The last few days had been a blur, and the next few promised more of the same. One of the few respites Aksa was able to take advantage of was her work towards completing her Space Qualification in the VF-1. She'd always enjoyed the solace of flight, but out here it was all alien, up was down, left was right, there was no orientation unless one had a fixed point in space to refer to, and that pretty much summed up her existence right now.

She buried those thoughts now, there was more at stake, and she'd have to focus on that, on her work. She'd only been at it for a little while, but was progressing well enough, the time she'd spent during the recovery operation had helped greatly, that her instructors were confidant she'd be space-rated by weeks end. Mother always said I learned well under pressure.

Beyond her furious appointment schedule and compressed training regimen, it was the amount of paperwork that was the most horrific, even with the issued tablets. Those futurists who'd made prophetic claims about 'paperless societies', had no idea how patently wrong they were.

Between all the above she had been able to make time for exercise. Truth be told, it was nice to be able hit the track, or rack of weights, and just plain switch the brain off and sweat.

---

12 FEB 2009: 1915 hrs

---

Aksa laced up her sneakers with a sigh, having returned from her uniform fitting. Her new items would be ready in a few days as the SDF-1's auto-tailors fabricated what would be her new garb for the duration.

She was half way to the door of her quarters, that at least had been ready immediately, when there was a knock. She shouldered her gym bag and opened the door to greet whoever it may be.

She froze in mute shock as an attractive women about her height that she wasn't sure she'd see again, stood in front of her wearing her reddish brown hair up in a pony tail, her green with gold fleck eyes complimented an impish smile.

"Schatzi!! Found you!"

"E...Elise?" Aksa managed.

Hauptmann Elise Krupinski nodded and laughed and then adjusting the strap of her knapsack, reached out and hugged Aksa lifting her off the ground in the process, following that off  with a playful peck on the lips. Aksa blushed and truth be told was still dumbfounded, albeit happily so, as she returned the embrace; the last time she'd seen Elise was the night before the SDF-1's launch. She'd made inquiries, but up until now, hadn't heard much of anything back.

"Oh! I didn't mean to bother ihre trainieren." She said, stepping back, her hands still on Aksa's shoulders.

Aksa looked down at her gym bag and started to reply but was preempted by her friend. "I have eine idea das ist wunderbare; I come in yes?" She said, the impish grin back in force.

"Of, of course." Aksa said as she stepped back and set her gym bag down.

"Don't worry, you're still getting that work out." Elise grinned as she closed the door behind her with her foot.

---

12 FEB 2009: 1947 hrs

---

Aksa blinked with an awkward smile on her face in a state of supine repose; her tousled hair about her head like an unruly flaxen wreath, her forehead beaded in sweat.

"That was a good idea." She said with a soft laugh.

"I've been know to have them from time to time." Elise replied, her hair equally tousled. "So, Squadron command ja?" She smiled mkaing a circular motion with her finger, indicating the room. "Congratulations?" She said, making it a question.

"I suppose." Aksa groused, her expression souring as reality came crashing back down. She looked over at Elise. "It's not the way I wanted it." She said.

Elise nodded. "Es ist was es ist schätzchen." She replied with a shrug and supportive smile. "You'll do fine."

Aksa was about to reply but instead exhaled with a loud 'Oof!' as Elise straddled her. "Tell me then, why'd you join up?" Elise asked.

With a grumble Aksa sighed. "I've always wanted to fly. I love to fly; I love to fly fast, to feel the wind. Nothing is more exhilarating." She said. "Well, almost nothing." She added with a snort, given their current state.

Elise snickered. "Und die Walküre was quite the kick in the pants compared to an F-18 no?"

Aksa laughed and nodded. "Just a little." Holding up her hand, her thumb and index finger a centimeter apart. A little was the understatement of the decade, with the VF-1 easily having more then three times the acceleration of the F-18. "But it isn't the same, not out here." She said, letting her arm flop back onto the bed in resignation with a grumpy pout.

