Evie   looked around again,  the said,..Locals  can't go there...... but  we know there is a Base.... and  they have built  up AA guns  and  the like...

………………………………………..

 The  Poor  Pilot had  Now chance.... he  was Groggy.".The..Vampics  take the lids  for.... food..like the demons... not..much difference....They  help  the fighter pilots... give boosts... there are others  around.."

"Give boosts? How? With blood? Do they give the pilots blood to sharpen their reflexes?" She asked, disgusted by the idea. In all her years this was one thing she had never heard of but she couldn't put the practice beyond them. There was a sickness at the core of the Vampic people that needed to be burnt out.

Zob paced a bit back and forth, "So who gave you guys orders to seek out the Hermes directly and try and sabotage it and or attempt to divert the fleets course?... What are you trying to hide that you don't want the fleet to find out on The Pit?"

"Good work, Jax...not even the first day of boot camp and you stood your ground against superior numbers.  I think you're gonna make a damn fine Marine."

Green wasn't in much condition to answer questions...Zob was working on Evie...Roy nodded and headed for one of the cells that held Jax's attackers, gesturing to one of the guards on duty that he was going inside.  He wasn't concerned about which one it was...

He closed the door behind him, hearing it latch, and looked at the cell's occupant.  "You want to explain to me why you were trying to take a weapon away from my recruit, on my ship?" he asked.  His voice was dangerously controlled.

 Jax nodded he looked down  and said  in a bit of a worried  Voice,..I couldn't  shoot them... and I Tried  to use the Popper  trick with  salt and Pepper shakers?..but  the  shakers on the  Station are   cheper, you can pop the lid,  these were Glass  , I habd to unscrew them with  my thumb while the  Guy  talked.. the second Guy knocked thesalt out of My hands and beat on me..Mr Zob  saved me.... SM?.. The Pepper Guy?..he said  they use to use  kids   when they tried to loot the bodies in the Stem?... how did he know i was a stemmer?

………………….


  The Intel Cell had  Lyri inside the Door, with  Stefi and a Med Tech..

  Nick, the one who got his   arm broken by  Zob was in the left Corner.... Hebber, the Guy who started it, was in the  right..he had  Patches on his    eyes..Blood  was  dried  around his nose.

 Stefi crossed her   arms  and Leaned  in front of Roy  so he had to listen,..the one  with the arm?.. either got hit  with somethign hard.. or   ..was used to hit  something HArd..,,, the Guy with the Eyes.. that pepper  did a number on them.. he won't be seeing clear  for a good , 4  5 days.. I'm thinking he  won't be much of a sniper any more...his nasal passages    are  raw to the point of Bleeding...  then she stepped out of the way.

  Nick   jerked his head to Hebber,..kid's a damn Stemmer..innnit  he?..Look what he did  to me  Mate.. used a Bloody pepper  shaker to take his eyes?.. those eyes  saved alot of me Blokes , they did..... what i wants ta know, is why Lights Agents like us..lose  our  COMs  and  our  Guns.. and a wee bit of  a Stem rat is  runnin' around with  brand new standard Issue..eh?

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

 Green said..... They Bosses  said,, that your  COMs whore... Shadow  only  made   two steps,  before His round House  hit Green in the   face, spitting the right side of his  upper  lip to the teeth...

..I say?  SHadow, Old Man? That was  Uncalled  for..don't you think...

 ..no sir..it was very called  for.....now continue...

   Blodd oozed out of His Lip as he eyed Shadow.....they said  you had a SIG..and  they tried to burn ot off..but  couldn't, so we needed to change the Fleet's  direction.. that many ships?.. were  bound to see The Pit.... if  we could Destroy the Hermes..well.. that would make us look might  big in the  Eyes of the Empire and the Vampics..

  So... what's the deal  with you guys calling yourself Lights Out..cause..you'er not!


 who the 9 hells  are you to  say...

 I Lights Out.. I'm... like.. #3  on the big list..

