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Day 01 [1600 hrs.] The Last Lone Wolves

Day 01 [1600 hrs.] The Last Lone Wolves

[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Fighter Assault Bay | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan, CanadianVet, Doc M., DocReno & Kaligos (No PO)
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Second to last, Rawley had landed her Mk III Valkyrie and taxied into her position in the flight hangar. The adrenaline still ran thickly in her veins as she made her canopy depressurise and slowly open. She stood up in her seat and tore off her helmet, looking about to try and determine who had made it or not. "What the hell happened?" she called, and through the open bay doors she'd passed through, she saw how Thea jumped to warp - leaving the debris and the battle behind. Then, the bay doors slowly closed, since no more fighters were going to make it. "Where's...?"

She trailed off, looking at the nigh empty hangar. Husker's fighter was still being taxied into position, but his and her fighters were the only Valkyries present, out of 16 slots available. She heard a voice from the squadron channel. [Husker to Ghost, what's our status? Are we all aboard?]

Swallowing, she could not answer. Could not immediately give credence to what she saw, since saying it... it would somehow make it real. Then, her eyes fell on the cobbled-together atrocity that sat sideways against the back wall, and she remembered... Ravon!

Memories of what he did to her, and how he saved her mixed and added with the fact that she'd thought him dead, seeing him emerge from the Reaver and Valkyrie hybrid craft, it flooded her with mixed feelings. She did not know whether she ought to go up there and slap him or hug him, and...

...but where was Iron-Fox?

Realising that his fighter was lost, and how she might have hated him for his mid-battle betrayal, it was all the other empty slots that got to her. She had flown in behind Covington, so she knew his Reaver had to be sitting in the adjacent Maintenance Bay. But the rest? They were all gone. Game, Gun-Shy, Hurl, Hat-Trick, Outrider... and Morrigan. She remembered having sex with her after the Black Opal mission, had hoped to get closer to her, but now... she'd never see her in the locker rooms again. GoldenEye!

"Thea," she called, remembering seeing the ETS signal on her sensors, but it was all a blur, mind reeling from the fact that so many wolves were gone. "Did Tessa May Lance make it? Is she aboard?"

[Junior Lieutenant Lance is in Turbolift 3, heading to the Fighter Assault Bay,] announced Thea on the intercom, making Rawley take a deep breath. The shock of seeing how only four Lone Wolves had made it, counting Ravon, made a sudden surge of anger boil in her veins. Grabbing the edge of her cockpit, she jumped down and hit the deck and with her face twisted in a mix of grief and fury, she turned towards the closed bay doors and screamed in rage. She felt her hand curl into a fist, and with the exosuit's synthetic muscle technology - servomechanisms and spinal stabiliser adding strength to her diminutive frame - she struck a cart full with tools so that it toppled over.

"They can't be fucking gone!" she called, admitting to herself that she meant Renard as well. They had lost their alpha, and more than half the remaining pack. "The hell this is real. Are there any fighters latched on to the hull?"

[Negative,] said Thea quietly over the intercom in the hangar. [My condolences. Four Tactical CONN officers from the Resolve made it aboard, along with sixteen - pilots and RIOs - from the Orcus. They are in the Upper and Lower Shuttle Bays respectively.]

As she stood there, in the middle of the empty hangar that looked overstaffed when there were no crafts to tend to, she didn't see Goldie arriving. Tessa's exosuit wore the marks of her close brush with death. She didn't see Covington emerging from the Maintenance Bay either, or Eun Sae Ji walking up to him. She didn't see Husker or Ravon behind her as she looked at the closed bay doors, hope for the others leaving her slowly. But how could she accept that they were all gone? They were Tactical CONN, and used to loosing those closest, but this?

It felt like she'd lost her family once more.

OOC: For this scene in the Fighter Assault Bay, the last Lone Wolves will be dealing with the realisation that there's only them left now. OBS: I tagged Kaligos in this scene too, since Isley was heading down to the Fighter Assault Bay last we saw him in Cost of Truth, likely arriving in wake of Tessa May Lance. I sense there might be a good idea to have the fact of Skye Carver being dead revealed to Ravon in Isley's presence... ;)

This thread might be moved to the next Interregnum.

Re: Epilogue: The Last-Lone Wolves [Supplementary]

Reply #1 –
[ Tessa May Lance | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

After beaming out of her crippled Valkyrie, Lieutenant (junior grade) Tessa May Lance, callsign "Goldeneye" had reported to sickbay according to procedure in order for both her health and her presence aboard the ship to be verified.  Predictably, sickbay was swamped, and an emergency medical hologram spent less than thirty seconds running a medical tricorder over her and sending her on her way.

When she got there, Tessa was surprised to see how empty the flight deck was.  The only Valkyries she could see seemed to be the ones that hadn’t launched in the first place.  Holy smokes, Tessa thought, did none of the Lone Wolves make it back?

"They can't be fucking gone!" a familiar voice cried out, echoing Tessa's thoughts perfectly.  A damaged Valkyrie was towed out of the way towards one of the maintenance areas to reveal Lieutenant (junior grade) Evelyn Rawley, callsign "Ghost" standing in the middle of the fighter bay, her short slender form and closely cropped hair making her readily identifiable even in the crowd of pilots, deck crew and small craft.   The look on Rawley's face was Ghost's default expression:  Angry and scary beyond all reason, but then a hint of vulnerability was revealed as Evelyn took in the extent of the Lone Wolves' losses. 

Oh my gosh, she's really upset, Tessa thought.  Try to be strong for her.  She's been carrying you for over three months.  The least you could do for her is be the mature one for once.

"Rawley!  Rawley!"  Tessa cried as she ran over to her surviving squadmate and hugged her.  "You made it!" she cried before planting a wet kiss on her lips.  "You're alive!"


OOC: Tessa simply can’t see Husker and Ravon at this precise moment.  Perhaps they were crouching behind their fighters inspecting the damage?

Re: Epilogue: The Last-Lone Wolves [Supplementary]

Reply #2 –
[Nathanal Isley | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy]

The Turbolift felt slow. Part of that was because Nathan knew he was breaking another procedure. He had never been properly dismissed before leaving the transporter room. He could have stayed behind, but he felt useless in that room.

[priority one, all security personnel please respond to the Temporal Observation Labratory.]

Thea's voice called out to him, summoning him back to work, as he stood in the Turbolift. "Thea Hold lift."

What are you doing Isley? Wenn is already pissed with you. Your not a wolf, you don't belong in that loading bay. If you go back to work maybe you won't be demoted a second time in two weeks. Maybe one day down the line you can earn some trust back, and maybe you will get to move over to command, and sit at Navigations and opps.

He was stuck for a good moment. He wanted to fly again, he felt useless on the ground. On the ground it didn't matter what he did. He could kill or stun, he could run simulations all day, but he would never feel like he was contributing. He would never feel the passion he had when he had his wings.

