As Stefi treated her wounds Harry would watch as a drop of her blood was added to a phial and given to Will with the instruction that if it turned bright red then she had a problem. By the time Stefi had finished with her, the liquid had turned purple prompting Stefi to write something on it's underside before informing her that she didn't need to come in for a test this week and that she was welcome to stay with Lizzy "You know, you could have just asked if I'd been drinking?" Harry quietly said as she took a seat next to Lizzy, deciding that she'd better keep her company considering the state she was in, chuckling softly as the redhead was informed of all the things she couldn't do for the next six hours "Better tell a certain Captain he needs to sleep in own bed tonight!"

Karl kicked his bird hard to starboard, bringing the big guns to bear on the fleeing sloop.  "Fire everything!" he called out.  He actually didn't get both words out before all the weapons opened up, the howitzer and pulse cannon hitting the drives while the cannon and minigun added to the chaos inside.

Leaving the AI to focus on the attack, Karl called up a ground map, and highlighted the area where the man had most likely fallen, and the fresh scar in the greenery below from the shuttle wreckage.  "Palace, shuttle is down.  Two individuals aboard, for certain.  Search the following locations to confirm identities."  He transmitted the locations, then turned to assess the condition of the sloop.

 Lizzy was still in her morphine fog when Stefi said everything she couldn't do for 6 hours, she would check her comms for the time. " Really Doc I can't do any of that for 6 hours, can I sit up and walk?"

 Harry came to her after Stefi was done with the both of them, Lizzy was so glad to see Harry and that she was okay, then she commented on telling a certain Captain he better stay in his own bed. Lizzy laughed, it hurt she grabbed her side but responded to Harry with a smile," Actually Harry I have been staying in his room, I need to figure out where my room actually is."

 Lizzy waiting to see if she could move, she would take Harry's hand, and say softly to her," Thank you Harry, and this is not your fault, it is mine I wanted to go rescue Melia, I knew what I was getting into. Next time I want body armor and more guns though okay." She chuckles and it hurts a little. She wanted to hug Harry her best friend so much, she would hold her arms out to try and hug Harry.

  The  elevator  from the garage opened,   Mortica, Teela,Nagy ,  and Rofle  came in...

 Admiral?  Nagy said  with a sharp  salute  to  Him, then to the others.....The cave is  now  secure... The Burians  have  brought in    shuttles  to   take out the   supppiles, they have some sappers there  to  try and save  as much  of the supplies in the outer  Cave...  The Mech Riders  went back  with  Stoly to the airfield, they are goign to clean up thier  machines   so they can ride up tomorrow  , wen they return to the Hermes..

  Thank you,Corporal Nagy, please , you and your   squad  get something to  drink.. we'll dismiss  everyone  as soon as the last bit of  the Mission and capped off. He  returned the Salute  as  did the other Officers

...........

 Rivets  COMS, Admiral.. I'm Comin' back  to the palace...  Morgan says  when he gets  back he'll keep and  eye on  the  machines, until they get them cleaned and loaded..

 ./.Very Good, Captain..still some shore leave to be had  to night

 Aye , Sir...Right  Sir... Rivets out.

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

  Macon's  eyes  are wide   as he  stares   at   Garrat,..You don't think i thought this through?.... You  don't think that getting him out of the  way, isn't a big thing for the  Empire!  This shows the  whole of the Black.. how far thier  reach is....

 ..as  far  as the  kid?..  he  took the  chance  when he went out there...it comes   down to who was  responsible for him..right?

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

 Shadow   walked over   with a cup of  coffee.( in his left hand!). his right hand in his   Jacket pocket  as a semi-sling. He watched the screens, most were showing  clean up... Some  screens shoed flashes of  gun fire...

 He watched the shuttle go  down  and shook  his  head, Captain  McKeon... tell your people if that   find that woman that was   handcuffed to give , her  a decent Burial.. she  sorta helped us out in the hanger. we left  her   at the shuttle  when  we landed , handcuffed to the    Weapon's  railings...

  Just to add a Bit of a tease,Hey!..Macon?..bet you never  took part in a Delta Night like this!

 he  looks at En Sakura,..Don't mean to be little your   date..oh..wait..yes  i did!... he winks  and  Moves  back towards  the tables, since  he  can see the screen from there.

