| Eyes in the Sky |
| Summary: | The war games continue. The Vipers of the Black Knights use the Raptors as "eyes" to target opponents from another Cerberus Viper squadron, the Checkmates. |
| Date: | 21 Feb 2041 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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The pilots from the Black Knights and their Reservist Snow Petrel comrades, who're flying in the upcoming war game exercise, have been called in for a quickie briefing. Also present is a contingent from the Cerberus' VF-211 "Checkmates" squadron. Who will serve as their opponents in this little sortie. Cidra's at the podium and a diagram of the chunk of Uram Sector space they'll be flying in is up on the LCD screen behind her. "Be seated," she calls as the pilot begin to drift in. "I shall keep this short. You have all have the notes on this exercise, and so should not need over-much to know your business."
The Harriers are, of course, also here. Can't forget the Raptor love.
Daphne predictably takes her seat in the front row, where she 'sits at attention', much as though she were hoping for a passing breeze to snap her spinal column in twain. The papers on her clipboard are lined up as perfectly as the pins of her flight suit are level.
Marko takes his seat in the middle, nodding to the handful of pilots here he recognizes as he breaks out a pen to jot notes down on his kneeboard.
Laskaris is already in his usual seat near the back as the briefing begins, a pen twirling in his hand. He looks up as Cidra begins to speak; the pen continues its turning, Laskaris' fingers deftly turning it over and through his fingers.
Stepping in with the others, Malone looks around for a few moments, nodding to the others present. Pulling out a notebook and a pen, as he moves for a second row seat, a bit to the side of things.
Temperance ducks in, tying her hair up and away from her face as she sneaks into a middle row and slumps into a seat. Looks like the Raptor Ensign is trying to disappear.
"Black Flight." Cidra addresses the Knights and Petrels, and their Raptor counterparts. "The name of the game for you in this coordination. Your Vipers will not be permitted to use their own targeting system for this exercise. You will be relying on information relayed to you from the Raptors to zero in on your opponents." Her eyes flit over the Raptor personnel. "This means that, in addition to playing defense, you will need to have a sharp eye on your DRADIS and be quick on the comm. I hope it shall prove an interesting challenge. Lieutenant Laskaris." A nod to him. "Since Captain Abbascia is unable to partake in this bit of the games due to his other pressing duties, and you are the ranking officer involved, you shall be flying Lead for the Black Vipers." *re*
As Cidra mentions his name, Lasher straightens with a start. "Um. Yes, sir," he responds. There's no hesitation in his tone, only mild surprise. His head darts around quickly to the other Viper pilots, and then his eyes are back on the CAG herself.
Marko nods to himself as he takes in the CAG's information, pausing only to jot down a single note on his pad, 'Don't Frak Up'.
Malone nods a little bit as he listens, looking over at Laskaris for a few moments, offering a bit of a nod.
"White Flight," Cidra addresses the Checkmates. "Your task will be more straightforward. Destroy the 'enemy' Raptors." The barest hint of a smile to the Raptor crew in attendance. "White Flight's numbers shall be inferior in this sortie, but they will have the advantage of being able to use their own targeting systems. We shall see who ends up having the advantage."
Captain Adia "Blowback" Valance, the squad leader for the Checkmates, casts a long look across the room at Laskaris. Fingers of one hand miming a gun, and 'shooting' it at him with her thumb. She looks wolfishly eager.
Temperance sits very quietly and very still throughout everything so far, but now she looks between the two leaders and gulps nervously.
Marko looks over to the redheaded Raptor pilot sitting nearby and gives her a little smile and a quick thumb's up.
Valance gets a sneering grin in return from Laskaris. "Don't count your Raptors 'till they're scragged, Blowback." Hey, arrogance is a good thing in a pilot, right?
"All right. Unless there are any queries, you are all dismisssed. Adjourn to the hangar deck and mount your birds. I shall be observing this action from a Raptor just outside your area of action." Cidra swaps a look between Laskaris, the Checkmate Captain and her Raptor drivers. Lips crooking every so slightly. No pressure or anything.
