Mila, who had curled up quietly on an armchair, got up and stretched. Front legs first, with her bum in the air, then the back legs. She wagged her tail, trotted over to the bed and jumped up with the intention of bestowing a good morning doggy kiss on Her Human.

Her Human's thoughts were muddy and confused. Why did he take so long to wake up? The bell had gone ages ago, she was ready to make a move, and here he was muzzy and only half-awake. His mate seemed to be doing a bit better, but showed little sign of getting moving.

  Roll looked  confused. and looked back  at Jax. The young  SEC trooper   said,..this is his   'off duty ' uniform?.. LC said somehting  about makign sure the Nivarians see it  when we go work with the LArgs.They are bringing Gregor  down as well. His good stuff  is  on the  way  down to the  van to  be taken to the airfield

 When the others  were ready,Sneak offered,..Jax  is goign to go with   Roll to work out the LArgs..I am  goign to hang out Dana  and whomever, as soon as i COM her that we are  done...I guess HAely will be  free to   to do what you guys wanna do?

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

 VAl got up and  went into the main bathroom to get   cleaned up she  hit the Vid screen up, that was talking about the  Victory BAll and showed some scenes   of LAdies dancing  and some of the notables . There was no mention of   wounded  or  dead people.

..........

 The Admiral and  Captain Si arrived.. The Admiral looked a bit Tired, Si looked rather Fresh. From the MAin Entrance Shadow   , Roy and LArry  came in , stepping  down the stairway towards  the  layout.

  as they neared the Bottom, some of the officers  cruising the  food tables   would nod  or wave..just as  many simply turned thier  back to Shadow  Larry  walked with them, his head  up..his eyes  seemed to study people   at the   buffet table..or was he just looking  for Grander Bird?

  Bornberry and  Roles waved  at  them. The Nivairans seemed to have a great deal of...standoffishness.. to Shadow.

 Looking  away  Shadow  would act as he  checked   who was coming behind them, as he said to Roy...you know?   I get i'm not everyone's  favorite person. But you think these Officers  would show a tiny bit of respect..I mean? WTF.. they  all have thier Own ships..or   are the #2 on a ship?

 Cummings  greeted them.. his SGT was  at the  table chowing down already.Ahhh There you are SM... quite  the  nasty bit of picture you sent   this Morning...Bad news and  all that...its form?  all wrong   for  human made, Don't you think?..Any way, The Admiral sent me to collect you  , when you get your food and  drink... we are to  sit  near the Warlord to discuss  this....

 Rivets and Sarah would enter   from the'apratments'  wing..Morris    was already sitting , talking to  Bale , a bit down from Shade, Orria  and Lilit.  Dusk seemed to have had a hard conversation with a  'purebred' Captain  who escused himself  and  started    walkign  , with a bit of  Anger  on his face, towards  the stair  way.

Henry took his turn in the bathroom then got dressed.

"Do you want to come with Mila and me, she will need to find somewhere to attend to doggie matters before breakfast?" he asked Val.

They soon found some suitable ground for Mila to attend to business, then the three of them set out in search of breakfast.

   Henry, Val and  Mila  hears the  sounds of the   gathering   as they walked down the hall way to the   Main room., They saw the  tables   set and people  gathered. An Attendant pointed to the    First table  , where the Board  and  Lilit  sat, telling him , there were seats there  for them

She looked to Haley as they walked to breakfast "Well Haley, what would you like to do or see today?" she said glancing at 'Lady Haley'.
"Maybe go with Roll to see the Largs.  But I'd like to see any pretty flowers and anything with cute animals from here.  Not scary ones" Haley moved over and held Rolls hand.
"Well, I'll ask if there is a big garden or a zoo perhaps.  Can't be fore sure, but 'll ask.  Okay?" Nikki responded Take the girl from the country, can't take the country outta the girl.