 Beth Held Up a  Hand that showed two  fingers...

 ..Ok..#2.... gotta  meet this   #1  guy..

 ..none of them are on the  Roles...I think  the EDT  gave them that name to try to make  real agents look bad...

..you can't know that...

  Beth raised  her  right   hand   to the tiny  tattoo could be seen..

 He Looked at Shadow.....you don't have the tattoo?

 ..no....  no Identifying Marks  for an assassin.. too easy to track

 ............................

 Mortica had the Hapless Pilot,..look.. i ..i don't know.. I'm Just Militia..those  red suit  guys... treated like gods..

"Tell me about the ones in the red suit or I'll have to drink of you again. I can keep the act pleasurable or agonising but either way the result is the same. You lose your will to me and tell me everything I want to know. If I do this too often you lose your will. Permanently. You'll be trapped screaming in your own mind and unable to think or do for yourself without my orders." She continued to hold his gaze until all he could see were her red and black eyes.

  the   fellow's  head Lolled back and forth  the best he could,..i don't know.. I.... don't..know... big..heroes of the   Balck Uniformed guy... EDT?.. I guess...big heroes... they Hunt ESN Heroes.. try.. to kill them?.. i guess?

"What black uniformed guy? Tell me all you know of him." She hissed out.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:37, Thu 28 Feb 2019.

Roy gave a very dangerous, predatory smile.  "I don't believe you're Lights Out.  No covert agent worth a credit's worth of piss is going to just up and tell anyone who comes along that he belongs to a covert operation.  Kinda defeats the whole 'covert' thing, you know?"

Roy stepped right up to Nick, continuing in a low tone that was an unsettling cross between a purr and a growl, "Now, there's half a chance you're actually acting in good faith, and are--to the best of your knowledge--claiming Lights Out status in a legitimate belief that you do actually work for that organization.  I've worked with enough Lights Out agents to tell you that you are nowhere close to good enough to make the grade for the real thing.  That means you've either been misled, or you're impostors.  And there's one question that should clear up any doubts, in a hurry..."

He stepped to Nick's side, hovering menacingly above the injured arm, and asked, "What makes you think the boot you tried to relieve of his sidearm was ever a stem ganger?"  Without pausing, he added, "A guy who was that quick to reveal such highly classified information as his membership in Lights Out should surely be ready to answer this innocuous, simple question without any concerns..."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:27, Thu 28 Feb 2019.

  Nick  snorted  as hsi shoudler   Jerked,..those Kids... THAT..kid... we've seen them... you'er  hunbting through the stem, doing a Job.. and one of yer mates goes  down.. and this   Kid s come out, steal whatever he's got..maybe  even slash him, whether he's dead or not.. so?.. you  knock  them off  every chance you get..or?.. if you can trap them, they'e r  worth Big Creds   on The Pit

Zob turned back to Shadow, "So we know its Empire and EDT that are responsible go figure right?" he said halfheartedly it didn't surprise him one bit that they were the reason behind this attack, "So what should we do with them, can i hit them again?" he asked.

Roy grunted noncommitally.  "So, it could have been any kid with a sidearm, and you'd presume he was from the stem?" Roy asked, before he added, "You DO realize there's a long history of military personnel being recruited from less-than-upstanding backgrounds, right?  Or did they omit military history along with covert operational protocol when they were training you?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:28, Thu 28 Feb 2019.

..Vampics  are in on this too...which make sense  with them poppign up on Anzio and  have some ties  on Etna..well..had  ties.....

 Hack asked slowly... ..so? You all expected  to return>,,how the  9 hells  did you think you were going to return..

 well..one thing..we didn't expect you blow the other shuttle away....chess notation..really...

 hack shrugged..i real answer would have ben " i don't know"

 well...... iwas tp leave first, after warning you off... then.. the second  shuttle  would have    blown out th Mighty Hermes   Hanger Dec..

 ..you know?  the Fleet  will just pound that  rock kitty litter..right?