  Nodding to Henry he says, How  did your Gava  do?

    the  weapons  slammed into the  vessel  as  it painfully  climbed  it  gained a   bit of  speed, as   the   nose  wa  ....just..Breaking  Atmo.

   The   'now'  Burian , Chill Grip  was  seems  Now. Its  course  altered a bit  to  bring Guns to bear.. the  door  was  closing on the sloop.. a metal blast door.. one  tall  body  rolled out  the opening   Falling    to ward Mother Bura. More plates   flew  from the Vessel as    KArl hammered it.. one of the  thrusters    was  failing.. the other   two were bright   white...but?  that  wasn't the    drive they needed to worry about

In reply to palace (msg # 501):

    "No Macon,"  Garrat said softly, almost with Pity "No I don't think you thought it through.  If you did your wouldn't be here.  I don't think you did anything but believe whatever bullshit you could in order to justify your envy, your hate, your desperate search to give your life purpose rather than going out there and wresting your purpose from the hands of fate like a man...like a human.  Otherwise you wouldn't be fighting for the obliteration of the human species.  I would be shaking your hand and patting you on the back right now because you would be worthy of respect.  You would be like a brother to me."

    Garrat pockets the blade for the moment "Let me introduce you to one more person."  He cues up a picture of a young Burean lady.  There was a sparkle of joy and mischeif in her eye.  Her hair was glowing Emerald in the light of a sunrise, here smooth skin was like jade with dark flecks high on her cheeks as she snuggled in an old beat up version of the Burean wool blankets the merchants charged off worlders so much to buy.  Next to her was Amos, they had matching smiles. "This is Tharra north star.  Her family has been repairing vehicles and machinery for over four generations before her.  Now when your working with a mech whether it be repair, scrapping or construction you need a partner on foot.  It takes a lot of experience and faith to work with someone like that.  They both need to be complete team players and they need to know eachother."  Garrat looks at the picture and shakes his head.  "by the time I came on shift to help out last night Amos was on his second shift, because he couldn't bear to stop working with her.  It was like they had been born to work together.  We finally kicked them out of the hanger to rest and they didn't want to end the night.  When it was time to go back to my own love I came out to find them watching the sunrise together.  I knew then and there Amos wasn't leaving Bura so I took this picture to remember them by."

   Garrat was quiet for a moment "Your right of course, Amos was Nineteen but some one should have been looking after him.  He wasn't into combat like the other guys.  More a master mechanic in the making but he volunteered for the mission because," Garrat swallowed "Because he loved Bura, and he loved it's people.  That was what he was willing to fight for."

   "Because of the information YOU gave us it should have been a walk in the park.  They were just to be shooting out windows and making a spectacle.  The Mech he was piloting was 08 the one we'd just refurbished on the frame he had been driving since the beginning.  And it was geared with anticollision armor more than 50% thicker than Ambermoon's unit.  Nothing that lived in the woods of Bura, no scattered left over unit had  the fire or muscle power to detain three mechs of this ability.  The units in the woods sprung a trap on them and they cut a swath through them and won free.  As they were fleeing combat His mech got hamstrung, I think by one of those snake dogs, and he went down.  There was nothing but a few scraps of cloths when I got there...and a picture taped to the control panel."  Garrat help up a blood splattered picture of Thara in a formal dress.  Apparently she sent this with him in true fassion of a pilot's lady.  I wish it had brought him luck."

   Garrat pushes himself away from the wall. "You see, even if he had known what he would be fighting, that boy would have gone anyway, but had I know I wouldn't have let this happen. let this sink in  I let him down.  I let him down by listening to you.  That is guilt, remorse, and regret I feel, but I have yet to see any feelings like that in you.  He faught for bura.  I fight for him,"  Garrat holds up the blood stained picture, "Her, and everyone the AP represents or will represent,  What do you fight for Macon, because had you succeeded and lived out your life here on Bura, this boy who needed someone to be looking after him was more of a Soldier, more Ap, more Burean, more of a human than you would ever have been.  And he acheived that in the last hour of his life.  A life your actions took from him.  The empire will fall.  The EDT will be crushed and scattered to the wind.  and your life won't even be worth a footnote in history."

