating tactical approaches for each target, if that was where the shuttles were sent.

Mila grunted and sat up. She wasn't going to be outdone by a larg, not even one she loved!

  As  everyone assembled   Hack  smiled  and  waved to the  table ....This is Vera....

 Shadow     stooped at the door  GAve the  two guards  a  Coffee  and  what fixing packs they wanted Then entered..

 he   handed out  Tea  and Coffee to everyone  As Hack watched  him , his eyes  following   the LC  as Beth and Lyri  tried not to laugh..

  stopping at the Admiral he handed   Admiral Hack a  Cup... he froze  as he saw the  stern look.ahhh?..You don't  want coffee?
 Hack chuckled  and took the  Cup  and  began fixing    his  drink... he saw Mila was there and frowned.. , he broke  a  sausage  in Half  Giving  one half to LArry and Her...sorry  Mila?  hope you like sausage..

 Now that our Waitress  is  done serving everyone...

 Shadow looked a bit sheepish as he reached  for  a Milk packet and  sugar..

  Th beth powered up the  Monitors that showed Dusk and Lilit  on the 'Vera's Fall"..  being sued  as the Blue Verian Flagship for this battle...

 Sarah  on another screen, Admiral  Hirg on another  and lastly Colonel Cummings  on the last one.

 Welcome  everyone ... this is to sort out the basic  plan of action.... Humans have  a saying,  'everyone has a plan, 'till you get punched in the mouth".... so?  this  is
 our general plan....

 we  have audio goign to all the  Commanders   of  our  ships , including the    Dropship commanders... This needs to be said, out right... The Deltas Fleet, isn't  going to the Sol System, until its time to go there.... One of two things is going to  happen,  1... the angels will have to fight the  Demons, even if just token resistance... that ties things up... or  Two,....The   demons get  Earth handed to them, and will have to try to control a population , that will, kill them and  kill each other... it won't be a happy place to  be. As cold as it sounds.. Its not our Problem.. The great Savior, GE-FI will have to step up..and seeing how  the   COMs  went, and everyone in the Black saw or heard it..so? its no longer our problem...

 Pointing at Vera...THIS... is our problem..  we   crush Vera... that separates  Vampic and Roussian space.. they have to go way out the back and  to hook up with each other, and that would  take days, if not weeks

 alot of us on the Hermes  and the Delta  Fleet have an Axe  to Grind  with Adem..so..yeah.. we're not leaving...

 In about  17 hours, i will issue the  COM CAll to vera, as a planet, to  surrender Adem and Evert... i do not see them doing it.. and I know  damn well  those  two will not  turn themselves over..   if they do?  we'll  have to stay  and help the Udenese   take over
  as proctors .... otherwsie.. we  are going the flatten  alot of  area, kill alot of verians, and hope they 'stay neutral' when we're  done.... those who want to keep fighting, will receive no quarter...

 ..Now.. the  3 Verian and  one Vampic vessel are hovering over the North Pole of Vera.. its  highly  unlikely they  plan to  come out  and attack form there, with only four ships..... Colonel Cummings..  You will swamp those   four ships  with   transport troopers... I want the captured, or destroyed... if   they must be destroyed..try to have them   aimed  at the nearest  city to  crash land.... if  you cannot get to the bridge.. then  blow them to the  nine hells...

 ..Right Sir..Already done

 we have people on the planet... Occui, for the most part.. they have  confirmed that Adem and Evert moved out of  the capitol with its  Ion Dust Contamination .. they moved to the Vidda  Mountains about 1000 miles south of the North pole... The  Estate of the Apple is there..... its  a fortress... but we have  ways in, thanks to the Occui.

 to the east and the west  as  two big plains.. the plains of Corga, to the east..and Suntra to the west... we will be  landing  at the  southern most edge of the plains... and  move up... there  is  a  small mountain-hill range between the  two,,, Nivaians , Naragrans, gava  and some Apefolk  will be   move  up that range to eliminate any   ambushes, and...or... discover  any tunnels  systems we might be able to use... Tor the West.. Sanri will lead  the  Transport troops  towards the mountains  and   engage  with Verians there... Apefolk will lead  the   troops   at Corga...

