Virginia was sitting in her quarters aboard INS Dahlonega, her own sloop and gunship. Unlike militaristic cold and metal style quarters aboard INS North Carolina, these were much cozier - warm colors, more modern life support module, more comfortable civilian furniture, less noise and vibrations - this felt more like home than work. She was currently off duty and was wearing her casual attire - red checkered shirt with black undershirt and simple green pants as her more usual uniform was currently in laundry.

She was sitting behind her desk at computer terminal and was scratching her right wrist with watches nervously with her polished short nails. These wrist watches were no ordinary watches, however, as their main purpose was to serve as discrete liquid Cardamine injector to keep her addiction secret. Her fellow officers were no fools and they could easily recognize Cardamine inhaler if she had one.

Yet, her supply for liquid drug were running low. Her freelancer drug dealer had run into some issues and his deliveries were less frequent than usual. Virginia was trying to give him call over the NeuroNET for three hours already, yet he was unavailable, not even responding to messages two days ago. Virginia knew that he had some issues and misunderstandings with Junkers and this made a perfect sense for her even if the timing for this to happen was bad. Extremely bad.

Virginia was spreading her doses thinner to allow her remaining supplies last longer just in case, but she was already experiencing withdrawal as her hands were shaking. Her accoustic guitar, on which she plays when she is in need of psychological relax, was resting on the desk in front her as he was no longer able to play on it at this moment.
She hated it will all her passion. She hated everything at this moment. She would scratch out every molecule of Cardamine from her body if she could to get rid of this goddamned addiction. She would shot every Outcast and burned their planet if she could to get rid of this addition. Instead, she felt trapped. Not only that Stabiline was more expensive, but it was also harder to acquire than Cardamine.

With gentle press of a button on her watches, she calmed her mind with dose of drug into her system. She opened a small round metal box and applied ointment on her scratched and irritated wrist as her hands stopped shaking and she could focus on her own thoughts now.

With tap on a keyboard of her terminal, Virginia has canceled call to her drug dealer Bob 'Fix' Myles. No point of trying to call already dead man or currently on the run from his competitors. She needs a new dealer, but more importantly - she needs to refill her supply fast as she spent too much time waiting for him.

Not an easy task for the former Hellfire officer with a need to keep such things under carpet.

"Mind who do you insult, estúpida vaca.", said the tall tanned man and grabbed Virginia by the neck. She tried to pry away his fingers but to no avail - he was simply too strong. Not only that she could not breathe, she was also blacking out due the lack of blood supply to her brain, not mentioning the pain she felt in her neck as he lifted her off the ground.

Yeah, insulting Outcast personally was not probably the smartest move she did in her career, especially when she is aboard Barrier Station in one of its less secure decks. She was going to die, there was nothing else she could do to turn the situation in her favor, so what about leaving this world in style at least?
Virginia grinned in smile as she was struggling the breathe and was almost blacked out, "This really turns me on.". Outcast sighed in disgust and threw her against the metal wall like he was no longer interested in touching her.
She struck the wall with her back and landed on the floor grating, knocked out of breath. Her whole back was in pain - this was a way more painful than it looked in movies and she felt dizzy due to the pain and lack of oxygen in her system.

Outcast did two quick steps towards her and Virginia could just roll on her side with arms in front of her to defend herself as he kicked her in the chest. Virginia used all her remaining strength to absorb first kick to some degree with her arms feeling numb, but then felt sharp pain as few of her ribs gave away as she could no longer defend herself against the second kick. She would scream in pain if she could. Her body felt like a ragdoll - with no strength remaining and pain numbing all her senses. She could barely feel as the Outcast grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up.

She looked in his widely opened eyes and leaned against the wall as he collapsed on the floor in front her. Behind him was standing her security officer, with his energy pistol still smoking. He was dressed in similar civilian attire like she was as wearing Insurgency uniforms around could raise some eyebrows. Strange, she could not even hear the shots fired.
"Are you being diplomatic again, captain?", he smiled at her as he holstered his gun. She really wanted to reply in some cool way to save her face and dignity, but instead coughed painfully as started breathing and pressed hand against her broken ribs. Virginia had no strength nor will to protest as he grabbed her left hand and supported her on his shoulder and helping her to walk back to the ship.

Her right hand in the pocket and gripping access card for the Outcast's Dromedary - and more importantly - its cargo.