 ..go ahead  Hack.. take  your fleet in.. kill  the   civies  and the prisoners..and..in the end, Your  fleet will take a Pounding... these guys  are waiting for you..

    Nick gave his head  a shake,..Naw..Hebber..he  says he  knowed him, that's good  enough fer me..he had the best  eyes in the Black, you see....Kid  ran with a pack of  wee  ones, he did.. servein' some   Little gang tere on Rtna..you can bet he killed  his share of  Folks...slippery bastard he is.. usin' that pepper an' all.. he was gonna  salt , me own eyes. but  I teached him... till that   overgrown carrot  hit me

Hearing about Vampic's constantly just left a bitter taste in his mouth if he had his way he would of just preferred burning them all to ash, "yes... yes how could i ever forget about Vampics..." His tone less then amused by this surge of hostile Vampic activity.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:27, Thu 28 Feb 2019.

Roy reached down and grasped Nick's arm in a firm grasp...not right on the break, but close enough that nerves that were already enflamed by the break were extremely tender...and clamped down strongly.  "I'm going to let you in on an old, old truism in the military...we don't give a damn what you used to be, we're just worried about what you are now."  His voice was a venomous hiss in the man's ear, an icy verbal tone that bored into Nick's ears in the same way his fingers were digging into the man's arm.

"For instance, you may once upon a time have been a decent human being...a highly implausible assumption, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on it.  Jax may once have been a stem rat...but he's on the Hermes and part of the crew, now, which means whatever your buddy said about having seen him on Etna amounts to exactly larg shit.  The best covert agent I've ever worked with used to be a gutterpunk back on Earth, and I was just a loner hick kid.  That was then, this is now...that loner hick kid is gone.  You're dealing with the Hermes' Security Chief AND the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, all rolled into one pissed-off package, because you not only presumed to position yourself to do the job of my Security personnel, but you also laid hands on one of MY Marines.  You best start praying Hack decides on a quick and merciful walk back to the Pit for you, because if he leaves you to my tender mercies, there won't be enough of your hide left to make a coin purse."

He released Nick's arm with just enough of a jolt to possibly require the break to be re-set, and stepped over in front of Hebber.  "And the only reason I don't beat you to a pulp right now is because that former stem rat has you blinded, and I'm reluctant to hit a blind man."

He reached out and grabbed Hebber by the throat, squeezing just enough to make it difficult to breathe and leaving little doubt that he could crush the man's windpipe without any appreciable effort.  "Now...what exactly were you doing on Etna that gave you a good enough look at Marine-Recruit Jax's face that you'd remember it in a totally different environment?"

  Mort

 The Man was  weakened..in mind and Body,it would seem..his  words  were becomign slurred.....he.... he was pale skinned..like you?...he had  soe people..with him...but, there were....alot..of  black Uniforms ..EDT...they wear Blake...Angel  elite...wears  Balck.... and this ...ghost skill people ..like you....They...want..to..hurt the..Fleet....

he was getting   more tired  now.
...................................

Roy

   Nick   Groaned a Bit  each tie the arm was  moved  about...

 Hebber.....you'd  know..if you were a Sniper... you see thier faces...if you watched them Long enough..you see some Mannerisms.. a samile.. and jerk of  a head...

 'bout...2 weeks ago...we were called to  Etna..to  get as much..product of the ship..Seems the fleet was turnign around  and Hitting Anzio... the Bosses.. they wanted  to make sure they got  as much stuff off the station as they could..they even hired gangs....