   Garrat waited for Macons response.  By getting him self here the man had proven he didn't have the intelligence to look like a worthy martyr.  I would be interesting to see what he tried to dredge up.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:25, Tue 05 Nov 2019.

She had been quietly watching the screens when Garrat stormed into the room and grabbed Macon, where after pinning him to the wall with a very large knife proceeded to bellow at him ”please tell me you’re getting this?” Izzy whispered to Tali, receiving a series of affirmative beeps and whistles from the little drone ”good, keep it rolling” she said with a tiny smile appearing on her face.

Hearing Shadows comment about Macon being her date she would glare at the pilot as she growled ”he’ not my date” she’d only danced with with the disgraced officer once and she was already regretting it enough without Shadow passing judgment on her.

   Shadow  Just held the    cup and in the  air, not daring to  move the other   arm..ok?  what ever you say Reporter  Lady... you know  how stuff  can get...misconsrued  when folks see pics  of   people together and stuff...

    Macon   looked over     the Line of   troops who were   listening  to HAck, watching the Vids screens  and drinking coffee of  soda.

 ..The EDT..gave me a chance, to not only save  the EArth...but.. removed   all that is bad  about the ESN..look what happened to me?... and most of those officers there...they swept it under the rug.....but... i got my chance  and I took it.

  …
 Beth grinned   at  Issy when  Shadow   walked  away., then   turned back to explain to Orria  how to run enhancers to  try to catch the Falling womens, face, the  best they could , for the record, if the body  was  too  mangled, or   animals got it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:25, Wed 30 Oct 2019.

 Sam will watch the screens and watch Beth try and get a closeup of the woman's face. She will also track the Sloop and let Board know it's condition and position.

 As far as the traitor went, she finally said," Either kill him or shut that traitor up I am trying to work here, I don't want to hear his reason for betraying his own race." Sam seemed very upset, but she channeled that into her work.

In reply to palace (msg # 505):
    Garrat seems confused “So letting innocent members of the AP get captured, tortured, eaten alive  by members of the empire, is less evil than you loosing the ability to fly?  Have you ever watched videos of Shadow flying?  He gets most of his kills by taking out people who try to take out his wing women, and they theirs by pegging every one that wants a piece of his ass.  That tells me that you got nailed when you went off task and failed him painting a target on yourself, and it was swept under the carpet because the brass was embarrassed by your actions.  I lost an arm and a leg when I came into your territory and I kept fighting.  If it were truly not your own fault  you would have your own ship. What’s your excuse?  I’m beginning to see why your type are called fighter “jocks” because you sure as hell ain’t thinking with your upper head.”
This message was last edited by the player at 20:26, Tue 05 Nov 2019.

 The man  chuckled  softly.. he looked at Shadow who had a  flight jacket on and now  shirt, drinking  coffee  talking  troops who were mingling around telling stories of the night.

 ..look at him..he's a disgrace to the uniform... he wallows  around with  Common folks  , and then  people are expected to follow him?.. He's  not a Proper Officer...

 Then his  eyes  shift  to Garrat..he was still shaking, where  from fright or anger , or both.

 ..he maid the wrong call that day.. for  fighters  on the wrong  side of a  derelict that wasn't  empty... hammering it   trying to kill it.. while me and Him were on the other side..... gods be damned  armed shuttle.. and the   Idiot has   us  attack?... I was  an LT..he was a LT who had  been busted down... why the 9 hells  should i follow him... and   his target  got me..so? Yeah... EDT  says.. I'll save you and you can  get Shadow  kiled.. you bet... and  anyone with him..that's just bonus..

"<Chill Grip, open up on that thing with e everything you've got.  If they get clear of the planet, we'll never find them!</green>" Karl called out.  "Ed, split heavy fire between the two operational thrusters, unless you can localize their main drive...if you can find that, hammer it hard with everything we've got!"

