Nikki listened as well.  It was obvious Vosts was scared of going back up "Vosts, A lot of training was put into you.  be a waste if no one thought you couldn't do this, or you can and don't want to out of fear" she sighed slightly "If you're gonna be Hermes you are gonna have to put your big girl panties on and look fear in the eye and tear it's ass a new one.  Control your fear, own it. Make it your bitch, not you being it's bitch." her eyes narrowed on Vosts.

 Lizzy looked concerned, as Miki spoke up. Frans motioned to Vosts  as Maddy   arrived,Ensign  Vosts, is more or less , fresh out of the Box... i think the realization of  seeing people she just talked, turned to atoms, has  soured her taste in flying.... LC  wants her up..... But he's letting me decide.

Justin stared at the women for several minutes. A mostly disinterested expression on his face as they chatted about the situation they were attempting to resolve. Tiring of the pod-drama that was being fed to his notepad Justin accessed the Admin section filled out& submitted the routine admin docs then reviewed the next day's SOP's.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:00, Sun 05 June 2022.

Madison, remembered the conversation between Shadow and Frans. Poor Vosts was shaken. Madison understood. She went over to Vosts, taking her hands. "Hey." She put her hands on Vosts cheeks, locking her with a gaze swimming in compassion. "Listen. This is my first time. I'm scared too. It's okay to be scared. We'd be crazy not to be. These crazy bitches, they have our backs. Yes, Shadow needs every pilot, but if you can't fly, you're not a pilot. So it's up to you." Madison wrapped her in her arms and hugged tight. "Whatever you decide, we're here for you, okay." She stepped back.

 Lizzy got her composure, she watched and listened and then said to Vosts," Hey I know this is tough, you have to decide right now, do you want to be a fighter pilot and use your training to kick ass, you stay with Nikki and I we will keep you safe as possible. This is the moment of truth Vosts are you in it to win it as a fighter pilot or do you need to move on, what will it be." Lizzy talked calmly and caringly, she took Vosts hand as she spoke to her to try and calm her down and let Vosts regain her composure and make the right decision for her.

 Lizzy looked at Maddy, she smiled and replied," Everything is fine Ens. Vosts just figuring out what she would like to do to win this damn war. I think we will be Madison, thank you."

 Lizzy then listened to the others try and help Vosts, she just listened to Nikki, Frans and Madison talk to her. After Maddy's hug of Vosts Lizzy hugged her as well and added," We are a team and we will help all us kick ass, you just need to search inside yourself to see if you can do this and it is the right thing for you."

Having offered her support, Madison stepped out of the way. They certainly didn't need another gawker, and Vosts didn't need another fellow pilot adding yet more pressure with an expectant stare. With a wave to the ladies, she continued on her exploration.

Seeing that she was already familiar with that part of the compound, Madison turned right. There were other tents and structures and some activity, so she headed there for a closer look.

 Cora  frowned  at what Izzy said.You know? I was sorta forced into the  SSN..Ellen too?..damn scum balls in their  red Uniforms and hats,  bowing down to the  damn empire...... But the people in this ship? we shouldn't even worried  about.. just fry them all and lets  go home...They  sold out thier planet..and  now...Medical experiments... we..as women, know exactly what that means..

  she sighed,lets move up to the bridge, see what other  goodies they got  for you to read....maybe we'll find  something  for  Peking  duck or something..

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

  Hemsly   was  kicking a door, that was  behind  the  Captain chair.. could be an armory..could be quarters. Officer's Mess.. hard to tell..

 the largs were sniffing around , they didn't seem interested in the bodies.

Mila trotted over to Hemsly and sniffed at the door he was kicking, making sure to keep well clear of his boot.

 from where Maddy stoop,  going  right  would take her out the  Gate where the 'dead  ATV sat..a  trooper still maned the  gun., not thoughts of  fixing it seemed to enter anyone's  mind.

 that  gate lead out to the   Fighter area,  lots of lights  on there some brand  new  skeeters  had been off loaded, and the  tail fin numbers  were being added

 The road up to the  wreck and be  strung with lights  by the   dropship troopers.. and she could hear the sound for  weapons  fire  as the drop ship troopers increased their  foothold  on the lower lever.

 Now  and then a trooper with a  rocket launcher, sent  a missle into the  doors that the hermes  people entered before, Just to blow things up and keep the fires  going.

 She  saw The Admiral get up and looked to the  wreck with his bino.

