Shadow  sat  at his  table , watching those  who had to do the Tunnel  run while the  'Scramle exercise'  went on. Becuase of that, Shadow decided he would not  run the tunnels  tomorrow, the pilots  who ran for    the   1 hour  plus , how long it took he to get to the Tunnels would ahve   those pilots  extra  sore.

 he  was  fiddling with  the Flight Rosters.. when Howe came  and sat down..LC..... What are you doing?

 Kray looked up, took a bite  of burger  and went  back to his   Vidboard we are,,,as a whole.. from the Admiral down to the civies who clean the  barns, are supposed to be the Best there is..not just the Fleet, but the whole of The Black.  With those  Paint scheme  we have,  the Hermes  Wing  stands out, when the enemies  see us.. especially , when we fight in Atmo  and the   troops, on both sides, see us,

  but...we  aren't  the Best any longer,, we are getting cast offs  from most places, and we try to  turn them into Hermite  Pilots...the sad thing is, we have  Vets  who have lost their  way and don't care? Pilots  going AWOL?  that would have never happened a year ago... pilot  who  turned  coat, Like  Harry and her sister? and that w weird  perv  pilot  that  i crash landed  and those  spiderthings ate him?  So?  we need to be the best again, because if   we are the best...in our own minds.. no one else  will perceive  us as such,  It used to be a common thing that  our  enemies would Challenge  me, or  the whole of the Hermies wing, as a way to pump up their won people..but?  we have always won, and it worked against them.. if we continue on the  path that  we are on now...one day, we will not  win...

 Howe  sat back  and looked around , sipping his  soda,  a slow nod. I can see that... what can we do?

 First,  discipline . Not the 'yes sir, no sir  kind.  But the  kind that keeps your head in the  game,  People  use    SIMs  more,,peopel hit the range,,,and gods be damned, PT! That  woman... that...girl we lost  in the city?..  The AI and the  troopers  couldn't get to her.. i mean? they could have, but it would have been too late, those Angels wanted her.. i came down, gave her  directions and tried to cover her..  she lost her life..what?  100...maybe 150 yards  from our  troops, and all i  could do  is  come down a bit lower  and chew up those people  who killed her..She was new here?  but she was disciplined? she was scared out of her mind, but she followed orders and if her  former  commander had her in shape..   she would have  made that 100 yards... he  life ws ended, ebcaus eof..1?  maybe  2 seconds?

  Howe   nodded, its like that  when we  fly.. one second? maybe a heart beat?

 aye>... but we are in our aircraft, our...armed coffins...when we are flying , its  comes down to how  good the aircraft  are, and how  good the Pilots is....but?  you get downed.. there is no aircraft, its you  and whatever your skills  have to  try to  resists and get recovered. or?  you die?

 Howe  stood  Up, whacked Shadow's  left shoulder.good enough , LC.. we though you might  be needed to take a 'war Bond" break or something.

 Shadow chuckled,not me?  there are lots of other  'heroes ' out there who can do that.  They want me to shill for them, it will have to be  when we are on station.

Howe  chuckled and Moved off.

<=== officers quarters

Nikki came to the RecDec for lunch.  No kids, as Haley was having lunch at school.  Walking in she passed Shadows table to the one she normally sits at. "Got those containers done, Shadow" she smile and gave a thumbs up to him. Passing one of the waitresses she ordered a cheeseburger with bacon and fries, and a soda as well.  Sitting she used a comm pad to write a general letter home while waiting.

Hey Papaw,
Your girl still lives... Nikkis letter began.

Stepping out of the elevator Justin ordered a double lunch then headed to his normal table.

She could feel the soreness creeping along her legs, that tightness in her chest from the run still present yet she continued to put one foot in front of the other. It hurt, every nerve ending firing…intensified and causing her hands to shake. The sounds around her were more like a buzzing, trying to compete with the sound of her own blood pounding in her ears. With a heavy sigh, Billie approached Shadow’s table and took a seat. “Sir,” she attempted a smile but it really didn’t take. With a sigh, she sagged a bit in her seat, her left leg bouncing to try and alleviate the anxiety from the pain. “I don’t have any excuse for being…late. Just know that it won’t happen again...”

