A Cubit Short - Air Wing

A Cubit Short - Air Wing

Summary:	The Air Wing is called to investigate a distress signal, resulting in a horrifying spectacle of space combat.
Date:	PHD 134 (August 30, 2009)
Related Logs:	A Cubit Short - Kharon

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Kitty stands, leaving her tray to be picked at by anyone wanting pancakey goodness. "I think I am in serious need of downtime in my bunk, guys. I'll see you later, okay? Oh…hello, Captain. Please excuse me." Clearing her throat, she starts to exit, letting what is being said around her fade into a background buzz before it fades out entirely when she leaves.

Matto chuckles at Jules, returning his attention to the jello he's not quite done with yet, taking tiny spoonfuls at a time at decent intervals. His eyebeams pivot toward the Colonies' Greatest Mommy cup and then up towards its bearer, and he lifts his spoon in a casual wave, swallowing a sliver of jello. "Hey." Then, hey, Tinners is talking to him, no time for awkward, "Oh, that's fine. As long as they're not the chocolate ones. See you later, Babydoll," he adds.

Topher slides the pencil out from the spiral on the notebook. He flips the worn cover of it open before jotting something down. "Nah this isn't that sadly." He then closes the notebook and slides his pencil back into the sprial. Pressing it into his back pocket once again.

With trotting footsteps, Martin arrives back in the Mess. Looking up towards the table where he was sitting earlier, he sees that there all still people there. Taking inventory, he quickly grabs a cup of water and sits back down next to Matto. "Shit, I missed Kitty. Allright, so what'd I miss?"

Sen smirks at Topher over the rim of her coffee cup, though she at least is managing not to blush. "Yes, I believe we met last night." She steps aside a bit as Kitty leaves the table, though the Captain hasn't fully joined the party yet. She's just sort of…lingering. A tentative sip of her coffee, a grimace, and then she's greeting Matto more directly, "Lieutenant Matto." Nope, no awkwardness. Much. She's in her blues, with her Captain's pins so she has to set a good example.

Sen gets a smile from Jules, complete with orange yammy goodness on her teeth as the engineer passes. Mmmmm. More of the impromtu deliciousness is eaten and what remains is set down so the juice box can be properly straw-plugged. Leda gets a nod and right before she takes a sip of her drink, she says, "Being badass in hand-to-hand is sort of a Marine thing. We need it to be good at our jobs… Plus, it helps keeps the chub away."

Topher raises an eyebrow in response to Jules comment. "Yes well try squeeze extra

Leda eats his pancakes since this is like a panfried version of crack to him at this moment. He then looks at Sen and says, "Yeah, but just once it would be nice to see a Pilot not go down like a little bitch." He then takes a sip of orange juice, well, powdered orange juice. He then says, "Then again, I don't think flying a Viper is an easy task, it is all about stick control, one wrong twitch and you are toast."

At Sen's statement of having met Topher before, Kissy turns and looks in that direction. Oh, -that's- who that is. No, he didn't get a good look at him. Now he does. He clears his throat some, takes another sliver of jello, "Not much, we were talking about recruiting Sunshine for a new Free Hugs initiative," he explains to Marty, then looks toward Sen, again, "Kissy," he offers her the use of his first name, if she wants to use it. He's never terribly formal, and is off-duty to boot.

Topher raises an eyebrow in response to Jules comment. "Yes well try squeeze extra 'chub' into the cockpit of a viper. It never ends up really well." He smiles at Leda when he continues "Chub can cause accidental twitch issues. But I use to spend a lot of my free time boxing its a Canceron thing. Though I am surely not as in as good of shape as a lot of the marines."

"Free hugs initiative? Someone's paying for a hug nowadays?" Martin blinks, bringing his cup of water to his lips to drink. Waggling his eyebrows in a hello to Jules, he sets his cup down. Easing back on his chair, he leans an elbow over the back of it to recline like the slacker he is. "Ah…we're talking about fight night too. I have it on good authority that navy versus navy fights aren't so bad. Navy versus marine on the other hand…"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I know Rebound beat Epi-eps once," Jules offers to Leda. "I just wouldn't anticipate it happening very often. You guys exercise to be able to fly a machine to kill things. We exercise to use our bodies to kill things." Rolling her shoulders, she slurps her juice and then grabs for what's left of her yam-pancake combo. "Now, before I agree to this free hug thing… what kind of salary can I expect? And is there health insurance?" She glances over Tophers way and perks an eyebrow, "Boxing is hella good exercise. Or so I've heard." As Martin sits, she adds, "Dash gets the first free hug. He needs it more'n you guys do."

Sen smiles at the collective masses, raising her mug in parting. "Be good." She tells them, apparently having no intention or no time to take part in a Free Hug initiative or call people out by their first names. Duty calls.

Leda smiles, "Seriously, it is a good work out….then again I have made that punching bag my bitch." He says and it is a known fact that Leda has been working very hard on training, though, Leda also has a tendency to throw in knees, kicks, and punch combos that would be illegal in the ring. He goes quiet as he eats.

"I suspect you'll pick up seven or eight hugs a day salary," Kissy replies, "And health insurance is taken care of, just go to sickbay and give them your serial number," Kisseus tells Jules with that foolish grin he gets when he's talking nonsense.

"I don't need no free hugs. Give me a beach and a cooler of beer." Martin replies with playful sarcasm. Giving Sen a wave as she moves to stand, he lifts his head to the ceiling and widens his eyes. "I…can't…believe…that they tracked me all of the way down here to get that done early due to a schedule change." Martin groans, still annoyed at having been dragged away from the table earlier. It seems to be annoying him just a tad bit more than it should. "Wait…" He lowers his head. "The free hug program pays out in hugs? I'm confused here…"

Topher slids up from his spot again bowing his head. "Well you all have fun. I can't take the smell of this place any longer." He grabs both ends of the towel around his neck shrugging. "But on Canceron there is dust, boxing, and of course racing. We don't have time for much else." Then without anymore comments he ducks back out into the walkway.

"Man, hugs paid with hugs? That sounds like some sort of triangular shaped scam to me." Jules looks Matto in the eyes, a smirk on her lips. Then she looks over at Martin and leans over the empty seat Kitty had previously occupied in his direction. "How've you been, sir? Doing better?"

Leda loooks over at Topher, "Take care, eltee." He then looks back at everyone gathered as he has finished his meal and so he simply wants to listen.

"It all works out, y'see, hugs are a self-duplicating resource. Any energy put into creating a hug is about seventy five percent likely to create another hug in its wake," Kissy explains the matter simply. "Sometimes it can even go to extremes, and the hug created int he wake of the first hug creates a hug of its own, and so on back and forth into eternity," Kissy points out, scooping jello carefully with his spoon. "And that's how babies are made."

"NoOoOo Matto that's not how babies are made. Babies are made when people drink and wear bikini tops." Martin grins towards Matto, widening one of his eyes and narrowing the other to make a silly face in his direction. "Makes sense tho, good for morale and all…" He replies, turning to look at Sunshine. "Me? I've been alright I suppose. Had a late night last night and an early CAP this morning. I've been burning at both ends of the candle for a while now."

"Man, I was wondering how that happened… Epi never did get around to explaining the birds and the wasps to me." That's Jules' counter for Matto, a musing chin rub added just for flavor. Leaning back into her seat, she nods at Martin and says, "You look better than the other night, at least. Burnt down to a nub or no."

Leda stands, "I need to go and take care of some things for a moment." He then puts his tray away, "Sir." He says to the Captain and then to everyone else he gives a wave and with that a man full of pancakes is gone.

"Hey, that's not true at all. I've totally worn bikini tops while drunk and have never gotten pregnant," Kissy squints dubiously at Marty, keeping deadpan until he grins and chucks his arms about the dude in a warm hug. "You keep at it, guy. Thing's'll get better." A squeeze, then he parts from the Red Squadroner and picks up his tray, "I leave you in capable hands," he tells Marty.

"Yeah, I kicked a little bit more sleep but I wandered down the wrong stairway trying to find this place this morning. Luckily I was able to get a little nap in after CAP that's got me more alive than anything now." Martin replies, turning his chair to face Jules, continuing their conversation. "What about you, how have things been for you since after I escaped the laundry?"

"The usual. Bright and cheery. I've decided that whatever happens, it's up to the gods, so who am I to get bent out of shape over their plans for me, right?" Jules certainly looks pretty cheerful, at any rate. More of her juice box is emptied before she turns her attention on the little corner of casserole left on her plate. "You know, given the givens, the chefs have done a fantastic job with the food situation."

Martin blink, looking in the direction of the Tuna Casserole on Jules' plate. "Holy shit you like that stuff?" He brightens, pointing in the direction of the food like. "I spend all damn week waiting for that stuff to get cooked. I can't get enough of it to the point that I was sitting here a few hours ago trying to convince everyone as to why that's the best shit in the damn universe…"

"Dude, it's awesome," Jules states unequivocally, a big smile on her face as she chews that last bit up and swallows. "And the pancakes with the yam stuff? Man. I don't know what cans of crap they have back there, but it's a party in my mouth and everyone is invited." Pause. "Except you." With a teasing look in her eye, she ducks her head and reaches for something in her pocket, coming up with it. "I found this book in the Marine berthings you might like. The lady on the front cover isn't quite as busty as the one you were reading, but… It seemed like it was up your alley." A paperback comes up in her hands and she holds it out. "It's a murder mystery set before the first war… there's Tauron gangsters and gumshoes and everything."

<Intercom> Attention! Action Stations! Set Condition One throughout the ship.

"Yeah, I'm scum." Martin chuckles, taking the book. Looking it over, he extends a fist to bump knuckles with Jules over their bonding regarding the casserole. That's when the intercom sounds off. "Frak…" He blinks, moving so fast from his table that his chair clatters to the floor behind him. Leaving his water, he keeps the book in his hand and does what he's supposed to…he races for the door.

[Intercom] Beckett says, "Do you hear? Condition One has been set. All alert pilots are to prepare to Scramble. Do you hear? All alert pilots prepare to scramble."

Eyes going wide as the alert sounds, Jules stands up right about as Martin starts for the door. "Good hunting!" she calls, before ducking down the corridor the opposite way, heading for the security hub. "And no dying! I owe you a hug!"

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[TAC3] "Dash" Martin says, "Actual, Dash in Wolf-11, reading green and pre-checked. Ready for scramble. Any wing designations or sitrep?"

[Wolf-5: Willem] Punching through the pre-flight checklist merely moments after the crewman affixes the helmet to Wil's head, he proceeds accordingly. As the checklist goes green, he gives the deckhand a thumbs-up before twiddling a couple more knobs and patching into primary comms.

[Wolf-11: Martin] Scrambling towards his waiting Wolf-11, Martin 'Dash' Black quickly makes his way up the ladder while zipping his flight suit on. Body hopping in before he's handed his helmet by the crew assigned to his Viper on the tubes, he slaps the canopy closed and starts punching buttons on the console.

[Wolf-9: Hale] And even as he is zipping up that suit, Hale's slamming himself down, into the usual wedge for the cockpit maneuvers. A deep breath and there's a motion for the helmet to be sealed on while finishing getting his own arse in gear as well as the checklist done. So far everything is greener than green. A thumbs up given as he begins hurriedly running through the systems. Lights clicking on and systems booting. And now he is patching in as the cockpit is lowered.

Thea comes jogging up onto the deck, fastening herself into her suit as she goes. At the call on the intercom, her head tilts, steps falter just briefly. Cookies is right behind her and the two women exchange a very brief look.

[TAC3] "Kharon Actual" Sheridan says, "Dash, Actual. I suggest you talk to your CAG on how to handle the Wing. Not the CIC."

Kitty is just waiting to figure out what's going on, her flight gear on and properly tightened and all of whatever needs to be done to insure a proper fit, her helmet tucked firmly under an arm.