 ..Us Lights Out types were sent to  cover them..make sure folks didn't get in the way, while the  big push was on...they had to beat the Fleet...but, they new Anzio would be a day or two..The Fleet always  stops and 'tops off'..at any station they  can...

 so?  this one Boss  says, to make sure    there are no witnesses and to keep our people safe?....well?.... some Gangers  are just plain stupid.. and ayyack  anyone.. so's  guys like me  have to take out as many as we can get...but..they got guys like me...doing the same thing...The?  the Kids pop up.. I saw  that  Kid..he was in the streets.. he  had a sidearm.. he shot  down two Of   the  gangers we were trying to  protect to save some little chubby kid... he  grabbed the  Kid  and  Ran..I had one shot...and I missed, as he   dove   begind a car  when a ganger oepned up...That kid he  grabbed.. i be that would have been worth 2000..maybe 5000 creds to a Vampic or a Demon..funny?..he didn't  slash the guns he offed... he just grabbed the kid and ran..I never forget his face though.. it was the  same Look he had on his face when the LId of the Pepper  shaker  flew off...he..was angry..but..he smiled... never thought  i'd  see him... but there he was....

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

  So?.. You were going to go back to  Te  Pit..in your  Suttle..like nothing Happened... and what?... My wife was what?..going to swoon into your loving arms    and relight the fiery passions?

 ..Oliver?.. Don't...

 ..If....I wasn't  in command of this  whole , Gods  Be damned  fleet... I would kill you..outright..just for attacking  my wife..I still May...

 ..Your Wife?

  Hack Looked   at him..his jaws  working while clenched,..what are you asking....

 ..she didn't  tell me, Nil was   your wife... just that you were  together... you know?

 Hack Grabbed   Him but the collar...who....is..'.she.'..

 ..Lady  Victoria?.. she's the Biggest thing out here...she  said she wanted to hurt the Fleet....hurt you...'Kill the right people'.. that's her slogan..she don't much care who we kill..as long as  'the right ones" die.

  Hack  slammed   Green agai8nst teh Chair..he stood  with a cold  mask  of anger,  a thin lipped  frown  as his eyes shifted to the holo map.  Shades   little red line   popping up so 'comign in 'from the black"..soe goign out.

 Hennings  asked,what are you thinking?

 He pointed to the Holo Map,what are those  red Lines?

 Shade   bleeped  and whirled  as he pointed to them..

 HAck  said over his shoulder....Shadow?

  COM traffic   comign in and Going out... not sure where they are coming from.

 Beth Nodded,..I  kept  Ellen's  COM opened.. its  cycling  channels..I burned a few  incoming Burners...whom ever they got over there is good?.. but  not 'ESN-Good"... the thing is?.. we  don't  know where they are going  or comign from...

 why do they start and  stop like that, away from  The Pit?

 ..I don't Know............... her eyes got   wide.. Shades   eyes  turned green and  he behand to Blurt out noises...

 Shadow smiled  as he  patted  Beth on the shoulder  and  grinned at Shade,Unless they ended   or started   at the destination...

 ..so?.. there are some Big things  out there..or maybe a fleet?... Nivar  wouldn't have  Notcied  because they keep what's left of their Fleet close to home... the scouts they send out  would be easy to avoid...

 Turning to Rivets and Morris.....I need  a shuttle pilot and Crew.......Two.,.in fact One to Fly one of ours..one to Fly thiers....I want  all  Pilots  to the Hanger Dec...I want   the Red Alert sounded... Battle stations...

 SGT MAJ!.....BLACKTHORNE!....   Morris and Rivets  left with 'Already Dones' trialing after them.

 Shadow smiled, as  Beth Hit the Red alert......

“I just took enough blood to make you more...amenable to answering questions. Sleep now .” She told him as she walked out of the room with a look of disgust on her face. She stopped as she watched the drama unfold, hand instinctively resting on her sidearm.

When she could she walked over to the Admiral. “I have intel you’ll want to hear, sir.”

  ..then   Let's hear it  Lt... it seems like the  Empire  and  the Vampic are  'making nice'..and that's not a good thing  for us....

 the horns  outside   sounded..they would  sound  for a solid  5t6 minutes, to make  sure Civies   were getting to the PArk..and people were getting to thier stations. Faith  tramps of Boot  could be heard  as  Pilots, ground  crew  and troopers   ehaded to the HAnger Dec.

Zob took off running when he got the call for the red alert and made his way out to the hanger dec to get suited up etc.