After a bit they entered the hall for breakfast.  It all smelled wonderful, Nikki could swear that she could smell fresh hot buckwheat apple pancakes and maple syrup.  "I think I am in breakfast heaven"
"Me too" Haley smiled "Is that bacon I smell?"
Nikki sniffed the air again "Oooh....Yes, Irish style I think"
"Irish style?" she asked.
"A crispy poofy bacon.  Real good" she smiled.  She didn't want to tell Haley exactly what it was (some on Earth called it 'pork rind', some 'chicharonnes'.  Either way it was bacon with some skin left on and fried up that the dried skin turns frothy and crisp)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:04, Mon 09 Mar 2020.

"Thank you," said Henry, heading in that direction.

He helped Val to seat herself, and saw about some food and drink for both Val and Mila.

 the food was good, for the most part, hot. Though there were  'cold Biskets', for pouring on gravy and the like.

 Henry   managed to find something that looked close to Hermes  style food, as well as some interesting  chill fruits  cut in the long  rectangle slices.

 There  was Coffee... and Milk ( of some type of Mammal )  Teas  made from VArious Udenese   plants.. There  were Flavored  Milks.. Pink and Black that was close to a 'fruit' milk and a Chocolate milk.

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

 Roll   peered over the top of the table  and asked  for  the 'egg things' and some buttered bread. and some of the  round.. Fruit spheres that came in colors of purple and Red.

.........

 LArry  was  Giving two Grandar Bolts  and he  sat, off to the side  Crunching  and slurping.

......

 Shadow looked over the   table and  got the  btis needed for a  egg and 'Hamlike' sandwich. and  a cuff of Coffee as well as 3   pastires  with  a Lt Blue  Icing.

  when he sat  down  He nodded to all those present. Lilit looked at the Sandwich..that is  ..quite odd... Shadow?

 .. Its   called a 'daddy sandwich'... My Dad would get  baloney  and   put it in a frying pan  and  wait until it   formed a 'cup.' Then Get a   'dippy eggs' and  put it in the  Cup... then..  put   that whole thing on toasted Bread... can't quite do that out here..but this is close!

Nikki followed Roll, Jax, and Sneak.  She held two plates, one for her and another for Haley.  She smiled at Mitch right behind her.  As they went through she found some eggs, and a local variety of a 'chicken egg' that was a bit orangish in color.  she put both on the plates, atleast for Haley to try.  Some fruit. the warm toasty bread. She found the 'Hairy bacon and definitely put that on both.  "Hairy bacon...that is good eats" and she wasn't joking.  there was several cheese slices and a few sprinkles of cheese, and one a bit looser than pudding one for eggs.  Then Nikki saw it and put a apple (she assumed) pancake on Haleys plate and one for herself with a syrup on it.  She then took it to a table large enough for Roll, Haley and all 6 plus a few extra seats.  She helped Haley and Roll to sit and asked for drinks.  Haley wanted milk, atleast 2 coffees, some teas, juices, etc for all.  She made sure Haley used her napkins to keep clean and 'sticky free'.  After a few minutes she returned with drinks for all.  "Haley, you don't have to eat all of it, but try some of the native food.  Who knows you might like it."
Haley still yawned a bit then spoke softly "Yes ma'am" by now others were filing in.

Roy shrugged at Shadow's comment about the other officers' apparent attitude towards him.  "With a few notable exceptions, my experience has been that most officers are assholes," he grumbled softly.  Spying Cummings approaching them briskly, he added, "</blue>Case in point...</blue>"

But he listened and nodded at Cummings commentary on the news of the new weapon, although he worked an eyebrow in surprise that it looked to be not human-made.  "You really think so, Colonel?  With the insane variety of weapon designs we've produced through the centuries?"  He might have asked more, but they were getting their food at that point, and talking about a new weapon design in front of serving staff was just bad protocol.

Roy got a couple of biscuits, covered with gravy, and had one of the cooks dice up some of the 'ham' to sprinkle on top, along with a glass of something milk-like and a fruit juice that wasn't too far away from orange juice, balancing the glasses carefully in one hand and the plate on the other as he made his way over to the Admiral's table.