Getting a seat at Opps wouldn't help that feeling. Thea, while beautiful could fly herself. While he had respect for the operations position the control of a massive starship, and the control over a fighter were fundamentally different, he wanted to feel the weight of the controls. Feel the need for centrifugal force and velocity to create mass acceleration not press commands at a station and watch a view screen.

So again I ask what are you going to do? Your not a wolf, your wings are gone now they melted when you flew too close to the sun. They won't grow back, you killed her.

"I didn't kill anyone." His voice rang out in the empty room as he looked around the Turbolift for a moment as if checking that he was alone.

"Really? cause your the one who got into their ship, You knew you weren't felling well. You were cleared for duty but you should have stepped aside. You should have refused to fly. If you had than you would still be a wolf, and she would still be alive." His own voice responded to his defense as he paced around the room. He wasn't psychotic he had to remind himself of that, he was just wound up and talking to himself, he had done the same thing while in the brig. He breathed harder feeling the walls of the lift compress around him. He had to get out of this room.

"Thea resume lift, Fighter bay." He closed his eyes for a moment focusing on his breathing, counting backwards mentally and going into a montra he had learned a long time ago. "This too shall pass."

No it won't

Suppressing the dark shiver for a long moment the doors opened, and Isley walked out onto the launch bay for the first time in almost a week. He blinked looking at the place feeling ever like the runaway. Both because he had literally run away from work, and ran away from this place.

Walking down the long halls, he came across the birds that hadn't flown in today's mission, and not much else. He paused for a moment feeling something stab through his heart. There were supposed to be a lot more than this. He could see Ghost and Goldeneye greeting one another.

And he could see the new ship, a hodgepodge of Reaver and Valkyrie where he couldn't tell where one ship ended and the other started. It was disturbing, mostly because he didn't recognize it as one of their own, but he did recognize the pilot.

You should run. Turn and run before they even notice you. You being here will cause problems for them.

You don't belong here.

Re: Epilogue: The Last-Lone Wolves [Supplementary]

Reply #3 –
[ Sten Covington | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

Chief Warrant Officer First Class Sten Covington had never been known to be a slacker, even when he was a wet-behind-the-ears recruit four decades past.  But he also knew when he ought to allow himself a breather, even in the midst of insane levels of activity.  Granted, he always knew to keep those short, and in a crunch he could keep going for a good long while.  But he'd never taken a fighter on a combat sortie, and if he could forgive himself taking the time to gather himself before popping the cockpit, he expected others would live with it so long as he didn't abuse the privileges.

So, after just long enough to catch his breath, he opened the hatch (which he refused to call a canopy for it was completely opaque) and a ladder was wheeled to his fighter and he climbed down.  As his feet touched the deck, he undid his helmet's latches and pulled it off his head, and a gold-sleeved arm was there to take it from him as he walked out of the maintenance bay, and his rather poor parking job, to be met by Eun-Sae Ji, holding a PADD.

"Talk to me," he started tersely even as he was still pulling off his gloves, which were also taken by the deck hand who had been following him.  Jut one look around him told him there was much that needed doing, and that the hangar would be missing a great many familiar faces in the future.  But there was work he had to do.  As the Head of Power and Propulsion, and Acting Chief of the Deck while he had been out gave her report, his face was set in a hard cast.  There were many who wouldn't be coming back... and when he heard that The Boss wasn't one of the survivors, he stopped dead.  He had known Miles "Iron Fox" Renard ever since the start of the Mk III program when that fuzzy, snot-nosed test-pilot had left gouges in the flight deck deep enough that someone could have tripped over them.  They had developed a professional rapport, and eventually a friendship.  Granted, he hadn't been the SCO when they had departed Earth, but when that Vulpinian had taken the role, it was almost like being back on the design floor in a way and they had settled in the kind of easy relationship they'd had before.

And now he was gone, vaporized along with his fighter. 

But there was no time to grieve.  There were fighters, apparently, scattered all over the ship, from Resolve and Orcus, no less.  But that didn't mean he could afford to ignore them.  "All right people, we got birds scattered across this ship.  I need those birds tracked down and de-bombed.  Let's get this bay put to rights and go from there.  Questions?"

Re: Prologue: The Last-Lone Wolves [Supplementary]

Reply #4 –
[ Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

Once the systems finally powered down the canopy of the hybrid fighter slid open before it jammed and got kicked open just enough for the pilot to crawl out. Razor's flight suit showed damage from the frost and ice as well as from combat apparently before he jumped down from the cockpit. With a thud he landed feet first on the deck of what used to be home. His helmet still on as he looked around and got his bearings. The fighter deck looked desolate if not ghostly at best. More than seventy percent of their fighters weren't there and Thomas could only guess what had happened to them. Perhaps they were docked onto the hull or in shuttle bays? With a sigh he removed the helmet from his suit, keeping it in his right hand as he heard the cry from Rawley. Thomas saw Tessa running towardsh er and he looked at Husker's ship as he couldn't believe that was all what was left of their squadron.

Finally his eyes locked on to Nathaniel Isley, his eyes narrowing before he walked over to the man. The first thing that jumped out was the fact that he wasn't in a fighter exosuit. Was the pilot suspended for leaving Thomas behind on the planetoid? Or couldn't he live with the fact they left Ravon behind? Regardless, Thomas wouldn't hold a grudge over it. They had received their orders to return to the Theurgy and Thomas had disobeyed the order by diving down to help Rawley.

Rawley....

There was the case about the alleged rape attempt he didn't remember anything about. Would she still hold on to that idea, even after their little shout match in the snow? Thomas could only tell her what he remembered and what not. It had been a gruesome idea to have him turn so violent to a wolf close to him... By now he was a few feet away from Isley as he spoke up "Lieutenant!" his eyes only now seeing the lack of pips on the uniform as he frowned "Isley... Why the heck aren't you in flight gear?" he asked as he came to a stop right in front of the man. "Why are you even CPO? What happened to the rest of our pack?" he queried the man, barraging him with questions as it all didn't make much sense.

While he waited for an answer Thomas felt the gnaw in the back of his head. Skye had promised him that they'd find out what had happened between him and Rawley. The murder of Narik Cinsaj possible an act by Thomas as well as he had black outs before. He looked around while Isley spoke, searching for the woman whom he had shared a close bond with. Perhaps they were more, could be more if they had more time for one another. Thomas his eyes came to rest on Isley as he explained it all to him "Where's Skye? Where's Axius and Fasha for that matter?" he asked as his fingers turned into a fist against his helmet. He had only been gone for eight days yet it seemed like the world had changed beyond recognition in that time. The battle had passed, yet Ravon could feel the rage and grief fuel his adrenaline filled veins with a renewed spirit of violence.

Re: Prologue: The Last-Lone Wolves [Supplementary]

Reply #5 –
[Nathanal Isley | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy]

Every part of his nerves told Nathan to run, but at the same time there were unfinished problems here. Things that needed to be said, and of course Ravon had been the one to pick him out in the crowd. He couldn't have spent his time here talking to literally anyone else, but rather had to end up talking to the exact person he had left behind.