Why are junkies not liked by the others - because they are unreliable when they need their fix, right? Especially when their addition is a severe as Cardamine one when their life is at stake.

Exactly these thoughts were racing through Virginia's mind when she was squeezing through older and loud maintenance shafts aboard Barrier station. She was almost regretting her decisions now, and not just because half of her muscles were fatigued and stiff while the other half was in painful spasms as she was squeezing through ducts and vents on her way to dead Outcast's hangar and now on her way out. She even felt her patched up ribs despite her medical officer reassuring her that she will not feel anything. But the same medical officer also said that she would have to rest for few days.

No, it is because she felt so unprofessional even for her own rather low standards. Virginia was starship, no - capital ship, commanding officer. And now she is sneaking through space stations ducts and tunnels like a small-time thief she was before on Houston's streets during her rowdy teens. At least she has not forgotten a thing from those less glamorous years. But she does not have courage to face Cardamine's withdrawal not to admit to her peers that she is an addict. Compared to those options - this was not as bad.

Virginia leaned over the hot steam pipe, turned herself to the left, bent her body fifty degrees up and pushed herself through rusty metal duct leading to the decks above. She quietly hissed in pain as her right thigh touched hot metal surface of steam pipe for few long seconds and climbed quickly up.

Her life could be easier, yes - could, but it was not. Mainly because she had a great idea to show her face on Liberty-wide broadcast and now her face was well known for at least two to four weeks before almost everyone will forget about her. Virginia was not exactly a shy person, but this really complicated her matters. Not only that it makes any attempts of acquiring her drug on black market anonymously more difficult, but she also had to use these maintenance shafts to get to that damned freighter in the place. And because all of that - she was able to acquire only three small vials of drug because anything bigger would hinder her way out.

Much less than she open for, but better than nothing. Few more weeks at best instead of previously estimated months.

Virginia needed answers. Her Bob 'Fixer' Myles was not only responsible for sourcing her Drug, but also promised her to look into the case of her older brother, and thanks to her little escapade at Barrier Station with Outcast freighter and its pilot - she had few more weeks to spend looking into her personal matters.

Planet Houston looked like the political and moral wasteland she remembered from her childhood and teenage years. One prisoner for every three free citizens. Hundreds of millions living in dystopian misery. A product of deep corruption within Liberty society - but luckily for her - that corruption could work in her favor if she was willing to spend some credits in right pockets, which allowed even individuals like her to enter the planetside without too much trouble.

Her journey via Zoner transport from Bethlehem Station was uneventful, although she was pretty sure that she was not the only 'criminal' aboard the vessel. Few cold-blooded faces onboard could have been former or current Rogues or Xenos.
Landing and journey on the planetside was similarly uneventful as Zoner captain had more than solid contacts so her 'cargo' could leave or enter ship without too many questions asked.

Virginia was wearing her more casual clothing suited instead of Insurgency military uniform. She was wearing gray hoodie with checkered red and black shirt underneath with worn out jeans and knee-high boots. Her small civilian handgun was in her left hoodie pocket just to be sure. With her hood covering her striking blonde hair, she was blending well among the Houston's poorer population, not wanting to draw any attention due to the numerous Bounty Hunter and LPI presence on the surface.



When she arrived at Fixer's address, it was already night time. His planetside base of operations was in more rundown parts of the settlement with barely functioning infrastructure and services, and trash everywhere.
Virginia carefully opened main entrance door into one of the apartment buildings and navigated its dimly lit halls until she finally reached Fixer's apartment and found it taped over by LPI tapes.
"Oh great.", she sighed and looked over the surrounding halls, carefully listening if she was followed by anyone or not. She even checked peepholes of nearby apartments for any signs of being observed, but she have not found anything.
She checked apartment's door, but they appeared locked and sealed. She did a little more noise than she wanted as she tried to open them and heard shuffling noise from one of those nearby apartment doors and had very bad feeling about all of this. I need to get out of here fast, raced through her mind.

She began walking away from the apartment as quietly as she could and as she was leaving apartment block through backdoor, she noticed LPI blinking lights approaching in the distance.
"Sh*t.", Virginia cursed and began running away from the scene through narrow and dark streets, checking her back every turn. She navigated her way through the dark halls and hid herself behind heaps of trash in one of abandoned buildings and calmed her breathing as much as she could, gripping her light pistol in her left hand.
Two pairs of heavy boots were stomping on the floor above her. She could even see flashlight beams through the cracks in the floor. Virginia held her breath and remained still, not making any noise and paying attention to her surrounding. Policeman above her looked around, answered to buzzling voices in his walkie-talkie and walked away.