Evandreus leans forward in his seat, lifting a set of fingers ceiling-ward in indication of a question.
"Lieutenant Doe, yes?" Cidra points to querying Evandreus.
"Do we have to relay the targetting vector orally, or can we use a comm link to upload the data directly to viper targetting?" Evan asks.
"You may relay it in whichever manner you see fit, given the situation," Cidra replies.
Malone listens a bit thoughtfully to what's being said now, nodding a little at Evan's question, and Cidra's answer.
Daphne swallows, and then raises her hand, pen between her fingertips.
Evandreus gives a quiet nod, lips pressing together in acknowledgement of the Major's answer.
Temperance glances to Marko gratefully, and grins. "Thanks," she mouths silently. She listens to all the questions being asked, but has none of her own. It's all new to her, they'd be here all day if she started asking questions!
"Sir," asks the questioning Ensign, "If we attain visual on unannounced targets, may we engage?"
Marko smiles back to Temperance and nods, mouthing "Anytime. Need a rear seater? "
"In the interests of the exercise, Ensign, you must rely on the information you obtain from the Raptors before engaging," Cidra replies to Daphne. "You will be, in essence, flying partially blind."
Daphne swallows and begins to chew on her lower lip again, "Yes, sir. Thank you." Her hand goes down in a hurry.
Temperance's eyes light up, and she nods fast. "Yes, please," she laughs. "Thought I'd have to fly and scan by myself at the same time. And I've only got two arms!"
Cidra waits a moment to see if anyone has anything further to add. And then, she exits the podium. "Let's be to it."
One last smirk over at the Checkmates captain, followed by another look over at his own people, and Lasher rises from his seat. "Alright. Let's to it, shall we?" he says sardonically to the pilots of Black Flight, and then he's up and out the hatch.
Daphne walks her way across the hangar, slips her helmet on, and makes her way towards one of the mark 7 vipers while engaging in brief conversation with the deck crew. She gets inside and immediately starts to check the craft out, starting a preflight check in triplicate.
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Cidra gets herself situated into one of the Raptors and begins a pre-flight check. She's got an ECO from another Raptor squadron along for the ride. She's just here to observe the kids.
[BlackKnight-311: Malone] Getting to the Hangar Deck and into a Viper, Malone gets through his pre-flight check a bit quietly. Once in a while glancing around, he soon focuses o+emit Getting to the Hangar Deck and into a Viper, Malone gets through his pre-flight check a bit quietly. Once in a while glancing around, he soon focuses on the task at hand.
[Harrier-304: Marko] Marko straps into his seat and starts bringing his gear online for pre-flight checks. "Everything's looking good from here. I'm Ensign Scaurus, by the way." he says to his pilot. "Marko Scaurus. You?"
[BlackKnight-312: Laskaris] Likewise, Lasher is quickly inside his chosen Mark VII and through the preflight checklist. Handing the clipboard off to his crew chief, he toggles his cockpit controls and dons his helmet as the glass canopy slides down and locks into place. His ship is the first one into the tubes, and a moment later, Lasher's Viper is blasted into space.
[From outside the ship:]
BlackKnight-312 takes off.
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "Cerberus, Toast. Pre-flight check completed. Vipers and Raptors preparing to launch for games exercise Black-V-White."
[Harrier-304: Temperance] "Temperance O'Sullivan," she replies with a smile, suddenly speaking with an Aerilon accent like she should have been all along. She chatters as she warms everything up. "Jus' got assigned here, ain't done much but CAP since I go' here. You?"
[TAC3] "CerbTac" Tillman says, "Toast, Cerberus. Copy your last. Outside of the CAP we show no contacts in the area. You are cleared to launch at your discretion."
[Harrier-305: Evandreus] Evan boards his bird with a hop and a leap and is up front securing the last pieces of his flight suit and buckling in in between stages of pre-flight while Ensign Steffi "Stiffy" Mews gives him the green from his backseat. "Dude, Mews," he calls back, "My co-pilot ever show up?" he wonders, worried. "She did, she's taken a page out of Gyges' book," Stiffy calls back up. Reluctantly, Evan closes up the hatch and pings the LSO to get on the shortlist for launch, since clearance has been granted.