Nathan had felt guilty about that, it had been one of the incidents that had lead down his spiral that had ended up with him being demoted. He had blamed himself for the mans death, but as he was now in front of him Nathan could breath some sort of relief.

"We had a funeral for you."

It was probably the most awkward thing he could have said. It answered zero of the man's questions, but helped Nathan process this a little more. He shook his head at the question about the other pack members. Were all of them lost today? Had they really destroyed so much of the Pack?

Why hadn't he been out there with them? Nathan tried to shake off that feeling, this tendency to blame himself for everything. As for his other questions Nathan was somber. "There was an accident while you were away."

Because it was an accident. Even if he had confessed, he had never felt right about what had happened, and would do everything in his power to claim that those moments he had been behind the wheel, the moments he had been asleep and killed Skye, those were the greatest mistake and accident in his life.

"I was responsible, and got demoted to CPO, and then I was transferred to security. I came to count the ships... See how much of the pack came back." He wished he could give Ravon a few more answers to his other questions, he knew that hiding what had happened to Skye would be a mistake considering everything was bound to come out, but he couldn't speak those words.

"As for the rest of the pack, they would know more than me." He said pointing out to the other two pilots. That plus Covington, five in all, yet only four were wolves.

Re: Prologue: The Last Lone Wolves [Supplementary]

Reply #6 –
[ Tessa May Lance | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

Before Rawley could react, Tessa released her and ran over to Slayton.  “Husker!” Tessa cheered as she ran over to the towering ensign and gave Christopher Slayton a warm hug.  She had to stand up on her tip toes to give him a kiss.  “You made it!  You came back!”

It was then she noticed Thomas Ravon who had walked over to Nathanal Isley.   “Razor!” she cried as she jogged over to him with her arms out wide before she noticed the serious conversation taking place between the two lieutenants…. Correction, Isley was an ex-lieutenant.  Who was longer part of the squadron and had been demoted for…    Even now Tessa didn’t want to face it.  Sheepishly, she stopped her forward momentum before she did something embarrassing liking tackling Ravon and backed away.  “Um, never mind,” she squeaked quietly as she backed away.  She glanced around the empty fighter bay looking for anyone else who came back.  There had to be more but they just hadn’t arrived yet, right?

Re: Prologue: The Last Lone Wolves [Supplementary]

Reply #7 –
[ Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

"We had a funeral for you."

The words sank in with Thomas as his eyes searched for answers in Nathan's eyes. The man proved to provide little to no answers at all to his questions asked "What kind of acci-" his sentence broke off mid conversation as Tessa cried out his name and ran towards him. Thomas turned his head her way, the frustration probably still on his face due to the cryptic answers of the new formed security guard in front of him. Needless to say it seemed o stop Tessa in her forward momentum as she squeaked quietly and back away "I'll be with you in a minute Tessa." he tried calling after her, feeling somewhat sorry for not giving her a well deserved hug. He turned his full attention back to Isley now as he continued to speak.

Thomas his eyes kept locked on Nathan's as he claimed responsibility for an accident, judging he got demoted and kicked out of the squadron it had to be severe. Yet what on Earth would push Miles so far to kick him out? Surely in times like these decent fighter pilots were a necessity. Especially with the odds already turned against their favor. "That's some cryptic BS right there Nathan..." he concluded and shook his head when Isley referred to ask the other wolves for more information.

The pilot turned away from the former wolf and had two choices now. Walk over to Rawley who might just bash his skull in for no good reason or head to May Lance and make it up to her for not granting her the warm welcome she wanted to give him. He noticed the pilot had her back turned to him and he closed the distance quickly as he walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders "Hey Goldie! Where's that hug you wanted to give me?" he smirked as he slid his hands down from her shoulders down her sides before he hugged her from behind.

He let go and waited for her to react first before he smiled faintly "Isley couldn't answer my questions, so mind if I ask you what happened to the rest of our pack? I mean, I don't see Skye, Axius, Fasha... What the hell happened to Hannah after the scramble? What about the mutiny?" he bombarded her instead with all the questions that Nathan couldn't or wouldn't tell him. Razor was in dire need of answers as the gnawing feeling in his head took over more and more. What the hell had happened on this ship!

Re: Prologue: The Last Lone Wolves [Supplementary]

Reply #8 –
[ Chris Slayton | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ] ATTN: Et All

Chris popped the canopy of his fighter, removed his helmet, and then climbed up and out of the Valkyrie before landing on the ground as he tried to get feeling back into his feet and legs after spending so much time in the cockpit.

"They can't be fucking gone!" Chris heard a familiar voice cried out, echoing Chris' thoughts on a much more angry level.  A damaged Valkyrie was towed out of the way towards one of the maintenance areas to reveal Lieutenant (junior grade) Evelyn Rawley, callsign "Ghost" standing in the middle of the fighter bay, her short slender form and closely cropped hair making her readily identifiable even in the crowd of pilots, deck crew and small craft.  

The look on Rawley's face was Ghost's default expression:  Angry and scary beyond all reason, but then a hint of vulnerability was revealed as Evelyn took in the extent of the Lone Wolves' losses which was something that Chris wasn't used to seeing on the shorter woman's face or posture.

He wanted to say something but Chris had to stop as he was Fasha..Morrigan's...wingman and she had died during the battle..on his watch and it struck him that Rawley might view him as that reason due to his presence as the last of the Harbinger's former fighter element on the Theurgy.

But then he saw Tessa quickly walk across the deck, her own exosuit covered in scorches and damage which made his heart swell that she survived but then he noticed that she wasn't walking over to him but instead she was walking over to where Ghost was ranting in pure and complete rage and depression.

"Rawley!  Rawley!"  Tessa cried as she ran over to her surviving squadmate and hugged her.  "You made it!" she cried before planting a wet kiss on her lips.  "You're alive!"

Normally a guy like Chris would've been utterly shocked at such a thing but the combination of both his time on Andoria, his relationship with both Terror and Sniper, and his time among the Dor'Girth Squadron on the Harbinger...it wasn't unexpected to be honest.

But somewhere deeper inside of him, Chris had actually hoped for that between himself and Tessa after everything that had happened that day and he instantly felt his "old self" quickly clamp down on those darker feelings as he turned away from the scene and headed the opposite direction from everyone.

He had gotten the quarter of an inch when he heard Tessa call him by his callsign and he turned only to be quickly hugged by the shorter woman at which point he simply closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her to hug her back tightly for a moment before letting go of her which to his delight she got up on her tip toes and kissed him and he allowed himself a moment to be reassured by the simple fact of her small warm lips pressing against his.

Then she moved on and he followed her path to the arrival of the pilot that was standing next to the..the...

Kludge from Hell.

As he looked at the bizarre looking hybrid fighter, a memory of something his brother Daniel had once said to him popped into his head as he quipped to himself "Huh..Kilroy is here after all." before turning away.

He then saw Papa Bear and Eun walking across the bay at which point he made his way over to them and walked up to the older Non-Com. "Need an extra hand with a spanner, Chief?" he offered up to Covington and a respectable nod to Eun before hooking a thumb to indicate Ravon's current "Bird". "But where are we going to park the Kludge?"