 Hyrians  and Felrites will be  dropping in, behind the    Mountains to the North..they will fight thier  way south the   the Estate..when there is a beach head..another   dropship CP will be set up, pumping  more troops into the attack from the north.

 Sarah.. the Burians have  our Port flank..rumors  have it, that a Demon Med tech ship is coming to aid the Verians with a small escort..your job is to stop   ANY of those
 ships  from coming in..you will tell them to turn away..if they do not. you destroy the escorts..if the Med tech ship does not turn away..you destroy that... it will make us even for the  Canary being destroyed   by Ambassador frans  and   Ge-Fi's friends..

Admiral Hirg..  your ships  have  our  starboard  side... no ..NON-APF vessel makes it to Uden space... if you have to board them..do it... any ship you capture  goes to your fleet... Sarah?.. same for the Verians, if you can capture  a ship or two.. add it to your fleet..i do not care  what you do with the prisoners.

 Roy.... we're sending  down  all  3 shuttles  down to the west of Suntra... there is  an COM teach Outpost there.. your  teams  will either take  it..or destroy it ..if you take it , Drop ship troopers will hold it... if not..drop ship troopers   will follow in your wake, for any installation  you might  come across... we will have  beach heads at all the landing pints  for Ammo, med tech and evac..every place you take , and hold, gives us another 'safe place ' . Somewhere past that COM Tech  is  a side  door to the   Estate... it may be a bolt hole.. but for us..its a way in...  there should be Occui there  waiting
 for you..they may even use  green smoke to tell you  they have a way in...

 Colonel Cummings.... tell your  troopers,  that any tunnel they find, put   up Green smoke.....and  send people in to see where it  leads ..

 Then he looked up at Shadow,Occui reporters    airfields  at the North pole..and Under the Vidda  Mountains... we also have to assume other  airfield  will be launching what they have as soon as they get a grip on what we are doing.. your  first order of business  will be  to  strafe the   plains of Suntra with  fighters from Delta  One..... Delta  two fighters  will take care of   Corga... Delta  4 will  meet anything  coming from the south.. Delta   3 will take the   North... The Burians   and  Hyrians  will try to keep the  Black Clear.. and the   EMS ships are  going to shell the nine hells out of the southern Hemisphere with Ion rounds..

 Now.. Roy?  Doc Henry ?.... were going to need the Largs... the Nivarians will be taking  thier worts and  LArgs up   the  divide... but Larry..Mila  and the  two new ones.. are going to be used  in the tunnels.. you are to take the Mechs  as well.

 LArry  thumped his tail

 ..not those tunnels!

 Larry looked at  shadow, tilted his  head  and thumped his tail again.

 ..Captain Nilsson?  we are goign to need your  aricraft to hit  behind the  troops , meeting   our  troops   in the plains...  the fighters  can chew up  troops and  even tear up a few bits of armor.. But the estate is  said to have   'pill box' like structures....

 Lilit spoke up.....They do... one  every half mile or so.. they use   cap ship class  Heavy Pulse... There was a time when Hyrians landed on Vera.. they   too..charged the  estate.. the battle lasted  days, and the Hyrians had to leave, because of  heavy looses... since that time, they had no further use  for those   emplacements..but they  kept them operating  because of  Historic value...

 Hirg   also spoke up,warlord  Lilit  speaks true..I was an ensign on a destroyer then.. we could not send  for any more   troops, we lost near  300,000..and twice  that woudned... our Admiral turned  us  around after shelling the planet out of frustration..neither us, nor the  Verains ever tested   each other again, Until the Battle of the Line.

 well?... I won't  say we are better? I will say we are better prepared... a few of those    guns are going to be knocked  out  by the orbital  shelling.. there  will be    Cap ships  firing  for 30 minutes  all around the globe..but...only the south will be hit  with  Ion Rounds in addition to  hard  ammo  hand heavy Pulse..

 questions?