Samantha grabs a pre-flight checklist, going over it rather faster than normal, but still thorough. It's born into her blood these days, really… she does the fast visual inspection before handing it over and finally properly screwing in and clicking her helmet into place, worried eyes wide and ready.

Matto is hastening onto deck a short way after his backseater du jour, suited up but for the helmet, for now, for the sake of calling out to her, "Babydoll, you with me?" he asks her, making sure she knows where she's going since she looks a little lost. A hand touches her shoulder as he meets her, then passes her, heading up into the bird — first in, last off — beckoning her to follow as he shuffles up front to go through flight prep while waiting on the jump.

Mars comes bounding up the stairs and across the deck. She dodges a viper being moved to a tube and angles for her own, grabbing a helmet from one of the deck hands and giving it a quick check before securing it on her melon. "This ought to be interesting."

[Intercom] Sheridan says, "Prepare for jump in 3… 2… 1…"

Thorn is all business as he goes to stand on the wing of Fox-4, snatching a checklist out of the hand of a nearby petty officer. He watches a deck gang swarm around his bird, preparing it for launch; he's quiet, though, with the exception of a growled order here and there. There's a pause as the intercom announces the jump, but just like that it's back to the checklist.

Helmet in hand, Wil stands by his chosen Viper's ladder as the P.O. assigned to the bird finishes wheeling it into place. "Hope it's not another godsdamned graveyard rat trap."

Climbing out of his Viper at the sight of assembling crew, Martin cringes at the near-scolding reply of the Kharon's commander over the intercom. Checking his pistol's setting in his chest holster, he hefts his helmet in his left hand. Staying close to his bird, he looks to the CAG.

Topher grips his checklist after being shuttled along towards a Viper. His helmet tuck under his arm as he stands aside of it waiting for further orders. Finally finising the checklist and tossing it back to the deck crewman who gave it to him.

Thank the gods she doesn't really believe in that Matto seems willing to take her under his wing. "Yeah, I'm here." As he embarks she looks around one last time. "Breathe…" Shaking herself out of the worry-induced stupor, she boards their Raptor and gets herself seated and strapped in and her helmet's put on.

[Intercom] Roubani says, "Jump sequence complete. All systems check…green light."

"You better hope we don't find another messed up kid is what you better hope, Wil." He then says, "So, a distress signal? If it is a trap aparently we are going right into it." It would seem that Leda is prepped and waiting for orders to get into his bird. He looks back at Wolf-8 and he puts his hand on the wing, "Bring me home, baby." He says softly to his Viper. He looks over Kitty as she gets to go with Matto and his eyes scan for where Legacy is and then to Papabear.

Timon lingers by Foxbat-4's main engine just a little longer than might be necessary, running his fingers across the cool nacelle before he's being shoved out of the way by an insistent man in orange. That unlucky fellow gets Ivory's completed checklist before the pilot is climbing into his bird. One hand rises to fiddle with the hardseal around his neck; the other taps at the front of his flight helmet, checking it for cracks. Only then does he lock it over his head, taking up his position in the cockpit as Kharon prepares to jump.

Kai is still snapping seals on his flight suit as he hustles it into the hangar bay, just ahead of.. who the hell is that, anyway? He seems to be with the CAG, though, so all must be well. The poor man doesn't have much of a booming voice; years of cigarette smoking'll ruin that. So he hops up on top of a nearby raptor's wing, to give him at least some height (sorely needed) and visible presence. "All right, gents, listen up." If that doesn't get their attention, his gloved hands being clapped together ought. "We've got another distress signal that's come in. We'll be scrambling a raptor filled to the gills with marines to take a look once we jump in" Speaking of jumping. "and alert vipers will launch, along with a close escort on our raptor. Rabbit, Rebound, you'll be on escort duty tonight. Ivory, Thorn, you'll be ferrying in our marines. Black Cat and Madman will stay back to provide long-range support for the vipers in the air— the rest of you, keep their sixes clear. We're going to get in, get out, and not lose anyone tonight." Once the jump's complete, he begins clambering back down again, setting off a flurry of activity amongst the pilots as they resume scrambling to their birds.

Before Kai hops back down again, he asks, "Any questions?"

"Yeah," says Timon, who hasn't actually buckled in. He pokes his head out the side of the hatch with gloved hand raised.

"Air is -key,-" Kisseus calls back to the backseat, agreeing with Kitty's self-directive. He doesn't say anything else, though, since the CAG is giving the briefing, taking in orders, smiling and gnawing on the red gummy tucked between his teeth for a moment. Survivors. No questions from his quarter.

[TAC3] "Kharon Actual" Sheridan says, "CAG, Actual. Secure this airspace and prepare your raptors for boarding teams."

Thorn pauses mid-scribble at the sound of the CAG's voice. He looks up, a blank, thin-lipped expression directed at Kai as the boss pilot speaks. As usual, he's got no questions; he simply hands off his checklist brusquely to the next orange suited figure to pass by and waits by his ship's hatch for the impromptu briefing to conclude.

Wil's lips simply curl to one side, smiling a truly half-smile as his head bobs in a faint nod at the CAG's orders. He hastily tosses off a salute in acknowledgement and peers over towards Hale, with a faint glance. For once, he doesn't have anything to ask. His collar seal is attached and he lingers by the ladder of Wolf-5 briefly to absorb any pertinent information that he can.

Castor looks over at Timon and he waits to see what the question will be. He is already close to his Viper and aparently quick and dirty is how this meeting is done which suits Leda just fine.

Mars doesn't have a question. She hangs off her viper's ladder, though, giving the CAG her full attention.

Samantha gives a quick snap of a salute to the CAG, "Yes, sir!" She calls, though inside her helmet it might not be much heard unless anyone has their comms on. She then goes back to climbing into her Viper again, looking across the interior to do her fast checklist before giving the deck crew the thumbs up to close her canopy.

Topher continues to fidges slightly inside the obnoxious smelling air suit. Then finally he gets the nerve to lock the helmet on his head. The grotesque face he makes a testament to the foul body odor lingering inside. A deep sigh and then he runs up the ramp to the Viper he was shuffled towards.

Martin looks to Kai as he tugs his helmet to hold in two hands. Quickly stepping backwards in the direction of his Viper, he calls out to Kai. "Any changes to wing assignments? We're short a Mudguts." Martin announces, glancing in the direction of the Raptor crews to nod to Matto and Kitty. That's when he notices Thorn and Case. Giving them each a quiet look, he pulls his vision back to Kai as he stops at the ladder of his Viper.

Thea and Cookies wait by their Raptor, looking up at Kai and listening to the briefly. Thea gives the CAG a tense smile and a salute at the orders. No questions there, either

Kai also adds, "Wing assignments will be called once we get up there." Sheridan's voice over the comm has him answering enroute to his bird, which happens to take him past Timon's. "Make it quick."

Ivory's voice is muted by the fact that his helmet is already on. "Just to be clear, Spider: my number one priority is rescue; EW from my bird will be secondary?"

Hale remains where he is-half bloody in and out of Wolf-9, but the words are recieved and eyes are flashing back towards Willem. A thumbs up coming quickly, before he is nodding and sliding back into pace. Yeah, he's readying to play escort duty.

"Black Cat and Madman'll be handling any countermeasures necessary, Ivory." Marek gives the nose of Timon's raptor a solid thump with his palm as he passes. "Your mission is search and rescue."

"Or rather — delivery of the marines, I should say," Timon appends quickly. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Acknowledged, Actual."

With that, Thorn turns away, fiddling with his hard seal and grabbing his helmet. Martin's look is either missed or ignored; either way, he's got other things to worry about at the moment. There's a brief sigh and headshake at Kai's words; what, Thorn doesn't get to play with his toys? The helmet snaps into place, and Anton shoves past Timon to get to his seat in the Raptor.

[TAC3] "Kharon Actual" Sheridan says, "CAG, Actual. We have reports of heavy Cylon activity on board from the starboard side. Get your Vipers in the air and clear that starboard space. We need to find an entry point for our Marines for your Raptors to land. All flights are cleared for launch on your order."

[Wolf-5: Willem] Punching through the pre-flight checklist merely moments after the crewman affixes the helmet to Wil's head, he proceeds accordingly. As the checklist goes green, he gives the deckhand a thumbs-up before twiddling a couple more knobs and patching into primary comms. His bird is wheeled into the tube a moment later.

[Wolf-12: Samantha] If Case notices Martin's look, she makes no indication. Nor is she looking at Thorn, or anyone but briefly Kai and now her viper, going down over the interior pre-flight list as fast as possible and getting things fired up then as her bird begins to be wheeled over to the launch bay properly. She is ready and rarin' to go.

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] Foxbat-7's driver makes quick work of her pre-flight checklist and settles in, Cookies just behind her. They seem to be working well as a pair. Everything is checked as the Vipers prepare to launch ahead of the Raptors providing support.

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Vigilantes, you heard the man. Launch when ready, and form up at the following coordinates. We'll proceed to the starboard side. Black Cat, Madman, keep your distance. Dash, you'll be flying with me. Story, you'll be with me. Case, with Rainbow. Rabbit and Rebound, launch with Ivory when he's cleared to go up."

[Wolf-11: Martin] Scrambling up the ladder, Martin dumps himself back into the cockpit. Ensuring the seals are made, he secures his helmet and gives a thumb's up to the deck crew. They quickly pull his ladder away. Turning his head towards the launch tube, Dash, signals the launch.

[Wolf-6: Mars] Mars plunks down into her viper and finishes up her pre-flight before checking her helmet one more time. Reasonably secure that she won't suffocate mid-flight, she gives a thumbs up to her designated deck hand pal and waits for her canopy to be lowered. Seconds later she's headed for a tube.

[TAC3] "Dash" Martin says, "Spider, Dash. Copy that. I am green for launch. Lighting the fire now."

[Wolf-10: Topher] locks himself into his Viper settling down. He gives a thumbs up to the deck crew as he finishes his last checks inside the ship. Then he slaps his helmet a few times for good luck as he awaits Kai's command.

[Foxbat-4: Timon] Timon nods as Kai gives the order. In a flash, he's buckled in, checking and double-checking his primary systems while waiting for the order to launch.

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Spider, Madman, I hear you."

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem says, "Spider, Rebound. Copy. We're waiting in the tube. Over."

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Black Cat copies, Spider. Come home safe and good hunting."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Copy that, Spider. Foxbat-4 is awaiting your go."

[TAC3] "Rabbit" Hale says, "Spider, Rabbit Copy that. We're green to go- just waiting on our prom date"

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, we're all set here. Are we running a joint jamming pattern or is this Duelling ECO night?"

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Madman, Black Cat. Joint jamming. We're going to need to work together on this one. I want everything that is moving jammed to hell and back."

[TAC3] "Dash" Martin says, "Spider, Dash, launch complete moving to form loose on your five. Arming KEW and ready on your mark."

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, acknowledged. I'll move three carom zero of you and troll from there."

[Wolf-3: Kai] Wolf-3 screams out of the tubes, 'burners lighting up as it clears the breach and strafes away from the carrier's hulk.

[Wolf-12: Samantha] Wolf-12 follows quickly after Spider, smoothly taking off into the darkness of space, no wing waggles or motions hello today. It's all business by the book flying right now.

[Wolf-3: Kai] In the open black of space, explosions and detonations flare orange red as vessels clustered loosely around a larger ship take heavy fire. Bellerophon, a large Battlestar is dead center the action, heavy damage rendering its form unrecognizable in places. Massive decompressions are obvious. The ship is dead or dying in the water. The guns along the port side give a final volley toward the enemy ships, and the aim is true. But then they go quiet.

Two star shaped basestars smoke and list, the cylon command ships surrounded by flights of raiders, like angry bees swaming a small fleet. One of the basestars is clearly destroyed, parts just drifting in space, momentum achieved at detonation. The second exchanges a volley with the Bell, and a radiological alarm sounds. As the Kharon soldiers watch, massive detonation takes out what surely must have been the Bell's CIC and main weapons battery. The basestar remaining is clearly heavily damaged, and continues to limp along.