Despite what Lizzy said, Harry still felt guilty that her friend got herself hurt "I know but...I should have looked out for you better, I knew you weren't equipped for this job and yet I let you go into a firefight anyway" she quietly said in a guilt ridden voice before then softly adding "...If I'd been a better friend and kept you out of it you wouldn't got hurt"

As Lizzy held out her arms towards her, Harry would smile as she leaned in and carefully returned the hug so as not to hurt either herself or Lizzy as she did so "I'd better go and let you rest before Stefi has my guts for garters" she said with a chuckle before releasing her embrace "besides which I could do with a little TLC myself" she added before quickly glancing at Will, leaving no doubt as to where she was expecting to get a little attention from.

    With the strata  thinning out.. the light /greenblue  changing to pitch black  and   a million black stars... the   rounds  kept    hitting home.. ..the   hanger  door  was  closed.. runnign lights  wee  comign on.

 the  2nd    thrusters  began to  Falter and the  ships   flattened out  a  bit..  Two Pulse   Pursts  hit  near  the  Morningstar...

  and  a Gun port opened..a Bright.bluewhite light  was growing..

…………

 The Chill Grip was   also  turning...ESN   aircraft.. be advised.. battiers  to fire  in 10 seconds...9...... 8....

      “On a little known planet called Spire my family owns more land than your  entire British empire and I adopted an Orphan from the stem, I suppose that makes me more worthy of termination than a street boy who fought his way up from the gutter to be a pilot LT who has the decency to be a team player and works closely with the people whose lives he takes responsibility for.”

      “As for that day?  Let’s see here.  You chose to abandon a wingman who had earned a higher rank than you and been nicked down in rank for reasons other than his performance in the cockpit.  You did this when he trusted you to be part of a team.  Now you are sore because your ass was a nice target as you ran away likely in a straight line from an armed enemy.  Yup, you definitely embarrassed the brass.  Anyone who was successful in simulations will tell you that you are always less likely to get hit on the attack than when your running away from the enemy.”

     “As far as the EDT?  I’m going to tell you exactly what will happen if by some miracle you escape.  The instant they figure out we know you are working for them, they will make a show of giving you what you want and then they will take you somewhere quiet and feed you to a Demon.”  Garrat shrugs,  I know you won’t believe me but we’ve seen it time and time again where the EDT uses people and then makes sure they aren’t around to blab.  And the usual policy is waste not want not.  You see your inability to take responsibility for your actions was useful to them in recruiting you through your envy and your greed.  It made you easy to manipulate and as long as you were in a position of power you were useful, but they can’t trust you to lead, Unless of course they want someone for us to beat up while they’re doing stuff elsewhere.

      “But  that doesn’t matter, you have already condemned yourself beyond redemption with your words.  The only thing you could hope for is life in prison if you tell us everything you know.   Garrat turns appears to off the camera in his helmet and nods to the press lady. “I don’t think there’s going to be anything worth filming from here on out.”
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Tue 05 Nov 2019.

Karl grinned darkly.  "And they just dropped their fly and let it hang out," he muttered, before adding, in a clear voice, "Ed, target that gun port...rapid-cycle pulse rounds..."  He cut throttle...the Chill Grip was about to open fire, he didn't want to be close to the sloop when that happened, and he wanted reaction time if their plasma gun fired.  His hands hovered over the controls, ready to break left and into a dive if he saw plasma coming.

He was betting, however, that Ed could hit the plasma battery before it got a shot off...

In reply to Harriet Lynch (msg # 510):

 Lizzy smiled at Harry and said," Hey Harry you are a great friend and it was my choice to join, yeah I should have had better gear but like I said it was my choice Harry, hey you kept me alive I will be fine."

 Lizzy took Harry's hand and said in a very serious voice even though she was still under the morphine's effects," Harry you are my best friend and you couldn't have stopped me from going, I learned a lot and next time I will be ready."

 Lizzy smiled when Harry hugged her back, " Harry you did fine and you did give me another gun."  Lizzy was very tired it had been a long few days, her wounds and the drugs made her very tired. " Yes we don't want that, and go have a great time wish I could do the same but I will be fine, and Harry this was NOT your fault got it."

 Lizzy would smile at Harry and she would wonder how Karl is doing, she would just lay there the drugs making her head foggy, she just thought of everything she has been through in the week she came to the Hermes.

