In Transit Trip Log 2

You guys are flown in the gunship by Flight Officer Jason Auckland to the canyons outside of Lobetful in the Typhon Gunship. Probationary Officer Circuit sits beside him, watching what he does. He stays low to the ground, avoiding Karnaak and heading toward the wall to the north east. You can see smoke on the horizon … a lot of smoke … drawing closer you can see the smouldering burns of devastated bushland on the border between the Nexus Region and Karnaak. A stretch of about 2 – 300m wide path of pure ash that runs in a straight line along the border and then up north near the wall.

“Firestorm technology,” says Flight Officer Jason Detroit. “We got ourselves a military satellite! The burn is to let folks on the other sides of the border spot if folks like Alphas or Omegas try to dart past. We got choppers on the look out and if they see people they’ll hail them and determine if their a threat or not. Makes it harder for them to slip outta the Nexus Region net.”

—–

Circuit speaks up “Glad those satellites I got for you guys with Corina’s help are doing their part. Was quite costly on her remaining power but the benefits are quite clear”

“That was you?” asks Jason, looking impressed. “Damn son!” He hands over a psi-rig. “These are output-only, so you can’t do anything with them but see what I’m doing from the inside. You’re gonna wanna get a good look at what I’m about to try next. Anything happens to me on the return trip … it’s either you or the drone rider stealthing your way outta here. And Drone Rider Santiago’s used to moving something a lot slower and boxier than this thing.”

—–

On the flight over, Santiago leans in to Patty and in a hushed voice asks “So, why do you hate Stacey so much? I mean, there’s not a lot to like, but usually it’s something specific.”  It’s a crowded plane, people will overhear.

Patty leans over to Santiago with a sour look on her face, “She threatened to kill me, plus she said something about Harry. I don’t know, I get a weird vibe from the bitch….”

Santiago snickers “Why did she threaten to kill you? I mean, depending on her mood that’s a greeting, but…”

“Who knows, she sounded pretty serious about it. Just wanna punch her in her stupid dumb face, you know what I mean?”

“I used to be her housemate, I definitely understand!” Santiago laughs. “So what did she say about Harry this time?”

Patty puts a hand on Santiagos shoulder, “I feel so sorry for your sanity…” Before making a what some would call a ‘signature Hammond evil stear’ before continuing, “She said that that reminded her of someone, obviously she is talking about Harry. Can’t believe I’m getting compared to that bag of dicks now… Hng!”

“You don’t know the half of it!” Santiago laughs. “What’s so bad about reminding people of Harry? I know he’s your older bro, but he wasn’t all bad!”

“You didn’t have to share a room with him for 15 years, with his stupid mood swings. Honestly, it was like having an older sister sometimes….”

“That’s true… Man, how did you stand anyone living in a bunker for so long?”

“Honestly, it was a quiet life.. I probably could have stayed there if it wasn’t for all of this drama.” She sighs a little to herself, “So happy I got to at least marry that boy before I left… Harry will probably hate it thought..”

“You got married!??” Santiago yells and slaps Patty on the shoulder “Who!? When!? More importantly, who?”

“Oh yeah, did I not mention that….?” Patty says while laughing, “My match from Inn, Noah. We were supposed to get married and I’ve liked him for ages, so why not do it before I go on a suicide mission… right?”

Santiago laughs nervously at the mention of a suicide mission, if you could call it a laugh.
“Oh, that’s why you wanted to get him into Ranger town! I never would have thought you’d would be down for the whole arranged marriage thing, but then again, I haven’t known you long… So congrats!”

“I mean there are other reasons, but I guess that could be one. Honestly would have been fine if it…..” She stops to look back at Niko and Lisa before laughing and turning back to Santiago, “I’d liked him even before the arranged marriage thing. I guess the stars aligned. You will have to be there for the party though!”

“I’m glad it all worked out for you. Hey, I’m sure once we get back you could probably swing the VIP room for your wedding/welcome home party.” Santiago sighs “I miss that room already… Shit, I even miss my bedroom right now.”

