Interviews

\*White smoke streaked from the rear of a hornet wasp cruising past. Blue engine exhaust glowing as its thruster coils narrowed, forcing more thrust and sending the aircraft hurling skyward in a metallic shriek of cyclone engines and blurring heat. A crowd below pointed skyward as the fighter outstretched atmospheric fins, angling and adjusting to maneuver the hulking craft, it swooped back downward towards the crowd below, bristling with cannon and the glint of the sun shimmering off its canopy and blue and yellow painted wings. A set of loudspeakers announced over the boom of fighter engines roaring past overhead. "And there he goes! Ladies and gentlemen, Captain Renny Williams of the 1074th Fighting Falcons!" A loud cheer as the beast of a fighter ripped across the airfield and over a large field, dust and leaves exploding behind the warship. Radio chatter hissed over the com and the lapine held his face mask. "Coming around for another pass... hammer down on my mark - get ready." A female voice came back "Copy that leader." The announcer continued - "Serving in her majesties royal air force during the Pembridge war, the captain scored a remarkable thirty two kills!"

\*The hornet wasp shrieked past low as a pair of pups covered their ears and cheered in awe. "Pass complete \*click\* lemmy get some altitude.. okay - Hammer down now!" "Copy!" A thunderous boom of afterburners, then from over the aerodrome, the jagged silhouette of an Angel star fighter streaked out over the crowd, the bright yellow and piercing black of the Analine crest flashing past. The announcer yelped - "Oh no! What do we got here?! It’s an Analine star fighter!" Banking hard, the hornetwasp shrieked mere meters from the ground over the field sideways, the lapine glanced into his mirror, a few hundred meters behind him, the Angel closed in fast, bristling with cannon and lining up a shot. "Keep it tight - Watch the deck" "Copy.." "There’s a hill ahead, compensate for the elevation -" "Copy...” The two fighters swung around the far edge of the airfield, roaring past the hill, then swooping back down for another thundering pass over the spectators watching the dogfight.\*

\*Several pups climbed on the wings of a parked Ralarki bomber, ears perked, then pointed out past the bubble turret as the two fighters closed in, screams of engines and the hornet wasp flashed past. "Alright - weapons free." The vixen's green eyes glanced down briefly to switch on the weapon systems, machineguns came online and chain fed guns clicked in response. Fixing her eyes on the star fighter ahead, she squeezed the triggers. A thunderous rattle and dazzling muzzle flashes made the spectators cover their ears again. Blank shells continued to fire in bursts, the hornetwasp evaded, weaving back and forth, dodging and rolling, and then the lapine grabbed his facemask. "Im doing a popstop! Watch yer head!" "Copy!" The angel swung low as the hornetwasp went high, then engines howled and engine exhaust went red as the airbrake flaps swung up and the hornetwasp slammed to a halt, letting the angel rip past, guns still blazing. Slamming the throttle forward, the hulking fighter boomed back into full speed and went after the angel. The four heavy cannons rattling as he squeezed the triggers. The spectators howled in cheer below. The vixen came back over the com "Popping smoke." "Copy that, swing wide, keep it clean." "Copy" Thick black smoke streaked out of the angel's tail, temporarily obscuring the lapine's view, then the angel swung left to keep the smoke off of her persuer.\*

\*Swinging back around at slower speeds, the hornetwasp followed its enemy closely, occasionally squeezing the triggers, rattling guns booming overhead, then the angel began banking its wings side to side. "She's giving up! make that thirty three kills for captain Williams!" The announcer concluded over the cheers below. Swooping back behind the aerodrome, the angel swung wide out of view and cut its smoke. Dropping in on her wing, the lapine threw a thumbs up, the vixen pulled off her facemask, grinned, then threw a salute. "Am I buying this time? I lost track." She pushed the facemask back up and responded. "You aint pullin that one again, it’s my turn, I kept score." "Alright alright, meet ya in ten for that drink." The hornetwasp swung away from the angel, and streaked back over the airfield, puffs of black smoke burst in the sky, mimicking flack as Williams pulled up over the field through the ground fire, flashes and booms all around, then four more hornet wasps streaked over the field and joined his wings. Boom! Boom, flack exploded all around, but the squadron kept a rock solid formation, cruising past the roaring crowd below.\*

\*Glancing into his mirror, two fighters on either wing, following closely, sliding a glance over to his port side, he caught the glint of angel wings banking for the airstrip somewhere below them. "Thirty two kills, plus one, hehe." The lapine held up a finger as the journalist smiled across from him. Still in his jumpsuit, the boom mike above his head bobbed and his blue eyes kept glancing up at it every now and then. "Every air show, the announcer says, Make that thirty three kills for captain Williams!" "That’s quite a number captain." He scratched his chin lightly, eyes glancing over to his peripheral vision occasionally, 'fixing' on that mike boom hovering beside him. "No, there were some real aces in the war, had allot more kills than me. I did what I had to.. We were ordered not to let the enemy get away. Ever, it was a rule." "Whys that?" "They would just come back and fight us again, the next day." "What would you do if they surrendered?" He rubbed his paws together briefly. "Most of the time we could offer quarter, but.. sometimes it was too dangerous to risk our T801 rescue boats to pick up enemy pilots." The historian listened quietly as the veteran spoke. "Those were different times.. and when it came down to mind over matter, you had to put your conscience away.. in order to function as a soldier." Glancing away in thought, the camera operator gently squeezed on the zoom, focusing on the pilot's eyes slowly. "It was hard for them.. in Albatoris, most of my men hadn’t seen action before, but they had to adjust.. and.. sometimes the lesser of two evils was a horrible thing.. but the year was 2306, and we were at war.."

\*\*\*

Chapter 5: Compromised Part 1

\*Williams' eyes glanced left, sweat rolled down his brow as the face mask dangled beside his muzzle. Idling engines whirled on loudly as he cruised through the turbulent dust clouds. A few rocks bounced off his hull armor, and a flash of paint chips sparkled past again. Swaying in the restrains, he glanced down at the navigation HUD, the auto pilot button lit and the trajectory flashed making minor adjustments to his flight path. He picked up the small rations can, shoved the small metal spoon into the solidified protein mush, then scooped up a bit and ate it. Torture - food didn’t digest anymore, it simply crashed to the bottom of the stomach like a stone, but orders were orders - and on top of everything else that reaped havoc on his nerves and metabolism, eating was one of them. As the dust and gasses swirled past, four more hornetwasps cruised closely in a rough formation behind him, two above, two below. The radio hissed softly in the lapine's ear, he stirred the mush a bit, glancing left again, shadows in the dust.. blue eyes narrowed a bit as he scooped another mouthful of the awful paste. A click on the com, then an Australian accent. "Waypoint in 30 seconds." Pushing the mask up a bit he squeezed the vox control with a paw. "Copy"

\*Looking down at the navigation console, he set the can down on his lap, pulled off a glove, then touched a few buttons, the course zoomed out, seven way points, and another nine to go on this patrol. The com light blinked and Maurader's voice came over the com. "How long is this damn route skippah?" Williams glanced left again briefly, swallowed. "Another two hours give or take." The shadow was gone... A quiet curse form the bathi on his wing. "Give or take? This is bullshit.. what the hell do they think we are, robots?" The lapine stirred his meal and responded. "Pipe down.." A click on the com, then Lucky came back quietly. "Waypoint in 10.." The radio hissed, then screamed with an electrical shriek. The lapine's eyes went wide and he tossed down the can. "Shit! Missile launch!" The dust cleared as a Hazard fighter streaked past with a missile on its tail, white smoke trail crossing the squadrons path. Fighters bobbed and fishtailed behind the leader as the pilots grabbed the controls at the start. "Where did that come from?!" The lapine shot a glance over his shoulder as the Hazard fighter disappeared from view, then a fiery flash and muffled boom in the dust. "Skippah I’ve got visual on two more bandits comin out a the dust down there at nine!" "Alright Maurader, get ready to engage, Flores, stay with him!" The pilots threw the safety caps off their triggers and prepared to bank out.

\*Another voice shouted over the com and Williams shot a glance in the opposite direction, three fighters came out of the dust in pursuit, holographic indicators flashing friendly recognition signals across the HUD. "Negative Falcons, you will not engage those targets!" Rattling machineguns strobed through space as the enemy fighters rocketed past the group, and the lapine cursed. "God damn it! Panalo!" Maurader's fighter fishtailed as three Bluejays screamed past them in pursuit. "Fukin' Bluejays! You sure like to boss people around!" The com hissed and Garin's raspy voice came back. "Shut yer yap kid!" "Make me!" The lapine squeezed the vox control "Maurader, pipe down! Get in formation!" Another quiet curse from the hissing feline and the squadron hurled back into the dust leaving the dogfight behind them.\*

\*Water poured down and steam swirled up as the lean lapine stepped under the stream. Dog tags chiming at his chest as he ran paws through his hair, scrubbing out the sweat and the black ash like space dust that coated his star fighter after every patrol in the Nar Gauntlet. Some dying star several billion years ago coughed out this horrible black material, and trickled down the drain as it sifted through his fingers. The shower room door was left ajar, just in case scramble alarms sounded while one was still inside, which happened on occasion, it made the fighter den a bit muggy, but warmer than the rest of the ship. Maurader wiped a paw over fogged porthole, looked out at the formation of starships throughout the rock and ash. Somewhere in the distance nebula lightning arced up into the sky from the black hole somewhere below, hidden in the depths of the cauldron of a nebula. A pair of fighters cruised past on patrol, in the distance the flicker of fighting could be seen.. another small skirmish with Analine scout ships, they were everywhere, in a system that was supposed to be secured by now. "The hell are we still doing here anyway? Gawd damn ash, gawd damn noise.." Another distant boom of lightning. He ran a comb through his wet hair, trying hard to straighten it out, but the bristles of the old comb were broken. "Gawd damn patrols.. and gawd damn shortages!" Tossed the comb on the ground hard, and padded past Chip Marino and Flores that were sitting on the couch. "I can’t even fukin' get a drink to calm my nerves, and I’m tired of this gawd damn paste! They expect us to eat this? The hell's goin on round here?!" The frustrated feline swiped a paw, clearing a cabinet of ration cans with a loud crash. Chip Marino huffed and turned his large canine muzzle toward the tabby. "It’s called war, deal with it.." "Yeah, war.." Gestured toward the window "The whole fukin' fleet's sittin on their ass, while were here bustin our asses holdin the perimeter! The hell are they waitin for?!"