Debris of life pods, several viper squads, and civilian vessels litter space like small asteroids, and the amount of them makes DRADIS difficult very close in to the main ship. The screens are a mess of contacts, most of them hostile. Occasionally, a distress signal repeats from the Elpis, the only intact civilian ship still mostly intact, and it is clear from the messages that there is a boarding action.

[TAC3] (from "Case" Samantha) ..What…the frak…

[Wolf-6: Mars] Not one to be left behind, Wolf-6 shoots out of it's tube smoothly and burns towards the rest of the squadron. The nuclear explosion has the viper wavering in space, possibly due to the blindingly brilliant flash it produces. The ship is back on target a moment later, grumbles coming over the com.

[TAC3] "Kharon Actual" Sheridan says, "CAG, Actual. Coordinate with CIC for weapon coverage from the Kharon. She is ready to provide additional support."

[Wolf-10: Topher] Wolf-10 banks and forms up behind Kai's Viper. Keeping a perfect flight pattern till the explosion cause him to stutter and waggle his stick.

[TAC3] "Dash" Martin says, "Tinman, Dash. Correction, new update I'm on your six. Case! Lock it in we got lives to save. Lead the way, Tinman, I've got your rear covered. No fear, no death, buddy…"

[Into the Wireless] Martin says, "Tinman, Dash. Correction, new update I'm on your six. Case! Lock it in we got lives to save. Lead the way, Tinman, I've got your rear covered. No fear, no death, buddy…"

[TAC3] "Case" Samantha says, "I'm here, Dash. Just… Frak. They're huge. Just tell me where to go, Spider."

[TAC3] "Tinman" Castor says, "I think we are going to need a bigger ship."

[Wolf-11: Martin] Bursting from his launch tube, Dash's eyes go wide at the absolutely horrifying sight of total war before them. What isn't covered in the sea of shredded death between them and the Bellerophon is in the backdrop of a terrifying number of Cylons. Keeping his cool, Dash chooses bravado over intelligence and commits himself to the fight.

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Actual, Spider. Vipers launched and enroute to securing the Elpis. We could use some support for our raptors once we move in; recommend keeping a close envelope. Vigilantes, stay out of the flak ring and watch your flying."

[TAC3] Topher says, "May the gods let those people not die in vain. Wolf-10 ready for further orders Captain."

[Wolf-12: Samantha] The moment commands are given, Sam sweeps out of the flak ring and prepares to open fire, positioning herself for the fight with no hesitation in her flying.

[Foxbat-8: Matto] Kissy lets Black Cat take the lead, then lifting from the deck to keep in formation with her, back behind the viper cover. "… Holy shit," he mutters at the sight that had been waiting for them outside Kharon, then he clears his throat and initiates a lag in his formation, beginning the slow trolling maneuver to help cover optimal area, but keeping decently close. "Um, Crybaby, send me up your initial jamming points."

[TAC3] Beckett says, " Spider, Actual. Give us the go, and we'll lock on and fire. Remind your pilots the flak ring will be hot, and we won't break it unless absolutely needed."

[Wolf-8: Castor] Leda keeps in formation but he veers only ever so slightly to get footage of the basestars on his guncam.

[Wolf-6: Mars] The nuclear explosion fading, Wolf-6 slinks to Wolf-12's wing, holding steady as they zoom forward.

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher lets his fighter slide up ever so slightly. Giving him firing clearance as he readies his weapons. He stays laid back near Kai's wing.

[TAC3] "Rainbow" Mars says, "Case, Rainbow. I've got your butt covered. Ready to rock and roll."

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] Thea's face is a study in calm horror as she takes in the sight outside the Kharon. Her jaw works for a moment before she opens the com channel and begins to speak quietly.

[Wolf-3: Kai] Spider maneuvers his bird in hard and fast, throttling to full as he streaks in just ahead of his wingman. It doesn't take much to gain the raiders' attention; several of them fan out and gun it for the vipers, guns lighting up against a canopy of ruined ships glowing orange with countless explosions in the star-speckled dark.

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Madman, Black Cat. Our first priority, I believe, is getting the boarding party down. So we're jamming there. Once we've got them down, continue jamming in that area. I suspect we'll want to go for the mothership after that, so be prepared to switch targets. When we get to the big one, I'll take care of the raiders while you go for the main event."

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, I hear you. Suppression for the Raiders giving the Reds a bad time until Ivory launches?"

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Madman, Black Cat. That's the plan. Focus on the ones blocking the way to the ship."

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, acknowledged."

[Wolf-6: Mars] Wolf-6, dropping back, manages to lock onto and twist after the Raider that tries to latch onto Wolf-12. Tenaciously, it thunders bullets into the thing's hide, causing it to juke desperately.

[Wolf-11: Martin] Dash had it going good. With the initialy wave of fire coming from Tinman's Viper and from Shirt's Viper. Dropping low in a stylish maneuver as the Raider passes through their defensive line, he kicks his rudders to force a blast of fuel from the front of the Viper to force it to turn in time with the Raider's passing. This gives him a clear shot at the soft underbelly of the enemy ship. Flashes emit from his canopy as his Viper's ammo shreds into the control structure of the Raider. Averting his eyes from the explosion, he doesn't have enough time to see a Raider swooping in from his side. A volley of automatic fire penetrates the main body of his Viper, sending it rolling lifelessly in the middle of the battlefield. Canopy cracked and venting atmosphere…all that comes over the comms is static.

[TAC3] (from "Spider" Kai) Spider's voice crackles over the comms after what seems an eternity: "Good hits, Vigilantes. Dash— Dash, what is your status? Do you read?"

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher cuts sharply barely missing a piece of the battlestar barreling towards him. He cuts back just as quickly to retake his position. Turning his sight on the raider coming towards Kai. He sprays a marker shot before attempting to tear into the raider. A loud thud rings in his ears as the shots land against the targeted raider.

[TAC3] "Rainbow" Mars says, "Case, I almost got it off you. Damned thing is being real clingy."

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Tac3 Spider, Actual. I need the wing to move to the Coordinates Echo 175, Carcom 320 on my mark. We're going to lend a volley to see if we can't help scatter some birds. Once the volley is off sweep up and clean house, over."

[TAC3] "Case" Samantha says, "We'll take care of it this time. Gorgeous shot, by the way, Rainbow."

[Wolf-3: Kai] Spider's running more than gunning at the moment, and letting his wingman take out the trash. Except the trash doesn't entirely want to be taken out. He pulls his viper into a hard breakturn when he comes out of his pursuit curve, and lights up his guns for a few quick shots at the bandit.

[Wolf-8: Castor] Leda goes wide eyed as he spots the carnage that happens to his wingman. He pilots around aiming for the Raider that did a fair amount of damage to Dash's ship. It would seem that Tinman gets pissy with frakking Raiders that hit his wingman's ship. He waits to see if Dash responds and he continues his flight.

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Kharon, Spider. We'll do our best. Hold off on that volley for my mark."

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Spider, Actual. Alright. Start the maneuver. when you're all clear we're firing."

[TAC3] (from "Case" Samantha) ..Dash… talk to me. You ain't lookin' so good over there. How ya doin'?

[Wolf-12: Samantha] Case's viper flies forward, opening a generalized strafing run on the nearest Raider she sees, all too thankful for the woman behind her actually firing on the one on Case's ass. She does a bit of damage, some fire breaking out over the Raider's bow but otherwise her opponent stays up.

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Kharon, Spider. Hold off on that flak, we've got a possible downed pilot. Black Cat, keep your countermeasures suite active, and scramble a SAR on Dash."

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Black Cat copies, Spider. Madman, prepare to launch SAR on Dash's Viper."

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, acknowledged."

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Madman, Belay that. I'll scramble for the SAR. You cover me."

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, go get Marty; we've got your back."

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Spider, Actual. "We'll hold, but get em moving we'll thin their ranks here soon."

[Wolf-6: Mars] Spider sense tingling, Wolf-6's pilot has enough sense that she's between someone's crosshairs that she adds some twists to her flight as she zooms after the bogey still on her winglead. The pilot might also be giving the finger to the raider behind her. Possibly.

[TAC3] "Case" Samantha says, "Splash one… frakker… got the one which… got Dash… frakker…"

[Wolf-12: Samantha] Sam's viper sweeps in on the limping Raider that tore through Dash's bird, her firing almost angry, not exactly as calm as focused as usual, but it does the job. She calls in the kill with a crackle in her voice. Maybe it's the static on the com but it sounds more raw than that. It might be tears. She falls back into formation as the Raider splashes into fire and death.

[TAC3] (from "Dash" Martin) All that emits from Dash's Viper is the sound of static and light amounts of feedback.

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Spider, Actual. What's the status of your pilot?"

[Wolf-10: Topher] Wolf-10 bounces upwards turning his ship upright as raider1 passes beneath. A loud growl chambering from his throat as he depresses his thumb against the trigger. Then the Raider rolls away beneath him taking little damage. Topher then forces the ship to buck back horizontal to Raider1. He quickly pulls up and slams his throttle back pulling away and preparing for his next run. The frustration obvious as he attempts to line up and move on to another target as Spider tears Raider1 apart.

[Wolf-8: Castor] Tinman keeps his eyes and ears open since he keeps getting close but he isn't pulling off a single shot. His eyes flick back over to Dash as he hopes that Dash made it out of this one alive. He doesn't say anything but that is because he isn't as calm in the cockpit anymore, then again, the Tinman left town once he got thrown into the brig.

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] Legacy's Raptor stays well back out of the dog fight, Cookies working frantically to jam while Thea keeps them far enough away from the raiders to be safe and close enough to jam. After a bit, though, the Raptor breaks off and starts toward Dash's downed bird. "Cookies, prepare tow lines. We're going to tow him in as fast as possible then get back out into the mix."

[Wolf-3: Kai] Several raiders go up in pretty exploding lights as the vipers' kew tears through them. More strafe in from the direction of the Elpis, like ants swarming a mound, guns and rockets firing almost blindly into the sky littered with charred hunks of detritus whose fires the vaccuum of space couldn't sustain.

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Rainbow, Case, cover the SAR. The rest of you, disengage and break on my mark so we don't get caught in the crossfire of the big guns. Kharon, search and rescue is still in progress; his comms are dead, I'm not sure on the pilot's status."

[Wolf-11: Martin] Closer inspection of the frosted over canopy of Dash's Viper reveals that small trickles of quickly crystalizing blood are seeping through a ripped open portion of the body that typically has no connection to the cockpit. While the Vipers are designed to maintain positive pressure, he's clearly wounded if not dead, and losing pressure fast.

[Foxbat-8: Matto] Kissy's Raptor pulls back from its jamming trolldrift and turns instead to rise a few decades of carom over Foxbat-7, ready for Crybaby to lay suppression over the SAR.

[TAC3] "Rainbow" Mars says, "Spider, Rainbow. Acknowledged."

[TAC3] (from "Case" Samantha) .. Copy, Spider…

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Spider, Kharon. Understood. Once we hear your mark we're firing."

[Wolf-3: Kai] Spider streaks right through the wreckage of the raider he just splashed with his wingman's help, and veers off to pull into a steep climb. Hopefully Topher's right behind him. With a single, severely crippled raider left, and more on the horizon, his hand's on the stick and ready to peel away.

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher tucks in tightly on Spiders wing. Though he keeps an eye on the crippled target while pulling away. He picks up speed and pulls up into an identical climb as Spider.

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] While the rest of the crew is taking care of that silly little Raider, Thea's Raptor swoops in and gets its tow ropes locked into Martin's poor disabled Viper. The two turn slowly and start heading back toward Kharon as fast as the Raptor can take them.