[BlackKnight-312: Laskaris] Naturally, of course, Laskaris waited until recieving clearance from CIC to launch his bird. Either way, he's out in space.
[Harrier-304: Marko] "Pretty much the same, that and trying to figure out where the frak everything is on this ship." Marko chuckles. "The map they gave us at orientation's about the next best thing to completely useless." he notes, pulling a little necklace consisting of a steel bead chain with what looks all the world like a whistle prize from a Berry Crunch box and slipping it around his neck.
[BlackKnight-312: Laskaris] As Laskaris' Viper shoots out of the launch tube, he brings the fighter in a slow arc over and around the flight deck as he waits for the rest of his flight to emerge.
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "Cerberus, Toast. Acknowledged. Commencing launch."
[Harrier-304: Temperance] Temperance just laughs. "Well, jus' look at it this way," she snorts. "Iffn' ya hit th' wrong button back there, ain't like we're gonna die. I hit th' wrong thing, we'll be suckin' space." Doublechecking it all, she looks back and yells "'Ere we go!" before taking off with the rest of the ships as they head out.
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Cidra's Raptor leaves the Cerberus and takes up a position somewhat on the 'sidelines' of the area set aside for the games. As the Black Knights' Vipers leave the rubes, so do the Checkmates shoot out as well, going into a holding pattern until they can go a'hunting.
[BlackKnight-309: Daphne] Daphne's viper is flung out of the launch tube at incredible speed. The rookie applies some rear thrust to slow the craft down while she slinks over good and slow to link up with her flight lead.
[Harrier-305: Evandreus] Evan takes Harrier-305 out on cue from Landing Signals, a few moments after the prior Raptor to launch, and a few moments, in turn, before the next, rising from deck and maintaining speed past Cerberus' 'no wake' zone, then turning on three axes and moving in a formation with the rest out to the game field.
[BlackKnight-311: Malone] Bringing his Viper out of the tube, Malone lets it pass a bit away, before he twists and turns and moves for the others now, moving into formation with the rest there.
<COMBAT> Evandreus has joined the combat as a pilot in Harrier-305 on team 1.
<COMBAT> Laskaris has joined the combat as a pilot in BlackKnight-312 on team 1.
<COMBAT> Daphne has joined the combat as a pilot in BlackKnight-309 on team 1.
<COMBAT> Marko has joined the combat as a passenger in Harrier-304 on team 1.
<COMBAT> Temperance has joined the combat as a pilot in Harrier-304 on team 1.
<COMBAT> Stiffy has joined the combat as a Passenger in Harrier-305 on team 2. (Evandreus)
<COMBAT> Stiffy has changed weapons to ECM. (Evandreus)
<COMBAT> Marko has changed weapons to ECM.
[Harrier-304: Marko] "Yeah…I'd appreciate it if you didn't vent the ship." Marko chuckles, bringing the ECM suite to standby. "That would be kind of embarrassing."
<COMBAT> Raptor3 has joined the combat as a pilot in Harrier-303 on team 2. (Cidra)
<COMBAT> Raptor3's team set to 1. (Cidra)
<COMBAT> Stiffy's team set to 1. (Evandreus)
[TAC3] "Lasher" Laskaris says, "Black Flight, Lasher. Kolettis, Splash, form on me. I've got lead; they'll probably be going for the Raptors, but if they decide they'd rather play with us… I'll take the heat, you knock 'em out. Raptors, hang back. Split formation; I want the bloody Whites t' commit to one of you or the other. Don't worry; whichever one they pick, we'll be on 'em like flies on shit."
[TAC3] Daphne says, "Copy that, Lasher. Kolettis moving to zero seven position."
[BlackKnight-309: Daphne] Daphne's craft slides over to ride behind and to Lasher's port side.