\*Williams ran a paw over his face, letting the heated water soak into his fur and body, long ears swepped back but conscious of the conversation going on in the next room. The main barracks door opened and Lucky came in, the mutt glanced over at Maurader, paws on the empty cabinet, head bowed in frustration. "Whas wrong with him?" Chip shrugged, Lucky set a clipboard with a flight plan down on the sofa. "Give it to the capn'.. Come on Maurader, get yer gear, I gots something to show ya." The mutt patted the feline's shoulder, one blue eye, one brown eye, looked him over, but the feline didn’t respond at first, then quietly. "What... what is it Lucky? Another engine assembly.. I really don’t want to see it right now." "No its not another lesson, jus come with me.." "Seriously, just.. leave me alone right now." The canine's head tilted, took the hunched over feline's arm and pulled him a bit. "Come on.. come on ace, I need ya in the hangar." "Gawd damn it.." "Get your gear." The feline reached over and picked up his jumpsuit, then slid it on over his underclothes.

\*The lapine glanced over his shoulder to the light spilling in through the open shower room door, ear flicked as the two exited the barracks and shut the compartment door... The lights of the workshop turned on with an audible snap and whirl of power. A craft with a tarp took up a large portion of the room. Padding past work benches covered in magnetically secured tools, Lucky reached over and tugged on the tarp, then pointed to the other end of the craft. "Get that end would ya?" Maurader entered the workshop, ears perked as he looked over the tarp, then reached over and helped the canine uncover the craft. A jagged, bulky craft, bristling with wings and guns, a cramped cockpit and smaller engines than the Hornet wasp, but more angular and sleek at the same time. "The hell is this?" "Prototype fighter, from our Xieron advisors at Staffaeron. They call it the Crosswing, want you to try it out next patrol." The feline shot a glance at the canine, Lucky ran a paw over the fighter's flank, then pointed to the cannons hugged between its hulls. "Two 80 calibers, less guns than the Hornetwasp's quad 60s and dual muzzle pounders, but they can punch through cruiser armor." The lean feline climbed up onto a wing, then slid down into the cockpit, ears pivoting and glancing around as he squeezed the controls, getting a feel for the interior. A large bull’s-eye in the center HUD was the most notable feature.\*

\*Williams put his officer's hat on, adjusted it, then rounded the bulkhead and entered the lit chamber. A dozen pilots settled into the briefing room, every one of them wearing officer's ranks of various levels, shimmering silver crosses. The overhead florescent light swayed lightly on its chord as the ship maneuvered slowly. A few more pilots entered behind the lapine as he took a seat, then closed his fuzzy collared jacket around himself, hat tipped a bit shadowing his blue eyes as he glanced at the other officers. Shoulders bumped with a couple other pilots as they settled in, glancing to his left, Panalo ended up shoulder to shoulder with him. The fox glanced over at him, a quiet huff as he looked away. A grin from the lapine and buck teeth showed briefly. "Get yer precious kill?" The fox glanced back, then quietly. "No.. as a matter of fact." "Too bad." The fox glanced over to his other shoulder as another pilot settled in on his other side. Westlock adjusted her hat, a dark black eye, she sunk into her flight jacket and glanced at the fox. Panalo flashed teeth. "What the hell are you doing here?" "I’m still an officer.. I’ve every right to be here even if the doc still has my wings." "This meeting is for the wing leaders West.." The female canine continued quietly as she glared at the fox over her fuzzy collar. "You may be in charge now, but it’s still my squadron." The fox was about to respond, but then Mallen near the door called out "Admiral on deck!" The group went to attention, before the husky responded as he entered. "At ease."

\*A little over a dozen pilots watched the husky, tired, bruised, scarred looks, he swallowed once as he padded around the room silently, looking them over. It had only been a couple of weeks since the fleet left Caratho, but already they looked like they had aged a few years. He cleared his throat and began. "I know you all are pretty exhausted.. but this is not an occupation.. were just having a hell of a time getting the supply lines set up.. and for that I apologize. I’m doing everything in my power to get the fleet moving again, but for now we’re still going to have shortages and long patrols.." A few pilots lowered their eyes, grim looks. "I am however authorizing the formation of a temporary squadron.. to cover the gaps in patrols and hopefully lessen flight hours on the perimeter. Leading the squadron \*gestured over to a slender marmalade feline stepping into view.\* Lieutenant Rosemary from Harrier squadron on carrier Doringshire.. Rose.."

\*The feline began, a British accent as she set a paw on the map table surrounded by pilots. "Greetings all, an honor to be working with you." A few nods of greetings and quiet welcomes. "The plan is relatively simple as the admiral put it, the whole aim is to cover the gaps in the line, and lessen flight hours for all of you. Admittedly most of my pilots are relatively new to the field, but I’ve made careful selection a top priority." A few unconvinced looks from the rough officers, but she didn’t expect any more - these were battle hardened pilots, and any pilot or squadron had to first prove itself to them before they would get any respect or gratitude.

\*The lapine watched her from under the shadow of his flight cap quietly, blue eyes met hers a moment. She leaned forward on the table a bit, watching the other pilots, searching for a reaction, but there was none.. A nervous twitch of her tail, stood back up and cleared her throat, then gestured back to Sharks - and the meeting continued onto other matters - The lapine tapped his footpad lightly continuing to watch her. "It was a sound idea.. the 5th fighter squadron, and it came at the right time, even if the officers wouldn’t accept an upstart, they would eventually embrace the unit as the war continued."

\*Carwell shoved his shoulder into the bulkhead door, grunted and slung his weapon under his arm as he pushed on the jammed door. Another marine pressed against the door behind him to help. Sparks trickled down from above as Rosemary watched, adjusted the belt of her sidearm, then glanced over her shoulder to another group of marines coming up from behind in the damaged corridor. Carwell grunted again "Guh.. damn automated doors.." Finally huffed and pressed his back to the door and rested. "Should we find another way around commander?" The feline commented as she watched the marine. Carwell reached over and took the radio operator's horn, squeezed the vox switch. "Douill, your techs need to fix the generators again.. the automated doors are failing with all these brown outs.." Douill stood on the bridge of the Cortez, headset on as he held a paw to an ear, glanced out across space to the battered moon Malcoss that used to be the Analine fleet harbor. "Already on it Carwell. Engineers are on sight, just sit tight."

\*Pointing up at the overhead sign of the burnt out corridor, Rose caught the commander's attention. "This way, loading bays. We just need to find the hangar anyway." Carwell nodded, threw a paw sign to a pair of marines nearby, and they switched on gun lights and headed off ahead of the group, flashlight beams panning around in the dark innards of the station. "Your boys know how to fly Analine fighters?" Carwell stepped in front of the feline, leading her on through the darkness, reeking with smoke and ash from the fighting that had happened there before. "Oh, Hazards fly allot like Evacs, commander." "Bumpy.." "Perhaps, but a good craft to learn the basics, anyway I just need six of them." "My lances punched through the hangars on all sides when we took this rock, don’t know if there will be much intact in those holds." "Well we'll just have to find out wont we?" A few minutes passed as the group cautiously approached the hangars, dim flickering lighting overhead, struggling to stay lit, then a loud whirling moan of power grid failure, the corridor plunged into darkness, all but the flash of gun lights. "Shit, Douill, we lost power completely down here.." Douill held his headset to an ear, then picked up the horn to contact the techs.\*

\*The feline sighed quietly, padded past the canine, to where she'd seen a power conduit box before the lights went out. Paws searched around and she found the panel, pulling it open with a metallic bang. Carwell's ears shot up in the darkness, then aimed his gun light around, trying to find the feline. "Lieutenant! Don’t get too far away." "Oh calm down Commander, not afraid of the dark are you?" A playful lash of her tail, she squeezed the handle within the box and pulled it down, red lights turned on as auxiliary power restored to the corridor.

"There! That should do it." Carwell blinked, began to sling his rifle and glanced over his shoulder at the waiting marines. Threw a hand signal and they moved ahead down the dimly lit corridor. "Come on Lieutenant, the hangar is just ahead." About to speak, the feline's ears pivoted at the sound of a mechanical whirl behind her. She spun around and looked up as a turret popped out of the ceiling in the red light, an automated voice spoke over the clang of bullet chains loading into the barrel. "Defenses online - intruder detected - " Carwell spun back around fast, grabbing his weapon from his shoulder. A rattle of machinegun fire and shells chiming through the corridor, the feline fell to her knees, then face down behind the bulkhead. Carwell threw himself against the wall as rounds flashed past. Several marines rushed back down the corridor, weapons aimed in the red lighting. "Shit! Jack in the box! You Stay there!!" The marines slid against the wall, the one closest shot a glance at Carwell. The commander threw a hand sign for an EMP grenade, and the marine slung his weapon immediately, prepped one, then tossed it in fast. An electric pop, much like the sound of a camera flash, and the turret flickered with energy and froze. Carwell glanced in, aimed his rifle, then shot the turret off of its arm in a flash of sparks and flames. A loud crash as it fell somewhere in the hall beyond the bleeding pilot. Rushing over, he landed on his shins, sliding to her side, then carefully gathered up the feline. "Wha.. what happened?" She trembled and looked up at him stunned. "Your gonna be okay! MEDIC!!" He called out, a few marines shouted orders, searching the corridor cautiously for more turrets. Another shout for a medic down the corridor. "Medic! Get the medic up here!" Yellow eyes trembled as she looked up at him, he wiped away blood and hair from her muzzle and shot a glance down the corridor as the medic rushed up quickly.