Virginia sighed in relief and stood up on her feet, dusting herself off of any trash. In the near darkness, she has noticed movement and immediately aimed her gun at it and followed it to another empty room in abandoned building. Two small beings cuddled to each other in the darkness and Virginia lowered her gun - it was just two street kids. She secured her firearm with flip of safety lever and put it back into her hoodie pocket as she squatted down to have a better look at them, "What are you two doing in place like this?", whispered as softly as she could.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you.", Virginia whispered calmly at two children. Boy could be five or six years old while the older girl was around eight years old. They have been dressed in simple, cheap clothing, which looked like being stained only in past few days - they must have been lost rather than living on the street.
"Why aren't you with your mommy?", Virginia asked them quietly and did not do any sudden movements. She even had a relaxed smile on her face instead of her usual pissed off expression. Brown haired boy was too scared of her, but girl looked more courageous, perhaps because of semblance of responsibility over her younger sibling.
"Some mean woman took us. She was old and angry.", girl said quietly with her voice shaking a little bit.
"I know there are plenty of mean and scary people out there, but your parents must be worried about you. I can take you home. Do you want to see your mommy and daddy?", Virginia looked at them with surprisingly worried face. What's happening with her? She never cared about anyone but her older brother.
"Dad said that mommy is sleeping among the stars after her accident at factory.", girl replied and pulled her knees under her chin.
"I am sorry to hear that, sweetie.", Virginia sighed and nodded, "My name is Virginia. What's yours?".
"I am Nicole and h-", replied girl and boy finally found his courage to speak as well, "Martin.". "Nicole and Martin, nice names.", Virginia smiled and slowly offered them her hands, "Do you want to go home?".
Kids looked at each other and Nicole immediately changed the subject, "Virginia is a weird name.". Owner of said name grinned and nodded, "Yes, tell that to my parents, Nicole, but I should get you to your father first.". Virginia was still patiently holding her hands in front of her and strange thoughts were racing through her mind - Why is she doing it? Why does she feel so bound to the fate of these two random kids. She never did such things before.
Virginia squatted there for almost fifteen minutes in silence and watched Nicole and Martin as they gathered enough courage to place their small tiny hands into hers. "Where is your home - do you remember?", newly appointed caretaker asked them as she lifted Martin into her arms.
"I dunno.", replied Nicole and Martin shook his head, "I am hungry.". Virginia sighed, "Fine, tell me what interesting buildings are around your home?".
"There... a food shop with noodles...", said Nicole as she was pondering and trying to remember, "... ugly building with three large antennas. It looks like a bug.".
That was not much, Virginia said for herself but then got an idea, "If I will give you a datapad, can you draw it?". Nicole nodded and Virginia stood up, "Alright, time to get you cleanly clothed and fed - what do you say?". "Yes!", both siblings said.


Looked over cleanly clothed Nicole and Martin as they have been eating noodles from bowls in cheap looking bistro next to street marketplace and looked over the crude drawing which Nicole gave her. It was oddly familiar from some panorama pictures she saw before and all she needed was to browse enough of them at worn our and dirty looking public terminal next to street bistro.
Her aggressive and mean body language was gone as well as her usual angry expression. She could not help herself but to check on them by the corner of her eyes. She was sincerely worried about them, there was no denying of that. At this very moment - infamous Captain Virginia 'Crash' Belle looked like a simple young woman from poor Houston's streets.

Maybe she was too worried about the kids so she paid a little attention to her own surroundings. Slim hand grabbed her by the hair and yanked her head backwards while second hand pressed a sharp looking blade at her throat. A quiet rough voice said to her, "Aight, give me all yer credits or I gut ya. No quick moves.". Virginia slowly raised her hands so he can see them, although her stronger left hand was conveniently close to his blade, as thug released her hair and run it through her pockets in search for valuables, "Just please - don't hurt me.", she said as the knife on her neck felt very serious.
As soon as he found handgun in her pockets, he hesitated and Virginia did her counter attack. She quickly moved her left hand under his hand around her neck as he was distracted and hit his nose with the back of her head.
"Gaargh, you b**ch!", he cursed in pain as he covered his broken nose with left hand while had his blade pried from the right. Virginia grabbed her handgun with her left hand and switched the safety off with her thumb while grabbing malnourished looking street thug by the neck with her right hand.
I gonna blow you head head off, punk!, she wanted to say in her head as she pressed her handgun against his jaw, but caught scared looking Nicole and Martin by the corner of her eyes. She blinked a little confused about her current behavior and said quietly, "Get. The. F**k. Out. Of. Here.". Gunning him down was not an option here - not in front of the kids.

