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Thread: [M] Galactic Engagement (Ushima and AngelDellaNotte)

  1. #11
    Better Then Expected
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    Michael was about to mention he had done the pre-flight walk around but the Princess spoke before him, saying it would put her at ease. The pilot simply shrugged after that. "Do what you want, you're kind of in charge here." The Major left them on the flight deck.

    "Well I believe I'm no longer required here." General Eiling put on his hat. "Princess Ashira I leave you in the Lieutenant's very capable hands. And I'll see you in a couple days Lieutenant. Give your father my regards when you see him."

    "Aye air!" Michael snapped to attention and saluted the General. "I'll tell pops you said hello."

    "Very good." Eiling returned the salute. "Captain we're leaving!" The General barked orders to his head of security who responded by rounding up his men.

    Michael watched the General leave, descending the ramp and heading off with Ironbane and his squad. Now he was alone. Alone with the Princess of the Yoran and her aide. Or bodyguard? He didn't know, could of been both. There was nothing wrong with having both jobs rolled into one. Just when he was trying to figure that out what the Princess said next surprised him. She wanted to leave, with her crew still on the outside. She wanted to ditch her escort, causing Michael to smirk devilishly. "Strap yourselves in!" Michael threw himself into the pilot's seat and quickly his hand flew across the console. He pressed the button which controlled the loading ramp, the hydraulics kicked on and brought it up. The ramp locked into place. "Princess just to inform you the ramp controller is trying to contact up." Michael pointed to a flashing button, Major Drake was standing in front of the ship next to a communication panel. "I'm electing to ignore it." Snickering to himself as he saw the look on the Major's face through the cockpit window. Reaching over to his radio he flick the channel over to the control tower. "Flight Control this is Nighthawk on pad one requesting clearance for take off."

    The tower, not knowing what's going on down on the launch pad, acknowledge them. "Nighthawk you are clear for takeoff."

    "Thank you tower. Nighthawk taking off." Michael pulled his flight helmet on as he hit the button for the thrusters. The X-105 shook as it started to rise into the air. "Ladies and...well just ladies. Thank you flying air Nighthawk, please keep your tray tables and seats in the upright position." The ship launched into the air. "Man I wish I can see the Major's face now." Michael laughed, smiling as he set the coordinates to their first destination along the way to Arturia.

    "Artificial Gravity Engaged." The computer announced after they broke out of the atmosphere.

    Michael unbuckled his restraint, his helmet was removed and hooked onto the back of his chair. "Ok you all are clear to move about the ship. Stretch your legs, get a snack. Make yourselves comfortable it'll be a bit before our first stop."

  2. #12
    Domina Noctis
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    The two of them barely had time to move to the launch seats and strap in before Michael hit the thrusters. Ashira chuckled a bit at his commentary though she had to admit she wasn't exactly familiar with what he was saying. Sure she had heard it during holo-films but she had never actually flown on a public plane. Her trips were usually in luxury liners owned by the royal family or state of the art military crafts. Thinking of the difference in the planes she was used to flying none of them were ever so rough with take off. They always had stabilizers that made for a much smoother ride. The only thing close to this was when she had been going through her basic military training when she had gone through drop training but it hadn't been nearly as bad as this. Being an intelligence officer she wasn't sent to infantry school like most soldiers but she did do some basic training.

    Gripping the arm rests of the chair she closed her eyes and focused on controlling her breathing. Across from her Lilian sat in her seat holding in a chuckle at the princess' reaction. She knew that Ashira had gone through a modified training program that was common for nobles and royals who were serving merely to get their citizenship, a program no where near as intense as the real thing. Yes they went through drop training but it wasn't in the standard drop craft but a training one that was only ever used in controlled environments. A real drop ship shook a hundred times worse than this and there were hundreds of soldiers who had lost their lunch on their first drop. Twice that amount when they had their first combat drop.

    “Princess, are you alright?” Lilian asked.