\*Marines rushed back and forth in the corridor, weapons aimed high, hiding behind bulkhead and consoles until the area was safe again. "Sir.. area is secure." The marine stood nearby, Carwell didn’t look up at him, his jaw shifted hard as he looked down at the pilot in his arms. The medic lowered his head briefly, then gathered his un opened kit from the ground and pulled the sling back over his shoulder. Carwell didn’t move for a moment, even as the medic stood up slowly and headed off to rejoin his unit. Finally the canine moved slowly, fingers gently closing the dead pilot’s eyes.\*

"Lieutenant Rosemary's death was a shock to everyone. Pilots had died before, usually in the heat of battle, but the circumstances behind her death didn’t rest well with the squadrons that didn’t really have a chance to get to know her. And what made it worse was the squadron she left behind. The problem was, the fifth squadron was still a sound idea.. only now it became the responsibility of an already stretched first battalion to take care of these rookies. Suddenly, it came at the worst time possible." Elva pulled the strap of her duffle bag over her shoulder, shifted its weight, then slammed the compartment door to the Falcon's barracks. Williams passed the vixen in the hall, paused and glanced back over his shoulder as she marched off. "Corporal?" She didn’t respond and disappeared around a corner with a lash of her white tipped brush tail. A moment passed as he approached the barracks door and reached for the handle, it swung open hard and a tabby cat nearly crashed into the lapine. Williams jumped and stepped aside. "Skippah, where did she go?! Gawd damn it!" The feline zipped up his jumpsuit as the lapine simply pointed down the hall. The feline darted off after her.\*

\*Fast dark foot paws rounded the last corner and she threw open the Redbird's barracks door, swung her duffle bag into her room, then ducked as she entered the compartment and slammed the door. Maurader leaped over the bulkhead and skidded to a stop in front of the doorway labeled 'Elva' "Hey! Open the door!" The feline growled and squeezed the handle, then slammed a paw angrily against the doorframe. A muffled "Leave me alone Kevin!" from inside the compartment, and the feline's tail lashed hard, squeezed the door handle again, then jumped as a large paw shoved his shoulder, spinning him around. Morano's broad wolf form moved in front of the doorway as he glared at the feline. "Alright.. Alright.." throwing his paws up, Maurader retreated from the barracks.\*

\*Maurader tuned his guitar, flicked a few strings and the amplifier chirped in acoustic notes. The feline glanced up from his seat on the amplifier as Fryman came up onto the stage platform, handed the feline a drink. The tabby took the drink, sipped, then set it down between his feetpaws. The dorie reached down and picked up a bundle of papers with musical notes and lyrics as the feline began to play a light tune. Fryman hummed and sang quietly between sips as he looked over the notes. The tavern was quiet, only a handful of sailors and a few pilots. Quary slid a drink across the bar top to a marine, then turned back to Morano. "Ye alright mate? Ye look a bit down." The terrean sipped the last of his drink, then looked at the empty mug in his paw. He didn’t respond, just looked at his glass, then tightened his flight jacket a bit. "hmm.. on the house." The bartender poured another glass. The terrean nodded, then took another slow sip. Maurader's ears perked and his music missed a beat as he glanced over past Fryman. Elva padded across the tavern, her paw firmly in the paw of Abran, the handsome gray furred mutt smiled and followed her toward the bar.\*

\*Fryman paused, glanced at the feline that missed a beat, Maurader's ears pinned back, lowered his eyes, then played a little harder as they continued to practice. Quary grinned, then set a mug on the counter, then pulled the fountain hose over and filled it with the vixen's favorite sweet drink. She held up a dark paw signaling two straws, and the bartender slipped a pair in for the couple. Morano lifted his muzzle from his drink, then watched Elva and Abran a moment beside him. A light grunt as he turned back to his drink, music continued to play lightly in the background over a quiet conversation between some sailors nearby. An intercom voice came over the tavern "Patrol flight two, please report to the flight deck." Abran chuckled, then drew a quick sip from the mug, leaned over and gave the vixen a small kiss on her muzzle. "That’s us… I’ll get my fighter warmed up." "Alright meetcha there in a few." Morano let his mug go and stepped past the vixen on the barstool as Abran left the Tavern. Then quietly "Elva.." she set her cup down "I know what you’re gonna say capn' I know the rules.." "Yer not supposed to date your own wingmen.." The vixen huffed and took another dink, swallowed and returned his fire. "Well, you’re not supposed to be drinking before a flight. You know the rules.." The terrean's eyes narrowed on her across his broad muzzle. "You’re not doing this to spite him are you?"

\*Elva turned away from the wolf, shook her head and stirred the drink with her straw a moment. "No.. I like him." "He isn’t what you need right now Elva, not less than a day since - " "Capn’, when I said you’re like a father to me, I didn’t mean you had to be my dad." The terrean drew a breath, then took a step back. She slid a glance at him briefly, then watched him as he turned and headed out of the tavern. Leaning in to take another sip, she hesitated, then dropped the straw back in and slid off the barstool, shut her jacket firmly and marched back out across the tavern, brush tail lashing. Maurader didn’t look up, finished the note, then reached down and picked up his drink, then took a few long drinks.\*

\*Catapult steam swirled across the flight deck as flight crew rolled out a hornetwasp  with the arching redbird painted on its wings. Elva, Abran, Morano and Aleste padded across the flight deck headed toward their fighters. Kacer's large ears pivoted as he threw a glance at Morono, three Sparrows behind him, a male feline, a female feline, and a younger looking male canine. Padding across the flight deck through the swirling steam, the quartermaster growled and crossed the Redbird's path. "No No no no no.. the hell you think your going?" Morono blinked "We’ve a patrol in ten minutes." The feline growled. "Damnit! Tell yer air marshal we aint got the fuel ta be spending on these full squad patrols." Cupped his paws over his muzzle and shouted across the flight deck to Kacer and the Sparrows. "Ey!! Front n' Center!" Pointed at the deck in front of him. Kacer waved his paws for the Sparrows to follow and they headed out towards the other squadron and the quartermaster. "Quartermaster Nash?" Kacer began "The hell you all goin?" "I’m taking them out for flight training." "No.. nono, I’m only letting four birds off this deck at a time." A few curses as they glanced at each other.

\*Kacer looked up at the larger canine officer, Morono's ear flicked, a few rings chimed. "We only need one officer, Ill lead this patrol, Sparrows need flight hours anyway, this will be good for them." The wolf shook his head, "The perimeter’s too hot Kacer.. Atleast take one of my pilots." The fennec glanced over his shoulder, pondered that a moment, then shouted across the deck to the dorie climbing down from the hatch of his T801. "Ruie!" "Sir?" "Sit this one out." The raccoon blinked then nodded and waited under the wing a moment. Kacer pointed at the female feline "Webber, your flyin with me, get aboard." "Yes sir!" Elva passed Morano "I’ll go capn'" The wolf nodded as Kacer and the Sparrows headed for their fighters. The terrean and Aleste headed back towards the corridors, but Abran followed Elva. "No you don’t.." She spun back around to look at him, blinked. "I’ll be fine Abran." \*quietly\* "You get nervous in the dust.." She lowered her ears, then green eyes looked up at him quietly\*

\*Webber adjusted her headset, eyes looked over the radar display, the swirling green grid offered little in reliable signals in the dust and iron rocks of Albatoris' asteroid fields. Three fighters followed the T801 closely on its wings as they passed through another wall of dust, the ship trembled lightly. The young feline glanced over at the fennec briefly, then out into space. Radio chatter garbled over the headset and she drew a deep breath to calm her nerves. Abran eased off on the throttle a little, falling back a few more feet to keep all three craft in his vision as the dust became thicker. A young canine with the call sign 'Sneak' across his helmet brow continuously watched the garbled radar and back up to the dust ahead of him, it was difficult to see anything at all out there. Sweat rolled down his brow as he kept his fighter steady. A male feline watched his display, the name 'Carlo' on his helmet brow. His sharp eyes narrowed on the dust field ahead, a shadowy shape somewhere ahead, there one moment, then gone the next, glancing down at his radar display, he squeezed his vox lightly, then quietly over the com. "Waypoint seven in 30 seconds.."

\*Kacer's large fennec ears perked up slowly, he held the controls in both paws, staring out at the dust ahead of him, a shadow moved slowly then disappeared. Large ears stiffened and he continued to watch sharply ahead. Webber's ears flicked as the radar display chirped, she glanced down at the green swirl and something moved. Pushing her facemask on, she called to Kacer. "Movement dead ahead." Kacer's pupils broadened to take in more light as he responded quietly "I see it." He squeezed the vox "Abran, Sneak, get into the dust, now! Carlo stay with me." There were no audio confirmations, Sneak dropped back and Abran swooped up to take his wing, threw a paw signal at the sparrow and the two fighters banked off into the dust band nearby. Kacer held the controls tightly, eyes glanced over to his left briefly as Carlo tightened the formation, and glanced over at him. Kacer shot a paw sign at the sparrow sergeant 'keep it tight' The two ships streaked off into the dust cloud ahead, the ship shook a bit as dust swirled off the forward canopy.\*

\*Engines screeched a little louder as they coughed up dust in flickering reddish fire from the ship's tail, then a slightly more distinct shriek rumbled nearby. Kacer shot a glance up, then over his shoulder to the left.. Something had passed. The dust was too thick to see, he glanced over to his left, so thick he couldn’t see the sparrow on his wing. Staring straight ahead, it began to thin slowly, finally the T801 darted out into open space. Webber grabbed the visor of the circular radar, face illuminated green as she spotted two blips appearing somewhere off to their right, shooting a glance out the window, it was Sneak and Abran coming out of the dust briefly as it cleared. The fennec grabbed the throttle and shoved it to a halt. Webber yelped and bounced in her harness at the sudden stop, Kacer shot a glance over his shoulder to the left "Shit!" "What happened?!" the feline watched the fennec as he pulled off his restraining strap and peered heavily over the side to the port side. "I don’t see Carlo!"

\*A pair of glowing eyes opened slowly, radio chatter hissed over the com in the darkness. A sharp metallic slink of steel and a knife shimmered. A quiet scraping sound then Kacer's voice came over the com. "Carlo.. Carlo respond!" Glowing eyes continued to watch as the vulpine silhouette peered through the dust cloud. Abran came over the com, keeping calm and as quiet as he could "Capn' what are we doing?" The two fighters screeched past looping a wide circle off of their intended patrol route. Kacer grabbed the controls, swinging the T801's craning neck and sprawling wings around to face the dust cloud. "Carlo! Damn it where are you!?" The com hissed softly as a shadowy craft appeared in the dust directly ahead. A cold voice with a Russian accent responded. "He's not coming.." The fennec froze, eyes wide as he stared at the silhouette.

