Andruss chuckles,you should see it  from inside  a mech, clamped to the outside of a Assault  shuttle.

 I come here by myself alot, there is only a couple  people at a  time  here, when we cats off.//today will be  filled  as   everyone  tries to realize   shore leave is over.

Slavic's tone was not lost on Roy.  "Well, it would have helped if the Nivarians in question hadn't rather stupidly tried to ambush both myself and Admiral Hack.  We did end up with three new largs added to the Hermes contingent, as a result, however, and a lot of the old-guard larg masters who insist that the only way to control their largs is abuse and intimidation will no longer be fucking up largs.  So I wouldn't consider it a loss, overall..."  Where Slavic's tone had been coarse, Roy's was bitingly clinical...artificially clinical, to the point where it could easily read as subtle sarcasm.

He raised two fingers in a casual wave to Tarja, acknowledging her nod, without really detaching his attention from Slavic.

 Slavis  lime  green  eyes  shifted  a it, her  mouth was  a tiny line  that tapered to a frown..I do not understand? why would you care how they are trained, as  long as they go kill enemies? Those Larg masters..it is a  high honor..even higher then Fighter pilots... then you play with your LArgs.. feed them on the rec Dec?..and You have a child  helping train them, calling himself  a Larg Master. That is  a slap in the  face to real Larg masters.

 Dusk shrugged,perhaps the   human boy is a ..how they say..natural?

”I possibly will, zero G training is next up for unit” Tarja mused thoughtfully, with her needing to get back to training her unit so they would be ready for the next engagement mindful of the fact that they still needed to impress despite the wargames on Bura.

Deciding that she needed to change the subject before her stress levels went through the roof Tarja would turn her attention to Andruss ”well it is nice here…” she said turning to take in her surroundings noting the secluded nature of some of the seating suspecting that it was a popular make out spot for couples, before turning back to him with a frown ”…you really not bring girls up here?” she asked finding it hard to believe that she was the only person he’d asked out…though come to think of it Morgan and Kira had been the ones to do the actual asking…

 Andruss shruggedno one seemed to be excvited about spendig time with me.  We spent time on the planet together, this is  a nice play on the ship.

 Slavic  got there  drink as she bantered  with the SM.  The  woman whiet shifting  skin color and eyes, seemed ready to leave the bar for seats, when the SM  was ready

There was a bit of a nod along with the usual hand gesture she used when Andruss spoke, with her finding the whole situation to be kind of sad as he seemed to be a genuinely nice guy ”Would you like to go and find seat?” she would ask when their drinks arrived, with her picking up her glass of vodka ”…and for record I think you are nice guy and I enjoyed spending time with you” she softly said, placing her free hand upon his shoulder as she did so.

Roy got a cynical grin on his face as Slavic stated her loaded question.  He had no problem fielding it, however...

"What do I care?  Considering that our 'playful' largs cleared ten times more terrain than ALL of the Nivarian largs, combined...and then turned around and beat those 'better' largs that the Nivarians sent after us...you better believe I care. First off, I care because the largs deserve better than that.  They aren't the dumb brutes your people told us they were, you've just been keeping them too scared to do anything that would show they were smart.  On top of that, when someone demonstrates a more effective way to utilize a weapon, it takes an idiot of colossal proportions to turn around and say that it's wrong."

He knew full well that his words could be inflammatory...but he was beyond caring, frankly.  If Slavic was going to turn into another Nivarian turncoat, he was more than content to speed the process along and get it over with.

"We're out here to defeat the enemy. If Nivar updated the techniques of their larg training, those largs could be the best security and assault forces that we could send planetside...they're tougher than Hyrians or Ape-Folk, faster than Largrans, and more deadly than any Demon could ever claim to be.  And those dead assholes down there were effectively crippling their animals...as evidenced by the fact that five of our largs beat five teams of largs, and Larry took down and killed one of their Alphas, because the damned thing was too slow to even make it a close fight."  While it would have been easy to let his temper build, and become heated about it, he was instead dismissive, as if the explanation was so patently obvious that he considered it almost trivial.