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves [1600 hrs.]

Reply #9 –
[ Sten Covington | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

With the deck crew having been detailed, Covington took his exosuit helmet and gloves back from the crewman who had been following him and he considered the chaos that was before him.  The birds needed to be parked, that much was obvious, but there was nowhere per se to get rid of that... monstrosity that hadn't been there when the battle had started, but before he could answer, he found himself steering toward the clump of pilots, and he took a moment to look at them before he approached.

Rawley, well he'd always thought she was a little crazy, but now he knew for certain she was a certifiable maniac; singing in the heat of battle while staring death in the face?  Granted, he'd sort of joined in, but even he could admit it was a result of sheer terror and clinging to something remotely familiar in this mess.  And there was Goldeneye. She definitely looked a little worse for wear and he expected the techs from Hull and Spaceframe would have a grand old time getting her suit back up to spec given the scorching he could see.  There was Husker, that last of Harbinger's pilots, but at least he'd proven himself to be an asset already.  And then... Razor?  He'd been left for dead!  He must have been the one in the monstrosity of a fighter that was cluttering his deck.  But that didn't mean he was unhappy about seeing him, quite the contrary in fact.  Given how many parking slots would be empty,  it was good to see a familiar face.

And Isley was joining them.  Normally, Sten Covington was rather severe about keeping people who didn't belong to the squadron or the deck gang away from his deck; looky-loos just gummed up the works and had an uncanny way to get themselves hurt in terrible and creative ways.  But he was definitely willing to cut him some slack; he'd been given a bad rap with the Black Opal engagement and the blue-on-blue incident, one that the Chief of the Deck firmly believed had more to do with Doctor Maya than the pilot, but a thought that had been dismissed with his confession... 

But it was Husker who addressed him first, asking if he could make himself useful.  "You haven't been with us long, Husker so I'll excuse the question this time.  Until... until we have new standing orders, the old ones from The Boss stand, and pilots get their hands dirty with post-flight checks and maintenance."  Sten Covington had always been known for his imposing presence and booming voice.  But this time, his powerful voice had caught in his throat and his normally steely gaze showed the depth of his grief.  Too many of his pilots had died, and within Theurgy's pilots and deck gang it had been no secret Miles Renard had been his friend as well as the SCO.  In fact, the glimmer of tears could be seen in the corner of his eyes before being fiercely blinked away. 

"Goldeneye, fucking glad to see you in one piece, lass."  Her too he acknowledged before he walked up to their prodigal pilot.  "And bloody hell, Razor, what did you do to your fucking bird, and how did you cobble that thing together?"  But the words, regardless how severe, drew a wan grin from the old Briton before he delivered a good-natured buffet to his shoulder.  "We all thought you were a goner; glad we were all wrong." 

And then, only then did he look to Isley.  Busted down to CPO.  A damn shame, they could have used him out there.  "Chief Isley, if stooging around with Security didn't turn your brains to mush, we could use your help with post-op checks and maintenance, assuming Commander Wenn doesn't need you for anything right now."  But that much was just about as much as an open invitation to stick around as he'd get for now. 

But there was the question of the Kludge; a fine nickname, though, for that monstrosity.  And odds are it would stick for now.  "Ji, get the... Kludge into Maintenance 2 while I figure out how to deal with it.  Get it de-bombed if there's still any ordnance and... make it's power systems safe, just in case they are half again as reliable as that thing looks." 

The Korean Chief of Fighter Power and Propulsion didn't need to be told twice, and she gathered a few stray hands before setting to her task.  But Sten didn't move towards the locker room just yet.  "By the way, now I know for certain, all you pilot types are fucking nuts.  God love you all for it!  But you'll have to excuse me if I never join you out for a combat flight again, thank you very much."

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves [1600 hrs.]

Reply #10 –
[ Tessa May Lance | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

Tessa looked around the empty flight bay.  The deck crew seemed a little lost, like they should have more to do, have more Valks to check out.  Ghost, Husker, Razor, and Maverick, not scratch that; Isley hadn’t flown that mission, Poppa Bear did.  Ghost, Husker, Razor, and Poppa Bear, were they the only ones who made it back?  She could feel the deck moving beneath her feet; the warp drive had been engaged.  Did that mean that the others would catch up at the rendezvous point or…?

"Hey Goldie! Where's that hug you wanted to give me?" Thomas teased as he slid his hands down from her shoulders down her sides before he hugged her from behind.

Tessa turned and embraced the green-eyed pilot.  “Oh Tom, we were so worried about you!” she sniveled before rewarding his return with a kiss on the lips.  “We were afraid you were gone for good Razor…”

Thomas offered her a comforting smile.  "Isley couldn't answer my questions, so mind if I ask you what happened to the rest of our pack? I mean, I don't see Skye, Axius, Fasha... What the hell happened to Hannah after the scramble? What about the mutiny?"

Tessa let go of him and took two steps back.  “Er, um, Skye um…” she glanced at Isley before quickly looking away.  “Uh, she was shot down during the supply raid on Black Opal, and um, Axius didn’t make it back from the final battle with the Calamity, and uh, Fasha,” she stammered as she unconsciously clasped her hands and let her fingers fidget with each other.  “She uh, flew the most recent mission to Starbase 84, I think you just missed her,” she winced, “and Hannah… um, Hannah…”  She closed her eyes and shuddered as she tried to block out the memory of Hannah shooting Soo Young Seung dead in this very chamber.  “Uh… Hannah didn’t survive the mutiny,” Tessa finished lamely.  She would have introduced Husker, but she had momentarily forgotten that Christopher Slayton was the new guy these days.  All she could do was cry out “Oh my God, are we the only ones who are left?”

Thank goodness Chief Warrant Officer First Class Sten Covington came to her rescue.  "Goldeneye, fucking glad to see you in one piece, lass," the towering deck chief greeted in his friendly growl.

“Oh Poppa Bear, thank goodness you made it!” she cried as she put her arms around him and quickly released him before she broke down crying like a small child. 

Covington gave her a fatherly hug before releasing her and addressing the prodigal pilot.  "And bloody hell, Razor, what did you do to your fucking bird, and how did you cobble that thing together?"  he teased before tapping Thomas’ shoulder with a friendly paw. "We all thought you were a goner; glad we were all wrong." 

A fragment of normalcy was a welcome distraction at this time.  Maybe Tessa would work on her Valkyrie…then she remembered that she didn’t have a Valkyrie.  Her bird had been hit and Tessa had been forced to beam out.  At least she could still use Hannah’s fighter…  Hannah…

Tears blurred her vision.  One by one she was losing members of her adopted family, including her fighter.  It was a straw that threatened to break the camel’s back.  As Sten and the others examined the hybrid monstrosity that Thomas had flown back in, Tessa fought to keep herself from blubbering like a baby.

Thank goodness Sten was there deflate the situation and keep her from losing it completely.  He looked up from the Frankenstein fighter to address the remaining Lone Wolves and said "By the way, now I know for certain, all you pilot types are fucking nuts.  God love you all for it!  But you'll have to excuse me if I never join you out for a combat flight again, thank you very much."