[TAC3] "Bunny" Evandreus says, "Lasher, Bunny, wilco, splitting to port of formation. Daphne, I'm pinging you over a data frequency. If you feed that frequency into your targetting matrix I should be able to upload straight into it, safe us a bunch of time."
[TAC3] Daphne says, "I see it. I see it. Signal confirmed. Locking… is good."
[TAC3] "Splash" Malone says, "Lasher, Splash. Got it. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"
[Harrier-307: Cidra] That third Raptor forms up with Malone's ship. It'll ping him whatever data it can.
[TAC3] "Lasher" Laskaris says, "That's a good idea, Bunny. The rest of you, do the same. Let's not make it too easy for these frakkers."
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "White Flight, Toast. Mark. You are cleared to engage. Black Flight, begin exercise. Remember, all target data must be received from Raptors prior to engagement."
[Harrier-304: Marko] "Let Lasher know I've got a freq picked out for his targeting system." he says, reading out the numbers. "And don't worry, Sullivan, we're gonna eat their lunch. We're gonna eat their lunch and they won't even see us chew. Commencing targeting sweep."
[BlackKnight-312: Laskaris] At the lead of the three-point Viper formation, Laskaris angles his ship to face the oncoming aggressor craft. His finger twitches on the trigger, his eyes flicking down to his targeting scanners as he waits for Marko's data feed.
<FS3> Marko rolls ECM: Good Success.
<FS3> <FS3> Evandreus rolls 4: Success.
<FS3> Cidra rolls 4: Success. (on behalf of Raptor 3)
[TAC3] Temperance says, "Lasher, O'Sullivan. Ready with your freq, sweeping now. ECO says we're gonna be like schoolyard bullies. Or something."
//<COMBAT> White1 targets Evandreus. (Cidra)
<COMBAT> Blowback targets Temperance. (Cidra)
<COMBAT> Laskaris will attack Blowback this turn.
<COMBAT> Malone will attack White1 this turn.//
[TAC3] "Bunny" Evandreus says, "Daphne, Bunny, uploading your targetting vector now."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] The pair of Checkmate Vipers target straight in on the Raptors once they're loosed for combat. The LT playing Blowback's wingman breaks off to target Evandreus. Blowback, however, only has eyes for Temperance. Laskaris' assistant in this game.
<COMBAT> Raptor3 will pass this turn. (Cidra)
[Harrier-305: Evandreus] Evan banks his boat hard port— if Blowback's wingman's going to chase him, he's going to chase him far afield. Fortunately that comm link has a decent range, as he gets the numbers from Stiffy and sends them up over the link.
<COMBAT> Evandreus has changed stance to evade.
<COMBAT> Message from Cidra: The ECOs should actually be passing for this round at least. While they have the option to jam if you want them to do that, if would be at the expense of their assisting the Vipers.
<COMBAT> Daphne will attack White1 this turn.
<COMBAT> Laskaris has changed stance to banzai.
<COMBAT> Daphne has changed stance to banzai.
<COMBAT> Stiffy will pass this turn. (Evandreus)
<COMBAT> Marko will pass this turn.
[TAC3] "Lasher" Laskaris says, "Scaurus, Lasher. Got my vector. Vipers, it looks like they're splitting up. Splash, Kolettis, take White1. I'll handle Blowback."
[TAC3] Daphne says, "Lasher, Kolettis. Copy. Bogey White1 on feed via datalink bearing one two one carom zero four seven. Moving to intercept."
[TAC3] "Splash" Malone says, "Got it, Lasher. Let's get this one out of the game."
<COMBAT> Triggering new turn.
<COMBAT> Marko passes.
[BlackKnight-309: Daphne] Daphne's viper slows down while it turns, sending the viper into a sort of fishtail as the pilot turns its nose towards White1 and jams on the thrusters.
<COMBAT> Daphne attacks White1 with KEW but MISSES!
<COMBAT> White1 attacks Evandreus with KEW but MISSES!
<COMBAT> Temperance passes.
<COMBAT> Stiffy passes.
<COMBAT> Laskaris attacks Blowback with KEW - Moderate wound to Right Wing.