"SOS, Uden-style," he announced, as he set it all down.  He glanced over to make sure Larry was good as he settled himself down at the table.

  Roll was  eating  with a Big smile. It was  plain Jax and Sneak  enjoyed themselves as well, but   'reined in' thier    attack on the food..

 one  time..these  guys were shootin' at a   car that some  other bad  guys  tried to get away in.. and    they  Hit something up in the    place where all the air cars  fly?...an'  this   van  come down and crashes .. about from here to the steps away from where we  was  hiding?.. we  ran over , and it was a food truck.. we got all kinds  of  food that as  wrapped up  and   bunches of  drink boxes...Then the Bigger  Gangers started to shoot  at us   an' we ran away..but  we had   foods  for  3 days!

 Jax  Laughed,..every now  and then we  got  lucky..didn't happen too often though.
..................

   Shadow   chuckled at  Roy's  naming of his  breakfast creation. Cummings  sat across  from  Roy as  The Admiral then turned his attention to  the  weapons , Roy found.

 ..this thing?  The rounds are along the lines of  'Dum dum' bullets in WWI...they were used  for  knocking down Observation Balloons and Zeppelins?.. but they ruled them illegal in  the war..This takes it to another level. A weapon that will work  on almost every target, it hits...and  even if the   kill isn't  instantaneous, It will take the target out, and maybe   take out one or  two others   as they  try to 'save' the  target...

well?  we  came up  with   Demon Melting Gas  and a Liquid... we aren't much better. This  war  is becoming a   thing, where  both sides  are trying to figure out  ways to kill alot of people, alot  faster.

 So..SGT  MAj?   LC?   what are you thinking , for the LArg exercises today.

 for my part? I'd say ..'fetch and carry'... run here , run there.. But... Seeing that Purebred Verrian storm  away from the table... If The Warlord  has  any pure bred  hard core prisoners..  we could use one or  two for training... the LArgs will get the   scent of the Verians,  and that could  prove important  with in the next day.

 Meari walked up to one of the Udenese SEC members and says," Excuse me is there assigned seating or can we pick any seat that is open." Meari asked with a smile, she was limping a little on her leg but it felt a lot better, it just got a little stiff while she slept.

 The Undenese fellow said ( may be with a slight  edge in his voice)..you are family, are you not?   I do not think anyone is going to challenge  where you choose to sit...

 Dusk was     talking softly  to Shade.. Shade and her  both had  dark eyes.... Orria   enjoyed   the  food ( and a few pastries ) as she sat on the other side of   Shade.

 Lilit  looked  at those  around her ..we  are having trouble  with some of the purebred  Verians. seems  some of them feel as Vera  is  the Homeworld, rather then Uden..those who feel that are  are invited to load themselves and thier famlies aboard  transports.. Those   famlies are either being sent to Calimaite and thier   service   people removed from active service...or.. they are being sent  to  Vera, if they choose  to  be overly vocal about thier  support.

 Meari nodded at himand said," Yes you are correct, I try not to use my family to get perks but this one I will take, thank you enjoy your day."

 Meari then got some delicious food, her Grandmod had gone all out some of these foods where only for special occasions and very expensive, but they where so good. Meari took a very full plate and took a seat next to Orria, she smiled to everyone around the table and it was a real and wondeful smile, one Lilit or Dusk has never seen on Meari's face before. She then said," Orria do you mind if I sit here." If Orria said it was okay, Meari took a seat and organized her plate and utensils in a specific order and her glass had to be it the right exact spot. Once Meari was set she would turn to Orria and say," when you have time I would like to talk to you about how you decipher Ambassador Shade's whirls and beeps, I can pick up a few things and I would like to understand my cousin even better Orria."