  Stefi  was  getting angry she  couldn't  find her  instrument. She  did  come over  and Check on Lizzy.... alright  Lady,  you're going to  be  damn wobbly we  can't take you out of here   on a stretcher.. because people will ask questions..  we'll wait  about an hour.. if   you're  still wobbly  we'll get some one to walk you   to your  quarters and try to pass it  off  as   a  bit too much to  drink on the town. sine  that  elevator leads  to here.. and you get to the garage  from here..

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

 Macon  looked at Garrat..his  face  covered in sweat.....before you go.. did you ever  think what the families  of those  EDT and  such think when  Your  mad  dogs  go out them  and Kill  them.... This is  total  war, SGT.. there  are no ..non combatants.

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


   The officers   watched the screen.. the vessel had  a Blue-white light  opening   on its  starboard  port side.. As KArl  grew  closer  hamming the   Vessel.. not  far from them.. the  shadow of the Chill touch  closed in.

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

 Shadow  watched the  screen.. he  grew a bit  concerned  at the plamsa.. that marked it as a Qarl vessel..or?  perhaps the  Empire  was now  breaking all the rules?

Jug looked at Shadow a moment as he spoke to Doc Henry.  She straightened up making her look a bit taller, and with a toothy grin "Gava did good...even got two alive.  Rest dead.  Plu also dead" noting the one Gava that died.

  Shadow  crouched  he looked at the Gava,, then to  Jug,..that's damn good  your   first  dark Ops... I've seen  your people fight  on Aqra  and   in the valley.. the more yhou learn.. the mor  dangerous   you'll be!.. yhou already have the heart!

 Shade looked over  and  GAve the Gava a thumbs up.

   as  The Chill Grip counted  down.. The  Morning star  got off its last shot  at the   Sloop.. the   rounds hit   to the side of the  gun port, Blowing Up inside.. the flash  revealed  Bodies  cast  about...

 KArl notice d the   flashes  of    Heavy Pulse  from the  Chill grip.. 4   hard Ammo   Rounds    hit  and fractured the vessel, a bursting balloon of   Plasma  and exploding  powercells and Pulse ammo.  bodies   flew out , like tiny  star  fish.  pinwheeling through the air..or   shrinking as they were being  eaten by thier own plasma ..

  Chill Grip to ESN... Sorry to take your Kill.... Thansk for setting it up for us..

The pulse cannon rapid-fired a barrage...just as the Morningstar hit a pocket of turbulence.  The first short of the barrage went wide, as Ed adjusted aim to compensate for the motion of the plane.  A second shot splashed ineffectually off hull plating... the third and fourth shots went through the gunport, but missed the aperture of the plasma cannon.  The blue glow was swallowed up for a moment by the light of explosions inside the gunnery bay...then started to fade.

There was no time to stick around for a second shot.  The Chill Grip's countdown was almost done, and Karl was still dangerously close.  "Aw, dammitohellanyway..." he growled in disgust, as he rolled the plane into a plummeting dive to pick up speed as he advanced the throttle.  The engines roared in compliance, and he was rocketing back into thicker atmosphere.

"She's all yours, Chill Grip," he called on the comms as his dive flattened out, leaving him screaming back towards the palace at over ten-thousand feet altitude.

"Palace, this is Specter...we've broken off contact with the Qarl, she's in rough shape and the Burians should enjoy an easy kill.  Anywhere else you need me tonight?"

  when the   Qarl vessel  esplodes,   everyone in the room cheered....

..That's all for tonight  KArl..Bring her in

 Hack smiled    a wide   smile and shook hands  with  the   brass,  Beth and SAm  and the chairmern

 then worked his way  along  every single   crewman.. if to the point of Stefi and Lizzy , then   Izzy  as he gave her  a wink.

 Lastly he walked over to MAcon.. he said, with out  turning,..Lyri.... go  prep one of the shuttles.... The Good  Colonel is going to take one..

 Macon looked at   Hack..his eyes  wide once more... from the screens  Shadow said,..The 9 hells he is!  Hack didn't  turn, he simply pointed  back wards with his   arm and Shadow  shut up..

 Lyri glared  at Macon  and   went  to  go down..Take  Hemsly with you.. I  want  every damn inch of that  shuttle  cleaned so there is nothing he  can use  against  us  or the Burians..