<COMBAT> Evandreus passes.
<COMBAT> Blowback attacks Temperance with KEW - Moderate wound to Right Wing (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Raptor3 passes.
<COMBAT> Malone attacks White1 with KEW - Light wound to Right Wing (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Cidra has started a new turn. Pose and choose your action.
<COMBAT> Viper-0778v has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> White1 has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> If White1 was your only NPC in this combat, please switch your type to 'observer' so the pose tracking works properly.
[Harrier-307: Cidra] The Black Viper guns receive their targeting to the letter, and fire explodes at the White assailants. Blowback takes one hard to her wing from Laskaris, spinning fiercely to compensate. She manages to stay in it. Her wingman isn't so lucky. Or, rather, Malone is extremely lucky. Landing a perfect shot right to his undercontrols. He's outta there.
<FS3> <FS3> Marko rolls ECM: Success.
[BlackKnight-311: Malone] Turning his Viper after White1 after the info has been incoming from the Raptor, moving into the right position. Waiting, waiting, waiting, firing. Nodding a bit as the opponent is out. "He shoots, he scores!" he mutters, making sure to keep it off the channel.
[BlackKnight-312: Laskaris] Laskaris settles in behind Blowback's fighter. He achieves lockon, courtesy of Marko; a burst of KEW fire catches the enemy Viper on the wing, and he smiles wolfishly. "Not as easy as ya'd thought, eh Blowback?" he jeers over an open com channel. His targeting display flickers for a moment, but Marko maintains the lockon; his fighter spinning and juking to stay on Blowback's tail, he releases another shot.
//<FS3> <FS3> Evandreus rolls ECM: Success.
<COMBAT> Blowback has changed stance to Banzai. (Cidra)//
[TAC3] "Lasher" Laskaris says, "Nice shot, Splash. Form up on me, you two, let's see if we can't knock the good Captain Valance out of the game."
//<FS3> Cidra rolls 4: Success. (for Raptor 3)
<COMBAT> Temperance has changed stance to evade.//
[BlackKnight-309: Daphne] Daphne brings White1 into her sights. She squeezes the trigger while swooping in, but falls wide. She's preparing for another shot when the target registers as disqualified. Giving her craft careful taps to the side thrusters, the rookie falls right onto Lasher's wing, ready for round two.
<COMBAT> Daphne will attack Blowback this turn.
[TAC3] "Bunny" Evandreus says, "Lasher, Bunny, I hear you. Coming around. Stiffy's getting that vector for you now, Daph. Uploading in three… two…"
[TAC3] Temperance says, "Lasher, O'Sullivan. Let's go get his lunch money!"
<COMBAT> Malone will attack Blowback this turn.
[TAC3] "Lasher" Laskaris says, "O'Sullivan, Lasher. Frak that, I want his whole bloody wallet."
[Harrier-305: Evandreus] Harrier-305 comes arcing around and north of carom to follow up on the vipers heading after Blowback, the bus bringing up the rear almost by necessity.
[TAC3] Marko says, "And his trainers, if they're stylish."
[TAC3] "Splash" Malone says, "Thanks. Forming up."
[BlackKnight-311: Malone] The Viper is brought in to form up with the others as Malone gets ready to fire again.
[Harrier-307: Cidra] That third Raptor uploads Malone his new targeting vector like clock-work as well. Poor Blowback.
<COMBAT> Triggering new turn.
<COMBAT> Temperance passes.
<COMBAT> Stiffy passes.
<COMBAT> Raptor3 passes.
<COMBAT> Malone attacks Blowback with KEW - Moderate wound to Body (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Evandreus passes.
<COMBAT> Daphne attacks Blowback with KEW - Moderate wound to Nose (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Marko passes.
<COMBAT> Laskaris attacks Blowback with KEW - Light wound to Body (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Blowback attacks Temperance with KEW - Moderate wound to Engine (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Cidra has started a new turn. Pose and choose your action.