"Come on, we must go.", she said with sigh of relief and secured her handgun as the thug was running away from them, "Just another meanie, I scared him away. It's fine. I know where you home is. Let's go.", Virginia smiled at them reassuringly to calm them down. She really wanted to calm them down. She felt so ashamed that they had to witness more violent version of her.

"Do you have children?", Nicole asked Virginia as she was lying on crude bed with her younger brother Martin. They took shelter for the night in one of the cheaper establishments as walking outside around midnight would be more than suspicious even for a woman with two children, and could attract unwanted attention from LPI and Bounty Hunters. Which is something Virginia was not willing to risk, especially with her less than fortunate idea of showing off her face Liberty-wide and cheap clothing with scarf and different makeup have their limits.
"No, I don't. I am too young for that.", Virginia shook her head and sat in the worn armchair next to bed, "And you two should be sleeping right now.".
"Will you have kids?", Nicole replied with another question, but this time she cut too deeply. Virginia sighed as she was not able to reply immediately. Previously - her answer was always no because she way young and wild, and wanted to experience more life, and in addition - her military careers in former Hellfire Legion and current Insurgency were too important for her.
But now - she was with Nicole and Martin only for several hours and she changed already. She feels different, thinks different and feels way older and responsible than before.
"Why are you sad, auntie V? Did I said something wrong?", Nicole asked her again as she haven't received a reply yet. Virginia sighed again and look at her, "That's nothing. It was just long day for you two and me.", she replied quietly and continued, "As for your question - no, I won't have kids.".
"Why not?", asked Nicole curiously again.
"Because for a family, you need mommy and daddy, Nicole. Like in the fairy tales - prince and princess, and I haven't found my prince yet.", Virginia decided to reply in a nice, gentle lie, a perfect lie for a child like Nicole. No need to tell small girl like her truth about Drug addiction, which would be passed through her bloodline.
"Will you find him?", Nicole's curiosity grew with each passing question.
"No, go to sleep. It's late already.", replied Virginia and leaned her back against armchair's backrest.
"Nooo...", protested Nicole and booed at her.
"One last question - and then you go to sleep, alright?", tried to get her sleeping already pretty tired Virginia.
"Two questions.", pushed Nicole her luck.
"One. Your brother is already sleeping.", nodded Virginia at the Martin already sleeping next to Nicole.
Nicole finally pulled her blanket under her chin and looked at Virginia sleepily, "Will you find your prince, auntie?".
Virginia smiled at her and replied with another gentle lie, "Yes. Every princess will find her prince. Now - good night and sweet dreams. You will get home tomorrow.". Virginia did not trust security of this place much, so she opted for a more soldier-like arrangement to not allow herself to sleep deeply and decided to sleep in armchair. She reached for a light switch and turned the lights off.
"Good night, auntie.".

---

Virginia leaned against the wall in dusty hallway and waved with a fake smile at the Nicole and Martin as they walked to their apartment front door. She already wrapped her scarf around her head to somewhat cover her face during the daylight, but still, she did not wanted to be seen by their father. It was too risky for him and them. She is wanted criminal and farther she will be away from this family, the better. She knew that they have been safe around here, but still felt tensed up - ready to jump into action should anything bad would happen to them.
As their surprised and worried father opened door and hugged his missing kids, Virginia already slipped around hallway's corner and walker quickly out of the apartment block. She had a shuttle to catch after all.

---

Like a stupid, silent superhero, went through her mind as she was leaning against the concrete wall at shady looking starport. There was even an LPI officer walking around sporadically and maintaining official presence, but she earned a way more money from bribes than actual wage and she was basically blind to everything around her.
All kinds of conflicting emotions were rushing through her mind. She drew on her cigarette as she waited for her flight back to Bethlehem Station. No matter that she stopped smoking several years ago - now it was exactly what she needed to calm her thoughts and think through all of this.