Karl gave a tight grin as he processed the information about his mission.  Just the kind of thing he liked.  "Yeah, one question, since we have a couple of people here who are at least vaguely familiar with them...these pillboxes--how high do their guns elevate?  Are they geared more to anti-personnel or anti-aircraft?"  The answer would do a lot to determine just how he would engage them.  In his experience, a pillbox was an armored fortification against ground engagement...just how armored would be something he'd have to find out.  But if they were anti-aircraft positions, he'd have to engage from a much greater distance...

 The Admiral Looked at  Lilit's screen  she  shook her head,It was  built in the time, when those  who  left the  One Tree.. thought they would  become  masters of the system.. the guns were  made to defeat the troops on the ground... they have  masses  of  fighters in the
 mountains and Underground Hangers


  Shadow said,..and day will become night..such as it was, when the fighters  filled  the skies...  Captain Si looked at him...

 There was a bit of a frown,sure?.. but if my name was Homer..everyone would have said that was  a masterpiece of  word craft...

Roy grinned.  "Never got into reading Homer, but there was a similar story told about the Battle of Thermopylae...someone said that the Persian archers were so numerous that when they fired a volley, it blocked out the sun.  One of the Spartan warriors overheard the comment and answered, "That's good, it means we'll be fighting in the shade."  Of course, we'll most likely be underground by that time, so we won't notice the difference."

He looked over at Admiral Hack.  "Shouldn't be a problem, I'm sure the largs will make a good report for themselves.  Larry's already demonstrated his capacity for search and destroy operations in enclosed spaces, I expect Tess and Freddy will be very nearly as effective, albeit a little less energetic about it after it's gone on for a while."  He chuckled softly, visibly fond of all the largs.

He turned to Henry.  "Guess that means I better figure out who, out of each shuttle, I want to make responsible for the largs, and which ones are going on which shuttle, so I get time to introduce them and and make sure they're comfortable with each other.  Can we take care of that first thing tomorrow, Dr. Christie?  People are winding down for the night, probably best to not drag them tired and cranky to make their first impressions on Tess and Freddy."  He laughed a little at the thought.

Karl nodded at the response.  "Good to know, frees me up for a closer range of engagement, which gives me better options for accuracy...it's the difference between trying to hit the pillbox, or trying to hit a specific point on the pillbox."  He thought for a moment, then asked, "Are the troops manning the weapons likely to be armored?  If they aren't, a couple of incendiary rounds right outside could suck all the air out of the space...if they are, that'd just be an inconvenience for them...probably raise all kinds of hell with their targeting systems, trying to pick a target through a wall of fire..."

He was already mentally preparing a loadout, turning to focus on the map again.  "And how many of these pillboxes are there?" he asked.  There were a few options going through his mind...

   Once More , The Admiral turned to  Lilit...


  neither Uden  nor Vera  has had a   very large   space Navy..we  made trips to  planets  now and then..most planets that  either  thought us gods, or some 'powerful'  figure in thier myths.... so... Adem's   defense of  of the   Estate  was set for  ground forces and    fighters..... after the   battle  and the peace  accord , he   would joke that he only wanted   the   guns to fire away from the estate, that if   troops got past those  Gun, there  would not be many left....

 Hennings   nodded,,, The Maginot line..it  worked for a bit, Until the germans
 simply went around them...

 Last time we  were there...some 200 years ago.. they  had 100  of them  around the Mountain.. with 20 of them on an'upper  tier'.... in between them, troops  would  huddle with   heavy pulse...that you cam ..MGs?..... but..our  fighters     could chew up the  troops, , but  could only  dent the    big guns shells..a few Undenese  made to to some of the front guns,   and threw in   explosives .. I would assume  those have been repaired.... the  guns  have
 an overlapping arc.. with the  '2nd  tier' block houses  in between  those in front...anti aircraft  in the state , itself   help to keep away   drops  my troops to the north .

   Hack    zoomed in on the  two plains   and the   Mountain.... so?..  the  troops int eh plains will have to  move... leap frog style   to keep   shelters from the Guns... with Luck our  fighters  will  trim down the  troops between the   blockhouses.....there has to be a point  where they are 'under the Guns.. and the  block houses  cannot   harm them..but the 2nd  tier  can fill in.... a little... of that...