    “I'm just fine, Lilian and from here on out no more titles or ranks we must fully embrace our cover if we want to make it across the galaxy undetected.” Ashira said, lessening her grip when the artificial gravity kicked in. She unbuckled her restraints and stood stumbling a bit as she got used to the artificial gravity aboard the ship. It didn't feel right like she was too light, the ship's systems must not have been properly calibrated. After a few practice steps she felt she was getting used to it. She turned to Lilian and said, “Go make sure our things are secured in our quarters, I'm going to meet with the pilot and figure out where we are going to make our first way point.

    There was no set route that they were to take across the galaxy it was to be determined by their pilot while en-route to help ensure against any leaks in either government. She moved to the cockpit and sat down in the copilot chair pulling up a navigation map. “Where do you intend to stop to refuel?” She looked over the list of nearby stations and planets. The nearest station was Iyo station and was only a couple hours flight but she doubted they would need to restock by then and a stop over there would be pointless. Forgan station was the perfect distance to travel between stations but ever Yoran knew it was a haven for smugglers and low lifes, it would be best to avoid it. Which left stopping over on the planet of Haroni. It was tropical planet that was often used as a resort destination for the elite and well off. The trip would put them a little past Ashira's ideal travel distance but it seemed like the better choice. “I think we can push it the extra couple hours to Haroni. Travel time would be just over ten hours at our current speed.”


    Another round of bullets hits my skin. Well, fire away
    Cause today, I won't let the shame sink in. We are bursting through
    the barricades and reaching for the sun.

    We Are Warriors


  3. #13
    Better Then Expected
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    "Haroni..." Michael brought the planet up on his screen. "Ten hours..." He was running the calculations in his head and input the coordinates into the computer he. Speed and fuel consumption to reach the distance needed to land on the planet. "Perfectly doable." Michael set the ship to the appropriate speed and engaged the autopilot. "Next stop Haroni." Once the ship was successfully flying on under it's own power Michael stretched, joints popping. "Damn I was at attention way too much today for my liking." The pilot stood, unzipping the front of his flight suit. It hung down around his waist leaving him in a dark tank sleeveless t-shirt and fingerless gloves. His exposed arms showed some scars and tattoos on the arms. On the right shoulder was the Arturian Emblem in black ink. On the left was an Ace of Spade, also in black except a bit of the interior of the spade. Inside devoid of ink was a skull with x10 next to it. A mark signifying his skill as an ACE and that he met the ten kill requirement to be called such.

    Leaving the flight deck he entered the crew quarters. His other passenger seemed to stiffen, clearly not expecting him to walk in but that surprise quickly washed away. "Ten hour flight I'm definitely getting something." Opening a storage cupboard he pulled out a snack before closing it again. After that he moved to a small refrigeration unit and pulled out a bottle. "Help yourself." Michael said to Ashira's aide bodyguard. Returning to the cockpit he plopped himself down in his chair, slouching in comfort. "So," He ripped open a stick of meat, tearing off bite of his ration he chewed it and swallowed before finishing his sentence. "Quite the hasty getaway. Clearly against regulation which, by the way, I'm all for." Michael chuckled, making small talk. He wanted to avoid the clichéd 'so tell me about yourself' line. He liked things to come up naturally in conversation and expand about it from there. A much more enjoyable way of communicating, he thought. "Any other pilot probably would've said no but you get stuck with me. Consider yourself lucky for that Princess." As he talked he kept glancing at the radar, a good habit to have and one drilled into him during training. Just like driving and checking your cameras every few minutes, always glance at the radar every so often. Kept him alive. "I'm excited to see Haroni. My second planet in the system. Can't wait."

  4. #14
    Domina Noctis
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    When Micheal opened his flight suit Ashira's eyes were drawn to first his muscled chest then to his arms noting the scars and the tattoos. They weren't something common among the nobility though many of the common people had them. Her brother had a unit tattoo in about the same location as Micheal's spade and she knew that Lilian had the same one. It had infuriated her mother when she found out the prince had gotten a tattoo and she refused to allow him to wear anything that showed it when in public. Caspar always told her it was a badge of honor something to always bind him to the men and women he had served with. She had asked him a million times if it hurt when he got it but he would always brush her off saying she shouldn't think of things like that. And if she even thought of getting a tattoo their mother would be the least of her worries. She didn't think Caspar had anything against her getting one except that their mother would blame him.