\*Kacer couldn’t move at first, eyes locked on the glowing pair looking right back at him just a couple dozen meters away. His heart raced as he gently fingered the afterburner safety switches. Ragged vulpine ears slid back slowly as the glowing eyes narrowed on the other pilot. Kacer threw the controls over hard and hit the afterburner. The T801 fishtailed hard, engines shrieking as it plowed away from the dust band. Squeezing the vox hard he shouted to the other two pilots. "Abort! Abort patrol now!" "Copy that!" A boom of afterburners and the black silhouette moved, fishtailing as it swooped down and closed on the T801's tail. Dust flashed past and the rattle of machinegun fire thundered through space.\*

\*Kacer's eyes glanced right, red damage indicator lights flashed across his dash as one of his four wings caught fire. "Shit!" The T801 banked hard and trailed smoke, white rounds flashed past his wing and he pulled up hard, Abran's nose wrinkled and he peered through the bulls' eye on his dash, machineguns rattling as the navy hornetwasp stayed right on the privateer's tail. "Sneak! Stay with me!" The younger canine panted as he struggled to keep the fighter in formation with the Redbird, the G-forces pressing him into his seat as they banked out at incredible speeds through the dust and rocks. Abran winced as the shrieking fighters rolled out into a tight circular maneuver. "Damn his vector's heavy!" Sneak shot a glance up at his mirror, the shadow flattening out some meter's behind him in the ring of death. He pulled up harder, wincing at the forces as he struggled not to get 'lapped' in this high speed ring. Abran kept the shadow in his bull’s eye, but the turn was so hard, rounds simply tumbled past unless he could get the crosshair's ahead of his target. Cursing under a wince, he watched the G warning indicator flashing on his console.\*

\*Sneak gasped hard, eyes rolling back as he began to black out, the sparrow's turn slacked a little into a wider turn and the shadow dipped his nose, tempted by the free kill, but the moment he dipped Abran threw his bulls eye ahead of the shadow and pumped the triggers. Rounds flashed past the shadow's nose, wings, then missed its mark as the vulpine kicked the afterburner once again and swung back into the ring. Another pass just out of range again, Abran's brow sweated, the vulpine growled, pressed on the sticks and the ship slacked in its turn, swinging out wide. Abran swooped in, flattening out hard on the enemy's tail, eyes locked on his target perfectly lined up - "Gotcha!" Abran's eyes suddenly went wide as Sneak's fighter appeared in the dust right above him. A black hornetwasp tore past, wings painted with the fiery red and yellow of a rearing lion, behind him a streaking Fighting sparrow, then ripping past in an explosion of sparks and flying glass and steel, the arcing wings of a Redbird.\*

\*Warning lights flashed red and alarms screamed as the cockpit hissed violently from breach. Struggling with his facemask, Abran gasped and coughed, a voice came over the com, it was Morano "Abran! Where are you?!" "I’m Hit!" Dust and smoke swirled everywhere as the hornetwasp ripped aimlessly across the dust band. The whole windshield was cracked and the canopy crushed inward. "I’m coming Abran! I’m Coming!" "I Can’t Breaaath!!" The wounded Redbird tumbled hard through the dust, rocks bouncing off its engine armor, spiraling metal and a fin ripped off in a flash of sparks. Dropping in on its smoking tail, the shadow closed, glowing eyes fixing on his target, squeezed the triggers. Morano looked up as muzzle flashes sparkled in the dust ahead, the silhouette of two fighters appeared briefly, then one exploded in a tumbling fireball and streak of smoke. "Abran!!" A black furred paw pulled his boot knife, illuminated by the fireball tumbling past, he gashed another notch into his dash, already covered from one end to the other with countless tally marks. Shooting a glance over his wing, glowing eyes narrowed. Throwing the controls over hard, the shadow banked back into the dust with a burst of afterburners, a few seconds behind four Redbirds tore past in chase.\*

\*Sharks glared at the fennec, fangs bare as he slid his paws behind his back, blunt claw tips unsheathed as he fisted his paws around the long tassel of his energy saber. The fennec stared straight ahead, sweated jumpsuit and helmet under his arm. "I could have you shot!" The husky growled, eyes glow as he passed into the shadow beyond the light of overhanging florescent strip. "I ordered my wing to withdraw sir. I.." The husky barked sharply, muzzle shot back towards Kacer, the tassels of his large admiral's hat lashing dramatically as he did. "You RAN Lieutenant!" The fennec began "Sir - " but the husky shoved fingers against the pilot's chest. "Other forces run! Outland worlds surrender! Pembridges do NOT run from Analines! EVER! Do you understand Lieutenant?!" "Sir.. you have no idea what happened out there." Sharks stared at the pilot, and the pilot stared right back quietly for a moment. The husky reached over, ripping the metal shield pin from the pilot's collar. "Your relieved of your command, and I’m sparing your life.. now get out of my sight."

\*Kacer saluted, turned and marched out of the chamber, the husky put a paw on the back of a folding chair, eyes glowing as Morano passed the fennec and came into the room. Helmet under his muscled arm, he saluted the marshal. "Sir, Captain Morano reporting as ordered." The husky circled the table slowly, then stood in front of the terrean wolf, then quietly "How are your men?" The wolf hesitated at first, he must have just landed, chest still heaving from anger and the sprint down to the briefing room. Sharks took his hat off, holding it under an arm, then patted the wolf's shoulder. "I’m sorry about your pilot.." The wolf bared a fang briefly, then quietly "I’m sorry we didn’t get the bastard.. lost him in the dust." "How many were there?” “Just one.” The husky blinked “Just one?” "Yes sir.." The husky looked into the wolf's eyes a moment in thought.\*

\*Westlock squeezed the remote and the slide projector clicked and the dark room lit with a gun camera image of a shadowy craft streaking through the dust clouds. She glanced over at the husky sitting on the other side of the projector table, he glared up at the image silently, arms crossed. "All patrols are reporting the same thing.. shadowy figures in the dust, and black painted fighters. Dorringshire and Ossia squadrons confirm the sightings." The husky continued to watch as she squeezed the remote, the next frame clicked into view, another gun camera image, streaking shadows - click, flying rounds and a motion blurred black fighter caught the moment it streaked past, click, click, click, more images of furious dog fighting and streaking shadows\*

"Since the mop up after the battle with the Analine fleet, we've lost twenty two fighters and reconnaissance ships.. all squadrons have reported no kills." Sharks slid a glance over to the female pilot. "So what are you trying to say? Were shooting at ghosts?" "Marshal, were not dealing with Analine regulars, my intelligence sources are sure we are no longer fighting with the 3rd or 4th air force either." Sharks looked at Westlock over the projector beam. "Your intelligence sources?" Westlock lowered her eyes a moment, then glanced at the doorway behind the husky, a feline silhouette stood leaning against the doorframe. "Admiral.. this is specialist Darson," The husky looked at the white and black feline as he entered, passing the projector beam. "Code name Domino.. He was placed with our unit just before the battle at Epotica." Sharks watched the feline as he slid into a seat nearby, feline eyes glowing in the darkness. "I’m listening Lieutenant.."

\*Westlock squeezed the remote and continued as the projector clicked. The image of a lovely white furred feline appeared on the screen, an eye patch over one of her eyes. "Whisper.. little is known about her, she guards her secrets well, allot of people died to acquire this picture.. What we do know is that she did some sort of mercenary work for the packers before her affiliation with the Analines, not just any mercenary work.." Click "A sort of assassin/pilot, she's credited with allot of 'hits' in the Talon constellation."

\*A starship leaned heavily in the image, the bridge section ablaze from a  missile strike as a reporter held a mike and pointed out of a space station porthole. Click, the image of a pair of felines appeared on the screen, a smoky furred feline with a long scar across his face, and a bobbed tailed feline with stripes and a weapon in his paws as they posed tauntingly in front of a restrained navy officer. "Dash and Burch Mau. Couple of renegades once working for the Hudson World Navy. They are notorious with the Hudsons, hijacking supply convoys, stealing ships and equipment for years. They know the system too well and have never been caught, needless to say, Hudsons have an enormous bounty on their heads."

\*click, the image of a black silhouette again streaking through space. "Last is Malcom.. we don’t have a picture of him.. no one has been able to get close enough.. and we know very little about him or his intentions, but it is clear he is the best pilot in the Analine fleet. Its rumored he was a pirate before his affiliation with the Analines, notorious for killing without quarter, sometimes seen returning after a fight to shoot up rescue boats and ejected pilots... We call him the Executioner."  
\*Another click and the image of a burning Redbird fighter appeared with a shadow streaking up on its tail. Sharks glared at the screen, eyes narrowing on the black blur.. "We believe all four of these pilots are operating here in Albatoris space, probably with a support cruiser somewhere nearby." Sharks pondered for a while, staring at the fiery gun camera image.\*

\*\*\*

\*Maurader shook his head, leaning forward a bit in his chair as he watched the journalist. "Nobody really liked em, I.. I flew with a few of em but it was hard to make friends with em.. Everyone felt they were forced on us." WIlliams held up his paws, figuring a loose formation. "I could see.. about thirty of them coming right at us. The main objective was to defend the convoy... but I could tell they wanted to fight us. I called over to Webber and ordered her to drop formation and return to base. She called back to me and said 'Sir, I’m not leaving your wing.' \*He dropped his paws and a grim smile came across his muzzle. "And I just thought.. my god.. she's serious." A slow motion gun camera clip flickered as a formation of hornet wasps held position as a dozen enemy fighters rocketed past with flashing guns. "Here we are, out numbered six to one.. and she won’t save herself.. but they were all like that.. they weren’t reckless, they knew the risks. They knew…"  
\*\*\*

Chapter 5: Compromised Part 2

\*Williams squeezed the collar of his flight jacket tighter. His breath swirled to mist as he looked up at the thermal gauge above the compartment door. It was freezing; first supply rationing, then power, the situation wasn’t getting any better, flights were still every bit as grueling as they had been at the beginning of this ordeal known as Albatoris. Lucky sat across from the captain, fluffy collar up as he struggled with a wrapper to a candy bar. The frozen nub was all he could pry free of the foil, grinding it between his teeth proved useless. The mutt tapped it against the metal buckle of his bandolier with a resonating clang. Maurader shivered, eyes closed, then muttered "I .. can’t feel my gawd damn face.."

\*Williams stood up slowly\* "I’ll get some more blankets from logistics." The tabby huffed weakly "I’m tired of this skippah, how the hells they expect us to fly if I can’t feel my gawd damn fingers.. tired of this .. tired of patrols, tired of fukin cold!" The lapine paused at the door, glanced over his shoulder. "If you want outa here that badly, Ill fill out the paperwork.." "Wha and give up the fight?! Jus gimme my damn blanket.." The feline's tail poofed and he curled a bit on the sofa. The lapine glanced at Lucky, the mutt shrugged, still nibbling on the rock hard candy. Williams shook his head and headed out the door.