[Wolf-6: Mars] Sporting some new damage to it's nose, Wolf-6 fires off a last potshot at the raider it was pursuing before banking back towards Dash's position. It flips to face any oncoming raiders. Anybody raider unfortunate enough to come looking to finish the job is asking for trouble. The viper even LOOKS intimidating, all shot up and angry.

[TAC3] Topher says, "Spider this is Wolf-10 nice kill. I have your wing Captain."

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Spider, Black Cat. I've got your hatchling and am heading back to base. CIC, Black Cat. Inbound with a wounded bird. Pilot status unknown. Request medical on standby."

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Vigilantes, break, break! Proceed to echo one seven five, carom three two zero. Mark. Kharon, you should have a clear firing solution in a few seconds here."

[Wolf-8: Castor] Aparently, Tinman and Case make a good team as this time shots fired from his Viper find their way into the enemy Raider, Leda doesn't see the shots as he has to manuever away to avoid flying hunks of metal around him so he couldn't tell you who had the kill but he does know that he is still flying and right now his concern is with Dash.

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Spider, Kharon. We're firing in three…two.. one.. Mark."

[Foxbat-8: Matto] Foxbat-8 descends a decade of carom as Foxbat-7 passes underneath, and a few tapped commands and a pull of a lever later the thrust is being reversed and one Foxbat is following the other back toward the Kharon, but more slowly, and backward, keeping watch.

[Wolf-3: Kai] Spider kicks in the reverse thrusters, and pulls his bird about in a sickening high-G maneuver as he flips.. and gets the hell out of dodge.

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher pauses a second as he gets the bearing of Spider. Then quickly follows suit catching up and placing himself back against Spiders wing.

[Wolf-12: Samantha] Case's viper helps fire on the raider, getting it out of the sky, but she doesn't call in the splash. She gives it to someone else, it seems. She sweeps back into the coordinates given, flying calm and steady, the banzai streak in her gone for the moment.

[Wolf-11: Martin] Towed back into the Kharon, Dash's Viper is set down to a swarm of rescue technicians and medical staff with a waiting gurney. The cockpit is forced open with the use of a pry bar to reveal the unconscious pilot's head slumped down against his chest. The interior of the cockpit is covered with his quickly congealing blood. The clear glass of his helmet is splattered with trickled blood, hiding his face from view. With an arm bent at a sickly angle, the rescue technicians are quickly able to locate the source of the major trauma: his back. Cutting him loose from his five point restraints, they keep the gnarled scraps of shrapnel in his back as they move him to the gurney. Trailing blood, they rush him towards sickbay to try to save his life.

INTERLUDE FROM THE HANGAR DECK

[Wolf-5: Willem] After his bird is primed, Wil's Viper simply lingers in the tubes along with his designated Escort baby and erstwhile sec-lead. Life is good. At least it's something. Nobody can see him idly drumming his fingertips on the side of his seat. For once, patience is a virtue he does not possess.

Damon is a lake of calm. Strange as it is, the man is about to go on his first mission as a marine and has none of the pre-battle jitters. He doesn't pray, he doesn't shift his weight, and he doesn't even triple check his gear. One glance over his body and a few tugs in the right place, he rests his wrist over the grip of his assault rifle. Moving like a ghost, he falls quietly into line and secures his body into its seat.

Timon's eyes follow the his squadmates as they're tugged toward the elevators. He doesn't even give his usual spiel to the marines now filing into his Raptor, merely looking behind him to make sure everybody's strapped in. Nope. "Last person in hit the hatch?" says the pilot into intraship. "It gets drafty in here; don't want any of you to catch cold."

McTiernan straps in and flips on a wirelo in the back so all the marines can hear Tac2. She nods to the others, and leaves them to their own devices. All marines know how to put on their safety belts, right?

[Wolf-9: Hale] Rabbit prepares to play the waiting game, it seems as he looks back towards his own DRADIS read out, and basically wait until they are given the go ahead to go and drop off the marines on the surface. A slight stirring. Would he rather be out there, fighting? Yes, but this is part of the life sometimes its hurry up and do nothing.

Panda sits next to Damon, tapping the stock of his rifle as it sits butt-down between his legs. "Hey, hey hey, uh, Ma'am?" he looks to McTiernan, raising his hand even. "Could I say something here?" he calls out hesitantly.

Epi settles in, not necessarily relaxed, but not overly tense. She's a Marine who's Done This Before. Her kit's checked and rechecked, charges checked. Yep. She's ready.

"Barf bags're around here somewhere," Thorn mutters from his seat, most likely directed at the marine cargo. "Don't puke on my deck." He continues to wait at his station, drumming his fingers on the edge of the console idly as he waits for the launch command, all his preflight routines now completed.

"Oh man, you guys again," Jules teases as she pops into the Raptor and spots Komnenos and then Timon. Grinning widely, she says, "Good to see you again, sirs," and then takes her seat in the back, pulling her safety straps on. "There's no planet nearby, right?"

[Wolf-5: Willem] Needless to say, in space, nobody can hear you scream. And in the tube, nobody can see you climbing the walls in your Viper. That would be Wil, in response to the tac chatter. Oh well. It is a waiting game.

For the moment, Anton is a little confused by something he hears on the radio, but he reluctantly tunes it out after a moment. "You're in luck, Sunshine," Thorn replies with a slight curl of his lips. "No planets this time, I'm told."

"No planet, Sunshine," Timon confirms, shaking his head; then: "That we know of, at least. I'd keep your fingers crossed. How are we looking, Thorn?"

[Wolf-9: Hale] There's a flip of the switch even if Tac remains on so as he can listen for those order. Hale's at least going to chitter chatter while they wait to be shot out into bloody oblivion. Or that's how it is sounding. Who knows what they might have to cut through. "Rebound, Rabbit. How're you doing over there."

Looking out of the viewport, Damon merely blinks at the gruesome scene outside. Turning his head back in towards the center of the room, he lets out a slow breath and looks to Panda. "If you got something to say, now's the time." Damon mutters to him, resting back comfortably in his seat.

[Wolf-5: Willem] Well, it would appear that this can cut the tension a little bit. With a flick of a switch, Rebound responds over the STS link. "My pants are still on if that's what you're asking." He says, with a mixture of palpable tension and a slight weariness.

"Couldn't ask to be in better hands, sirs. I know you'll take care of us." Jules says, once she's secured. She quiets and turns her attention to a viewport, clenching her weapon tightly in her hands.

And Barney would be the last one in. He's chewing the inside of his good cheek while he pulls the hatch shut, locking and shuting the handle in to place with a shoulder-heavy grunt. "Someone remind me to sign my active duty papers when I get back." Look! Full smile. Someone got his teeth back. The Sergeant takes his own seat, strapping himself in with a suprisingly large amount of calm, considering what happened the last time he was in combat. "Everyone's here, flyboys. Now it's your time to screw u-Shine. I said 'Shine.'"

Panda stands, or he would if the restraints didn't immediately lock up to keep him 'safe.' The young Lance Coolie curses, then twists in his seat. "Hey, uh…" He reaches up, rubbing the edge of his nose with his thumb. The man raises his voice to ensure he's heard. "Yo I just wanted to say! Lookin' at all us on the way over here, yeah? We are some SEXY MAWFRAW'N M'RINES!!" He slaps his thigh to emphasize the words. "CANNIGETTA URRAH?"

McTiernan glances over at Barney and nods to the Sergeant. "Your blood is your signature, Sergeant. Just try not to die out there. We spent so much time and energy fixing you up."

"DRADIS green. TACOM green. RCS green…" Thorn does a quick rundown of his systems, indicating green in all cases. "Ready t' roll, whenever they get around t' cutting us loose." He sighs. Here Cookies and Kitty are having all the fun while he's once again playing glorified chauffeur for a bunch of jarheads. Panda gets a silent, brow-raised look at the sudden exclamation.

Epi looks up at Panda, a little wide-eyed, then shakes her head. "Sit your godsdamned ass in the seat and suck your frakking thumb. One more word out of your mouth and you're going to swallow a grenade. This is combat, not a frakking Pyramid game. You wanna cheerlead, do it with your gun." It's said with almost fondness.

[Foxbat-4: Timon] "So they gave me you two," says Timon into his com — presumably, he's speaking to the Viper sticks sitting pretty in the tubes. There's a beat as Timon acknowledges his co-pilot — and another one as his plane lurches forward, tugged toward a flight elevator so recently vacated; then, back to his guardians: "Nobody I'd rather have. Keep me clean out there, yeah?" The marine banter is ignored, though he does turn around to give the shouty one a look. Don't distract the driver.

"Why do I never get t' haul the snipes around, for once," Thorn mutters into his helmet, shaking his head again as he catches the Marines' antics out of the corner of his eye. Finally, the Raptor begins to move towards the elevator. "Sit down, shut up, and strap in, th' lot of you," he growls at any Marines that happen to still be standing and/or carrying on, as he turns back to his console, the adrenaline already beginning to pulse in his veins.

Damon looks up, offering a fist to Panda to crash. Smirking, he looks in Epi's direction and laughs. It's the first bit of emotion Damon's shown all day. Resting his back against his crash seat, he folds his arms across the rows of ammo cartridges on his vest and stares forward. Someone's not talkative again.

Barney raises his head to look up at the… boisterous Panda. It's a somehat narrowed look, eyes barely visible as he peers from under the brim of his helmet. Very softly, very quietly, he whispers to the marines adjecent through clenched teeth and the working half of his mouth. "Someone check the pharmacy supplies when we get home. I think something might be missing." Consider yourselves lucky he didn't try that in pig-latin. The rest of the flight will most likely be the Sergeant trying to get the image of Panda in a skirt and pom-poms out of his head. Thanks, Epi.

"Careful, Thorn," murmurs Timon quietly. "These ones carry explosives." He's following the chatter onf Tac3 with bated breath, face expressionless, lips rather paler than usual. His right hand hovers over the flight controls, waiting with bated breath for word from the CAG.

The excited one knocks fists with Damon, then gestures over to the other Marines. "Eh? Eh? Aww c'mon," he groans good-naturedly. "Nobody else excited to frak shit up? Eh?" The restraints finally unhitch, letting Panda wiggle in his seat. "Frak, I miss the Recon. Those guys…" he lets it die, helmet thunking against the hull as he sits back heavily.

[Wolf-5: Willem] "Touching, Ivory. Touching. Your tribute, that is." Wil crackles over the comms. Although it's meant a a joke, in all obviousness. Some more nervous fidgeting going on in that cockpit.

[Foxbat-4: Timon] "I find it best not to antagonize the people with guns," is Timon's reply. His voice is dry but doesn't quaver: Ivory's strangely still in his seat. "Stay safe out there — coaching a game of Pyramid is on my bucket list."

Quiet as she peers out the viewport, Jules' brows come together and she leans back into her seat in thought. Something is on her mind. She fidgets with her weapon, specifically a sticker she's put on the side with a happy face.

[Wolf-9: Hale] A chuckle from rabbit before his voice is coming back over "This always seems to be the bloody case. An no worries Ivory. I still need to win a championship before I die."

[Foxbat-4: Timon] "You haven't won a championship?" Nobody except maybe Thorn can see the mock horror on Timon's face. "I'm drafting somebody else."

[Wolf-5: Willem] :calls out, wryly, "Well color -me- surprised."

[Wolf-9: Hale] "Mates, I was a Sophmore the year that Virgon took the championship in the collegiate league. I played all of five minutes. An then waited for a junior to get injured. I don't consider that me winning a championship." There, now that's done with Hale drums along. "I do have awards though Ivory." a snicker following.

Epi remains quiet for the time being, head up, eyes distant as she focuses on something only she can see. "We ready to do this," she asks the Marines. "Sounds like we're going into a hell of a mix."

[Foxbat-4: Timon] "Is that like MPV or something?" Timon obligingly garbles the acronym. "For scoring a lot of points or goals or whatever? Yeah. I've heard of that." Bald-Faced Lie.