"Ach, mein kleiner Aksa wants to feel the wind under her wings." She teased with feigned derision as she ran her hands up Aksa's side to her ribs and began tickling her.

"Perkele!!" Aksa exclaimed writhing amidst peals of laughter.

"Ja ja! Perkele." Elise purred, kicking off round two.

---

12 FEB 2009: 2032 hrs

---

Aksa dried her hair with a towel, then, draping it over her shoulders, smoothed her hair back so she wouldn't end up looking like a certain character from Seinfeld. Elise was partially dressed after their shared shower and was sitting on the small couch near a small low-set 'coffee' table in the quarters 'living' area. On the table she had placed three empty shot glasses and a 2/3 full bottle of Absinthe; a Vieux Pontarlier at that.

Aksa gave an impressed whistle at the brand as she sat next to her. Elise was holding a picture from Aksa's bookcase. It was of her, Elise, and Amelia Oxton, Flt Lt, RAAF, together at the Beach Comber East, a beach-side restaurant on South Ataria Island taken probably a week or so before Launch Day.

"I'm glad you kept it." Elise said. "She was one of the good ones."

Aksa nodded her agreement. Oxton had been one of the few non-Finn's that Aksa could, had, called a friend, Elise was another.

"I saw her die." She said after a pregnant pause.

Elise looked over her eyes showing surprise.

"We were rolling in on a knot of Tango's on the deck of the Prometheus, there was a lot of ground fire, and, and one those battloids with the shoulder mounted guns..." She paused and felt Elise's hand over hers as she held it in support. "...she was doing so well, nothing was hitting her until..." She exhaled. "It was a cockpit hit, direct. She was gone before she knew what hit her. At least, I'd like to think that. That she felt no pain."

"Mein Gott" Elise said softly and put her arm around Aksa's shoulder, pulling her into a hug, resting her chin on the back of Aksa's head. Curling up within the embrace Aksa, for the first time since the battle, allowed herself to just let go and cry. Elise rubbed her back, rocking her as she sobbed. "Oh liebling, it's okay, let it out." She whispered.

"I miss them, her, all so much." She rasped.

"Me too." She replied with a snif, holding her.

"Are you singing?" She asked a few minutes later.

"No, not since then." Came the soft reply.

"You should, you have a beautiful voice." Elise said. "I think it would be a good thing if you sang." She added.

"Remember that time at Big Echo, that karaoke bar by the beach?" Aksa said softly. "When Ami got hammered and tried to sing." She breathed out with a smile.

"Sing. Sing is a strong word." Elise said with a snicker. "Sounded more like someone strangling a cat."

"And that American soldier started booing, trying to get her off stage." Aksa continued the reminiscence. "And she just looked at him, fuming, and all she could say was..."

"OY PRICK!" They harmonized with a laugh. Chuckling softly in fond memory

After several more moments Elise patted Aksa's back and kissed the nape of her neck. Then, she rapped the coffee table with a knuckle.

Elise poured a round of shots and slid one over the Aksa. "To Absinthe friends."

"Ooo...punny." Aksa snorted. "To absent friends. Hölökynkölökyn" She said, raising her glass looking Elise in the eyes. "Prosit." Elise replied in kind.

Both women downed their shots and in unison shivered in reaction to the hard liquor.

"HOOooooooah! Perekele!" Aksa breathed as she stomped the ground a few times as she felt the burn. Next to her Elise emitted a similar sound as she pounded her knee with her hand. "Oooooooo das ist gut!!".

Capping the bottle Elise slid the bottle over. "Here, best you hang onto this. Own room and all." She smirked then finished dressing while Aksa replaced the picture on the bookshelf, and placed the three shot glass (cleaned) in front of it, two facing up, one facing down. The Absinthe, she placed in the back of a drawer, to gather dust until the next toast.

At the doorway Elise gave Aksa a hug, a kiss, and then mussed her still damp hair. "A smile looks much more attractive on you then that dour pout mein kleines Rentier. Look, you ever want to talk, or just 'unwind' you let me know, ok?" She said, winking at the word 'unwind'.