“That would be awesome, imagine the cool party we could have! You drone riders really know how to throw a good one, that is for sure…!” Patty sighs at Santiagos last comment, “I just miss pillows. Hey, at least have each other right…? That has to be something…” giving Santiago a smile

Santiago smirks and side hugs Patty. “Yea, we do… If your family doesn’t murder me in my sleep.”

—–

Patty stands up, giving Santiago a wink and claps her hands until everyone on the plan is looking at her. “Okay, so I have a few things that I need to say now that everyone is in one place. So.” Lifting up a photo of an Airforce Pilot, “This is Harry, if you see Harry don’t shoot him. That is my job. You shoot him and I shoot you.” Putting the photo back in her bag and looking back up, “Two. Seeing as we are on a super serious mission you should know that my last name has changed due to my recent marriage. SO Lance Corporal Nicholson. Get used to it, called me Hammond and I won’t give you the time of day.” Then pointing towards Niko and Lisa, “And lastly, those two fuckers got married and I’m only telling people because they didn’t want me too. So yeah. Sorry not sorry. Yeah, that is it. If you need me, just yell.” and sitting back down next to Santiago and taking another photo out of her bag to show her.

“That was a good idea, Lance Corporal \*Nicholson\*” Santiago chuckles as she grabs at the new photo Patty’s holding. “What’s this one? Your husband??”

“I can have good ideas on occasion.” Patty says as she sits with a sigh before laughing a little at Santiago, “Yeah that is him, God I miss him already.”

“Fuck off” Pipes a voice from the back of the gunship “If we find him and he is a hostile we will fucking kill him simple as that, if your that keen on securing the kill get on the front lines and earn the right to take his life” Crow leans back and glares at patty through his googles “It’s almost tempting to kill him to watch you try to kill me” he says with a visible chuckle.

“He’s a Ranger and we need him alive!” Santiago snaps back at Crow “Patty was exaggerating when she said she wanted to shoot him, it’s a sibling thing. Try to be less of a wanker, just a smidge.”

“Maybe she should explain that better? How the fuck am I meant to know her relationship with her brother?” Crow smirks and rests back in his seat and turns up his music with his middle finger while pointing it at Santiago.

Santiago glances around to see if the captain is looking and quickly takes off her left boot and throws it at him. It doesn’t make it far or land anywhere near Crow…

Patty starts laughing as soon as she sees the shoe go flying, before looking back a Crow with an unimpressed look on her face, poking her tongue out and hooping back down to sit down next to her friend. “What an ass. Honestly, he was worse at Tri-Way.”

Crow gets up and grabs the boot and swiftly. He walks behind the two girls and shoves the boot into Santiago’s chest harshly thought not enough to hurt. He lowers his head to patties level and whispers in a gravelly tone “I may have been and still am a fuckwit but I’m probs gonna have to save your arses out there, so I’d stay on my good side”.

“You have a good side?” Santiago says while coughing a little

“Yep I sure fucking do and currently you ain’t there so unless you want someone who can fight hordes of zeds by himself at your back I’d fucking get on it”.

“Just chill the fuck out, Crow.” Patty says, giving him a smile, “Nerves and all that. Sorry for not explaining properly when I made that announcement.”

“Mate I don’t give a fuck either way, would be your problem if I fucking killed him because you wanted to be cute with your civil rivalry” Crow starts walking away before he turns his head “just fucking saying if it comes down to it if he is a hostile I will put him down”, then continues walking back to his seat.

“Easy crow” Hazzy calls, stirring from where he had apparently been sleeping, his eyes never opening.  “Gonna be enough folks out there as wants you dead, probably not smart to make more in here.”

Crow sits down to Hazzy causing a solid thump “Fuck off there the one acting like fuck heads” he says as he turns up his music then leans back and begins to jam out to it while finger drumming the seat in front of him.

Hazzy says: “Bullets are easier to deflect if they’re coming from the same direction mate. Doesn’t matter who’s being a fuckwit, we’re all on death row out here”