\*A cough echoed in the corridor as a lapine passed Williams, he turned and watched the halloran a moment, breath swirling to mist. "Corpral!" The lapine stopped and spun around. "Sir, sorry sir." Saluted the officer, another cough as Williams approached the pilot in not much more than a jumpsuit. "Put on your coat corporal, are you sick?" Cough cough "Sir.. don’t have a coat sir." Williams looked the patch bunny up and down a moment. The patches of lance 6 from the Halloran division. "6th cavalry?" "Yes sir, here with Colt's wing, honor ta fly with you sir." Williams nodded and saluted the lapine. "Alright, get yourself a coat from logistics and see Micarl about that cough." "Just came from logistics.. said they got none to spare capn." Williams paused, glanced back at the lapine.\*

Four lapines stood in the corridor, arms crossed and shivering as they watched the captain in front of them. A couple of them had coats, but they were merely light windbreakers. The female lieutenant began in a country accent. "They told us to move in a hurry, so we dropped everything at Staffaeron and hurried aboard. Logistics officer told us we weren’t qualified fer flight jackets.. tried to get us some quarters, but deck officer Jacosky is still trying to get us in close to our birds." "Not qualified?" Williams drew a breath, ears straight and pressed together angrily as he rolled his shoulder and pulled off his fuzzy collared jacket. "Yes sir.." She blinked as he handed her his coat, then gestured his paw. "Gimme a windbreaker." "Uh.. yes sir." One of the males handed his over.

\*Williams tightened the strap to his sidearm, pulled on the halloran wind breaker, then took his falcon's cap off, took the lieutenant's cap. "Lemmy borrow this.." She didn’t argue, just watched him as he passed, the falcon's cap in her paws. Rounding the corner, he entered the logistics compartment, a rush of warm air almost choking him from the temperature difference. He paused and put the lighter cap on, headed toward the main counter and rang the bell. A moment passed as he leaned on the counter, adjusting the collar of the windbreaker and rubbing his paws together. A canine emerged from the stockroom behind the counter, a clipboard in his paw. "Ah, what can I do for ya lieutenant?" An exchange of salutes and Williams looked the canine up and down a moment. "I need six thermal blankets and five flight jackets.. I’ve got the sizes right here.." He reached into his pocket, but the canine huffed and reached over the counter and stopped his arm. "I already told your wing, I don’t have any coats to spare lieutenant. Now let me see about those blankets.." Williams stopped and watched the canine as he flipped a few pages on his clipboard. "Hmm.. I’m afraid yer gonna have to wait fer the next shipment."

"Anything else I can do for you Hallorans?" Williams' jaw shifted, he nodded as he glared at the canine. Padded along the edge of the counter, reached over and grabbed the swinging door and threw it open as he rounded behind the counter. The canine blinked and set the clipboard down as the lapine slipped through the compartment door and entered the stockroom. "Hey! Get the hell outa there!" Williams reached up to a shelf, threw it open and pulled down several plastic wrapped blankets, tossing them onto the ground in a pile. Grabbed a flight jacket off the rack, checked its size and tossed it to the pile, reached and grabbed another. "Flight 6 needs blankets and jackets, I and it looks to me like you have more than enough here, might need to update your manifest sir, it appears ... \*tosses another jacket onto the pile\* .. to be very..  \*another onto the pile\* Very.. \*one more\* …inaccurate." The canine growled "Who the hell you think you are? You got no authority on this carrier Halloran, I’m gonna have your damn wings!"

\*Williams glared at the canine, pulled off the cap and dropped the flight jacket, the wink of gold shields on his collar and the canine froze, eyes wide. "Captain of the 1074th, that’s first battalion to you, you rear command asshole. And as a first battalion officer, in time of war, I’ve the right to take whatever is necessary for my pilots with just cause, and by authority of the princess to use any means.. \*paw on pistol butt\* .. necessary. Now.. Staff sergeant.. do you have any more objections?" The lapine dropped a heap of jackets and gear in front of the halloran pilots, rubbed his shoulder, then took his cap as the halloran lieutenant offered it, and put it back on. "Thanks capn." He put on his jacket, reached down and picked up a blanket, then nodded to her as he headed back to barracks.\*

\*Sharks walked down the corridor silently, a few sailors stepped aside as the husky moved forward with a grim disposition, trailing coat tails. He stepped over a bulkhead and through the open hatch into the next hull segment along the main corridor that led towards the stern. His large hat shadowed his eyes. He was technically off duty, but rarely took it off despite the fact that it began to feel like the weight of his admiralship burden this deep in Creighton. The fleet was sprawled across the system on a hard stretched perimeter. They were vulnerable as long as they stayed there, intelligence insisted that the Analine fleet had moved on, but by now the husky knew better. Analines hit, ran, then turned and killed when one let their guard down, it happened at Koto, MI-1, and Albatoris. There was no time to rest - though Sharks knew it was a double edged sword, his men were exhausted, stretched to the limit and asked for more. Double, even triple shifts were becoming common in a fleet that had more rookies than experience.  
Laxon crossed the junction behind the husky, limping toward his back he slapped the admiral's shoulder lightly. "There you are!" Shark crashed out of his thoughts and jumped, paw on his holster. "Hey hey easy!" The black Labrador grabbed the husky's arm. With a sigh the husky turned back toward the corridor ahead. "Hey Laxon.." The lab grinned and followed with a limp. "Sharks, ye gotta unwind a bit, this jobs gonna kill ya." Sharks huffed a chuckle then slid his paws behind his back as they continued toward the tavern. "How are your men?" The lab shifted his jaw a bit, then responded quieter. "Enduring, just enduring. Doc wants to put Evey under for a day or two with some sleeping meds." The husky turned to Laxon with a questioning look. "Evey?" "Evelyn.." "Oh! yeah.. her." "Yeah she hasn’t slepped in seventy two hours." Sharks sighed heavily, then rubbed his neck in thought. "She shouldn’t be here.. just a child."

\*There was a moment's silence between the two as they continued sternward. A few sailors stepped aside as the two knights continued down the gloom of the corridor. An overhead light flickered as a technician worked on the power box nearby. For that the knights yielded to her as she saluted back at them when they passed, then continued her work on the wiring. The husky glanced over his shoulder. "Any communication from Fosten or Antari's lines yet?" "No sir.. the asteroid field is still limiting our communications. I’ve dispatched a recon wing to check it out." Sharks paused in his tracks, the Labrador patted his back lightly to keep him moving. "It’s alright, It’s a Champion class gunship, Hearts.. He should be reaching them soon."

\*Fighter engines screeched as four bluejays escorted the black champion along the edge of the asteroid belt, dust and rock swirling past. The radio hissed as Panalo came over the com quietly. "There’s fourth battalion. You’re on your own from here." Peeling away, the fighters swung a large U-turn and headed back into the asteroid field. An Australian voice responded over a radio hiss. "Roga that, thank you for the escort." The black champion, bristling with guns and bulking with extra armor rumbled past, five roaring engines rippling with bluish exhaust as it headed out toward the line of silhouettes in the dust and darkness. A heavy cruiser came into view, emerging from the dust like beast, great cannon barrels outstretched, pointing into the darkness beyond Albatoris. "Com com, this is Outlaw one, requesting vectors to the initial." A moment passed, then a rumbling feline voice responded. "Copy that Outlaw one. Transmitting now."

\*Hearts approached a feline mechanic, sparks rained down from a pair of repair specialist on a scaffolding overhead. Words exchanged over the crackle of welders, and swirl of corvette engines across the flight deck. The feline nodded, then pointed across the hangar. The black fox glanced over, then headed in that direction. Tap tap tap! The female bathi stirred in her cockpit, Tap tap tap! A quiet curse and she pulled the emergency blanket up over herself and turned away from the sound. Thump thump! Sitting up quickly, she cursed, then hit her head on the canopy window. A yowl, and she looked over at the black fox waiting beyond the canopy. - Hopping off the Angel's wing, the fox took a step back as the steam from a nearby catapult hissed past his feet paws. The canopy opened and the female tabby climbed out of the cockpit. "Yeah?" "Lady Antari.. Lieutenant Hearts, captain of the Outlaw. The first battalion is still out of contact, the admiral wants a status report on the flank." Blinking sleep away, she slid across the nose of the aircraft, "Lieutenant.. yes sir.. uh.." Hopping down from the ship, she rubbed her face, then approached him in a oil and smoke patched jumpsuit. "The fourth battalion is holding, we've been encountering sporadic shelling across the whole perimeter for several days.. \*The ship rumbled from an explosion nearby. The lights flickered and the fox jumped, glancing over his shoulder as a pair of mechanics hurried toward the other side of the deck.\* .. It’s mostly random. My recon wing thinks there’s a light frigate out there, but we haven’t been able to locate." A sigh from the fox, then he turned back to the feline. "What about the others?" Antari padded past the fox and ran a finger over a few sizable bullet holes through the fighter's wing she'd missed before. "Sir - I’ve been out of contact with the 5th battalion since our dispatch. I personally took a flight across the line a few hours ago to see if I could find Fosten.. \*turning back around, she rubbed a carbon coated paw across her cheek as she brushed bangs away, smudging her cheek in the process. "There are significant gaps in our perimeter.. I linked up with a small unit of frigates from the Halloran's 3rd battalion, but I couldn’t find the 5th anywhere!"

\*The ship shook again from another explosion somewhere nearby. An emergency siren cried somewhere in the corridor beyond sight. Glancing over his shoulder, the fox looked over the rag-tag squadron of fighters, mix matched types, a pair of Hazards, a couple of Angels and Hornet wasps, sleeping pilots in each one, closed canopies, dimly lit within. "Sleeping in your cockpits?" Antari glanced over as well and nodded. "Yes sir.. We've been on high alert, had an incident over on the starboard flank a couple of days ago. A small detachment of Analine cruisers passed right across our line. We thought it was part of Fosten's battalion at first, tried to make contact, then all hell broke loose. Got the hell beat out of em before they pulled back - Sir I don’t think they knew we were here, the enemy wanders in and out of our perimeter. Sensors are down with all this dust, and we can’t see shit! It’s just been hit or miss! How long does Sharks expect us to hold here?" A light growl of sympathy. "As long as we have to.. There’s no word of relief yet.."