 He looked at CArl....You don't have to knock them all out.... knock out   some in the middle, and the  tiers  behind them... that will give  the  troops a lane  they   can surge  through.....we need  that at Both plains..Shadow.. you will send  Messages  to the other
 WC's  to strafe  any troops  that  can reach After the shelling ends... Carl will come down with you and  hit  the pill boxes... Colonel Cummings?.. you'l relay the message to those   leading the ground attack...once they get to the  block houses, they can use them as  cover  to  move  towards the estate...

  Nil?   Contact the  Delta Commanders.. Tell them to   start thier  Bombardment 10 Miles , to  the south of the Estate...walk it up   north until the get   10 miles past the estate..this should  take care of some of those bunkers... and  provide  'fox holes' for the troops  to   leap frog.. Shadow  will bring the fighters in  after  the    walking barrage  reaches   the estate.... this should also provide  Carl with a decent look at the ones he needs to  knock out... the more that we knock out in the middle.. gives  those troops   a wider passage..

 and if  Adem and Evert are killed in the shelling..

 ..then this battle  should  end  a might   more quickly

  Mila  is going to come in handy  for search and destroy, as you move up the tunnels.. her chip should  aid her in warning  Henry..and  for Henry to  try and understand what she is seeing..the LArgs    , we know can hunt... they are   Panzers to Mila's Stuart.

In reply to brief (msg # 120):

Sarah attended the meeting from aboard the bridge of the Cold Stone, "LT Robertson please ensure this is pushed to all Burian vessels real time. Want all my Captain's listening in."

She had been about to ask about capturing the potential Demon vessels expected from the portside, when the Admiral answered the question. Kill or Capture whichever was possible, "To be clear Admiral, given the opportunity are we free to capture the Hospital ship should it arrive? The escort it was abundantly clear, but the line about trading for the Canary seemed to indicate to her that they simply wanted to kill an enemy med ship... though in her mind capturing and re-purposing would be more of a sting as it'd at the least replace the ESN capacity lost to some extent.

 Sam nodded and replied to Sarah," Already done Commodore." Sam quickly opened secure Comm links to all of the vessels of the Burian fleet so all Captains would hear this meeting. Sam thought capturing the Hospital ship was a much better idea then destroying it, and might hurt the Empire more. Sam also began using the enhanced scanners of the Cold Stone to locate any enemy ships within range.

   Hack  shrugged,... Commodore ...you have the right of it..it would be  good to capture the med tech ship...but we must assume there  would be   some  ill  empire folks on there...If it is close enough to   come here.. they would have to be handling  wounded from the last battle...

 ..as  cold hearted  as it sounds..destroying it  will give  the Empire  the  realization, as they will be treated  as they have treated others..... to be quite honest, the lives  of the Empire  folks on that ship do not matter to me.. so you will make that call, i will support you either way...

anything esle?

Karl nodded as his mission was clarified.  There would be potential anti-air fire from the estate, the initial barrage may or may not knock it out.  "One more question, Admiral...permission to prioritize anti-air defenses before the pillboxes?  As long as they've got any air-defense capability, all our craft, fighters to dropships, are at risk, and if I don't have to avoid anti-air fire, my options for hitting the pillboxes increase a lot."  It seemed a common-sense measure to him, but if Hack already had something else in mind, he wasn't going to duplicate efforts.

  HAck looked Grimly at Karl.  after the  walking barrage, and the  fighter  wave, the fighters  will break up.. to what Shadow   gives them as thier  Priorities  ..knowing the
 LC..there will be alot of ground support..

  Shadow shrugged and smiled.

 to that end, they have to knock down  fighters  and chew up  troops... with any sort of luck..this  gives you   your  shot  at what you  wish to target... if you feel you need to knock out   the estates  AA..then you do it... we have no other Mornignstars... you're...it..

 ..Now , Roy?..  I want your  shuttles  to  set   down.. about   5 miles  from  the estate....in the  trees..when  you  fine the Occui.. the  shuttles  should  move up to protect that area while you go in...Prisoners  aren't needed...body count is  good..make it look more devastating  for  the    Media...