"Besides," he added, giving Slavic a measured look, "we don't need allies that are going to turn around and try to stab us in the back, especially when their justification is something as mind-bogglingly petty as disagreeing with the way we use our largs, because it makes them look bad.  News flash--if someone with a fraction of the experience you have can make you look incompetent at your chosen field of interest, it's because you are, in fact, incompetent.  Just because it's trained incompetence doesn't excuse it...if you're too stupid to see that someone else's techniques are getting better results than yours, you need to be replaced by people who will actually get the job done."

He shrugged, and gestured out the observation window at the planet below.  "Like I said, not exactly a major loss for the APF..."

   Slavic   frowned . Ypu will see someday. Nivairan LArgs will  win the day, and show your  'pets' as nothing more  then house  guard


Dusk leads  Roy to the   starboard   side  to sit with their drinks.Id Larry had never  been brought  aboard, would we care about   Largs?

  the lights  flashed  as   the  clamps   Hissed off the Hermes  and  she started  to slide  away  to begin the  Grouping of the 4  Delat sections.

Roy gave Slavic's comment a bark of derisive laughter, as Dusk led him away.  He was still shaking his head as he took his seat, but he listened to Dusk's question.

"If Larry hadn't come aboard, we would know nothing more about largs than what the Nivarians initially told us.  There'd be no reason to care about them.  But that's kind of like saying that if the Ape-Folk hadn't volunteered to join the APF, we wouldn't care about them.  They did, and we do."

He shot a glance in Slavic's direction, and added, "And the Nivarians are lucky that some of them have distinguished themselves amongst the APF, because this is the second time they've tried to stab us in the back.  And this time was even worse, because the first time, they hadn't allied with us yet." His eyes narrowed slightly.

"I try, really hard, to judge individuals on their own merits, and not stick them behind a label that lets me easily dismiss them as one sort or another.  But sometimes the group keeps doing such bone-headed things that it becomes really difficult to draw the distinction between individuals and the rabid mob."

  Dusk   sipped her  drink watching  Bura  slowly  drop away.

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

 Andruss lead  Tarja Yeah, I had a great time? I mean, i never  get to see a planet without being encased in1 ton of metal.,

 They move to the left of  center, front  row, as the blinking lights  signal cast off.

With the discussion between Roy and the woman behind the bar quickly escalating into an argument Tarja was relieved to be led away by Andruss to a pair of seats that offered them a view of Bura through the giant window, fearing that she would be dragged into it as well…not that she knew anything about Largs other than how to kill them ”This is first time I see planet…other than when I left Earth” Tarja quietly said as she took a seat next to Andruss with her taking a moment to enjoy the view as she sipped her drink.

After quietly sitting beside him for a few minutes Tarja would quietly ask ”you not spend much time with girls I think? Yes?”

  Andruss  nodded  as he   looked at Bura.you see these  planets  from here....right? and all you see, is whatever  color ball   it is.... you really don't 'see' it until you on in Atmo..Astra  isn't  bad, I trained there for a month or so..Aqra is wet, Green and Blue... it would be nice , if you didn't have to worry about fishfolk trying to eat you.


  He looked a bit  awkward,No?  I mean..not  like this? You fight along side of them..train  with them, hand on the rec dec.. But  everyone  has  thier  'idea'  of  who they want to hang with...right?.. I guess i was never much of  an idea.

Quietly sipping her drink she would listen as Andruss spoke of Bura and Aqra ”yes I heard of Aqra, technicians were looking into waterproofing so suits could work there” she said with a nod, with her freehand absently moving at the same time, with her supposing that she would get the chance to visit at some point.

It was then that Andruss would begin to awkwardly answer her question causing her to suspect that she had been a little too blunt, with her giving him an understanding look as he spoke ”Girls perhaps waiting for you to make first move…also girls can be a little too subtle with hints and get frustrated when they’re not picked up on” she said giving him a look that hinted that he had missed a few of her own ”but is relief, I was starting to think you didn’t like me that way” she added whilst looking down into her glass as a hint of colour touching her usually pale cheeks.

  Andruss had a bit of  an embarrassed smile himself.Yeah....well... some of us  guys  Jump  at any hint...others   can't or won't  take a 'hint' afraid they will be wrong... then there is all those in the Middle.

 he  shrugs a bit as he  sips his drink.I am oddly fine with that? I don't have the MAke up in me, to be a 'ladies  man'. so i need some 'down to earth' interactions....

 putting a hand on her  arm,This has  been a very nice time, from the start of shore leave..even up  to now.

