By 2nd Lt. Fazia Al Hamza (Sirocco) on Saturday, October 26, 2002 - 06:17 pm:
| By 2nd Lt. Fazia Al Hamza (Sirocco) on Saturday, October 26, 2002 - 06:17 pm: |
Fazia listened in disgust and sympathy to Bill's story. She had heard of cases like this before. Radical elements had some grudge against the UN and took it out on civilians. Rebels, Rogue Zentradi, rednecks with gripes. The UN was the first real attempt at an all-encompassing government for all the peoples of Humanity. It appauled her that people who were simply living their lives had to suffer because of someone else's greivances.
Caught in the intricacies of the story, Fazia remained silent for a good thirty seconds after Lieutenant Lee had finished. She stared at his nose, finding a feature on his face that wouldn't sway her emotions more than necessary. She always tried to maintain emotional balance, and in situations like this, had to try even harder. Realizing that she was being rude, she looked her new squamate in the eyes once more, as direct a gesture as she knew. A thin, gentle smile spread across her lips. She had next to no idea what to say, except to acknowledge his new situation.
"You are with the Silverhawks now. We are family to each other."
It was simple. It was direct. It was the truth.
| By John Murdoch on Sunday, October 27, 2002 - 01:54 pm: |
Murdoch placed his hands in his pockets, in an attempt to keep from strangling his new leader for his arrogance. The pain in his legs was still well represented and an opportunity to sit down would certainly be welcome. Having been alone in his own little world for the last few minutes, he decided to take a step back away from Martin...
"Huh?!" Murdoch exclaimed as he stepped right back into the waiting Jade. Without realizing who it was, he turned around ready to apologize. "Pardon me, I didn't see you..."
After an unusual silence...
"Ummm, hello..." Murdoch continued as he corrected his position and felt a wave of embarassment that would cast him as the fool hit him. Then he pointed his arm in a direction away from the assembled mob and concluded. "Do you have a moment, maybe we could talk?"
| By 2nd Lt. Bill Lee (Machwave) on Sunday, October 27, 2002 - 03:51 pm: |
Caught up in the memories, Bill didn't even realize that Fazia had sat so long in silence. His time in the gangs had accustomed him to silence and stares to the point where they hardly registered. Her comment brought him back to the shuttle.
"Well, it really feels like a foster family - a temporary family. I thought I was one of the Black Aces but that's gone by also. I watched some of them die just like my parents. I want to believe that I'm a part of the Hawks, but a part of me is just as afraid that I might get my wish and watch my new family and friends die all over again."
Bill brought his hands up to his shoulders in a kind of unconcious self-hug as his head dropped. His eyes closed as he desperately tried to get control. He'd never told anyone this story. Not the psychiatrists. Not the kids in the gang. Not even the other Aces, not that they'd asked. Why was he telling Fazia now? Why had it been so easy to let someone inside the walls he had spent years carefully constructing to protect himself?
| By Spades Faloise on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 06:26 pm: |
"Y'got the unfair advantage. M'arm hurts like hell." Araika glanced at her shoulder, before she smirked. At least it wasn't her main weapon hand. She kept the fact that she was ambidextrous rather well, it helped in more than one occasion.
She seemed to operate the wheelchair rather well however. She spun it deftly by adjusting her weight and flicking her operational wrist, before she wheeled herself up the ramp and into the shuttle without much of an effort. Mayhaps she could have raced Kit, but she just wasn't in the mood.
| By 2nd Lt. Fazia Al Hamza (Sirocco) on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 08:32 pm: |
Fazia sat as Bill laid out the situation for her, aat least from his perspective. Maybe she was out of line, but she had to raise an issue that came to her straight away.
"Maybe you should resign your commission?" she blurted out. Hoping not to aggravate someone who just bared their soul to her, she explained herself.
"We have all made a choice to join the Spacy, and if necessary, pay that ultimate price. That doesn't necessarily mean we want to, but the needs of the community outweigh the needs of the individual. Yes, we may die, but we all die one day. All the Hawks live their lifes to the fullest, enjoying what the Almighty has granted us for our short corporeal existence."
| By Ryu Connor (Hellfire) on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 11:27 pm: |
The same pilots who had brought the Phoenix crew aboard the Raven now prepared to take them for one more trip.
