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5.2 - Operation Deadlight Part 2
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[Autonomous Flotilla Battlegroup 'Tristain' (Tristain Group)] Flotilla Commander; Nate Novel Command Vessel; Battleship 'Am-Fluchtig' (Celtic Class)
To Hoki these words seemed completely natural - The Fluchtig was the largest ship and Nate the highest ranking officer, yet those around her seemed to disagree...
"And who gave you such arrogance as to appoint yourself leader Mr.Novel!" Bellowed the voice of the Rinie's captain, commander Batty. 'Bellowed' was an apt description of her tone, it had poise and indignation laced throughout.
"Indeed where exactly did you get such an idea?" Chimed in Valliere captain, Lt commander.Louise. She contrasted Batty greatly - Speaking while barely moving a muscle and in a lackadaisical tone of disinterested mischief.
For his part Nate reeled in on himself, trying to speak in between a continued line of insults and questions from the two other captains. His short moppy hair swaying from side to side as he attempted to follow the complaints of the those before him.
Hoki sighed internally. 'What sort of officers are this childish? I knew it would be a long day.... I wonder what the others are up to?'
Of course she and most people in the room knew what was occurring, without even having seen them, Hoki had no doubt the official orders from the board above would list Nate as fleet leader.
No this was little more than Batty and Louise trying to push Nate off balance. For what purpose Hoki could only imagine but it seemed to be working.
Soon the room was filled with the bickering of the trio; "Well I have to be in charge don't I? I have rank!"
Nate proclaimed as if staggering upon a revelation.
Batty visibly sneered at this comment, "Rank? You ignorant fool, we rank the same."
Nate winced again realising the school boy error in his choice of come-back. To further compound his loss of control over the meeting, Louise piped up once more;
"If you think about it Ms.Batty and you could actually swap ship's if that's all it's a question of."
Hoki could of sworn she saw Batty bristle at the incorrect labelling, but clearly deciding to keep on with this temporary alliance she redoubled her efforts against Nate.
"Well then, One feels it's settled. My staff and I shall transfer to the Fluchtig and take over command of this new fangled Tristan Flotilla."
Hoki's jaw fell agape, she had seen meetings like this before but this really was quite the bold assault.
Similarly poor Nate Novel's mouth seemed to flap like a fish as he strove to understand what had become of his simple briefing session;
"I-i wha-ha-,...... Eh??!"
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A sudden but deliberately drawn out cough from the left-most side of the room suddenly broke everyone present's attention. Hoki turned, her face a picture of embarrassment at what she feared was Kolme having drifted off to sleep before awakening with a coughing fit, but instead she was greeted to something else entirely.
Sitting almost slouched into his chair, as though he had no interest in what ships were present, what orders where given or which officers were which, arms folded and eyes half shut - Kolme began to lecture the rest of the room without ever turning to make eye contact with those he addressed. His voice was sterner than Hoki had ever heard it in her short time with him;
"If the warm-up act wouldn't mind exiting the stage about now that'd be just 'splendid. Some of us have actual work to get to before day's end. We all know the rules don't we?
Art'cle D42 of the IAFS charter, crap that it is, states ship classification dictates seniority. Ergo the commander here outranks everyone by a minimum of one. We ain't a bloody democracy, so if you don't mind getting on with it Sirs?
Or should I call the day'care and tell 'em they've lost some kids?"
Hoki couldn't tell anymore what she was more shocked by, the senior officer's petty squabbling or her team leader suddenly talking about being time conscientious (among other things).
Lt.Commander Louise for her part sighed, but then followed it with a small grin, clearly betraying her intentions to simply cause a ruckus in aid of livening up the meeting all along.
Batty however glowed bright red.
'Well' - Hoki mused - 'She's always sort of red, just more so now.'
"I'd advice vice-squad commander-oh what was it? Nils? Nile? Nelly? That you watch your manners, lest you wish to find yourself down for insubordination. And for that matter, where is Lt.Commander Emilia out of interest?"
Batty finished, bitterness dripping from every-word, yet her answer had been more composed than Hoki was expecting.
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Again Kolme didn't even bother to sit up straight or face his superior officers as he spoke;
"I'm sure the presentation will address all yere' questions. That is if we ever get that far".