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

Dusk   relaxed, leaned to Roy just a bit.so..we were going to beat up the  Vampics, Until   The 'late' Ambassador  Frans thought he would stage a grand  PR show  , and go to Vicrock.
 But Vicrock is not in the direction we are traveling Do you think the Admiral would stop at
 Fuji...or  would  we sail to astra?...or even the   Paradise  Moons?

As Andruss talked, Tarja would quietly sip her drink, offering him a hint of a smile when he said he’d enjoyed today ”Yes, I enjoyed today too…has been a long time since I spend time with guy, I mean…walking and having drinks and meal…I used war as reason to keep things…straight forward…perhaps time to try something a little more…um…complex is not really word I’m looking for…you understand what I’m saying, yes?” she said fairly confident in the fact that she wasn’t really making sense but hoping that he would get the general idea of what she was trying to get across ”…also I’m thinking I am older than you? You are twenty-one I think, yes?”

Andruss   shrugged...I will be  23...soon.. at 18 i  signed up  for the navy, and after boot camp  went into  Mech training  which is  about 2 years, if you want  to serve on Cap ship.


 I cut  some corners , because some of  my Training over lapped.

Roy forced aside his annoyance with Slavic, pondering for a moment on Dusk's question.  "Well, I don't recall having heard any serious problems at Astra, so if we go there, it would be just to check in.  That said, I could see stopping there on our way to Paradise..."

He took a sip of his drink, giving himself some time to think through that.  "We did discuss taking Paradise, not all that long ago.  It would go a long way toward closing our back door, so to speak...one of the reasons the Empire keeps getting new inroads on territories that we've already fought over is because the Angels are inviting them in.  No Paradise means Ge-Fi no longer has the illusion of calling on Angel reinforcements, and no Angel navies helping usher Demon forces into APF space."  He took another sip, before adding, "It would make a lot of sense to close that up before we venture into Vampic space or tackle any other Empire forces.  It'd also send a clear message to any APF dissidents who are cooperating, thinking that the Angels will pick up the pieces...there would still be Angels left, but it would be the Moons, and not Paradise, that's providing the leadership."

He shrugged.  "If I was the one setting policy and calling strategy, that's the direction I'd go.  It's a single planet, with a space navy that hasn't seen real combat in over a thousand years, and there are APF member worlds right there to help cover the attack and watch our flanks.  Pretty much the only thing Paradise has going for it is their reputation.  It's their most effective weapon, and it's about time someone took it away.  But that makes a lot more tactical and strategic sense than starting a campaign against an enemy whose real spread through the galaxy is unknown to us."

He chuckled, and added, "Besides, think of the quality of intel we could collect if we take the Angels.  They had, a thousand years ago, the best star charts and the most accurate knowledge of who was where in the galaxy.  That info is probably not accurate, at this point, but it gives us a starting point.  And if they've been actively working with the Empire, they should have details about who else is helping the Demons, and how, and possibly even where.  And that would be OUR best weapon, going forward.  We're reaching the limits of familiar space for APF member worlds...anything we can get that will give us more clarity on what we're moving into from here will be helpful."

It wasn’t as bad as she had feared, but twenty-Three was still a pretty big difference ”huh…you look younger, you must have youthful skin” she quietly said, using her finger to briefly caress his cheek as she continued to speak ”…I unfortunately am thirty-one” she said, hoping her little confession wouldn’t put him off but knowing that it was best to get it out of the way early on so it didn’t cause problems further down the line. Trying her best to resist the urge to ask if he was ok with dating an older woman, with her kind of scared to learn the answer, she would instead look out at the stars for several minutes with her simply enjoying the moment before asking ”So why mechs? What made you choose that branch?”

   Andruss shrugs,31  and 23  three  may had  been a  big thing 200 years ago.. But Angel  food slowed  everything, so  you might even find a dashing Captain somewhere, who is in his  60's or 70's  and still looks   30?

The  Kids who were born the last  50 years or so on earth, have  been getting angelfood in thier system since conception...  Then he  had a  surprised look on his  face  as he  slowly said,....does....my age....bother you? he looked a little sad, but determined to let her state the fact if it did.