[Wolf-5: Willem] For now, Wil has fallen mostly silent over comms. He's probably listening to the chaos outside.

Panda tugs the safety goggles down over his eyes. "Ready," he says with surprising calm, ducking his chin at Epi. He lifts his rifle up and chambers a round. He gives Jules a long, blank look, then shifts his gaze to Barnabas and tilts his head.

Standing slowly, Damon racks his rifle and secures his ballistics goggles into place. Stretching his neck out to the side until he feels a pop, he gets into line for the disembarking.

[Wolf-9: Hale] Having been silent Hale pipes back up. "I got the defense players award. Mainly because I took some blighter's leg out and ruined his season." a faint pause there "I only scored a total of four goals my last season."

Jules is still in her own little world and with her weapon secured, she stares blankly back at Panda and then up towards the front of the little ship. Lost in thought is she.

[Wolf-5: Willem] There's a bit of a hissed sigh over the ship to ship as Rebound finally breaks Wireless silence. "Some people apparently have -all- the fun."

McTiernan checks her rifle once more, then glances over to the assorted marines. Her chin comes up, and she checks the strap before saying, "Ozymandias, with Jarot. Jarot, she has the big guns, you two cover our ass. Cavalera, with Volker. Volker, if he frags you, shoot him in the head." She gives a look to Damon, quite clearly with the 'behave' vibe to it. "Ajtai, back up Volker. If the FNG frags him, shoot him in the head as well. No job half-way marines. That said, don't frag each other and concentrate on the metal. Watch for fleshy civilians and friendlies. Word is we have survivors in the mix."

Still tapping his fingers against the board, Komnenos sighs impatiently. He shrugs off his straps and slides into the copilot's seat up front next to Ivory. There's a glance back as McT begins to address her marines, but then he looks back at Timon and then out through the cockpit, suppressing a growl.

[Foxbat-4: Timon] "Too bad Raiders don't have legs," Timon mutters tightly. No more chatter from him: Legacy's news is more than a little sobering. Clicking off intership, the pilot checks something on his console before looking back at the marines waiting behind him. "Docking skirt is green," he observes, when McTiernan is finished. "Just in case there's no working hangar in which to land. Hope you brought your acetylene torches along."

Damon looks to McTiernan at the mention of being shot by Volker. Giving her a quiet returned look, he shrugs and turns his head towards Volker. Nodding upwards, he pats his rifle. "I know which way to shoot." He comments, slowly turning his head in Ajtai's direction. A small smirk forms on his face. "…and you never would have known the difference, Lance." Wow…going into combat with a nearly executed murderer. Heavy stuff.

"Ooorah," Epi replies to McTiernan, dipping her head. She glances over to Jules, grinning wryly. "We'll take care of them."

LOG RESUMES FROM MARTIN'S RTB

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Spider, Kharon. Affirmative. Alright SAR, this is the Kharon, you're green for launch. Repeat you're green for launch. Bring them back."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Kharon, Ivory, confirmed green for launch."

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Rainbow, you're sporting more holes than Rebound's socks. RTB and see if they'll give you a new bird."

[Foxbat-4: Timon] It takes a few long seconds before the flight elevator finishes winching her up; then, Foxbat-4's engines ignite in a flash of yellow light, sending everybody who's not properly strapped down lurching forward and then backwards. Her aft thrusters fire as she pitches forward, nosing down before jetting away from the hangar — a whole lot of Marines in tow.

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] Thea's Foxbat drops poor Martin off for the staff of Kharon to deal with. She and Matto make it through the mine field of raider parts and are then out in the field again. She holds her Raptor back while SAR launches.

Panda is on his way to legendary status of dumbitude: He looks between Damon and McTiernan with his jaw hanging slightly open. "That's harsh," he whispers to Damon, shaking his head. The dark-skinned murderer's comment goes over his head as Panda smirks and quips, "shit, the girls'll be behind us and besides, I only shoot my gun at them and this?" He lifts his weapon again. "This is a rifle. It's for shootin' toasties and… well, just toasties nowadays, eh."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Spider, this is Ivory. We have cleared the deck. Target is Colonial passenger liner bearing two-two-fiver carom three-nine-nine, over."

[Foxbat-8: Matto] There's no time for Crybaby to be distracted, it turns out, as a Raider kindly headbutts Foxbat-8 and sends it jerking up, seventy, ninety, one hundred thrity degrees before it stabilizes, giving both of those belted in inside a thorough shake before Kissy can quite steady it out again, endeavoring to get back in formation with Black Cat.

Blinking twice, Jules snaps out of her thoughts long enough to get off a, "Sir, yes, sir," to McTiernan's orders. She still looks a little off-target mentally, but sits up straighter in her seat, checking her weapon for the third time.

[TAC3] "Rabbit" Hale says, "Kharon, Rabbit. Launching in three two one." and he's gone for a moment. "Ivory this is Rabbit. I am coming over to attach for escort over."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Keep tight, Rabbit — but you know that. We'll be in and out."

"Finally," Thorn mutters as the Raptor gets the green light for launch. "Thought I was going t' go crazy sitting here," he remarks with a last look over at Ivory as he heads back to his EW station in the back of the Raptor. "Green back here, Ivory. Let's get this movable beast on the road, eh?"

[Wolf-3: Kai] The Vigilantes and its complement of raptors have just swung out of reach of the Kharon— whose guns are just winding down from a battery of cannonfire that seems to have shredded a good number of raiders. Other hunks of ruined enemy fighters lie strewn about, singed and pockmarked with distinctive kew holes. And, not unexpectedly? Yet more raiders are pouring in. Several of these have the good sense to target the newly-arriving raptor with its precious cargo. Ohnoez!

Timon throttles down momentarily to permit the Vipers to catch up. "Fry anything that gets too close, Thorn; I'll take care of moving the beast."

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem just hisses over the Wireless. "Oh. Gods." He shakes it off quickly, though, whatever it is. He adds, a bit distantly."Ivory, Rebound. We're on you like a sock on a doorknob. Don't worry."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "*click-click* Sock on a doorknob, Rebound, over. *pause* Going to do a quick flyby from nose to midships. We'll set the squids down aft."

[Wolf-5: Willem] Wolf-5's engines flicker to life and flare up as the Viper exits the tubes and pulling into an aggressive two-pronged escort formation with Rabbit as the fighters blaze a trail towards their chosen target. The throttle is punched.

[Wolf-5: Willem] Wolf-5's engines flicker to life and flare up as the Viper exits the tubes and pulling into an aggressive two-pronged escort formation with Rabbit as the fighters blaze a trail towards their chosen target. The throttle is punched as new hostiles are registered, a scan on DRADIS, scan on Visual, before he moves to intercept. Damn, if you could smell him sweating in that cockpit right now.

Gaze drifting towards the viewport again, Jules blinks as they finally lurch into space. Her eyes spot debris. More debris. More debris. A battlestar? And as her eyes hit the basestars, they go wide.

The passenger liner is a luxury model, with expansive viewports and a large mess fore, which, upon closer examination on the flyby, has been blown open. There's a large field of bodies to fly through here, frozen and sightless. The vessel itself is an FTL-capable passenger liner. Elpis, sometimes referred to as Ellie, is officially designated an "Intersun Passenger Cruiser." With a length of 825 feet, it comfortably accommodates 1,000 passengers in style and luxury on journeys between the Twelve Colonies. A commercial passenger ship, it has no weapons or defense capabilities.

[Wolf-9: Hale] Once out of the tubes Wolf-9's engines flare and go right into the natural blue. Still Rabbit doesn't take time to do any fancy maneuvers. Instead he's moving to doggedly cover Ivory's Raptor as they join the flight in progress. Though to the sight they are greeted with.

"Right," Thorn replies crisply, the anxiety suddenly disappearing at the prospect of imminent combat. It's replaced by a close-mouthed, almost eerie calm as the ECO keys in his EW systems. Said calm is disrupted slightly, though, by the large red blip on his DRADIS screen. "That's a bloody baseship, all right," he says in a hushed voice.

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Vigilantes, engage. Weapons free. Cover that godsdamned raptor."

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem says, "Oh, with pleasure Sir."

"Pasenger liner…" Damon says, narrowing his eyes out of the viewport to gaze over the hull of the thing. "…was thinking we needed a pool." Damon mutters under his breath, getting right to the most important details. A second glance back to the combat, he seems rather unphased by the sea of death and bodies. Turning back to the center of the Raptor, he stares at the wall. "Glad to know you're not going to shoot me in the back out of self preservation…" He says clearly, reaching a hand up to scratch the side of his face.

[TAC3] Topher says, "Copy that Spider…weapons free and Raiders spotted."

[Wolf-6: Mars] Wolf-12 hangs tight with the rescue SAR til they have Dash's battered remains safe and sound in Kharon. Then it's back into the fray, following the rest of the Vigilantes into combat again. Spotting one bogey going for her winglead again, Mars angles an attack vector towards it, burning after it and firing off several bursts of bullets.

[TAC3] "Rabbit" Hale says, "Spider, Rabbit. Don't have to ask twice." a pause " Alright rebound, lets cut a hole, and keep her clean"

[Wolf-3: Kai] Spotting the pair of raiders horning in on his sometime-ECO, Spider jerks his head quickly toward his pilot to say 'cover me', waggles his wings once, and strafes in at full burn. A few potshots are taken across the other fighter's bow, followed by him cutting it damned close and burning a trail so close to its flank that he's practically swapping paint. It's sufficient to have the raider turn its sights on him, and abandon Timon for the moment.

"Stow it, both of you." Apparently that's Volker's way of agreeing with the CO. Bitching at the two marines he's been… lumbered? gifted? Tasked with the overseeing of. The art of finding a nice way to put things is lost while he's busy giving the final checks to his rifle and vest. He doesn't even react to the news that there's a basestar out there. Someone just made a 'badass under pressure' roll… You can't see it, but he got a success.

[Foxbat-4: Timon] Foxbat-4 makes straight for the passenger liner, her engines blazing: she's too busy doing her best to evade all the bandits on her tail to mind the debris clogging the path to the Elpis' stern. The Raptor bobs and weaves as KEW fire sings and swishes by, moving as nimbly as she can — just nimbly enough, apparently, to avoid smashing into a charred escape pod cracked open by Raider fire. It's a close call, though, as she swings hard to port, a few stray wires brushing against her cockpit.

[Wolf-12: Samantha] Case is quiet over the comms, but her Viper's entirely on stance, back to attacking with everything she's got, trying to keep the new wave of Raiders off of the precious Raptor's behind…

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Tinman, switch to my wing. You take my five, Story on my seven."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Spider, Ivory. Nice move."

[TAC3] Topher says, "Copy that Spider adjusting position…In position and waiting for your signal."

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem says, "Rabbit, Rebound. Keep it clean? Nothing -clean- about this. Ivory. I've got your bandit, recommend move to evade."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Evasive action did cross my mind at one point, Rebound."

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Just doing my job, Ivory. Get your ass down to that ship, we'll take out the trash for you."

[TAC3] "Rabbit" Hale says, "Ivory, Rabbit. I am locked as well, You run an we'll hound."

Panda stares out the windscreen, mouth snapping closed at the Sergeant's quick reproach. It slips open again as he gets his first view of space combat and its aftermath. The knuckles around the foregrip of his rifle are stark white.

Epi's ready to go, waiting. She glances up at Barney and offers a little smile. "Stay safe," she murmurs quietly. "I don't want to have to come visit you again."

[Wolf-8: Castor] It would seem that Tinman is busy pulling his own weight for the moment without a wingman as he moves into position to attack an enemy raider, however this Raider seems to be gunning for Ivory and Thorn. It would seem that he isn't losing anyone else today…not on this watch.

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] Thea's Raptor slides into position behind the Vipers again, preparing to suppress the incoming. The Captain has a Look on her face - she's not happy and loaded for bear.