    Still staring at the tattoo she couldn't help but reach out and touch it, her fingers tracing around the edge of the tattoo wondering what it meant. “Sorry.” She said, when she realized what she had just done pulling her hand away and folding it in her lap as he stood up and left the cockpit. He returned a few minutes later with some food making Ashira think about how she hadn't eaten since breakfast. She was a little glad he asked about her choice to leave the major behind, it distracted her from the embarrassment of touching his tattoo and being a little hungry.

    “Having the Major and his soldier aboard the ship lowered the chances of success 76.8%. Though in reality it probably would have been closer to 82% as I doubt either of them would have been able to assume our cover to a believable level. The mission itself already only has a 63% chance of success we don't need any variables that can lower that precent. Sorry again, with the figures, I've spent the last six months as a statistical analyst, numbers are kinda of my thing.” She said, hearing Lilian's voice in her mind reminding her that most people got lost when she started speaking stats. “Major Drake would have never have agreed to allow us to leave unescorted but it is vital to the success of this mission. I had a feeling you would be willing to go along with it.”

    “Haroni is quite a planet, more beaches than you can count and twice as many stuck up noblemen.” Ashira said, recalling a few of her trips to the planet. When she was younger her mother loved to vacation there and she couldn't help but notice how many of the visitors treated the locals. They had no respect for them and treated them poorly. Ashira always did her best to be kind to them whenever she could. She didn't realize it but that was one of the reasons she was so popular among the people, but that wasn't why she did it, she did it because it was the right thing to do.


    Another round of bullets hits my skin. Well, fire away
    Cause today, I won't let the shame sink in. We are bursting through
    the barricades and reaching for the sun.

    We Are Warriors


  5. #15
    Better Then Expected
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    The pilot nodded. "That makes sense. If something is going to hinder the mission it's best to not even bother taking it. Good call." Michael hit a few buttons, calculating for drift and checking systems. "Though I might have been able to bullshit my way through it. Probably for the best that my horrible acting skills were not put to the test for this." Unsurprisingly to Michael he wasn't chosen as a candidate for spec ops. Pilots who would be chosen to fly stolen enemy ships back behind enemy lines and complete missions. Assassinations. Sabotage. Espionage. He couldn't do it. But that was ok with Michael. His skills were better put to use dominating space, such as Verdin where he earned his nickname. "Most we'll run into is pass patrols, if anything. Boarder patrols are inevitable, what with their scanners. You handle your people and I'll yell at mine and we'll be all good to go." Michael was optimistic, energetic. His reinstatement hinged on this mission going well.

    "Beaches?" Michael grinned. "I haven't been to one in a long time. Last time was two years ago when I was assigned to Zigama. I was there running security patrols around the planet while we used it as a go between the frontlines." Michael sipped his water. "There was this beautiful cove I went too every couple weeks for R and R. The water was a nice crystal blue and nearby was a nice tree line. A bunch of us would make a bonfire at night, sip some beers and relax and tell old stories from basic or tales from missions." He smiled, taking another bite he turned toward Ashira. "So, like the ink?" Michael flexed his left arm. "The unofficial badge of an ACE pilot. Shows our skill in aerial and space combat." Michael had over forty confirmed kills during his time and unofficially around seventy. "Do they not have tattoos on Yoran? You seem pretty captivated by it."

  6. #16
    Domina Noctis
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    “Some people get them but not many that are of...” She said, trailing off as she tried to think of how to word it. She had known from a young age that she was different than most people that being a royal set her apart. It had become first apparent to her when she had been a young child and had started playing with a couple of the children whose parents worked in the kitchens. To a six year old it wasn't anything special just a few children playing tag. She had a good time and she was sure the other kids had as well, at first she hadn't understood why her nanny had been so upset to find them. She had whisked Ashira away while scolding the parents of the other kids. When Ashira had asked about it the nanny explained that the other kids weren't like her. It had taken Ashira many years to figure out what she meant was they weren't noble born and weren't children of citizens.