 ...speaking of  reporters...

 ..yes..you have to take her..she doesn't have to have fun...

 I can Guarantee that

Roy nodded, at glanced over at Karl.  "If it's all the same to you, Captain, I'd appreciate you knocking out the air defenses.  I mean, five miles is a long ways for an anti-air gun, but I'll focus on the assault better if I'm not worried about losing a third of my assault team to a lucky shot."

He turned back to Hack.  " No prisoners, check.  Take the comm center, establish a beachhead, hold it until a dropship reinforces that point, then follow the Occui into the tunnels and clear them as we go."  He gave a curt nod.  He liked missions with clear objectives.

Sarah listened to Hack speak, rather than planning one or the other she decided to make the decision at the time of if the ship arrived.

"Another question Admiral, this might be a bit of a silly one, but are we certain the tunnels aren't exhaust vents for a buried warship? If we all recall many people lost their lives when that thing took off, with the Udenese ambassador nearly one of them. Also are we taking any precautions to prevent that?"

 Lilit answered  Sarah , for the  Admiral....there are escape vessels, but they are nothing but glorified   Assault shuttles..... I know  nothing of the   floor plan of the Underpart of the   Estate..But  Adem's ego is  as big as the  complex. He will think  himself, well covered, and perhaps   have  some   bolt  holes.

 Thank You Warlord.... Now..  for all you listening... i want to make this  crystal clear.... The Verians  were...at best..part-Time   APF... even in the Days of the AP, we
 never  heard of them , Until Shade  and Dusk...or..if i should  phrase it rightly.. the Death of Lady

 we saw them stand  by, when it looked  like Everest might be  destroyed, by  Hyrians on thier side of   Everest Space..it took  Dusk Shadow  standing up to   Evert , to   change that   bit of actions..to the Point were she was   struck down by Evert herself....

 ..Adem  is  fooling  himself , if  he thought there wasn't a price to  pay, for turning to the Empire... form us..it means  destruction, after they  took part in the last battle....for the  Empire. one can only imagine, tribute  sent  by Verians.. that would create a Verian-demon cross breed... This?  is not  just a battle  to   put  all of Uden space under Uden's flag... this is to eliminate  the threat of    Verian-Demons  entering the war,... any Verian who  is taken up arms against us, we need not take prisoner... and? any noncombatants that show  any form of hate towards   the APF,  cannot  be  considered to be non combatants..The Udenese , I am sure.. will   cleanse the place  as needed... But  for   this battle... we want to make sure the  numbers are up on thier  butcher's Bill.

 If there is nothing else... its   time to make your prep and get some sleep... I am looking at this, as  another  Aqra..

Karl listened as Sarah asked her question, pondering it a bit as Lilit and Hack responded.  "Pretty sure there's only the minutest chance of this turning into another Bura scenario.  The Burian ship was out in the wilderness, in an area that nobody had under any sort of surveillance for...oh, probably as long as there had been Empire forces on Bura.  This is a known landmark that was pretty well documented, from the sound of Warlord Lilit's answers, for probably longer than any of us have been alive, and it's unlikely that a Creshian vessel of that size could have reached Vera totally unobserved by the Udenese or Calimites."

He glanced over at Roy.  "Doesn't mean they won't have some nasty surprises in them, but you shouldn't be caught in the engine blast of a reactor drive."  He grinned and continued, "We'll make sure you have a safe landing, Sergeant-Major, even if that just means being such a pain in the ass that they're too busy shooting at me to notice you."

Well That;s it then....  Jump off  at  8:00 PM  Ships  time

 Shadow    Gives  an 'all -around salute'   heading to the door...   what will be interesting..is  the  fighters that  are on Vera?.. are they the Elie?  or  did they waste  them all in the LAst battle

 Morris hobbles   out   with Rivets close  behind,

[7 blank lines suppressed]

 >>> leaving to?

Mila accepted her piece of sausage with a polite wag of her tail, ate it, and yawned cavernously.