\*An hour had passed since the Outlaw departed from the 4th battalion, a pair of fighters followed the champion closely. Hearts glanced over from the Outlaw's pilot cabin, watched the radar, then back up. Hisses of static on the com and the radar was still erroring out, flashing red lightly. The com hissed from the wing gunner as the flack turret rotated slowly. "Can’t see a damn thing in this shit boss.." A click and the fox responded. "Pipe down.." Dust swirled past, then a light bang on the hull. The fox glanced down briefly at the status screens. Grateful for the heavy armor upgrade since they arrived in the asteroid ridden Albatoris orbit, he adjusted the throttle. Another bang, much louder. The status screen beeped once from the impact, then registered normal again. The fox shot a glance out the port window. "The hell was that" - from the other gunner. Hearts threw a few switches on the overhead, held his headset. "That was no asteroid.." An escort fighter weaved hard as something drifted past in the darkness, the pilot cursed as sparks flashed off his wing. "Did you see that?! I think I just hit an airlock door!" Hearts' eyes went wide and he shouted over the com. "All stop now!" Grabbing the throttle, he slammed it back, the Outlaw lurched and swung sideways as its retro boosters fired, killing the velocity. The escorts shrieked as they slammed to a stop. Meters ahead, as the dust cleared, the wrecks of a dozen starships flickered with smoldering flames. Debris from shattered hulls drifted through space everywhere amongst miles of twisted steel. The radio hissed from a shaken pilot "Its - its Fostens group.." Hearts called back over the com as he threw a few switches, getting the Outlaw prepped. "Rider two, Rider five, return to base immediately and report to Antari." "Copy that!" "I’m heading in to look for survivors!" The fighters peeled away, afterburners booming as they headed back into the darkness.\*

\*Sharks crumbled up the paper, Maurader glared as the husky turned to him, "No.. Get another song." The feline grabbed his guitar by the neck hard, then slung the instrument under his arm as he padded away. "This is a morale party, you’re not singing this shit, its inappropriate." Fryman nodded to husky. "Yes sir.. I have other songs. It’s not a problem sir." Glanced over his shoulder as the bathi exited the tavern.  -   Padding down the corridor, guitar slung behind his back, he passed a pair of sailors heading in the opposite direction. Tail lashed in anger as he adjusted his flight jacket, rounding the corner and headed towards fighter barracks. Ears perked and he paused, tail frozen still as Elva padded slowly down the hall, a quilt wrapped around her. Eyes red from tears, she glanced at Kevin briefly. Reaching out a paw hesitantly, he touched her arm. Running fingers along his side as she passed slowly, the vixen disappeared around the corner toward the tavern. Letting out a held breath slowly, he didn’t look back.\*

\*Hearts rolled back his sleeves, blood spattered jumpsuit as he jumped down into the recovery tube, pulled down the console and tapped at the keys. A loud mechanical moan, then a bang, hiss of pressure, then the tube rings lit up green. The airlock hatch opened in front of him and a battered escape pod hatch beyond swirled into steam from melting ice. Reaching out, he grabbed the manual release, yelped at the extremely cold steel, then reached over, grabbed a prying hook from the rack and shoved it into the release control. Turning hard, the hatch hissed, popped and swung open. A female lapine looked up, lips and nose blue from the depleted air, she reached up weakly to her rescuer. Muscled arms reached in and scooped her up through the hatch, then passed her to waiting crew members above. A rough canine laid her down near a dozen other wounded sailors and technicians in the cargo hold. An oxygen mask settled over the lapine's muzzle, hissed lightly as the air vale was opened. She rested back, clutching the respirator. Swinging a glow stick around in the empty escape hatch, double checking, he spun around and shoved a paw against the console. A beep of caution and the hatch closed behind him hard. swirling warning lights. "Clear!" he shouted over the com - a bang and hiss behind him as the empty pod was released. It spiraled away, bouncing off a piece of burning wreckage then disappearing into the darkness.\*

\*Climing up onto the deck, the fox crawled away from the pit, held his headset. "Jidder, Anything?" The com hissed, then the ops specialist came back. "That’s the last beacon sir. I’m reading no life signatures on any scopes." "Get us out of here!" "Aye skipper!" Trembling briefly from fatigue, he rolled onto his back as the ship began to maneuver. One of the crew headed over and reached down to help him up. Hearts waved him off "It’s alright.. I’m fine.."  He laid there a moment, then gathered his strength, crawled across toward a bandaged canine looking to be part of a bridge staff. "Skippah.. hey.. hey skippah.." He called to the black fox. "Sailor.. you wanna clue me into what happened here?" Wincing, the canine sat up slowly, carefully adjusting his bandaged shoulder. "Yeah.. corporal Garing sir.. radar operator of the Curinor - frigate of the 5th battalion." "What happened here?" "I’m not quite sure myself sir.. hadn’t seen a whole lot of action since we took Malcoss, then this squadron showed up.. I counted four on the radar sir, but they'd hit and run, hammering our recon wings and patrol squadrons, but we just couldn’t get em.. After that something hit the line.." The sailor thought a moment, and Hearts blinked. "Something?" "Yes sir.. something out of the darkness.. flash of light.. My radar registered it as incoming rounds, but it must have been malfunctioning, because they were the size of this corvette.. One after the other, the ships in the line started gettin hit.. that’s all I remember.. Not quite sure how I got to the pod.. soon as we got hit, she started breaking up.. Captain Varse said abandon ship.. so we did.."  
\*\*\*

Chapter 5: Compromised Part 3

\*Westlock ran down the corridor, panting as she rounded the corner towards the barracks, dog tags chiming as she threw open the compartment door. Panalo looked up from the console, ears perked. "They just intercepted the Voss!" The fox glanced over to the black and white feline emerging from his room, Darson reached back for his jumpsuit. "Let’s go!"  -  Scramble sirens screamed as Williams hurried down the corridor, sailors hastily getting out of the way as Falcons and Redbirds poured out of the barracks, pulling on gear hastily. The alexer rounded the corner and headed up the metal stairs to the flight deck lobby. Spotting Kacer headed across the flight deck, he called across to him over the swirl of fighter engines. "What do we got?!" The fennec pointed across the hangar. "Briefing at the workbench, Douill said its gonna be big!"

\*Pouring into the open repair hangar, over a dozen pilots surrounded the workbench, where Douille was already briefing the Bluejays. The xieron ran his paw across the hastily drawn map. "Alright, this one's straight from the top. A Halloran supply convoy is inbound - " A collective cheer from the pilots, it had been the first supply group in nearly a month since the occupation of Malcoss. "Quiet down.. alright quite down - A courier ship called the Voss was intercepted an hour ago by Analine forces." The enthusiasm disappeared as quickly as had appeared a moment before. "We don’t know what kind of information it was carrying.. mail, encrypted data.. we don’t know.. what we do know is it was sent ahead of the Halloran convoy, so more than likely the enemy knows the convoy is coming.. On the bright side of it.. with as much trouble as we've had navigating this sector, it’s safe to assume the Analines are gonna have a hell of a time too. Link up with the convoy, Bring em in! Dismissed."

\*Williams climbed aboard his fighter, settled into the seat, then put his helmet on as the mechanics slid the canopy foward, locking it down. A thumbs up from the mechanic and returned from the lapine. The com hissed and the lapine listened in, Morano came over the com. "Alright listen up, Elva, Aleste, the techs have equipped your ships with optional 0.57mm incendiary rounds. They want you to test em out if there’s an opportunity." A hiss of static, then from the two, "Roga that." Maurader hurried past the two idling fighters, headed toward his new Crosswing. Pausing suddenly as a female feline approached him. "Sir! Sir!" "Pilot?" "Airman Webber reporting for duty." He looked her up and down briefly as she saluted him. "I’m not an officer, the skippah is already rolling out." "I’ve orders to fly with the Falcons." He paused as he grabbed the boarding ladder, glanced over his shoulder at the pilot's patches - Fighting Sparrows -  Fighters streaked through the dust, tight, fast formations as they approached the objective, somewhere ahead beyond sight.

\*The light Angel fighter swooped up beside the rugged, battle mauled hornetwasp. The pilot glanced over at the heavier fighter bristling with heavier caliber weapons. She grinned and called over the com "Hey!" The hornetwasp lurched and swayed as the pilot was startled. Elva shot a glance over at the sparrow, then bared fangs. "You want your wings blown off you little shit?!" Webber's grin disappeared. "Don’t you ever get up on my wing again! Get the fuck back in formation." The Sparrow pulled away from the Redbird, swinging over to the Falcons. Sliding behind another heavy hornet wasp, the angel eased forward, coming up on its wing. The com hissed. "uh. Rockford is it?" The rough canine glanced at the fighter, then sighed. "Hey beat it corporal.." "yes sir.." "And another thing, every time you break radio silence, you give away our position.. so do us a favor and don’t do it.. Unless we are already engaged." A nod from the feline and the sparrow dropped back to the tail end of the formation.  Williams watched the heads up display, radar systems still garbled and errored out. He glanced over to the other squadrons in the dust, slow bobbing and weaving as they moved past the turbulence, silhouettes in the dust. Rolling back his sleeve, he looked at his watch, the digital timer still counting down, they were getting closer.\*

\*Numbers spiraled down as Panalo watched his wrist watch, looking over at his formation, Westlock glanced back at him from the adjacent fighter. Beep beep beep! The wrist watch alarm went off and the digits flashed with zeros. Then quietly over the com. "There it is.." Three columns of ships emerged from the dust, Williams tapped at his console, a signal being sent. A moment passed, then the signal returned. "Let’s go.. keep it quiet.." Hand signs exchanged between pilots and the fighters scattered, taking up positions across the convoy.  -  Some time passed in silence as the ships headed back towards the fleet. Morano glanced over at the nearby freighter; the lapine gunner looked back at him from his turret then threw a thumbs up. Morano's eyes looked down at the radar as it flashed green briefly, movement beyond the ships around them. Shooting a glance over at Williams, the lapine caught the same reading and looked back to the other leader on the adjacent column. Paw signs thrown back and forth. Maurader's fighter came up alongside Williams, he threw a hand sign to the feline, and immediately the crosswing pealed away, headed into the dust. Swooping ahead of the convoy, he slowed his fighter to a crawl suddenly, the low creek and moan of steel, and rumbling starship engines beyond sight. Holding position a few more seconds... swinging back around slowly, the crosswing headed back to his squadron, coming up on Williams' wing, threw a series of paw signs. The lapine watched, translating it quietly to himself "Enemy - moving in parallel - Champions- two of them.. Frigates- Two of them.. Fighter cover-   .... Fifty plus.." The lapine rubbed his muzzle in thought, then glanced back at Morano.\*