    “The same social standing as me.” Ashira finally said, she didn't know if the Arturians had the same status levels as the Yoran did and if they did she didn't know where Micheal would fall in. She didn't want to offend him. They would be stuck together for several days and she didn't want to make the journey awkward. “There are those that do have tattoos but not many of them roam the hallways of the royal palace and even less display them.”

    She hoped that she had put that well and wouldn't offend him. Aside from making the trip awkward she had to admit she was starting to like Micheal. It wasn't often she found someone who would open up around her and treat her like a normal person. Even Lilian had been assigned to her for close to three months before they actually had a real conversation. It always seemed that everyone felt they had to be on their best behavior around her. “Did it hurt when you got it?” She asked.


    Another round of bullets hits my skin. Well, fire away
    Cause today, I won't let the shame sink in. We are bursting through
    the barricades and reaching for the sun.

    We Are Warriors


  7. #17
    Better Then Expected
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    "Must have been tough growing up, not being allowed to make friends with people because of their social standing." Michael sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "I can't say I know what it's like. My father might be an Admiral now but he wasn't always. He got the promotion right before I went to the academy at eighteen. So most of my childhood I got to run around with the neighbor kids and cause trouble. Even now Admiral really isn't a position of nobility. My dad oversees the planetary defense fleet which is important yes but nothing like the responsibility a General has. Each General governs a planet in our cluster. Closest thing to nobility we have outside the Belmont Royal family." Jared Coran commanded the Planetary Defense Fleet from the bridge of the Deadalus. It's main objective, protect the homeworld. "Even when I was in training with Prince Cass I didn't bother to ask. Prince Cass will be your brother-in-law by the way."

    The Royal Heir was a year older than Michael. He was held back from the Academy due to an accident he had, broken leg after falling off a horse. By the time he was healed it was time for the next batch of recruits to enter. Cass stuck with Michael throughout their time, forming a close friendship and rivalry. "He's a nice guy. Can get a bit competitive at times though. He hated it whenever I did better than him, which was practically all the time." Michael leaned in close to Ashira. "Yeah, I'm that good." Michael chuckled, pulling back to his previous position in his chair. Even with Michael's connection to the Prince it didn't help him with his discharge. Word of the incident was kept from Prince Cass for that reason.

    "Tattoos can hurt. They can also be pretty painless. It's all down to a few factors. Pain tolerance, location, number of nerves. Up on the arms like mine where there is a lot of muscle and not as many nerves didn't hurt much. Like a bunch of cat scratches honestly. Also my pain tolerance is pretty high thanks too...well...a lot of things really. Training mostly..." Michael forced a smile, forcing himself to stop thinking of his past. "Prince Cass has one too. The ACE tattoo." The pilot flexed his arm again. "But he got it on his back between his shoulder blades, that way it could be kept out of sight by pretty much any shirt he wore. That one hurt. I remember laughing at him for whining about it." Michael finished off his snack, getting up to throw out his garbage and rinse out his cup. At the sink he faced the bodyguard. "There's two more seats up front. No need to hide in the back." Even if she refused to join them he was making the offer to be friendly. They were together for a few days so it was best they got along well. "I don't bite. Not unless you ask anyway." Laughing at his own joke Michael returned to the flight deck. "So princess, if you want one I know a guy who can hook you up. Under the table no questions asked."

  8. #18
    Domina Noctis
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    “I don't think it would be very proper.” Ashira said, the thought of getting a tattoo exciting her but she knew she shouldn't. Her mother would never allow it and she wasn't sure how her future husband would feel about her having a tattoo. Add to that she had no idea what she would get anyway. Her thoughts were drawn back to why she was on this trip, she was traveling to be married to Prince Casius a man she knew nothing about. Micheal talked about Prince Cass like he knew him, making Ashira wonder if he knew Prince Casius as well. She wanted to ask him about it but was distracted by Lilian entering the cockpit carrying a tray.