Virginia closed her and drew on her cigarette again. Her initial objective was a failure - whatever information 'Fixer' found about her older brother was in his assailants or LPI's hands. Marcus' trail went cold, there was nothing she could do about it at this moment. Her contacts were limited before and now she is basically blind and clueless.
Same with any possible leads on 'Fixer's' Drug sources. Several weeks remaining and you are dry again, she said for herself as she evaluated her situation. Maybe she can ambush some Drug smugglers and confiscate claim some stuff from their wreckage, but that's quite risky to pull off among her fellow Insurgents. Certainly not pushing her luck with another Outcast personally anytime soon, her ribs and neck still hurt since that encounter onboard Barrier Station.

"Hey there.", said young looking man in typical brown spacer clothing in front her and disturbed her thoughts. Virginia drew on her cigarette and exhaled cloud of smoke into his face, "Hi, get lost. I am not harlot for a hire.". She instinctively went into her pissed off demeanor again.
He looked nice, friendly and he could have been her prince, but everything she wanted now is to be alone. Virginia was in already foul mood as she could not stop herself thinking about Nicole and Martin, and what she felt when she was around them. Stranger remained standing near her as if he hoped that she will change her mind, but then he went to spend his time chatting with other, much friendlier fellow passengers.

She drew on her cigarette for the last time and threw it away. Now it was time to take her ride back home.

"Captain, please, come in.", said middle aged assistant medical officer as Virginia knocked and entered medical bay. Virginia looked around and haven't seen her senior medical officer, who was usually talking to her when she had some health issues. Assistant medical officer, Lieutenant Commander Grace Snows, was somewhere in her late forties and pointed at the chair in front of her, inviting Virginia to sit down.
Aw s**t, now she is going to tell me that I have a cancer or something, said Virginia to herself in her mind and sat down, starting to look nervously.
"I have run couple of tests, Captain...", Grace slowly started.. Virginia looked at her face - medical officer was worried, but she also had something else in her face, something she could not read now.
"Just tell me the truth, doc.", Virginia said as she sighed deeply and closed her eyes, preparing herself for possible death sentence - she grew up on Planet Houston with little to no medical care, served on numerous worn and damage starships and stations, so serious illnesses were not out of question even despite her relatively young age.
"... with due respect, Captain, you have... something we could call 'An Orange Nose'.", Grace lowered her voice and looked sternly at Virginia.
Virginia coughed with surprise and looked at the Grace, panic running through her mind. She knew that term well - a cardamine addict. Atmosphere in the medical bay changed gradually, and now it was Grace who was in charge.
"How do you know?", Virginia asked her quietly. She knew that if anyone can find this out, it will be physicians.
"A random chance, really.", Grace replied to younger Captain, "You are healthy, but when compared with your lifestyle and previous records... too healthy. I did a specialized test on your samples and you have addict markers in your blood. I have worked with junkies before.".
Virginia just sighed and stared into the floor, "What do you want from me to forget about all of this, Lieutenant Commander?".
"I first want to know how and why former Hellfire officer decided to take such poison.", Grace said quietly, but in very commanding manner.
"It was an accident.", Virginia looked around herself before she gathered enough strength to look into Grace's icy eyes, "I attented some wild party on leave with fellow junior officers at that time... and we drank and drank... and then someone got an excellent idea to try out cardamine.".
"Do you ally yourself with Outcasts because of that, Captain?", Grace was studying Virginia's face thoroughly for any signs of lying.
"Of course not.", Virginia shook her head.
"Do you know what I should do?", Grace asked her slowly, enjoying every moment of being in power.
"Yeah, I know.", Virginia said, "Report this to my superiors, I'd more examined, interrogated... and then returned back to duty with large, orange stain on my records. I'd be demoted if I'll be lucky, discharged and kicked out if unlucky.".
"Indeed.", Grace nodded and leaned closer to Virginia, "I can ruin your career. I do not know why Commodore White chose you as her executive officer, but I think you do not deserve your rank, Captain. But...", Grace flicked her tongue and made a dramatic pause.
"But?", Virginia looked at her.
"Your... stain can be useful to me.", Grace smiled at her, "You can help and you will help me, won't you Captain?".
"What do you want?", Virginia asked her quietly, feeling ashamed and powerless. Virginia hated Grace already - not because she found it out, but because she was enjoying her suffering and guilt. She wanted to kill her with her bare hands, but possibility of being charged with murder and cardamine addiction at the same time was not something she was looking forwards to.
"I have a future plans in Insurgency, you see... and serving as senior medical officer aboard battleship like North Carolina for some time with distinction would help me greatly.", Grace chuckled quietly, "What a coincidence - it would help you with your career as well, wouldn't it?".
"That's... corruption, something we all sworn to fight against.", Virginia hissed back with disgust and clenched her fist.
"Well... you are correct, Captain.", Grace smiled, "Then I guess I will do my duty to report it and you can fight against corruption as discharged, cardamine addicted criminal without any comrades in arms, my dear.".
"Wait...", Virginia closed her eyes and sighed deeply as she calculated her chances, "I changed my mind.".
"Oh, you did, my dear?", Grace grinned at her, "And what's on your mind?".
"I have...", Virginia exhaled deeply, "I have decided to help you.". Virginia stood up from the chair and wiped her wet eyes from all those emotions she has been feeling so far.
"Do not worry, Captain.", Grace offered her a hand, "Those records will be safe with me until you do your part of our deal.".
Virginia looked at her hand and decided to not shake her hand with her blackmailer, "Fine.". With these words and without saying any formal goodbye, Virginia quickly left medical bay.