Roy nodded when Shadow suggested using Verians.  "I was telling the LC, we need to assess just how reliable each of the largs are, individually.  Larry's already shown he can do damn near anything we ask him to, including keeping the other two largs in line...but they'll be far more useful to us if we can send them out separately, rather than using them as a hunting pack.  That has its uses, too...but for the majority of our operations, they aren't really in an environment that lends itself to pack hunting."

He paused, thinking for a moment.  "I'm not too worried about them doing seek-and-destroy tasks...they showed they're pretty good at that already.  We do, however, need to make sure that they'll attack the targets we send them after and not just whoever happens to be in the vicinity.  It would be good to see if we can get them to chase down and retrieve someone without dismembering them, or even if we can get them to carry packets to specific individuals...that could be a great battlefield expedient if someone's running low on ammo, or needs more grenades, or a field aid kit.  They'd be almost as fast as Larry, and Larry's about as fast as you can ask for, on the ground."

He leaned back for a moment.  "And while Verian prisoners might be effective for getting them to chase down someone...and certainly not anything we'd be averse to losing...at some point we're gonna need some volunteers willing to be out there, too, to make sure the largs differentiate between Verians and us.  A lot of this depends on whether or not the largs are as smart as Larry, because we never needed to teach him the difference...he knew.  When we hit the park in the center of Anzio, and they were waiting to ambush us, I didn't have to explain that Largrans were the big lizard guys, and Mulls were the short fuzzy mutt-guys...I called a target and Larry ran it down or tore into it.  And while I'm positive the largs are a lot smarter than the Nivarians gave them credit for being, I don't know just how smart they actually are.  So a lot of this is going to be just determining how intelligent they really are, and encouraging them to do some thinking for themselves, which is something the Nivarians seem to have actively discouraged."

   Shadow  looked    down the  TAble  where the Nivarians sat.  They cast  dark looks    at  LArry crunching  Grander Bones under the table.

  They glowered  a bit  at Roll with his 'duty uniform'  and LArg Master  patch.

  Captain Si Looked at Shadow,..I thought you just had  the dress uniform  for  Roll , so they could be part of the  Ball?

  With a bit of a Grin, Shadow said,..well..i figured  he could wear a regular  uniform as well.. I mean..its not   up to specs? But it gets the message  across. Gregor   follows  him  everywhere, unless LArry is   around.. then he goes to who is getting the most food.

  ask  a few SEC  troopers    to help you for an hour  or so.. and  take   what ever Verians  Lilit  will provide... a few Verians  dying in training isn't a bit  deal...but  our  Sec   will be a bit  more wary and should be able  to  deal with   the new largs  enough to protect  themselves....better  we find out here, that  they  are rogue minded or not.

Nikki and Haley ate what was on their plates.
Haley noticed the Nivarians looking angry at their table, more specifically at Roll.  "Nikki?  Why are they so mad looking.  We didn't do anything.  Did we?"
"No we did not do anything.  I think they are just jealous of you and Roll." she smiled and gave Haley a nose beep.  She did however get up "I'm gonna try some other things.  Anyone else want anything?" she glanced about and gave a winking to the serving table,  which The quickest way to the beginning of the line was right by the Nivarian table.  "Excuse me...I've noticed you looking angrily at our table.  If you have a problem please let me know.  Otherwise knock it off and eat your breakfasts" she gave a tight smile.  She waited to see if any of them said anything to her, if not she'd head to the line to get a bit more food.

 The Captain  looked at her,..you are out of  your Depth , Ensign....iy is bad  enough  three of  my people where killed  on your ship, as  well as a Stud  LArg?.. then.. that homacidal child  killed  another  of my people  yeasterday... and..They inisist on having him where a LArg MAster  Patch.. I think.. the looks  are very well earned..don't you?

Roy nodded.  "I'm thinking, in cases of having them go out to select specific targets, that I'll send Larry out with our people...have him standing by to intervene if the other largs get a little carried away.  Depending on how they do, we might have Larry demonstrate the order for them, if they don't quite seem to get it."