With that said he nodded respectful (as one can while slouched) at Nate, whom in turn almost seemed to glance around as if looking to see if Kolme was addressing some other lecture giver.
Upon failing to find this phantom speaker, Nate's shoulders slumped before finally he took a deep breath and attempted once more to get the meeting back on track.
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The rest of the briefing proceeded in much this fashion for some time.
Nate would explain some small detail, like the Fluchtig's mech team being in-charge of all 15 machines from between the three ships - only for Batty or Louise to interject, before finally Kolme would throw his own oar in to bring the conversation back to sanity, usually with some simple comment about how each ship's Vijaik-team leader would still hold relative authority.
It was through this Hoki began to see a new side of Kolme. Clumsy and in-punctual? Definitely, but bizarrely enough he was proving to be a viscous negotiator. She could only presume it was his uncouth nature that helped.
Put bluntly he was vulgar, his language rough and his opinions unsuitable for such a discussion. It was this, Hoki believed, that kept taking the trio of captains in the room by surprise.
Thanks in large part to Kolme aiding commander Nate in his pursuit of a sensible discussion, they did eventually reach the true meaning of the meeting. A new slide with black block capital words;
OPERATION DEADLIGHT #IAFS-OP-C-0030-TG
The room for the first time in a while, truly quietened down when those words appeared - A sense of anticipation spreading through-out everyone.
The next slide to come up was somewhat less imposing but no less intriguing. On it was a full size map of all human controlled space. It was by no means a unique sight for those present - It pertained the familiar sight of two planets (Bhaile, a bright blue and green orb to the left - And the desolate dusk of Abhaile to the right) surrounded by rings of Satellite-Nations and a moon like object orbiting either of the main bodies.
Operation Deadlight Concept Sketches [https://i.imgur.com/yMAZI6e.jpg]
Being a full screen display, the image was depicted in high definition state, clearly showing the vivid watercolours of Bhaile's lush climates - While equally portraying the drab dusty greys of Abhaile's surfaces.
As for the Nation-States or Nation-Satellites, they were depicted with simple gunmetal grey rectangles to represent their positions as literal cities and countries based from space bourn satellite.
Further marked were a number of capital cities and the likes with simple red font.
"As you all know--" Nate began.
'Know what?'
"We have gathered here today to form the Tristan Group in that we, the battlegroup, may take the fight back to the enemy!" He finished in what was borderline broken grammar.
The rest of the room stared up at Nate as he made his strange statement, most at this point we're growing used to the mans elongated way of explaining details.
He nodded at his two aides and the projected map updated to include new details. Reaching into his puffed, sleeveless bomber-jacket's pocket he drew forth a folded telescopic stick and proceed to swing it forward.
Nothing happened.
He shook in again.
No response.
Internally Hoki's felt as though she'd die of embarrassment as the man, her commanding officer, her boss's boss - Began to vigorously shake the small piece of metal around his person.
Finally he managed to force about half the thing open;
"That will do I suppose, ahem. Now then as I was saying, yes, what was I on again?"
It took all her willpower for Hoki not to clutch her face in dismay. Behind the man, on the map was a series of markers, one in particular stood out as being a unique image - A scaled down diagram of a somewhat famous repair ship known as the 'Clover'.
The image was crudely layer to be in position to the north-east of Abhaile.
This might of struck Hoki as odd (were she not busy being ashamed) due to the fact it was uncommon to chart the positions of individual ships on a regular map for no reason. This was a fact not lost on Kolme sitting beside her, now more alert and well, up-right then he even had been earlier when talking down to the captains.
"Ah yes. As you are all aware Operation-Deadlight will see us track down and destroy the submarine labelled, labelled...." As Nate again fumbled to remember the words of his script, a new fear crept into Hoki's mind.
'All aware? He...he couldn't of, of forgotten to send me the files before the meeting by accident?'
She had found it odd not receiving any details prior to the meeting but now it seemed that fear was confirmed. Glancing around the collected group of people in the room, their expressions showed no signs of confusion. No only her and Kolme seemed to be hearing of this 'Submarine' for the first time.
'For the love of the Sun he can't be that forgetful can he?'
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