Tessa’s quiet laughter was tragically brittle as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves [1600 hrs.]

Reply #11 –
[Nathanal Isley | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy]
[Show/Hide]

Something was missing here. He looked from wolf to wolf, distracted every moment by the sinking pit in his stomach. This really was all that there was. He felt a little sick knowing that had he been out there things could have been different.

Razor knew exactly how to hurt him in a way. The questions he couldn't answer, didn't want to answer. He looked at Tessa when she had answered what happened to Skye. Nathan's eyes dropped to the ground, guilt written across his body, but at the same time he was grateful to Tessa that she didn't immediately tell Ravon what had happened.

In fact in a few short moments Nathan felt the most at home he had been since the days before the mission to Black Opal. When Sten made the offer to let him help out on deck Nathan smiled towards the man. Sten Covington, in the days before Black Opal Isley had been anything but a model officer, he had been brash and angry taking out his grief on everyone that he could, and Covington had gotten the worst of it.

Walking up to the man he gave a quick salute, and when that failed to show his appreciation, Nathan just pulled Covington into a hug. "Thank you." The words were kept low, but there was another reason for the hug. A simple message he felt he needed to pass on, and keep low 'watch ravon'.

The man had been gone for eight days, and the time before that there had been an investigation into him. Nathan hadn't always been paranoid, but after eight days of running drills, having every security rule smashed into his face and having to prep for a ground battle, Nathan had been shaken, and currently the connection of the man just showing up was all too casual, all too easy. When he pulled himself away from Covington he simply smiled keeping himself casual.

"Wait you actually flew out with them? God damn I missed a lot. I should have been out there with you all." He shook his head. "After palling around with security for six days running drills non stopped, I can honestly tell you that I owe you the biggest appollogy."

He owed everyone an apology but there wasn't enough time. When he was offered to take on duties on the flight deck he gave a nod. "I think I remember everything, you beat the engines with a hammer till it works right?"

In those few moments he felt like he was part of the family again, part of something greater than his actual job. Which did need him, but he had already turned off his com, he didn't care. Regarding everyone, Covington, Chris, Tessa, and Ravon. "I should have been out there with you. I'm so sorry."

If I had just stayed in the brig I might have actually been allowed too, but the confession killed any chance of ever sitting behind the wheel again.

"Wait... where's miles?" It felt like it was the unspoken thing, the one missing. The puppy... their leader. Maybe he just landed in one of the other bays.

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #12 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Fighter Assault Bay | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan, CanadianVet, Doc M., DocReno & Kaligos (No PO)
[Show/Hide]
Feeling numb, staring listlessly at the closed bay doors, Rawley didn't hear Goldie until she was right in front of her. Receiving the hug, their exosuits meeting in metallic grind, Rawley barely managed to raise her arms to return it. The deep kiss she got left her mind reeling, but the leap from the anguish Rawley felt to the affectionate warmth from Goldeneye was too wide for her, even if she somehow managed to kiss Tessa back in her daze. When their mouths parted, Rawley was still not all there, and Goldie left her to run over to the Harbinger pup. Rawley's eyes drifted back to the bay doors, mind still not fully embracing the fact of the pack's losses.

While Ghost thought of Iron-Fox, Morrigan, Game, Hat-Trick and the rest - thinking that perhaps the loss of trust in the pack after all that had happened during the mutiny after the Black Opal was the reason they were dying like flies - she started to pick out the voices behind her. More and more, her thoughts of the time spent with Fasha and her words to Iron-Fox left her, hearing voices that shouldn't be there. Razor, who she'd seen return during the battle but had been too far too busy to think about, but Maverick? Frowning, returning to the present, she turned her distraught scowl towards the gathering of people behind her. She heard Covington offer Isley to help out, and Tessa just saying half the truth about Skye Carver. Ghost curled her upper lip, feeling something ugly rise inside her like bile. She wanted to lash out, and if there was ever an opportunity as ripe as this, she wouldn't know what. After Covington called them nuts, Rawley was closing the distance to the group - her browridge cutting a sharp line over her eyes as she approached Maverick.

"Razor!" she snapped during her approach, "It was Maverick here who got Skye Carver fucking killed, and he even confessed to it. I don't know why he has the bloody nerve to come here, but that's the reason he's in Security now. Yeah, he was daydreaming behind the fucking stick, and blasted away Kestrel's shields with his tetryon cannon. The phaser turrets on the Black Opal did the rest. If he'd been out there today, it wouldn't just be Fox and the rest. No, none of us would be standing here."

Then, her dark scowl turned to Ravon. "As for you, how the fuck did you get back here? Are you one of them? That sure as hell would explain why you tried to fucking rape me in my quarters and then pretend like you couldn't remember it. Do you have one of them slugs up your arse?" Like cracking a whip, she pulled her sidearm and held it pointed towards the deck. "Then get out of that bloody suit so that we can find out."

She knew that whatever camaraderie of old had managed to surface... she had just burned to the ground, but she just couldn't give a toss any more.

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #13 –
[ Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Everyone present

The kiss Ravon got from Tessa was warming his cold freezing insides. Companionship and just social interaction were some of the things he had missed immensely while stuck on the planetoid. Therefor his lips worked almost in overtime to kiss Tessa back as he hugged her once more before they parted. "You won't get rid of me so easily." he smirked as she took a few steps back after hearing his questions.

Thomas couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't being played out in the open. His eyes fell on the newest addition to their group. A pilot who seemingly had flown with them. Was that the pilot called Husker who had worked with him to keep the vector secured? His eyes darted back to Tessa as she started explaining some of his questions.

The news of Skye Carver being dead after the raid on Opal hit Thomas straight in the face like a brick. His expression undoubtedly changing as his fingers gripped around the helmet once more. Skye and himself had shared a connection that he hadn't shared with any of the other pilots or crew before. It was unique and the future might've held so much more for them. The fact that his MIA status had prevented to keep her safe was a sore sting that hit him deeply as he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. By doing so, he had failed to notice Tessa's quick glance to Isley. The bad news didn't stop however as she continued with the losses of the rest. Had all of them been reduced to space dust? He felt the world around him squeeze together to nothing more but the hangar bay. The voices around them turning to nothing more but sounds and echo like voices in the distance before he warped back to reality.

Covington had the habit to bring people out of their daydreaming state or worse. Thomas turned around to meet the chief dressed in an exosuit for a change which only made him frown a bit more. He watched him talk to Husker first before giving Tessa the hug she desperately needed.

"Bloody hell, Razor, what did you do to your fucking bird, and how did you cobble that thing together?"  he teased before tapping Thomas' shoulder with a friendly paw. "We all thought you were a goner; glad we were all wrong." 