 Shadow   came down the   steps of the lookout  spot  and  began to   wrestle  with Larry, when lary  stoon on the back 4 of his  6 legs, he was over  a  head  taller then the  LC  But they   Tussled  a bit, neither one   trying to  hurt the other,

 .......................

 Vosts  looked at  all the Ladies...Thank..you..all...I...I am so scared..... I know..i know i will die  up there...

  Frans points   to the Admiral and LC in the distance...The Admiral expects  any one  who isn't  wounded, to fight..troopers..larhs..pilots..whatever.   The LC will send you up, ebcause that's his  job..what happens to you once your  skids leave the ground.. that's all on you?... Your friends  say you can do it... your training says  you can do it...I need  an answer...

 Vosts  was  almost hugging herself   as she loked  from Nikki to   Lizzy, she  watched  MAddy walk away,

 Lizzy took Vosts hand and added," I know you are scared; I certainly was the first few times I went up. I know you have seen friends die already, but you are still alive and I know you can do this, but you have to want it, are you in this war to win it Vosts?" Lizzy hugged her and then added," I will do everything in my power to keep you alive but you need to be confident in that fighter ok Vosts."

"Vosts.." she said calmly "We could tell you what to do, but it would not be right.  You have been trained.  We've helped you along showing maneuvers.  Kept you alive so far.  We have faith in you..." She looked at Lizzy and Frans, then turned back to Vosts "But Sweetie, you need faith in yourself.  You keep thinking your gonna die.  Truth is, one day you will...but it does not mean today or in the air.  You can die just as easily on the ground walking to the head, or even in your sleep.  Your worried about what might be, not what is.  What is, is you can change that" She tried saying it in different ways, hoping she would get the hint.  truth though, only Vosts could get Vosts to do the right thing...whichever she chose.

  Frans Looked to Lizzy  and Nikki, the to Vosts...Ok Vosts... there is a damn good chance  we  don't go up until tomorrow...if we leave at night, it will be  to go home.. But the  LC  won't leave until the shuttles  do....when it comes  time in the Morning? You show up  for muster  and climb in that Skeeter....if you don't?..well... you won't be flying for the Hermes  any longer.. There  isn;t   one of us  who  isn't  scared  , that we  may not come back....but  they trained us, they pay  us..and were no different  then some   Trooper    hiding behind a rock, trying to shoot  some Empire bastard  be  he gets shot himself......Its On you now? You show up..good.. You don't  Show  up, I'll tell the LC  we tried..and you'll be flying   in the Deltas  some where

 Frans  moved off....

 Vosts was breaking down...I'm going to go...lie  down...

Madison looked back the way she came, getting her bearings. It looked like the skeeters that couldn't be repaired in place were replaced. She walked the line looking for one with her number. She didn't see it but many were still being painted. Dodging the work crews she continued through to the other side of the compound.

 Lizzy smiled at Vosts and said," Yes get rest calm your mind and dont forget we help each other come back safe we are Hermes flight, remember that Vosts."

 Lizzy then said to Nikki," I am going to go check out my fighter see if they coud repair it or I got a new one hopefully, see you later Nikki." Lizzy then headed for the fighters to check out her fighter.

Nikki nodded as the other ladies walked off.  She had noticed Madison and others had gathered about. "Did mine earlier.  Think I'll go take a shower." She returned to the mess first taking her trash and to recycle.

”Hmm maybe…it doesn’t really say what they were doing” Izzy quietly replied not really wanting to get into a political debate right now, with her suspecting that the Chinese government would have said something about protecting their country’s interests and independence in response. That and she really didn’t know what these experiments, if indeed that was what she found,  involved.

When it was suggested that they head up to the bridge Izzy would nod her head in agreement before placing the journal’s on the floor in a neat stack and putting her headgear back on ”ok let’s go and see what we can find” she said in business like tone as she followed Cora out the room.

  Cora   and  Izzy Moved through the  crowd, She  gave Will a  pat on the shoulder  and smile that was  returned as they moved onto the bridge.

  well...  we know they weren't  working on Crops...and if they were doing Med tech reseacrth it  must have crashed and burned because people killed themselves... That  Bug Lady  That Harry was supposed to wax> she was a Bood  mother, and somehow got her eggsack removed  and   stepped right into   the SEC?...That was a turning point  in Delta  Nights....for sure.We never got to study her, she might have been from one of those arks?