The shuttle shuddered as the engines came to life; bringing with it a dull noise, which carried through the hull. The barely audible noise became more pronounced as the engines climbed in power. Everyone leaned as the effects of intertia washed over the shuttle.
The shuttle had lifted off the deck and moved out of the bay and into space. The Phoenix sat just feet away, the pilots already talking to the AGCTO and establishing a landing.
The shuttle pilots voice came over the intercom.
"I've been asked to expedite this trip. We are going to land here in just a moment. You must move quickly off the shuttle. They want us back in space and heading toward the Raven in one minute. About one minute after that I should be far enough away that the Phoenix will be able to safely fold without dragging me along. It seems you ladies and gents are late for a mission."
"I'm told you will be escorted directly to the mess and that introductions and briefings will proceed during breakfast."
OOC: New thread and more material tomorrow.
| By Kit Malak on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 11:36 pm: |
Kit smiled and nodded. She wasn't really serious about racing and was only tugging the line a little. She sensed that something was bothering Araika aside from her wounds. It wasn't anything tangible and to anyone that hadn't spent some time around the reclusive Hawk, not even noticeable.
Kit shared some of Kim's affinity for reading people or maybe it was empathy. Either way, she wasn't as manipulative with the things she saw in others. Still, she wasn't against using some of Kim's tactics.
Looking up she realized that while her thoughts had taken her, Araika was already on her way up the ramp.
"Hey wait up Ika, no one fired the starting shot."
Kit started wheeling her chair after her but in no real hurry. It was obvious that she couldn't pass her on the ramp and it would likely send her head throbbing again if she tried.
After clearing the top of the ramp Kit had to breath several deep breaths with eyes closed. The small exertion had been enough to start her brow afire once more though not as bad as it could have been otherwise.
When she could open her eyes again, Kit scanned for Araika and then moved to a spot next to her.
"Alright you won that one but only cause I tripped."
Kit exhaled deeply and gave her yet another Malak grin. Victory comes through persistence.
| By Jade on Monday, October 28, 2002 - 11:47 pm: |
Stubbling back, Jade caught herself on the row of seats behind her. If not for that, John's weight would have toppled her to the floor. A confused look sprung to her face as he repeated her own question back to her but she nodded anyway.
"Yes sir. Sorry for interrupting."
Not waiting for a response, Jade nodded and then moved off to take a seat against the starboard bulkhead. Choosing the aft most row, Jade eased into the window seat leaving only the eisle seat next to her empty for John. Since no one was in the row in front, it would give them a small vesibule of privacy.
Though the shuttle was taking off they might at least have a few moments to talk...to catch up...to find out if fantasy and reality were even thinly linked.
| By Kim Malak on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 12:27 am: |
Kim stepped onto the shuttle just as the whine from the shuttle engines reached full capacity. Within seconds the transport was on it's way and Kim was finding himself a seat...right behind the Major.
He was sure the Major had seen and been waiting for him to board and he would make it known that he was well aware of it.
"Major..." Kim started with a professional tone and short nod. "...I apologize for my late arrival."
With no further explantation Kim sat down directly behind Amaris and settled back to fill in the forms he'd downloaded prior to boarding.
| By Maj. Amaris Martin (Vagabond) on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 07:05 am: |
As Murdoch moved off, Amaris felt himself relax. He hadn't even known he'd tensed up. Sighing, he shifted in his seat, rising a bit to glance around and count heads. There...Kit Malak and Araika Faloise were just rolling up the ramp. Amaris blinked. He'd thought the nurses had already wheeled them onboard...was he seeing things? Glancing back, he spotted Kyoko Kanzaki, strapped in and ready to go. Maybe he'd simply seen the nurses bring her in, and had extrapolated from that. Amaris sighed again, settling in and reviewing in his mind. That was everyone, except Kim Malak.
The shuttle began powering up all around him. He closed his eyes briefly in annoyance, then rose from his seat, resting the flags gingerly on his palms. He'd have to tell the pilots to wait...
And there was Malak, striding up the ramp just before it was moved away and the hatches sealed. The man strode in nonchalantly and found a seat directly behind Amaris, apologizing but offering no excuse. That, at least, was admirable...if a bit secretive. But then, Amaris didn't know what any of his pilots had done last night, or this morning. He'd give Malak the same respect, and not administer the third degree.