Aksa flushed red and nodded happily. "I will, and you as well, my door is always open." She smiled. "You're a good friend." She added.

"With benefits!" Elise winked and touched Aksa's cheek, then 'booped' her nose with a finger. "Until later. Mein schatz. Oh, and I promise to call ahead next time"

"And don't forget to sing!" She said over her shoulder with a wave as she walked down the hall out of the squadron area. "See you tomorrow!" She said as she turned the corner.

"Ok." Aksa nodded with a blush.

---

That nights sleep and been the best she'd had since leaving Earth and the bounce in her step and glow about her the next morning was plain for all to see, and she didn't care at all.

A day or so later she picked up her new set of uniforms. Her 'Class A' tunic was grey, with white shoulder/neck and black striping over a black jumper with white striping. The pants were black with grey accents and striping. The shoes, gloss black.

To those she knows she at the least affords acknowledging nods in passing as she continues among her many labors but any conversation is limited to things like 'Hello.' and 'Good to see you.' inevitably followed thereafter by 'Goodbye' or 'Take care.'
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Fri 19 Oct 2018.

Looking up from his papers just in time to avoid the crash Jack give tired smile to the confused pilot.
"Yeah, it's always hard in the beginning" he reply and steady himself to be a guide once again. "Name is Jack O'Neil, I can show you the way if you want?"

Douglas Jennsen, he says extending his hand.  That would be good.  Thanks.  US, too?
He walks, following along and making sure to notice corridor landmarks.  So, you transferred to UN Spacy?  Which branch?

As the week went by the grueling pace of the work given to her unit gave Meiko little time for other than that, sleep, and a little time at the O club she used to drink fairly hard and alone.  Being one of the space qualified Pilots aboard they had a lot to take care of, a lot to do.

At one point an admin with UN Spacey asked her if she wished to join, with little else to say about it.  She told him she would think about it, but since none of her unit was changing over she didn't see a reason... after all, they would be back to Earth in a few weeks.. right?  She also figured if they were serious about the invitation, they would send a higher ranking officer.. a pilot, commander, something.

She saw more than a person should have to see, all the death on top of the loss of her comrades in the battle at Macross Island wore on her, and she sought solace in a bottle too often in the O club, since sleep was becoming harder to find.  She'd done hard hours, long hours before.  It took a while to show on her.

She had been sending messages to the Prometheus regularly asking about her personal items and gear aboard there, with little to go on.  She had a few things from the BX, but it wasn't what she was used to.

On the 13th she gets a pleasant surprise, a group of Lancers from the Big E had landed on the SDF-1, and among them was her chance friend Kelsey Champlain.
She brought with her a bottle of wine, and the two of them shared it and their company for several hours, ending up sleeping together in her small bunk, finding comfort in the close presence of another person.
It turned out that Kelsey spoke decent English when not deeply in grief, but what mattered was the language the French were well known to have mastered long ago.
Her bunkmate came back from shift to find them entwined and said not a word to them, but was likely relieved that her tightly wound bunkmate had apparently found release of some sort.
That morning they parted with a promise to get together as often as possible, and they were able to do so again that evening again, but a bit more casually.

Thereafter Meiko seemed re-energized, and she put more empathy and leadership into her work.  She resolved to help refugees, and to keep in contact with her new friend.

She still goes to the O club after shift and can be found there easily, but now she is considerably more active, having fun.. shooting pool, throwing darts, talking to people.  Outgoing.  Still drinking, but not excessively.

Launch Day celebrations had found JDAM assisting in CIC of the Macross.  He was not in flight rotation at the time, and when he reported Control quickly assessed that CIC was a good place to put his skills to use.  It was, and he helped keep the confusion down as best he could.

Afterwords he was privy to information that most others were not, but did not divulge it.

When offered a position with UN Spacey he quickly agreed, this was a battle for Mankind, and it was a time to put nations behind them, right?

Just after the jump he ended up in a Cat's Eye for a few rotations, scouting and surveying before returning to his Unit, the Lucky Seven's.  He is currently in the WSO rotation for that unit.