 As he waited as he added, I have a slight balence problem? So i could not be a fight pilot. Captain Morris and the LC went through my Med  record, and offered to let me try my hand at  fling Nova?  I declined.  I still wanted to fight, but just being a rifleman. I don't  think i could have  helped much, But inside a mech, i am stronger then most enemies  we face... Just have to hope    they don't knok me  down or  take  the Legs off...

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

 Dusk  was relaxed as she sipped her  drink.There is to be a  Lunch tomorrow. Part of it it  to offer that little  woman....sam?... the Burian ambassador  job, since she was seconded to  the fleet anyway..the other Part is to go over  , what we will do as we  head for that side of the  APF owned  quads.... You are to be there, If I understand it right.  Captain Morris will represent the Fighter  wing...Father?...is not  invited?

”They may look thirty, but in here they would be older, may struggle to find common interests” she replied, tapping the side of her head to show that although they would look young that they would act like an older person, not to mention lack the benefits of growing up at the same time as their partner.

When asked if his young age bothered her she would look a little surprised, with her clearly having not considered it ”no…young, cute guy is showing interest in me, why would I be bothered? I’m more worried you grow bored of me and look for pretty girl closer to your age she explained, hesitating a moment before adding ”I have got doing stupid things and partying out of system” hoping that he understood that if he was looking for someone to go out clubbing and drinking all night with that she probably wasn’t the girl for him.

As he explained how he came to be a mech rider due a medical condition, she would give him an understanding look ”yes, being in suit gives same feeling…I still think you would like using suit, we should go for walk on spine of ship one day, let me see you in tight fitting undergarment” she softly chuckled with a teasing look in her eyes before finishing her drink ”would you like another? Or should we go and find shop?”

  Andruss  smiled... well.. if  it is  how old the mind is, them many folks  would not  want anyone else...look at Captain Si. She is  waht..800? maybe  more.  The Admiral is   in his   40s. they seem to fit together  pretty well

  he looked at his drink...let us  have one more drink. Then we have to get your  fridge stocked  so you don 't starve....I mean..sheesh?  you couldn't  bring  some  chips? he grinned.

Roy grinned.  "Yes, your father has a rather...volatile way of expressing his opinions.  I'm blunt, but generally not antagonistic.  He seems to have the two switched around."  He sat back, thinking for a moment.

"They're making Sam an ambassador?" he asked, clearly surprised by the notion.  "I mean, by comparison to Shade's experience level when they made him ambassador, she's got a lot more mileage under her belt...but his promotion was as much a matter of political expedience as recognition...making him Ambassador cancelled out Adem or Evert having any say on APF Council decisions..."  He seemed genuinely puzzled at the notion of Sam being an ambassador...but finally shrugged.  It was another one of those policy issues that he was perfectly content to not have to resolve...that was officer country, and for all that he was a member of the Corps governing board, due to being the Sergeant Major of the Corps, he was still a non-com, and his focus was on executing policy, not creating it.

"Guess they wanted another live body at these meetings, to limit potential interference via comm issues.  Signals can be traced, other messages can be inserted...it's a lot harder to do that with a live spokesperson at the table."

He took another sip.  "I'm actually surprised they're asking me in on this one...I made my opinion on the matter very well known at the last such meeting they had.  I think your Grandmod was about ready to levitate out of her chair in anger...if she had lasers for eyes, I'd have been burned to ash."

 Dusk Giggled,I think it was better for Granmod to be InCharge of Just Uden?  we  add Caiimate  and Vear, now she has  three  planets, with a very bad  Neighbor In Roussa.. But it should work out. Many Calimites  are eager to serve.

Roy gave a noncommittal sniff.  "Interesting, how she was all for fighting when Uden was under the thumb of Vera...but now that the whole Vera system is now under Udenese control, she's all about caution and restraint.  That doesn't sound like a Warlord...that sounds like a politician..."  The distaste in his voice made clear his soured opinion of the latter title.

 Dusk nodded ,she does  spend alot of time  with paper for  food , and supplies, then she  does on out Tac Maps....  we are trying to get a  council with a leader from every planet in the sytem,  to help govern, and Let   Granmod worry about war things.