----> To Hanger Dec
This message was last edited by the player at 17:10, Thu 28 Feb 2019.

“There are indeed Vampic out there, one who sounds oh high rank. He mentioned red-suited personnel who are high in his esteem who specialise in hunting and hurting ESN. He said they are being ‘boosted’ somehow by this Vampic. He also said there are Angel Elite there in black uniforms. It sounds like EDT, Empire, Angels, and Vampic in an unholy alliance.” Mortica’s eyes were red in anger and disgust.

"I am a sniper, you sad sack of shit.  And you really need to stop calling yourselves Lights Out...that name is already taken."  He pushed Hebber away in disgust...paused for a moment, conflicted, then punched Hebber squarely in the nose, a blow practically guaranteed to break it.  "Don't worry about it too much, though...odds are good you're not going to live long enough for it to matter.  You'll die knowing that stem rat is more of a man, as a kid, than you would ever have become 8f you hadn't been stupid enough to give yourself away."  He wiped the blood that had geysers from Hebber's nose on the man's shirt, then turned to leave.

"Sorry, Stefi...he's going to need a little more attention.  Don't be gentle with him," Roy said as he was exiting the cell.

Then the alarm went off and the Admiral yelled, and he moved fast.  "You haven't been assigned a battle station yet, Jax.  Go get your armor and report to the hangar deck...for now, you're part of the Security team there."

He turned to Hack.  "Do you want us ready to board or are we repelling borders?"

  ..Gather  your People.. I'm forming a Plan..... we're Going to use one Hermes Shuttle..and thier Own...

 ..Beth.. we won;t have  tine  for a Full hook up, just bring  eupipment  for   Voice onmy, and one Monitor  so we can see  CAM Vids.....

 Turning to Si  he says,..you have the Bridge..when You get there, Tell the   Leads of the Delta  Squadrons    I will Give them orders shortly..

 SI  Limped out   with a  torn Pant leg  and carriying her  tunic.

 Shade  Bleeped  and whirled ..Shade wants  to  know hwere he gets to Go?

 Larry Popped Up too... with a  smaller     larg  on his back.

 Jax  was Gone   heading to  his quarters to get his  gear.

 .. throw  all the prisoners into the  Inel Cell, and  lock in down.. if one of  they step out, for  any reason, kill them all..

 Hennings  was Putting On  an SEC chest piece, Helmet  and  Grabbing  a Puls e weapon.. Bale  started to  do the Same, Hack shook his head.....you can gear up.. but you stay here... this one is goig to be  up close and personal..  you can help  hold  the boarders from getting to the Elevator...

 Bale    strapped on the chest armor, and nodded, thought he   seemed  , less-then-happy

Roy nodded.  "Larry, come with me.  Probably best to leave the little one here...I'm sure he's not defenseless, but I don't know what we're heading into yet and I don't think we can risk him.  Master Chief, get your gear and meet me on the Hangar Deck."

He headed for the Hangar Deck, detouring just far enough to get his boarding armor, and only putting on what he couldn't fasten in place as he walked.

----->to Hangar Deck

  Hack stopped short of the Door  as he Nodded to gregpr, then turned to Motica,.. You  should  either, secure him in  your Quarters, or  have him hnad out in SEC  with General Bale...he might be two small  in a shooting war..but he'd be one heck of a surprise , if we get boarded

  One thing more?  The Vampics  out there are not our friends..anymore then the HUmans , and Empire  folks who are aiding them....There are, it would seem...innocent people on that colony?.. but there  were inccocents  on th Thor, and  on the  Med tech ship ..and   every other  raid The Empire  has  taken....So...you and  Voktor  will have to ask yuourselves.. can you kill other Vampics... If y0u are unsure... you may whish to stay aboard... You'll have until the Mini Briefing is  over.

 An Orderly came down  from  the Admiraal's   quarters  with an Enviro suit, and  Lit Boarding armor, as well as Angel Steele Pulse  rifle

>>>>>>to Hanger