He sighed, and shrugged.  "Part of me is concerned that we need to be very specific with them...and part of me is hoping that they take to it as naturally as Larry did.  I mean, if each larg needs a specially qualified attendant who knows exactly how to word commands, then we're kind of hosed if anything happens to that attendant.  That would really limit just how we could use them.  If they catch on that they're cooperating with us, rather than we're demanding they do something or else, we could potentially send them individually with each assault shuttle on boarding missions...if that ends up being the case, can you imagine the unholy hell that's gonna break out when we start putting largs on EVERY boarding shuttle in the Fleet?"  He grinned darkly at the idea.

"But it all depends on how they do as individuals.  Part of me is mad as hell that the Nivarians have been so archaic in their training methods, because who the hell knows what we could get largs to do if they'd been encouraged to develop some sense of autonomy?  And part of me is so far beyond grateful that they were too stupid to do it, because that would have put all our actions on Nivar and the Green Moon in a totally different category, and we could have left an awful lot of people behind, in larg-bite-sized pieces..."

Henry's interest in exotic foodstuffs was set aside when the conversation turned to larg-handling.

"The other 2 largs are coming planetside at 10:00, it would be useful if Larry could be around to help them settle into working with us. While Larry looks to you, he doesn't need moment-by-moment direction, hopefully the others will understand what they should be doing as well."

<<<<<<  Will, HArry, Stefi from  Uden-eleshwere

 The Van  pulled up, Stefi  got out  and Opened the BAck door, she had a Med Tech Filed bag over her shoulder  as she helped   Harry and  Will out of the Van.

  Ma'am..I can take that Field Kit , if you wish?

 Stefi looked at the main doors,..no?  Shadow's in there... I might need it...

 The Udenese  Driver shrugged   taking the Med Van back to the  Admin building.

 Walking in, and (slowly)  down the stair,   some of the officers  greeted them with waves, a few of the younger Officers   with Salutes. Roles   Struggled to his   feet  and  waved off  Will's  attempt  at a salute, and Offered him his hand...you should have been  born in New York , Son... you would have  fit  right in with us...

 Bornberry smiled at him and HArry. Stefi  just chuckled to herself.

   Stefi lead them up Near Roy and  Shadow and pointed for them to sit... she  went  up a few  spaces  , opening the bag and taking out  a plastic  bag..a Flattened out  bit of  metal..lead-brass  alloy about as big as the bottom of a Juice  Glass was in there.. as  well as some  20  splinters of  metal.

 ..the Brass -Lead mix.. makes it all but impossible to use  Med tech  magnets to get the slivers... If a Trooper goes  down in the field with a hit from one of these... they'll have to be foamed, and  taken out of  action.. if the round hits center mass or the  chest...well....no use wasting the foam...

   Hack frowned at the    metal  he  gave it to Si, then motioned for it to be passed around the front of the table  with  Harry  giving it to   Roy, when it made its  way around.

 Stefi went to the Buffet and to gather   food.. she  waved HArry with her to get something for herself and Will.

  Waiting until he swallowed  some of his   food, HAck said,well. we have to assume, the weapon was used  against  people of thier own race...most weapons  are designed to kill  who you fight.. then gets  modified  as your enemies change... I have  not  seen a  'blocky'  side arm  , such as this before... but.. the manufacture, is now  human, or at least human owned .. that means , someone is helping  the empire..help  the EDT, to kill us

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

 Larry  Peeked out from under the  table and thumped his tail a bit  at henry, but  the LArg  seemed to started  hard at the Nivarians

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

  Hey!..Yo!..Nivarian Captain guy....

 The CAptain  turned   a disdainful look at Shadow...Tell me something?... When i was running   around on the Green Moon , killing your  people..why didn't  You guys use   LArgs or Worts to hunt me down?