\*The enemy was close, watching the radar, the lapine knew the maneuver. It was a parallel intercept, like two cars racing down a highway, but one of them changing lanes over time until the other was cut off. They enemy couldn’t see them, but they knew their course.. "We need to stop.." he said to himself, then threw a paw sign to Morano. Paw signs threw back to the lapine gunner. A few moments passed as the convoy cut their engines, drifting slowly in an attempt to let the enemy pass. Seconds passed as they drifted.. nearby something moved.. Williams continued to watch. Lights from a dozen fighter engines came into view beyond the dust, cruising past as a pair of champions, bristling with weapons rumbled past slowly. A metallic moan, low and deep as a pair of frigates cruised past, turrets pointed outwards.. more fighters cruised past, and then something larger, a destroyer, an unmistakable silhouette of steel and heavy weapons moved past in the darkness\*

\*Seconds passed, hearts raced, frozen in place, the convoy watched the blind enemy wandering past just a hundred meters away. The destroyer's engines rumbled past slowly... then a tail end of fighters cruised on behind it, a black hornetwasp, a flaming rearing lion on its wings. Morano bared fangs briefly at the sight, continued to watch in silence. Westlock's heart raced, she glanced over at Domino, the feline looked over, and then nodded slowly. Looking back at her console, she winced... shoved her gloved paw against the send switch. Data transfer began, chirps of computerized thought.  -  The communications operator looked over the data feed on his screens, and then shot a glance back at the husky on the bridge. "It’s a positive target acquisition admiral!" He nodded to the operator.  -  Williams let out a held breath as the enemy cruised past. Eyes glanced over at Morano, he threw a paw signal to wait a few more seconds before resuming... The two leaders looked forward again as the destroyer's engines stopped. Its stern sensor dish began to spin. Slowly the heavy ship moved sternward, backtracking as its heavy cannon moaned, steel barrels manevering.\*

\*William's eyes went wide as space flashed white from the firing cannon. "Command we are compromised!!" The white shell streaked through space, striking the lead freighter. The starship lurched in an explosion, breaking in two as cargo containers and twisted steel splashed across the convoy. Star fighters peeled away from the exploding freighter. Elva screamed as fire flashed across her canopy, the radar beeped in warning as it locked onto a pair of enemy angels approaching from ahead. Her scream turned to a growl, strobing machinegun fire flashed past as she squeezed the triggers. Sparks flashed off an angel, then its wing blew off, spiraling out of control, it tumbled past her in a streak of flames. William's voice came over the com "Disable that destroyer! Target its engine manifold!"

\*Lucky and Rockford swooped down, coming across the destroyer's tail. A pair of enemy fighters swung down over the top of the destroyer to engage them, but were forced off by Maurader's flashing guns as he streaked by overhead. Flack fire flashed past from the destroyer's tail, the Australian voice came over the com from lucky "Got tone! Falcon two, knife one!" A missile launched from the fighter, then Rockford "Falcon four, knife one!" The missiles shrieked, and then struck the destroyer's engine as the falcons pulled away hard, explosions tearing through space as the engine exploded. Starfighters streaked through the convoy as turrets fired wildly everywhere. Streaking rounds lighting up the darkness in the strobing dogfight. Bluejays tore past, guns flashing as they dodged the fight already entangling the Redbirds and Falcons and support fighters. Heading out past the horde of enemy ships heading in the opposite direction, they closed on the black fighter.\*

"Sparrow, return to base!" The feline came back over the com over the urgent orders and shouts of dozens of other pilots in dogfight. "No sir!" "Return to base, thats an order!" "Sir I'm stayin on your wing!" The lapine cursed as he dodged fire, then squeezed his trigger, the enemy fighter streaked past. "Damn it, stay with me then!" "Roga!" -  Evelyn hurried up to the bridge. "Whats happening?!" The radio operator looked over his shoulder. "Ma'am, picking up allot of radio traffic, its close!" Swinging around the flickering holoradar, she punched in a few keys, looked up at the badly garbled readout. Several green flashes from the cluster of ships tangled in combat. "It’s our convoy!!"

Space trembled from a thousand rattling guns as fighters flashed past in all directions, spiraling, burning, missiles streaking back and forth as another space freighter exploded. Williams dodged a missile, swung his fighter around hard and returned fire. 57 caliber rounds thundering toward an enemy, splitting the enemy fighter in two and pieces tumbled past. The communications flashed, the young girl's voice came over the com. "Pathfinder this is 3rd battalion, what’s your status?!" Williams responded between firing "Evelyn, this is Falcon leader, our escort mission is compromised and we are heavily outnumbered!" "Hold! Just hold your position we are on our way!" "Negative! Negative, we are aborting!" Another freighter exploded as an enemy frigate moved into the middle of the formation, main guns firing on the scattering ships. Aleste swooped in hard to get on an enemy's tail, trying to pull it off one of the support fighters. The enemy fired, rounds flashing through the pembridge angel, and it broke apart. "Hold just hold - " "Commodore.. listen - Listen to me! There are fifty star fighters on my squadron! We cannot hold this position!!" Smoke streaked off Flores’ engine and he pulled away hard, rounds flashed past. Maurader cursed as his ship vibrated from rounds pinging all over, sparks and armor tumbling loose. Glancing up to the overhead mirror, six fighters stayed tightly on his tail. "You wanna play hard?!" Threw a few switches, the crossing's computer chirped and the console flashed 'warning - atmospheric mode engaged' The fighter's six wings outstretched, "Let’s Play HARD!!" Throwing the fighter into a hard roll, he slammed back the throttle to full stop, the crosswing tore into reverse, atmospheric wings slicing through fighters like blades, one after the other tumbling past violently in pieces. Screaming over the com as warning lights flashed red everywhere, a pair of enemies narrowly escaping the impact hurled past. Kicking the afterburners back up he chased, squeezing the triggers on the burning crossing's 80 caliber guns.\*

\*Rounds flickered past William's canopy, he cursed, throwing the fighter into a bank, the fighter swooped down on his tail and fired again, sparks flashing off his engine. A sparrow streaked past, guns flashing, striking the enemy and it streaked off trailing smoke. Tearing away from the pursuer, Williams got clear as the sparrow continued after the fighter. Elva's eyes shot a glance at her console as her fighter locked onto an enemy, swinging her fighter around, she squeezed the trigger. Incendiary rounds flickered past, striking the enemy fighter, then raking across the sparrow in pursuit. She cursed and let the trigger go. Williams shouted over the com "Watch your fire! Watch your fire!" The fighters streaked off in different directions in dogfight. Westlock's voice came over the com in the middle of the dogfight, "Command, package acquired!" Williams blinked, then a garbled transmission came over the com from the fleet. "Abort mission, abort mission! All units, return to base!" "You heard em, abort abort! All units, return to fall back positions!" Dozens of fighters streaked away from the glow of burning ships in the distance, racing off into the dust. Another large explosion in the distance, the swirl of black dust and rock obscuring the carnage.. fading slowly back into darkness.\*

\*Maurader stared off silently, metal creaked, snapping lightly as it cooled. Slowly the fighter's canopy slid back, a pair of medics rushed past, a mechanic rushing in the opposite direction with a fire extinguisher. Sitting up, he slowly climbed out of the mangled fighter, riddled with hundreds of bullet holes and smoldering steel. Wings torn away, wires hanging out, scorched and frayed. Slowly he padded away from the craft, then slowly fell to a knee, coughing, then began to vomit the drink he'd had before the flight.. thankfully that was all he had. Blurred eyes managed to focus and he looked up over the carrier's flight deck, dozens of fighters, mangled and shot up, pilots emerging from their wreckages, some shaken, some angry, most speechless... Williams limped as he headed toward Maurader, helping him to his feetpaws. "You alright?" Wiping his mouth, the feline nodded. "Yeah skippah, I’m fine.." "Where is she?" "I.. I dunno.."

\*A few minuets passed as the fighters had landed, then the tower hissed over the mangle'd crosswing's radio. "Sparrow your clear to land!" The lapine and feline headed across the flight deck toward the landing strips. The smoking angel swooped in, struggling to hold steady, then touched down, sliding into the hangar as the landing hook snared the vehicle to a stop. Mechanics poured onto the fighter, hosing down the flames with fire extinguishers, "Get me a ladder! Get me a ladder!" Maurader shouted over the mechanics and one was hastily brought over. The feline climbed up to the damaged canopy, slammed a fist against it hard. Reached over and grabbed a mechanic's fire extinguisher and slammed it against the canopy until it shattered. Screams of pain and smoke poured out of the cockpit. He reached, growling as he unhooked the heated restrains, burning his paws. Pulling the female from the wreck, he laid her on the deck, smoke swirling off her burning uniform. Hoses sprayed her down and she coughed. "Did.. did I land okay sir?!" Kevin held her burnt paw "Yeah you did just fine champ!" Williams shouted over the flight deck "Medic! I need a bloody medic over here!!"

\*Westlock saluted and Sharks nodded. "Well done Lieutenant.. I’ll see to it that the arrangements are made, the squadron is yours." "Thank you sir." "Dismissed." Turning away from the admiral, she headed out of the bridge, the husky glanced over his shoulder to Carwell at his side. "Is the prisoner secured?" A rumbling voice. "Yes sir, she's being debriefed now.." The husky blinked. "She… What do you mean she? Where is Malcom?" The two suddenly turned as a scream shrieked up from the stairwell. Evelyn rounded the flight of stairs, looking up the well to the bridge, her brow and cheek bloody, she screamed loudly "SHARKS!!" Coming through the doorway, the young raccoon glared at the tall knight. Rushing forward, she leaped on him, stumbling back onto a console hard, the holoradar flickered as she slapped him across the face, his hat tumbling off and sliding down into the holoradar projector, the whole thing shutting down. Bridge crew stared from their stations. Carwell reached out and grabbed Evelyn, but Sharks held a paw up to stop. "Why did you abandon us?! WHY?!!" The light from a distant explosion flickered across the bridge. Carwell took a step back, Sharks winced, then looked at her. "The.. the objective was to capture the Executor.. he could have caused .. a lot of damage. We had to capture him at all costs.." "At all costs? My convoy was expendable is that it?! \*Slapping him hard, she growled fiercely\* Where do you get the BALLS to call my people EXPENDABLE!!" Tears flooded her cheeks and the husky winced again, blood on his lip. "I’m.. I’m sorry Evelyn." Breaking into tears, she hissed "No no no - don’t tell me sorry. You write sorry in your letters home to the families of the three hundred and eight “expendable” crew members of Pathfinder six.” \*Sliding off of the husky, she padded away, and out of the bridge. The husky laid there a moment, back against the console, lights flickering across the holoradar.