 Hemsly    Nodded  and shrugged, following  Lyri  who didn't looked  too  happy.

 Why ..why would  you let me go...

 ..I don't  want to Macon.. yhou were a whiney  little rat bastard  at the academy.. you'r  worse now.. Had  i thought..of   1 second you would have turned out like  you are now?.. I would have Shadow   arrange an accident  for you...or?  do it my own damn self..

 ..but.. you didn't seem to take anything  SGT Garrat  had to say to ehart... so?.. you're  about to see how LAdy V  feels  about  people who fail.. he motions to the  table, grabs  some  drinks,  pockets   some food.....but..when the time comes... remember  SGT Garrat's  words.

    Macon  looked around ,  the  troops looked disgusted.. as Macon  grabbed   some  finger  sandwiches  and  soem fruit  and   4 bottles of  soda , wrapping them in his tunic.

 He looked  at   Issy,..Come  with me!.. You'll get to see the war from the other side!..your name will be plastered everywhere!

 about  15 Minute slater  Lyri came up with Hemsly    shoulder past  macon as he waited  for   Izzy's  answer.

 CU-DL asked..why not kill him?

 ..at this point its  too late..should  have let Shadow  kill him  when he had the chance at the party...it would ahve be written off  as  bad blood... now? he'd be a hero that almost brought  down Bura.... No?.. we'll let him go back to LAdy V... and he'll see soon enough..

 La-Ds  asked.....you knew he was a traitor?

 Hennings  shook his head,we... we're sure.. we   were damn sure he still hated Shadow..

 beth Giggles,..alot of that going  around!

 hennings    give s  Beth a  comic  Frown

McFust spoke up...i found a transmission in his COM from the Dusters... we knew the warehouse  was a set up.... we didn't know how deep the set up was... I am sure  we will find more tunnels    as we  take over the building and such that the   Dusters and EDT   used  on Bura.. The Good thing?.. Its hunting season.. and   we have a Planet full of the best  in The  Black

  well. Colonel?  you  have   a half  hour..if you are within the   Fleet..i might change my mind...


 the Colonel Holds his hand  out  to Izzy...

 Shadow just looks at  Issy and shakes his  head no...

 Hack Turned to  Beth..send a  Fleet wide COM.. Cast of  changed   to Tomorrow  Night  at 10 PM planet time....Tell the   commanders   i want each and every one  to have a few hours ..at least..down here.. rotate as they ahve to..

 Aye Sir..Already Done..

When the Burians arrived at the Tower, Roy pulled him off to one side.  "Anyone still in the tower should be considered enemy personnel.  Whether you choose to accept their surrender, if they offer to, is up to you, but they should absolutely not be released.  Anyone who surrenders should be questioned at length."  He gave a nod.

"Don't use the elevators.  Two cars are destroyed, the others are compromised.  You'll have to climb or rope down to the hangar, unless you get the elevators repaired.  Stairs should be clear and safe.  I believe we've eliminated all the primary combatants, but the others in the outer towers may still be armed and ready to fight...you shouldn't meet any organized resistance, but there may still be some shooting."

He paused, then asked, "Any questions?"

     “All the time, as a matter of fact I work with some of them.   Most are ashamed that their family member is involved.  Those that aren’t are usually involved themselves.  Those are the ones that don’t get “absorbed” by the system.  Empire types are always looking for food and the humans are the favorite dish, though I’ve been part of operations that have rescued hundreds of captives from all species including humans who were kept in cages like animals, and left in their own filth like no animal should be treated.  I’m sure you can understand why I have no remorse in exterminating beings that treat other sentients with such disrespect.  Speaking of which,”. Garrat steps very close to him, “I have little faith That you have been entrusted with any information that would be of use to us, but freely  Telling us everything you know is the only chance you have of possibly surviving the night.”

   The scalpel flicks on between them but Garrat holds it low enough so Macon doesn’t see it, in fact it is doubtful that anyone in the room can see it.  Over the centuries Garrat has received wounds on every inch of his body.  He knows which wounds hurt the worse and he is more than ready to utilize this knowledge.  But Hack stops him.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:11, Tue 05 Nov 2019.