 They stopped   near Shade  and Maygin, as they  fussed with  the consoles,  Shade  having ridded  a Vidboard  to upload what he could..The Live  CAMs showed the 'bug factory'

 the fighters  were  more or less lined up... the new ones,  for the badly  Damaged  fighters   were Getting thier Numbers   Painted on.. Kat was swearing in russian   as she  tried  to  make her  nose  art with the limited  supplies.

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

 Larry stayed with the Admiral as   Shadow  moved off to check the fighters. The Big Ugly was leaving  with the  aircafts that were either  'write offs'..or  too damaged form field  repair

 Lizzy went over and saw her number painted on an ESN blue fighter, either hers was unfixable or they can't fix it down here.

 Lizzy then began her checks, she made sure her emergency gear and weapon were securely stored and everything was there.

 Then she began the checks of the fighter and the controls. She did everything she could do to check other then powering up and taking off. Lizzy made sure her fighter was ready and then she checked the ammo belts.

   when Cora  and  Izzy  arrived, Lyir   looked at them and  Pointed to the console area where  some  more   books were stacked,

  Hemsly    made some   'shoestring  C-10' and   lined the    door  with it, karson  did the  wiring. Brooks had the trigger.

   smoke started to come from  Shade   Vidboard that  was  downloading.  and he blared  in   Anger using  his trench knife to  cut the  Feed    wire, then mashed the   console  with his fists   for a few Moments.. Maygin watched, with  a calm eye  as she checked the  Vidboard to see how much damage there  might be... with a wry smile ( for a Verian)..

 ...The Ambassador is...not pleased.

 crew  were taking   everything from  cabinets... derm foam and Plast ( they let med techs  check them later)... all the weapons, and  a bank of power cells that seemed  in good  shape, though, underpowered'

 Shoey had    Hodden take two metal boxes that contained  Cred chips  and paper  creds..they'd have to see if the paper was  stil 'legal tender'..but the  Cred chip would be good for certain

  Rolfe said,I dunno Gunny? you think we should be on our way, after  Hemsly gets that door opened.

After completing her solo tour of the beach head, Madison went back to where the fighters were being prepped. Right where she parked her damaged skeeter stood a brand new one, now painted with her number. She had no doubts about the efficiency and diligence of the service crews, but she still took the opportunity to climb in and do a complete check up.

The ship looked and smelled new. She wasn't sentimental about her fighters. All she cared about was that they worked as expected. After a full battery of tests, she was satisfied that this one did. Her last check was that her emergency kit and weapons were right where they should be. With everything checked and rechecked, she climbed out and headed to the mess hall.

”Like I said I’m not a scientist, you’d need doc Henry to figure out what exactly they were trying to do” Izzy replied as they walked up to the bridge and went inside. Upon entering they would be pointed towards another stack of books that Izzy would pick up and start flicking through ”any idea what we’ve got here?” she asked, not really expecting a useful answer as she made herself comfortable and started going through the first book.

    Ffolkes     had  checked the  dead Captain, to see 'how human  he was', he turned to  Izzy and said...we have books.... Books  from  one of the world's biggest traitor countries ... and  None of us, or  very, very few of us  can read their  writings... I think its plain enough to see what they did here.. we can  only imagine  what they did to the people in their  country.

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

  The team began to  pack up.. Shoey got  Nugest to help  Izzy with the stacks of books

Henry pitched in to help gather stuff. He wished he'd learned to read Chinese... but there had been so many other things to learn.

 Maddy saw  a few pilots  , including Shadow enter  the    fighter  space., while the other Pilots  went to their   machines. Shadow went to the Guy who was in charge of the   repairs.. The LT  was gruff..Shadow was gruffer  as they haggle out, 'just when' the 'fixable air craft would be  ready...Shadow   won the argument, but  saying

 Tell you what, LT? when we take of,in some  10 hours or less?... I'll pick out on of the fighters  that are questionable...and you'll right in the Jump seat opf that fighter..

 You can't do that. Colonel Cummings  is over you...

 Maybe?.. But  I am the Fleet WC.. Captain Morris  is the  Fleet ADJ.. Admiral  Hennings  and Admiral  Hack are all...over   Cummings...and? lets take it to ground level?..is there  any doubt  in your mind, that i  could beat you senseless and stuff you into a  jumpseat?

 The LT  had an  inch on  Shadow..and maybe  20 pounds, but they weren't 'good pounds"..right..LC.. we'll do our best.


 That's all i can ask..right?..cause, we can get out   and fix them in the air... and if we go down..there's no guarantee we'll make it  back

 Understood  LC... he saluted  and called for crew chiefs   to get  thier assessments