Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
Few minutes later, heavy door to brig opened and one of Belle's men brought duffel bag inside. Saluted his captain and paying little to no attention to Morreti before heading outside and locking the door behind him with several levers.
"Veracruz is nice if you ignore settlements.", she replied and finished her cigarette and dropped it on the floor before stomping it with her heavy boot, "Nice and untamed wilderness... just be sure to bring a longarm since some of those animals can be curious how humans really taste like. I've spent several days and nights in wilderness just myself.".
Virginia nodded at the bag, "Flight suit for you with some nice flaming skulls and wings, your favourite I believe.", she chuckled a little despite serious and tired expression on her face, "With all other gear a pilot should be wearing when on duty - gun, communicator, emergency supplies and such.".
The narration of equipment he was being given to fit in was something he decided to summarise with one word instead, only just narrowly interrupting her to do so. "Souvenirs."
"Strange alternate universe we're in, one where I'm willing to actually wear this. But oh well..." Fetching the duffel bag so he could sort through it all while getting changed, she'd find that he wouldn't take long at all to get ready, quite experienced with the routine of gearing up for patrol duty. And oddly enough, the uniform suited him quite well, better fitted than his own and more flattering because of it. He concluded that was likely done for the sake of propaganda, good for posters or the net.
"Do me a favor and keep this. I'll take it back from you when you're changing into our colours." What she was given was a skeletonized but remarkably high quality laser pistol, the small frame meant he'd had it concealed the entire time. Upon closer inspection it seemed to be manufactured by Kemwer, which explained the quality but not how he'd acquired one.
Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
"This is... quite an interesting gun, I haven't seen anything like it.", Virginia began quickly examining the gun, trying it in her smaller hand and aiming it away from them, "Aside from the fact that all important controls are on the wrong side, as usual.".
She was examining and handing for several minutes before sliding it into her long coat pocket, secured of course. "One of your trophies, I presume? Well... I'm not surprised. Your life must've been quite an interesting one if you managed to undress police chief after all.", she said with joyful smirk on her face and handed him access card from her pocket, "Ah, I almost forgot. You will need this to fire up your strikecraft, Virgo Three.".
She paused for a moment as there was something more up in her mind, "I hope you are not too upset about me organizing Insurgent forces in that skirmish. They've taken us as their flagship, so I had to keep up the appearances.".
He shook his head at her comments about all the controls, elaborating on why she had reasons to be excited instead. "Take it apart and you can just refit it according to your needs, in this case left hand shooting. Feel free to use it while you have it. I'm leaving a piece of me here with you, same way you are by sending me out of here in one of your ships." As odd of a sentiment as that might have been, it was at least creative and quite sincere, and also something of an invitation.
When she later spoke up about what was on her mind, he just shook his head again. "Upset? No, I was honestly furious. Now I'm walking away having learnt something from all of this." As if for dramatic effect, he let the pause simmer and did actually begin to walk away to leave, initially giving the impression that this meeting might be ending on a sour note.
"That I can trust you." He finally added with a wink, concealing himself behind the helmet he was provided with and the rehearsed alter ego he'd shown off before. And if she had nothing further to say, he'd move through the threshold of the door just in front of him.
Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
Virginia nodded at him and with three pushes of a button next to heavy door, she signaled her men to unlock them. There were still so many thoughts and questions going through her mind.
Whole operation took several seconds as men operated heavy levers to unlock, open and secure them at the wall. These doors were made from several inches of structural alloys and were proofed for any sudden decompressions and nearby explosions.
She allowed him to step out first and said, "Take him to the hangar, we should be arriving at our destination within ten minutes or so.". Both of her men nodded at her and positioned themselves to lead Morreti to the hangar.
Both of them were around their thirties, although scars of war made them look much older. Unlike Virginia who spent most of her military career as ship officer and was spared of most direct traumas, these men were marines and fought on both ships and land. Their glassy stares clearly told that besides fight, passing down their experiences, following orders and feeling useful for their commander, there was little else they expected from their lives. "C'mon, lad.", one of them said, "Y'ride is waitin'.". His voice was not commanding nor threatening - it was dry, raspy and devoid of emotions.
Nodding emphatically to the man talking to him, he gestured for him to go ahead with his spare hand and spoke up. "Lead the way, big boy." Whether or not it was time for him to start putting on the facade, it was already there, it had been there from the moment that helmet went into place and it would stay until he was back at base and able to rid himself of the thing.
The way to the hangars was a few stretches of long and cramped corridors, directions he'd keep in mind in order to better brief Grant on the layout. Though that was proving a bit hard with how dimly lit everything was, that and the faint smell of what seemed like stale sweat in the air, ship crew were obviously hard at work doing something or other to cause it, and he connected the dots when he saw supplies being shifted to their respective areas.
Once he was in the actual hangar, he seemed to conduct himself more boldly, as if none of this was new to him. That was far less likely to cause suspicion that he was a stranger aboard the ship or an undocumented transfer that came in recently, moving ahead of his escort until he was standing in front of the appropriately designated fighter.
Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
Morreti was led into battlecruiser's small and cramped docking bay, built for asortment of twelve strikecraft and two freighters, although in reality only half of them was ready for launch at any given time and the other half was suspended from the hangar's ceiling as spares for any suffered losses.
However, Roanoke's complement was thinned down considerably - only three fighters and two freighters remaining, not counting any pieces of downed fighters recovered during its patrols. Morreti could clearly see that his downed fighter was not onboard - maybe Xeno recovery crews were able to salvage it?
Flightdeck crew was preparing three Prosecutors for departure - fuel hoses being disconnected, fuel cells energized. Other two pilots were already waiting at their machines - Virgo Two and Five.
"Virgo Wing, this is FDC. Standby for departure. Your heading will be 57, follow radio beam Charlie, over.", all pilots with flight helmets could hear flight deck control speaking, "Virgo Two, ready and waiting." "Virgo Five, ready and waiting."
Battlecruiser was slowing down from its cruise speed and yellow sirens instructed all pilots to get into their strikecraft and close their cockpits and others to stay clear off hangar bay immediatelly.