Justin gave Billy an empathic thumbs up as she shuffled stiffly towards the LC. Before he could observe the long table,  Miss Owen one of the waitresses arrived to deliver his double order, as Justin assisted the Welsh lass with the serves he asked how her family were managing things in the Civilian section?.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:06, Sun 14 Jan.

  Th  LC Nodded to   Nikki,good job, Nikki.. down time now..right?

........



  Shadow  Looked up,Get something to eat..even if its  soup and some rolls.. and drink....and you damn well better make a  Stop at your quarters, for your Meds.Before  doing the  shift on the hanger Dec.

 dipping  fries in  the ketchup, The LC  saidI was  surprised, you didn't get there... sadly the ones  who didn't get there, i figured   would not. and those 4 new  Angels really  pushed me over the  edge, as they just sat on the rec dec, thinking they didn't have to take part.

 I don't know where  we are goign yet...but any of the  places mentions, will not be a good time..and you'll have  to be able  to move, if you POD out.

Nikki stopped and looked at LC when he mentioned 'downtime'.  She lifted a hand and made a 'so-so' motion "just catching up on personal stuff.  Letter home.". her meal came "Thank you" she said.

  After  he  finished  eating.  he  sent COMs  out to he needed to COM.  he  left a  20 cred chip on the table , turned and  walked to the lifts.

 He  sent  Maddy a COM,::  heading to My quarters, Long day. Having Meeting with Admiral tomorrow  ::

 Shadow   took the lift to Officer  country  and his  quarters.

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

    most of the pilots   just...rested... They were  of mixed  feelings.  some where annoyed, some  were shocked  , realizing they may not  be in as good as shape as needed.

shadow to LC  quarters>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A few hours later Haley came from school and joined Nikki on the rec dec.  Both talked about Haley school day. Nikki got Haley a scoop of ice cream for a snack.  Nikkis letter was sent to be reviewed for security and then forwarded home to her family.  Eventually they went to their quarters.  Haley did her chores and Nikki helped, then for a quiet night, relatively.  Haley worked a bit to teach the Snittens to 'fetch'.  Haley was patient and kind, even Friday learned.  Their reward was music as well as food. Nikki only left to get some eggs and bread at the bodega store then they all called it a night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUJYbI4VdNk
This message was last edited by the player at 02:19, Tue 16 Jan.

Placing an order for a double serve of beef sausages and scrambled, along with a large hot Cocoa, Justin crossed the deck to his regular spot. Taking a chair he watched the other patrons, as he waited for his breakfast to arrive.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Tue 16 Jan.

<Flex>

Billie gave Justin a half smile as she trudged past and took a seat at the LC’s table. She ordered a chicken sandwich, fries and a cream soda before answering Shadow. “I honestly don’t know what happened aside from my alarm not going off like normal...” she said, her gaze drifting down to the table and finding a focal point there. “I understand the point of the drill…I also understand the point of the tunnel runs and such which honestly, did save me the one time I had to POD out.”

She gave thanks to the waitress as she brought her meal and ate, feeling rather ravenous after that long endurance run. Between bites, she bid Shadow goodbye as he finished and got up to leave. When she had finished her own meal, she got up to head to her quarters to get her medicine.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:48, Wed 17 Jan.

<=== Hangar Dec

It was a fairly quick ride in the lift to the RecDec. "Let's just take a break and get an early lunch.  Then pick up the fuel regulator and get some SIM time.  after that we can go back to the Hangar with fresh eyes to get things done" she said leading the group "So looks like Fuji is our next target.  wonder what we'll do for a Delta Night" finally she reached a table to sit down, waving a waitress over, "I'll have a grilled ham and cheese, side of fries, a cup of tomato soup with couple of crackers, a drink...I'll take a soda". She'd let others order their meals.

<==Hanger

Angela sat next to Nikki looking to her after she spoke of Delta Night with a questioning look on her face, "What is Delta Night?" she asked before looking to the waitress and ordering a salad with all the fixings on it. Then turned her attention back to Nikki while she waited for the salad. the term sounded familiar but she couldn't place from where

------->>>>>>> From Hanger Dec

 Lizzy walked with everyone else to the Rec Dec, she sent Izzy a comm text message," Nikki, Angela. Justin and myself are getting an early lunch then all of us will be hitting the sims together. I will message you after we are done in the Sims, love you my sexy wife xoxoxoxo.