[Harrier-307: Cidra] The Checkmate captain doesn't get discouraged by the now quite overwhelming odds. Though maybe she should. She's pummeled from all the Vipers, including a nasty nose shot from Daphne's guns. Still, Blowback stays in it, getting in a hit to the backside of Temperance's Raptor with her guns from behind. "Ain't gonna be as easy as all that, «Lieutenant* Laskaris.»
<FS3> <FS3> Marko rolls ECM: Good Success.
<FS3> <FS3> Evandreus rolls ECM: Success.
<FS3> Cidra rolls 4: Good Success. (for Raptor 3)
[BlackKnight-312: Laskaris] All three Black Flight Vipers unload on Valance's fighter, but somehow Blowback weathers the storm. The Black Knights trio doesn't relent, however. "You got a bleedin' ace up your sleeve, then, Blowback? 'Cause it looks like you're gonna need it," he taunts the enemy captain mercilessly. He mutters a silent thanks to Marko's targeting wizardry as his computers maintain the targeting solution, and Lasher opens fire once more.
[TAC3] Temperance says, "Lasher, O'Sullivan. Hold her upside down and shake her till everything falls out."
[BlackKnight-309: Daphne] Viper 309 sends streaks of laserlight into Blowback's nose section. A pair of eyes widen a few notches from inside her cockpit when the combined weight of the viper element isn't enough to register a disable on their target. She parepares to come around for another pass.
[TAC3] Daphne chuckles, "Is it covered in mirrors, sir?"
[Harrier-304: Marko] "She's good, gotta give her that." Marko calls, a dollop of rookie excitement in his tone as his fingers dance across the ECO's board to maintain the lock on. "C'mon, Sullivan, do some of that pilot cack….zig and zag.."
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Raptor Three relays targeting info to Malone's ship with what is now becoming expected precision. Still zeroed in on the Checkmates captain.
[BlackKnight-311: Malone] "What the…" Malone mutters to himself, frowning a bit as he sees Blowback still being out and about. Moving in for the next attempt, he switches the right channel on again, "Where did you get hold of the tape to hold it together, Blowback?"
<COMBAT> Daphne will attack Blowback this turn. Options: called=cockpit
[Harrier-305: Evandreus] Evan, for his part, begins to slow his Raptor at an incremental pace, not wanting to close too far into the fray, just in case Blowback breaks free and starts ravaging all up on the other Raptors. Just close enough for Stiffy to keep her eye on the interested parties and get that targetting solution again for him to send along to Daphne's viper.
<COMBAT> Triggering new turn.
<COMBAT> Malone attacks Blowback with KEW - ARMOR on Body stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Evandreus passes.
<COMBAT> Daphne attacks Blowback with KEW - Light wound to Nose (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Blowback attacks Temperance with KEW and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Temperance passes.
<COMBAT> Stiffy passes.
<COMBAT> Laskaris attacks Blowback with KEW - Moderate wound to Controls (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Marko passes.
<COMBAT> Raptor3 passes.
<COMBAT> Cidra has started a new turn. Pose and choose your action.
<COMBAT> Viper-1729i has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Blowback has been KO'd!
[Harrier-304: Temperance] "Pilot 'cack'?" Temperance repeats, incredulous. "Might be from Aerilon, but I'm pretty sure that ain't a technical term." She laughs and swerves just for his amusement - and by luck, it ends up being the swerve that keeps them from getting hit. "Cack it is!" she crows, triumphant.
[BlackKnight-312: Laskaris] Third time's the charm, evidently. As Daphne scores another nose hit, another burst from Laskaris' training lasers skewers Valance's fighter amidships, savaging the aggressor Viper's control systems. This time, the captain's icon on DRADIS finally blinks inactive, and Lasher gives a gravelly, triumphant growl. Another one bites the dust.
[Harrier-307: Cidra] Blowback puts up a fight to the last, but one against three is terrible odds and it was only matter of time. Her time runs out. Her ship blinks ominously after Daphne's hits her nose again, and is 'killed' after a laser to the controls from Laskaris' ship. «Lasher. Blowback. Frak you.» She comms sweetly. Not exactly graceful in defeat.