Her Human was clearly paying attention to the talk-talk, so she drifted whilst sitting upright... until she heard her name. Her ears came forward as she listened, then Larry thumped his tail beside her, and she put her head to one side, then looked over to Larry and gave him a quick lick.

Henry listend to the Admiral, taking particular note of what he, Mila, and the largs would be doing.

When Roy spoke, he turned to him.

"Do you want each larg to have their own handler? I'll see if any of the bio-techs are interested, they at least have animal handling experience. Or do you have someone in mind?"

"I didn't have any particular people in mind...but all things considered, I'd rather it be someone with combat experience.  I'd hate to run the risk of one of the largs taking wounds because their handler got overwhelmed by the action and either froze or panic-fired...and I don't want to put that on any of your techs' shoulders.  Friendly-fire incidents can haunt you for a long time...I've seen them end some brilliant careers.  But if you've got someone down there who you think is ready to watch out for a larg as well as themselves and their team when it all hits the fan, I'm willing to listen."  It would have been easy to be condescending with those words...Roy wasn't.  His voice had an earnest concern in it.

"Got it. Doubt anyone is quite that compentent in combat. I certainly am not!"

Henry had a wry grin as he nodded. They might call him the 'warrior professor' but he didn't really feel he was that good at combat. There again, he'd got into some hairy places and still was here...

 Morning..before    invasion of  Vear.........))))

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

   Shade   was helpign  Beth with the  'war room'  screens,, After last time the   screens  were moved  back a   bit.. but the  admiral insisted on  seeing out of   Hanger  Dec between  C &B   flight's...flight lines. Both torpedo ships   were ready.

 Brant Wilson  looked  bummed out.. dressed up and ready but  sat by the  torpedo craft as a  BAck up.

  4   ESN painted  Mantis with no  numbers  sat back prepped in ready in the 'pool ' section behind the  Torpedo planes.

 Dana , Sneak and a few others LAdies  were  on dec.. they  were made to were  chest armor , at least  as they  hand   hot and cold  drinks  and    triangle sandwiches for   folks  before  the Jump off.

 Wendy sat   at the flight lines   slowly  trying to eat a sandwich, because Shadow told  her , he didn't know if they would be coming back tonight

 Others  were starting to gather  around   waiting for the last minute  word from the Admiral. The    mobile  stairs  were  in place  by  Hanger  Bay 2 .

 People shuffled  around   drinking, trying to eat..some folks  light  and  talked loud, others  were  quite..staring  at nothing, feet shaking,, fingers  tapping.

 Some troopers  leaned against   crates  with their  eyes  closed  listening to music on head  phones.

 Pilots  walked  around  in mixtures  of   enviro suits... light  armor   or  Medium  armor

  Mechs were gathered   near the   shuttles , waiting  so see which ride  the  drew.

  Rivets talked to the  shuttle  pilots   as they  talked about the LArgs...  Not wanting to left Roll by himself, and  not in the    bunker   with gregor and  the other  Civies... 'larg Master' Roll sat behind the Mech tables, with Gregor.. Roll wore his little uniform, Gregor  had a war   collar  on..well.. it was a dog collar that  Sneak glued  some  bits of Metal on... but the little beastie  was looking around  thumping his  tail as he waited  for the Big LArgs.

 The  2  nivarian  troopers   studied  Roll we  ate a sandwich  while he  held  gregor  and  watched all the people  moving around.

 Val  came up  to help set up a separate feed  for all the besaties..she would also keep an eye on Roll and get him  tot eh SEC  if there was boarding action

 Shadow  came striding down the ramp way a Big Cocky grin on his face..  the crew  greeted him with  waves, shouts and salutes...

 Higgins   was  near him as he looked  for Abby,..some of these people looked  scared... some don't seem to care?  don;t they know some of them won't be back?

  Shadow     frowned for a moment and hissed at him,..and if you think like that?..you might be 'some of them'..check your  machine...

 Higgins looked  like some one punched him  as  Shadow whispered to him.. and  went to check his  machine.

In reply to hanger (msg # 140):

Orria had arrived early and was doing her part wearing her armor, and helping Beth set up the screens, route connections and get everything ready.