"Checkmate, Crash."
"Hmmh?"
"You are not paying attention - checkmate.", said ginger haired man in uniform sitting at the opposite side of the table and pointed at the chessboard in between them. He is Ben Sheffield, XO of battlecruiser INS Roanoke. He was about as old as Virginia herself, few years give or take.
"Yeah, you won again, Ben.", Virginia smirked at him and took a sip from her glass with moonshine.
"I usually win, but... I rarely defeat you under fifteen turns. Three times in a row. You are clearly not playing the game, so why have you come?".
Virginia sighed and took another sip from her glass, "Aight. Yes, you're correct.", Virginia reached for her cigarette case and put one of them between her lips, lighting it up with her lighter and drew from it before she continued, "I need something.".
"Why haven't you told me in the first place, then?", Ben smiled and looked at her.
"Fine. Fine.", Virginia stood up and started walking from one side of the room to another, "I think you have noticed that I am starting to spend more time aboard Roanoke than North Carolina, right?".
"Yes, I did."
"I find most of your officers... acceptable.", she drew on her cigarette again.
"Acceptable.", he chuckled, "Get to the point, Crash. You are acting weird today. You are usually more confident than you are now, even when you are wrong.".
"I need my senior medical officer here, aboard Roanoke."
"I see no problem with that. But...", he takes another sip from his glass, "Are you alright?".
"Yes, I'm fine.", Virginia replied with slightly annoyed tone and drew on her cigarette.
"Why do you even want your chief medical officer in here?", Ben started putting chess pieces back on chessboard.
"I'd like to tell you, but the thing is - I don't know how to explain it.", Virginia sighed and looked at him.
"So... are you terminally ill or anything like that?"
"What? No, no... it's just... don't ask, okay?"
"I'm your executive officer, captain, I need to know it it the crew is involved, you see? That's my job - you issue orders, I take care of the crew, so if there is anything going on with my superior officer, you, I need to know.", Ben said in pretty serious tone before to looked at the chessboard again.
"Oh don't you worry, I'm not dying. I'm fine, I just need my chief medical officer assigned here.", Virginia folded her arms and winked at him, "Maybe I can do something for you in return.".
"Crash... you always knew how to please a lonely man..."
"Ha-ha, very fun-ny, family guy, I'm dying laughing. Stop being sleazy like Jerkaryan, please. I'm serious."
"Yeah, my wife'd kill me.", Ben chuckled and raised his eyebrow when he asked another question, "Why don't you like Zakaryan?".
"He called me a 'good girl' over official channel, so he's jerk."
"Just that? It doesn't look th-"
"Yeah, I'm not someone's harlot. How'd feel if I'd called you a 'good boy' in front of the crew?"
"I admit that sounds pretty weird, especially from the mouth of superior officer."
"See? That's my point.", Virginia shook her head, "So... back to business, will you sign transfer of my chief medical officer, Ben?"
"Yes, I'll, but you will owe me."
"Sure I'll.", Virginia sighed with relief and walked towards the desk to pick up and raise her glass of moonshine.