He can be found off and on at the O club for a meal and a few drinks, but since the battle he has been very focused on work.

In reply to Douglas Jennsen (msg # 178):

"Fleet. You?" Jack ask back even as they draw nearer the mess hall. "Well, here we are" he spreads his hands out in a dramatic fashion. "Hope you find what you are looking for man, stay safe 'kay?" Jack give the man a firm handshake and decide that this might a good time to test out that O club where he might find some of his old friends.

Meiko spots Jack as he enters the O club and waves him over.

"What's your poison. O'Neil?  First one on me."

Navy, huh?  I'm Air Force.  It's been interesting to see so many people from different branches and countries in one place.  Well, what's left of us, I guess.
He looks into the dining facility, seeing the various people getting food or sitting dow to eat.  He turns back and shakes O'Niel's hand.  Thanks.  Good to meet you.  Though circumstances could be better.  Be careful out there.  He then turns and heads inside.
As he stands in line, he realizes how hungry he is.  Several days, floating around the inside of a shelter with close to three hundred other people, eating MREs, hoping the generators, the air recyclers, the heaters, and the waste reclamation system all don't crap out on you.  Trying to keep people from panicking, from fighting each other over supplies, from being completely bored out of their minds, that had been the hardest part of the job he had taken upon himself.
He finds a table, salivating as he looks at his platter of eggs, toast, sausage, bacon, hashbrowns.  Even a donut and a muffin.  After several days of MREs, he is ready for....
Suddenly, he stands up.  This is wrong, he says as he looks at his plate.  He slams his hands down on the table.  THIS IS WRONG.  HOW CAN WE SIT IN HERE AND EAT LIKE THIS WHEN THOSE POOR CIVILIANS ARE FED ONE MRE A DAY?
He looks around the room at the other officers, the enlisted.  We eat the MREs because we have to in order to stay alive.  But kids?
They won't eat those until they feel like they are starving.
He picks up his plate and walks towards the door.  He then turns around to look at the others who are eating.  I'm going to take food to the refugees.  Anyone else coming along?  He then heads out for one of the bays where the civilians are being housed.

McIntyre stands up from his nearly finished meal near the door and turns an annoyed gaze at the young Lieutenant.  His uniform is UN Spacey, but with little more than a name tag (Cpt J. McIntyre/UN Spacey w/ pilot wings).  He's older.. early to mid 30's, with a grizzled look to him.

"You have those rations to enable you to fight to protect those civilians, Lieutenant.  You eat when you can, and you don't waste a crumb, then you get out there and you save lives and you protect lives."

He sets the roll down while watching Jennsen, his gaze softens a little.

"They will have more food soon, son.  I know it sucks to have privilege but you have it for a reason."  A shrug  "MREs ain't half bad, beats T-Rats, especially the newer menus.  LURPS, those suck.  Period.  MREs even heat the entrees for you now.  It's food.. besides, what you are taking for luxury is B-Rats, powdered eggs, hashbrowns from a can, bacon from a can, same with the sausage.  The cooks have fancied up T-Rats for your butt and mine."

He sighs and gestures at the folks in the Galley.  "These people are worn out from working twelve, fourteen, eighteen hour days to save lives, and you are all pissed off about them having a hot meal?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:50, Sat 20 Oct 2018.

Douglas turns to McIntyre just before going out the door.  I'm sorry if spending several days in a shelter, floating in space, with about three hundred panicky civilians, who have no idea if we are going to be rescued or if the life support is going to give out first, counts as hard work to you.  But, since I have been aboard ship, I have been pulling those same hours in a plane salvaging supplies and buildings as everyone else in here.

JDAM moves to interpose himself between the Lieutenant and the door.

"First time to see bad conditions, Lieutenant?  First time dealing with civilian casualties of war?  Not my first.  It probably won't be either of ours last.  Eat your food, you need it."

He eyes anyone else who might have been considering following and shakes his head, gesturing for them to sit back down.

"The stress is getting to all of us. You probably need rest.  I can call medical?"

