The ETSPW manipulated his set and in short order established a connection with Falken Actual and looped the squadron commander in. He then point to a headset, indicating that Aksa should use that.
Slipping them on Aksa heard the Luftwaffe Oberstleutnant finish a reply.
"....I see."
Aksa keyed her mic
"Radio check?" She asked in a somewhat small voice.
"I hear five unt five Aksa." He said as her image popped up on his MFD.
"This is most irregular you understand, but, then, these are irregular circumstances ja?"
"I appreciate it Sir." She replied with a sheepish smile.
"Falken Lead to Falken 8, you have a phone call from your girlfriend, would you like to take it?" He said, with an impish smile, clearly enjoying himself. Over the Falken squadron net there were some chuckles, and a lone cat call whistle, which only elicited more laughter.
Presently the face of Hauptmann Elise Krupinski popped up on the comm screen wearing a shocked and almost embarrassed look on her face.
"Aksa!!?" She blurted as her expression morphed into one of relief and then happiness.
"Oh scheisse!"
"Heeey there...um so, ah, how are you?" Aksa began.
"I'm in one piece." Elise shrugged.
"Headed to Tethys." She said apologetically.
"You were always bad at directions." Aksa replied with a brave chuckle.
"Ja. Sorry to stand you up."
"It's okay, I'm just happy you are okay, we, well, there was a lot of...I'm sorry, I know calling you is terribly selfish..."
"I think it's sweet." She said, then paused, not trusting her voice.
"One helluva long distance relationship no?"
Aksa nods.
"Yeah, one for the record book eh?"
"So..." Elise paused, then a impish expression crossed her face.
"...what are you wearing?"
Despite herself Aksa laughed, then quickly covered her mouth as she realized where she was. The ETSPW next to her stifled a chuckle with a slight snort while members of the Luftwaffe squadron, less constrained by their surroundings, cracked up and, there was, again, a lone cat call whistle. Meanwhile in the CDC Aksa could feel the eyes of the OD burning into the back of her head.
"Sorry..." She whispered.
"Sorry about that shatz, didn't mean to get you scolded." Elise said hastily.
"Gott I'm going to miss you, you know." She sighed
"And fuck, and I'm going to miss watching you crush that Miss Macross Contest thing too."
Aksa sputtered slightly and realized that she had no choice but to participate; sure, she'd been signed up, much to her chagrin, but she'd secretly reserved hope she'd be able to bow out somehow. Now...
"It won't be the same without you there." Aksa said huskily.
The comm tech motioned to Aksa.
"We'll be out of real-time range with them in about 6 minutes." He said into the comm and made a 'wrap it up' motion with his hand.
Aksa looked back into the feed and Elise nodded.
"I heard." She smiles.
"So, how about a last song to play us off?"
"Oh you are going to get me tossed out the air-lock you are." She mutters, then looks over at the comm-tech who only gives her a 'don't look at me' shrug. Un-pocketing her phone she swipes thru a playlist, looking, until one tune speaks to her, and she keys it up. Plugging it to her suits intercom she strips off her comm stations headset, reaches back for her helmet, puts it on, seals it, and takes the offered audio link from the comm tech and plugs it in.
Guitar chords begins to play, heard only inside her helmet, the comm techs headset, Falken Flight's receivers, and ... incidentally from any Dione Recovery helmet that has it's radio on. A few seconds later, curled forward in her jump seat she adds her voice to the melody, her head moving in time as she sings
The Show Must Go On by Queen...
OOC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNsQv8ZEVP0
When she is done she breathes in and puts her hand to the comm's camera pick up.
"You stay safe out there mulkvisti."
Elise, her eyes misty reaches her hand out as well.
"You too liebchen, give my best to Anika okay. Good hunting."
"I will. Good hunting." Aksa affirms. Elise nods, then cuts the transmission for her.
A minute passes before Aksa removes her helmet, and smiles at the comm tech.
"Thank you for putting up with all of that. It meant...it meant a lot."
The comm-tech nods.
"Pleasure was mine, and hey, for what it's worth, you've got my vote for that Miss Macross thing."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:41, Wed 09 Aug 2023.