Damon looks to Volker and slowly nods. He's got the point. Glancing over the faces of the assembled marines, he continues to pass this off as a small detail of his rather quiet day. Not even out of boot camp yet, it seems he was deemed ready enough for the drop. "Ain't nothin where we're going worth bein' afraid of." He says suddenly, eyes to the wall. "Fear will freeze you up. They don't dodge. Just make the shots count and if they're gonna take your life you make them work for it."

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Madman, Black Cat. Status report. Are you hit badly?"

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher tucks in closely behind Spider moving to the assigned position. Though his helmet bounces around in the cockpit as he scans the horizon for incoming.

"There's other shit besides Raiders out here that can kill us out here, y' know…" offers a slightly perturbed Thorn from the back as Ivory nearly skirts a piece of debris. Helpful as usual. "Raider on an intercept course, bearing two-three-eight carom seven-four-two," he announces more urgently a second later.

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, just a fender bender, Captain, we're good and on you to suppress over SAR flightplan."

[Wolf-9: Hale] Rabbit, still staying on his Date's tail, is suddenly bouncing around, moving to engage the incoming raider that seems intent on getting their precious cargo. No, no the pilot will not be taking any chances. The KEW rips open as Hale goes into it. Time to keep the date they had planned.

[TAC3] Topher says, "I have been hit turning into your bogey Spider."

"Raiders will kill us quicker, Thorn," says Ivory, voice tight. "I see it. Going to duck in through the debris field; see if I can't shake it off."

[Wolf-10: Topher] pulls away from Spiders wing as he spots the raider heading in his wing leaders direction. He brazenly turns about lining up his sights to initiate an attack. He pulls up slowly pressing his thumb down squeezing off several shots in the direction of the incoming Raider. Making sure to keep himself between the bogey raider and the raptors. Wolf-10 banks into the oncoming fire which causes it to buck with the damage to his controls. His shots barely graze the incoming raider.

[TAC3] Topher says, "Spider this is Wolf-10 I registered hits on your Viper. You still in it sir?"

"What a shit way to go," Panda murmurs, still transfixed by the chaos out the front screen—only able to rip his eyes away when the juking briefly removes the bodies and debris from view. "Nobody to burn your body to ashes out here…"

[TAC3] "Rainbow" Mars says, "Splash one, Case."

[Wolf-12: Samantha] Case isn't joking around at all any more. She nails a strong shot into the second Raider's cockpit and controls, her flying sharp as a knife, a bit too fast, like she's got her bird…or herself, hopped up on a bit too much adrenaline and anger. But it makes for a good fighting style.

[TAC3] "Case" Samantha says, "Splash two. Nice shot, Rainbow. Kill all these frakkers…for Dash."

"Time'll kill you." Damon replies calmly, taking a slow glance outside. It's an impressive sight indeed, but he can't bring himself to fear for his life any more than he did while awaiting execution. "…wonder how long they've been out here hiding."

[Wolf-8: Castor] Leda it would seem is a team is a team player, a younger Leda would have gone all hotshot, but for now he manages to score a solid hit to the Raider that he was aiming at. He breaks off and moves in to find another target as other pilots converge on the Raider bothering Ivory and Thorn.

[Wolf-5: Willem] That was smooth. As he cruises as a steep angle downward at the first remaining bandit closing in on the escort Raptor, he joins a very ugly, uh, what they call 'Charlie Foxtrot.' In a whirring blast of cannon fire, his salvo, along with the combined fire of other teams ends up tearing nasty structural holes inside the Raider's torso, if you can call it that. His bird goes hurtling past, breaking hard left to avoid the inevitable wreckage and moves to engage.

[Foxbat-4: Timon] Debris is easy to detect, if not particularly easy to avoid in a firefight: just tell DRADIS to scan for metal. Human bodies, on the other hand? Not so easily detectable. A particularly wild roll to port brings Foxbat-4 into position alongside the Elpis — and into the path of two stray bodies. Their frozen faces are locked in a rictus of agony — and are visible for just the briefest of instants before they're brushed aside, pinging off her hull and spiraling off into space. Then the Raptor shifts ninety degrees to port, keeping the civilian ship between her and the gunfight, skmming alongside darkened windows until she reaches the liner's rear compartment. It's there she throttles down, RCS points firing to keep her in place.

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "All ships, Ivory, Foxbat-4 is in position. Extending docking skirt now. Keep up the good shooting."

"Hit the red button, Thorn," Ivory orders shortly. "All hands, make sure to close the door on your way out."

[Wolf-5: Willem] And for the next victim? Maybe getting a little cocky, but He's flying at his chosen Raider head-on. Not the best angle of approach, and one that could leave him vulnerable. But it was right there.

[Wolf-3: Kai] Well, Spider's gambit pays off. Sorta. He eats the rounds that were intended for Timon's craft, but unfortunately his attack vector is too shallow and he can't break in time to avoid not getting shredded. Explosions light up his left wing and two of his engines, but stray just shy of his main engine and canopy. He's still in the game, but in seriously rough shape.

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem says, "Spider, Rebound. Can you still read? Repeat, do you copy?"

[Wolf-9: Hale] And like that the team of Rabbit and Rebound send one incoming right off into the great beyond. As his friend seems highly intent in taking out that raptor-Rabbit's moving to intercept. His own Viper coming in on the topside of Willem's ready to cut down when his wing moves. Gotta clear a hole, right?

[TAC3] (from "Spider" Kai) There's a crackle over Spider's comm, and then, "Copy, Reboun-" *coughing* "I read you. Rabbit, Rebound, keep close-" *more coughing, it doesn't sound healthy* "-close escort on your raptor. Rainbow, return your godsdamned ass to base. The rest of you, blow those shit out of those motherfrakkers.

There's a soft clunk that reverberates through Foxbat-4 as the ship nestles up to the larger passenger liner. After a moment, a red light turns to green on Thorn's display. "We are latched on," he reports. "Hard seal established." The ECO thumbs a sequence of controls. "Marines, you're on."

[Wolf-6: Mars] The damage to her bird not withstanding, Wolf-6 is putting in a good showing. It moves to engage another of the enemy, before veering sharply back to Kharon.

[TAC3] "Rainbow" Mars says, "Copy that, Spider. Case, be careful."

[Wolf-3: Kai] The supply of raiders appears to be dwindling finally. A few more scattered fighters deploy from the ruined basestar, swimming out like little silver minnows escaping the cylon mothership's wreckage. But nowhere near the numbers Kharon's wing encountered initially.

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Kharon, Ivory, we have hard seal. Offloading now."

McTiernan unhitches her seat latch and rises. MSGT follows suit, the gruff, large man silent. Sgt Pickens is not far behind. The two men were not given direct orders in the raptor, but they seem to know their drill. "Thanks for the ride, gentlemen." McTiernan nods to the Raptor pilots before she hops out on the wing, takes a few steps, and orders Pickens forward with a wave of her arm. While the rest of the marines grab their gear and ready up, Pickens knocks on the door.

[TAC3] "Case" Samantha says, "You too, Rainbow. Just get yourself home. I owe ya a drink when we're back."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Kharon, Ivory, docking operation complete."

[TAC3] "Tinman" Castor says, "Stay safe, Spider, we will keep things moving here."

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Kharon, Spider. We've *nasty coughing fit* about cleaned up the last of the enemy contacts. Pretty much all that's left is their mothership. Recommend you pull in once we're done here, and turn the big guns on her."

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Spider, Black Cat. Do you need a tow back to base?"

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Spider Kharon. Affirmative, we're ready to let her rip."

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Affirmative, Black Cat. My bird's dead in the water. Story, report!"

[Wolf-10: Topher] Wolf-10 flips over in a full 360 and slams forward with all his ship has got. He moves in starting a roll to point his nose directly for Raider1's cockpit. Making sure that he makes a blocking pattern between the ship in his sights. As well keeping Raider3 hot on his tail. He readies his weapons doing a quick glance over the console. The ship bounces a bit now from the damage he recieved but seems to be holding up otherwise. Then with all the calm he can muster Topher lets free from both barrels. Though Raider3 stays hot on his tail he waggles his wigs trying to avoid the oncoming fire. Then at the same time shots from both ships erupt. The Cylon raider however gets the better of him as the shots tear through his fighter. Causing him to bounce and land lightly on his targeted ship. The ships systems completely shut down going dark as he begins floating on inertia alone.

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem says, "Slippery little bastard…"

[TAC3] "Rabbit" Hale says, "Rebound, Rabbit. Stay on-We'll catch him in this pass."

[TAC3] Topher says, "This is Wolf-10 I have complete shutdown…Viper disabled…Pretty banged up may need some attention on ship."

[TAC3] "Thorn" Komnenos says, "Black Cat, Thorn. We've offloaded Marines… do you need us t' perform SAR?"

[Wolf-5: Willem] And the little joust continues as Rebound's Viper comes screaming downwards staring down the sights of the particular Raider that just won't let him go. His round of fire nicks it in the wing even as he's able to jink hard right and avoid any real hits. His bird comes 'round hard for another pass.

[TAC3] "Spider" Kai says, "Madman, scramble for SAR on Story's bird. Rabbit, you have the wing. Thorn, provide us with some EW backup."

[Wolf-12: Samantha] Case doesn't fire quite so true this time, catching a quickly dodging Raider's wing and with no wingman to back up the shots it keeps going. She just whips her bird around, prepping to fire again.

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Spider, copy. Undocking now."

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Black Cat scrambling SAR on Viper lead. Thorn, you heard Spider. Keep the Raiders off our injured birds."

[TAC3] "Rabbit" Hale says, "Spider, Rabbit. Copy that. Wing, lets clear the way for our big bird to send another round at that Mothership. Tinman cover Madman. Rainbow on Black Cat. Lets cover our people."

[TAC3] "Thorn" Komnenos says, "Black Cat, Thorn. Copy that."

[Foxbat-4: Timon] Foxbat-4 emerges from behind Elpis, flying back towards the fray, doing her best to keep something — whether that be debris, bodies, or Vipers — between the incoming Raiders and herself.

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher bangs his fists in anger against the cockpit of his fighter. The frustration tearing him up on his first showing aboard ship. His head continues to scan the horizon as he pulls out his flashlight. He moves about the cockpit trying to get some response.

[Foxbat-8: Matto] Kissy breaks away from his jamming formation with Legacy, spinning on two axes at once with a moderate acceleration.

[Wolf-3: Kai] And Spider, probably much to his infuriation, can do.. nothing. His fighter won't move, save sputteringly, and as Legacy pulls in closer, a glance through the cockpit might note that the pilot himself is slumped sideways in his seat, with a hell of a lot of blood covering his face and leaking out of his flight suit. His gloved hand remains resolutely clenched around the stick.

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] Thea's Foxbat cuts through the air with relative ease, rolling toward Kai's downed Viper. Cookies is working the controls frantically, getting the tow ropes ready.

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem says, "All ships, Rebound. Reading two more DRADIS contacts. Not friendly. Looks like we have more bedtime friends. The kind you -don't- want."

[Wolf-6: Mars] Wolf-6 is going, going annnnd gone. The burn is kicked in and the bird is halfway back to Kharon, rapidly closing the remaining distance.

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher has resorted to banging his head against the console of the fighter. From the outside it would be quite the view as the little flash light bounces around inside the cockpit.

[Wolf-12: Samantha] Not actually a wing man for anyone, Samantha's basically taking every attack of opportunity she sees. As she notices a fresh Raider bearing down on Willem seemingly out of no where, she quickly jerks her nose to the side and nails into the thing along with Sparky on the other side… watching the Raider go up in flames before doing all that much to Rebound.

[Wolf-8: Castor] Kharon's own, Tinman, seems to be fighting the good fight as he begins to move in close on an enemy Raider, by close, it would be Tinman can see the fine details of the Raider. He then takes a moment to get in closer, closer, closer, and a volley of shots leave from the KEW and it hits the Raider providing a series of sparks and then a big old explosion. It would seem that today is a red letter day for Tinman, everyone else…not so much.