Thomas smiled faintly as he gripped the chief by his shoulder and pulled him closer for a well earned hug "It's a fucking piece of art Chief... Flies like shit though... But it did the job to get me back. Guess those dirty jobs you make us do pay off in a life or death situation." He smiled as he let go of Covington before he smiled and looked him over "But who am I to judge? Getting your paws wet for some flight time huh?" he teased him as he looked at the unusual sight of the chief in a flight suit. "But I'm glad to be back."

Isley's excuse for not being out there with them was confirmed with a nod of Ravon, hoping he'd find the man back in a fighter to help them as they could use whatever they could have. However, from the corner of his eyes, he saw a far too familiar wolf stomping her way over to them. The question Nathan asked where Miles was had been lost in the wind as Ranger unleashed her fury.

Rawley addressed him first as she snapped his name on approach. The truth finally leaking out now as the eyes of Rawley seemed to spew out fire. The information he got was raw, detailed and most of all, pointing towards a single man to blame. Ravon stood there baffled at first as he looked at Rawley, turning his head over to Nathan as he could feel every fiber of his body tense up. If it wasn't for everyone around them, he'd have punched, kicked and probably even killed Isley in blind rage. With the exosuit he was wearing, the force behind his punches and kicks would be amplified causing massive bleeding, yet he'd probably not stop there as he'd go for dismemberment, skull crashing until there was nothing left of the man but a bloody pulp. Undoubtedly everyone could see his rage boil up and almost tip over before Rawley shot a second barrage of accusations at him.

The rape charges resurfaced and Thomas his eyes snapped back to Rawley as he was at a breaking point now. She drew her side arm and Thomas threw his helmet aside with quite some force. It wasn't exactly aimed at anyone in particular yet it flew right towards Isley who could catch it in time if he was paying attention. If not, the helmet would thud hard and heavy against his chest. The SAFTI gear would be able to tackle the initial blow, yet it would stagger the man nonetheless.

"For FUCK sake Rawley!" he snapped back "How many fucking times do I have to tell you! I don't remember doing anything to you. One thing I'm in your room for a chat, the next you're on top of me with a broken shard of glass trying to fucking kill me!" he shouted back at her as he clenched his fists. He wasn't just going to take these accusations of being controlled by a parasite. There were plenty of people between them to stop them as Ravon stepped forward. His stride determined and eyes burning with rage and grief. He closed the distance with Rawley and grabbed her wrist, raising the sidearm between his eyes against his forehead "You want to take the shot? Then fucking get it over with already!" he growled at her as he bared his teeth "I saved your life and got myself marooned on that icy shit hole! You have no idea what the hell it was like there, what I had to do to get back here. How I had to fight and try to stay alive so I could come back to this home. I'm pretty sure every rapist or indoctrinated slug would do the same! Right?" he shouted at her as he was fuming in anger now.

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #14 –
[Nathanal Isley | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy]
[Show/Hide]

See this is why you can't lie to these people.

Ghost was ever as crazy and insane as she always was, but even Nathan hadn't expected her sudden explosion of anger in giving all the details of what had happened to have him removed. What hurt the most however was the accusation that if he had been out there everyone would have died.

He could see Ravon's rage clear on his face. Nathan knew the man wanted him dead, and honestly he probably had the right of it. But everything after that seemed more or less like a blur. The sidarm being pulled, the closing of the distance.

When the helmet was chucked at him, Nathan felt the impact as the thing brushed along the personal shield he had been outfitted with during his mission. A soft shimmer going around him as he felt the wind nearly get taken from his lungs staggered for a moment while the two of them had their fight.

Isley knew it was stupid before he even moved, but didn't matter. Two of his people were about to kill one another, and Nathan's new job was to stop exactly this kind of nonsense. Stepping between Ghost and Razor he put his hands between them and forcefully attempted to push them apart. His strength not exactly enough to match the two exosuites, but he did manage to squirm between them.

"Enough! Ghost that's not even how that test works, you have to shoot them when they don't expect it otherwise the parasite won't compensate for the damage and they fake getting knocked out." Nathan had been fully intending to shoot Ravon himself just to make sure, but right now there were more important things to get out into the open.

Then there was something else, Ravon saying that he didn't actually remember the crime being committed. It sent a hard shiver around him, and added a different possibility. One that they were still on the same side. "I wasn't asleep at the wheel, damn it. I don't know what happened to Skye."

"I don't know what happened when I shot Skye carver. The mind meld I underwent showed that I have sets of memories from that event, and I don't even know which one really happened. I took the shot, but I don't remember locking onto Skye's ship."

Of course that was the easy part to say as he looked between the two angry pilots, knowing they both had cause and room to kill him. He wouldn't blame them if they did. "I was locked in the brig for a day and a half before anyone so much as talked to me! We were about to go into the biggest battle that this ship had ever faced, and they wanted me to stay locked in the brig so that they could devote time elsewhere because I was a low priority investigation. Skye Carver was a low priority to the people in security. Hell to all of you it was case fucking solved I didn't get a single call or visitor. The pack was more than willing to cast me aside."

"So of course I confessed!" Nathan was on the verge of tears now, he wasn't sure when he had started screaming at the two of them despite trying to de-escalate this sitatuation or at least have them both focus on him. "What was I supposed to do? stay locked in a room where I could only take six steps for the rest of my life? Just sit there talking to myself as Skye's ghost haunted me, and I went slowly mad?"

"Yeah this way I will never fly again, but at least I can walk around. At least I can have a job. I didn't kill Skye, it was some kind of tragic accident, and it's going to haunt me till the day I die, but at least this way I'm out of the brig and I can do something about it."

Of course he was admitting to giving a false confession, but he doubted anyone in the room was going to report that.

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #15 –
[ Sten Covington | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

The greetings were made, and something else was said, although no words were exchanged.  They were his pilots.  He'd always seen them swagger in and out, gripe about getting their hands dirty, get out into space and back, and always thought them a little crazy for what they did.  They also knew he was their Chief of the Deck, the one man who gave them the tools to do their jobs, and hopefully come back in one piece.  But that little adventure of his in the Reaver?  It brought him even closer to them.  For a brief instant, he was one of them.

And then the moment shattered when Rawley drew her weapon and started screaming about a rape accusation, and his absence.  The situation had degenarated so quickly, the Chief of the Deck was not quite sure what to make of it.  Then Isley, acting like the Security man he was now, pushed in between both Razor and his accuser.  And just as Ravon mentioned having no recollection of the event, Isley spoke of his own brush with an altered state of mind, even as Covington's mind flashed to the investigation.

He had mentioned Doctor Maya had been in rather convenient places on either side of the blue-on-blue event that led to Skye Carver's death.  It hadn't been a pleasant duty to announce the fighter had been in perfect working order, but he had hoped to vindicate the accused, or at least open a new line of investigation when he had made his perfectly logical observation, one that had been dismissed at the time. 

"STOP!" Sten bellowed out, his voice booming in the cavern of the hangar deck.  His was a voice that could be heard over all the activity, and everywhere deck hands stilled.  "Rawley, Ravon, step back, both of you.  I won't have this shit on my deck, do you get me?"

He looked at Isley.  He'd wanted to push his line of inquiry, but it had been too late, he had confessed.  And now?  Those pigeons had come to roost all right.

