Vandal Squadron: Two For Tea
"You found evidence that your captive is an Imperial Moff? We'll find out if that's true or if he was just delivering laundry to one. Good job on getting those shuttles, Tragen. We're still waiting on those codes from 12th Wing, but we can't leave Commander Orimusho hanging. I need you to get those shuttles to him and his boys on Anteevy. Any questions?"
---
There's a party in 303A13. 8th Wing's back from their recon flights. Rachackaka and Glorsh - Wookiee and Trandoshan, inseparable even when they're not cooped up in their fighters - are taking bets on who can eat the most... something. A pile of fleshy, pink, vaguely wriggling things are being corraled on the poker table by Glorsh. Several empty mugs litter the table. Huttese music blares from the room's sound system while other members of 8th Wing dance, some more drunkenly than others. Bella "Lucky" Lorne, the redheaded spitfire who managed to outmaneuver Mandall ONCE in training and who never 1) gives him a rematch or 2) lets him hear the end of it, is hanging off of her current wingman, who looks equal parts pleased and disgusted with the sloppy drunk. "4-Star", the sometimes-bartender, is nowhere to be found. There is... a LOT of drinking going on, and hardly any of it is from the still. Closer inspection reveals four cases of Corellian spirits stashed near the still. Three of them are already empty.
Strange how you see those things work out when you pay attention.
Chugging his drink as if it were water, he mutters to himself.
"Alcohol resistance or not, I'm getting messed up tonight...even if it takes the entire bar."
Quote:"No sir, nothing about the mission although I probably should see the Doc. I'd hate to have some major organ fall out at the worst of times, Sir."Quote: from admiralducksauce on 4:33 pm on Dec. 7, 2005
The three Imperials are taken to interrogation, and Dutch and Jorm stand before Captain Kolit in his quarters.
"You found evidence that your captive is an Imperial Moff? We'll find out if that's true or if he was just delivering laundry to one. Good job on getting those shuttles, Tragen. We're still waiting on those codes from 12th Wing, but we can't leave Commander Orimusho hanging. I need you to get those shuttles to him and his boys on Anteevy. Any questions?"
---
Mandall doesn't have to ask for seconds (or thirds) - One of the more collected 8th Wingers presses a refill into Mandall's hand, slurring "Have... oneonn FourShtar. Tonight'ssfer Bo!" he grabs Mandall's drink arm and raises it into the air, following it with his own drink. "Ta Four-Star!" The room erupts with cheers, drops into silence as 8th Wing does their shots, chugs their drink, or what have you, then explodes back into shouts punctuated by some glasses being smashed on the ground.
Quote:"Understood, Sir."Quote: from admiralducksauce on 9:28 am on Dec. 8, 2005
"That's your decision, Chief. Vandal leaves ASAP. You do what you need to do to make sure Orimusho gets his shuttles on time."
(snaps to attention then does an about-face)
Walking out of the Captain's office, he get the Doc on the comm-link.
"Doc, get your butt down to the crew quarters ASAP with your medkit. I'll need someone to patch me up before we leave."
**************
Before heading to 303A13 to ruin the fun that he's sure some of his wingmates are having, Jorm decides to give them fair warning. He pulls out his commlink and says "This is Nerf Herder to Vandal Squadron. Report to flight deck immediately for briefing and ship requisition. Anyone not there and sober in 10 minutes will get whatever piece of junk I choose. Repeat, anyone one I have to herd to the flight deck will get nerfed."
(Edited by Aihal the Silent at 11:28 am on Dec. 8, 2005)
Disadvantage of excessive genetic engineering? Being resistant to common toxins means that it takes a hell of a lot alcohol to get a good buzz going, and he didn't have nearly enough time to get there.
Advantage? Mandall's still sober, even if his breath now counts as weapon of mass destruction.
"I'd like the A-wing, please. I'm feeling the need for speed after flying around in that lumbering Beast-wing."
He quickly decides to keep with the trusted old - the B-Wing.
Leaning out to the side he yells:
"Do I have a pilot for this slug or do you want me to fly it myself?"
Quote:Quote: from DatonKallandor on 5:23 am on Dec. 9, 2005
When the commlinks bark the Vandal's new orders, Eritram is still sitting in the B-Wing, listening to music and reading something on his Datapad.
He quickly decides to keep with the trusted old - the B-Wing.
Leaning out to the side he yells:
"Do I have a pilot for this slug or do you want me to fly it myself?"
Jorm looks up from his datapad to the B-Wing cockpit. He hadn't realized that Eritram was still in the ship.
"Uh...You may have to pilot it on the trip over, but we should be able to fill the vacant seat on the way back."
The two Lambdas, the slightly more worn model piloted by Jorm, the other by Dutch, hover in close formation on the deck. The last umbilical is unscrewed and a motley assortment of spacecraft head back into the void, their destination the ice planet of Anteevy.
There's still a faint hint of ozone in the cockpit from the blaster fire and fried electronics, but the atmospheric scrubbers seem to be doing away with it. Jorm enjoys the quiet symphony of all the systems performing their assigned tasks and all of the panels showing green as he guides the shuttle out of the launch bay. It never lasts. Something always ruins it. And I have to restore the balance.
(Edited by Aihal the Silent at 11:44 am on Dec. 9, 2005)
Everyone makes the jump without any trouble; it's a fairly short hop to Anteevy, but this is the third back-to-back sortie Vandal Squadron has flown this cycle and something's gone wrong every single time. It occurs to Jorm and Dutch that Captain Kolit never confirmed that 12th Wing got the Imperial codes. As for Mandall, he certainly didn't see Dak, Mixon, or Wildman during his brief time in 303A13 and Dutch didn't see anyone from 12th Wing in sick bay.
Something's wrong. Well, of course something's wrong, I'm the lone pilot of a stolen Imperial shuttle. But we've got a pretty strong escort. I mean I'd feel better if the Sith Eater were flying esc...
"Sir," says Jorm over a private channel to Dutch, "Did you see any members of 12th Wing on the Sword while we were docked? I didn't see the Sith Eater and I know that Dak took it out on their assignment."
(Edited by Aihal the Silent at 12:22 pm on Dec. 9, 2005)
Nobody even has a chance to say "I've got a bad feeling about this" before their commlinks bristle with a burst of static followed by a distress signal:
*This is 12th Wing ACAG requesting support from any Alliance vessels! Repeat, we ---ssskhkhkhssh-- Imperials swarming us... (you can make out someone screaming "Mixon's hit! Mixon's hit!" in the background) Coordinates Thirty-five delta mark seven twenty-two! All Alliance craft in the area, we are --- shhhkkkk--- hurry!*
Anteevy sits silently ahead of you, mocking you. Jorm runs a scan of those coordinates - according to his recon information, it should be an Imperial firebase... and Vandal Squadron is the nearest support available.