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\*A lively beet played across the tavern, crowded with pilots, sailors and marines. The stage lights strobed and swirled with colors as Fryman sang the ending to a tune, a band of wavy hair bobbed in front of his face as his fingers danced over the strings of his guitar. Maurader spun around, the chord to his guitar flailing up, dexterous paws despite the bandages over his burnt knuckles and wrists. A sailor at the drums rattled the end of the tune and the military crowd cheered loudly in applause. Maurader wiped sweat off his brow, flicked a few strings on his guitar and made some quick adjustments to the tuning knobs.\*

\*Sharks leaned on the bar, removing his large hat and setting it on the counter. Quary stepped in front of him beyond the bar, set the liquor bottle in front of him, then opened the top. The husky picked up the cup of ice, looking it over a moment. The bartender leaned on the freezer, grinned. "You don’t drink Admiral, ya sure you don’t want anything with that?" The husky set the glass down, then picked up the liquor bottle, taking a straight shot. Winced and turned around. "No.. this is just what I was looking for." The bartender watched him walk away a moment towards the crowd. "Hey Sharks!" The husky paused and glanced back. Wiping his paws, the bartender smiled. "Thanks! Ya know.. for gettin us movin again.. I was startin ta worry." Sharks looked him up and down a moment, took another hit of the liquor and walked away without a word. Bomber pilots, gunners, evac pilots, and fighter pilots surrounded the bar, chatting back and forth, leather jackets with fuzzy collars, with all manner of emblems across their backs. Quary slid a drink over to Westlock, she scooped it up, then headed over for the Bluejays table. The redfox Panalo leaned on the booth near the other pilots. His sister Elva sitting on the table beside him as they chatted over the lively crowd. The squadron went quiet and glanced over as Westlock approached the table, she smiled and pulled the top off of the bottle. The redfox gave one glance, then walked away from the table without a word. A few glances out of the booth toward the former-wing leader. Westlock huffed, set the open bottle on the table and headed after him.\*

"One - Two - Three - Four!" The drummer banged out a lively swing beet as Fryman and Maurader glanced at each other, guitar necks high, they screeched out a note over the strings, then dropped the guitar necks down, guitars rumbling to the tune. Panalo's tail lashed as he exited the tavern, pushing past a few marines, hurrying behind him Westlock rounded the doorway into the darker corridor. A moment passed as the beet grew louder, then one after the other, four lapine pilots exited the tavern, jackets bearing the marks of the 6th cavalry. Sharks stood at the wall at the back of the tavern, amongst mechanics and sailors that glanced his way. Unbuttoning his overcoat a bit, he held his hat in his paw and watched the stage, taking a sip of his drink. Fryman stepped back as Maurader moved forward and leaned over the mike "Yeaaah! Well, I know a thing about contrition, Because I got enough to spare. And I'll be granting your permission, 'Cause you haven't got a prayer!" Tail lashed as he danced, fingers flickering over the strings and the guitar screamed over the speakers. "Well I said hey, hey hallelujah, I'm gonna come on sing the praise. And let the spirit come on through ya, We got innocence for days!"

\*Westlock put her paw on Panalo's shoulder hard, the redfox swung around and faced her. She growled "Who the hell do you think you are? It was my squadron to begin with!" The fox pushed off her paw. "Fine, keep yer damn squadron!" About to respond - suddenly her eyes went wide as arms grabbed her violently, throwing her up against the wall, a Halloran cavalry pilot shoved his fist into her gut and she crumbled to the deck. Panalo blinked slowly.  -  Fryman leaned forward over his guitar and sang along with Kevin at the mike. "Well, I think I'm gonna burn in hell, Everybody burn the house right down! And say, ha! What I wanna say, Tell me I'm an angel, Take this to my grave!" Fists flew, boots kicking hard against the windless, gasping pilot at their feet. She whimpered and winced, blood rolling down her face as she struggled to curl. "Tell me I'm a bad man, Kick me like a stray! Tell me I'm an angel, Take this to my grave! Yeaaaah!"  -  Mazzy twirled under Aleste's paw, his tail lashing as she swung back around, shaking her hips in dance. Morano watched as he leaned against the Redbird's booth, paw tapping to the music, a vixen passed by, then grabbed his paw. His eyes went wide as she pulled him into the dance. Elva grinned and the two twirled and held paws in the swinging dance.\*

\*The two singers whispered over the mike as they bobbed and played their guitars. "S-I-N, Yeah, S-I-N! S-I-N, Yeah, S-I-N!" Hearts snapped his fingers, bobbing past the dancing trobian vixen, Kyra twirled and swished her brushtail against the fox as he took her paws, lifting her into the air, then landing and swaying to the swing. "You play ring around the ambulance, Well like you never gave a care! So get the choir boys around you, It's a compliment, I swear!" Sweat rolled down the tabby's brow as the lights swirled all around, looking out over the bouncing crowd, he continued to growl out the lyrics as the drummer pounded out a thumping beet. " And I said, ashes to ashes, we all fall down, I wanna hear you sing the praise! I said, ashes to ashes, we all fall down," Throwing the mike boom forward in his paw the crowd sang along "We got innocence for days!!" The music thumped deeply along in the background as Westlock gasped, coughed blood as the hot liquid poured from her muzzle and cut cheeks. The female lapine outstretched her arms as the beating continued behind her. She smile and then in a country accent. "This aint none of yer business Panalo.. unless ye want some of this?" The fox turned away without a word, started back down the dark hall towards barracks. "That’s what I thought! Hah! You’re a bigger asshole than I remembered!" Not a word from the fox as he stepped away from the beating drums booming through the corridor and hard kicks thumping behind him. The bunny grinned then continued to taunt. "By the way - How’s Soda?" The fox stopped in his tracks, glowing eyes opened a little wider.  - Maurader screamed over the mike as the drums beat on deeply. "You better run like the devil 'cause they're never goanna leave you alone!" - Click! The switchblade extended in the fox's paw, light glinted off the steel. -  "You better hide up in the alley, 'cause they're never gonna find you a home!" – Fighter engines shrieked on the deck overhead as the redfox turned back around and walked towards the fight. -  "And as the blood runs down the walls!"  - Shadows of a brawl danced across the hallway wall as a lapine yelped, blood streaked across the steel. - "You see me creepin' up these halls!" Maurader yowled as the crowd cheered loudly.  "I've been a bad motherfucker, tell your sister I'm another! Go! Go! Go!"

\*Elva spun around, back to the terrean, then rubbed her back up and down his front in dance, Lucky bobbed his head, floppy ears bouncing as he sang along with a drink in his paw. "Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man!" Sharks winced and held his forehead, empty bottle between his fingers. "Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man!" Garin clapped his paws together, metallic fingers of his cybernetic arm clanking and hissing as he swayed to the music. "Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man!" Darson took a draw from his cigarette, lifted his head, blinked slowly as Mindy and Abaison scooted up to the tom's sides. "Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad MAAAAN!!!" The music banged and rumbled off into silence, then a roar of cheers\*

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\*The young fennec fox practically bounced on her feet paws she chatted with the lapine officer in front of the open logistics doorway. "That was one heck of a party! I haven’t had that much fun since academy graduation!" Footsteps coming down ramp way fast, then Williams rounded the corner into the operations deck. Straightened his uniform and paused before the two. They turned and saluted the officer, shimmering ranks of Major on his collar and hat. The two watched him with broad grins, returning the salute, he cleared his throat. "Uh.. Lieutenant Chase, are your men ready?" "Yes sir. All seven, handpicked."

"Good.. Sergeant Enis, you have the information I requested." Mazzy reached into her jumpsuit, then handed him a folded paper. "All there sir!" Unfolding the paper, the lapine circled past them, "Good.. come on." Heading into the logistics warehouse, he approached the front counter. A bell on the counter with a bright neon note that read "Ring bell for service!" Ding ding ding! "Coming!" A female voice responded and a lapine hurried around the corner, coming out of the back room, paws on the counter. "Captain! ah.. I mean Major Williams! Good to see ya! Your orders all ready, got the sizes? I jus need to double check." "Good to see you again Pammy, here you go." Sliding the paper across the counter, the female lapine scooped it up, then hopped back into the logistics storeroom. Williams glanced back at the others a moment before she came back with a bundle of jackets. "Here we go! All seven. Congratulations on your promotion to wing leader of the Fighting Sparrows Lieutenant Chase!" The halloran lapine grinned and began to pick up the jackets. "Congratulations on your new position as Logistics officer Pammy!" She smiled as Mazzy and Chase began to head out of the office, bundles of jackets over their shoulders. Williams glanced at Pammy, then gave a half grin “Who would have thought the position would become available?” He leaned on the counter and gave her a wink.\*

\*Turning to leave Williams paused as Pammy called out "Oh! Sir.. I almost forgot, I have a few more things for the Sparrows!" Blinking slowly, he came back to the counter. "Yeah, let’s have it, I’ll take it to them." Hopping back to the storeroom, she gathered up a few things in the dim lighting beyond the bulkhead. "I was cleaning up back here and found an old order hidden in the lockers. I think their pilots are going to want them." Williams looked down at the jackets as she placed them on the counter. They had the patches of the fighting sparrows with names embroidered to the chests. She panted lightly, then checked the tags. "Let’s see.. Lieutenant Willus Carlo.. Corporal Sneak Arddy..” \*Williams took off his hat slowly and his smile faded as she continued. “Private Webber… and a… Captain Rosemary?"  
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- By the end of the Creighton occupation, the combined fleets of the Pembridge alliance had lost over a hundred warships. While the houses of Addison, Larousse and Lacoss still remained committed to the Pembridge campaign against the Analine armada, their new found ally of the League of Merchants had withdrawn their proposal, and swore never again to involve itself in foreign warfare. The battle for Epotica, Vision and Albatoris had become known as the most horrific and deadliest military actions in Pembridge history. As the fleet headed for the Lydan system on the fringes of Analine territory, there came the grim realization... that the war had only begun. –   
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