[BlackKnight-309: Daphne] Daphne points her guns right on Blowback's cockpit, meaning to finish this on a technicality. The rookie's moves are deft enough to keep her lined up with the craft itself, but not deft enough to keep the canopy where she wants it. Her lasers streak wide, impacting on the nose a moment before Lasher's strike right into the controls. Daph performs a tight victory loop and makes for Lasher's side again.
[BlackKnight-311: Malone] His own attempt stopped, Malone grins a bit as he sees the others succeed. Turning the ship to form up again, he rolls it around for a few moments, just for the show.
[Harrier-304: Marko] "Heh, call it whatever you want if it keeps us from getting tagged. Nice flying, Sullivan. Hey, you mind if I call you Sully?" Marko asks/
[BlackKnight-312: Laskaris] "Blowback, Lasher. Only in your dreams," Laskaris rejoined, his voice just as saccharine as the Checkmates captain's. He pulls up alongside Valance's fighter, pausing only long enough to mimic her finger-gun shot motion from the briefing, before tripping his afterburners and jetting out in front of her, wagging his wings as he'd done with Kefir in the last skirmish. Add another captain to the simulated kill tally.
[TAC3] (from "Bunny" Evandreus) "Hhhoya!" Stiffy screeches shrilly in triumph, "Suck on -that- c—" her crowing is dutifully cut off of comms by her pilot, who replaces his backseater on them thereafter: "Nicely played, all. Awesome defense, Blowback," he offers, rather more sportingly.
[TAC3] "Toast" Cidra says, "Toast to Black Flight. I am reading all White targets dealt with. You win the day. Our Raptors did not miss a beat, from my view of things. Come about and return to Cerberus."
[Harrier-304: Temperance] "S'a helluvaa lot better'n I'm sure I'm gonna get 'ventually, so why not," Temperance laughs. "And that's how we do it on the Cerberus."
<COMBAT> Cidra has stopped the combat.
Cidra flies the ship to Hangar Deck - Port.
Daphne climbs out of her viper with assistance from the deck crew, then carefully makes her way down the ladder. It takes her a few moments before she finally pulls her helmet off.
Two fights, two victories. That could explain Lasher's unusually good demeanor as he yanks off his helmet and quickly runs through postflight. The blond pilot shimmies down from the cockpit, standing tall as he watches the deck crew bring the rest of their ships onto the deck.
Cidra emerges from her Raptor after coming in for a smooth landing, that faint smile on her lips a bit wider than usual. Particularly as it is directed at the Harriers' Raptor personnel. The CAG is pleased.
Temperance takes her time with the postflight checklist, carefully making sure she gets everything right and in order, before climbing out and ripping off her helmet, letting her hair free with a flourish. Beaming from ear to ear, she looks around, trying to find Marko to slam with a high five.
Marko ambles down the Raptor's ramp, pulling his helmet off before happily returning Temperance's high five. "That was fun." he smiles happily.
Evandreus heads up to the hatch in Stiffy's wake, waiting for her to climb on down, hands planted up at the top of the hatch as he watches the celebrations on deck, smiling brightly, but not disembarking until he's made his final check around the inside of his boat, lips pursing to one side as he eyes the empty seat where his co-pilot ought to have been. Stiffy, meanwhile, makes no bones around grabbing up the ECO over from 303 and roughing him up a little in celebration before they head off-deck.
Malone steps off his own Viper, looking around for a few moments. "Now that was fun," he remarks as he gets down the ladder. Looking around at the others for a few moments now.
"That was an ego booster." remarks Daphne to nobody in particular as she gravitates towards the other pilots, helmet under one arm. "So with that sort of intel work, I guess a flawless victory was pretty much a given."
Damon arrives from Midship.
Damon has arrived.
"Black Flight, excellent showing. I am particularly pleased with your show of Viper-Raptor team work," Cidra says, approaching the pilots as they get themselves disembarked. Her lips crook at Laskaris and Daphne. "Captain Valance is still smarting from those last shots, I do think. I suspect it shall be a valuable object lesson for her. Though it is commendable she held out as long as she did. You made a formidable force."