"I was in on the investigation.  And I was there when Isley was confronted.  Something didn't seem right, but when I mentioned it, I was ignored.  I should have pushed harder. I'm sorry, son, I let you down on that one."  Sten took a deep breath.  "You all know bullshitting me doesn't work.  My gut was telling me Isley was innocent, and I should've been louder.  Ravon, I don't know about you and odds are you don't either, but before Isley's incident, he was looked over by Doctor Maya, and after, too.  And then she was in on the investigation, poked in his head again.  I know it's nothing solid, but it's a lot of access, isn't it?  That woman got manipulated by T'Rena through a mind-meld, and when she bounced back, somehow, she was bringing back every last brainwashed person on board, with mind-melds.  Who the fuck knows what's still lurking in there?  For all we know she's gone batshit insane or she's possessed by the fucking ghost of T'Rena."

Then, another deep breath.  "Rawley, Ravon's your friend and your wingmate.  He's had your back since Day 1.  You know he wouldn't try to jump your bones without asking first; he doesn't have a death wish.  Vasser's plan was to get all sorts of kids pumped out for some future army of his, and with everything on the table right now?  Sounds like you both got caught in the middle of it."

"And if I'm right, Isley, you can push to get your wings back."

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #16 –
[ Lt. JG Evelyn Rawley | Fighter Assault Bay | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Nolan, CanadianVet, Doc M., DocReno & Kaligos (No PO)
[Show/Hide]
Rawley's heart was beating loudly in her ears, and when Ravon had come closer, she had raised her hand phaser towards him in a double-handed grip, feet already set wide. "Stay where you are..." she said in sharp warning, but he took her wrist and set the muzzle of her phaser against his own forehead, keeping in there with his hard grip. He spoke to her, but she refused to listen, lip curled as her finger wrapped around the trigger. Her words were low, not overriding his tirade, but she didn't blink. "Don't you fucking dare touch me you freak..."

In her mind's eye, she remembered fighting alongside Ravon in the first battle against the Calamity, then later on Theta Eridani IV. She remembered fighting the Dor'GhItlh Squadron with him and Isley after escaping the mutiny, then the Reavers above the icy planetoid the'd found for shelter. But she also remembered her quarters the morning after the holodeck event, where he had done the unforgivable, and he still maintained he wouldn't remember what he did. Sure, he saved her life out there, but he might as well have done it to cover up what he tried to do.

Any given day, even she would listen to reason, but not that day. She breathed heavily through her bared teeth as she pressed the muzzle against Razor's skull. What is the point any more? The Lone Wolves were no more. Not even when Isley interjected himself between her and Razor did she stand down. "Get out of my fucking way," she snarled, her words cutting below the loud proclamation of Isley's innocence and false confession. She could not make herself care. She bent her legs to stand her ground, and Razor still had his fist around her wrist - eyes locked with hers along the sights of her phaser. Whatever Isley was babbling about, she just didn't want to listen. She just wanted to destroy something, and the head of her would-be rapist was a fine choice to her right then. Her finger squeezed harder around the trigger, in full awareness that even her current stun setting would kill Razor instantaneously at point-blank range. Faces flashed before her eyes, superimposed over Tom's face. Oracle, Hardtop, Axuis and... Isley was still talking, trying to deny her the satisfaction, but The sudden thought of Cale - her death brother - almost made her squeeze the trigger the rest of the way. "Will you just shut up!"

Covington tried to break it up with his booming voice, yet still Ravon and she stared down the sights of her weapon - her breathing faster as she willed herself to think of what he'd done to her. Papa Bear was a voice of reason, always, but she would not be denied this. Yet again... there was the name of some Doctor mentioned. Covington seemed to think she had something to do with both Ravon and Isley not remembering what they did. Did they both black out, or were they just using the same excuse? Snarling, the doubt had settled in her mind, and the snarl turned to a scream as she pushed her phaser harder against Ravon's head... only to tear it away and stalk off - leaving both Isley and Ravon behind as she let out her blood-curdling cry against he closed bay doors.

Breathing heavily, teeth still bared, she glared at them both when she finally rounded on them all. Her words, however, were for someone else. "Thea! Where is this Doctor Maya? I have questions and I want them answered now."

[Doctor Maya is in the brig.]

Frowning, Rawley looked up when she heard he answer. "What? Why?"

[During the battle, Doctor Maya freed Sonja Acreth from her holding cell. Doctor Maya was then found on the scene, and moved to the adjacent cell.]

"Acre-" The parasite-head. Rawley trailed off, looking in disbelief between the present wolves. "What the fuck did you say she did?"

[Doctor Maya assaulted the Chief Medical Officer before she left Sickbay and then liberated Sonja Acreth from the b-]

"I heard that part, thanks..." said Rawley, mind reeling.

[You're welcome.]

If Maya did something like that.. then the whole thing was cast in another light, but it was still hard to wrap her head around it. Maverick and Razor, both blacking out... Maya the only one that could have done it to Isley, and now this...? She was at a complete loss of words. Apologies not so easily within reach. Was Covington right all along?

OOC: I think it's due time we let Doc M. and DocReno chime in now, lol.

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #17 –
[ Tessa May Lance | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ]

“Holy Smokes!” Tessa gasped.  “And she’s my personal physician too!  Doctor Maya?  I can’t believe it!  She was always so quiet!  I… I…”  Abruptly, Tessa went from shrill and childish to calm and mature.  “Yeah, I guess I can see it,” she muttered with a world weary acceptance that was completely out of character for her.  “It’s always the quiet ones isn’t it?” she mumbled bitterly.  If Hannah could kill Soo in cold blood and Thomas could sexually assault Evelyn then anyone could go off their rocker.  But was Maya a victim of T’Rena or did she carry a parasite inside her?  If only there was someone in security that Tessa was close to who could explain things… Wait a minute!  There was someone! 

“Nate, what’s going on?” Tessa asked.  “Is Maya one of them, and if so, how do we know she didn’t…”  She couldn’t say the rest of her thought aloud.  If Maya was one of them, every one of her patients could have a sentient parasite growing inside them, waiting for the chance to take over.

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #18 –
[ Chris Slayton | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ] ATTN: Et All

Chris had remained silent as the series of interactions continued between the small group of remaining pilots, Chris' right hand resting on his own phaser in case he was needed to break up anything truly hostile but when Rawley walked away the Asgardian felt a breath that he'd been holding in his chest finally be released as he moved his hand away from his sidearm.

Chris then heard the assortment of questions but when Tessa started to sound like she was on the edge of panic, he simply stood up straight from where he was and with his tone focused and sure, he said "This isn't the time to panic or second guess any one of us..we are a pack no matter whatever bullshit goes on otherwise."

He then turned to face Isley and said "I'm with the chief on this one actually, we'll get you your wings back and if Ghost has any issue with it then I'll fly on your wing." and then he gave the other man a smile, "Everything will get straightened out."