Virginia always had love and hate relationship with Planet Veracruz, especially after civilian government was seized by military dictatorship. She liked its untamed wilds and harsh climate, offering a challenge whenever she went on hiking during her leaves, but hated martial law enforced upon their civilians and rule of fear and strength. For this very reason, she rarely got an Insurgency uniform and insignias on her when she was on the surface aside from her dog tags and handgun to keep her safe and she even managed to get in several verbal conflicts with low-ranking law enforcers.
Today, Virginia had no hiking in mind. Today, she as on her way to warehouse 774C where she was to meet Grace Snows and get incriminating medical data from her in exchange for promotion and transfer to the position of chief medical officer aboard INS North Carolina.
And then I will kill her, said Virginia for herself in her mind and lit her cigarette as she checked her handgun and walked into the warehouse to meet her foe.

"Lieutenant commander", Virginia said formally as she met her Grace Snows in seemingly abandoned warehouse and threw thick paper folder on a crate standing between them and serving as some sort of desk, "Open it and read it thoroughly, you are assigned as chief medical officer aboard North Carolina as former chief was recalled to Roanoke.".
"Captain, I knew that you will do what I asked for.", Grace smiles coldly and opens folder lying on the crate, browsing documents inside with her eyes.
Virginia sighed and gritted her teeth, "I did what you asked me to do, so now uphold you part of the deal.".
Grace raised her finger, "You did only one part of you deal, captain.", she said as she closed the folder and looked at Virginia, who was getting angrier and angrier, "I need to serve with distinction-".
Virginia reacher for her handgun, toggled safety off and aimed it at Grace's head, "Don't f**k with me, lieutenant, give me those damned records NOW!". Grace raised her arms, but to Virginia's surprise - Grace was not scared at all.
Instead, she continued talking with her calm, emotionless voice, "... with distinction, and what's better distinction for newly appointed chief medical officer, th-"
"Give me THOSE records NOW!", Virginia was shaking with anger and she was almost ready to shoot her, moving her finger up and down the trigger nervously.
"-than saving commanding officer's life when she got herself mortally wounded by some scoundrels in some forgotten warehouse.", Grace smiled at Virginia, who suddenly heard shuffling noises on darkened catwalk hanging from the ceiling above them.
Two silent 'FST! FST!' was all that Virginia heard when she felt her heart racing and arms and legs weakening. There was no pain, maybe one or two more painful stings, but then everything started to feel dull - her body, arms, legs and even her senses. Her handgun slipped from her hand and she fell on her back, looking straight into the darkened ceiling of warehouse 774C. She could not see her attacker and all she heard and saw was Grace coming closer to her and kneeling down to her.
"You... b**ch...", Virginia cursed quietly as she felt sticky, warm liquid from her belly. She was running out of strength and breath quickly.
"Oh, don't you worry. You will survive.", Grace pulled out autoinjector from her pocket and pressed it against Virginia's neck as dosed her with some chemicals, "You will live because I allow it, remember that.".
Virginia's vision began to blur and her shaky breathing was stabilizing itself. She was slipping into unconsciousness and world was becoming darker and quieter every passing second. All that she could sense was Grace grabbing her communicator and calling, "Operator! I request immediate assistance and medical evac to warehouse 774C, one person seriously injured, some assasination attempt or something. Lieutenant commander Grace Snows calling, come quick!", Grace shouted with believably shaken voice into the device as she 'called' for help and looked on blacking out Virginia, "Don't bother telling anyone - unlike you who does not trust anyone and with your reputation - I have arranged 'witnesses' who will confirm my version and findings, captain.".

And then everything went dark as Virginia blacked out into unconsciousness.

Virginia drew on her cigarette and looked out of window to see Veracruz settlement in front of her. It was some since she was aboard INS North Carolina, INS Roanoke or even her private cutter INS Dahlonega. Her wounds weren't that serious, but there were some complications during her surgery and following recovery and she still felt drowsy and weren't fit for duty. Well, at least she could walk, smoke and curse.

Past incidents forced her to rethink some of her decisions. She told her XO everything - about her addiction and about her conflict with Grace Snows. While he acknowledged her addition rather easily, he was a bit sceptical about her involvement in any foul business - by all official records - she saved her commanding officer after all. Who is going to question that - troublemaker Virginia Belle?

Virginia drew on her cigarette again and pondered about her imminent future, a think she was not doing that often, but she was still recovering and weak, and there is little to do in medical anyway.
With Liberty forces moving through Kansas and Bretonian forces trying to breach to Vespucci through Magellan, this war - this whole Insurgency is going to be resolved soon - either by winning and securing their space for good or by losing and... what will happen when they lose?

Virginia drew on her cigarette for the last time and tipped her cigarette into a trashtray lying on the windowsill in front of her. Situation changes and so her priorities.