[Wolf-9: Hale] As the Orders go out it seems Rabbit is scrambling to take in another late comer to the party. Breaking from Willem and his target he's trying to catch one of the bastards who have popped right into the fight. Hopefully this will be the last of them. Rabbit takes a light spray to his wing as he rakes over his own target, a curse as he's stopping and flipping his bird over to chase back after his prey. Come on then, lets keep em off one another.

[Wolf-6: Mars] Wolf-6 completes it's ordered retreat, slinging down into a landing on the Kharon. Despite the damage to the craft, it lands safely.

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] It's right about this time that Thea's Raptor gets its hooks into Kai's Viper. How ironic, honestly. Thea's expression is unreadable behind the faceplate of her helmet, though her lips have thinned ever so slightly. The Raptor doesn't do any fancy moves - right now she's got one job only, and that's getting Kai back to base.

[Wolf-5: Willem] With a waggle of his wings, Willem breaks left in a wide arc as he sees one of the new Raiders try to roll up on Black Cat's vulnerable Raptor, which is seriously a terrible thing to do. While still closing in on his target with another volley, he ends up obstructing the raider and blocking the clear shot it had on the Raptor, taking some minor cosmetic nose damage. It's not the end of the world, and that gamble may have paid off. Of course, this was probably a bit of a stupid and reckless move, as it were.

[TAC3] "Case" Samantha says, " Splash three for me… sharin' over there with Sparky though. Nice shot, Sparks."

[Wolf-3: Kai] Mayhem continues to rein, as the last straggling remainder of the basestar's fighters continue to riddle the vipers with hatred. Even the slower-moving raptors aren't spared from screaming ships and dual cannons intent on laying waste to everything Colonial in sight. A life pod crammed with five people, where it should only have held two, is blown to bits as a bandit strafes right through it; shredded equipment and bodies are flung in all directions, one of them slamming into Legacy's canopy as she maneuvers in to deploy her tow lines.

[TAC3] "Tinman" Castor says, "Scratch one Raider."

[Foxbat-4: Timon] Foxbat-4 flies clear of the debris surrounding Elpis, settling into formation near Matto's bird, her EW suite humming, her engines thrumming. A brief tap on her RCS and she skirts around a body, bringing her closer to the actual engagement. Timon's mouth opens slightly as he sees the basestar clearly for the first time since he launched — and the wreckage of another, with a doomed battlestar close by. No words; though.

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem calls out, "All ships, Rebound. NICE shots on that one. Cat, looks like you're clear. Engaging remaining hostiles. I uh, wonder if there are any more in that -thing-." There's a faint tone of dread in his voice. Basestar givin' Rebound The Big Fear(tm). "Hey Thorn. You taking notes for the Sim templates?

[Foxbat-8: Matto] Kissy's Raptor moves with cautious haste for Wolf-10, moving into position to release the lines. The pilot's breathing shallow but steady as he tries to keep his mind on the task. Raiders? What Raiders?

[TAC3] "Thorn" Komnenos says, "Rebound, Thorn. You bet your arse."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "Fewer notes, more jamming. Black Cat, doing okay over there?"

[Wolf-3: Kai] Spider's gone silent over the comms. He's still slumped in his chair, unmoving.

[Wolf-10: Topher] looks towards Matto before slamming his fist against the flight controls. He begins to bark into the wireless as Raider1 turns towards his rescuer.

[TAC3] Topher says, "You have bogey inbound Foxbat-8. I will be good for now."

[TAC3] "Thorn" Komnenos says, "I know what I'm doing, dammit, Ivory."

[TAC3] "Ivory" Timon says, "*heh* Whatever that is, keep on doing it."

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher feels his ship jerk as Raider1 comes apart near by. Peppering him with debris. The last large chunk slamming into his canopy. At first it rattles and holds then begins to spiderweb with cracks. Finally when the first hole appears the vaccum of space forces it off the fighter. Topher tucks down gripping his knees trying to cover in case of more debris.

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Wolf-10, Madman; taking you in."

[TAC3] Topher says, "Much appreciated Madman. I guess I will sit back and enjoy the view over."

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Spider, Black Cat. Got knocked off slightly, trying again to…there. Got you. Hang on, Spider. Taking you home."

[TAC3] "Rabbit" Hale says, "Alright All birds, Rabbit. lets Pull back towards the Kharon an let her have he shot at the mothership here. Black Cat as soon as you're clear can you relay the go ahead to Kharon?"

[TAC3] "Case" Samantha says, "Everyone alive out there? We heard about Dash yet?"

[Wolf-5: Willem] This time, the little hits do enough damage and the target of Wil's ire finally met a chunky, void-ridden end. It's a collaborative effort, though. Three functional Vipers prove to be too much for it and it just gets torn to bits before it can have a chance to ruin Matto's day. This done, he tugs on the stick and pulls his Viper around in a graceful arc, forming up on Rabbit.

[Wolf-3: Kai] There's still no reply from Spider over the comms. He slumps forward in his seat, held in place only by his harness.

[Foxbat-7: Legacy] Thea's Foxbat got knocked slightly off course thanks to the flying bodies and debris. There's a set to her lips, but then she swings it back around to get another shot at the tow ropes. Ahhh, ther we go. Wrapped up tight. Once he's caught, Thea swings the bird around to head back toward Kharon.

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "Black Cat copy, Rabbit."

[Wolf-9: Hale] With the Raiders taken down, it seems that Hale's doing as he was told from Spider. Rounding up the chickens to head back to Kharon. Let the big guns go and take on the last limping Cylong ship. So with a waggle of his wing towards Willem Rabbit's giving the all back to base signal as he starts for the Carrier.

[Foxbat-4: Timon] Foxbat-4, for her part, slips into formation before the remaining Vipers, keeping an eye out for any more Raiders as she, too, returns to base.

[Wolf-8: Castor] Tinman moves in again as he scores another solid hit that manages to get to the controls on that one. It would appear that today the JiG is full of win or at least not getting hit. He flys steady and on an even keel as he lets the others do their damage in what amounts to a group of buillies beating up one kid on the playground….with metal pipes.

[TAC3] "Tinman" Castor says, "Can everyone in a downed ship please respond? So we know you are alive."

[TAC3] Topher says, "Wolf-10 banged up but in decent shape. Can't say the same for the ride."

[Wolf-3: Kai] Bodies, hunks of escape pod, slabs of destroyed ship, previously bolted-down tables and chairs, personal effects, a child's teddy bear — possibly the most grisly of all — tumble by as the vipers retreat. The basestar in the distance might be dead in the water, or it might just be gearing up for a final all-out assault; either way, there's no sign of activity from it at the moment.

[Foxbat-8: Matto] Foxbat-8 preceeds -7 a short ways in the assisted RTB, having gotten a bit of a scare but not much more than that from the first Raider.

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, are we RTB with this SAR or are we heading back out?"

[Wolf-5: Willem] If the floating graveyard at Idi Station made him morose, Wil's probably in line for the shrink -now-., Visual scan after visual scan, head rotating in the blackness with just the ambient light to illuminate, he just looks back at the fallen Battlestar first and the monstrous ships of the Enemy, second. As the immediate demands of combat have wound down, the reality of it is hitting home.

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "We're RTB, Madman. Until we see if Kharon can take this big ship out. All ships, fall back. CIC, we'll be ready for you to join the dance on my mark, once we've fallen back."

[TAC3] "Case" Samantha says, "Copy, Black Cat. Falling back.."

[Foxbat-4: Komnenos] With a brief lull in the action, Thorn takes a moment after shutting down his active ECM systems to get a complete sensor profile of the damaged Basestar. From a hull map to a detailed scan of the ship's EM signature and any other emissions, any information that seems useful is recorded. The ECO simply sits quietly, staring blankly at his screen as his sensors do their work.

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Black Cat, Kharon. We're ready."

[Wolf-10: Topher] Topher finally leans up in the canopy less cockpit. His head shaking slowly as he surveys the scene that can be described only as carnage. The floating pieces of a proud Colonial ship now a memorial to those aboard. He begins to rack his brain trying to guess who he might have known aboard. Morbidly he imagines people he trained with. Then people he served with and the few people he loved.

[TAC3] "Madman" Matto says, "Black Cat, Madman, acknowledged, I'm taking us in."

[Wolf-3: Kai] Spider's fighter, or what's left of it, shudders as it's hooked up for a tow. Its pilot, of course, still doesn't respond to hails.

[Wolf-8: Castor] Tinman makes a pass to look at the basestar because well look at it, a big busted up silver thing that looks nothing like the old basestars. His eyes flicker as he looks to see if there will be any more enemy movement out of the thing and because it is frakking huge. He then Let's his eyes fall on the downed ships. He says quietly only to himself, "Papabear had better not be dead."

Topher begins to tear at his harness ripping himself free as he bangs his head into the dash. "Frakkin…" He finally gets free lifting from the cockpit. Only to stumble forward and slide down the opposite side of his ladder. With a painful crash he lands on deck. He doesn't get up instead staring upwards the shame written all over his face.

Mars is in the midst of arguing with one of the deck crew, trying to get another bird pre-flighted and tugged to a tube. "Listen, I don't care if it isn't one hundred percent. I need something that'll fly that doesn't have holes in it. You see my bird? See the holes? Come on!"

[TAC3] Beckett says, "Black Cat, Kharon. How are we looking, over?"

[TAC3] "Black Cat" Legacy says, "It looks like all ships have pulled back, CIC. We're clear."

[TAC3] "Rebound" Willem hesitantly responds to the RTB call. "But…" And then falls silent. "Black Cat, Rebound. Copy. RTB." A pause. "Gods." Just that. "Gods. All those-" He doesn't finish. His slightly-dented bird remains on Rabbit's wing as he cruises to the hangar bay.

"Frakking… frak." Mars clenches her fists and glares at the deckhand as the birds start to land. "Fix my bird." Then she's off, breathing deeply and looking around for who made it back and in how many pieces.

Foxbat-4 is one of the few birds to have returned just as unscathed as when it left. Well, except for a dent here or there courtesy of a piece of random debris. The Raptor's hatch opens, and Timon makes a quick exit, leaving Anton to handle postflight. What a surprise. There's a flinty glare at the nearest deck ape as Thorn grabs a postflight checklist and starts checking things off, one after another. "Didn't take any hits… had a little trouble with the chaff pod, though. Look at it," he mutters to the deck crew that takes his ship in hand. He takes a few steps off the wing and away from the Raptor, looking around the hangar bay with a wooden expression on his face.

Topher slowly sits up putting his helmet in his hands. Then finally he begins removing the helmet. The sight of the mangled ship that was once a Viper in front of him. He doesn't bother getting up even jerking away from the deck crewmember who tries helping get him on his feet. Then a few moments longer and he presses against the deck with his palms pushing himself up. Once upright his right arm rides down clutching his ribs while he scowls in pain.

Kitty exits Foxbat-8, hurrying to take off her flight helmet as she fights to breathe. She doesn't look good and in fact looks green around the proverbial gills and her face is wet with sweat. "Matto…where is he?" With 'he' being as vague as it is, she could mean one of several hundred men who are aboard the Kharon.

Case's viper, despite combat landing and some damage, makes a smooth return to the base, barely screeching on the floor upon landing and settling into the deck comfortably. At least she didn't make the damage any worse. She's just popping her canopy when she hears that comm, not jumping out yet, holding on tight to her ship. Hopefully the shaking isn't bad enough to tip her.

Matto is a little more slow to exit the vehicle, checking systems thoroughly as he shuts them down one by one. He doesn't even bother getting unhooked from his seat, at this point. Much less as the intercom begins squawking. Collision? Crap. Kitty's question has to go unanswered, for the moment.

Topher attempts to reach for a rolling toolbox to brace himself against. Though it has little effect as his feet slide out from beneath him. His body crashing back against the floor at impact. This time and for the first time he cries out. "FRAK!" his loud booming voice resonating against the large hollow landing bay. "What was that?"