Still, late was late. Amaris smiled wanly at the man. "That's all right, Lieutenant; you can make it up to me by taking the first rotation as equipment manager once we reach the Phoenix. I'll need you to arrive early for each mission and check over our equipment, see to replacements should we need anything, that sort of thing. And after each mission you'll stay behind to catalog equipment and write usage reports for me." He turned, easing back into his seat and glancing over his shoulder. "We'll discuss it further once we arrive on the Phoenix."
The shuttle rose from the deck and maneuvered out of the bay. This was surely the most efficient transfer he'd ever seen. That point was underlined by the pilot's announcement.
Late for a mission? He'd suspected as much, but the confirmation only made him quite relieved that he'd managed to get in so much sleep the night before.
"You heard the man, people," he called when the announcement was over. "Gather your things and be ready to debark as soon as we touch down. Lieutenant Murdoch, see to Lieutenant Kanzaki. Lieutenant Malak, see to Lieutenant Malak. And Lieutenant Yamada, see to Lieutenant Faloise. We'll need to hustle, but I want the wheelchairs out first." Amaris glanced over to where Captain Sanderson was sitting, expecting him to offer similar orders to his own people.
| By 2nd Lt. Bill Lee (Machwave) on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 10:45 am: |
"No, Fazia, running away by resigning my commision is not the answer," responded Bill in a serious tone. Serious in the sense that he accepted her comment as a valid option. In fact, he was glad someone could ask him the hard questions just like the guys he used to run with.
"I think I'm just venting now. I'm frustrated with the fact that in the eight weeks since I left the Academy, I've been stranded, almost blown up, chased by ancient mecha, rescued, and now changed squadrons. I think one of my Chinese ancestors laid our most potent curse on me - 'May you live in interesting times.'" smiled Bill ruefully.
"I agree with you - to a point. We act as a group because the group can accomplish more for us than we can by ourselves. I agree that a community's needs can outweigh the needs of the individual, but what about the community's responsibilities to the individual. Obligation is a two way street."
Bill was interrupted by the shuttle pilot's announcement and it gave him a chance to pause and think more carefully on Fazia's statements. "After my parents died, I found a kind of family among a group of kids who were in the same boat and we had the same kind of comraderie and commitment to each other that I see among the squadrons in Spacy. I think my real point is that I haven't been here long enough to form those bonds of commitment. I am really just a Hawk in name only until I earn that commitment and build those bonds." As he was speaking, a fairly serious thought occured to Bill and, uncharacteristically, he voiced it without really considering it. "I suppose that's what we're doing right now - building the bonds and commitments. So, that means that we are now taking the first steps down the path to being friends."
With a small smile and bow of his head, "Fazia bint Farouk Al Hamza, I would be honored if you accept me as a friend - an oasis in the vast harshness of the world," Bill said in a seriousness tone that also gave a hint that the hardships of childhood had not killed his sense of humor.
| By Ryu Connor (Hellfire) on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 11:14 am: |
| By Mark Sanderson (Bishop) on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 11:16 am: |
Mark let out a sigh as the pilots voice came over the intercom. Yet another mission, it wasn’t that he was lazy but the ship he had been stationed on had been incinerated the day before. It seemed like they wanted to get the most out of their pilots.
“Jameson help Nexx out of the shuttle when we land, whether he likes it or not.” He said looking over at Nexx. His refusals to be helped by the orderlies on board the Raven showed determination. Maybe a little craziness too, he liked that. Everyone fights no one quits.
“Lee help Silstar with a few of her bags. I want us out of here when the ramp hits the deck. Though I’m sure I didn’t need to tell ya all that.”
Mark relaxed in his seat closing his eyes for a second. It was going to be a long day.
| By Ryu Connor (Hellfire) on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 11:25 am: |
OOC:
Nexx, what the hell are you doing?
| By 2nd Lt. Fazia Al Hamza (Sirocco) on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 10:32 pm: |
Fazia heard Bill's take on the matter, and could see his point of view. He had indeed been bounced around alot of late, but with any luck that should change very shortly.
"We help each other out when difficulties arise." she smiled.
Then, at his request for friendship, Fazia was uncertain of exactly how to take it. Cedua and Jiro hadn't really asked to become her friend. It had just happened. Gideon hadn't been with the unit long enough for anything but a deep respect to form. This was different. Cracking a smile, she extended her hand to shake his.
"Yes, I should like that Bill."