 Lizzy sat down and Nikki talked about where they were going," Oh I love driving for Delta Nights the LC loves having pilots as his drivers with hover vans as our new fighters." When Angela asked what Delta Nights were, Lizzy added," Well we go to a planet or a station and they have rift raft, EDT, Empire scum hiding or doing business we put together teams, members of Delta nights to go take care of them."

Message to Lizzy: “ok babe, I’ll see you then unless you’d like me to join you now?”

 Lizzy got Izzy's message and sent back," No baby it's fine I will see you after the sims, maybe we could do a tunnel run together later. xoxoxoxoxoxoxo."

"In a few places there are bad guys using the good guys for cover. they suspect some people of black market goods to trafficking humans, some time just info" Her soup and sandwich plate arrived with fries and drink "one place we found crate after crate of Gava packed like sardines being sent out as food.  Another, found humans barely kept alive stacked like cord wood beneath dec plating.  It was horrible. we rescued who we could, took out who needed it" she took a bit of her sandwich speaking again after swallowing " worst one I think was we found evidence of a Chinese tong operation.  Their leader was the daughter of the head of the Tong, I believe. they actually had her breed with the bugs and she was willing to do that. Yuck! anyway through a series of volleys the building was afire, she and her buglings were cooked." she still ate even after describing something gross.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:35, Mon 29 Jan.

Message to Lizzy: “Sounds good to me babe, it’ll be good to stretch my legs, all this soldering is going to drive me nuts! Message me when you’re done and I’ll meet you. Love you loads xoxoxo”

"Ah," she said as she looked up to the waitress as she brought the food in and nodded to her in thanks as she took her salad. then listened to Nikk's gruesome tail and shook her head with a smile before taking a bite. "Sounds like a lot of fun, especially for us who don't get to have any unless the Hermes has a fly buzzing around her head." She said as she stabbed the leaves on her plate. "I personally wouldn't mind being a getaway driver once in a while, though they revoked my driving permit when I tried to make the ground vehicle fly on my test day." She grinned as she took another bite. "Mmmm that and they said I was driving at an unacceptable speed, whatever that meant." She just rolled her eyes mockingly as if she didn't know what they meant

Returning Billie's half with his own, Justin then ordered a large hot Cocoa.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Mon 29 Jan.

Nikki laughed a bit "My first Delta night I had to do it in my dress whites as well....straight from my first ball too" she replied to Angela. "Justin, Lizzy what were your first Delta nights?" she then sipped her soup as she listened. She thought she could guess Lizzys.

Justin offered Nichole half a hesitant smile, one filled with all manner of events... I've learnt they all tend to be that way; in a way they're like mixing it up with bogies in the black.

 Lizzy listened to Angela and replied," Yeah driving for Delta Nights is awesome I love it, I got to blow up a boat once. Oh my first one, I was a little stupid and almost died, Larry saved me. Harry asked me to join on an actual mission, I had no armor, no extra weapons, we went into a building together to clear it. Well we got pinned down and then Larry came and took out the bad guys, my first mission was a mess. I went to driving after that on my next missions."

  <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< from Morris  shed

 The Door s his  opened, there was  afew people there,  not as  crowded  as it  would be  in  another hour  or so. A  Younger   woman , about  Sneak's Again   ran up  to Shadow and asked for his order.

 Shadow Caught  Amy  smiling and Nodding her head yeah?  what about a  Slice of  Pizza, and  a burger  with cheese..Hemres  sauce on that, and a  tall cola?

The  Girl  smiled  big and scurried  off to the Stalls, As Shadow walked to his table, Amy  sidled up to him That's   Pan.  she  was a stem kid  on Fuji, she got adopted  and her parents  joined us  a couple days ago.. this is her  first day on the Job...and..who better to wait on the LC  Shadow  himself..

 Shadow  chuckled,good to see there are other Stem Kids who  got out  alright...so? make sure  she  is my waitress  until i leave  so she gets the tip...

 You bet..if  she has to leave>  Dana or I will make sure she gets it... Amy moved off to  clear  some tables. And Shadow sat down, unrolling his vidboard once  more, after  taking a quickly glance  at  the  Dec to see who he could see.

Nikki gave Shadow a wave"LC" she also nodded "Heard Fuji up on the hangar Dec." she took another bite of her sandwich "We'll be ready"