 ...The Green moon only has    wild  worts and LArgs... we  would send   LArg and Wort teams up there..but the animals  would   either escape and Join thier  wild kind..or we would have to put them down, for being overly, untrained , once we got there... I am surprised, you were not  eaten  by a wild one. he  sniffed a  bit in response .

 Indeed s, Sir.... and I am quite surprised, you haven't been eaten by  captive  LArgs...

 the Captain  slammed his   fork down.

 no no!...put your  ego aside..think about it.... Your LArgs  and Worts escaped  to join  thier fellows  who were free?..the ones that couldn't escape..you killed? Now what  does  that sound like?... but..between you and me... i don't care what you do to Worts!

The sound of   LArry's tail thumping  could be heard.

 ENOUGH!... Now..perhaps every one understand, why i do not leave negotiations  to the LC...hmmm?

 Shadow    smiled  as he took  a forkful of his  'sandwich'

Henry reached down to scratch Larry's head.

She looked at the captain "I am well within my 'depth', Captain....More than you know" She glared at him that if her eyes were lasers his head would be gone.  Only interrupted by Shadow she didn't move.  As he turned back around she was still there "Noone cares what you think or want.  Be glad it was just Larg Master Roll.  But remember one thing...of the rescued largs one had a choice of it's own will to kill either me or the waste of skin that acted as it's trainer.  Your trainer is now nothing but a pile of shit from its digestive tract.  Now if you cannot act civilized and eat your breakfast without looking like you're constipated I suggest you just keep looking at your plate.  Look sideways at any Hermite I will correct your vision....by removing your eyes" She looked dead straight at him, to leave him no doubt she would do so.  She memorized his features.  She gave him a terse smile.  By now she was thinking of atleast 5 ways to put him on the floor andusing her screw driver to pop his eyes painfully out.  With that she would move to the breakfast line.

-----> From Uden Elsewhere

Zob showed up if not a little bit late he looked around for Orria and Shade and once he spotted them moved off in there general direction he didint take a seat at the table opting to instead lean up against the wall as he kept a close eye on things.

 The Nivarians  settled back , more then a little disgusted. A Nivarian Trooper  wearing the Gold Tunic from the Golden Fleet.. he  walked down the stairs   looking at the   4 Nivarian Officers .. and  Haded them   a Golden COM unit.

  ..By order of the Cavet... you and the Officers listed   in that COM unit will accompany me and  The Cavet Guard , BAck to the Green Moon... Your  Replacements   are already on board ships  rounding up the other crew members..You have   one Hour  to  Gather your Gear, Captain. the Trooper  made  a sharp salute, pivoted  , take the steps  in a leisurely Manner.

 There was an Impressed look at  The Admiral...You seem to have a Long reach   Admiral HAck...

 The  admiral waited until  his bit of egg  was gone   then Pointed  at   the LC,..Thank Shadow?... The Cavet Agreed because of him...

 a sidelong glance  from the LC...

 Something about   sending out  new officers, but  The LC would have to  take part in  a 'night to remember..'

  CAptain Si almost choked on her  tea.

  Shadow   frowned,..Maybe  , I'll get shot  down  before then.. the  stabbed   another   cut of his  sandwich.

---> Uden Elsewhere

By the time they'd arrived at the palace Harry would have stopped crying thought she still felt lower than dirt as she climbed out of the back of the van before then helping Will down and into the palace if he let her.

Entering the large dining area Harry would offer an unenthusiastic smile to Bornberry and Roles as she followed Stefi and Will to sit at a table with Shadow and Roy in order to get a little show and tell on the weapon that had been used against Will. After taking a moment to examine the metal fragments she would pass them on to Roy before asking the table at large "so how soon before we can replicate these weapons?" after all if it could kill them it could kill the enemy just as effectively too.

With Stefi waving for her to follow her to the buffet she would obediently get up and go with her, having neither the will or the energy to try and resist. Taking a pair of plates from the stack she would begin helping herself to the wide range of breakfast items on offer to them. If nothing else the Udenese knew how to put on a spread.