    The other woman set the tray down on the table next to Ashira, on the tray was a few simple sandwiches. In their short time together Lilian had learned sandwiches were Ashira's favorite food mostly because they were easy to eat with one hand and keep working. Helpful due to the fact Ashira often worked through lunch and wouldn't eat unless Lilian brought her something. Usually she would order them from the cafeteria but here on the ship they would have to be making their own food. Lilian sat down in one of the extra chairs picking up a sandwich and eating it, as she gestured for Ashira to do the same.

    Picking the sandwich up she took a bite then turned back to Micheal wanting an answer to her musing about her fiance. “You seem to know Prince Cass but do you know much about Prince Casius? I have to admit I know very little about him.”


    Another round of bullets hits my skin. Well, fire away
    Cause today, I won't let the shame sink in. We are bursting through
    the barricades and reaching for the sun.

    We Are Warriors


  9. #19
    Better Then Expected
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    "I met him maybe three times." Michael said as he sat up, checking the navigation systems. "Once during the graduation ceremony when he came to see his brother. Twice more when Cass recommended me as a royal escort pilot. He seemed pretty calm, shy even. Maybe even nervous. Something tells me you'll be wearing the pants in the relationship." Chuckling Michael stood up, stretching again. He forgot Ashira was getting married for a moment. As they talked the reality of their situation slipped away from him and he lost himself in the pleasant conversation. "Nine hours to go." He moved through the ships, checking monitors. "Generators are good. Fuel consumption rate in the green. Looking good."

    Yawning Michael entered the crew cabin. "I'm going to catch up on some sleep. The General got us going really early every morning on the way here." There were bunk style two beds on each side of the ship. Michael took the bottom bunk on the right side. Sitting on the edge he leaned down and removed his boots. "Ship is still on auto. Scanners set to max range. They'll alert me if anything pops up." Pilots had to be light sleepers, especially on long trips. They had to wake up at every beep, every noise their consoles made had to be checked. "It's also set to wake me when we approach the planet. Can't wait to see this place." Michael smiled as he laid out on the bunk. "I'd recommend sleep as well. If not I think there's a holographic chess board in one of the containers."

  10. #20
    Domina Noctis
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    The pilot took his leave of them retiring to the crew quarters before mentioning there was a chess board. Lilian groaned at the suggestion, Micheal had no idea how bad of an idea that was. Chess was Ashira's favorite game and even if she didn't have a partner she could play for hours, days or weeks. In the time Lilian had known Ashira the longest game she had play was four months. She had mentioned it to Prince Caspar once and he had just laughed saying that wasn't a record for Ashira nor was it anywhere near it yet he refused to actually say how long the record was. “Just one game and then as Lieutenant Coran suggests we should get some rest.” Lilian said, chess was not on her list of favorite games but she was slowly growing to like it with all the games the princess and she played.

    The game lasted a little over an hour then the two of them moved to the crew quarters taking the set of bunk beds across from Micheal, with Ashira on the top bunk and Lilian on the lower. The security sergeant had insisted it be that way if something happened she would be able to quickly jump into action. Ashira lay in the bunk not really that tired, she looked at the bracelet on her wrist it was blinking showing she had a couple messages. With talking to Micheal she hadn't noticed it had gone off, but to be fair she rarely ever did. She activated the holo-pad seeing a rather angry letter from her mother about leaving Major Drake behind and a comical looking screen shot of the major shouting at the comms device that was sent from her brother. She choose not to send a message to her mother not wanting to open that can of worms but instead sent a message to Caspar first commenting on the unflattering image of Major Drake then asking her brother to smooth things over with their mother and explaining her reasoning. After that she finally laid back and drifted off to sleep.

    Several hours later they both awoke to the sound of beeping coming from the cockpit. It was the system alerting them that they were nearing their destination. Ashira looked over to the bunk Micheal was sleeping in noticing it was empty then climbed out of her bunk. Lilian's bunk was empty as well and she could hear some noises from the cockpit. She walked that way seeing Lilian and Micheal strapped in for landing. Through the front window of the ship she could already start to see the beautiful sight of Haroni.


    Another round of bullets hits my skin. Well, fire away
    Cause today, I won't let the shame sink in. We are bursting through
    the barricades and reaching for the sun.

    We Are Warriors


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