Temperance beams at Marko and tucks her helmet under her arm. She looks around at every one else and beams at them, too. "I hope it's always that easy," she murmurs to herself.
Laskaris, too, joins the congregation of pilots. Kolettis and Malone get a thin smile. "Good shooting, the both of you," he commends them. The CAG gets a nod. "Oh, she did alright, sir. Hate t' be her wingman right now, though." Lasher smirks. He looks around the hangar deck, his eyes falling on Marko in particular. "You make a good targeting computer, Scaurus," he calls out to the ECO.
"Memento mori, dude," Evan gives Daphne a crooked grin as he hops down from his boat, landing on deck a little behind and a ways to the side of her. "It was just a game. Nice job with the fireworks, though," he offers her, wandering closer to wrap an arm around her in a half a hug, snugging her swiftly by way of congrats if she lets him.
Marko nods his quiet assent as he pulls his lucky charm from around his neck and giving it a little superstitious kiss. "Ain't caught us yet, Cap." he smirks before ticking it back into the breast pocket of his flight suit. "My pleasure, Lasher." he replies proudly. "Sully here's the one who kept us from dying, though."
As the crafts come back into the hangar bay, Damon and his team come out to hook up the Vipers and Raptors, get them re-fueled, and make sure no systems have gone wonky from the exercise. "Good show," he says to the pilot assembly at large, giving a little salute as he comes up. "I was watching from the observation deck."
Marko has left.
Daphne is just fine with a hug, and returns it with a smile and a hug of her own, "They didn't have a chance. You guys had us filled with targets so well you'd never know it was manual. That was the smoothest trainining exercise I can remember. You're going to spoil us."
Malone stays quiet for now, listening to what's being said at the moment. Glancing back to his Viper for a few moments, he steps over to the bird, moving his hand to touch it for a few moments. "Thanks…" he mutters, after a few moments of pause.
Cidra's blue eyes go to Temperance. Gaze mild. "I assure you, Ensign, most will not be. You had superior forces and made use competent coordination. Do not let it go to your head. If you take a lesson from this, let is be an appreciation for having a skilled ECO at the controls." A nod to Daphne. "Your team came together very well and did not make any errors. It was, indeed…silken smooth, Ensign Kolettis. And very encouraging in your abilities to fly together."
Temperance stares at Marko for a moment. Maybe she's not used to others handing out credit - she's fresh out as an Ensign, anyway. But she quickly recovers and nods to him, and Lasher. "Jus' usin' that 'spensive training, sir," she replies with a smile.
When Cidra addresses her, Temperance goes pink, and her smile falters a little bit. "Yes, sir," she responds quietly, looking a bit guilty down at her shoes.
Evandreus laughs. "Next time? We'll relay the targetting vectors orally. How's your WPM, Daffy?" he teases her, bumping at her with a hip as he breaks from the half-hug. "I have to go finish up post-flight. I'll see you later, yah?"
Lasher watches for a moment as the last of the fighters are dragged back into their alcoves, and sketches a quick salute to Cidra as he steps away from the group. The rest of the pilots get a terse final nod before Laskaris turns and makes for the exit.
Laskaris has left.
Daphne bumps back, and then shines her fingernails along the collar of her flightsuit. "See, that would've made it at least a little more sporting. Stay level, Bunny. I need to handle a few things and hit the showers, myself."
"It's true. I'm just lazy like that," Evan grins. "On the other hand, if this were a real combat situation, we'd need every advantage, right? Later, dude. Have good showertimes," he goes on, peeling off from her side and turning back to head back up into his boat.
Temperance scurries off, to either celebrate or dwell on Cidra's words, who knows. But there's still a small smile on her face.
Temperance has left.
Daphne heads through the exit labeled <DS> Dual Stairway.
Daphne has left.
Cidra grins to herself as the pilots disperse, heading for the showers herself.
Malone moves for the exit as well, slow and thoughtfully. Humming a little to himself as he walks on.