After Spider's viper is hauled off the flight deck, it probably becomes pretty clear, pretty quickly that something's wrong. He's motionless in the cockpit, and slumped against his seat harness. His helmet looks like it took a good hit to his viper's canopy; there's a nasty, concentric fracture in the glass that thankfully didn't breach the cabin.

[Wolf-5: Willem] Rebound's not on the perfect landing track today, given everything that's going on. Hitting the deck, sparks fly as his bird goes skittering across the Deck and ends up sliding into Samantha's otherwise perefectly parked viper. Brace for impact, indeed. Some moments later, he crawls out of the canopy to anotehr disaster. One that's not just contained to his plane.

"Frak me." Mars glances around and grabs onto the nearest solid object with which to brace herself: a viper. Death gripping it around the nose, she hangs on through the shuddering of the ship and then let's go. "Whatever it was, can't be good." She drops a hand down to her sidearm.

And there goes a shake as Hale's on the ladder. Not enough to send his ass off, but it shakes and it rattles. But, still the ship seems to be on her even kheel. "Gods damn.." And Rabbit's looking around as he clings to that freaking ladder. "What in the hell.."

Thorn runs a hand through his matted, tangled, sweat streaked hair, only to pause mid-sigh as the intercom sounds. The ECO whirls around in horror, looking for a place to take cover, but his steps took him too far from the safety of his Raptor. The ship shakes just enough for an off-balance Thorn to nearly get knocked right on his ass… where he watches in horrified slow motion as Willem's viper slides across the deck into Samantha's.

Thea's on the way out of her Raptor when that call comes in and doesn't have time to grab hold tightly enough. With impact, she ends up shaken off the last two rungs. Not a long fall, no, but her feet hit the deck with a thump. Her attention goes to Kai's Viper - how could it not? But she doesn't approach. Instead, she raises her voice, hitting that Command Voice. "Medical Team to the CAG's viper NOW," she bites out. "Deck, get that canopy off."

There's a second where she feels like she's outside of her body, looking at herself as her gaze lifts upwards. 'What the frak…' she appears to mouth just before things go back to normal and just in time for her to get knocked off of her feet when the large Raider hits the Kharon. Her helmet goes skittering across the deck, well out of arm's length.

Topher reaches out and grabs the hand of the deck crewman helping him up. Making sure not to refuse another offer. Once on his feet he begins patting himself down looking for any other injuries. When he is satisfied the pain is only coming from his chest he starts walking towards Kai's Viper.

The hangar bay's bathed in red lights as klaxxons go off and emergency crews are dispatched to deal with.. whatever just hit the ship. A couple of mechanics come rushing when Legacy starts barking out orders, boots pounding the deck as they scurry for the CAG's viper. One scales the ladder to see about that canopy, while the other moves to a nearby wireless terminal to place a call for medical. All in the midst of vipers still coming in, and at least one getting smashed up back there.

Case barely notices the fact the SHIP has been hit because, dammit, her perfectly parked Viper has been hit! Her parking job! Sam yells a loud curse out, "FRAKKING REBOUND!" Not really angry with him, but she's going to feel that whiplash in the morning as her viper goes skidding across the deck and into the wall right next to where she parked, jerking her left then right in her harness. Gods, that's going to HURT.

"Oh, Blessed Hermes." Wait a minute. Hold the phone. That was a non-blasphemous oath on Wil's part, as he gets a poor overworked crewman's help in getting his helmet off. He gives an apologetic look to Sam for shoving her Viper a few feet. "Case. I didn't…" He's pretty much out of words here, his already pale features more pale than usual.

Matto finally comes to the opening of the Raptor's hatch, arms out to steady himself just in case anything else hits the ship. He jumps down the ramp toward Babydoll, once he sees her, crouching down by her, "Hey, Babydoll, you okay?" he asks her.

Topher finally makes his way next up to the CAG's disabled viper. He begins moving amongst the crowd as they work at getting him out. "Hows he look? Do we have medical? Where the frak is medical?" He turns to leer as soon as one of the deck crewman slam into the side he is nursing. Though he doesn't do anything more then give him a cold look.

Thea stays out of the way as Medical swarms Kai's viper, though does look around long enough to call "Uninjured air wing to the side." She starts to say more, but then Topher's opened his mouth. "If you need medical, stay the frak where you are." There's a bite to her voice as she looks at the Viper pilot. "And if you're not injured, get the hell out of the way and let the deck and medical do their work. Case, Rebound!" Her voice DOES carry somewhat in the crowded bay, between the roar of machinery. "Report!"

"Yeah, just got a serious case of rubber legs and whatever…" Kitty flaps an arm, "…that was that hit the ship kind of…" Not knowing how to finish that, she pauses and looks around, seeing Kai and those working to help him along with the seriously not-fun bout of Willem-induced bad luck Sam just had inflicted upon her. "Gods, where is Martin?"

Thorn is still on his feet after the impact, although it did catch him off balance. Watching the Viper collision, he stands and stares for a moment, dumbfounded… but there's no boom, no curtain of flame, just one viper getting bodychecked and skidding a ways further down the deck, Sam's sudden squawk notwithstanding. Nevertheless, he trots towards the pair of fighters, looking to check on the other pilots.

"Fine. Fine. I'm fine." Looks like Kai hit his head pretty hard, but is otherwise in one piece. He lets the arriving medical team help him out of his viper and peel his helmet off, revealing a fair amount of blood matting his dark hair. Probably just a mild concussion; he isn't hurling, and he's able to stand once they get him down on the deck, so he can't be too badly off. "I'm good, Story, you did fine." He flickers a faint smile to Topher, and waves off any further attention from the medics. They seem to know better than to argue, and back off to check for any other injured. "What's our status, Black Cat?"

"They took him down to Sickbay," Mars offers on the subject of Martin and his whereabouts. She stands, hands on her hips, and then starts for the stairs.

Case is pulling herself out of her now crunchy Viper, staring at the side of it and two nicely bent wings due to Rebound and the wall. She manages to climb free, if a bit sorely. No blood is showing on her suit, nor rips in the fabric…"I'm fine, sir… Bird isn't lookin' good, but I'm fine. Give me another bird and I'm good to go." Sam dashes across the deck as fast as her sore, adrenaline pumped body will take her, which is pretty damn fast, ready for further orders.

Topher steps back a few more steps making sure there is plenty of clearance. Though he doesn't make an indication towards any of the medical crew. But once Kai is brought down he moves up next to him. "Thank you sir. I am ready to go out again if you need me sir." He trails behind as he begins to move a little bit better. Though he continues to favor his right side.

Willem calls out in response to Legacy's Call to Arms. "I'm unhurt, Captain." Well, at least -now-, he's standing straight. He shoots a sort of aghast look towards Kai but otherwise heads off across the deck following Case a little abashedly.

Kitty nods her thanks to Mars but she doesn't move yet, the alarms and the red lights keeping her there in case she's needed. Her helmet is grabbed once it dawns on her that she has dropped it but other than that she's simply waiting.

Matto offers his tumbled Backseater a hand up, "Come on, let's wait inside the Bat," he suggests, "'Til we get the clear," he adds, as if that'd surely be any moment now.

Seeing as both parties seem fine, Thorn aborts his path towards the Viper fender-bender, turning around and heading back towards the center of the bay — at least until Thea gives her order. He sighs, helmet still clutched in his hand as he settles for going to stand by the wing of his out-of-the-way Raptor.

Hale doesn't need to be told twice, to get out of the way so the deck personel and such can see to the wounded birds and people. Rather Rabbit's moving to get out of the way, and remove his helmet and basically get to some form of a duty station that does not require him to be close to here. "You heard the Captain. If you're not wounded-clear out!" Hale barks, before he is well-moving.

Samantha also looks like she might have been crying. Eyes red, moisture all down her face. It could be accused of being sweat in her eyes, no doubt what'd she say, but normally she doesn't look quite this bad after a flight. She stands to the side, jaw tight, back too stiff as she waits for more orders.

Oh, was Hale talking to Wil? Because Wil's totally doing that. Getting the Hell out of the Deck. Right. Frakking. NOW.

Thea looks over at Hale, raising a brow as he reiterates her order. "Thank you, Lieutenant," she tells him, tone slightly clipped. Then it's back to Kai. "Something hit the ship just after we got in. All of our birds are in. Sparky and Shirt are maintaining patrol formation. One injury in sickbay - Dash. You and Story are the only other injured. Small problem with two Vipers coming in. Rebound lovetapped Case."

Topher continues to trail along the outer reaches of the room. Patting a few deckhands on the back even as one snarls in the direction of a Viper. He even whispers to him. "Yeah sorry about that." Though he keeps a very loose tail on the CAG. Its obvious he is dying to get back into a Viper.

Kitty takes the hand up but she's still a bit shaky, not really able to keep her legs from quivering; it's undoubtedly from the rush if adrenaline she had hit several times today and the worry she feels for not only Martin but the others who have been injured.

Battered helmet tucked under one arm, Karim listens as Thea gives him the sitrep on things since he blacked out. His eyes rove over the pilots assembled at attention nearby, and then he gives the raptor Captain a small, curt nod when she's finished. "Ajtai, Mars, Story, Price and Hale, report back to berthings and stay suited up. Get ready to move back out as soon as CIC gives the word. Matto, finish off your pre-flight and get that bird ready to fly again if necessary. Legacy, Case, Thorn, you're with me. Check your service pistols, both of you." Duhn dunn.

Samantha lofts a brow, curious… But she's smiling. It's been a long, long time since she got to shoot a proper gun in combat. Well, since Scorpia, but the rubber bullets on the range just ain't cutting it any more. Sam grabs her pistol at her side, slipping the safety off and jogging into place at Kai's side. "Aye, sir." She snaps out with a rueful, half excited grin. Time to shoot some varmits.

Topher throws a salute towards Karim before he starts heading towards the berthings. Though he does shoot back debating on asking. "Sir any chance I can rinse off and check things out? Then resuit?" He asks stopped halfway between where Kai stands and the exit.

Wil looks like he got caught hitting on the president's daughter on Colonial live feed. And got rejected horribly. Still, he straightens after but a moment as he shoulders the embarassment of that terrible landing and just shoots a salute to Kai. "Understood, Sir." He pats the sidearm in its holster with the back of his hand, just making sure it is there. With that, he plods off to the berthings.

Thea dips her head to Kai and pulls out her service weapon, checking it and looking somewhat worriedly at Kai. Topher doesn't get a second look - she's on point with orders. "Set," she tells Kai quietly.

Thorn is seated on the wing of his Raptor, arms crossed. He blinks as his name is called out; the ECO quickly stands up and strides over to where the other three are gathering. A hand grabs for his service pistol; feeling the reassuring weight of the weapon at his side, Thorn pulls it free. There's a brief look over at Samantha, then his eyes are back on Kai. "Ready, Captain," he affirms.

There's a nod given back towards Kai, before that bloody look is passed towards Will. Don't have to tell Rabbit twice, his gun is checked, and slid back into the holster. "Alright lets move to berthings-now." Come on cats, lets get a herding. All the same he's off for the berthings.

Topher without waiting any longer for a response he bolts out into the stariwell. One arm wrapped around his stomach the other gripping his flight helmet.

"You've got your orders, Story," offers the CAG in passing. He swipes the back of his hand across his forehead, removing a goodly smear of blood. Head wounds always bleed like a bitch. He nods in the direction Rabbit left, and veers off to clatter down the stairs.

"Yes, sir." With the CAG's orders given she begins to head to where she's been told to go an stay, Kitty taking it as a good time to maybe get a bit of sleep. "You know where to find me," she sing songs to Matto before heading to berthing.

Matto gives the CAG a silent, swift nod and heads back into the Raptor while the deck crew touches up the paintwork on the tail.