In reply to Meiko Levina (msg # 182):

"Meiko? How is my favoite Knight doing?" Jack reply and heads over to his old friend with a smile. "Nothing serious yet, takes time to adjust and feeling sorry for the civis. You?"

The younger lieutenant looks at the captain blocking his in his path with an passive gaze, neither threatening nor relenting.  Finally, he turns and moves to a table near the food line.  Setting down his tray, he moves back up to collect a cup of coffee and one of the MREs at the end of the line.
He then steps back up to McIntyre.  Am I free to start my shifts, sir?

A slow nod from the senior officer to Jennsen.

"Don't try taking food down to the refugees without clearing it through command son, that's an order.  We don't need a food riot, I have seen them in South America, and it's not pretty.  I know it hurts, it hurts me too, but it is the right thing to do.  Soon enough you will be buying food and drinks from them, trust me."

He moves back to his own tray to take it to the recycler.

"You are free to go Lieutenant."

JDAM gets a cup of coffee for himself, keeping an eye on the facility as he does.  Shortly after several SPs show up, looking around.  They walk through the Officer's Mess before leaving.

She waves to the orderly on duty.  "Two beers."

She turns back to Jack.
"Have a seat, and we all do.  I had family on the island..."  She looks a bit down for a second, her face slightly pinched, but two draft beers arrive and a sip of beer picks her back up.

"I'm with my old CO and his Wizzo at Hensagliska.. She pronounces the squadron name carefully.  ".. It's an honor, you know, to serve with Hensagliska, they were at Guadalcanal you know?  The name means Small Warrior, Brave Warrior in Sioux."  She bites her lower lip a moment, and her eyes squint, maybe like she is holding back tears.

Jack thanks for the beer and after a sip turn his attention to his friend.
"Yeah, somewhat know the feeling. My mother was on Macross island and despite we often fought over various things it's hard" he drink some more and continue to listen. "Hensagliska, huh? A fitting name for great people. I'm sure they are in a lovely place right not. A toast for Hensagliska. Jack raise his beer somberly.

She nods slightly.  "My uncle and his wife, his son and wife, and his daughter."

A soft nod and a raise of her mug in a toast, the UN Spacey logo glinting on it as she did.

"To Hensaglika, the Sioux, the US Marines, and to Earth."

She takes a long sip and sets it back down.

"Any permanent assignment yet?  I don't know how secure my current berth is, myself, I am even in a borrowed Valkyrie, mine was a mess after that battle."

Jack shrug while leans backwards.
"Not sure, whole squadron changed to Spacy not so long ago. Guess that might have to do with it. I'm not even sure where my bird is after...right, after it was borrowed on Earth" he sigh loudly and hope Roy's brother didn't suffer long.

Meiko nods and sips at her beer.

"What ever happened with all that, do you know?"

"You mean Rick? Or how the Commander is right not? I don't know much so far actually, I believe Rick took off with my bird most likely without Roy" Jack sips his beer and think. "Shame we lost him, seemed like a good pilot. Commander Fokker...most likely handle it like anyone who lose a close family member"

”I guess I was not aware of this connection. Can you fill me in?  I am only distantly aware of Commander Folker, it sounds l8ke you know more about him than I do. Who is this Rick, his brother you said?”

"Well, could be a cousin too I guess, Commander introduced him as a family friend I believe. But judging on how he reacted when the body was found, it must have been close" leaning forward he close his eyes. "Hard to believe it was not long ago, so much have happened on so little time"

She shakes her head.

"And his name was Rick?  Sorry, this is the first I have really heard about this.  You know news isn't exactly a thing here."

"Pay it no mind, the commander only spoke of Rick a limited times and I never meet him until the ceremony day and I presume the commander want it to stay low until...well, always I guess" Jack shrug and order another beer. "Seen anyone else that we flew with during Earth?"

"I catch a glimpse of Reindeer now and then, she seems very busy.  Seen the Ossy a bit too, good man.  Really, I have been wrapped up in working though, flying with my Commander and the unit he has been putting together."