Chris then turned to look over at Ravon and his smile faded to a more serious expression, "Miles was supposed to have been right behind me when we started to bug out and he was having problems with his bird..if anyone wants to blame anyone for him not possibly making it, might as well make it me because I offered to try and help him but he ordered me back here to the barn."

Chris then turned away and walked up to Tessa, quickly brought a hand to the back of her head and simply kissed her for a couple of seconds before breaking the kiss and looking into her eyes while resting his forehead against her's. "And you need to stop thinking those kinds of thoughts, Tessa.  Focus on the positives or you'll drive yourself crazy with what ifs..please focus on the good."

Chris then backed away from Tessa enough to stand next to her before motioning to Ravon. "One of these days however, you owe me a beer and a story behind that Kludge from Hell of your's." he added with a slight grin in an attempt to lighten the mood away from the darker thoughts that was threatening to over take them when they needed to stay focused and unified.

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #19 –
[ Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Everyone present

Sten's words, how booming as they might've sounded fell in deaf men's ears at the moment. Ravon's eyes were burning with all sorts of feelings before Isley suddenly wormed himself between them. If anything, it seemed like he was taking his job as security rather seriously. Then again, moving in between them while he was a prime target for Thomas his rage wasn't such a great plan either. His words only echoed through his head as his focus was still on the phaser aimed for his head. The pilot's frustrations almost setting in to execute the thoughts he had earlier before Isley spoke once more.

"I wasn't asleep at the wheel, damn it. I don't know what happened to Skye."

"I don't know what happened when I shot Skye carver. The mind meld I underwent showed that I have sets of memories from that event, and I don't even know which one really happened. I took the shot, but I don't remember locking onto Skye's ship."[/color]

The eyes of the lost pilot narrowed as he spoke those words. His eyes shifted from Rawley to NAthan now, darting back and forth between the two. His fist clenched around Rawley's wrist. Similarities showing from what he had experienced with Rawley in her quarters. Fair enough they didn't share the same black out, yet Nathan was claiming he had undergone another reality as he took his shot? The rest of his confession was heard by the rest of the pack and Covington as the former pilot came on the verge of tears now. Thomas raised his free hand slightly before placing it on Nathan's shoulder. Thomas couldn't say more to the man as he still felt the grief and anger for Skye's death, yet at least he got to the point where he wouldn't kill the man on sight.

He looked back at Rawley as she seemed to come closer to her breaking point. Finally though she broke the cycle and Thomas let go as she cried out. Thomas took a different stance now, giving a squeeze in Isley's shoulder before stepping back and closing his eyes. He could still feel the tip of the phaser still pressed against his skull as he walked back a little before catching his breath. Just like Rawley however, he needed to work out his frustrations in some way. Rather sooner than later...

When inquired where Maya was a new shock washed over the wolves as they seemed to embrace a new told truth. Was Maya truly corrupted? Tessa' voice about anyone else being contaminated had caused for a shudder to go down his back as he wondered if he ever met this Maya before. He had gone in and out of Sickbay on some occasions yet for the very same reason she might've washed away the memories of them ever meeting. Time would probably tell what was going on as Security conducted their investigation. Yet it amplified the already new light shining down on Isley's demotion and removal from the squadron. Thomas remained silent now as he thought about Isley returning to the pack. They could use a pilot, yet without an SCO.

Chris turned his attention to him though as he brought up Miles. "There's nobody to blame for Miles his actions out there." Thomas answered as he looked at the harbinger pilot. Still not really sure what his name was as they didn't get the proper introduction. He only knew his call sign "Husker.... Right?" he asked, just wanting to make sure he had the right name "Miles is... Was... our leader. He knew the risks of the job perfectly and he'd probably scold the crap out of you if you disobeyed the order. That said, it isn't a time now to live in a what if scenario," he said as his eyes went over the rest of the pack "The hard truth is we're all that is left of our squadron. Miles would be mighty displeased if we continued to squabble around now and let it tear us apart," He looked over to Rawley and Isley before sighing softly "The least we could do to honor him is to solidify our bond. How ever twisted, broken and fucked up as it is at the moment. We owe it to the Alpha. First round is on me when you guys hit the below decks." he smiled faintly as he looked at Covington and gave him a nod. The comment of Chris about the Kludge only making Thomas chuckle a little before he nodded in agreement.
 

Re: Prologue 04: The Last Lone Wolves | Day 01 [1600 hrs.]

Reply #20 –
[Nathanal Isley | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck Sixteen | USS Theurgy]
[Show/Hide]

"And if I'm right, Isley, you can push to get your wings back."

Isley had to take in partial pieces of information. He was still breathing heavily from the moment where he was pretty sure that he was about to be killed by two other members of his pack. For a moment he could have sworn that between Rawley and Ravon he was going to be murdered, but then shit just kept happening and at the end of it, he was left stairing blankly at Covington as she said that he might get his wings back.

After all that had happened, after all that he had been a part of, the pack was willing to welcome him back?  Did he even want to come back? they had left him to rot in the god damn brig! not one of the pack had visited him or even spoken to him since the time that he had left them four days ago. Why would he gloss that over? why would he simply let that slide after all the time they had spent with one another.

Then of course there was Doctor Maya. That left a rather sickening twist in his gut. He looked at Tessa as she asked him what was going on, what would he do? He considered that question for a long moment. Was he going to march into holding and demand an interrogation? Security was still busy all over the ship, it could take them an entire day to get to someone like Maya. Of course there was the promise between him and Ive's but that had been off the record, in confidence. On the record it would take a lot more than his word against Maya to re-open his case when it was so open and shut.

"Right now Tessa I don't know what happens. I know you all have ships that you need to work on, and I know that their are procedures that I need to follow before their can be any interrogation into Maya." Winn was not what he would call a fan. Especially after the away mission and all that he had done directly to kick authority one last time. He was on Wenn's shit list so there was no asking for personal favors.

"What we are not going to do (Rawley) is storm into Security and demand to attack the woman. We don't have all the details, and I did not spend the last four days having every single security protocol beaten into my head just so I could go and break twenty of them. Let me and Wenn handle Maya while I'm in orange. So help me, if any of you (Rawley) give me another reason to put you in the brig over night for cool down and I will personally drag you too lock down with my own  pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs." While he was addressing the group he still spoke her name under his breath at every intersection that he could.

"Chris, loosing Iron was not your fault." It was Nathan's after all he hadn't been a pilot grounded for apparently no reason.

The words of Ravon made everything seem so normal. He could almost believe the guy. Still this entire altercation showed him one thing. Right now he didn't belong here. If he really wanted his transfer back, some part of him knew he needed to at least start earning it he tapped his com badge and rejoined security channel awaiting some orders from dispatch or something he could respond too.

"Covington, as nice as it would be to work the deck I'm not in white yet. I thank you for your offer, but I should go join up with the rest of security while I still have a job."

He gave one last look at Ravon. "You have been gone for a week and a half, report to security for screening once you have a moment. We will need to talk in private, and with my superiors. Both about the possibility of a transfer, and other matters of security that you will need to be briefed on."

- FIN
 
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